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US Rep. Cory Mills accused of threatening to release intimate videos after breakup

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, a central Florida Republican, has been accused by a beauty pageant titleholder of threatening to release intimate videos and private images of her after she ended their romantic relationship, according to a report filed with law enforcement last month.

Mills on Wednesday denied the allegations, which were first made by the woman in a July 14 report filed with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in north Florida.

“These claims are false and misrepresent the nature of my interactions,” Mills said in a statement. “I have always conducted myself with integrity, both personally and in service to Florida’s 7th District.”

The sheriff’s office forwarded the information to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is now handling the case, Sgt. Steven Khachigan, a spokesman for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, said in an email.

No charges have been filed. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Wednesday that it doesn’t comment on any active inquiries or investigations.

In his statement, Mills said the allegations were being pushed by a former political opponent, Lake County commissioner Anthony Sabatini, who ran against him in a 2022 GOP primary for the House seat.

“Anthony Sabatini is weaponizing the legal system to launch a political attack against the man who beat him in the primary, using his corporate legal office to push a narrative built on lies and flawed legal arguments — all to score political headlines,” Mills said.

Mills said he wouldn’t comment further.

“My team and I will fully cooperate to ensure the truth is made clear. I remain focused on serving my constituents and advancing America First policies,” Mills said in the statement.

Sabatini didn’t respond to an emailed inquiry, but posted on social media on Wednesday: “Mills must resign.”

The 25-year-old woman told sheriff’s office investigators that she started a romantic relationship with Mills in 2021, and it ended in February. During their time together, she lived with him at a home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, while the congressman traveled back and forth from Washington. At the time they met, Mills was still married but had separated from his wife, and he told her that the divorce was finalized in 2024, she said.

The woman said she moved out of the New Smyrna Beach home earlier this year and moved to Columbia County following news reports about allegations against Mills from another woman described as his girlfriend in Washington. After she left, the congressman contacted her numerous times, threatening to release nude images of her and videos of her and Mills engaging in sex acts, she said in the sheriff’s office report.

The congressman also threatened to harm any men that the woman planned to date in the future, she said.

Mills was first elected to Congress in 2022, and his district stretches from the Orlando area to the Daytona Beach area.

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Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social





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Xi, Putin and Modi are grinning and smiling, but at whom?

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Three major world powers – China, India and Russia – all with various frictions with the United States, projected an image of solidarity on Monday in front of the international media during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
During his first visit to China in seven years, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the hands of his counterparts – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping – and pulled them closer.

As the three leaders mingled, one interpreter translated Putin’s words, which began with “We three friends …”, before a broadcast signal provided by the summit press centre drowned out the rest of the translation.

Modi laughed several times during the conversation and clasped Putin’s hands a second time.

Narendra Modi embraces Russian President Vladimir Putin during the SCO summit in China on Monday. Photo: Handout

Earlier, Modi and Putin embraced on the red carpet and exchanged greetings before walking hand in hand towards a smiling Xi, who was waiting to greet them.



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Warwick Davis Returns as Professor Flitwick

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HBO’s “Harry Potter” TV series is filling out Hogwarts’ staff and students.

“Harry Potter” alum Warwick Davis, who played Charms Professor Filius Flitwick across all eight original films, is reprising the role for the HBO series. While Davis was double-billed in the Potter films as both Flitwick and Griphook, he’ll only play the former this time around. The goblin banker will instead be played by Leigh Gill.

Joining the Hogwarts staff alongside Davis are Sirine Saba as Herbology Professor Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as the ghostly Professor Cuthbert Binns and Bríd Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey.

As for the students, Elijah Oshin joins the cast as half-blood Dean Thomas, while Finn Stephens and William Nash join as Draco Malfoy’s cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, respectively.

Production is now underway at Warner Bros.’ Leavesden Studios in the U.K., and HBO has been slowly rolling out its expansive cast for the Wizarding World. The most recent casting announcement was for Ron Weasley’s siblings: Fred, George, Percy and Ginny. Twins Tristan and Gabriel Harland will star as Fred and George Weasley, Ruari Spooner is Percy Weasley and Gracie Cochrane is Ginny Weasley.

Leading HBO’s “Harry Potter” series are Dominic McLaughlin as the titular boy wizard, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Other cast members include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge. Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley and Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley. Additional names revealed on Monday were Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.

HBO’s “Harry Potter” series is set to premiere in 2027 on HBO and HBO Max. The production is led by showrunner and writer Francesca Gardiner (“His Dark Materials,” “Killing Eve”) and director Mark Mylod (“Succession”). Gardiner and Mylod also serve as executive producers alongside series author J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.

See headshots for Oshin, Stephens, Nash, Saba, Durden, Brennan and Gill below.



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HBO ‘Harry Potter’ Series Sets Warwick Davis Return To Hogwarts

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Warwick Davis has been revealed as the first actor from the “Harry Potter” film franchise to reprise their role in the upcoming HBO Original series.

Davis will once again play Professor Filius Flitwick, one of the characters he originated in the universe. He also starred as Griphook, a goblin employed at the Gringotts Wizarding Bank. On the small screen, Griphook will be brought to life by Leigh Gill.

Additional cast members were also announced as part of the Back to Hogwarts celebration on Monday.

New Hogwarts students include:

Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe, and William Nash as Gregory Goyle.

Dean was a member of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry alongside Harry, Hermione, and Ron. The half-blood wizard spent many years of his life unaware that his father was a wizard. He was played in the films by Alfred Enoch.

The core trio will be played by Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger) on the small screen.

Crabbe and Goyle were members of House Slytherin and were always side by side with Draco Malfoy, doing his bidding. Both are pure blood wizards and the children of Death Eaters. Jamie Waylett and Josh Herdman played Crabbe and Goyle, respectively, in the films.

Draco will be played in the series by Lox Pratt.

New Hogwarts staff include:

Sirine Saba as Professor Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as Professor Cuthbert Binns, and Bríd Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey.

Professor Sprout is the Head of Hogwarts’ herbology department. She famously nurtured Mandrakes, the shrieking plant that, when mature, its cries could be fatal. Sprout was a member of House Hufflepuff as a young student, who grew up to become Head of Hufflepuff House. Miriam Margolyes played Sprout in the films.

Professor Binns is a wizard who taught Hogwarts students the History of Magic. After his death, his ghost continued teaching. He is famous for being the only ghost to teach at Hogwarts and for his amazingly boring teaching style. The character of Binns exists in J.K. Rowling’s novels, but the character was not in the films.

Madam Poppy Pomfrey played a vital role in the lives of Hogwarts students as a matron, who nursed the sick and injured. Although she was known for being strict, she stood by her students during Hogwarts’ darkest and most challenging days. Gemma Jones played Madam Pomfrey in the films.

L to R: Elijah Oshin, Finn Stephens, William Nash, Sirine Saba, Richard Durden, Bríd Brennan and Leigh Gill

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Earlier casting includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Additionally, Bertie Carvel will play Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, and Johnny Flynn will portray Draco’s father, Lucius Malfoy. The Dursleys, Harry’s aunt and uncle, will be brought to life by Bel Powley as Petunia and Daniel Rigby as her husband Vernon.

The series, set to premiere in 2027, is based on the beloved books by Rowling, who serves as executive producer with Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films. The new Harry Potter project is written by Francesca Gardiner, who executive produces alongside Mark Mylod, director of multiple episodes. HBO produces the original title in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television.

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