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Published by Radar Online MEGA This was the scene outside the Palm Beach resort Mar-a-Lago owned by Donald Trump on Monday night soon after the former president revealed the FBI had launched a raid on his property. The image, snapped by local media WPTV, show what appears to be a plain-clothed Secret Service agent with his weapon — an automatic machine gun — as he paraded outside the property. An unmarked vehicle is also in the picture exiting Mar-a-Lago. WPTV Radar has confirmed the FBI notified its counterparts at the Secret Service that a warrant would be executed and Secret Service facilitated access to the property without issue. Trump was not at home during the time. MEGA It’s understood the ex-president was either in New York City or at his New Jersey golf club, Bedminster, as the search warrant was executed. It did not stop him from revealing the unprecedented law enforcement action via a statement on his social media platform just before 7 p.m ET. “These are dark times for our nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before,” he said. Trump did not specify why the FBI was searching his estate. MEGA But as Radar reported, the search warrant focused on seizing classified documents the former president was supposed to turn over to the National Archives. Trump is at the center of two criminal probes: the investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and the probe of the Jan. 6 insurrection. MEGA A source with knowledge of the circumstances of the raid said “whatever the FBI uncovered, it could ultimately lead to unsuspected new evidence in both of the investigations.” “However, any decision to launch a raid like this is not ever made without the full consent of the nation’s top law enforcement official,” the insider told RadarOnline.com “That is Attorney General Merrick Garland and in order for Garland to give the green light on a raid of this magnitude, he needs to be convinced that his deputies had enough evidence of the commission of a criminal offense,” the source added. “It’s not just Garland’s view, either. A judge would have had to view the search warrant request from the Department of Justice and issued the order to search for and seize property.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brian Ellsworth and Sarah N. Lynch PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump said FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday and broke into his safe in what his son acknowledged was part of an investigation into Trump’s removal of official presidential records from the White House to his Florida resort. The unprecedented search of a former president’s home would mark a significant escalation into the records investigation, which is one of several probes Trump is facing from his time in office and in private business. The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on the search, which Trump in a statement called a raid and said involved a “large group of FBI agents.” The FBI’s headquarters in Washington and its field office in Miami both declined comment. Eric Trump, one of the former president’s adult children, told Fox News the search concerned boxes of documents that Trump brought with him from the White House, and that his father has been cooperating with the National Archives on the matter for months. A source familiar with the matter also confirmed to Reuters the raid appeared to be tied to Trump’s removal of classified records from the White House. Trump said the estate “is currently under siege, raided, and occupied.” He did not say why the raid took place. “After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” Trump said, adding: “They even broke into my safe!” Trump was not present at the time as he was in New York on Monday, Fox News Digital reported, publishing a photo of Trump that a Fox reporter said showed him leaving Trump Tower. Trump, who has made his club in Palm Beach his home since leaving the White House in January 2021, has generally spent summers at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, because Mar-a-Lago typically closes for the summer. A federal law called the U.S. Presidential Records Act requires the preservation of memos, letters, notes, emails, faxes and other written communications related to a president’s official duties. Any search of a private residence would have to be approved by a judge, after the investigating law-enforcement agency demonstrated probable cause that a search was justified. It almost certainly would also be approved by FBI Director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee, and his boss, Attorney General Merrick Garland, who was appointed by Trump’s successor and political rival, President Joe Biden. Democratic supporters of Biden have criticized Garland for being overly cautious in investigating Trump over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. A White House official said Biden was not given advance notice of the search and referred queries to the Justice Department. “Make no mistake, the attorney general had to authorize this,” said Phillip Halpern, a former federal prosecutor who specialized in public corruption cases, adding that Wray and a host of prosecutors would also be involved. “This is as big a deal as you can have, and … every single person in the chain would have had to sign off on this,” Halpern said. Trump supporters have accused the Democrats of weaponizing the federal bureaucracy to target Trump, even as Biden has attempted to distance himself from the Justice Department. MISSING RECORDS In February, Archivist David Ferriero told U.S. House lawmakers that the National Archives and Records Administration had been in communication with Trump throughout 2021 about the return of 15 boxes of records. He eventually returned them in January 2022. At the time, the National Archives was still conducting an inventory, but noted some of the boxes contained items “marked as classified national security information.” Trump previously confirmed that he had agreed to return certain records to the Archives, calling it “an ordinary and routine process.” He also claimed the Archives “did not ‘find’ anything.” The Justice Department launched an early-stage investigation into Trump’s removal of records to the Florida estate, a source familiar with the matter said in April. Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, said he only removed mementos that he was legally authorized to take. “Look, my father-in-law as anybody knows who’s been around him a lot loves to save things like newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, photographs, documents that he had every authority to take from the White House,” Lara Trump told Fox News. Several dozen Trump supporters gathered near Mar-a-Lago, which is steps from the ocean, and where several men stood guard next to a dark sport utility vehicle. Police cars parked in the street, lights flashing, as officers directed traffic and kept onlookers from the gates. Trump supporters honked their horns and played music from their cars as some waved Trump flags or American flags. “It’s another unjust thing like the made up impeachment hoaxes,” said Jim Whelan, 59, who works in advertising. He held a large sign reading, “Fake News is CNN.” Trump supporters apparently were expecting him to arrive, as one officer announced on a megaphone: “Trump is not returning to Mar-a-Lago tonight. His trip has been canceled.” (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch in Washington and Brian Ellsworth in Palm Beach; Additional reporting by Eric and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Mary Milliken, Leslie Adler and Michael Perry) View the full article

Published by AFP Beyonce, shown here attending the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, released a new album in July 2022 New York (AFP) – After releasing her much-anticipated album “Renaissance,” Beyonce has scored the number one spot on the top US songs chart for the first time in well over a decade. Her lead single “Break My Soul” is the 40-year-old’s first solo song to hit the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 since 2008’s “Single Ladies,” the industry tracker said Monday. Her seventh solo studio album also opened at number one on Billboard’s top albums chart, the entertainment outlet said. It’s the second-highest debut of the year, following Harry Styles’s “Harry’s House.” “Renaissance” also unseated Latin trap global sensation Bad Bunny from the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart, where his “Un Verano Sin Ti” had held the top spot for five straight weeks, along with two peaks when it first came out in May for a total of seven weeks at number one. Eminently danceable and rife with nods to disco and EDM history, Beyonce’s latest album burst onto the summer scene primed for its needle drop at the club. Beyonce’s soaring vocals have their place on “Renaissance,” but it’s the rhythmic, urgent call to the dance floor that stands out, with a tapestry of influences paying homage to pioneers of funk, soul, rap, house and disco. In the weeks preceding the album’s release, Beyonce teased it with a steady stream of the glossy, curated portraits of herself that over the past decade have become her signature. But though she’s received wide praise for keeping the world of music videos on the cutting edge, Beyonce put out her latest record sans visuals (they’re promised at a later date.) For all her cultural clout and an indisputable throne in music’s pantheon, Beyonce’s songs historically have not seen the same commercial dominance as other contemporary global stars. That was poised to change with “Renaissance” — and Queen Bey made good on her chances. On Monday, the megastar released a series of portraits on Instagram including a clip of her in a disco ball of an outfit, smiling for the camera as she waved her finger to signal her number-one status. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Nicki Minaj will receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs. The ‘Super Freaky Girl’ hitmaker has been named the winner of the prestigious award at the MTV Video Music Awards. Bruce Gillmer, Paramount’s president of music, music talent, programming and events and Music for Paramount COO said: “Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry. She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically ‘Nicki.'” Nicki added on her Instagram on Monday (07.08.22): “I’m receiving the Video Vanguard Award at the 2022 #VMAs! You DO NOT !!!! I REPEAT!!!! You do NOTTTTTT want to miss my performance – Sunday August 28 at 8p on @MTV.” Along with securing the gong, she will also take to the stage at the award show on 28 August for the first time since 2018, along with other named performers Anitta, J Balvin, Marshmello x Khalid and Panic! At The Disco. Kendrick Lamar, Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X lead the list of nominations – which were revealed last month – on the night, including nods for video of the year, best collab, best direction, best art direction, best visual effects and best choreography. Doja Cat and Harry Styles are up for six awards each, just beating Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, who all have five nominations. Madonna – who was given her 69th VMA nod for ‘Madame X’ – became the first artist to be nominated in five decades. Fans can vote for their favourite acts in the 22 gender neutral categories up until 19 August and can tune into see who is victorious at the ceremony, which is to take place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, which will be simulcast live on The CW, BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network. Pop, TVLand and VH1. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jane Fonda credits Jennifer Lopez with resurrecting her career after she went 15 years without landing a role. The 84-year-old made the admission while speaking about her decades-long career as an actress, activist, and fitness guru. Despite her iconic status, Jane said it wasn’t until her role alongside J-Lo, 53, in 2005 film ‘Monster-in-Law’ that her career again got off the ground. Even though it was sneered at by critics, Jane amazingly deemed the movie the “only smart thing” she has ever done in her work career. Before it, she had not starred in a movie since 1990 when she played the title character in ‘Stanley and Iris’ alongside Robert De Niro. The two-time Academy Award winner was quoted in the Daily Mirror saying: “The biggest stroke of luck was getting the role in Monster-in-Law at a point in my career when I had been out of the acting business for 15 years or more. “It was with Jennifer Lopez, and it was a great comeback for me. I was almost 65 years old when I got this script out of the blue. “It was the only smart career thing I ever did. I thought, ‘People are going to come to the movie to see J.Lo, but they’ll rediscover Fonda’, and that’s what happened.” After the role alongside Jennifer, Jane landed parts including that of Nancy Reagan in ‘The Butler’ and Grace Hanson in Netflix’s ‘Grace and Frankie’. Jane has also said that she feels more youthful aged 84 than she ever did in her 20s. She admitted that she felt “lost” when she was younger and was “very unhappy, old and didn’t feel like I would live for very long”. But she has said she regrets having a facelift in a battle to maintain her youth. Jane admitted she is “not proud” of the operation and wouldn’t put herself through it again, telling Vogue: “I had a facelift and I stopped because I don’t want to look distorted. I’m not proud of the fact that I had one. “Now, I don’t know if I had it to do over if I would do it. But I did it. “I admit it, and then I just say, okay, you can get addicted. Don’t keep doing it. A lot of women, I don’t know, they’re addicted to it.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Gillian Anderson wants her next role to be a psychopath. The 53-year-old actress says she wants to diversify after playing mainly trailblazing and independent women, including Dana Scully in ‘The X Files’, Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Crown’ and Jean Milburn in ‘Sex Education’. She told the Daily Mirror: “Women interest me. I enjoy it (playing real life women.) But the pressure and expectation is greater. “I might take a break for a while and play some psychopaths.” It comes after Gillian was touted for a role as a villain in ‘Doctor Who’ by the new Time Lord Ncuti Gatwa, who starred alongside Gillian in ‘Sex Education’ as Eric Effiong. Gillian added her success is down to taking risks, saying: “I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in my lane, figuratively and literally. “I remember being in a therapy session with my mum, working through some stuff.: She added her mother told a therapist: “No one is ever telling Gillian what she could and couldn’t do. She’s going to do what she wants’. “That was true then and now.” Mum-of-three Gillian added: “If I’d listened to other people I wouldn’t have ended up in the UK, wouldn’t have ended up doing theatre, ‘The X-Files’… sometimes you can succeed if you don’t toe the party line.” She recalled in podcast ‘The Envelope’: “It felt like something changed in 2016. “In that year I was getting to play Blanche in ‘Streetcar’ and in ‘The Fall’. “I remember thinking, ‘If I die this year, I’ll be happy’. I get to play these amazing extraordinary women for different reasons. “One an absolute hot mess and the other supposedly under control. They were a real force for feminism.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Ellen DeGeneres has not reached out to offer words of support to her ex Anne Heche following her near-fatal car crash, Radar has learned. Insiders tell RadarOnline.com that the famous talk show host has not contacted Anne Heche, whom she dated from 1997 to 2000, or even sent a message. “Ellen is aware of the horrible incident, she read about the news like everyone, but she has not made any attempt to reach out directly to Anne or members of her family,” sources tell RadarOnline.com. “The pair haven’t spoken in years, although Ellen wants nothing but the best for Anne.” Heche’s relationship with DeGeneres was groundbreaking when they got together in 1997, with Heche making the decision at the time to go public and come out of the closet. Mega “My movie premiere for Volcano, I had told them that I was taking Ellen as my date and I was told if I took Ellen I would lose my Fox contract,” Heche claimed. “At that moment, she took my hand and said, ‘Do what they say’ and I said, ‘No thanks.’ I took Ellen to the premiere, and I was ushered out before the movie even ended and was told I was not allowed to go to my own after party for fear that they would get pictures of me with a woman.” “I was in a relationship with Ellen DeGeneres for three-and-a-half years and the stigma attached to that relationship was so bad that I was fired from my multi-million dollar picture deal and I did not work in a studio picture for 10 years.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, last week, Heche was rushed to an intensive care unit with “severe burns” after a fiery crash. Eyewitnesses claimed Heche was driving a blue Mini Cooper when she crashed into the garage of an apartment building. Residents attempted to get Anne out of the car but she drove off. Moments later, she crashed into a home and started a fire. Photos from the scene show a bottle in Anne’s cupholder that appeared to be alcohol. Mega “She’s lucky to be alive,” a source said. “She has severe burns and has a long recovery ahead. Her team and her family are still trying to process what led up to the crash.” Hours before the crash, a new episode of Heche’s podcast Better Together was released. On the show, the actress and her co-host Heather Duffy talked about drinking vodka and wine. “Today’s been a very unique day,” Heche said to Duffy. “I don’t know what happened, sometimes days just suck and I don’t know if you ever have them, but some days Mama says are … some days are those no good very bad days. And I don’t know why some days just end up like this, and things don’t really rock me like that.” Heche has yet to make an official comment on the matter. Law enforcement obtained a warrant to draw the actress’ blood to test for drugs and alcohol. Mega View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Pete Davidsongot down on one knee before Kim Kardashianended their intense 9-month relationship. “Everything was just moving too fast. Kim wanted to slow things down and instead Pete proposed,” sources tell Radar. “He is devastated. Everyone warned him that he was going to push her away, but he didn’t listen. Remember, this is the same guy that proposed to Ariana Grande after just a few weeks. Pete learned nothing from that relationship. He falls hard and he falls fast.” Mega Insiders add that Kim is focused on her four kids. “Kim is a great mom. She’s fully committed to her kids and any man she meets needs to know that. Pete understood and was fine sharing Kim with her children, but he also wanted to get married yesterday,” says a friend. As RadarOnline.com exclusively reported, Kim’s ex Kanye West celebrated her breakup with the former Saturday Night Live star and is on a public campaign to win her back. Days after their split made headlines, Ye took to social media to once again bully Pete, aka “Skete.” Mega The rapper created the nickname during the Instagram tirade that got him suspended by the social media giant. “Skete Davidson Dead At Age 28,” Kanye wrote along with a mock-up cover of The New York Post. Kim’s ex-husband continuously meddled in her relationship with Pete, making it harder for the duo. “When Kim is with someone else, Kanye can cause problems with the kids. He tries to divide and conquer. He can’t help it…Kim is a really dedicated mother, and her kids will always come first. She wants and needs harmony at home and in her life,” insiders told Page Six. Mega However, RadarOnline.com is told there’s no way Kim’s getting back together with Kanye — no matter how hard he tries. “Kanye has been telling people that The Kardashians star broke up with Pete to get back with him, but this is not going to happen,” sources spilled. Kim filed for divorce from Kanye in February 2021. The judge declared them legally single in March. They are still battling over property and custody of their four kids — North, 9, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 3. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Peter Eisler and Nathan Layne (Reuters) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is alleging that her Republican political opponent in the November elections orchestrated a conspiracy with a state lawmaker and a lawyer to break into voting equipment in a hunt for evidence to prove former president Donald Trump’s false voter-fraud claims. The charge that Nessel’s Republican challenger, Matt DePerno, was involved in a potential felony is outlined in a petition filed by Nessel, a Democrat, seeking the appointment of a special prosecutor to continue the investigation. The petition notes that DePerno has emerged as “one of the prime instigators of the conspiracy,” creating a conflict of interest for her office to take the case further. Reuters exclusively reported on Sunday that DePerno led a team that gained unauthorized access to voting equipment in Richfield Township. The news organization linked the Trump-backed Republican candidate to the incident by matching the serial number on the compromised machine to a photograph in a report submitted by DePerno in a failed lawsuit alleging voter fraud. The Richfield tabulator is among five such machines that the attorney general said were accessed without authorization, including a separate incident in Roscommon County and other breaches in Missaukee County’s Lake Township and Barry County’s Irving Township. The incidents occurred between early March and late June of 2021, the attorney general said. DePerno did not respond to requests for comment, but said on Twitter that Nessel’s investigation was politically motivated. His tweet included a fundraising plea for donations to help him “fight back.” “My opponent called for me to be arrested for the ‘crime’ of investigating voter fraud in 2020,” DePerno said in a tweet. His campaign called Nessel’s actions “unethical” in a statement. Nessel declined a request for an interview and her communications director, Amber McCann, did not answer questions about when DePerno became a suspect in its investigation and why the office did not request a special prosecutor earlier. McCann said in a statement that the office “reviews facts and follows evidence” during investigations. It remains unclear when the conflict of interest emerged. DePerno announced his candidacy against Nessel in July 2021 and received the Republican Party’s endorsement in April. Nessel announced her investigation into voting breaches in February. The investigation into a Republican attorney general candidate in a voting-system breach comes amid a national effort by backers of Trump’s stolen-election falsehoods to win state offices that could prove critical in deciding any future contested elections. Nessel’s petition says DePerno plotted to illegally access voting equipment with Republican State Rep. Daire Rendon and Stefanie Lambert, a lawyer who helped high-profile Trump allies file an ultimately unsuccessful lawsuit seeking to overturn Michigan’s election results. The trio “orchestrated a coordinated plan to gain access to voting tabulators” in three township offices and a county office, the petition said. In one case, Rendon allegedly told the Roscommon County clerk, falsely, that the state House of Representatives was conducting an investigation into election fraud. The machines were taken to “hotels and/or AIRBNB’s” in Oakland County, in metropolitan Detroit. There, technical experts “broke into the tabulators and performed ‘tests’ on the equipment,” the petition says. In at least one instance, the petition notes, DePerno “was present at a hotel room during such ‘testing.’” Rendon and Lambert did not respond to requests for comment. The attorney general’s petition listed a series of crimes for potential prosecution, including malicious destruction of property, fraudulent access to a computer, and conspiracy. A conspiracy charge could be punished with up to five years in prison under Michigan state law. The attorney general’s petition said her office had sought approval for criminal charges from the state Criminal Trials and Appeals Division. The office asked that a special prosecutor take over the handling of that request and any subsequent prosecutions. The Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council, an autonomous entity within the attorney general’s office, will decide if a special prosecutor is warranted. Nessel’s petition also names Dar Leaf, the sheriff in rural Barry County, as a participant in the scheme, alleging that he asked the Irving Township clerk to cooperate with “investigators” involved in the conspiracy. In a story last month, Reuters detailed the alleged involvement of Leaf, a far-right backer of Trump’s stolen-election falsehoods and a prominent figure in the extremist “constitutional sheriffs” movement. He said in an interview that no one in his department was involved in taking the tabulator and that he did not authorize anyone to do so. Leaf did not respond to a request for comment on Nessel’s allegations. The technical team that examined the voting equipment removed from government offices included James Penrose, a former analyst for the National Security Agency who has assisted prominent Trump allies in their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the attorney general’s petition said. It also included Doug Logan, head of Cyber Ninjas, the now-defunct company hired to do a widely criticized partisan audit of the 2020 voting results in Maricopa County, Arizona. Others involved in examining the machines were Jeff Lenberg, a computer security consultant, and Ben Cotton, founder of the digital forensics firm CyFIR LLC. Penrose, Lenbert and Cotton all worked with DePerno on his lawsuit alleging election fraud in Michigan’s Antrim County. None responded to requests for comment. Logan also did not respond to a request for comment. Nessel’s petition names all four members of the technical team as targets for possible charges, along with DePerno, Rendon, Lambert and Leaf, the Barry County sheriff. Another person named as a target is Ann Howard, a Michigan lawyer who allegedly coordinated the printing of fake ballots to be run through the tabulators during their examination. Howard declined to comment. Nessel’s allegations mark a dramatic turn in an investigation that the attorney general launched in February at the request of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, who had received information on at least two of the breaches. Benson, a Democrat, said in a statement to Reuters: “There must be consequences for those who broke the law to undermine our elections in order to advance their own political agendas.” (Reporting by Peter Eisler and Nathan Layne; editing by Brian Thevenot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Rich McKay BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Reuters) -A judge sentenced Travis McMichael to life in prison on Monday for committing federal hate crimes in the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man shot while jogging in a mostly white Georgia neighborhood in a case that involved issues of racist violence and vigilantism in America. U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood sentenced McMichael, a 36-year-old white former U.S. Coast Guard mechanic, in the coastal city of Brunswick. McMichael already is serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole after being convicted of Arbery’s murder in a state trial last November. He was the first of the three white men convicted in February in a subsequent federal trial to be sentenced in consecutive hearings on Monday. In handing down the sentence, Wood said the widely seen cellphone video of McMichael shooting Arbery at close range with a shotgun was seared into her memory. “You acted because of the color of Mr. Arbery’s skin,” the judge told McMichael, who looked ashen as the sentence was pronounced. McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, 66, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, were found guilty of violating Arbery’s civil rights by attacking him because of his race and of attempted kidnapping. Gregory McMichael and Bryan are scheduled to be sentenced later in the day. Arbery’s case is one in a series of killings of Black people in recent years that have drawn attention to the issue of racism in the U.S. criminal justice system and law enforcement. It also highlighted the broader issue of U.S. gun violence. The slain man’s father, Marcus Arbery, told the court during the hearing: “These three devils have broken my heart into pieces that cannot be found or repaired.” Referring to Travis McMichael, he added: “You hate Black people.” Travis McMichael, who declined his right to testify at the hearing, had asked through his lawyer to be transferred out of the state prison system into a federal prison he perceived to be safer. Wood said the rules required that McMichael return to the state prison system where he is already serving a life sentence. His lawyer, Amy Lee Copeland, said a Georgia state prison was too dangerous for him and that he had received death threats. “This case involves at least in part concerns of vigilante justice,” she told the court. “I realize the rich irony, judge, in expressing my concern that my client will face vigilante justice himself.” Federal prosecutors argued any such transfer would amount to special treatment for which there is no legal basis. The three men were convicted last November in state court of murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal intent to commit a felony, with a jury rejecting self-defense claims. They have appealed their state convictions. Gregory McMichael was a former Glynn County police officer who later worked for the local prosecutor’s office. Roddie Bryan worked as a mechanic. Arbery had gone jogging through the leafy Satilla Shores neighborhood, near Brunswick, on a February 2020 afternoon when the McMichaels decided to grab their guns, jump in a pickup truck and give chase. Their neighbor Bryan joined the chase in his own pickup truck and pulled out his cellphone to record Travis McMichael firing a shotgun at Arbery at close range. Arbery had nothing on him besides his running clothes and sneakers. The video emerged months later, prompting anti-racism protests in a number of cities because the McMichaels and Bryan had not been arrested after a local prosecutor concluded the killing was justified. The McMichaels have said they believed that Arbery appeared suspicious, speaking of a series of neighborhood break-ins. No evidence ever emerged connecting Arbery to any Satilla Shore thefts. In the hate crimes trial, the McMichaels were also convicted of a federal firearms charge. In that case, the McMichaels had agreed to plead guilty and the son acknowledged in court that he singled out Arbery because of his “race and color.” The judge rejected the plea agreement because it would have bound her to a 30-year sentence to be served in federal prison before the men were returned to the Georgia prison system, considered harsher than federal penitentiaries. The plea deals were subsequently withdrawn. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Brunswick, Ga.; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Donna Bryson and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by AlterNet By David Badash Two of the country’s best journalists have published reporting from their new book about Donald Trump that includes huge bombshells, including that as president he compared himself to Hitler, in a positive way for both men. Trump, essentially, imagined himself as Hitler, and wanted his generals to display unflinching, unquestioning loyalty. “Trump’s love affair with ‘my generals’ was brief, and in a statement for this article the former President confirmed how much he had soured on them over time,” The New Yorker’s Susan B. Glasser and The New York Times’ Peter Baker write at T… Read More View the full article

Published by The Mercury News SAN FRANCISCO — Despite experiencing one of the country’s largest outbreaks of monkeypox, San Francisco’s health department has pulled back on contact tracing – a standard public health practice in combating viral disease – for those who have been infected, this news organization has learned. The revelation comes amid successive declarations of public emergencies over the monkeypox virus by the federal government, the state and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, whose director of public health announced at the end of July it was “imperative that we mobilize city resources rapidly” to curb its s… Read More View the full article

Wastewater surveillance techniques that have emerged as a critical tool in early detection of covid-19 outbreaks are being adapted for use in monitoring chances of monkeypox transmission and predicting monkeypox cases. Monkeypox Transmission Risk can be Determined from Wastewater Sludge The same wastewater surveillance techniques that have emerged as a critical tool in early detection of covid-19 outbreaks are being adapted for use in monitoring the startling spread of monkeypox across the San Francisco Bay Area and some other U.S. communities. Before the covid pandemic, wastewater sludge was thought to hold promise as an early indicator of community health threats, in part because people can excrete genetic evidence of infectious diseases in their feces, often before they develop symptoms of illness. Israel has for decades monitored wastewater for polio. But before covid, such risk monitoring in the U.S. was limited largely to academic pursuits. With the onset of covid, a research collaboration that involves scientists at Stanford University, the University of Michigan, and Emory University pioneered efforts to recalibrate the surveillance techniques for detection of the covid-19 virus, marking the first time that wastewater has been used to track a respiratory disease. That same research team, the Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network, or SCAN, is now a leader in expanding wastewater monitoring to detect monkeypox, a once-obscure virus endemic to remote regions of Africa that in a matter of months has infected more than 26,000 people globally and more than 7,000 across the U.S. The Biden administration last week declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency, following similar decisions by health officials in California, Illinois, and New York. And SCAN’s scientists envision a future in which wastewater sludge serves as a reservoir for tracking a slew of menacing public health concerns. “We’re looking at a whole range of things that we might be able to test for,” said Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health at Emory. Since expanding its surveillance in mid-June, the SCAN team has detected monkeypox in several of the 11 Northern California sewersheds it is monitoring, including Palo Alto, San Jose, Gilroy, Sacramento, and two locations in San Francisco. Funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the CDC Foundation, SCAN is doing similar monitoring in Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, and four other states and wants to scale up to 300 U.S. sites. It is one of a growing number of sewage surveillance projects across the U.S. run jointly by universities, public health agencies, and utilities departments that are feeding covid findings to state and federal agencies. How many of those networks have expanded their search to monkeypox is unclear. SCAN sites in California, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas and a research team in Nevada are among the few that have reported sludge samples that tested positive for the monkeypox virus. As with covid, data on monkeypox can be used to compare trends across regions, but there are limits to what this kind of monitoring can accomplish. Wastewater monitoring doesn’t pinpoint who is infected; it reveals only the presence of a virus in a given area. And it takes a specialist to analyze the samples. Researchers consider wastewater surveillance a complement to other public health tools, not a replacement. “We’re still really on the front end in terms of discovering the potential here,” said Heather Bischel, an assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering at the University of California-Davis, which included wastewater monitoring as part of its Healthy Davis Together covid testing program for the campus and surrounding community. “But what we’ve seen already shows that this type of monitoring is adaptable to other public health threats.” Some U.S. communities were sampling sewage before the pandemic to figure out what kinds of opioids residents were using. More recently, along with covid and monkeypox, the technology has shown promise for monitoring flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is planning pilot studies to see whether sewage can reveal trends in antibiotic-resistant infections, foodborne illnesses, and candida auris, a fungal infection. Much of the wastewater testing that ramped up during the pandemic’s first year was done in concert with universities or county offices and reliant on funding provided through federal covid relief legislation. On Bischel’s campus, those funds were combined with university donor money to put together a comprehensive testing and treatment program for the school and the city of Davis that included wastewater surveillance. The sewage testing is ongoing under a separate grant. Currently, the CDC is reporting only covid results on its national wastewater surveillance system, a reflection of the limited number of sewersheds that so far are testing for monkeypox. The global spread of monkeypox was first detected in the United Kingdom in May and prompted conjecture that this virus, too, might shed into wastewater, either through feces or when an infected person with an open sore takes a shower. Sewersheds in areas with infected people might then “light up” with evidence of the disease — if the wastewater testing could pinpoint it. “It did light up,” said Brad Pollock, who chairs public health sciences at UC Davis Health. “It acts as a warning system, and you don’t have to persuade people to take individual tests in order to use the information; it’s collected passively, so you get a more broad community look.” The virus is thought to be spreading primarily through intimate skin-to-skin contact and exposure to symptomatic lesions, although researchers are exploring other potential means of transmission. For now, the U.S. outbreak is concentrated largely in gay communities among men who have sex with men. The discovery of monkeypox in San Francisco’s wastewater system in June, the first such finding in the nation, set off alarms in a city with a thriving LGBTQ+ population. On July 28, San Francisco declared monkeypox a public health emergency, urging the federal government to step up its distribution of vaccines. For its Northern California surveillance, SCAN partners with local health officials and universities to collect samples and then sends them to Verily Life Sciences — a health tech company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet — for analysis. In the Atlanta area, SCAN is working with Emory and Fulton County health officials. Not all public health agencies are moving as fast. A wastewater monitoring plan for the virus is only now being put together in Los Angeles County, which had confirmed more than 300 cases of monkeypox by the end of July. And though California is collecting monkeypox data from its surveillance partners, it’s not available for all regions, underscoring that wastewater monitoring for viruses is still an emerging methodology. “With every new thing that we add to the testing platform, we are learning things,” said SCAN’s Wolfe. “The pandemic really cracked open our imagination for a tool that already existed but that hadn’t been developed to its full capacity. That’s changing now.” KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. USE OUR CONTENT This story can be republished for free (details).KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. Subscribe to KHN’s free Morning Briefing. Monkeypox Cases Growth or Decline Tranckable via Sewage? View the full article

Published by AlterNet By David Badash Ron DeSantis is facing much more challenging odds of winning re-election than some would assume as a just-released poll finds less than half of Floridians would vote for their Republican governor. The poll, released by Florida progressive groups but more heavily weighted toward a GOP electorate finds just 48 percent of all registered voters would vote for DeSantis, and 43 percent would choose the Democratic nominee, Florida Politics reports. The Democratic gubernatorial primary is August 23, between U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, their former governor, and Nikki Fried, the current co… Read More View the full article

Published by The Philadelphia Inquirer Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé are the most acclaimed Black music makers of their time. Between them, the Compton rapper and Houston-born megastar have won 42 Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize. (Though in an ongoing injustice, neither has been honored with the prestigious album of the year Grammy. Taylor Swift and Adele have a combined five.) Neither artist rules the popularity roost. Drake, Swift and Adele do bigger numbers when it comes to sales and streams. But both have attained exalted status as artists of importance who push the culture forward while commanding a mass audience. Beyoncé, who has 2… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Abbi Jacobson is engaged to Jodi Balfour. The 38-year-old actress – who has been dating ‘Bomb Girls’ star Jodi, 35, since 2020 – is reportedly set to tie the knot with her girlfriend after being spotted on the red carpet sporting a ring on her finger at a premiere on Thursday (04.08.22), according to Entertainment Tonight. The ‘Broad City’ actress later shared the images to her Instagram stories, but did not comment on the supposed engagement publicly. The pair were attending the premiere for ‘A League of Their Own’, with Abbi choosing to wear a floor-length red dress whilst Jodi opted for a long pink dress with one white boot and one red boot. The supposed engagement comes just under a year after the pair first announced they were dating in October 2021 and had kept it secret for a year. Alongside a snap of them both, Abbi wrote on Instagram at the time: “One year with this incredible human. Don’t know how I got so lucky . [heart emoji]” Back in 2018, Abbi – who has previously dated the likes of Carrie Brownstein and Ilana Glazer – revealed that she “goes both ways” and insisted that any potential partner has to be funny and pursue something they are passionate about. She said: “I kind of go both ways; I date men and women. I date men and women. They have to be funny, doing something they love. I don’t know—I’ve never really been interviewed about this before. Yeah, who knows? The world is my oyster!” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jack Queen (Reuters) -U.S. conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay the parents of a 6-year-old boy killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre $45.2 million in punitive damages – on top of $4.1 million in compensatory damages already awarded – for falsely claiming the shooting was a hoax, a Texas jury decided on Friday. Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, separated parents of slain 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, testified that followers of Jones harassed them and sent them death threats for years in the false belief that they were lying about their son’s death in the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting that killed 20 children and six staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The 12 jurors decided on the punitive damages one day after determining the compensatory damages following a two-week trial in the defamation lawsuit presided over by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in state court in the Texas capital of Austin, where Jones’ radio show and far-right webcast Infowars are based. Jones, a prominent figure in American right-wing circles and a supporter of former President Donald Trump, had called the Sandy Hook massacre a U.S. government hoax staged using crisis actors to serve as a pretext for taking away Americans’ guns. After the verdict, Lewis told reporters that the trial’s outcome showed that “we can choose love,” adding: “We’re all responsible for one another.” The parents had sought $145.9 million in punitive damages and $150 million in compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are awarded to cover a plaintiff’s suffering and losses. Punitive damages are awarded to punish a defendant’s actions. An attorney for Jones, Federico Andino Reynal, had asked jurors to return a verdict of $270,000 in punitive damages based on the number of hours Infowars devoted to Sandy Hook coverage. Outside the courthouse, Reynal told reporters the verdict was high but that Texas law caps punitive damages at $750,000 per plaintiff. Reynal later told Reuters he aimed to minimize compensatory damages throughout the trial knowing there is a cap on punitive damages. “We always knew that was going to be a backstop, so the strategy worked,” Reynal said, referring to the cap. The punitive damages were put at $4.2 million for Jones defaming Heslin by questioning that he held his dead son after the shooting and $20.5 million apiece to Heslin and Lewis for mental anguish. “We ask that you send a very, very simple message, and that is: stop Alex Jones. Stop the monetization of misinformation and lies,” Wesley Todd Ball, a lawyer for the parents, told jurors on Friday before they began deliberations on punitive damages. Jones sought to distance himself from the conspiracy theories during his testimony in the trial, apologizing to the parents and acknowledging that Sandy Hook was “100% real.” The Sandy Hook gunman, Adam Lanza, used a Remington Bushmaster rifle during the massacre, which ended when he killed himself with the sound of approaching police sirens. ‘TRULY A BAD ACTOR’ The judge admonished Jones during the trial for not telling the truth during his testimony about his bankruptcy and lack of compliance with requests for documents. Attorney Doug Mirell, a defamation litigation expert not involved in the case, said the question of Jones’s truthfulness on the witness stand could have played a role in the jury’s award of punitive damages, noting that it is unusual to award significantly more in punitive than compensatory damages. “The jury may have simply latched on to their revulsion at the lies and decided Mr. Jones is truly a bad actor,” Mirell told Reuters. Forensic economist Bernard Pettingill testified on Friday that Jones and Infowars are worth between $135 million and $270 million combined. Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems LLC, declared bankruptcy last week. Jones said during a Monday broadcast that the filing will help the company stay on the air while it appeals. The bankruptcy declaration paused a similar defamation suit by Sandy Hook parents in Connecticut where, as in Texas, he has already been found liable. The bankruptcy will also pause another defamation suit by Sandy Hook parents in Texas, Reynal told Reuters. During closing arguments on Wednesday, Kyle Farrar, a lawyer for the parents, urged the jury to end what he called their nightmare and hold Jones accountable for profiting off their son’s death. Reynal acknowledged during his closing argument that Jones and Infowars reported “irresponsibly” on Sandy Hook but said his client was not responsible for the harassment. The plaintiffs have accused Jones of approaching the trial in bad faith, citing broadcasts in which he said the proceedings were rigged against him and that the jury pool was full of people who “don’t know what planet they’re on.” Reynal vowed on Friday that Jones will keep doing his job “holding the power structure accountable.” (Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Additional reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by AFP The Flightradar24 app is seen on a smartphone in front of a screen showing the live position of planes tracked by the app in the area of Los Angeles on August 5, 2022 Washington (AFP) – How to upset Russian freight companies, Elon Musk, Chinese authorities and Kylie Jenner in one go? Track their jets. Flight following websites and Twitter accounts offer real-time views of air traffic –- and sometimes major news like Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan trip –- but that exposure draws pushback ranging from complaints to gear seizures. Whether Russian air freight firms, Saudi Arabian plane owners or others, Dan Streufert said his group gets dozens of “requests” each year to stop posting aircrafts’ whereabouts. “We have not removed anything so far. This is all public information. And I don’t want to be the arbiter of who’s right and who’s wrong,” added Streufert, founder of the US-based flight tracking site ADS-B Exchange. Limits do apply in some cases, but groups that piece together the flight paths note that the core information source is legally available and open to anyone with the right gear. US rules require planes in designated areas be equipped with ADS-B technology that broadcasts aircraft positions using signals that relatively simple equipment can pick up. A service like Sweden-based Flightradar24 has 34,000, mostly volunteer-operated receivers around the world to pick up the signals, a key source of information that’s routed back to a central network and combined with data on flight schedules and aircraft information. Figuring out or confirming to whom a plane actually belongs can require some sleuthing, said jet tracker Jack Sweeney, who filed a public records request with the US government that yielded a form bearing the signature of a particular plane’s owner: Tesla boss Elon Musk. Sweeney has gotten quite a bit of attention with his Twitter account that tracks the movements of the billionaire’s plane and even rejected Musk’s offer of $5,000 to shut down @ElonJet, which has over 480,000 followers. “There’s so much traction, I’m doing something right. The celebrity thing –- people like seeing what celebrities are doing, that and the whole emissions thing,” he told AFP, referring to concerns over the planes’ greenhouse gas impact. “Putting it on Twitter makes it easier for people to access and understand,” Sweeney added. ‘We will track anything’ Another of Sweeney’s Twitter accounts, powered by data from ADS-B Exchange, showed in July that US model and celebrity Kylie Jenner’s plane took a flight in California that lasted just 17 minutes. The internet was not pleased and she faced a torrent of criticism on social media over concerns about the message it sent regarding climate change. “They tell us working class people to feel bad about our once a year flight to a much needed vacation while these celebs take private jets every other day as if it’s an Uber,” tweeted @juliphoria, in an example of the outrage. Neither Sweeney nor Streufert evoked a distinct redline they were concerned could be crossed by publishing the flight data. “We will track anything because honestly, if somebody really was a bad actor, and they wanted to know where this stuff is, you can build the electronics for $100 and just deploy receivers to pick up the same signals yourself,” said Streufert from ADS-B Exchange. Sweeney said “the data is already out there. I’m just redistributing it.” There is also money to be made, but it’s not clear how much –- Streufert acknowledged he makes a living but declined to provide specifics and Sweeney said his flight tracking work brought in about $100 a month. Flightradar24 didn’t provide its revenue. The services’ information -– as recently shown by the hundreds of thousands watching whether Pelosi would defy China’s warnings –- has significant potential for impact far beyond embarrassment of celebrities or the rankling of billionaires. For example, ADS-B Exchange’s data was cited in a non-profit group’s report alleging Europe’s border agency Frontex worked to prevent migrants from crossing the Mediterranean, while US media used it to show surveillance planes flew over racial justice protests in Washington in 2020. In fact, dozens of US Congress members responded to the revelations by signing on to a letter urging the FBI and other government entities like the National Guard to “cease surveilling peaceful protests immediately and permanently.” In some parts of the world, governments have made clear the technology and resulting information is not welcome. Chinese state media reported in 2021 that the government had recently confiscated hundreds of receivers used in crowd-sourced flight tracking, citing the risk of “espionage.” “In many cases, it’s authoritarian regimes that don’t like this exposure,” Streufert said. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears is “saddened” after her ex-husband publicly revealed their sons haven’t seen her “for months”. The ‘Gimme More’ singer has spoken out in response to an interview given by Kevin Federline, in which he claimed sons Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden 15, had “decided” they didn’t want to see their mother or attend her recent wedding to Sam Asghari, and suggested the teenagers were embarrassed by her revealing Instagram posts. Britney has now responded via her Instagram Story, admitting the comments were “hurtful”. She wrote: “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 every thing … Only one word: HURTFUL … I’ll 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!!!” Sam has also hit out at Kevin over his comments, branding him “irresponsible” and insisted there was “no validity” to his claims. He shared a statement online which read: “To clarify my wife has never posted a nude selfie except of her butt which is quite modest these days. All other posts were implied nudity which can be seen in any ad for lotion or soap. “There is no validity to his statement regarding the kids distancing themselves and it is irresponsible to make that statement publicly.” The fitness trainer went on to take a swipe at Kevin for having not “worked much in over 15 years” and questioned why the former dancer had praised Britney’s estranged father, Jamie Spears, and backed her being under a conservatorship for so long. He continued: “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. “I do not know him personally and have nothing against him aside from choosing to vilify my wife. His character is revealed by approval of the cruel 13 CShip and his loyalty to Jamie indicates his approval at time of conception as well. “Things that are now considered normal issues and behaviour were magnified to justify a 13 year prison sentence. Anyone approving of it is wrong or benefiting from it somehow. I will not comment on this matter again except to say I have a job.” In an interview for ITV News released by the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Kevin – who also has Kori, 20, and Kaleb, 18, with Shar Jackson and Jordan, 11, and Peyton, eight, with wife Victoria Justice – claimed he “didn’t feel comfortable” with some of his ex-wife’s recent behaviour. He said: “The boys have decided they are not seeing her right now. It’s been a few months since they’ve seen her. They made the decision not to go to her wedding. “There were a lot of things going on that I didn’t feel comfortable with. They tried to give her the benefit of the doubt but at the same time, I can tell that sometimes, it hurts to be in that position.” The ‘Circus’ singer was placed under a conservatorship governed by her father Jamie in 2008 following a public breakdown and – while the ruling was reversed by a Los Angeles court in 2021 thereby giving Britney control over her multimillion-dollar fortune and other aspects of her life – Kevin argued that the arrangement actually “saved” her life. He added: “I saw this man that really cared, and really cares about his family and wanting everything to be OK,. When Jamie took over, things got into order. He saved her life.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Fidel Castro’s daughter has praised James Franco’s casting as her father in a new movie. The ‘127 Hours’ actor – who has Latin and Portuguese heritage – will portray the former Cuban leader opposite Mia Maestro as his former lover, socialite Natalia ‘Naty’ Revuelta, and Ana Villafane as their daughter Alina Fernandez in ‘Alina of Cuba’, and the real Alina thinks producers have done a great job with casting. She told Deadline: “[I am proud that] the project is almost entirely Latino, both in front and behind the camera. “James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance with Fidel Castro, besides his skills and charisma. “I find the selection of the cast amazing. “Ana Villafañe is extraordinarily talented, and not only as an actress because she is also a great singer, a very complete performer. I’m sure that Mía Maestro, an actress I admire, will understand and interpret Naty, my mother, in a unique way and I can’t wait to see her building her character.” Alina – who will be a biographical and historical consultant on the film – went on to praise the rest of the cast, which includes Alanna de la Rosa, Maria Cecilia Botero, Harding Junior, and Cuban-born actors Sian Chiong and Rafael Ernesto Hernandez. She added: “The rest of the cast is going to be a wonderful surprise for all audiences. “The filmmakers worked a lot and I can’t be more grateful to them for their overall inclusive selection. “To me, the most important thing about this movie is that the conversation about Cuba is alive. “Personally, the experience is so far too unexpected but more than anything, humbling.” Written by Jose Rivera and Nilo Cruz , the movie will show the life story of Cuban exile and social campaigner Alina, who found out aged 10 she was Castro’s daughter. She became an anti-communism activist who was arrested multiple times for her attempts to flee Cuba, and banned from travelling outside the country. She defected to Spain in 1993 and settled in Miami. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Brigitte Neilsen doesn’t think the “world was ready” for a “fierce female lead” when she made ‘Red Sonja’. The 59-year-old star was an unknown actress when she landed the role in the 1985 movie and though she thinks it was a “great story”, she believes if it was made today, it would be a very different experience and the film would be more successful. She said: “In the 80s, you were just a female. You were just there. You were just happy to be there. Today, everything is so different, I think ‘Red Sonja’ was the wrong timing for a great story. For female projects and – when I think back, ‘Red Sonja’, female lead but it was directed and produced by an all-male world. Today, if there was a remake you might have a chance it’s gonna be a female director, with a lot of females producing the movie. “You also saw it when ‘Red Sonja’ premiered. It didn’t become the hit they had expected it to be but ‘Red Sonja’ found its audience and it became a cult. “And that’s why I believe if they were to be remade today, it could be become a hit. That the chance it didn’t get in the 80s because the world wasn’t ready for a fierce female lead.” Brigitte admitted she didn’t full “understand the magnitude” of the impact the film could have when she was first given the script. She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “When I got the role as Sonja, I read it like a story my life from a book my mother would have given me. My mom was a librarian. So I didn’t understand the magnitude of the lead that I got as to who Red Sonja really was. “In the sense of today, I would go ‘Oh, my god, she’s a fierce, independent, wonderful, female kick a** character that knows where she’s going and what she’s doing.” The movie has been remastered in 4K UHD and Brigitte admitted it has been nice to revisit the project. She said: “It’s nice to come back and get the emotions. Like, so many years ago we shot this movie. And it’s still alive. And someone is thinking about it and it’s got an audience. And I think it’s great. And it’s never been a better timing.” ‘Red Sonja’ is out now on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD from StudioCanal. View the full article

Published by Reuters RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A German diplomat in Rio de Janeiro, Uwe Herbert Hahn, was arrested on Saturday night in connection with the death of his Belgian husband, police said. Hahn said that his husband, Walter Biot, had died on Friday when he fell from their apartment in the Ipanema neighborhood after suffering a sudden illness. But police arrested him on suspicion of murder after their forensics found bloodstains in the apartment and the autopsy of Biot’s body showed multiple wounds. Television images showed police taking Hahn away in a police car. “The circumstances of the death are evident. We realized there was a violent death from the traces of injury in different parts of the body,” police investigator Camila Lourenco told reporters. The German Consulate in Rio did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to Brazilian news portal G1, the couple had been together for 23 years. Biot was 52. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga; Writing by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) View the full article