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Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — The reason Lauren Weisberger’s satirical memoir “The Devil Wears Prada” became famous was not just because of the juicy schadenfreude-y movie with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. It’s because Weisberger was self-aware enough to see that the thirst for power included herself. On the one hand, she took out her knives and dissected the terrifying tastemaker Miranda, a stand-in for Anna Wintour, a bourgeois feminist survivor with veiled vulnerability. On the other, she knew that the very act of writing the memoir meant that her alter-ego Andy was no different from Miranda, even though sh… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kevin Bacon wants to help end conversion therapy. The 64-year-old actor was horrified when he began researching the practice – in which emotional or physical therapy is used to try to stop or suppress someone from being gay, or from living as a different gender – for his new movie ‘They/Them’ and is keen to raise awareness of the horrors is can cause. As a result, a new campaign has been launched through his charity, SixDegrees.org to raise funds to support Born Perfect – a scheme from the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which works within the legal system to keep LGBTQ+ people safe – and to end conversion therapy altogether as at present, more than half of the US’ LGBTQ+ population lives in a state which has not outlawed the practice. Kevin hopes to raise at least $50,000 with the initiative and to “spread awareness of these practices and shine a light on Born Perfect, which is looking to dismantle any legitimacy they have.” To date, more than $20,000 has already been raised through a raffle for a premiere experience with the ‘Footloose’ star. Kevin reflected on how he first came across the “dumb” practice. He told People magazine: “I remember thinking this is not only dumb it’s hurtful. To put anyone — especially a young person — through such a shameful, painful process when there is no chance of it working is terrible. Why? Where’s the threat? Why is anyone else’s sexual orientation your problem?” The veteran actor thinks the “timing is really good” for his new horror film, which is set in a conversion therapy camp, and he was inspired by the rest of the ‘They/Them’ cast. He said: “While I was really in the head space of the character, there was also a part of me that was feeling very moved by the fact that here was this group of our future, of young people who identify in all different kinds of ways, who have come together and are going to be represented in this film in hopefully a way that they haven’t often been in the past. “People need to be left alone to be who they are. To love who they want to love and marry who they want to marry. That is the backbone of a strong and peaceful society.” The film’s executive producer Scott Turner Schofield – the first trans man to be nominated for an Emmy award – praised Kevin for taking a stand. He said: “It’s really meaningful that he would choose to help raise awareness about the abuse that LGBTQ+ youth face in so-called ‘conversion therapy’ because the reason why it’s still happening at such a large scale is because there is so much silence about it.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ethan Coen is set to direct a lesbian road trip comedy. The film will star Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanatha, both 27, with the plot centring around a party girl and her “buttoned-down” friend. It comes after it was confirmed Ethan, 64, would be going solo without his long-time directing partner Joel, 67, who last year directed ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ without his younger sibling. Ethan wrote the road movie script for the as yet untitled road trip film, which has reportedly been inspired by American director Russ Meyer, alongside Joel’s wife Tricia Cooke in the early 2000s. A synopsis says: “The story centred on a party girl who takes a trip from Philadelphia to Miami with her buttoned-down friend. Cruising bars ensues as does the potpourri of a severed head in a hatbox, a bitter ex-girlfriend, a mystery briefcase and an evil senator.” Production is set to begin this autumn after being initially announced for summer. Qualley recently starred in Claire Denis’ Cannes feature ‘Stars at Noon’, while Viswanathan is due to start promoting ‘The Beanie Bubble’. Joel said last year about working without his brother Ethan on ‘Macbeth’: “I spent 40 years looking over at Ethan after each shot or looking at him if there was a problem. And, so, I missed him because that wasn’t there.” Long-time Coen Brothers composer Carter Burwell, 67, has claimed the brothers may never again make another film together. He said: “They also have a ton of scripts they’ve written together that are sitting on various shelves. I hope maybe they get back to those. “I’ve read some of those, and they are great. We are all at an age where we just don’t know… we could all retire. It’s a wonderfully unpredictable business.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kylie Minogue has hailed Olivia Newton John as “an inspiration” since childhood. The 54-year-old singer and actress has paid tribute to the late ‘Grease’ legend – whose family moved to Australia when she was six years old – following her tragic death on Monday (08.08.22) aged 73 after a long battle with cancer. Alongside a black and white professional photo of them together at an event, Kylie wrote: “Since I was ten years old, I have loved and looked up to Olivia Newton John. And, I always will… “She was, and always will be, an inspiration to me in so many, many ways. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. x ONJ4EVER” Kylie’s sister Dannii responded with a broken heart emoji in the comments. Other stars have continued to remember the big screen star after her passing, including Sir Rod Steward, who even credited Olivia with inspiring his own style. He tweeted: “My great friend Olivia Newton John has passed away. She was the perfect Lady, gorgeous, with great poise and with a certain Aussie sophistication. “Her spandex trousers in Grease were my inspiration for my ‘Da ya think I’m Sexy‘ era. RIP Olivia (sic)” And Stockard Channing – who appeared alongside Olivia in ‘Grease’ as Betty Rizzo – joined her fellow stars in paying tribute to their late cast mate. In a statement to PEOPLE magazine, she said: “I don’t know if I’ve known a lovelier human being. “Olivia was the essence of summer – her sunniness, her warmth and her grace are what always come to mind when I think of her. I will miss her enormously.” Meanwhile, John Travolta – who played Danny Zuko to her Sandy Olsen in ‘Grease’ – also paid his respescts. He wrote on Instagram: “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Jane Lynch will be leaving the Broadway production of Funny Girl in mid-August as opposed to early September. The actress, who had been playing Mrs. Brice, a.k.a. Fanny’s mother, last show will be on August 14, as she is going on a planned vacation. She was originally going to leave from August 15 and return on August 23, but the producers agreed to let her depart ahead of her getaway. The production originally noted that the Glee alum‘s last performance would have been on September 4. Tovah Feldshuh will take over on September 6 — the same day that Lea Michele, who also appeared on Glee alongside Lynch, will replace Beanie Feldstein as the leading lady. “As I embark upon my last week in Funny Girl, my heart is filled with gratitude for this wildly talented company led by Beanie Feldstein and our wonderful audiences for keeping theater alive!” Lynch said in a statement. “I offer a special thanks to my current scene partner Julie Benko and will be back to see my friend Lea Michele light up the lights.” Unfortunately, Lynch and Michele won’t be able to have a Glee reunion in the Big Apple, but the former wishes her nothing but the best. “We have been in touch about it,” Lynch said. “You know, it was just a really strong idea to have [Tovah] Feldshuh and Lea premiere together. That’s the only reason [we won’t appear together].” The Only Murders in the Building star added, “I adore her. She’s just going to take this show and make it her own. I’m so glad she’s getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on Glee.“ LEA MICHELE, BEANIE FELDSTEIN & MORE STARS CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF CODE (RED) TO FIGHT COVID-19 WITH A NIGHT OUT ON BROADWAY mega Feldstein revealed via social media that she was walking away from the role. “Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so for the last few months has been a great joy and true honor,” she said in mid-July. “I will never forget this experience and from the bottom of my heart.” “I want to thank every single person who came to the August Wilson for the love and support you have shown me and our amazing cast and crew,” Feldstein added. “The people I have had the great joy of bringing Funny Girl to life with every night, both on and off the stage, are all remarkably talented and exceptional humans and I hope you continue to join them on Henry Street after I depart.” People reported the news about Lynch’s departure. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Demi Lovato has a new man in her life! The “Skyscraper” vocalist, who recently changed her pronouns back to she/her, has reportedly found love with a mystery musician. mega “It’s a really happy and healthy relationship,” a source close to Lovato explained of the private romance. “He’s a super great guy.” Insiders have yet to reveal the man’s identity. DEMI LOVATO RETURNS HOME FROM UTAH REHAB FACILITY AFTER REJECTING THEIR PAST ‘CALIFORNIA SOBER’ LIFESTYLE This will mark the Camp Rock actress’ first relationship since her September 2020 engagement to Max Ehrich, whom she began dating in March of that year. Despite a whirlwind romance, the pair ended their partnership a mere month after getting engaged. Though Lovato appears to now be in a solid relationship, the Grammy Award nominee recently threw shade at her former romance with Wilmer Valderrama, who is twelve years her senior, in her new song “29.” The exes, who spent six years together, began dating when the actor was 29 and she was 17. mega “Finally 29 / Funny, just like you were you at the time,” Lovato croons in the tune. “Thought it was a teenage dream / Just a fantasy / But was it yours or was it mine?” “Just five years of bleeders, student and a teacher / Far from innocent / What the f**k’s consent? / Numbers told you not to / But that didn’t stop you,” she sings. DEMI LOVATO GETS A ‘STANDING OVATION’ FROM AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL ENTITY IN NEW SERIES: WATCH As Lovato continues to navigate her love life, she recently revealed she is using she/her pronouns once again after coming out as non binary in May 2021. “I’ve actually adopted the pronouns of she/her again,” the former Disney star revealed on a recent episode of the “Spout Podcast.” “So for me, I’m such a fluid person that I don’t really… I don’t find that I am… I felt like, especially last year, my energy was balanced and my masculine and feminine energy, so that when I was faced with the choice of walking into a bathroom and it said, women and men, I didn’t feel like there was a bathroom for me because I didn’t feel necessarily like a woman. I didn’t feel like a man,” Lovato explained. “I just felt like a human. And that’s what they/them is, is about for me, it’s just about, like, feeling human at your core,” she noted. People was the first to report Lovato’s new relationship. View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA; Chris Kleponis – Pool via CNP / MEGA Ivanka Trump looked carefree during a low-key date night with husband Jared Kushner on Monday, smiling and laughing just hours after her father Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago club and personal home were raided by the FBI. Radar has learned the former First Daughter, 40, and her spouse of nearly 13 years hit up Bleu Duck Kitchen in Minnesota, which boasts of its seasonal American dishes served in an upscale space. MEGA The casually dressed couple appeared to be in good spirits as they enjoyed a private table and wine, reportedly “keeping to themselves” amid the outing. A beaming Ivanka and Jared, 41, were later seen taking an afternoon stroll in downtown Rochester, embracing while they engaged in conversation. Their blissful outing came not long before the FBI descended upon her father’s personal home and Mar-a-Lago property. RadarOnline.com has discovered the Department of Justice and FBI investigation is not regarding the investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, nor is it about the Jan. 6 insurrection probe. It was instead focused on seizing classified documents the former president was supposed to turn over to the National Archives. MEGA Eric Trump said during an interview with Fox News that he was the one who alerted their dad about the FBI’s search of the Florida property, revealing officials had broken “into a safe.” He claimed the underlying motive is politically charged. “They do it for one reason, because they don’t want Donald Trump to run and win again in 2024 and, Sean [Hannity], that’s what this is about today,” he said. Trump himself also denounced the raid in a statement. MEGA On Monday night, Trump said Mar-a-Lago was “under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.” “After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” he continued, calling it “prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024.” Last evening, #45 also posted a campaign-style ad to Truth Social hinting at his plans to run again, calling America “a nation in decline” and promising “the best is yet to come.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Fox News host Tucker Carlson is “deeply concerned” a number of text messages between him and Alex Jones may soon leak to the public, Radar has learned. The shocking development comes just hours after nearly two years’ worth of messages from Jones’ phone were obtained by the January 6 House Select Committee investigating last year’s attack on the U.S. Capitol building. Mega According to a report, Carlson is worried because he and the 48-year-old conspiracy theorist purportedly exchange text messages on a daily basis. Two people close to both Carlson and Jones also revealed the 53-year-old Fox News host is worried the text messages might leak because the content within the messages is reportedly “highly embarrassing.” Besides exchanging text messages every day, Carlson and Jones are also reportedly good friends – with Carlson not only regularly appearing on The Alex Jones Show but also supplying puff pieces and blurbs for Jones’ conspiracy-ridden writings. “Maybe Alex Jones is onto something,” Carlson recently wrote in a blurb for Jones’ upcoming book, The Great Reset: And the War for the World. “Read this book and decide for yourself who’s crazy.” Mega Carlson has also praised Jones’ “unhinged rhetoric” and once said that Jones “was more talented than [Carlson] was.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the Jan. 6 committee obtained two years’ worth of Jones’ text messages on Monday after his lawyer, Federico Andino Reynal, accidentally sent the messages to Mark Bankston. At the time, Bankston represented two parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting who sued Jones for defamation after Jones repeatedly claimed the shooting was a “hoax.” Bankston revealed on Monday that he was “cooperating with the committee” in connection to the cache of messages and emails, and a source also confirmed on Monday that the messages were successfully in possession of the Jan. 6 House committee. Mega Although Bankston has not revealed exactly when the messages were sent, who Jones was in correspondence with and what material the messages contained, he previously claimed the texts included “intimate messages” between Jones and Roger Stone, as well as between Jones and a prominent politician. Jones also testified before the Jan. 6 committee earlier this year, but the committee is hoping information found on the newly obtained phone may provide more evidence in connection to Jones’ alleged “central role” in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jane Seymour says Olivia Newton-John “was beyond a fighter”. The former Bond girl called the ‘Grease’ star – who died on Monday (08.08.22) more than 30 years after being first diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 73 – a “thriver” and remarked she “broke all the rules of science”. The 71-year-old actress told Entertainment Tonight: “She broke all the rules of science. I mean, she just kept going and going and going. She was beyond a fighter. She always said she’s a thriver. That was her word, ‘Not a survivor, a thriver.’ And I think she taught me and everyone I know so much about living with and passing with cancer. We’re all gonna go one day, but [are you] gonna go, ‘Ugh I’m so terrified, I’m angry, I’m gonna isolate. I’m not gonna let anyone know, I’m gonna be all alone and go through it’ — or do you do what she did and just be brave and say, ‘Hey, I’m going through something a lot of people go through.'” Jane revealed that Olivia took comfort in her “final years” from having good friends by her side. She said: “Even in her final years when I would go and see her, all she wanted to know was what I was doing, you know, ‘Are you happy? What’s going on in your life? How are your kids? How’s this, how’s that? ‘She appreciated close friends and she just lived a full and sort of spiritual life, really.” The ‘Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman’ star also shared that the ‘Xanadu’ star took comfort from being “alive” from the natural world near her Malibu home. Jane said: “I was looking at her going, ‘I don’t think I’m ever going to see you again’ She just sat out there and she said, ‘Look at those birds, look at the hummingbirds, look at the dogs, look at the horses. So beautiful.’ She was just kind of blissing out on the fact that she was alive in nature and that she wanted to see what was good in the world.” Jane – who is mother to Katie Flynn, Sean Flynn, Kristopher Keach and John Stacey Keach – shared how she bonded with Olivia giving advice about juggling parenthood with showbiz, who went on to have daughter Chloe, now 36, with her ex Matt Lattanzi. She said: “I managed to have my first baby, Katie, and I’ve never forgotten — we were on the beach in Malibu and [Newton-John] wanted me to bring the baby and she looked at me, and she held Katie in her arms, and and she said, ‘How do you do this?’ “I said, ‘What do you mean?’ She said, ‘How do you have a career and work as hard as you do and have a baby? How do you do that?’ And I said, ‘You could do it.’ And she said, ‘Can I?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.'” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Just hours after Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago estate was raided by the FBI, his former press secretary Stephanie Girsham spoke out to confirm the 76-year-old “did not handle classified documents properly” throughout his time as the POTUS. Grisham worked for Trump from July 2019 to April 2021. “I sat in an airplane with him, watched him go through documents, throw some away, rip some up and put some in his pocket,” she recalled. “Because I remember specifically thinking: ‘Why do those go in his pocket?'” Her claims are similar to those made by White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, who claims in her upcoming book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, that the father-of-five used to flush documents down the toilet. mega In January, Trump had to give over 15 boxes of paperwork to the National Archives, as the docs were transported from the White House to the Florida residence, which is illegal. However, he denied any wrongdoing. DONALD TRUMP TRIED TO INTIMIDATE JARED KUSHNER BY TELLING HIM TOM BRADY WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN IVANKA “The papers were given easily and without conflict and on a very friendly basis, which is different from the accounts being drawn up by the Fake News Media,” he stated. “In fact, it was viewed as routine and ‘no big deal.’ In actuality, I have been told I was under no obligation to give this material based on various legal rulings that have been made over the years.” mega While Grisham insisted she doesn’t know any secret info regarding the raid — which occurred while The Apprentice host was is New York — she believes something “big” is brewing. “I think it could be about military operations. This is me speculating, I want to be clear,” she stated. But I could see the former President thinking they were cool, or fun. We were not a White House that followed the rules. And I can tell you that handling classified information was not something that was really impressed upon us on a daily basis, or weekly, or monthly.” Grisham spoke about the scandal during a CNN interview. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Donald Trumpis preparing to take action against the government after the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents raided his famed Mar-a-Logo home in Florida, Radar has learned. Trump’s legal team is ready to file a temporary restraining order in an attempt to block prosecutors from viewing the materials snatched from the former president’s home during the historic raid on Monday evening, reports Knewz. But #45 is allegedly willing to negotiate. Mega According to the site, Trump’s list of demands is simple. Several people connected to the investigation confirmed that he wants an independent review of the evidence conducted to ensure prosecutors won’t have immediate access to the seized materials. Sources revealed that prosecutors and Trump are likely to agree to an independent official, known as a “special master” and appointed by the court, to review the materials. The ex-president’s legal eagles have reportedly informed the justice department of their desire for an independent arbiter. One insider said a “purely bi-partisan special master—if that even exists” is vital considering Trump’s involvement in at least four criminal investigations. Mega “There are so many legal minefields surrounding Trump, prosecutors inside the Department of Justice would be like kids in a candy shop if this evidence is not protected,” a source warned. “The appointment of a special master is the only action that can be taken to preserve the credibility of the investigation and any other investigations.” Trump and his organization are being investigated by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He’s also caught up in the New York Attorney General Letitia James‘ civil investigation. The former president is also under a microscope for his alleged involvement in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, and his attempt to overturn the election results. Mega As RadarOnline.com exclusively reported, Trump’s lawyer mediated with the FBI, Secret Service,and the Department of Justice, striking a deal that gagged him from disclosing the raid as it was underway to keep his overzealous supporters at bay. It wasn’t until most of the agents left his home that Trump took to social media to reveal the news. The Secret Service facilitated access to Trump’s estate. This outlet published the first photo of a Secret Service agent brandishing a machine gun while guarding the perimeter of the property before sunset. Once inside Mar-a-Lago, agents cracked open a safe and “ransacked” a closet and Trump’s private quarters, Eric Trump told FOX News. As the news of the raid broke, the former president’s angry supporters flocked outside in protest and demanded the FBI be defunded. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Elaine Lies TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese designer Issey Miyake, famed for his pleated style of clothing that never wrinkles and who produced the signature black turtleneck of friend and Apple Inc founder Steve Jobs, has died, media said on Tuesday. He was 84. Miyake, whose name became a byword for Japan’s economic and fashion prowess in the 1980s, died on Aug. 5 of liver cancer, Kyodo news agency said. No further details were immediately available. Known for his practicality, Miyake is said to have wanted to become either a dancer or an athlete before reading his sister’s fashion magazines inspired him to change direction – with those original interests believed to be behind the freedom of movement his clothing permits. Miyake was born in Hiroshima and was seven years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city while he was in a classroom. He was reluctant to speak of the event in later life. In 2009, writing in the New York Times as part of a campaign to get then-U.S. President Barack Obama to visit the city, he said he did not want to be labelled as “the designer who survived” the bomb. “When I close my eyes, I still see things no one should ever experience,” he wrote, adding that within three years, his mother died of radiation exposure. “I have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to put them behind me, preferring to think of things that can be created, not destroyed, and that bring beauty and joy. I gravitated toward the field of clothing design, partly because it is a creative format that is modern and optimistic.” After studying graphic design at a Tokyo art university, he learnt clothing design in Paris, where he worked with famed fashion designers Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy, before heading to New York. In 1970 he returned to Tokyo and founded the Miyake Design Studio. In the late 1980s, he developed a new way of pleating by wrapping fabrics between layers of paper and putting them into a heat press, with the garments holding their pleated shape. Tested for their freedom of movement on dancers, this led to the development of his signature “Pleats, Please” line. Eventually he developed more than a dozen fashion lines ranging from his main Issey Miyake for men and women to bags, watches and fragrances before essentially retiring in 1997 to devote himself to research. In 2016, when asked what he thought were the challenges facing future designers, he indicated to the UK’s Guardian newspaper that people were likely to be consuming less. “We may have to go through a thinning process. This is important,” he was quoted as saying. “In Paris, we call the people who make clothing couturiers – they develop new clothing items – but actually the work of designing is to make something that works in real life.” (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Elaine Lies; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Chris Cushing and Susan Fenton) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA A Mississippi grand jury has declined to indict the white woman whose accusations against 14-year-old Emmett Till led to his kidnapping and lynching nearly seven decades ago, Radar can confirm. The development in the case came amid revelations about an unserved arrest warrant and a newly revealed memoir written by the woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham. MEGA The arrest warrant, dated August 29, 1955, was discovered inside a box in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse, leading Till’s relatives to call for action. A Leflore County grand jury has since determined there was insufficient evidence to indict Donham on charges of kidnapping and manslaughter, District Attorney Dewayne Richardson announced via a news release Tuesday. “The murder of Emmett Till remains an unforgettable tragedy in this country and the thoughts and prayers of this nation continue to be with the family of Emmett Till,” Richardson added. The story of what happened to Till has haunted many after he was abducted, tortured, and killed in Mississippi in 1955. The Black teen was accused of offending a white woman, Bryant, in her family’s grocery store by whistling at her, leading her then-husband and brother-in-law to commit one of the most barbaric lynchings in U.S. history. MEGA Till’s cousin, Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr., was disappointed by the news, telling CBS that he did see it coming. “The prosecutor tried his best, and we appreciate his efforts, but he alone cannot undo hundreds of years of anti-Black systems that guaranteed those who killed Emmett Till would go unpunished, to this day,” Parker said in the statement. As we previously reported, Donham is spending her final days in hospice care within her small apartment community in Kentucky. She reportedly suffers from cancer and is legally blind, having been seen with oxygen tubes looped over her ears. In an excerpt from her memoir I Am More Than A Wolf Whistle, Donham had said she was unaware of the gruesome fate that awaited Till. MEGA “I did not wish Emmett any harm and could not stop harm from coming to him, since I didn’t know what was planned for him,” one part read. She further claimed in a later excerpt, “I have always prayed that God would bless Emmett’s family. I am truly sorry for the pain his family was caused.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) -The U.S. drug regulator on Tuesday authorized Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine for emergency use through intradermal injection for adults at high risk of monkeypox infection to increase supply to combat the outbreak. The authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will increase the total number of doses available for use by up to five-fold. The regulator’s authorization comes after the United States as well as the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency to bolster the response against the outbreak. “In recent weeks the monkeypox virus has continued to spread at a rate that has made it clear our current vaccine supply will not meet the current demand,” said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf. (https://bit.ly/3p7C9Ao) So far, 80 countries where the virus is not endemic have reported 26,500 cases of monkeypox, according to a Reuters tally. Jynneos was approved in 2019 for prevention of smallpox and monkeypox disease in adults 18 years of age and older determined to be at high risk for smallpox or monkeypox infection and is administered beneath the skin or subcutaneously as two doses. The FDA authorization on Tuesday allows for a fraction of the Jynneos dose to be administered between the layers of the skin, or intradermally, in those aged 18 years and older determined to be at high risk of monkeypox infection. Two doses of the vaccine given four weeks apart will still be needed, the agency said. It also allows individuals younger than 18 years to receive the vaccine by subcutaneous injection if they are determined to be at high risk of monkeypox infection. The administration of the vaccine requires a different type of needle than the current shot administration and is similar to the tuberculin skin tests (or PPD) or intradermal allergy tests. The Biden administration said it was launching efforts to train health care workers and providers on how to administer the Jynneos vaccine intradermally, after making the decision to allow the FDA Commissioner to grant emergency use authorizations for monkeypox vaccines. So far, the administration has made more than 1.1 million doses of the vaccine available to order and has shipped more than 620,000 doses, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. Britain will run out of monkeypox vaccines in about two to three weeks as the country has little more than 8,300 doses of vaccine left, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni) View the full article

Published by AFP Vials of the JYNNEOS Monkeypox vaccine are prepared at a pop-up vaccination clinic in Los Angeles, California, on August 9, 2022 Washington (AFP) – US health authorities on Tuesday authorized a new procedure for injecting the monkeypox vaccine that should make it possible to inoculate more people with the same amount of the drug, at a time when doses are running short in the country. The Food and Drug Administration also authorized giving the vaccine to people under the age of 18 who are considered to be at high risk of infection. For those over 18, health workers will now be able to administer the vaccine differently, via an intradermal injection — that is, between the upper layers of the skin — and not with a deeper, subcutaneous injection. The new method will “increase the total number of doses available for use by up to five-fold,” the FDA said in a statement. Two injections, four weeks apart, will still be necessary. The FDA said it was drawing on data from a 2015 clinical trial that showed a similar immune response in people given a subcutaneous injection compared to those given a fifth of the dose via an intradermal shot. At present, some 620,000 doses of the vaccine — manufactured by Bavarian Nordic, and marketed under the name Jynneos in the United States — have been distributed across the country. Another 440,000 additional doses are still to be distributed, which could allow up to 2.2 million injections under the new strategy. The government has also ordered an additional five million doses, which will start arriving from September and run through 2023, affording the potential to administer 25 million doses. The decisions came after the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for the vaccine, a move that itself followed the declaration of a public health emergency last week. For the authorization in minors, the FDA said it had reviewed safety data for the vaccine, as well as data for another vaccine given in children against smallpox. “We feel very comfortable with the safety of the approach,” said Peter Marks of the FDA at a press conference, noting a recent increase in the number of children who have potentially been exposed to infected people. The United States has registered nearly 9,000 cases of monkeypox, a fifth of them in New York state. The vast majority of cases involve men who have had sex with men. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrew Hay TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) -Police in New Mexico on Tuesday arrested a man they called their prime suspect in the fatal shootings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque since November, a series of ambush killings that have shaken the Islamic community in the state’s largest city. Police credited tips from the public in helping investigators locate a car that detectives believed was used in at least one of the killings and ultimately track down the suspect, identified as Muhammad Syed, 51, an Albuquerque resident. Syed was formally charged with two of the homicides: those of Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, killed on July 26 and Aug. 1, respectively, but he is considered a suspect in all four murders, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said at a news conference. The latest victim, Nayeem Hussain, 25, a truck driver who became a U.S. citizen on July 8, was killed on Friday, hours after attending the burial of the two men slain in July and August, both of them of Pakistani descent. The first known victim, Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, a native of Afghanistan, was killed on Nov. 7, 2021, while smoking a cigarette outside a grocery store and cafe that he ran with his brother in the southeastern part of the city. Police said the two killings with which Syed was initially charged were tied together based on bullet shell casings found at the two murder scenes, and the investigation branched out from there. According to police, detectives were preparing to search Syed’s home in southeastern Albuquerque on Monday when he drove from the residence in the car that investigators had identified to the public a day earlier as a “vehicle of interest.” In addition to recovering multiple firearms from the suspect’s home, detectives “discovered evidence that shows the offender knew the victims to some extent, and an interpersonal conflict may have led to the shootings,” police said in a statement. Albuquerque and state authorities have been working to provide extra police presence at mosques during times of prayer as the investigation proceeded in the city, home to as many as 5,000 Muslims out of a total population of 565,000. The ambush-style shootings of the men, all of Pakistani or Afghan descent, have terrified Albuquerque’s Muslim community. Families went into hiding in their homes, and some Pakistani students at the University of New Mexico left town out of fear. Imtiaz Hussain, whose brother worked as a city planning director and was killed on Aug. 1, said news of the arrest reassured many in the Muslim community. “My kids asked me, ‘Can we sit on our balcony now?’ and I said, ‘Yes,’ and they said, ‘Can we go out and play now?’ and I said, ‘Yes,'” he said. The three most recent victims all attended the Islamic Center of New Mexico, Albuquerque’s largest mosque. They were all shot near Central Avenue in southeastern Albuquerque. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller thanked local, state and federal law enforcement for their work on the case. “We hope their swift action brings an increased sense of safety for so many who are experiencing fear from the recent shootings,” he said in a statement. The manner in which the victims were killed suggested to relatives that the murders were hate crimes. “There is some extreme hatred in the mind of the shooter,” said Hussain. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico and Rami Ayyub in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Cynthia Osterman and Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by The Spun By Matt Audilet Solomon Bates, a minor league pitcher in the San Francisco Giants’ system, came out as gay with a message on Instagram earlier this week. This message came as part of an announcement that he’s no longer with his team, the Richmond Flying Squirrels. “Being gay in this sport you don’t know what comes at you! I thank the giants for giving me the opportunity to be myself and go out there and play the game that I love the most. I’m still in shock on what just happened. But I’m not giving up on what I want to do. I’m still going to open up doors for gay athletes like me. Still will s… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – Drugmaker Gilead Sciences plans to announce on Tuesday that it will provide up to $5 million in grants to help a coalition of LGBTQ+ and human rights advocacy groups craft public health responses to monkeypox outbreaks, the company said. Outside of Africa, where the virus is endemic, new cases have largely occurred among gay and bisexual men. Experts warn that the virus could spread to other populations, especially due to vaccine shortages. The World Health Organization and the United States have declared monkeypox a public health emergency. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), GLAAD, the National Black Justice Coalition, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights are each receiving $350,000 from Gilead for public education toward preventing and treating the virus. Gilead is a leading producer of therapies to treat HIV. The company said it is also evaluating whether any of its treatments or experimental drug candidates could be effective against monkeypox. GLAAD’s staff has not been able to meet recent demands for information about monkeypox, said spokesperson Rich Ferraro. “With this partnership we’ll be able to do more,” he said. The funds will help the groups produce videos, graphics and other information resources for distribution to the media and at community centers, bars, nightclubs, parties and events. Torrian Baskerville, director of HIV and Health Equity at HRC, said the U.S. response to the virus at federal, state and local levels has been “slow across the board.” Policy changes are urgently needed to streamline the distribution of vaccines, with current systems varying among states, he said. NMAC – formerly the National Minority AIDS Coalition – will receive $500,000 to coordinate the coalition’s public policy efforts. Another $3 million is reserved for emergency grants to smaller organizations worldwide. Already stretched thin by COVID-19, these groups may otherwise need to delay patients’ usual care during monkeypox outbreaks, said Gilead spokesperson Korab Zuka. (Reporting by Nancy Lapid; editing by Michele Gershberg and Bernadette Baum) View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Matthew Chapman On Monday, the San Antonio Express-News reported that a South Texas church is putting on an unauthorized knockoff production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” — complete with added-in religious proselytizing and attacks on LGBTQ people. “The ‘Hamilton’ team in New York also says it did not give a license or permission to the Door McAllen church in McAllen, Tex., to stage the performance, thus making the show an illegal reproduction,” reported Timothy Bella. “The version of ‘Hamilton’ produced by the Door McAllen and RGV Productions that was perfor… Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School Librarian Martha Hickson received the American Library Association’s Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity in June for her efforts to challenge efforts to ban books housed in the district’s collection. Hickson opposed efforts in 2021 to ban five LGBTQ+ books from the district’s library bookshelves, becoming the target of personal attacks which led her to taking an extended sick leave. She has since returned to her job and says she continues to speak out at district Board of Education meetings about censorship and the import… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Alex Jones’ text messages have been turned over to the January 6 House Select Committee to aid in their investigation into last year’s Capitol riot, Radar has confirmed. As RadarOnline.com reported last week, Jones’ lawyer – Federico Andino Reynal – accidentally handed over two years’ worth of text messages and emails from Jones’ phone to Mark Bankston, the lawyer who represented two parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting who sued Jones for defamation. Mega According to Bankston, who spoke to CNN on Monday, he is “cooperating with the committee” regarding the messages he received after the Jan. 6 committee “expressed interest” in the messages and the potential content that may link Jones directly to last year’s deadly riot. Reynal requested the judge overseeing the case order Bankston to “destroy” the material, but Judge Maya Guerra Gamble refused to do so. Mega “I’m not standing between you and Congress,” Judge Gamble told Bankston when he asked about sending the texts to the Jan. 6 committee. “That is not my job. I’m not going to do that.” Although a source confirmed to CNN the messages have successfully been handed over, the insider did not reveal when the messages were sent, who Jones was in correspondence with and what material the messages contained. The source also revealed that, although the messages have successfully been handed over, it is not known whether or not the committee has had a chance to see the messages. Jones was previously implicated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and testified before the committee earlier this year – although he later claimed he repeatedly used his Fifth Amendment right not to answer any questions during the deposition. Mega The 48-year-old conspiracy theorist and The Alex Jones Show host is accused of playing a “central role” on January 6 after hundreds of then-President Donald Trump’s supporters marched on the U.S. Capitol building following a “Stop the Steal” rally. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), who sits on the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, revealed on Sunday the committee was interested in Jones’ text messages and potentially new information linking Jones to Capitol riot further. “Well, we know that his behavior did incentivize some of the January 6 conduct and we want to know more about that,” Lofgren told CNN Sunday evening. “We don’t know what we’ll find in the texts because we haven’t seen them. But we’ll look at it and learn more, I’m sure.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English John Travolta has led tributes to Olivia Newton-John, who died aged 73 on Monday (08.08.22). The ‘Grease’ star gushed that the actress – who played Sandy Olsen to his Danny Zuko in the 1978 movie musical – “made all our lives so much better” on social media on a retro photo of the late star. The 68-year-old actor wrote on Instagram: “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!” Randal Keiser, who directed the high school classic, praised her for being “one of a kind, and so very kind”. He told the Hollywood Reporter: “I’m Heartbroken. She was one of a kind, and so very kind. For over four decades of our friendship she exuded nothing but love to everyone she met. Olivia was exactly the way you imagined her. I will miss her forever.” George Takei lamented that Hollywood “lost a great, iconic artist” with her passing. He wrote on Twitter: “We have lost a great, iconic artist in Olivia Newton John, gone too soon from us at age 73. I trust she is now in the great Xanadu beyond. Know that we are forever hopelessly devoted to you, Olivia. Rest in song and mirth.” Gabrielle Union shared how much ‘Grease’ meant to her and her sister and how much she loved ‘Xanadu’. She wrote on Twitter: “’Grease’ is my #1 movie of all time and made me a lifelong Olivia Newton John fan. Me and my sister watched Xanadu more times than I could count. Sending so much love and prayers to a real gift of a woman and talent.” Motown legend Dionne Warwick paid her respects to her “dear friend”. She tweeted: “Another angelic voice has been added to the Heavenly Choir. Not only was Olivia a dear friend, but one of the nicest people I had the pleasure of recording and performing with. I will most definitely miss her. She now Rests in the Arms of the Heavenly Father.” Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin shared how she was “saddened” by the death of her ‘It’s My Party’ co-star. She said on Twitter: “I am SO saddened at the news of the passing of Olivia Newton John. I remember being so star struck when I met her at my first Hollywood gathering for Paramount. She was the sweetest and brightest light and I loved getting to know her on “It’s My Party.” RIP dear, sweet Olivia.” Mia Farrow added: “Very sad that lovely, talented brave Olivia Newton-John has died. I never got to meet her, but everyone says she was wonderful – always kind.” Jane Lynch – who starred on ‘Glee’ where Olivia played a fictionalised version of herself in 2009 – tweeted: “ONJ. Angel”. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ director James Gun revealed that the icon was his “first real crush”. He wrote on Twitter: “Really sad to hear about the passing of Olivia Newton-John. My first real crush as a kid. I loved Grease her music I coincidentally also bought lived in for a while the wonderful home she built in Malibu. May she Rest In Peace.” Broadcaster Katie Couric wrote: “Rest In Peace, Olivia.” TV chef Nigella Lawson tweeted: “Her memory is already a blessing.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears has confirmed her musical comeback with Elton John. The ‘Piece of Me’ hitmaker, 40, is making her return to pop music after being freed from her conservatorship with a duet with the xx-year-old legend titled ‘Hold Me Closer’, a revamped version of his hit 1971 song ‘Tiny Dancer’. The collaboration – which has been teased for months – was confirmed by Elton on Instagram as he posted a photo of a rose and a rocket emoji with the caption “hold me closer” on Monday (08.08.22). Britney – who recently tied the knot with Sam Asghari, 28 – was released from a legal arrangement that gave her father Jamie Spears, 70, control over her medical, financial and other decisions since 2007 when the ‘Sometimes’ hitmaker was placed under after experiencing mental health difficulties. Currently, Jamie is involved in a misconduct allegation court case surrounding the conservatorship. Judge Brenda Parry denied a motion he put forward to have Britney come in for questioning. This year, Britney and Sam have gone through a lot together as a couple, such as suffering the miscarriage of their “miracle baby”. They also launched required legal action after her ex Jason Alexander – who she was married to for 54 hours in 2004 – gatecrashed her wedding last month. Since then, Jason has pled not guilty to charges of stalking, trespassing, battery and vandalism. Recently, Sam defended Britney from allegations from her ex Kevin Federline, 44 – who said their two teenage sons, Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden, 15 – are opting not to see their mother. In an Instagram post, Sam wrote: “There is not validity to his statement regarding the kids distancing themselves and it is irresponsible to make that statement publicly. “The boys are very smart and will be 18 soon to make their own decisions and may eventually realize the ‘tough’ part was having a father who hasn’t worked much in over 15 years as a role model…Kevin’s gravy train will end soon which probably explains the timing of these hurtful statements…I do not know him personally and have nothing against him aside him choosing to vilify my wife. His character is revealed by approval of the cruel 13 year (conservatorship) and his loyalty to Jamie indicates his approval at time of its conception as well.” Britney added: “It saddens me to hear that my ex-husband has decided to discuss the relationship between me and my children. As we all know, raising teenage boys is never easy for anyone .. It concerns me the fact that the reason is based on my Instagram … it was LONG before Instagram … I gave them everything. Only one word: HURTFUL … l’Il say it … My mother told me ‘You should GIVE them to their dad.’ I’m sharing this because I can. Have a good day folks!!!” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Rosie O’Donnell spilled all “the dirt” about the onset ‘A League of Their Own’ drama to the cast of the new television series inspired by the movie. Kelly McCormack says the 60-year-old comedian gave all the gossip about what it was like to work on the 1992 movie about baseball and what Madonna was like as she appears in the new Amazon Prime series as Vi, a totally new character. The 31-year-old actress told E! News’ The Daily Pop: “Rosie would tell us all the dirt. She’d be like, ‘This is what happened on set,’ and she was just talking about how much baseball they had to do and how grimy it was and working with Madonna.” Abbi Jacobson – who stars and created the show that drops on 12 August on the streaming platform – intended the series to be an homage, instead of a recreation. The 38-year-old funny lady said: “We really wanted to open up and get to explore characters that were outside of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, too. What was this generation of women who played baseball like?’ and, ‘How can we explore the stories that weren’t told in the film?'” Melanie Field outlined her belief that “the heart” of the show is just find your true calling and your people. The 34-year-old actress added: “I think at the heart and soul of this piece is just be true to yourself, follow your journey, find your team, find your family, and that your dreams matter.” The cast were keen for any of the original stars to come and make an appearance anytime they liked, including Tom Hanks who wished them “his best”. D’Arcy Carden, 42, said: “I can’t think of anyone from the original that I wouldn’t love to see come back. I had quick words with Tom Hanks. He sent us his best and told us how much fun he had doing the movie.” Chante Adams, 27, concurred, added: “If Geena Davis and Tom Hanks want to make an appearance, we won’t stop them.” Kate Berlant admitted her dream guest star would be the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. The 35-year-old actress said: “That was the role I think I was the most obsessed with as a kid. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ezra Miller has been charged with felony burglary in Vermont. ‘The Flash’ star stands accused of the charge after Vermont State Police were alerted to a complaint at a property in May, according to a police report. It detailed they found various bottles of alcohol were taken from the abode without the homeowners knowledge. Following an investigation – which included taking statements from neighbours and looking at security camera footage – the police say the found reason to press charges against the 29-year-old actor. Ezra was found by the cops late on Sunday night (07.08.22) and given a citation to be in Vermont Superior Court for an arraignment on 26 September, the report states. According to an investigation by Rolling Stone magazine, ‘The Perks of Being A Wallflower’ star has been providing shelter to a 25-year-old mother of three at his ranch in the town of Stamford, which is believed to be an unauthorised cannabis farm with unregulated firearms. This arrest is the latest in a string of legal problems Ezra has found themselves in. Earlier this year, ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’ star was arrested twice in Hawaii; once for disorderly and harassment and another time for second-degree assault. Ezra also faces numerous assault allegations from women across the world, such as woman who claims they choked her in a bar in Iceland and another woman who says Ezra harassed her in her Berlin home. These instances have begun speculation about the potential cancelling of upcoming standalone ‘The Flash’ flick will be halted, however executives from Warner Brothers have not implied it will be. David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery said: “ We have seen ‘The Flash,’ ‘Black Adam’ and ‘Shazam 2.’ We are very excited about them. We’ve seen them. We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better.” View the full article