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Published by BANG Showbiz English The “whole world” has struggled to accept that Princess Diana died in a “mundane accident”, according to a French investigator. The princess died in a car accident in Paris in August 1997, aged 36, and Martine Monteil – the head of the Brigade Criminelle – acknowledges that the incident continues to attract conspiracy theories 25 years later. Martine told the Channel 4 documentary ‘Investigating Diana: Death In Paris’: “The whole of the world has struggled to accept that the Princess of Wales died in a mundane accident.” French investigators also remain frustrated by their inability to track down a white Fiat Uno that reportedly clipped Diana’s car on the night of her death. She said: “I have frustration about the Fiat Uno because I like a well-finished business. “For sure, it’s out there. Unfortunately we don’t have it. But you know the driver of the Fiat Uno, he’s not the real culprit. “He’s driving along quietly and then a Mercedes arrives at high speed and bumps into him. The responsibility remains with the Mercedes.” Diana, Dodi Fayed – her boyfriend – and their driver, Henri Paul, all died in the high-speed crash. Mohamed Al Fayed previously alleged that British secret agents might have been involved in the death of his son and the princess. However, a coroner’s jury decided that Diana and Dodi actually died because of reckless speed and drinking by their driver. Princes William and Harry also endorsed the jury’s verdict. They said in a statement at the time: “We agree with their verdicts, and are both hugely grateful to each and every one of them for the forbearance they have shown in accepting such significant disruption to their lives over the past six months.” View the full article

Published by Knewz By Alex Lang New York (Knewz) — Three people were arrested outside a “Straight Pride” event in California as protestors from both sides clashed with each other. The incident happened on Aug. 27, and various videos from the event were posted online. Outside of a Planned Parenthood facility in Modesto, California, protestors and counterprotestors came to a “Straight Pride” event, according to the Los Angeles Times. That led to objects being thrown from crowds and a fire started, according to the report. That led to police ordering the crowd to disperse. When three people didn’t, they were arrest… Read More View the full article

Published by Kyodo News Tokai Nexus women’s baseball team manager Minoru Ikari came out as transgender last year, identifying as male after being assigned female at birth. Things have not been the same for the 35-year-old Japanese since, in a good way. “Life is a lot more fun,” Ikari told Kyodo News. It is not difficult to imagine how coming out as transgender to friends and family is scary, but it is even more daunting for someone working in sports in a country known for its struggles with gender inequality. Japan remains near the bottom of the World Economic Forum’s rankings in the 2022 Global Gender Gap Report, at… Read More View the full article

Published by uInterview.com During his Sunday night MTV Video Music Awards performance at Yankee Stadium, rapper and singer Bad Bunny kissed a female backup dancer and a male backup dancer. The Puerto Rican reggaeton musician shared both smooches mid-performance of his hit tune, “Tití Me Preguntò.” He was likely in good spirits after becoming the first non-English-language artist to take home the Artist of the Year award. Bad Bunny is also only the second Latin artist to win the award — Camila Cabello won back in 2018. Bad Bunny has been an advocate for challenging traditional masculinity and heteronormativity throughout… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online eanddjgang/tiktok;unsplash OnlyFans star Eric Dodds passionately defended his boyfriend, Johntae Kavon Collier, and proclaimed his innocence in a final TikTok post before his own arrest and murder charges linked to the same killing, Radar can confirm. Collier and Dodds, both 23, were arrested days apart on August 10 and August 16, in connection to the shooting death of 29-year-old Dakota Bradshaw inside of his Rossville, Georgia, residence on August 1. eanddjgang/tiktok After his boyfriend was brought into custody, Dodds took to their joint TikTok account with an emotional message, revealing that he was fighting back tears over the ordeal. “So, for the past couple of days, in the media I’ve been seeing a lot of things about John and y’all are concerned about [him],” the social media personality told their 800k followers on the platform, assuring listeners that Collier was being falsely blamed. “No, he has not done anything to no one,” Dodds continued. “Y’all know John. John would not harm a soul. He’s the most free-spirited, caring person that I know to myself. He loves me even more than I even love myself you guys.” Dodds said he believed Collier would soon be released as he concluded the video. “I just wanted to get on here and update you that John is OK. I am OK, you guys,” the Alabama local shared. “Everything is good. My baby will be home soon … I just wanted to clear the air.” eanddjgang/tiktok;unsplash Dodds and Collier rose to fame on the platform for their pro-LGBTQ+ videos and have garnered nearly 6 million likes on their content. The former, who was ultimately named as a second suspect in the murder of Bradshaw, had even created a GoFundMe page in an effort to prove his boyfriend’s innocence. RadarOnline.com previously confirmed that Walker County Sheriff’s deputies and Rossville Police Department officers responded to a shots fired call at 1:17 PM that day. Bradshaw was found shot inside his home and quickly rushed to Erlanger Hospital where he was officially pronounced dead. Witnesses reported seeing a red truck, which the shooter allegedly got into, and a blue Dodge Challenger leaving the home. The United States Marshals Task Force worked together with special agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Huntsville Police Department SWAT team to execute the search warrant and took Collier into custody after raiding his home. unsplash RadarOnline.com can confirm Collier is now in the Walker County Jail while Dodds was initially taken to Alabama’s Limestone County Jail. A press release revealed he was going to be moved to Walker County. View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Sarah K. Burris Atlantic editor Ron Brownstein joined former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-FL) in discussing the dramatic evolution from a few fringe conservatives being violent to it being a dominant force in the Republican Party. Behind closed doors, President Joe Biden said that MAGA Republicans have gone semi-fascist in their philosophy. The level of lawlessness seen by MAGA Republicans has included the insurrection and violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, the attempt to overthrow the government and 2020 election, voter fraud, a kidnapping attempt, bombing plots, assassination threats, slaying of an… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Brandon Gage Former President Donald Trump spent Sunday evening griping on his Twitter knockoff app Truth Social about a variety of topics that appear to be eating away at his psyche following a weekend full of potentially devastating personal legal developments. The first post appeared at 6:15 p.m., wherein Trump maintained his innocence in the multitude of criminal probes that are underway into his post-presidency behavior: Here we go again! The Radical Left Dems fraudulently created the now fully debunked Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, they got caught and failed, but tried to get me with ‘… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Look up at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington and you see planes above you. Jim Preston/Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum/dpa As NASA’s ambitions for lunar exploration are returning, Washington is regaining one of the continent’s biggest landmarks for fans of space travel and aviation in general. The US capitol is gearing up to reopen its National Air and Space Museum to visitors after a six-month closure for renovation work to add several new exhibitions. Known for its collection of space travel artefacts from the fabled Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions, the museum is home to exhibits from the history of aviation and space travel, distributed over eight exhibition worlds. It’s not only historic airplanes and space travel to which the museum pays homage. A major highlight for Star Wars fans is likely to be the sight of a full-size, real-life X-Wing star fighter, which is one of the newly added exhibits. “This is one of the most exciting times in the National Air and Space Museum’s history,” said Chris Browne, director of the museum. “When we open the first reimagined galleries, we hope all visitors are inspired by artefacts on display for the first time, favourite icons of aerospace presented in new ways and diverse storytelling.” The museum, located on Washington’s National Mall, is set to be open again from October 14. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved online in advance, which will be possible from one month before the reopening (September 14). View the full article

Published by Radar Online MOAB CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT The Moab Police Department came under fire last year after failing to save Gabby Petito‘s life. The cops refused to arrest her then-fiancé, Brian Laundrie, after a worried 911 caller told authorities they had seen the 23-year-old hit her during an argument. Weeks later, the budding social media influencer died at Laundrie’s hands. Her body was discovered near Grand Teton National Park on Friday, September 19. One year later, the tragic situation has far from impressed Moab locals, several of which admitted to not trusting the small town’s police force. MOAB CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT “I’ve had bad experiences in the past,” a shop owner by the name of Barbara Lawley said in a recent interview. “I think it’s been a good old boys situation, and it’s still a good old boys situation.” Added Lawley, “The Moab [PD], everyone in town thinks they’re jerks. If I had a problem, I would want to call the Grand County Sheriff’s Department.” Jared Sanford, a tour guide for the Moab area had similar concerns, explaining they are very “old school police officers” who run a “good boys’ group” amongst themselves. 50-year-old Moab local Lesley Parker shared that the town’s police are known to cause disturbances at restaurants after their shifts end. “They’ll just sit at the bar and be loud and obnoxious. They put out a bad vibe,” Parker said. “It’s like, ‘I’m bigger. I’m better. I’m untouchable.’ So the locals, we don’t trust them, we don’t like them.” MOAB CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT Addressing the bungled traffic stop that left Petito in tears, Parker thought it was clear the cops were “buddy-buddying with Brian,” noting how they had fist-bumped him in the footage and commiserated over their own relationship troubles. “I felt sorry for her [Gabby], especially [with] the tears, you could see the emotion coming through her,” she continued. “I wish the police would’ve contacted the parents knowing that they were so young. I know they were over 18 [but] they weren’t that old.” @gabspetito/Instagram As Radar previously reported, a separate eyewitness to Petito and Laundrie’s argument claimed he had seen the man hit her in the head with a closed fist. “I was just driving by in my truck. I saw them at the back of their vehicle,” the witness recalled. “They were kind of yelling and then Brian swung at her, I believe it was his left hand … She fell a little bit into the side of the van. She definitely felt it.” The city later launched an investigation into how the police officers on the scene handled the traffic stop situation. Despite finding the cops made several mistakes, including failing to get a statement from the original 911 caller, one of the officers was later promoted. The Moab residents exclusively spoke to The Sun. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English ABBA have extended their run of shows in London. ABBA Voyage – the pop group’s state-of-the-art concerts – are currently booked up until May next year, and the show’s run has now been extended until spring 2026, amid huge demand from fans. A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Everyone knows ABBA has a seriously loyal fan base but the show was always a bit of a gamble. “No one really knew how the ABBA-tars were going to be received, as similar hologram-style concerts were a mixed bag. But for ABBA the reaction was amazing. Even those most sceptical about the tech have walked away impressed. “The plan is to refresh the show with new songs that have already been shot by the group.” The 90-minute show opened in May and has been staged at a purpose-built arena in east London. According to an insider, talks are ongoing about the possibility of taking the show to Las Vegas for a residency. Meanwhile, ABBA’s Benny Andersson previously revealed that he feared his bandmates might’ve lost their singing skills before they launched their comeback. The pop group – which also features Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – reunited for their long-awaited ninth studio album, ‘Voyage’ – but Benny confessed to having some doubts before they started recording. Benny shared: “I think what I felt was Agnetha and Frida were so happy about doing this. And it’s sort of understandable, isn’t it? “I mean, they haven’t been doing much for the last 40 years: they’ve done a couple of albums each, but they haven’t really been singing much, so doing this was … seeing them being happy about what we were doing, them liking the tunes. That was perfect.” View the full article

Published by DPA Growers worldwide experiment with a number of seeds to find the right mix of sativa or indica. They look for the desired level of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in weed (33% would be very high), and terpenes, chemical compounds that produce unique combinations of flavor, aroma, and color. Sebastian Kahnert/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa Volley Hayhurst had just finished donning a disposable lab coat when he glanced at his mobile phone and let out an enthusiastic “Yes!” “My phone is blowing up. The results just came back,” said Hayhurst, vice president of operations at Columbia Care’s new 270,000-square-foot cannabis growing and packaging facility in Vineland, New Jersey. “We have something fun and new for the market.” It’s THC-infused salt water taffy, a Shore favorite that the company will launch soon in Delaware, likely to follow eventually in New Jersey. Demand has proved so strong for recreational weed in New Jersey since sales began in April 2021 that there are still lines each day outsidemost of the 17 stores that sell it. Adults are allowed to buy up to one ounce of cannabis in a visit. They can buy dried flower, concentrated oils, resin, vape formulas, tinctures, topicals, syringes, lozenges and soft chews. But perishable edibles like brownies are not allowed. Another nine stores sell marijuana only for medical use. By state law, all marijuana sold in New Jersey must be grown in state by licensed growers; homeowners can’t cultivate their own. For Columbia Care, plants get their start at the publicly traded company’s two facilities in Vineland, Cumberland County: Its original 50,000-square-foot plant and the one that opened in June that’s the equivalent of just under five football fields. Most commercial pot is grown indoors where security, cleanliness, temperature, humidity, light and water flow can all be controlled with precision. Columbia Care, a publicly traded company based in New York, describes itself as one of the largest and most experienced cultivators and manufacturers in the industry, operating in both the U.S. and Europe. It is currently being bought by Chicago-based Cresco Labs, which has cannabis operations in 10 states. Columbia Care sells through its Cannabist stores in Deptford and Vineland, with plans to open a third in Mays Landing. Other marijuana companies operating in New Jersey include the Apothecarium, founded in San Francisco, which operates three stores. Curaleaf operates two stores, and Miami-based Ayr Wellness operates three stores under the Garden State Dispensary Brand. Hayhurst, along with Cori Griffith, operations manager, and Alex Anthony, cultivation manager, gave The Inquirer a tour of the Columbia Care plant at the end of July to explain the growing process. The Inquirer agreed to not shoot pictures or video of certain proprietary methods or machinery. The first literal step inside the Columbia Care includes a shoe bath. All workers and visitors must wear lab coats, hair nets, and shoe protectors to keep out contamination. And each steps into a sterilizing bath before entering any of the cavernous rooms. The inside of the facility resembles a clean computer chip plant, or even a hospital with long, wide, white corridors and secure doors. Anthony, who studied agriculture at Iowa State University, said fungi, viruses and other contaminants can sneak into the building. And once they’re in, he said, they are difficult to remove. If someone, for example, stepped on a cigarette butt outside, Anthony said, “it could be a vector for the tobacco mosaic virus.” That virus is known to attack and stunt the growth of plants and is often spread by agricultural workers. Once a plant is infected, there is no chemical cure. And there’s a lot of ground for shoes to cover: The former shipping and logistics warehouse on West Park Avenue has been renovated specifically for weed operations and employs 35 people full-time. About 50,000 square feet is currently being used, with about 20,000 square feet now devoted to plants as the company ramps up its production. All the weed-related products start as a combination of two cannabis species: sativa, known for a stimulating high, or indica, known for a more mellow experience. Growers experiment with a number of seeds to find the right mix of sativa or indica. They look for the desired level of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in weed (33% would be very high), and terpenes, chemical compounds that produce unique combinations of flavor, aroma, and color. For example, 10 seeds might yield one plant that has the genetic qualities a grower wants or customers demand. That seed grows into a mother plant — a mature marijuana plant that can become part of a grower’s proprietary strain and can yield hundreds of clones. At Columbia Care’s facility, workers examine rows and rows of mother plants, stored on movable, white, steel framed, multitiered racks, resembling something used inside a library archive. Workers take small cuttings off the plants and place them in a nutrient solution as clones. Eventually, the cuttings are transplanted to soil in plastic terrariums and labeled by strain, or genotypes known to produce traits unique to a brand. Anthony said using cuttings from a mother plant ensures customers get the same experience for a particular strain each time. The company grows up to 12 strains but mostly relies on four to eight. Mother plants typically grow about 3 feet tall in the facility, Anthony said. Workers are careful not to take too many cuttings from the same tree, but eventually, the genetic properties of a mother plant degrades, and the cycle starts over with a new mother plant. Griffith said that in larger states with well established markets, a single mother plant can be worth millions because of all the cuttings it yields and are sold to other companies. Licensed cultivators in New Jersey can transport seeds across state lines because they do not contain TCH, but any plant or cutting must remain within state borders. Consider that a 3.5 gram jar (1/8 ounce) of Runtz Muffin flower, used to roll joints, was selling last week at the Columbia Care’s Cannabist store in Vineland for about $47. It’s part of the company’s Triple 7 line, which includes other hybrids such as Hot Rod, and, the newest, Watermelon Sorbet. Cuttings from the mother tree are moved to a room equipped with powerful grow lights that shine eight to 14 hours a day. “This is where the light cycle starts to change everything,” Anthony said. The light is calibrated to ensure the proper amount of photosynthesis for the plants to flower. Workers part racks by turning cranks, allowing them to reach upper tiers. It can take eight to 12 weeks for a flower to achieve the size and color needed for harvesting. The flowers are taken to a high-tech sorting and packaging machine where they are dropped in a silver steel hopper that resembles a futuristic disco chandelier. The hopper contains 14 scales that sorts flowers by size and weight down to the gram. During the tour, they were being manually sorted and packaged as the machine was being reset. The flowers drop into jars, which are capped, sealed and labeled. The machine “was originally made for other food packaging,” Griffith said. “It’s been sort of tweaked a little bit to do cannabis as well. These do flower, and they can do gummies and tablets. … This is usually running all day every day.” As he spoke, a line at least 10-deep had formed outside the company’s store on Delsea Drive in Vineland to buy the finished product. Pot growers from Germany to the US experiment with a number of seeds to create the right marijuana plant. A seed then grows into a mother plant that can become part of a grower’s proprietary strain and can yield hundreds of clones. Martin Schutt/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa-tmn All weed-related products start as a combination of two cannabis species: sativa, known for a stimulating high, or indica, known for a more mellow experience. Oliver Berg/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters By Katanga Johnson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said it will hold a summit aimed to address issues around U.S. hunger, nutrition and health on Sept. 28 in Washington, D.C. U.S. President Joe Biden said in May that the event will help realize his administration’s goal to end U.S. hunger and reduce diet-related diseases in a majority of Americans by 2030. The previous U.S. event of this kind was held in 1969, the White House said. “Lack of access to healthy and affordable foods is one of many factors impacting hunger and diet-related diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges further,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement. The summit – which is expected to bring together government leaders, academics and activists – will yield a national strategy that identifies actions the government will take to “catalyze the public and private sectors to drive transformative change and address the intersections between food, hunger, nutrition and health,” Jean-Pierre added. The White House added that the summit would aim to address ways the United States can reduce disparities among the communities who are impacted the most by these issues. A venue for the event and a specific list of attendees has yet to be announced. (Reporting by Katanga Johnson in Washington; Editing by Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears doesn’t want to do a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. The 40-year-old pop star gained control of her multimillion-dollar fortune and various aspects of her life when a conservatorship governed by her family was terminated back in 2021 after 13 years but despite receiving several lucrative offers, she thinks her story is “beyond” the concept of a sit-down interview. She said: “I really don’t think any of that is relevant, getting paid to tell your story. I feel like it’s kind of silly. I have offers to interview with Oprah and so many people, lots and lots of money, but it’s insane. I don’t want any of it. For me, it’s beyond a sit-down, proper interview.” The ‘…Baby One More Time’ hitmaker was placed under the arrangement back in 2008 after suffering a number of personal problems and although she is “embarrassed” by the situation, she feels more “confident” these days in sharing her story and claimed the whole conservatorship was “pre-meditated” and that she hasn’t told the world “the half of it.” Speaking in a lengthy voice note initially posted to YouTube on Sunday (28.08.22), she added: “I’ve always been scared of the judgment and definitely the embarrassment of the whole thing, period, and the skepticism and the cynical people and their opinions of what people would actually think. [I’m] in a place now where I’m a little bit more confident that I can be willing to share openly my thoughts and what I’ve been through. “There were over 200 paparazzi outside my house videotaping me through a window of an ambulance, holding me down on a gurney. I know now it was all premeditated. A woman introduced the idea [of a conservatorship] to my dad, and my mom actually helped him follow through and made it all happen. It was all basically set up. There were no drugs in my system, no alcohol, nothing. It was pure abuse. And I haven’t even really shared half of it.” The ‘Circus’ singer then went on to allege that she was forced to go back to work “right away” and was made to “feel like nothing” despite being treated “like a superstar.” She added: “I started working right away. I had to do what I was told. I was told I was fat every day. I had to go to the gym… I never remember feeling so demoralized. They made me feel like nothing,” she said. “And I went along with it because I was scared. I was scared and fearful. I didn’t even really do anything, and I had like a SWAT team [show up] — none of it made sense to me. “I didn’t give a f*** anymore because I couldn’t go where I wanted to go, I couldn’t have the nannies that I wanted to have, I couldn’t have cash,” she alleged. “It was just demoralizing. I was kind of like in this conspiracy thing of people claiming and treating me like a superstar, but yet they treated me like nothing.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lizzo has urged Americans to vote for change. The 34-year-old singer urged her fans to overturn “oppressing laws” in the US, as she collected the Music Video for Good accolade at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday (28.08.22). The ‘Truth Hurts’ hitmaker – who won the award for her ‘About Damn Time’ video – said: “Thank you so much, thank you to Christian [Breslauer], who directed the video, Kenny. I don’t know what Music Video for Good means, but I do know what your vote means, and that’s a f****** lot. Your vote means everything to me, it means everything to making a change in this country. “So remember, when you’re voting for your favourite artist, vote to change some of these laws that are oppressing us.” Lizzo – who is a high-profile advocate for body positivity – also took the opportunity to hit back at her critics. She said: “Now, to the b****** that got something to say about me in this dress … you know what? I’m not going to say nothing. They be like ‘Lizzo, why don’t you clap back? Why don’t you clap back?’ Because b**** this is winning ho!” Meanwhile, Lizzo previously claimed that her voice has always been “deeply rooted in a political nature”. The pop star explained: “I think my voice is always so deeply rooted in a political nature because of who I am. I am black – if you wanted to characterise me in the ways that we characterise people and black women – and I grew up in Detroit and Houston and didn’t have the privilege of the upper class, do you know what I’m saying? “We all have privilege, but I think that when I tell my story, coming from that place and giving you that perspective, I think that by default that makes me political.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nerijus Adomaitis and Nora Buli STAVANGER, Norway (Reuters) -Tesla chief Elon Musk said on Monday he aimed to get the electric auto maker’s self-driving technology ready by year-end and hopes it could be in wide release in the United States and possibly in Europe, depending on regulatory approval. Speaking at an energy conference in Norway, Musk said his attention was currently focused on his SpaceX Starship spacecraft and self-driving Tesla electric cars. “The two technologies I am focused on, trying to ideally get done before the end of the year, are getting our Starship into orbit … and then having Tesla cars to be able to do self-driving. “Have self-driving in wide release at least in the U.S., and … potentially in Europe, depending on regulatory approval,” Musk told the audience. OIL AND GAS NEEDED Earlier, Musk said the world must continue to extract oil and gas in order to sustain civilisation, while also developing sustainable sources of energy. “Realistically I think we need to use oil and gas in the short term, because otherwise civilisation will crumble,” Musk told reporters on the sidelines of the conference. Asked if Norway should continue to drill for oil and gas, Musk said: “I think some additional exploration is warranted at this time.” “One of the biggest challenges the world has ever faced is the transition to sustainable energy and to a sustainable economy,” he said. “That will take some decades to complete.” He said offshore wind power generation in the North Sea, combined with stationary battery packs, could become a key source of energy. “It could provide a strong, sustainable energy source in winter,” he said. (Additional reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche, Jan Harvey and Louise Heavens) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Balazs Koranyi and Howard Schneider JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (Reuters) -The message from the world’s top finance chiefs is loud and clear: rampant inflation is here to stay and taming it will take an extraordinary effort, most likely a recession with job losses and shockwaves through emerging markets. That price is still worth paying, however. Central banks spent decades building their credibility on inflation fighting skills and losing this battle could shake the foundations of modern monetary policy. “Regaining and preserving trust requires us to bring inflation back to target quickly,” European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel said. “The longer inflation stays high, the greater the risk that the public will lose confidence in our determination and ability to preserve purchasing power.” Banks should also keep going even if growth suffers and people start to lose their jobs. “Even if we enter a recession, we have basically little choice but to continue our policy path,” Schnabel said. “If there were a deanchoring of inflation expectations, the effect on the economy would be even worse.” Inflation is near double-digit territory in many of the world’s biggest economies, a level not seen in close to a half century. With the notable exception of the United States, a peak is still months away. The complication is that central banks for the most part appear to have only limited control. For one, high energy prices, a function of Russia’s war in Ukraine, is creating a supply shock on which monetary policy has little effect. Copious spending by governments, also outside central bank control, exacerbates the problem. One study presented at Jackson Hole argues that half of U.S. inflation is fiscally driven and the Fed will fail to control prices without government cooperation. Lastly, a new inflation regime may be setting in that will keep upward pressure on prices for an extended period. Deglobalisation, the realignment of alliances due to Russia’s war, demographic changes and more expensive production in emerging markets could all make supply constraints more permanent. “The global economy seems to be on the cusp of a historic change as many of the aggregate supply tailwinds that have kept a lid on inflation look set to turn into headwinds,” Agustín Carstens, the head of the Bank of International Settlements, said. “If so, the recent pickup in inflationary pressures may prove to be more persistent,” said Carstens, who heads a group often called the central bank of the world’s central banks. All this points to rapid interest rates hikes, led by the Fed with the ECB now trying to catch up, and elevated rates for years to come. EMERGING MARKETS The pain of high U.S. rates will reverberate well beyond the nation’s economy and hit emerging markets hard, especially if high rates prove as lasting as Powell now signals. “For the Fed right now – it is crunch time,” said Peter Blair Henry, a professor and dean emeritus of the New York University Stern School of Business. “The credibility of the last 40 years is on the line, so they are going to bring inflation down no matter what, including if that means collateral damage in the emerging world.” Many emerging market countries borrow in dollars and higher Fed rates hit them on multiple fronts. It pushes up borrowing costs and raises debt sustainability issues. It also channels liquidity to the U.S. markets, pushing up emerging market risk premiums, making borrowing even more difficult. Lastly, the dollar will keep firming against most currencies, pushing up imported inflation in emerging markets. Bigger countries like China and India appear to be well isolated but a host of smaller countries from Turkey to Argentina are clearly suffering. “We have a number of especially frontier economies, and low income countries that have seen their spreads increased to what we call distress or near distress levels, so 700 basis points to 1000 basis points,” IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said. “There is a large number of countries, it’s about 60% of the low income countries, we have about 20 emerging and frontier economies that are in a situation,” he said. “They still have market access, but certainly the borrowing conditions have worsened a lot.” A monitor by S&P Global now considers the funding risk of lenders in South Africa, Argentina and Turkey high or very high. It also sees the credit risk of financial firms high or extremely high in a host of countries, including China, India, and Indonesia. “There are a few frontier economies like Sri Lanka, Turkey and so on that are going to get hammered if the Fed hikes rates and rates stay high,” said Eswar Prasad, an economics professor at Cornell University. “A two to three year horizon will start making things difficult…If it becomes clear the Fed is going to keep rates high for a long time, the pressures could hit home right away,” Prasad added. (Additional reporting by Ann Saphir;Editing by Dan Burns and Chizu Nomiyama) View the full article

Published by AFP NASA's SLS rocket and the Orion capsule at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida Kennedy Space Center (United States) (AFP) – NASA called off a test flight on Monday of its largest-ever rocket in a setback to the ambitious program to send humans back to the Moon and eventually to Mars. “We don’t launch until it’s right,” NASA administrator Bill Nelson said after an engine temperature issue forced liftoff from Kennedy Space Center to be scrubbed. “This is a very complicated machine,” Nelson said. “You don’t want to light the candle until it’s ready to go.” Alternative dates for launch of the US space agency’s uncrewed Artemis 1 mission are Friday and next Monday. Blastoff had been planned for 8:33 am (1233 GMT) but was cancelled because of a temperature problem with one of the four RS-25 engines on the 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA said a test to get one of the engines to the proper temperature range for liftoff was not successful. It said the SLS rocket and Orion crew capsule which sits on top “remain in a safe and stable configuration.” Nelson said delays were “just part of the space business” and expressed confidence that NASA engineers will “get it fixed and then we’ll fly.” Tens of thousands of people — including US Vice President Kamala Harris — had gathered near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch the launch, which comes 50 years after Apollo 17 astronauts last set foot on the Moon. The goal of the flight is to test the SLS and Orion crew capsule. Mannequins equipped with sensors are standing in for a crew for the mission. Overnight operations to fill the orange-and-white rocket with more than three million liters of ultra-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen were briefly delayed by a high risk of lightning. Around 3:00 am, another hiccup emerged: a potential leak was detected during the filling of the main stage with hydrogen, causing a pause. After tests, the flow resumed. NASA engineers later detected the engine temperature problem and put a hold on the countdown before eventually scrubbing the launch. The rocket’s Orion capsule is to orbit the Moon to see if the vessel is safe for people in the near future. At some point, Artemis aims to put a woman and a person of color on the Moon for the first time. Extreme temperatures During the 42-day trip, the Orion capsule will orbit the Moon, coming within 60 miles (100 kilometers) at its closest approach, and then fire its engines to shoot out 40,000 miles — a record for a spacecraft rated to carry humans. One of the mission’s primary objectives is to test the capsule’s heat shield, which at 16 feet in diameter is the largest ever built. On its return to Earth’s atmosphere, the heat shield will have to withstand speeds of 25,000 miles per hour and a temperature of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius) — roughly half as hot as the Sun. The dummies aboard the spacecraft will record acceleration, vibration and radiation levels. The craft will also deploy small satellites to study the lunar surface. A complete failure would be devastating for a program costing $4.1 billion per launch that is already years behind schedule. Life on the Moon The next mission, Artemis 2, will take astronauts into orbit around the Moon without landing on its surface. The crew of Artemis 3 is to land on the Moon in 2025 at the earliest. And since humans have already visited the Moon, Artemis has its sights set on another lofty goal: a crewed mission to Mars. The Artemis program is to establish a lasting human presence on the Moon with an orbiting space station known as Gateway and a base on the surface. Gateway would serve as a staging and refueling station for a voyage to Mars that would take a minimum of several months. View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Thousands of religious and right-wing opponents of plans to hold Europe’s largest LGBT pride celebration in Belgrade marched through the Serbian capital on Sunday night. The Balkan country’s President Aleksandar Vučić said at the weekend that September’s scheduled event would be “cancelled or postponed”, although organisers have vowed that it will go ahead. Sunday’s protest was led by clergy from the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian branch of the “Night Wolves”, a Russian biker group that staunchly supports Vladimir Putin. Although it was held during a procession to mark a religious hol… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dove Cameron dedicated her MTV Video Music Award to “all of the queer kids out there” on Sunday night (28.08.22). The 26-year-old star won the Best New Artist gong in Newark, New Jersey, and Dove thanked her fans for supporting her “overtly queer” music. The singer said on stage: “Wow. Thank you so much. I’m so floored, I’m so moved. This is so wild to be up here with so many artists that I worship, these are some of my all-time favourite artists up here. “This year has been so wild, and I have no explanation for it except that I have you guys to thank. I know that.” Dove subsequently dedicated her award to “all of the queer kids out there who don’t feel that they can take up space and inhabit the fullness of who they are”. Dove also spoke about her 2021 hit single ‘Boyfriend’, in which she references her sexuality, after she came out as queer. Speaking about the reaction to the record, Dove said: “Thank you for getting an overtly queer song onto mainstream radio. Thank you for supporting me as the person and the artist I am and I hope that in that way you’ve also given that same privilege to yourself.” Meanwhile, the music star previously discussed her sexuality on an Instagram Live, after she was accused of so-called queerbaiting in some of her music. Dove recalled in an interview: “I went on Instagram Live and said ‘Guys, I really needed to explain something to you. Maybe I haven’t said it, but I’m super queer. This is something I want to represent through my music because it’s who I am.'” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway (Reuters) -Taylor Swift won the top honor at MTV’s annual Video Music Awards on Sunday for a 10-minute version of her 2012 breakup song “All Too Well” and made a surprise announcement of a new album coming in October. The singer thanked fans from the stage at the Prudential Center in New Jersey as she accepted the honor, the 14th VMA of her career. “All Too Well” is one of the past hits Swift re-recorded after a dispute with her former record label. “We wouldn’t have been able to make this short film if it weren’t for you, the fans,” Swift said, before revealing that she will release her next album on Oct. 21. Called “Midnights,” the album will tell the stories of “13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life,” the singer said in a Twitter post after her win. Also at the VMAs, Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny was named artist of the year and was handed his Moon Person statue at New York’s Yankee Stadium, where he was playing a concert to a sold-out crowd. Former Disney Channel star Dove Cameron, singer of hits “Breakfast” and “Boyfriend,” was named best new artist. “This year has been so wild,” she said, and dedicated her award “to all the queer kids out there.” Other winners included Harry Styles, who received the album of the year trophy for “Harry’s House” and accepted via video from nearby Madison Square Garden, where he was about to perform. Actor Johnny Depp, who had been shunned by the entertainment business during a defamation fight with ex-wife Amber Heard, appeared briefly throughout the show, his face digitally inserted inside the helmet of a floating astronaut. “I need the work,” joked the actor. [L1N30501H] Nicki Minaj was celebrated with the Video Vanguard award for her career of hits. The singer performed a medley of “Anaconda,” “Super Bass” and other songs before paying tribute to artists who inspired her. “I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here,” Minaj said. “I wish that people understood what they meant, what they were going through (and) took mental health seriously.” Snoop Dogg and Eminem rapped “From the D 2 the LBC” as animated images inside “Otherside,” an upcoming metaverse platform from NFT and cryptocurrency company Yuga Labs. Other performers included K-pop band Blackpink and global icon honoree the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were introduced by comedians Cheech and Chong. Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow won best collaboration for “Industry Baby.” The show opened with Harlow singing “First Class”, dressed as a flight attendant on a plane, before entering the arena to join former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie to perform “Glamorous.” Lizzo, dressed in a Barbie-pink outfit and combat boots, followed with “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).” The plus-sized singer later won an award for “About Damn Time” and told the crowd she would not use the stage to “clap back” at critics. “Because I’m winning!” she exclaimed. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA; Instagram/@ariesspears Lizzo defended herself from comedian Aries Spears‘ recent attack on her body while onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, Radar has learned. The 34-year-old singer addressed Spears’ remarks while accepting the Video for Good award for her song About Damn Time. MEGA Lizzo said, “And now to the b—– that got something to say about me in the press. You know what I’m not going to say nothing.” She continued, “They be like ‘why don’t you clap back? why don’t you clap back?’” “Because I’m winning h-. Big b—– winning h-.” Lizzo was clearly making a dig at Aries after his interview with the podcast Art of Dialogue. On the show, Spears was for his opinion on Lizzo. “I can’t get past the fact that she looks like the s–- emoji,” a sweaty Spears said. “She’s got a very pretty face, but she keeps showing her body off like, come on, man. Come on, yo,” he continued. “I’m sorry. Listen, I ain’t the most in-shape n—- in the world but I still, when you funny and you got swagger and confidence and you decent looking – I think I’m at least handsome – you get p—-. But a woman that’s built like a plate of mashed potatoes is in trouble.” Spears continued, “F— diabetes, f— heart problems, f— heart disease, cholesterol. Y’all claim womanhood and about sisterhood and support for your sister, you know, when it comes to that ridiculous s—. But if you really gave a f—, why wouldn’t you go, ‘Black girl, we love your confidence, boo boo, but this ain’t it. This ain’t it’’. “That’s the real love!” Spears said. “Y’all jump on me for making jokes, but y’all won’t be f—ing real and go, ‘Sister, put the eclair down. This ain’t it. It’s treadmill time.’” MEGA The internet has been dragging Spears ever since the interview dropped. One fan said, “I just know Aries Spears smells like a bus station toilet. I just know it.” Writer Roxane Gay said, “I know Aries Spears isn’t opening his mouth to talk about Lizzo’s looks. That would be way too bold.” “The way the world hates fat women is astounding,” pointed out another. View the full article

Published by Reuters BELGRADE (Reuters) – Thousands of religious and right-wing opponents of a European gay Pride event to be hosted by Belgrade protested through the Serbian capital on Sunday, even though the government has said it would scrap or delay the Pride event. Belgrade is due to host the EuroPride march on Sept. 17, an event staged in a different European city each year. But President Aleksandar Vucic said on Saturday it would be cancelled or postponed, citing reasons such as threats from right-wing activists. Sunday’s protest against the EuroPride event, held during a procession to mark a religious holiday, was led by clergy from the Serbian Orthodox Church, some of whose bishops say the Pride event threatens traditional family values and should be banned. “Save our children and family,” read one of the banners held up by protesters on Sunday, some of whom also carried crosses. Others who joined Sunday’s march chanted slogans in support of far-right or nationalist causes. Some waved Russian flags, a show of support for Moscow, Serbia’s traditional ally, as the Belgrade government tries to balance its ambition to join the European Union with its longstanding ties with Russia and China. The president said on Saturday EuroPride would be scrapped or held later for safety reasons. Alongside threats from what he said were right-wing “hooligans”, he cited issues such as an ongoing dispute with Kosovo and the energy crisis. “It will happen but in some other and happier time,” he said of the EuroPride event. A U.N. representative in Serbia criticised Belgrade’s ban on EuroPride. “It would go against Serbia’s international human rights commitments,” Francoise Jacob, the U.N. resident coordinator in Serbia, said in a statement. Previous Serbian governments have banned Pride parades in the past, drawing criticism from human rights groups and others. Some Pride marches in the early 2000s also met with fierce opposition and were marred by violence. But recent Pride marches in Serbia have passed off peacefully, a change cited by EuroPride organisers as one reason why Belgrade was chosen as the 2022 host. Copenhagen was the host in 2021. Serbia is a candidate to join the EU. But to become a member, it must first meet demands to improve the rule of law and its human and minority rights record, and must root out organised crime and corruption and mend ties with Kosovo. (Reporting by Fedja Grulovic; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Edmund Blair) View the full article

Published by AFP Serena Williams practices ahead of the US Open New York (AFP) – Whether it’s in the powerful groundstrokes of players like Coco Gauff or the growing numbers of African-American youngsters surging into tennis camps across the United States each year, Serena Williams’ influence will be felt long after she hangs up her racquet. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is expected to confirm her retirement at some point during the next US Open fortnight, ending a career that has straddled four decades and yielded a slew of records that may never be beaten. A sporting and cultural icon, Williams, 40, along with elder sister Venus, has played a transformative role in changing the face of tennis around the world. “I think (Serena) as an athlete, not just as a tennis player, has been one of the most important athletes in the history of sport,” was the verdict of Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam singles king. Daniil Medvedev, the reigning US Open men’s singles champion, added: “In 100 years we’re still going to talk about Serena Williams.” Martin Blackman, the United States Tennis Association’s general manager of player development, has witnessed first-hand the effect that the rise of the Williams sisters has had on the sport. Blackman, a former tennis professional who is African-American, says Serena and Venus Williams will leave lasting legacies inside and outside of tennis, noting the sisters’ rise from the mean streets of south Los Angeles to the pinnacle of their sport. “The first level of (Serena’s) legacy will be a woman along with her sister and their family who were able to come out of a tough situation growing up in Compton, not a lot of resources and play a sport that was still traditionally white and quite expensive, and that story of being able to make that journey to be a champion is the first one,” Blackman told AFP. Transcending tennis Together, Blackman said, the Williams sisters have transcended tennis. “I happen to be an African-American man. When I saw Serena and Venus come up and I saw them being confident and comfortable in their skin, that was something that showed me they were really grounded, really secure, really confident. That was a shock to the established tennis society,” Blackman said. “African-American girls out there wearing braids, being themselves, unapologetically. I think at first there was some resistance. I think the commentating was a little bit different. For them to do that it sent a message to all diverse people -– regardless of whether black, Hispanic, gay or lesbian –- that you can be successful being yourself. “That you can be authentic and pave your way without compromising who you are. Over time, that’s probably the biggest cultural transformation that they have driven within the sport of tennis.” Blackman said the Williams effect is reflected in the increasing numbers of African-American girls entering USTA tennis camps along with the increasing numbers of black players on the WTA Tour. “Our numbers in terms of diverse youth have gone up consistently in the last two or three years,” Blackman said. “We have a network of camps throughout the country and I have seen more and more African-American girls coming into the game through those camps, which means they are the best in the country.” At the elite level, a record 12 African-American women played in the main draw of the US Open in 2020. African-American tennis players have also increasingly graced Grand Slam finals. Prior to the Williams sisters’ emergence, Zina Garrison was the only African-American woman to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era. In the past five years, African-American players such as Gauff, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys have all played in Slam finals, while Japan’s Naomi Osaka, whose father is Haitian-American, has won four Grand Slams. ‘We followed her’ “If you look at everyone that’s our skin color, clearly we followed her,” Osaka said on Saturday. “I think I’m a product of what she’s done. I wouldn’t be here without Serena, Venus, her whole family.” Gauff, the 18-year-old from Florida who reached the final of the French Open this year, said Serena Williams had been her role model on and off the court. “Before Serena came along, there was not really an icon of the sport that looked like me,” Gauff said. “So growing up I never thought that I was different because the number one player in the world was somebody who looked like me. “Sometimes being a woman, a black woman in the world, you kind of settle for less. I feel like Serena taught me that, from watching her. She never settled for less.” For Gauff, Williams’ dominance across different decades is enough to settle any debate about whether she ought to be regarded as the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time). “For me she’s always going to be considered the G.O.A.T,” Gauff said. “She didn’t dominate one generation. She didn’t dominate for two generations. She dominated for three-plus generations.” Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist, said Williams would be remembered as a champion for both female and male players. “She’s set out a good path for all of the WTA players, even the ATP players, to reach their own goals, voice their thoughts, keep fighting for what they believe in,” Fernandez said. “It’s a great way to leave the sport.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Sarah K. Burris Speaking to MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez on Sunday evening, “The Nation’s” Elie Mystal and “Sisters in Law” co-host Joyce Vance had their own thoughts when it comes to the predicament in which former President Donald Trump is enthralled. The Fox network has spent the day going after President Joe Biden for saying that the MAGA Republican is “semi-fascist,” talking about their demand to pull books from schools and ban LGBTQ children from speaking to their teachers about their orientation. LGBTQ teachers in Florida have been banned from talking about their family if they’re married… Read More View the full article