Men's Journal's Blog, page 81
June 14, 2025
FBI Releases Chilling Photo of Minnesota Suspect Vance Boelter in Rubber Mask
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released a chilling new photo of Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Boelter, who authorities believe shot two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses, two fatally.
Two news outlets reported that Boelter was wearing a rubber or latex mask.
The photo shows Boelter wearing the fake police uniform that authorities earlier described, authorities say; Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said in a press conference that Boelter, 57, was impersonating a police officer and also was driving a police-like SUV with lights when police believe he opened fire.
According to ABC, the third photo in the wanted poster released by the FBI shows Boelter as he approached one of the victim's doors. Police believe Boelter shot and killed Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home after shooting and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.
FBI
Fox 9 reported that Boelter was wearing an "old man rubber mask" when he knocked on the doors so he didn't "even look like himself."
ABC News also reported that Boelter was "wearing a latex mask that looked realistic."
Another photo released by the FBI shows Boelter in a cowboy hat.
The FBI is offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the capture and conviction of Vance Luther Boelter, who is wanted in connection with today’s shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park. Read more at: https://t.co/F7omfyvMpr pic.twitter.com/ZOmRT4oaDG
— Minnesota Department of Public Safety (@MnDPS_DPS) June 14, 2025
"The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Vance L. Boelter, the suspect in Saturday's targeted shootings of Minnesota lawmakers and their families in Champlin and Brooklyn Park," the FBI wrote.
Authorities found his gear in a swamp, including a bullet proof vest, Fox 9 reported.
"How he's getting around right now is a mystery," the Fox 9 reporter said on air.
He was also seen outside the home of another lawmaker, Fox 9 wrote.
His LinkedIn page and website said Boelter was affiliated with a private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, as well as a company called Red Lion Group.
He was appointed to the Minnesota Governor’s Workforce Development Board by Gov. Tim Walz and former Gov. Mark Dayton, press releases and ABC News reported.
According to ABC News, "dozens of Minnesota Democrats were on a target list written by the gunman," including Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison.
"The shooter’s list of potential targets also included the names of abortion providers and pro-choice activists," ABC News reported.
that 11 Wisconsin Democratic lawmakers were also on the list. They included eight women and three men, all Democrats, the Journal Sentinel reported.
Related: Mark Hortman, Melissa Hortman's Husband, Posted Loving Facebook Photos
Caitlin Clark Turns Heads With 3-Pointer Trifecta in 33 Seconds in First Game Back
Caitlin Clark made her return to the WNBA court Saturday after nearly three weeks sidelined with a quad injury, and she made sure everyone noticed.
The Indiana Fever superstar stunned the crowd and shifted the momentum of the game by draining three consecutive three-pointers in just 33 seconds, part of a scorching first half that led Indiana to a 102–88 win over the previously undefeated New York Liberty.
Clark racked up 25 points before halftime and finished with 32 points, tying her season high with seven made threes. She added eight rebounds and nine assists, nearly securing a triple-double in just over 31 minutes of play.
CAITLIN HITS THREE STRAIGHT TRIPLES IN 33 SECONDS 🤯
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 14, 2025
(via @WNBA)
pic.twitter.com/UjFObi21uT
The game looked like it might get away from Indiana early. The Liberty, despite missing star Jonquel Jones, went on an 11-0 run in the first quarter and briefly took control.
But then Clark caught fire, launching a barrage from deep that even had Liberty forward Breanna Stewart smiling.
Indiana carried that energy into the second quarter, grabbing the lead before halftime. After briefly falling behind again early in the third, the Fever responded with a crushing 19-0 run that left New York scrambling.
Sabrina Ionescu tried to pull the Liberty back with a game-high 34 points, but the team ran cold in the fourth, scoring just 14.
Kelsey Mitchell helped close things out for Indiana, scoring 10 of her 22 points in the final frame to help secure the win. The 102-point performance marked the Fever’s first triple-digit game of the season—and the most points New York has allowed all year.
Clark’s return didn’t just spark her team. Fans, and fellow athletes, took notice.
The CC EFFECT!! WELCOME BACK! You were missed!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 14, 2025
LeBron James gave her a shoutout on X, writing: “The CC EFFECT!! WELCOME BACK! You were missed!”
After a rocky start to the season, the Fever now sit at 5–5.
If Saturday was any indication, Clark may be just getting started. And if she keeps up this kind of pace, the league will be watching her every move.
Related: Tyrese Haliburton Makes Caitlin Clark Admission Before Pacers-Thunder Game 4
June 13, 2025
Hugh Jackman ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Rumors Heat up After New Photo Surfaces
If Marvel is attempting to keep things under tight wraps and avoid spoilers, as fans have become accustomed to, someone forgot to tell Hugh Jackman’s longtime stunt double, Daniel Stevens.
While Jackman has already side-stepped the question of whether he'll portray Wolverine in the 2026 movie Avengers: Doomsday, a recent photo posted by Stevens immediately grabbed fans' attention on Friday, June 13.
As MCU Film News revealed, Stevens posted a photo that was said to be from Pinewood Studios, the location where Avengers: Doomsday filming is currently happening.
Stevens even wrote on the photo that it was from "the trailer," which only added to the speculation.
Hugh Jackman’s stunt double posted a photo from Pinewood Studios, where filming for 'AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY' is underway!
— MCU Film News (@MCUFilmNews) June 13, 2025
(📸: danielstevens1) pic.twitter.com/kJ1SggEybe
While Jackman obviously wasn't in the photo, it goes without saying that it's unlikely there's any reason for his stunt double to be at filming for the movie, and Jackman himself to be absent.
Beyond that, Jackman interestingly posted a video of himself working out on Friday, which many fans connected to the movie, citing the belief that he was preparing for filming.
💯@BethLewisFIT pic.twitter.com/12pc1vnmNV
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) June 13, 2025
"This and his stunt double posting a picture in a trailer in the same location, we getting our boy back," said one fan.
"Hugh says he hates working out for wolverine but then he shows his whole work out routine," replied another.
Jackman's character, Wolverine, is among the most popular, and he's played the role since the 2000 film X-Men. So, not surprisingly, fans were excited about the prospect of him reprising the role for the upcoming Avengers movie.
While the stars seem to be aligning for Wolverine to appear in Doomsday, fans may want to hold off on getting too excited until Marvel or Jackman provides an official update.
Related: Chris Evans Reveals Unexpected Project He’s 'Dying' to Do With Sebastian Stan
Netflix Moves Forward with 'Heartstopper' Movie
When season 3 of the hit Netflix show Heartstopper left several loose ends untied, fans understandably expected that it would mean the show would be returning for another season. As it turns out, that is not the case, but the story will still reach a conclusion.
After season 3 of the show concluded in October of last year, the future of the Heartstopper franchise was a bit uncertain. However, the streaming service recently announced that the story would conclude not with another season, but with a feature film.
This week, that project took a big step forward as the upcoming movie officially began filming.
Alice Oseman, who wrote the novels on which the screen adaptation is based, recently expressed her excitement about the upcoming film.
“The movie will be an exploration of time, memory, love, pain, the changing of the seasons, endings and beginnings, and the core element of Heartstopper: the ordinary magic of our everyday lives,” Oseman told Tudum during a recent interview.
“We’ve been working towards and hoping for this moment since we wrapped production of Season 3 at the end of 2023. There has been a huge amount of dedication and determination behind the scenes to get to this point. I’ve seen how frustrated and worried fans have been about whether we’d get to tell the end of the story — I’ve had messages asking about it every single day since Season 3 dropped! So I’m incredibly relieved that the answer is YES.”
“On a basic level, of course, I want the movie to be a beautiful and emotional send-off for the Heartstopper story — celebrating what Heartstopper means to people, a chance to say goodbye to our beloved characters, and many hints of what’s to come in the characters’ future lives.”
We'll have to see how the fan-favorite story concludes.
Shoppers Brace for Sticker Shock as Walmart Workers Warn of Massive Pricing Surge
If you’ve noticed your go-to items creeping up in price at Walmart, you’re not imagining it. According to multiple employees across the U.S., the retail giant is rolling out an overwhelming wave of price changes, many of them increases, just as inflation-weary shoppers are struggling to keep up.
Daily Mail reported that screenshots shared online from Walmart’s handheld inventory devices show mass repricing events. Some stores logged more than 15,000 updates in a single location.
One worker reported 4,000 changes in the clothing section alone, while another said their department has been seeing 5,000 to 9,000 per week, a 40 to 50 percent spike over normal levels.
Not every change is a hike—some are seasonal markdowns or promotions—but the sheer volume has raised concern. Many employees are sounding off on social media, saying they’re burned out by the workload and frustrated by the mixed messaging from company leadership.
The timing coincides with new tariffs on Chinese imports, which Walmart says are directly impacting costs. With more than 60 percent of its goods imported from China, the company warned during its latest earnings call that price increases were likely to follow.
Related: Walmart Employees Sound the Alarm as Prices Soar
That warning didn’t sit well, and some have suggested that Walmart and other companies eat the costs of the tariffs instead of passing them on to customers. In response, Walmart softened its tone, emphasizing its commitment to low prices. But workers and analysts say the price increases are already underway.
In one example that drew viral attention, a Walmart employee posted a photo of a Hasbro My Real Baby doll, showing a jump from $34.97 to $49.97—a 43 percent increase.
With over 4,800 U.S. locations, Walmart’s pricing strategy is closely watched by economists and competitors alike. When Walmart shifts, others tend to follow.
For now, shoppers might want to check those receipts a little more closely and prepare for a retail landscape that’s anything but stable.
Related: Walmart’s Best-Paid Hourly Job Isn’t What You Think
‘The Boys’ Director Explains When Butcher Accepted His 'Fate' Ahead of Season 5
Season 4 of the hit TV show The Boys put a certain level of focus on the struggles each character was battling. While the spotlight landed on different stars of the show at various points, no character has battled their inner demons as much as Billy Butcher, portrayed by Karl Urban.
Butcher's struggles date back to Season 1 of The Boys, as he's dealing with losing his wife, Becca. That remains a constant battle for the character, but his stepson Ryan, whom he later finds out is Homelander's illegitimate son, becomes a key factor in his back-and-forth storyline.
Butcher's internal battle becomes even more rocky after he takes Compound V, giving him temporary superpowers to fight Homelander and Vought, essentially. At the same time, it also gave him a fatal brain tumor.
Karen Fukuhara, Jack Quaid, and Karl Urban speak at "The Boys" Panel during Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center. The popular character and initial leader of "The Boys" went back and forth between trying to play the hero role for Ryan and taking Compound V to overtake Homelander.
During a recent interview with IndieWire, The Boys director Eric Kripke offered some unique insight into the show while helping to answer some of the big questions about characters.
One specific comment from Kripke revealed when the switch flipped and Butcher's internal battle between good and evil ended. In short, it was the moment the character "accepts his fate," as Kripke put it.
“For Butcher, it feels like a line that Ryan has crossed that he won’t come back from. And if he doesn’t have Ryan, then what the hell is he holding onto his humanity for? That’s when Butcher accepts that fate,” revealed Kripke.
Along with the confirmation of Butcher accepting that fate, which mainly became apparent at the end of Season 4, it's also a telling sign for what's ahead in Season 5.
Tack on that Ryan, who chose to stay with Homelander, is still seemingly aligned with the show's primary villain, and it should only add to the fireworks surrounding Butcher.
Urban's character features one of the most interesting storylines heading into the fifth and final season, filled with many unanswered questions. However, as Kripke highlighted, Butcher is no longer holding onto his "humanity,"
If the character was a bit unhinged and more than ready and willing to go rogue before, both of those things are bound to be on a different level in Season 5 of The Boys.
Related: Chris Evans Reveals Unexpected Project He’s 'Dying' to Do With Sebastian Stan
HBO Is Quietly Killing Off Some of Its Most Beloved Channels
Another wave of legacy TV is coming to an end.
Warner Bros. Discovery has announced it will shut down several long-running multiplex channels, including HBO Family, ThrillerMax, MovieMax, and OuterMax, effective August 15, 2025.
The change is part of a broader strategy to phase out underused linear offerings as audiences continue shifting toward streaming.
Originally launched in 1996, HBO Family carved out a niche as a kid- and family-friendly alternative to the network’s adult content. For years, it was the home for children’s programming and specials that no longer aired on HBO’s main lineup. While the channel featured some original content, it mostly served up reruns of family films and animated series.
ThrillerMax, MovieMax, and OuterMax—Cinemax-branded offshoots launched between 1998 and 2001—also focused on genre-specific programming like horror, sci-fi, and youth-targeted action fare. All are now being phased out due to declining viewership and evolving business priorities.
The move was first flagged by Cord Cutters News, which noticed a customer alert from Spectrum. Warner Bros. Discovery later confirmed the closures to Variety, citing a consolidation of its linear offerings.
Viewership for multiplex channels has steadily dropped in the wake of the streaming boom. These channels were once bundled with HBO or Cinemax subscriptions, offering extra value to premium cable customers. But today, the lion’s share of HBO content is consumed via HBO Max, which has been rebranded to Max but is returning back to HBO Max.
Related: HBO's Max Announces Cancellation of Three Shows, Irreverent Comedy Ends
Notably, HBO Family’s closure also marks the final exit of the brand’s family programming from cable. Shows like Sesame Street, once a staple, have already moved to streaming exclusivity.
While Warner Bros. Discovery plans to spin off many of its basic cable networks into a separate company, HBO and its main family of content remain central to the core business, but are now increasingly geared toward on-demand viewing.
For long-time cable subscribers, the writing’s been on the wall for a while. This latest move just makes it official: the multiplex era is ending.
Related: HBO Max Reveals Brand New Series Inspired by Bestseller
2nd Round of U.S. Open Suspended. 13 Golfers Didn't Finish Their Rounds
On Friday, June 13 two-time major winner Justin Thomas was among the many big names that didn't make the cut at the U.S. Open.
“Just wasn’t sharp at all,” Thomas said Friday. “I felt like I really didn’t play that bad yesterday; I had four tee balls that were 50-50 in the air of being in the fairway or not, and all four of them were not, and played those holes 5-over, so that can happen out there. I was very far from sharp and just didn’t play well … (Oakmont is) right in front of you. You kind of know what you’re getting here. It’s tough, and you can’t fake it around here and not play well and expect good things to happen."
The cut line eventually settled at 7-over, leaving a number of the top players in the world on the wrong side. Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark (8-over), Min Woo Lee and Tommy Fleetwood (9-over), Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Akshay Bhatia (10-over), Sepp Straka and Nick Dunlap (11-over), Justin Rose (14-over), and Shane Lowry (17-over) all missed the cut.
While they won't be playing this weekend, all of those golfers won't have to come back to finish one or two holes on Saturday morning just to go home. Unfortunately at least 10 golfers will face that reality after the second round of the U.S. Open was suspended due to poor weather conditions.
Here's the list of the 13 golfers who didn't get to finish their rounds - with their score and how many holes they've completed:
Thirston Lawrence, 1-under, 17Chris Gotterup, 5-over, 17Philip Barberee Jr., 6-over, 16Jinichiro Kozuma, 9-over, 17Jackson Buchanan, 10-over, 17Riley Lewis, 10-over, 16Lance Simpson, 10-over, 17Max Howell, 12-over, 17Cameron Tankersley, 13-over, 17Zach Bouchou, 15-over, 17Chase Johnson, 17-over, 17Joakim Lagergren, 19-over, 17Brady Calkins, 25-over, 17Lawrence is almost guaranteed to make the cut unless he completely botches the final hole while Gotterup will make the cut with double-bogey or better and Barberee needs to play his final two holes in 1-over to make the cut.
All the other golfers on the list will be heading home bright and early in the morning - after being forced to finish their rounds.
Rory McIlroy Facing Backlash for Behavior at U.S. Open
In the week before the U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy revealed he played Oakmont Country Club and shot an 81 - which would be 11-over in tournament conditions.
“Last Monday felt impossible. I birdied the last two holes for 81,” McIlroy said of his June 2 practice round. “It felt pretty good. It didn’t feel like I played that bad. It’s much more benign right now than it was that Monday. They had the pins in dicey locations, and greens were running at 15½ [on the Stimpmeter used to measure green speeds]. It was nearly impossible."
Heading into his practice rounds, McIlroy admitted the course was playing a bit easier after it accepted a healthy amount of rain in the days leading up to the tournament.
“This morning it was a little softer. The pins aren’t going to be on 3 or 4 percent slopes all the time. If you put it in the fairway, it’s certainly playable," he said. "But then you just have to think about leaving your ball below the hole and just trying to make as many pars as you can. You get yourself in the way of a few birdies, that’s a bonus.”
The first two days of McIlroy's U.S. Open were certainly better than his practice round, but there was still plenty of frustration from the star golfer. After carding a 4-over, 74 in his first round, the five-time major champion started his second round with two double-bogeys in his first three holes to sit at 8-over for the tournament and well outside the cut line.
He played the final 15 holes in 2-under to make the cut, but not before Oakmont got the better of him on two holes. On No. 12 he tossed a club in the fairway before smashing the tee marker on the No. 17 tee.
Here's the tee marker smash.pic.twitter.com/TqCrMbeUHN
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) June 13, 2025
The comments section was flooded with critical comments regarding McIlroy's conduct on the course.
"A lot of people thought Rory finally winning the grand slam was going to propel him to many more majors, but maybe that was the top and he fades into anonymity," one person suggested.
"Once again proving why he’s so hard to like," added another.
"DQ. USGA needs to take a stand. This will be repeated across the golf universe if they don’t take a stand," offered a third.
McIlroy sits at 6-over and nine shots back of the lead heading into the weekend.
Related: Rory McIlroy, Wife Erica Making Big Change After U.S. Open
Santander Bank Closing Nearly 20 Locations by August
A popular bank with roughly 400 locations throughout the United States will be closing over four percent of those locations by August.
Santander confirmed to the USA Today that it would be closing 18 branches across the Northeast, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania by the end of July through August.
According to Banking Dive, six locations in Massachusetts will close, as well as four in New Jersey, four in Pennsylvania, two in New York and one each in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. “Santander Bank continues to refine its branch footprint and retail presence, including introducing new formats and investing in digital capabilities to better accommodate our customers and meet their evolving needs,” a spokesperson said at the time.
The evolution of the needs of Santander's customers could be seen through its digital bank Openbank, which launched in October and already hit $2 billion in deposits by February.
“Our aim is to become a national, digital bank with branches and reaching this deposit milestone at record pace is a testament to our customer-obsessed mindset, commitment to innovation, and global connectivity,” Swati Bhatia, head of retail banking, said at the time. “We are uniquely positioned to provide U.S. consumers with the digital banking experience of a FinTech and the strength and stability of a leading global bank.”
The decision to close 18 banks across the Northeast in the United States comes after 95 branch closures in the United Kingdom. A bank spokesperson attributed the U.K. closures to “a rapid movement of customers choosing to do their banking digitally."
Santander is hardly the only bank going through a change as its customers flock to online banking. U.S. Bank closed 50 branches earlier this year, followed by 23 closures from Well Fargo.
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