It is time to backpack your seat, Lord of the Rings season 2 coming soon…, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien tells the story of the War of the Ring in the fictional world of Middle-earth. The long novel, commonly published as three volumes and mistakenly called a trilogy, centres around the magical One Ring, which was discovered by Bilbo Baggins in the earlier novel The Hobbit.

Prime Video released the first trailer for the upcoming second season of the “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” series on Tuesday, giving a sprawling glimpse into how the realm is preparing to battle the Dark Lord Sauron, whose reemergence was chronicled in Season 1.

“An evil, ancient and powerful, has returned,” says dwarven Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) in the opening seconds of the trailer.

Sauron (Charlie Vickers) is seen sporting a new look, disguising himself as an Elf with bleach-blonde hair and elven ears. He sparsely appears in the trailer, but his presence is felt throughout as Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Isildur (Maxim Baldry), Arrondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo) are shown fighting to protect Middle-earth.

The trailer impressively showcases fiery battles, Orc armies, nefarious sea creatures, a Great Eagle, three Rings of Power and the land of Mordor shrouded in darkness, all set to composer Bear McCreary’s dramatic score.

The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) – whose identity has yet to be revealed but is speculated to be the all-powerful wizard Gandalf – is also briefly shown slamming a staff into the ground.

“One of the exciting things about this year is we’re going to see Sauron out in the open making everything happen,” Vickers said in a Season 2 behind-the-scenes featurette released on Tuesday. “We’ll be able to watch it all unfold.”

Season 2 will pick up with the return of the cunning Dark Lord, who must rebuild his strength to oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, “which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will,” according to an official synopsis.

Plunged into darkness, the characters are each challenged to “find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity,” the synopsis reads. “As friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other.”

Season 1 debuted in 2022 and is set in Middle-earth’s Second Age, “thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ books,” according to Prime Video. Markella Kavenagh, Nazanin Boniadi, Megan Richards, Benjamin Walker, Lloyd Owen and Charles Edwards, among others, round out the ensemble cast.

“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 2 will begin streaming on Prime Video on August 29. go and check out….

The recent resignation of Miss USA Employees, the Miss USA 2023 Noeila Voigt and Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava 

Former members of the Miss USA Organization blasted its leadership this week, claiming president and CEO Laylah Rose created a toxic work environment that is responsible for the high-profile exodus at the organisation behind one of the country’s longest-running pageants.

Noelia Voigt, who resigned as Miss USA on Monday, wrote in a scathing, eight-page resignation letter obtained by Yahoo News that the “stress, instability and lack of support” she received from Rose “greatly impacted my physical health.” Excerpts of the letter were first published by NBC News on Thursday.

“I am experiencing heart palpitations, full body shakes, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, loss of sleep, loss of hair and more,” she wrote.

Voigt cited Rose’s leadership style and a pattern of abusive behaviour as the reasons she stepped down. A number of the accusations against Rose were corroborated to Eonline360 by former Miss USA social media director Claudia Engelhardt. (In previous reports, Engelhardt was identified by her Instagram name Claudia Michelle.)

“So-called leaders who seem to have too big of an ego, lack humility, lack self-awareness, and seem willing to lie, gaslight, manipulate, throw people under the bus to serve their narrative, and only care about their self-image alone are dangerous and cowardly and should never be allowed to be in charge of a women’s empowerment organisation,” Voigt said in the letter.

The accusations about Rose come on the heels of the sudden resignations of Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, who stepped down two days after Voigt. Voigt did not detail these allegations in the initial social media post announcing her resignation, in which she said she values “the importance of making decisions that feel best for you and your mental health.”

Internet sleuths speculated something was up after discovering the first letter of the first 11 sentences in her post spelled out “I AM SILENCED,” sparking theories it was an encoded message. Srivastava’s social post announcing her resignation said that her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organisation.”

Rose and the Miss USA Organization did not respond to Eonline360’ repeated requests for comment for this story. In comments to the media Wednesday, a day prior to the first reports of Voigt’s resignation letter, Rose said, “Please be assured that the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is my top priority.”

Responding to a critical post by Engelhardt, the former social media director, the Miss USA Organization said in a statement Wednesday to USA Today: “We are troubled to hear the false accusations made by a former Miss USA employee. Miss USA is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment, and we take these allegations seriously. Indeed, we have and will continue to prioritise the well-being of all individuals involved with Miss USA.”

At least six people serving in various roles at the organisation have left or have alleged they were dismissed in recent weeks. In the latest departure, Miss Colorado Arianna Lemus on Friday announced she was stepping down in solidarity with Voigt and Srivastava.

In addition, there has been a groundswell of support from current state titleholders calling for Voigt to be released from an NDA she allegedly signed with the organisation.

Voigt alleged in her resignation letter that the toxic work environment was “at best, poor management and, at worst, [was] bullying and harassment.” She claimed Rose was “inaccessible for communication,” which led Voigt to miss public events and feel unsafe at some of the events she was able to attend. In one example, Voigt said that because of insufficient support provided by her designated handler, she was sexually harassed at a parade in 2023.

“[I was] left alone in a car with the man who drove the car through the parade and he made several inappropriate statements to me about his desire to enter into a relationship with me,” Voigt wrote. “When I informed [Rose] of the harassment, [she said] ‘We cannot prevent people saying things to you at public appearances, it is, unfortunately, part of the role you’re in as a public figure.’”

In text messages reviewed by Eonline360, Voigt also raises concerns about someone using the Miss USA Instagram account without her knowledge and “commenting on my behalf.” Voigt states she is “not comfortable” with the posts and asks to “further discuss safe and appropriate social media usage.”

According to Engelhardt, “internally, we all knew” it was Rose micromanaging the accounts herself, rather than consulting or working with Engelhardt as the brand’s social media director. This was not the usual practice for someone in Rose’s position, according to Engelhardt.

Engelhardt, who started as the organisation’s social media director in January, also told Eonline360 that Rose would quote contract excerpts back to Voigt and Srivastava if they posted something she personally didn’t like on social media.

“They would be met with screenshots, they would be met with copy-and-paste sections of their contracts saying, ‘You’re not doing this right. You’re in breach of contract. Correct this or we’re going to withhold your salary,’” Engelhardt alleged. “You’re living in fear. It’s like, alright, if I breathe are they going to say something? Are they going to email me?”

In Voigt’s letter, she mentioned threats of her salary being withheld, saying, “It’s incredibly jarring to be trying to do my job and constantly be threatened with disciplinary action, including taking away my salary, for things that were never discussed with me and … were causing no issue other than not meeting her personal preference.”

Voigt also alleged that Rose “attempted to slander me and defame and disparage my character” to members of the national Miss USA team. In one instance, she claimed Rose commented to someone about how she hoped Voigt would get hit in the face by a baseball when throwing out the first pitch at a game.

Rose took over from the pageant’s former national director, Crystle Stewart, in August 2023 at a time of turmoil within the organisation. Stewart stepped down following accusations that the Miss USA 2022 pageant had been rigged. (Subsequently, the Miss Universe Organization conducted an investigation and said it had determined the accusations of a rigged pageant were false.) In 2022, former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst died by suicide.

Before becoming Miss USA president, Rose owned an eponymous fashion line and was the CEO of the VIP Pageantry network, a mobile app Forbes described as being “focused on the beauty, fashion, and pageant industries.” (It is not affiliated with Miss USA.)

On Thursday, Miss Hawaii Savannah Gankiewicz — runner-up at the 2023 pageant — was announced as the new Miss USA. She’ll be crowned in a ceremony on May 15. Gankiewicz said in a statement that deciding to replace Voigt “was not one that was made lightly.”

“I stand with Noelia and admire her strength to step down and prioritise her mental health,” she said.

The Miss USA pageant has a history stretching back more than 70 years, with the first winner, Jackie Loughery, crowned in 1952. The winner of Miss USA typically represents the country in the Miss Universe competition, one of the “big four” beauty pageants around the world.

Both Engelhardt and Voigt, in her resignation letter, said they hoped their exits would help lead to necessary change at the organisation.

“This needs to be a wake-up call to the Miss Universe Organization and the Miss USA Organization,” Engelhardt said. “Better management needs to be in place. … Especially in a women’s empowerment organisation, you have to practise what you preach. And this is the furthest thing from it.”

During their year of service, pageant queens are highly visible, making appearances at major events, advocating for important causes and speaking at public engagements, all in an official capacity. Insiders report that the recent resignations of Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava have disrupted the organization and prevented key players from sharing their experiences and concerns.

The Miss USA organization, which runs the two pageants, has been criticized for mismanagement and a hostile work environment, particularly the circumstances In which Voigt resigned, citing the impact of her career on her mental health.

While Srivastava, 16, who represented New Jersey at Miss Teen USA, released a statement on Instagram saying that her personal values “no longer fully align” with those of the organization, Voigt, 24, who represented Utah at Miss USA, wrote a long but cryptic post, citing her mental health. Soon, however, it went viral for an apparent hidden message — the first letter of the first 11 sentences spelled out “I am silenced.” (Voigt has not subsequently addressed this speculation.)

“We respect and support Noelia’s decision to step down from her duties,” the Miss USA pageant said in a statement following Voigt’s announcement. “The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority, and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time.” 

In response, a number of current state titleholders who competed alongside Voigt for Miss USA — including Miss North Carolina USA 2023 Jordyn Ashlee McKey, Miss Wisconsin USA 2023 Alexis Loomans and Miss New York USA, Rachelle di Stasio — shared social media messages in support of Voigt, asking the organization to “release Noelia from the confidentiality NDA clause of her contract, in perpetuity, so that she is free to speak on her experiences and time as Miss USA.”

Srivastava and Voigt, along with Denise White, a publicist for Miss Oregon USA 1994, said the two winners were barred by “strong” n-disclosure agreements in their contracts.

At this time, Voigt and Srivastava have not revealed any further details about the reason for their separation. But in a resignation letter sent to the Miss USA organization that was obtained by Eonline360, Voigt raised a number of concerns ranging from unfortunate management issues to more serious allegations.

In the book, he described a “toxic work environment” that was “poorly managed with bullying and harassment”. He accused tournament CEO Laylah Rose of “degrading” Voight’s character in conversations with people inside and outside the organization, including calling him a “psycho.” Rose is an entrepreneur and CEO of VIP Pageantry Network, which acquired the brand in 2023.

Voigt says what Rose sent her was “cold and very aggressive” and that she did not attend any formal meetings about her responsibilities. Despite failing to report his work, he “continued to receive threats of punishment, including loss of pay,” according to the documents.

The administration failed to arrange travel accommodations for Voigt on multiple occasions, he wrote, and did not provide him with a home or car for months, as described in the gift package. He also said there was no “effective operator,” and in the latest case, Voigt said he was sexually assaulted while sitting in a car with an unnamed man at a Christmas parade in Sarasota, Florida.

According to Voigt’s letter, “Rose is trying to create a culture of fear and control that opposes the empowerment of women. This is bad for policyholders and future workers.”

He also wrote that he couldn’t voice his concerns publicly, saying he was “contractually silenced from putting himself out there.”.

‘Things are falling apart’

Voigt and Srivastava’s respective resignations were not coordinated, according to White. What I’ve witnessed and seen is harassment, a toxic work environment and bullying,” White said in a telephone interview with CNN. “It’s just not conducive to a women’s organization that uplifts women and is supposed to promote using your voice. It’s quite the opposite.”

Both pageant winners sought out support from management at Miss Universe, which owns the Miss USA organization, without success, she added.

Both young ladies were always trying to resolve any issues quietly behind the scenes,” she explained. “The fact that Miss Universe Organization has not even responded to Noelia’s resignation at this point is just stonewalling… No wonder things are falling apart. Because nobody knows what to do.”

The Miss Universe organization and Rose, through Miss USA, did not immediately respond to CNN’s requests for comment.

Voigt’s pageant coach, Thom Brodeur, who has worked with Miss USA contestants since 1991 and began working with Voigt while she was preparing for Miss Utah, emphasized new and ominous territory for the organization under Rose. “No woman has ever resigned as Miss USA or as Miss Teen USA, and she’s lost both of them in 48 hours,” he said.

Even before Voigt and Srivastava stepped down, there was turmoil in the organization, according to White, Brodeur and Miss USA’s former social media director, Claudia Engelhardt, who also resigned in recent days. Engelhardt claimed on Instagram that she had worked without pay for two months after being hired, and that she had seen a “decline” in Voigt’s mental health, and witnessed “disrespect” toward Srivastava and members of her family.

And according to Engelhardt, they were far from the only members of the Miss USA organization to depart. When she began her role in January, she was part of an already small team of five employees. Now, she says, after multiple firings and resignations, the team is down to Rose and one other employee. Multiple sources said the turnover has been constant.

“This is not a state pageant. This is not a local pageant. You need… a whole team,” Engelhardt said in a phone call with CNN.

Engelhardt said she believed she was applying for a freelance role, and was surprised to find she was being hired as staff. Still, she claimed, she received no employee contract, no onboarding and no guidance. There was no one else to help her manage the day-to-day social media needs of the national brand, she said, and often came up against what she framed as Rose’s overbearing approach to their social accounts.

“She would block Instagram accounts with people that she had personal discrepancies with. She would censor comments, and she would leave comments for the Miss USA page as if she was Noelia,” Engelhardt claimed.

White also alleged that Rose impersonated the two pageant winners on their official accounts. Weeks before Voigt resigned, she announced in a now-deleted Instagram post on her personal account that she “no longer had access” to her Miss USA pages.

An uneasy path forward

Engelhardt said she witnessed firsthand the impact of the role on Voigt, who she considers a friend as well as a former colleague. “(I saw) how stressed out she would get when the owner would constantly bombard her with emails,” she recalled. “She was constantly living in an anxious state.”

But despite the day-to-day stressors, Voigt alleged that she only made a few public appearances. She said in her letter that, aside from a handful of press interviews in Los Angeles following her win and subsequent ones in Utah, the state she had represented at the Miss USA pageant, she had “yet to make an appearance outside of Sarasota, Florida,” where she was living. This was due to a “lack of communication” that she found “baffling,” she wrote.

“Our Miss USA, who should have been booked and busy (with) endless opportunities, was sitting around doing nothing, and it’s not because she didn’t want to, but because of mismanagement,” Engelhardt said.

On May 9, the Miss USA pageant announced that Savannah Gankiewicz, Miss Hawaii USA 2023 and first-runner up to Voigt at the 2023 Miss USA pageant, would be taking over the national title and its responsibilities. She will be officially crowned on May 15.

“We are proud to crown Savannah Miss USA 2023, A true representation of vision, intelligence, and compassion,” Rose said in a statement. “Her dedication to empowering women through self-love and confidence is inspiring, and we look forward to her impactful reign as Miss USA.”

“I fully support and respect Noelia’s decision to step down, and I stand in solidarity with mental health awareness,” Gankiewicz added. “To my fellow Miss USA sisters, I believe it’s crucial for us to stand united for the future of the organization and the incoming class of 2024 and beyond.”

Though many have offered their public support for the two resigned pageant winners — including Shanna Moakler, who oversaw Voigt’s win in her role as the state director for the Miss Utah USA pageant, and Cindy Provost and Debbie Miller, who oversaw Srivastava’s win in their role as state directors for the Miss New Jersey Teen USA pageant — Engelhardt and White both hope that others will step up to reveal more about what they see as a stifling culture, as well as potential legal ramifications, that are keeping the titleholders quiet.

“They need somebody to speak for them” Eonline said.