Russian border regions face blackouts after Ukrainian strikes, governors say

Large areas of Lviv are facing emergency blackouts following targeted Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. (Mykola Tys/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

(LONDON) — Governors of two Russian regions bordering Ukraine said Tuesday that residents are facing sustained power outages as a result of Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure, as both sides continue long-range strikes in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s western Belgorod region said in posts to Telegram that power and heating outages had forced hundreds of people to rely on “heating points.”

“Unfortunately, rolling blackouts are inevitable,” Gladkov said, noting that Belgorod city will be among the areas subject to unpredictable outages.

Gov. Alexander Khinshtein of the neighboring Kursk region said that 28,000 customers were without power as a result of “another series of cowardly attacks on our territory.”

Both regions have been subject to regular Ukrainian drone, missile and artillery attacks. Both have also seen Ukrainian ground incursions during the nearly 4-year-old war.

Recent months have seen both Russia and Ukraine focus attacks on energy infrastructure targets. In Ukraine, millions have faced rolling outages as a result of months of Russian missile and drone strikes on energy targets all across the country. Moscow, Kyiv has said, is trying to freeze Ukrainians into submission.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, has framed long-range Ukrainian strikes as “terrorist attacks.”

Zelenskyy on Sunday defended Ukraine’s retaliatory attacks inside Russia, describing the Russian energy sector as “a legitimate target.”

“We do not have to choose whether we strike a military target or energy,” Zelenskyy said while addressing students at the National Aviation University in Kyiv. “He sells this energy. He sells oil. So is it energy, or is it a military target? Honestly, it’s the same thing. He sells oil, takes the money, invests it in weapons. And with those weapons, he kills Ukrainians.”

Zelenskyy said that left Ukraine with two options: “We either build weapons and strike their weapons. Or we strike the source where their money is generated and multiplied. And that source is their energy sector. That is what is happening. All of this is a legitimate target for us.”

The nightly exchange of drones continued on Monday night.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 125 drones into the country overnight, of which 110 were shot down or suppressed. Thirteen drones impacted across six locations, the air force said in a post to Telegram.

Vadym Filashkin, the governor of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, said in a post to social media that two people were killed and seven people injured by a Russian strike in the city of Slovyansk, close to the front line.

At least four people were injured by a drone strike on a house in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said. Among the injured was a 1-year-old child, the ministry said.

Oleh Kiper, the governor of the southern Odesa region, said in a post to Telegram that Russian drones attacked energy infrastructure overnight, leaving at least three communities partially without power.

The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down at least six Ukrainian drones overnight into Tuesday morning.

Russia’s federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsiya, said that temporary flight restrictions were introduced at airports in the Black Sea city of Gelendzhik and in the western city of Kaluga.

Peace maneuvers are ongoing against the backdrop of long-range strikes and Russia’s attritional offensive operations in eastern Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said in a post to social media on Monday night that proposed post-war Western security guarantees intended to protect Ukraine from repeated Russian aggression are “ready.”

“There is no alternative to security. There is no alternative to peace. There is no alternative to rebuilding our country,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president also said there will be “significant international events this week — on defense and security.”

“Our negotiating team is working every single day on the documents and proposals that could deliver results at the upcoming meetings,” Zelenskyy said.

“Most importantly, our partners must be aligned the same way we are in Ukraine: peace is needed, and reliable security guarantees are the only real foundation for peace and for preventing the Russians from breaking agreements through strikes or hybrid operation of some kind,” he added.

February 10, 2026

World news

1 month after Iran regime’s deadliest crackdown, the death toll mounts as repression deepens

Thousands of people protest in Berlin, Germany for the overthrow of the current Iranian regime and the creation of a democratic government in Iran on February 7, 2026. (Omer Messinger/Getty Images)

(LONDON) — One month after Iran was rocked by the beginning of the deadliest crackdown in its modern history, the full toll of the regime’s response to nationwide protests is still coming into focus.

On Jan. 8 and 9, Iranian security forces launched what activists describe as the most brutal assault yet on citizens who had poured into streets across the country, chanting for regime change.

While international media coverage has gradually shifted toward renewed negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic over Tehran’s nuclear program, human rights groups and Iranians inside and outside the country warn that repression on the ground has intensified. They describe an atmosphere of fear, torture, and systemic violence ruling the country.

As of Monday, more than 6,400 protesters have been killed and over 51,500 arrested on charges linked to the demonstrations, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). Over 11,000 more related deaths remain under review. ABC News cannot independently verify these numbers.

Farsi-language social media remains flooded with images of the dead, missing and detained. Videos show families grieving loved ones killed in the streets, while others are pleas from relatives searching for missing family members in morgues and prisons, or seeking legal support for those behind bars.

Many wounded protesters still seek medical advice from doctors on social media on how to treat their injuries at home, because they fear getting arrested in hospitals by regime forces, who closely monitor hospitals in order to track wounded protesters. An Iranian lawyer told ABC News last week that several of doctors who provided home treatment to wounded protesters have been arrested.

The volume of such social media posts has shown no sign of slowing.

200 students were killed
The Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations (CCITTA) published the names on Sunday of 200 students they said are confirmed killed during the protests.

“Each name carries a wish with it: I wish he were alive; I wish his school was still waiting for him,” CCITTA said in a statement on X, adding that “the empty benches are not just a sign of absence; they are a reminder of a crime that has reached the classroom.”

Mounting concerns over detainees
Over the weekend, in a post on X, the Hengaw human rights organization warned of widespread sexual violence during this wave of arrests, citing interviews with former detainees. Hengaw described the mental condition of those still in custody as “dire,” because of the torture during detention.

Among those arrested is Iranian journalist and activist Vida Rabbani, who was detained after signing a joint statement declaring the downfall of the Islamic Republic “inevitable.” Her husband says she has been tortured after her arrest.

“There were many obvious bruises on Vida’s body. She had been severely beaten,” Hamidreza Amiri wrote on Instagram this weekend after visiting her in prison.

He said that when Rabbani refused to wear the compulsory hijab in prison, guards pulled out her hair.

“The artist girl had made a bracelet from a handful of her own hair,” he wrote. “The bracelet, next to the bruises on her hand, created a strange and deeply moving scene.”

Activists warn that if such abuse is inflicted on high-profile figures with media visibility, the treatment of ordinary protesters whose cases often go unreported may be far worse.

Waves of forced confessions
According to HRANA, at least 331 forced confessions related to the protests have been broadcast so far.

One recent case involves Mohammad Ali Saedinia, a prominent business owner who had supported the protests by closing all branches of his well-known confectionery chain nationwide and joining strike actions.

On Monday, state-affiliated Fars News published a scanned letter allegedly signed by Saedinia, calling his decision to shut down his stores in January a “mistake,” condemning Israel and the U.S., and apologizing to the Iranian people. Earlier this month, the judiciary’s spokesperson confirmed Saedinia’s arrest, and that his properties were ordered seized by the Iranian regime.

Arrests of reformist figures
The Iranian regime also arrested several prominent reformist figures on Monday, according to Fars News, after they allegedly criticized the authorities’ handling of the protests. They face charges including “attacking national unity” and “coordinating with enemy propaganda,” according to Fars News.

Speaking anonymously for security reasons, an Iranian analyst told ABC News on Monday that the arrests are “significant,” since the Trump administration might be weighing the possibility of engaging with some insiders of the Iranian government if the regime collapses.

The analyst added that the move could be hardliners aligned with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tightening their grip on power, given the uncertainty of the future of the ongoing negotiations with the U.S.

February 10, 2026

Politics

Acting ICE director, CBP commissioner to testify for first time since fatal shootings

Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), speaks during a news conference in Nogales, Arizona, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Ash Ponders/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Amid a funding fight on Capitol Hill and polls showing more than 60% of Americans disapproving of how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is enforcing immigration laws, senior immigration officials will testify Tuesday before the House Department of Homeland Security Committee.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Customs and Border Protection (CPB) Commissioner Rodney Scott are to appear in the first of two hearings on oversight of the two agencies. Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is also expected to appear.

The three are scheduled to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday.

Tuesday’s testimony will be their first since two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis and since the partial drawdown of federal officers from Minnesota.

“In order to get [Department of Homeland Security funding] done, I think we need to get some questions asked and make everybody feel comfortable about what ICE, USCIS, and CBP are doing, what their goals are, and what they’re trying to accomplish,” House Homeland Security Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y. said on the “Julie Mason Show” over the weekend. “I think having these directors there will give them the opportunity to talk about the training that their officers receive. There was a huge investment to hire more ICE and CBP officers that came through the One Big Beautiful Bill. It’s going to be good to have these directors giving answers and setting the record straight.”

Democrats have been calling for more accountability for ICE and CBP. They have also called on Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees the immigration agencies, to resign, which she has said she will not.

In a statement released Monday, Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said the hearing “is going to be just the start of a reckoning for the Trump administration and its weaponization of government against our country.”

“Donald Trump and Kristi Noem must be held accountable for the immigration operations creating chaos in our communities, terrorizing people, and hurting U.S. citizens and immigrants alike,” he continued. “I hope my Republican colleagues will remember that our job is to conduct oversight, not cover for Donald Trump and his out-of-control administration, which is running roughshod over Americans’ rights, killing U.S. citizens, and threatening our very democracy.”

Polls show Americans disapprove of how the agencies are conducting President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operation.

A Quinnipiac poll released earlier this month found that 63% of voters disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration laws and 34% approve — a lower rating than the agency received in a January Quinnipiac poll, when 57% disapproved and 40% approved.

And an Ipsos poll from early February found that 62% of Americans said efforts by ICE officers to deal with unauthorized immigration goes “too far.” That is up slightly from 58% who said the same in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted the week before. The share of Republicans saying ICE efforts go too far was up 10 points, from 20% to 30%.

Funding for DHS is set to expire on Friday if there is no deal on DHS reforms Democrats want passed for CBP and ICE.

In a letter last week to Republican leaders, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer laid out 10 key demands from Democrats on DHS funding, including calling for judicial warrants before agents can enter private property, a ban on ICE agents wearing face masks, requiring the use of body cameras and new laws for use-of-force standards.

Republican Sen. Katie Britt, who has been deputized by leadership to lead talks on behalf of Senate Republicans, ripped into the Democrats’ proposal in a post on X last week.

“Democrats’ newest proposal is a ridiculous Christmas list of demands for the press,” Britt said. “This is NOT negotiating in good faith, and it’s NOT what the American people want. They continue to play politics to their radical base at the expense of the safety of Americans.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Monday evening that Republicans are preparing a counteroffer to Democrats’ proposal that could be made available soon.

February 10, 2026

Entertainment

Olivia Colman says she has ‘always felt sort of nonbinary’

Olivia Colman visits the IMDb Portrait Studio at Acura House of Energy on location at Sundance 2026 on Jan. 23, 2026, in Park City, Utah. (Mat Hayward/Getty Images for IMDb)

Olivia Colman has opened up about her personal connection to the queer stories she has been a part of.

The actress plays the parent of a nonbinary child in the new film Jimpa. In a recent interview with Them, Colman was asked how it feels to be part of so many stories rooted in the queer community.

“I find the most loving and the most beautiful stories are from that community. And I feel really honored to be welcomed,” Colman said.

The actress, who is married to actor Ed Sinclair, noted she has always felt as though she is “sort of nonbinary.”

“Throughout my whole life, I’ve had arguments with people where I’ve always felt sort of nonbinary,” Colman said. “Don’t make that a big sort of title! But I’ve never felt massively feminine in my being female. I’ve always described myself to my husband as a gay man. And he goes, ‘Yeah, I get that.’ So I do feel at home and at ease. I feel like I have a foot in various camps. I know many people who do.”

Jimpa‘s director, Sophie Hyde, agreed, saying the idea of binaries and gender are problematic.

“The idea of being a woman or womanhood. It doesn’t necessarily fit for all of us. I think these binaries of gender are problematic for many of us. It’s like, how can you fit? There are problems sometimes,” Hyde said.

Colman continued this thought, saying that these binaries limit men, too.

“And men are limited, too, in that — in the expectation they have to live up to. I think with my husband and I, we take turns to be the ‘strong one,’ or the one who needs a little bit of gentleness,” Colman said. “I believe everyone has all of it in them. I’ve always felt like that.”

February 10, 2026

Politics

Howard Lutnick, Trump’s commerce secretary, faces calls to resign over Epstein ties

Rep. Thomas Massie arrives for a House vote on the funding bill to reopen the government, February 3, 2026, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a key member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, is facing bipartisan calls to resign over new revelations about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Documents released by the Justice Department late last month show Lutnick remained in contact with Epstein as recently as 2018, years after Epstein pleaded guilty to sex crimes including soliciting prostitution from a minor.

“Look, Howard Lutnick clearly went to the island if we believe what’s in these files. He was in business with Jeffrey Epstein. And this was many years after Jeffrey Epstein was convicted. You know, lightly sentenced, but was convicted for sexual crimes,” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said on CNN’s “Inside Politics” on Sunday.

“So, he’s got a lot to answer for. But really, he should make life easier on the president, frankly, and just resign,” Massie said.

Massie, along with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, led the push for the Justice Department to release its files on Epstein and has since raised questions about the department’s transparency on the matter. Massie, Khanna and other members of Congress on Monday are visiting the Justice Department to view unredacted Epstein documents.

Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, wrote on X: “It’s now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein. He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, yet we now know they were in business together. Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions.”

Lutnick, who lived next door to Epstein for over a decade, previously suggested he had distanced himself from Epstein back in the mid-2000s prior to Epstein’s conviction in 2008.

“So, I was never in the room with him socially, for business or even philanthropy. If that guy was there, I wasn’t going because he’s gross,” Lutnick said on the “Pod Force One” podcast back in October.

“That’s my story. A one and absolutely done,” Lutnick said.

But one email from Epstein’s schedule for May, 1, 2011, showed plans for drinks with Lutnick.

And in December of 2012, other documents showed Lutnick and his family planned to visit Epstein’s private island. That same month, both Lutnick and Epstein invested in the same business, according to legal documents.

A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce told ABC News on Monday, “Mr. and Mrs. Lutnick met Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and had very limited interactions with him over the next 14 years.”

The White House stood by Lutnick when asked about the latest reports detailing their relationship.

“President Trump has assembled the best and most transformative cabinet in modern history. The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick and the Department of Commerce, remains focused on delivering for the American people,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.

ABC News Capitol Hill Correspondent Jay O’Brien asked House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who is leading the panel’s investigation into Epstein, if he plans to add Lutnick to the panel’s list of subpoenas.

“We’re going to try to get these five [subpoenas] nailed down,” Comer said, referring to the individuals the committee has called to testify, including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, billionaire businessman Les Wexner and others.

“We’ve got a lot of very important people we’re trying to bring in that to answer questions. We don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the five that we have on the books. So we’ll see what happens here, and we’ll move forward,” Comer, a Republican, said.

The chairman added, “We’re interested in talking to anyone that might have any information that would help us get justice for the survivors.”

Democrats, many of whom have begun calling on Lutnick to step down, were also asked if they’d be open to calling Lutnick’s testimony.

“It’s really important for folks to understand that in order for us to subpoena anybody, the majority has to consent. And so while we appreciate that there is bipartisan cooperation in this case, we have a whole list of individuals we would like to subpoena before the committee that they have not consented to,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a New Mexico Democrat, said. “Of course, we would like to speak to Secretary Lutnick, and I personally believe that Mr. Lutnick needs to step down immediately.”

Massie, on CNN on Sunday, was asked on CNN on Sunday if Lutnick should come and testify before Congress about Epstein.

“No, he should just resign,” Massie said.

ABC News’ Isabella Murray and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.

February 9, 2026

National

Bomb threats targeting Haitian community sent to schools, county offices in Springfield, Ohio: Governor

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine delivers remarks during the NCAA Football Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium on January 26, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

(CLARK COUNTY, Ohio) — Schools and county offices in Ohio’s Clark County received multiple bomb threats targeting the Haitian community on Monday, prompting classes in Springfield to be canceled for the day, according to Gov. Mike DeWine.

There is no credible threat to the public at this time, according to the FBI’s Cincinnati office, which said it is “aware of a number of hoax threats in Central Ohio.”

The emailed threats were directed at schools and public facilities, according to Springfield Mayor Rob Rue. County offices began receiving threats referencing pipe bombs around 7:45 a.m. Monday, DeWine said.

“These are threats that also referenced Haitians,” DeWine said during a press briefing on Monday. “The whole essence of the threats were the Haitians should be out, get rid of the Haitians.”

Duffel bags were found outside the Clark County Municipal Court and Public Safety Building in Springfield, DeWine said.

Police responded and no suspicious devices were found, according to Springfield Police Division Chief Allison Elliott. There are “no substantiated threats to the community,” the chief said in a statement.

The Springfield City School District said it is closing all buildings on Monday “out of an abundance of caution.”

“This is a despicable act,” DeWine said. “It’s caused kids to miss a whole day of school today.”

“We will do whatever we need to do to keep the schools open,” he later said.

Several streets that closed off in downtown Springfield have since reopened, officials said.

The governor said threats were also received in other parts of the state with “similar rhetoric,” but it’s unclear if they were from the same people. The threats were also emailed, according to Elliott.

The FBI is investigating.

“While we have no information to indicate a credible threat, we are currently working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as soon as it comes to our attention,” the FBI Cincinnati said in a statement.

The region is no stranger to these kinds of threats. In September 2024, several bomb threats rattled Springfield after then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance doubled down on false claims that Haitian immigrants were abducting and eating pets.

These latest threats come as the Trump administration fights in court to end Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitians.

Addressing Monday’s threats, Rue said the community “has faced a familiar situation that understandably caused concern.”

“I want to be clear, there is no immediate or credible threat to the public at this time,” Rue said in a statement. “These matters are being taken seriously and addressed with the highest level of caution and professionalism.”

February 9, 2026

National

Student shot inside Maryland high school, suspect in custody: Police

(ROCKVILLE, Md.) — A student was shot inside a high school in Rockville, Maryland, on Monday, according to Montgomery County police.

One person is in custody in connection with the shooting at Thomas S. Wootton High School, police said.

The school is on lockdown, according to police. Rockville is about 20 miles north of Washington, D.C.

February 9, 2026

World news

UK police assess new claims about former Prince Andrew, as Prince William, Kate speak out about Epstein files

Prince Andrew, Duke of York arrives for the Requiem Mass service for Katharine, Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt – Pool/Getty Images)

(THAMES VALLEY, England) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, is facing new scrutiny over his communications with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The police department in Thames Valley, England, confirmed Monday it is assessing new allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor, a brother of Britain’s King Charles III, shared with Epstein confidential reports from a 2010 tour of Southeast Asia he took as Britain’s then-envoy for international trade.

“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” a Thames Valley Police spokesperson told ABC News Monday.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said Monday the palace will support authorities as needed.

“The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” the spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News. “While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect.”

The spokesperson continued, “As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.”

The new allegations against Andrew come shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice public released 3 million pages of documents related to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minor girls.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s name shows up in the documents in his communications with Epstein, including correspondence in 2010 after Epstein concluded a 13-month jail sentence and work release — the result of a 2008 plea bargain with federal prosecutors in Florida.

The documents also show the two men communicated beyond the time that Mountbatten-Windsor said publicly that he had cut ties with Epstein.

ABC News has reached out to a representative for Mountbatten-Windsor for comment about the documents.

The former prince has repeatedly denied wrongdoing with respect to Epstein.

Last year, Charles ordered that Mountbatten-Windsor, a son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, have his “style, titles and honours,” including his “prince” title, removed amid continued fallout from his relationship with Epstein.

ABC News confirmed that Mountbatten-Windsor has also moved out of his longtime royal residence, Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion on the grounds of Windsor Estate, and will now live permanently on the king’s privately owned Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, over 100 miles away from his previous home.

As the fallout for Mountbatten-Windsor continues, his nephew and heir to the throne, Prince William, and William’s wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, spoke out publicly for the first time Monday about the latest release of Epstein-related documents.

Ahead of William’s arrival in Saudi Arabia for an official visit, a Kensington Palace spokesperson released a statement, saying, “I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

Buckingham Palace has so far not commented publicly on the latest Epstein documents.

Charles, as well as his wife Queen Camilla and younger brother Prince Edward, have each faced questions about the Epstein documents from onlookers at public engagements over the past week.

February 9, 2026

Entertainment

‘Practical Magic’ stage musical in development with Norah Jones, Gregg Wattenberg score

Sandra Bullock and Nichole Kidman star in the 1998 film ‘Practical Magic.’ (Getty Images/Handout)

A musical based on the beloved film Practical Magic is on the way.

This new production will be produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theater Ventures. It will be based on the 1998 film directed by Griffin Dunne and starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, as well as the bestselling novel by Alice Hoffman.

Grammy winner Norah Jones and Gregg Wattenberg are set to create the new musical’s original score. Hoffman will write the musical’s book with playwright Peter Duchan. The recent revival of Merrily We Roll Along‘s director Maria Friedman will also direct this show, while Warner Bros. Theater Ventures’ Mark Kaufman will serve as a creative consultant.

“I’m so excited to be working with my amazing collaborators on bringing Practical Magic to the stage,” Hoffman said in a statement. “This story of love and sisterhood is meant for the theater. Music is the heart and soul of Practical Magic, you can hear it as you read the book, even though it isn’t there. Now you will finally hear the story as I always imagined it. You will hear magic.”

The story of Practical Magic follows sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, who were orphaned as children and raised by their aunts. They grow up determined to escape an ancestral curse they inherited and end up choosing opposite paths in life. When long-buried secrets bring them back together, the sisters have to decide how much they are willing to risk for love.

A sequel to the original 1998 film, which will once again star Bullock and Kidman, is set to arrive in theaters on Sept. 11.

February 9, 2026

Entertainment

Catherine O’Hara cause of death revealed

Catherine O’Hara attends a red carpet for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ during the 81st Venice International Film Festival at on Aug. 28, 2024, in Venice, Italy. (Stefania D’Alessandro/WireImage via Getty Images)

Catherine O’Hara’s cause of death has been revealed.

The actress died of a pulmonary embolism, according to her death certificate, released Monday by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Rectal cancer is listed on the certificate as the underlying cause of death.

A pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in a lung artery that occurs as a result of a blood clot traveling to the lungs, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

The 71-year-old actress had not publicly revealed any health struggles.

O’Hara’s manager first confirmed news of her death on Friday, Jan. 30.

The Los Angeles Fire Department told ABC News it received a call for medical aid earlier that day at 4:48 a.m. at an address connected to O’Hara. She was transported to a hospital in serious condition at that time, according to the LAFD.

O’Hara’s vast and prolific acting career included more than 100 roles across TV and film. She recently scored accolades for her role in the comedy series Schitt’s Creek as Moira Rose, a grandiose actress who is blissfully detached from reality. At the time of her death, she was starring in the award-winning Apple series The Studio.

Her portrayal of Moira in Schitt’s Creek — which also starred Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy — earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2020, as well as a Golden Globe in 2021.

As news of O’Hara’s death spread, tributes for the late actress poured in from across the world of entertainment.

Dan Levy paid tribute to O’Hara in an Instagram post, writing, “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years.”

“Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my Dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family,” he continued. “It’s hard to imagine a world without her in it. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”

The cast and crew of The Studio, the Apple TV series on which O’Hara starred opposite Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, Kathryn Hahn and more, also paid tribute to the acclaimed actress in the wake of her death. A rep for Rogen shared a statement on the show’s behalf, which read, “We are at a loss for words at the passing of our friend Catherine O’Hara.”

“She was a hero to all of us, and we pinched ourselves every day that we got to work with her on The Studio,” the statement continued. “She was somehow classy, warm, and hilarious all at the same time. We’re unbelievably saddened she is gone and send our deepest sympathy to [her husband] Bo and all her family.”

O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and sons, Matthew Welch and Luke Welch.

February 9, 2026

Author: admin