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Published by Reuters By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Air Force successfully tested a Lockheed Martin Corp hypersonic missile this week, sources familiar with the efforts said on Wednesday, amid growing concerns Russia and China have had more success developing their own hypersonic weapons. The U.S. Air Force successfully tested its Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) booster on Tuesday off the California coast, according to the sources. The ARRW is carried aloft under the wing of plane before it is launched toward its target. In previous tests, the weapon did not detach from the plane. Hypersonic weapons travel in the upper atmosphere at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound, or about 6,200 km (3,853 miles) per hour. In a separate successful hypersonic weapon test recently, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) demonstrated its Operational Fires program, two people familiar with the matter said. The successful tests show progress among the myriad U.S. hypersonic weapons development efforts, which have in cases been beleaguered by failed tests, growing questions about cost and increasing concerns the United States is falling behind in what has become a superpower arms race. Operational Fires is a ground-launched system that will “rapidly and precisely engage critical, time-sensitive targets while penetrating modern enemy air defenses.” DARPA has requested and received $45 million for OpFires in fiscal year 2022. One of Lockheed Martin’s concepts for the DARPA weapon is to use an exiting High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher, like those sent to Ukraine, to launch the weapon. These successful tests come after failed a June 29 test flight of a different type of hypersonic weapon, the Common Hypersonic Glide Body, at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii. Defense contractors hope to capitalize on the shift to hypersonic weapons not only by building them, but also by developing new detection and defeat mechanisms. Arms makers like Lockheed, Northrop Grumman Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp have all touted their hypersonic weapons programs to investors as the world’s focus shifted to the new arms race for an emerging class of weapon. (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Franklin Paul and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Julio-Cesar Chavez and Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A surveillance video showing a long delay by Texas police and federal agents before they acted to stop the mass shooting at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School shows that their response was “indefensible,” U.S. Senator Ted Cruz said on Wednesday. The publication of the edited video on Tuesday by the Austin American-Statesman outraged the families of the victims. They not only objected to having to see the minutes before their loved ones were gunned down, but also to witnessing the long delay before officers confronted and killed the gunman. The leaked video shows 18-year-old Salvador Ramos crashing his pickup truck outside Robb Elementary School and entering the building carrying a semi-automatic rifle. The sound of gunfire is then heard for more than two minutes. Police officers are seen arriving minutes later. They take cover at the end of a hallway leading to the two classrooms targeted by the shooter. Another 77 minutes go by before they storm the classrooms and exchange fire with him. The video “is deeply, deeply concerning. We need answers and we need accountability as to what the hell went wrong,” Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, told Reuters. “The 70-plus minutes they waited, it is heartbreaking, and I think it is indefensible.” Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers at the school on May 24. It was part of a string of mass shootings across the United States that have renewed debate over gun laws and mental health. Law enforcement officials have been roundly criticized for their handling of the rampage and especially for waiting more than an hour before confronting Ramos. Cruz, a conservative Republican who is a strong supporter of gun rights, faced criticism of his own when he addressed the National Rifle Association’s annual convention just days after the shooting. The senator told Reuters that information shared by authorities in the immediate aftermath of the shooting “is now proving to be over and over again demonstrably false.” Texas Governor Greg Abbott had initially praised the police’s handling of the shooting and said they showed “amazing courage,” before admitting he had been misled about the police response. Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat, said the leaked video had been edited. “It doesn’t really show the entire picture,” he told CNN. “The Republicans simply don’t want to show what we are really talking about, which is the awesome power of this AR-15,” referring to the weapon used by the gunman. Parents of some Uvalde victims were in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to meet with lawmakers. “It’s just never-ending pain,” said Kimberly Rubio, whose 10-year-old daughter was killed. ‘THEIR FINAL MOMENTS’ Before the video’s publication, Texas State Representative Dustin Burrows, who chairs a committee that is holding hearings on the shooting, had planned to lead a private briefing on Sunday for the families of the Uvalde victims. The session would have allowed them to see the surveillance video before it was made public and to discuss the committee’s preliminary report before the release of the information. Those plans were upended by the newspaper’s publication on Tuesday. “Who do you think you are to release footage like that of our children who can’t even speak for themselves, but you want to go ahead and air their final moments to the entire world?” said Angel Garza, whose daughter was killed in the shooting. The newspaper said it published the video because its goal “is to continue to bring to light what happened at Robb Elementary, which the families and friends of the Uvalde victims have long been asking for.” (Reporting by Julio-cesar Chavez; additional reporting and writing by Kanishka Singh; editing by Frank McGurty and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nandita Bose and Ted Hesson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Mexico on Tuesday pledged to spend $1.5 billion to beef up its northern border as its leader met with U.S. President Joe Biden, who faces attacks from Republicans over his handling of immigration on the United States’ southern flank. Casting immigration as a “hemispheric challenge”, Biden met Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and top Mexican officials in the White House to address U.S. concerns over migration and Mexico’s desire for more worker visas. In a joint statement, the two governments vowed to take “immediate and coordinated steps to manage the flows of migrants arriving into our countries” and to tackle soaring inflation by boosting bilateral trade and reducing trade costs. The meeting came a month after Lopez Obrador skipped the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles to protest Biden’s decision to exclude the leftist governments of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. “Despite the overhyped headlines we sometimes see, you and I have a strong, productive relationship,” Biden said in remarks with his Mexican counterpart in the Oval Office. Biden has struggled with more than 2.8 million arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border since he took office at the beginning of 2021, a record-setting level. Biden touted a $3.4 billion U.S. investment to upgrade ports of entry along the borders with Mexico and Canada that was part of his bipartisan infrastructure plan passed last year, which he said would make the border safer and more efficient. Mexico would spend $1.5 billion in border infrastructure between 2022 and 2024, the two governments said. Much of that money has been flagged in recent weeks. The projects were for the U.S.-Mexico border, aimed at reinforcing infrastructure, extending and upgrading border crossings, as well as for the new Otay Mesa II port of entry between Tijuana and San Diego, a Mexican official said. The two sides vowed to step up efforts to combat gangs, and Biden said the United States and Mexico would accelerate efforts to stop trafficking of the powerful synthetic drug fentanyl. Lopez Obrador called on the United States to allow for more legal work visas, but Biden only went as far as highlighting existing programs used by Mexicans and Central Americans. The Mexican president, who did most of the talking at a joint news event before the meeting, said the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) could be used to further integrate the three countries and that some tariffs and regulations could be suspended, although he did not specify which ones. Turning to inflation – a political vulnerability for Biden – Lopez Obrador said some Americans were traveling to Mexico to buy gasoline amid high prices in the United States. He pledged to guarantee twice as much supply to meet that demand. The two governments also said they would strengthen regional supply chains as well as move towards greener technologies. Mexican state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) would work with the United States to craft a plan to eliminate flaring and venting in oil and gas operations, they said. ‘LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP’ Earlier in the day, Lopez Obrador greeted a small crowd of supporters, including a mariachi band, who had gathered outside his hotel. Leaning out a window, he pledged to push for better human rights protections for migrants and legalization for those already in the United States for years. “The main thing is the defense of our migrant countrymen,” he said. Mexicans have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in greater numbers in recent years amid strong demand for workers in the United States and a sluggish economy in Mexico. U.S. Border Patrol made about 70,000 arrests of Mexican migrants in May, up from about 18,000 in the same month in 2019. Some of those caught are repeat crossers, driving up the totals. Mexicans made up roughly half of the 53 migrants who died in a sweltering tractor trailer during a failed smuggling attempt in San Antonio last month, according to officials. Republican lawmakers have criticized Biden’s approach to the border in the run-up to November’s U.S. midterm elections, highlighting the Democrat’s stance in opposition to the hardline policies of former President Donald Trump. The Biden administration has focused on tackling the “root causes” of migration – especially from Central America – putting U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of addressing complex issues like poverty, violence and climate change. Harris met with Lopez Obrador on Tuesday morning and emphasized the countries’ “longstanding partnership”. The placating words came on the heels of a rhetorical misstep a day earlier by U.S. first lady Jill Biden who attempted to compliment Latinos by saying they were as unique as “breakfast tacos” and later apologized. (Reporting by Nandita Bose, Ted Hesson, Alexandra Alper and Matt Spetalnick in Washington and Dave Graham, Daina Beth Solomon and Raul Cortes in Mexico City; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Matthew Lewis, Bradley Perrett and Kim Coghill) View the full article

Published by DPA Members of K-pop bands like Monsta X often have the same kind of ‘two block’ short-back-and-sides hairstyle, a classic K-pop cut that has even been banned in some Japanese schools. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa An upcoming Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) exhibition will explore the rise of South Korean popular culture from its early origins to its place on the global stage. Opening in September 2022, Hallyu! The Korean Wave will feature around 200 objects including K-pop costumes and props alongside photography, sculpture, fashion, video and pop culture collectables. Among the pieces will be an immersive re-creation of the bathroom from the 2019 thriller Parasite and costumes from the hit Netflix series Squid Game. Also on display will be key outfits worn by different generations of K-pop stars from PSY to Aespa and BTS. It will also present works from artists including Nam June Paik, Ham Kyungah and Gwon Osang and around 20 high fashion looks by designers such as Tchai Kim, Miss Sohee and Minju Kim. The exhibition will delve into the meaning of its title by exploring the phenomenon known as hallyu – meaning Korean Wave – which is the increase in global popularity of South Korean culture since the 1990s. The rise first began rippling across Asia before reaching all corners of the world and later challenging global pop culture today. The exhibit will utilise cinema, drama, music and fandoms to help explore the topic and highlight the cultural impact it has had across industries, particularly in the world of beauty and fashion. “South Korea has captivated the world over with hallyu, its vibrant and creative popular culture, which has transformed the country’s image from one devastated by the Korean War to that of a leading cultural powerhouse in the era of social media and digital culture today,” Rosalie Kim, the curator of Hallyu! The Korean Wave, said. “This phenomenon has been amplified by tech-savvy and socially conscious global fanbases, further raising the profile and relevance of Hallyu around the world, and we’re delighted to be bringing its energy and dynamism to the V&A this autumn in the first exhibition of its kind.” The exhibition Hallyu! The Korean Wave will run from September 24 2022 to June 25 2023. An upcoming Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition in London will explore the rise of South Korean popular culture from its early origins to its place on the global stage. Tim Ireland/PA Wire/dpa View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Britney Spears hit a bit of a bump in the road on her Tuesday night when she reportedly ran out of gas in the middle of one of L.A.’s busiest highways. Law enforcement got a call around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, for a report about a white Mercedes blocking the third lane southbound on the 101, just north of Balboa Blvd. When the police arrived at the location, insiders told TMZ they found the princess of pop in the backseat of a passerby’s vehicle. Spears reportedly explained to the cops that she ran out of gas while driving and that her car quit in the middle of the hectic highway. After the California Highway Patrol got traffic stopped, an officer was able to get in the driver’s seat of her Mercedes and steer the vehicle while she sat in the passenger seat. The car was then pushed to safety. The cops noted the mother-of-two thanked them and said she was OK. The officers waited with the newlywed until her new husband, Sam Asgahri, came to pick her up. Spears’ return to sunny California comes after the loved-up pair jetted off for their second honeymoon since saying “I Do” on June 9 at the pop star’s Thousand Oaks, Calif., property. “Part 2 of the Honeymoon here in this unbelievable tropical piece of paradise … No this is not a girls gone wild campaign … It’s simply me living my life!” she captioned a video of her bikini-clad self posing in the water, with Spears taking off the bikini top in snippets. “This is what happens when you do a two week yacht island vacation … jumping from island to island is literally insane!!!” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates is donating $20 billion to the charitable foundation run by him and his ex-wife Melinda French Gates to boost its annual distributions. The donation will help the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – one of the world’s largest private charitable foundations – increase its annual payout by 50% to $9 billion by 2026, he said in a post on his personal blog on Wednesday. “The great crises of our time require all of us to do more,” Gates said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate change, among others. He added that the compounding effects of crises, which include surging inflation, had increased the need to invest more in the foundation’s core focus areas of health, education, gender equality and poverty alleviation. The donation brings the 22-year-old organization’s endowment to about $70 billion, which includes a grant of $3.1 billion from Warren Buffett last month. (Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Savannah Chrisley is quickly learning that sometimes, all you have is yourself. As her parents, Julie and Todd Chrisley, face up to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of tax fraud, bank fraud and more, the 24-year-old is reminding herself she has what it takes to make it on her own. The blonde beauty hinted at her situation by reposing a quote on her Instagram Story. “One of the most empowering things to be aware of is how many times you have carried yourself through things that at one point felt impossible,” the message reads. “Trust your strength. No one has been there for you like you have been there for you. See the power of that & let it help you continue to ride the waves.” TODD CHRISLEY THANKS FANS FOR GIFTS FOLLOWING CONVICTION: ‘MUCH APPRECIATED’ @savannahchrisley/instagram Nonetheless, the reality star has also vowed to be there for her mom and dad every step of the way, as they plan to appeal the verdict. “Please be kind. This life is so cruel and we’re all doing the best we can,” she explained in a previous social media upload. “I will continue to stand by my family and fight for justice. Justice for ourselves and for others that the system has failed. (There is only so much I can comment on legally at this moment.)” “Recently, I’ve felt let down by God, that my relentless prayers have been unheard. But I do believe that He will use every hardship and adversity we go through to strengthen us and prepare us for an even greater purpose,” her note continued. “So I will continue believing in our Lord and Savior…I pray for strength, hope, and love. Thank you to all of those that continue to stand by our sides. This fight isn’t over.” mega The legal woes haven’t stopped Chrisley from pursuing her passions, as she recently took to Instagram to show off some new products being released under her Sassy by Savannah line. She also revealed she’ll be more candid about everything going on in her life in a new podcast episode, teasing the material will be “completely unfiltered.” However, it’s unclear whether the star will return to TV: though new episodes of Chrisley Knows Best are currently airing, USA Network hasn’t commented on whether they’ll go through a planned tenth season. View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration said on Wednesday that refusing to fill prescriptions for drugs that could be used to terminate a pregnancy could be a federal law violation, regardless of various state bans. The Department of Health and Human Services said in new guidance that pharmacies and pharmacists could run afoul of pregnancy and disability discrimination laws for denying access to drugs that could be used for abortion, including those used in medication abortion and emergency contraceptives. “We are committed to ensuring that everyone can access health care, free of discrimination,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “This includes access to prescription medications for reproductive health and other types of care.” (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Wanda Sykes has no plans to return as Academy Awards host. The 58-year-old comedian – who fronted this year’s ceremony alongside Regina Hall and Amy Schumer – insisted while being at the helm of the 2022 Oscars in March was an “amazing honour”, it’s not something she’d like to revisit. Asked whether she’d do it again during an appearance on ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’ this week, she quipped: “Oh, hell no! “I shouldn’t say it like that, but you know what it was? It was an amazing honour. I think it’s something you wanna do. You do it once. “I don’t know if I would want to do it again, it’s a huge job.” This year that was certainly true, as the ceremony made headlines after Will Smith struck presenter Chris Rock on stage after the comedian joked about the ‘King Richard’ actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The show continued despite the shocking incident, and Smith went onto apologise to the Academy as he accepted his best actor trophy. Reflecting on her reaction, Sykes added: “It was just like, what is happening? Couldn’t believe it! Shocked! “‘OK, so everybody’s just gonna sit here?’ It was like, the show just kept going on. I would look behind the curtains, like, ‘He’s still sitting here?!’ “ Back in May, Wanda admitted she was “still traumatised” by the incident, which came after Rock joked about Smith’s hair. Speaking during a comedy gig in Orlando, she said: “I’m still traumatised. I can’t talk about it. I get emotional.” The star was also angered that Will, who claimed the Best Actor gong for his performance in ‘King Richard’, was allowed to remain at the ceremony following the controversial incident. Wanda said: “I couldn’t believe he was still sitting there, like an a******. Shouldn’t you be sitting there with a lawyer or LAPD, motherf*****? “I hope he gets his s*** together. Until then, f*** him.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jennifer Rigby and Julie Steenhuysen LONDON (Reuters) – BA.5, part of the Omicron family, is the latest coronavirus variant to cause widespread waves of infection globally. According to the World Health Organization’s most recent report, it was behind 52% of cases sequenced in late June, up from 37% in one week. In the United States, it is estimated to be causing around 65% of infections. [W1N2YN01P] RISING CASE NUMBERS BA.5 is not new. First identified in January, it has been tracked by the WHO since April. It is a sister variant of the Omicron strain that has been dominant worldwide since the end of 2021, and has already caused spikes in case rates – even with reduced testing – in countries including South Africa, where it was first found, as well as the United Kingdom, parts of Europe, and Australia. Coronavirus cases worldwide have now been rising for four weeks in a row, WHO data showed. WHY IT IS SPREADING Like its closely related sibling, BA.4, BA.5 is particularly good at evading the immune protection afforded either by vaccination or prior infection. For this reason, “BA.5 has a growth advantage over the other sublineages of Omicron that are circulating,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, told a news briefing on Tuesday. For many people, this means that they are getting re-infected, often even a short time after having COVID-19. Van Kerkhove said the WHO is assessing reports of re-infections. “We have ample evidence that people who’ve been infected with Omicron are getting infected with BA.5. No question about it,” said Gregory Poland, a virologist and vaccine researcher with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. If that seems particularly common now, it could be simply because so many people got Omicron, researchers have suggested. NO MORE SEVERE While rising cases have caused more hospitalisations in some countries, deaths have not gone up dramatically. This is largely because vaccines continue to protect against severe illness and death, if not infection, and manufacturers and regulators are also looking at tweaked vaccines that directly target the newer Omicron variants. There is also no evidence that BA.5 is more dangerous than any of the other Omicron variants, the WHO’s Van Kerkhove stressed, although spikes in cases can put health services under pressure and risk more people getting long COVID. The WHO and other experts have also said that the ongoing pandemic – prolonged by vaccine inequity and the desire in many countries to “move beyond” COVID-19 – would only lead to more new and unpredictable variants. Scientists are already drawing attention to BA.2.75, first identified in India, which has a large number of mutations and is spreading fast. The WHO said on Tuesday that the pandemic remained a global health emergency, and countries should consider public health measures like masking and social distancing when cases surge, alongside vaccinations. “What people fundamentally don’t understand is that when there is this high level of community transmission, this will mutate,” Poland said. “Who knows what’s going to come next. We are playing with fire.” (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby in London and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; editing by Philippa Fletcher) View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) on Wednesday approved American Airlines’ request to resume service to some smaller Cuban airports after President Joe Biden reversed his predecessor’s policy. American sought approval for flights from Miami to Santa Clara, Holguin, Matanzas/Varadero and Santiago de Cuba after the administration of then President Donald Trump barred passenger airline flights between smaller Cuban airports. The airline said in a filing the flights “will enhance service and access between the U.S. and these non-Havana points, after more than two years during which such service was suspended.” American added it will “fulfill the public interest by offering and maintaining the best connectivity to Cuba via its Miami hub and providing substantial competition to other U.S. carriers serving Cuba.” Last month, USDOT revoked a series of restrictions on flights to Cuba, including ending a prohibition on U.S. airline flights to Cuban airports other than Havana. The Trump administration had issued a series of aviation restrictions in 2019 and 2020 in a bid to increase U.S. economic pressure on the Cuban government. The USDOT order in June was issued at the request of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said the action was “in support of the Cuban people, and in the foreign policy interests of the United States.” The White House in May had signaled the planned move as part of a broader revision of policy toward Cuba. Under President Donald Trump, USDOT imposed a cap on charter flights to Cuba at 3,600 per year and later suspended private charter flights to the country. The department also barred charter flights to any Cuban airports except Havana. Then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Cuba “uses tourism and travel funds to finance its abuses and interference in Venezuela. Dictators cannot be allowed to benefit from U.S. travel.” (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) View the full article

Space Telescope NamesSusie Bright’s Journal on discusses the slap in queer faces that comes with every stunning NASA space photo from the deep space telescope that we’ve enjoyed the last two days and hope to enjoy for a long time, but really prefer under different cover. What a dumb idea to name an instrument of such power literal universal beauty for a McCarthy era leader who invented PsyOps and was a leader/participant at the highest levels in the effort to purge employees become the mission of a hardworking band of scientists working in and around the telescope. The short film they’ve made is worth your time, fascinating for the research and insight into James Webb as it is into the how today’s activists think and are being heard as well as effective. Susie Bright and the video introduce some history, the pressures of the time and the timeless insecurities of toxic masculinity in the bureaucratic layer, along with the tradition of independent nerds and homosexuals throwing themselves into big beautiful projects like NASA, Star Trek, and this effort both in space and to name it correctly. One of the more obvious insults is to the memory of Frank Kameny, an astrophysicist thrown out of NASA for suspected “perversion” but whose bravery and determination and outrage set the stage for our movement, even coining the phrase, “Gay is Good”. Read the rest and watch the well researched and produced video by an impressive band of activist scientists. They’re referring to the “Next Gen Space Telescope” instead of “James Webb Space Telescope” and encourage tweeting with tag @NASA and #renameJWST. You can also sign the petition to rename the telescope (I believe the last question is asking if you proposed using the telescope in your field??) and join their group, the Just Space Alliance. Read the article: To Go Boldly – Naming Our New Space Telescope Matters at Susie Bright’s Journal. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Bradley Cooper is reportedly dating Huma Abedin. The ‘A Star Is Born’ actor is said to have been in a relationship with Hilary Clinton’s longtime political aide – who has 10-year-old son Jordan with her ex-husband, disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner – after they were introduced by Vogue editor Anna Wintour. As reported by PageSix, a source said: “Anna definitely played matchmaker. She’s BFFs with Bradley and adores Huma… “Bradley has been quietly dating Huma for a few months now, [and] they’ve been keeping it really quiet.” Meanwhile, it’s said the couple are “perfect” together. The insider added: “They are perfect for each other. They’re both into power and politics and human affairs.” Meanwhile, the 47-year-old big screen star recently opened up about co-parenting with his ex Irina Shayk, with whom he has five-year-old daughter Lea. The couple were together for four years before their split in the summer of 2019, and Bradley called Shayk an “incredible” mother to their child. He added: “Every single thing is absolutely shaded or brought out in glorious colors by the fact that I get to be a father to a wonderful human being. It’s just the absolute greatest thing.” And Abedin – who separated from Weiner in 2016 following a sexting scandal involving the politician – previously insisted she had “moved on” from the controversy. Back in October, she said: “I think for most of my adult life, certainly in the last 25 years that I’ve been in public service or in the public eye, I have been the invisible person behind the primary people in my life. “But what I realise is that, if you don’t tell your story, somebody else is writing your history.” And she noted she is trying to stay civil and “in a healthy relationship” with her ex for the sake of their son. She explained: “Anthony is always going to be in my life because he is the father of my child. I want to make sure he’s healthy, that we are in a healthy relationship, that our son sees model behavior that is healthy for him.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears’ ex-husband Jason Alexander has officially pleaded not guilty to all charges after allegedly trying to crash her wedding. The ‘Toxic’ hitmaker’s ex – who allegedly breaking into her home before her wedding to Sam Asghari – had been charged with felony stalking, as well as trespassing and refusing to leave private property, vandalism and battery. Ventura County Senior Deputy District Attorney Erin Meister told PageSix the 41-year-old was arraigned on Tuesday (12.07.22) on the criminal complaint in Ventura County Superior Court, where he appeared from jail via Zoom. He entered a not guilty plea on all counts. Alexander – who was married to the singer for two days in 2004 – also faces a special enhancement accusation which he denied on Tuesday, as he was on probation for an unrelated case out of Tennessee at the time of his alleged crimes in California. Jason’s next hearing is a pretrial conference set for August 2 and he remains in jail in lieu of a $100,000 (£84,000) bail and faces up to five years in prison if convicted. He live-streamed himself on June 9 ahead of Britney and 28-year-old Sam Asghari’s wedding day getting past security and allegedly breaking into the ‘Toxic’ singer’s $7.4 million (£6.2 million) mansion in Thousand Oaks, California. One of Britney’s security team claimed he tried “multiple times” to open the singer’s locked bedroom door on the second floor of the mansion, with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department later confiscating a box cutter and other items from Jason. At a June 27 preliminary hearing, his public defender argued the felony stalking count should be lessened to a misdemeanour as there was insufficient evidence Jason was there to harm Britney. The judge disagreed and upheld the charges before ruling Jason would remain behind bars. Mum-of-two Britney, 40, was granted a restraining order against Jason and fired her security team following the incident. The pair’s 2004 marriage was annulled 55 hours later with Britney’s lawyers claiming the singer “lacked understanding of her action”. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina have teamed up to launch a genderless skincare range. The actor’s partner has revealed the idea for the couple’s wellness brand S’Able Labs – which is Elbas spelled backwards – came about after they had a conversation about cosmetics in which ‘The Wire’ star admitted he felt he couldn’t use products which are aimed at women. In an interview with Vogue, Sabrina explained they decided to create a brand which includes all genders and ethnicities, saying: “We realised quickly that there was no one doing it in the wellness space that looked like, spoke like or felt like us – there was no representation for people of colour who wanted to be into wellness and fit in. Plus everything was gender-focused – I’d have conversations with my husband on products he didn’t think he could use (because they were aimed at women), but could.” They went on to create S’Able Labs which Sabrina describes as an “affordable but luxury” brand which aims to promote self-care for everyone. She went on: “When you are happier, doing good just comes naturally. That’s why self-care is such an important thing in partnerships and relationships – when you’re feeling really good about yourself, you’re able to share that with other people and it’s infectious.” Sabrina added of her business partnership with her husband: “It’s definitely had its hardships – we’d be completely lying if we didn’t admit that off the bat. But at the same time, it’s brought us so much closer together … And Idris is really new to the skincare journey – so it’s great to be able to share amazing skincare with him – he finally gets it!” The products include the Qasil Cleanser which retails for £28, Black Seed Toner which sells for £35 and the Baobab Moisturiser which has a £50 price tag. View the full article

Published by NJ.com DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, “Ashton,” is bisexual. After we have fights, he takes “breaks” and uses them to be with other men. He has several friends who are bisexual or transgender. He is presently in the closet about his status because he comes from a Christian family and lives in a highly conservative area. He was still maintaining contact last year with his on-again, off-again boyfriend, “Will,” even though he swore nothing was going on between them. He always rushed back to Will or kept him on the side during his other relationships as well. I almost broke up with him four months ago over hi… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English ‘Succession’ leads the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations with 25 nods. Brian Cox, who plays the patriarch of the media dynasty, Logan Roy, and his on-screen son Jeremy Strong are both up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Nicholas Braun, Matthew MacFadyen and Kieran Culkin – who play Cousin Greg, Tom Wambsgans, and Roman Roy respectively – are all up for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Sarah Snook and J. Smith Cameron – who bring to life Siobhan Roy and Gerri Kellman- are both up for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Apple+ sitcom ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘The White Lotus’ both trail behind with 20 nominations, including Jennifer Coolidge, who is up for a gong for her work in the HBO series that she is due to reappear in the second series in an unconfirmed role. HBO Max’s ‘Hacks’ and Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building’ follow behind with 17 nominations each – however nothing for Selena Gomez. The runaway South Korean hit ‘Squid Game’ has made history by becoming the first non-English language to be nominated in the Best Drama Series. The most watched Netflix series of all time secured a whopping 14 nominations, including the lead actor Lee Jung-jae being up for Lead Actor in a Drama series. ‘Abbot Elementary’ creator Quinta Brunson has also made history as the first Black women to be nominated for three Emmys. Outstanding Drama Series ‘Better Call Saul’ ‘Euphoria’ ‘Ozark’ ‘Severance’ ‘Squid Game’ ‘Stranger Things’ ‘Succession’ ‘Yellowjackets’ Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Jason Bateman, ‘Ozark’ Brian Cox, ‘Succession’ Lee Jung-jae, ‘Squid Game’ Bob Odenkirk, ‘Better Call Saul’ Adam Scott, ‘Severance’ Jeremy Strong, ‘Succession’ Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Jodie Comer, ‘Killing Eve’ Laura Linney, ‘Ozark’ Melanie Lynskey, ‘Yellowjackets’ Sandra Oh, ‘Killing Eve’ Reese Witherspoon, ‘The Morning Show’ Zendaya, ‘Euphoria’ Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nicholas Braun, ‘Succession’ Billy Crudup, ‘The Morning Show’ Kieran Culkin, ‘Succession’ Park Hae-soo, ‘Squid Game’ Matthew Macfayden, ‘Succession’ John Tuturro, ‘Severance’ Christopher Walken, ‘Severance’ Oh Yeong-su, ‘Squid Game’ Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Patricia Arquette, ‘Severance’ Julia Garner, ‘Ozark’ Jung Ho-yeon, ‘Squid Game’ Christina Ricci, ‘Yellowjackets’ Rhea Seehorn, ‘Better Call Saul’ J. Smith Cameron, ‘Succession’ Sarah Snook, ‘Succession’ Sydney Sweeney, ‘Euphoria’ Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Adrien Brody, ‘Succession’ James Cromwell, ‘Succession’ Colman Domingo, ‘Euphoria’ Arian Moayed, ‘Succession’ Tom Pelphrey, ‘Ozark’ Alexander Skarsgard, ‘Succession’ Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Hope Davis, ‘Succession’ Marcia Gay Harden, ‘The Morning Show’ Martha Kelly, ‘Euphoria’ Sanaa Lathan, ‘Succession’ Harriet Walter, ‘Succession’ Lee You-mi, ‘Squid Game’ Outstanding Comedy Series ‘Abbott Elementary’ ‘Barry’ ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ ‘Hacks’ ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ ‘Only Murders in the Building’ ‘Ted Lasso’ ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Bill Hader, ‘Barry’ Donald Glover, ‘Atlanta’ Nicholas Hoult, ‘The Great’ Steve Martin, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Martin Short, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Jason Sudeikis, ‘Ted Lasso’ Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Rachel Brosnahan, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Quinta Brunson, ‘Abbott Elementary’ Kaley Cuoco, ‘The Flight Attendant’ Elle Fanning, ‘The Great’ Issa Rae, ‘Insecure’ Jean Smart, ‘Hacks’ Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Anthony Carrigan, ‘Barry’ Brett Goldstein, ‘Ted Lasso’ Toheeb Jimoh, ‘Ted Lasso’ Nick Mohammed, ‘Ted Lasso’ Tony Shaloub, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Tyler James Williams, ‘Abbott Elementary’ Henry Winkler, ‘Barry’ Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Alex Borstein, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Hannah Einbinder, ‘Hacks’ Janelle James, ‘Abbott Elementary’ Kate McKinnon, ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sarah Niles, ‘Ted Lasso’ Sheryl Lee Ralph, ‘Abbott Elementary’ Juno Temple, ‘Ted Lasso’ Hannah Waddingham, ‘Ted Lasso’ Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Jerrod Carmichael, ‘Saturday Night Live’ Bill Hader, ‘Saturday Night Live’ James Lance, ‘Ted Lasso’ Nathan Lane, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Christopher McDonald, ‘Hacks’ Sam Richardson, ‘Ted Lasso’ Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Jane Adams, ‘Hacks’ Harriet Sansom Harris, ‘Hacks’ Jane Lynch, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Laurie Metcalfe, ‘Hacks’ Kaitlin Olson, ‘Hacks’ Harriet Walter, ‘Ted Lasso’ Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series ‘Dopesick’ ‘The Dropout’ ‘Inventing Anna’ ‘Pam Tommy’ ‘The White Lotus’ Outstanding Television Movie ‘Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers’ ‘Ray Donovan: The Movie’ ‘Reno 911!: The Hunt for Q-Anon’ ‘The Survivor’ ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas’ Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Colin Firth, ‘The Staircase’ Andrew Garfield, ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Oscar Isaac, ‘Scenes from a Marriage’ Michael Keaton, ‘Dopesick’ Himesh Patel, ‘Station Eleven’ Sebastian Stan, ‘Pam Tommy’ Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Toni Collette, ‘The Staircase’ Julia Garner, ‘Inventing Anna’ Lily James, ‘Pam Tommy’ Sarah Paulson, ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’ Margaret Qualley, ‘Maid’ Amanda Seyfried, ‘The Dropout’ Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Murray Bartlett, ‘The White Lotus’ Jake Lacy, ‘The White Lotus’ Will Poulter, ‘Dopesick’ Seth Rogen, ‘Pam Tommy’ Peter Sarsgaard, ‘Dopesick’ Michael Stuhlbarg, ‘Dopesick’ Steve Zahn, ‘The White Lotus’ Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Connie Britton, ‘The White Lotus’ Jennifer Coolidge, ‘The White Lotus’ Alexandra Daddario, ‘The White Lotus’ Kaitlyn Dever, ‘Dopesick’ Natasha Rothwell, ‘The White Lotus’ Sydney Sweeney, ‘The White Lotus’ Mare Winningham, ‘Dopesick’ Outstanding Animated Program ‘Arcane’ ‘Bob’s Burgers’ ‘Rick And Morty’ ‘The Simpsons’ ‘What If…?’ Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance F. Murray Abraham, ‘Moon Knight’ Julie Andrews, ‘Bridgerton’ Chadwick Boseman, ‘What If…?’ Maya Rudolph, ‘Big Mouth’ Stanley Tucci, ‘Central Park’ Jessica Walter, ‘Archer’ Jeffrey Wright, ‘What If…?’ Outstanding Narrator Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, ‘Black Patriots: Heroes Of The Civil War’ David Attenborough, ‘The Mating Game’ W. Kamau Bell, ‘We Need To Talk About Cosby’ Lupita Nyong’o, ‘Serengeti II’ Barack Obama, ‘Our Great National Parks’ Outstanding Variety Talk Series ‘The Daily Show With Trevor Noah’ ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’ ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Outstanding Variety Sketch Series ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ ‘Saturday Night Live’ Outstanding Variety Special (Live) ‘Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: The Facts Of Life And Diff’rent Strokes’ ‘The 64th Annual Grammy Awards’ ‘The Oscars’ ‘The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar And 50 Cent’ ‘The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!’ Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) ‘Adele: One Night Only’ ‘Dave Chappelle: The Closer’ ‘Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts’ ‘Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special’ ‘One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett Lady Gaga’ Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman’ ‘Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy’ ‘The Problem With Jon Stewart’ ‘The World According to Jeff Goldblum’ ‘VICE’ Outstanding Structured Reality Program ‘Antiques Roadshow’ ‘Fixer Upper: Welcome Home’ ‘Love Is Blind’ ‘Queer Eye’ ‘Shark Tank’ Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program ‘Below Deck Mediterranean’ ‘Cheer’ ‘Love on the Spectrum’ ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked’ ‘Selling Sunset’ Outstanding Competition Program ‘The Amazing Race’ ‘Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Girls’ ‘Nailed It!’ ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ ‘Top Chef’ ‘The Voice’ Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowsi and Jonathan Van Ness, ‘Queer Eye’ Nicole Myer, ‘Nailed It!’ Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, ‘Shark Tank’ Padma Lakshmi, ‘Top Chef’ Amy Poehler Nick Offerman, ‘Making It’ RuPaul, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special ‘Controlling Britney Spears (The New York Times Presents)’ ‘George Carlin’s American Dream’ ‘Lucy and Desi’ ‘The Tinder Swindler’ ‘We Feed People’ Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series ‘100 Foot Wave’ ‘jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy’ ‘The Andy Warhol Diaries’ ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ ‘We Need to Talk About Cosby’ Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking ‘Changing The Game’ ‘Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches’ ‘When Claude Got Shot’ Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series ‘Carpool Karaoke: The Series’ ‘I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson’ ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers: Corrections’ ‘Stephen Colbert Presents: Tooning Out the News’ ‘The Randy Rainbow Show’ Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Anthony A. Anderson, ‘Anacostia’ Bill Burr, ‘Immoral Compass’ Brendan Gleeson, ‘State of the Union’ Tim Robinson, ‘I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson’ Ikechukwu Ufomadu, ‘Words With Ike (Cake)’ Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Jacinte Blankenship, ‘Intersection’ Patricia Clarkson, ‘State of the Union’ Desi Lydic, ‘Desi Lydic Foxplains’ Rhea Seehorn, ‘Cooper’s Bar’ Sydnee Washington, ‘Bridesman’ Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction Or Reality Series ‘The Daily Show With Trevor Noah: Between the Scenes’ ‘Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents: Once Upon A Time In Late Night’ ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: Whatcha Packin’ With Michelle Visage’ ‘Saturday Night Live Presents: Stories From The Show’ ‘Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen’ Outstanding Short Form Animated Program ‘The Boys Presents: Diabolical’ ‘Love, Death + Robots’ ‘Robot Chicken’ ‘Star Wars: Visions’ ‘When Billie Met Lisa’ View the full article

Published by New York Daily News LeBron James seems to wonder if fellow basketball star Brittney Griner will want to live in the U.S. again if she’s released from the Russian prison she currently calls home. In a promotional clip for his talkshow “The Shop,” James appears to believe that Griner, who was arrested in Russia in mid-February, would not want to return to the nation that has been unable to bring her home amid difficult relations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “How can she feel like America has her back?” James said. “I would be feeling like, ‘Do I even want to go back to America?’ ” The 31-year-old WNBA star w… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – U.S. first lady Jill Biden’s attempt to compliment Latinos flopped on Monday when she said they were as unique as “breakfast tacos,” prompting criticism from across the political spectrum. Speaking in San Antonio at the annual conference of UnidosUS, formerly known as the National Council of La Raza, Biden attempted to praise Raul Yzaguirre, who led the civil rights and advocacy organization for 30 years. “Raul helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength,” Biden said. In New York City, people love the convenience stores known as bodegas that are often run by Dominican or Puerto Rican merchants. Biden mispronounced the word as “bogedas.” Miami has long been a destination for Latinos who migrate to the United States. San Antonio is also one of the great Latino cities in the United States, with a population of nearly 1.5 million people that is 65% Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census data. The largely Mexican-American city is fond of its breakfast tacos, part of the local cuisine. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists was not impressed, saying Biden and her speech writers ought to “better understand the complexities of our people.” “We are not tacos. Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by a variety of diasporas, cultures and food traditions, and should not be reduced to a stereotype,” the association said in a statement. Conservatives on social media jumped on the gaffe, wondering what the liberal outrage would sound like if a prominent Republican had said it. “No wonder Hispanics are fleeing the Democratic Party!” U.S. Representative Andy Biggs, a Republican from Arizona, wrote on Twitter. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Bradley Perrett) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Joey Roulette and Steve Gorman GREENBELT, Md. (Reuters) -Following a presidential sneak peek of a galaxy-studded image from deep in the cosmos, NASA officials gathered on Tuesday to unveil more of their initial showcase from the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most powerful orbital observatory ever launched. The first batch of full-color, high-resolution pictures, which took weeks to render from raw telescope data, were selected by NASA to provide compelling early images from Webb’s major areas of inquiry and a preview of science missions ahead. The $9 billion infrared telescope, built for NASA by aerospace giant Northrop Grumman Corp, is expected to revolutionize astronomy by allowing scientists to peer farther than before and with greater clarity into the cosmos, to the dawn of the known universe. A partnership between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, the Webb was launched on Christmas Day, 2021, and reached its destination in solar orbit nearly 1 million miles from Earth a month later. Once there, the telescope underwent a months-long process to unfurl all of its components, including a sun shield the size of a tennis court, and to align its mirrors and calibrate its instruments. With Webb now finely tuned and fully focused, astronomers will embark on a competitively selected list of science projects exploring the evolution of galaxies, the life cycles of stars, the atmospheres of distant exoplanets and the moons of our outer solar system. The introductory assortment of pictures had been a closely guarded secret until Friday, when the space agency posted a list of five celestial subjects chosen for its big reveal on Tuesday at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Whoops and hollers from a spritely James Webb “cheer team” welcomed some 300 scientists, telescope engineers, politicians and senior officials from NASA and its international partners into a packed and lively auditorium ahead of opening remarks. “I didn’t know I was coming to a pep rally today,” NASA Administrator James Nelson said from the stage, enthusing that Webb’s “every image is a discovery.” PRESIDENTIAL PEEK U.S. President Joe Biden got a jump on the unveiling with his own White House briefing on Monday to release the very first photo – an image of a galaxy cluster dubbed SMACS 0723 revealing the most detailed glimpse of the early universe recorded to date. Among the four other Webb “targets” getting their closeups on Tuesday are two enormous clouds of gas and dust blasted into space by stellar explosions to form incubators for new stars – the Carina Nebula and the Southern Ring Nebula, each thousands of light years away from Earth. The debut collection includes another galaxy cluster known as Stephan’s Quintet, which was first discovered in 1877 and encompasses several galaxies described by NASA as “locked in a cosmic dance of repeated close encounters.” NASA will also present Webb’s first spectrographic analysis of an exoplanet – one roughly half the mass of Jupiter that lies more than 1,100 light years away – revealing the molecular signatures of filtered light passing through its atmosphere. Built to view its subjects chiefly in the infrared spectrum, Webb is about 100 times more sensitive than its 30-year-old predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope, which operates mainly at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths. The much larger light-collecting surface of Webb’s primary mirror – an array of 18 hexagonal segments of gold-coated beryllium metal – enables it to observe objects at greater distances, thus further back in time, than Hubble or any other telescope. All five of Webb’s introductory targets were previously known to scientists, but NASA officials promise Webb’s imagery captures its subjects in an entirely new light, literally. The SMACS 0723 image Biden released on Monday showed a 4.6 billion-year-old galaxy cluster whose combined mass acts as a “gravitational lens,” distorting space to greatly magnify the light coming from more distant galaxies behind it. At least one of the faint, older specks of light appearing in the “background” of the photo – a composite of images of different wavelengths of light – dates back more than 13 billion years, Nelson said. That makes it just 800 million years younger than the Big Bang, the theoretical flashpoint that set the expansion of the known universe in motion some 13.8 billion years ago. The bejeweled-like composite photo, according to NASA, offers the “most detailed view of the early universe” as well as the “deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant cosmos” yet taken. The thousands of galaxies appearing in the image were captured in a tiny patch of the sky roughly the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone standing on Earth, Nelson said. (Writing and reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Nick Zieminski) View the full article

Published by AFP HBO drama Los Angeles (AFP) – Here is a list of the nominees in key categories for the 74th Emmy Awards, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on September 12. HBO’s “Succession” topped the nominations list with 25, followed by “Ted Lasso” and “The White Lotus” at 20 each. OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES “Better Call Saul” “Euphoria” “Ozark” “Severance” “Squid Game” “Stranger Things” “Succession” “Yellowjackets” OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES “Abbott Elementary” “Barry” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” “Hacks” “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel” “Only Murders in the Building” “Ted Lasso” “What We Do in the Shadows” LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA Jason Bateman, “Ozark” Brian Cox, “Succession” Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game” Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” Adam Scott, “Severance” Jeremy Strong, “Succession” LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve” Laura Linney, “Ozark” Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets” Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve” Reese Witherspoon, “The Morning Show” Zendaya, “Euphoria” LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY Donald Glover, “Atlanta” Bill Hader, “Barry” Nicholas Hoult, “The Great” Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building” Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso” LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel” Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” Kaley Cuoco, “The Flight Attendant” Elle Fanning, “The Great” Issa Rae, “Insecure” Jean Smart, “Hacks” SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA Nicholas Braun, “Succession” Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” Kieran Culkin, “Succession” Park Hae-soo, “Squid Game” Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession” John Turturro, “Severance” Christopher Walken, “Severance” Oh Yeong-su, “Squid Game” SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA Patricia Arquette, “Severance” Julia Garner, “Ozark” Jung Ho-yeon, “Squid Game” Christina Ricci, “Yellowjackets” Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul” J. Smith-Cameron, “Succession” Sarah Snook, “Succession” Sydney Sweeney, “Euphoria” SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY Anthony Carrigan, “Barry” Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso” Toheeb Jimoh, “Ted Lasso” Nick Mohammed, “Ted Lasso” Tony Shalhoub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary” Henry Winkler, “Barry” Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live” SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel” Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks” Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary” Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live” Sarah Niles, “Ted Lasso” Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary” Juno Temple, “Ted Lasso” Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso” OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES “Dopesick” “The Dropout” “Inventing Anna” “Pam and Tommy” “The White Lotus” OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE “Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers” “Ray Donovan: The Movie” “Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon” “The Survivor” “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas” LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Colin Firth, “The Staircase” Andrew Garfield, “Under the Banner of Heaven” Oscar Isaac, “Scenes from a Marriage” Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” Himesh Patel, “Station Eleven” Sebastian Stan, “Pam and Tommy” LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Toni Collette, “The Staircase” Julia Garner, “Inventing Anna” Lily James, “Pam and Tommy” Sarah Paulson, “Impeachment: American Crime Story” Margaret Qualley, “Maid” Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout” SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus” Jake Lacy, “The White Lotus” Will Poulter, “Dopesick” Seth Rogen, “Pam and Tommy” Peter Sarsgaard, “Dopesick” Michael Stuhlbarg, “Dopesick” Steve Zahn, “The White Lotus” SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Connie Britton, “The White Lotus” Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus” Alexandra Daddario, “The White Lotus” Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick” Natasha Rothwell, “The White Lotus” Sydney Sweeney, “The White Lotus” Mare Winningham, “Dopesick” Top 10 programs with most overall nominations: “Succession” – 25 “Ted Lasso” – 20 “The White Lotus” – 20 “Hacks” – 17 “Only Murders in the Building” – 17 “Euphoria” – 16 “Barry” – 14 “Dopesick” – 14 “Severance” – 14 “Squid Game” – 14 View the full article

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Published by Reuters By Kantaro Komiya NAKATOSA, Japan (Reuters) – For half a century, Takeo Nakajo has been catching katsuo, or skipjack tuna – indispensable in Japanese cuisine whether eaten raw, dried or used as a base for the broth. But he and other fishermen in Kure, in Kochi prefecture in southwest Japan, have seen something worrying in the past two years – an unprecedented number of unusually fatty katsuo. While heavier katsuo means more money, locals and experts say it indicates climate change and a risk for katsuo numbers already under threat due to growing demand and overfishing. “The fatty katsuo must have something to do with the water temperature,” said the 70-year-old Nakajo. “I have a sense of urgency thinking what if katsuo doesn’t come to the bay some day.” (Photo essay: https://reut.rs/3AFtYSQ) Noriaki Ito, the head chef at a century-old restaurant Tsukasa in Kochi City, said he too had “never seen such fatty katsuo during this season of the year”. This is worrying as changes in the sea and climate have already wiped out some other fish “including a shellfish called chambara-gai that used to be Kochi’s speciality”, Ito added. Originally from tropical waters, some Pacific katsuo migrate northward on a warm ocean current every spring, making Kochi’s arc-shaped bay a fertile fishing ground. The average surface temperature of the bay in winter has risen by 2 degrees Celsius in the four decades to 2015, local fisheries lab data shows, and the fatter katsuo may be due to ample prey in the warmer sea. But longer term, this warming may prevent mineral-rich water from rising to the surface, resulting in a drop in plankton and smaller fish to feed on, leading to fewer katsuo, said Hiroyuki Ukeda, an agroscientist and vice president of Kochi University. This comes as Japan’s ageing population is threatening the sustainability of local fishing and related businesses such as the production of dried and fermented katsuo, and wasabi horseradish – an eye-watering condiment tucked under fish in a piece of sushi. In Kure, a district in Nakatosa town, many fishermen have gone out of business in the past three decades, said Takahiro Tanaka, a fourth-generation owner of a fishmonger who calls himself a “katsuo sommelier”. “We can distinguish different tastes of katsuo, just like ordinary French farmers may savour subtleties of wine … this place might be one of Japan’s last communities where katsuo is part of the daily culture,” he added. “But without fishers, this won’t last,” Tanaka said. Fisherman Nakajo also rued the ageing community and fewer successors. “I asked my grandson if he would take over, but he’s now studying to work at a government office,” Nakajo said. SUSHI CULTURE AT RISK Overfishing has already hit catch numbers and dealt a blow to the fishermen in Kochi who have stuck to traditional single pole fishing methods versus large-scale seine fishing across the western Pacific. Government data shows catch numbers in Kochi are only at a quarter of their 1980s peak. “We have observed a catastrophic decline in landings over the last 10 years or so,” said Ukeda. “A growing number of people fear we may no longer be able to eat katsuo in the near future if things continue like this.” Production of katsuobushi, dried and fermented katsuo, often used as a shaved condiment over traditional Japanese dishes or as a broth base, is already suffering. The number of katsuobushi manufacturers in Kochi has plunged from dozens some forty years ago to only a few, said Taichi Takeuchi, who runs one in the town of Usa. “I’m really unsure if we can continue this,” said Takeuchi. Wasabi, the tangy horseradish that is an essential for Japanese food, especially sashimi and sushi, is facing similar production challenges. Typhoons and rising temperatures have hurt production in Okutama, a mountainous area to the west of Tokyo, said Masahiro Hoshina, 72, head of the local wasabi growers’ association. “I am extremely worried about the future of our farming,” Hoshina said. The number of farmers in the area is down 75% from the 1950s due to depopulation, and unless something changes, some worry sushi itself could be endangered. “The combination of raw fish and spice, as in katsuo and wasabi, is an art, and we must maintain both,” said Ukeda. “I never want to think about a future” without them, he added. (Corrects name in paragraph 8, Hiroyuki Ukeda not Hideyuki Ukeda) (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya in Nakatosa; Additional reporting by Kim Kyung-hoon and Irene Wang; Editing by Elaine Lies and Himani Sarkar) View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Dakota Adams My name is Dakota Adams. Unfortunately, I am Oath Keeper Stewart Rhodes’ son. And unfortunately for both of us, I may be relevant to you. It is now undeniable that radicalization and the draw of right-wing extremist thought is a significant problem facing the nation, perhaps a fatal crisis, and in this context, there’s a lot of interest in the stories of people who came back from the right-wing fringe. I have only my niche experience to offer from a very odd life. But I’ve been told that this might be valuable to those interested in how I went from a teenage militiaman who beli… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online MSNBC Shake-Up! Alex Wagner Set To Take Over For Rachel Maddow Star Snubs: MSNBC Anchors Chuck Todd and Stephanie Ruhle Angry Over Alex Wagner Replacing Rachel Maddow mega MSNBC’s search to replace their most high-profile host, Rachel Maddow, ended because Maddow herself finally approved of Alex Wagner, who will take her seat. “Several big names that were suggested were rejected by Rachel. She was insisting that a ‘fresh-faced’ woman take over her primetime slot rather than bring in a higher profiled name who presents the past, not the future,” sources tell Radar. “Katie Couric and former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann were both names Maddow couldn’t get behind.” mega Insiders add that initially, Maddow wanted her replacement to be a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ community. “Representation matters to Rachel. Growing up she never saw an openly gay woman on TV. This is personal to Rachel, and she wasn’t going to let an old white man replace her,” adds a friend. “Alex Wagner isn’t gay, but she also isn’t white. Rachel likes her and let’s be honest, it is Rachel’s team who is producing Wagner’s new show. So basically, Rachel is the boss.” “I’m honored to be anchoring a key hour of television in such a critical time for American democracy,” said Wagner at the time the news was announced. “In many ways, the stakes have never been higher, and there’s no better place to explore this moment than MSNBC. I’m thrilled to be coming home.” mega Wagner will take over Maddow’s old Tuesday through Friday at 9 PM time slot starting in August. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Wagner taking over has rubbed other anchors the wrong way. Sources said when MSNBC boss Rashida Jones made the announcement both Chuck Todd and Stephanie Ruhle were upset. The network’s decision didn’t make Chuck happy who had recently been told his show Meet The Press Daily was being moved off MSNBC and onto its streaming service. A network insider also told us that Stephanie felt slighted by Wagner being appointed only one month after she was named Brian Williams’ successor for The 11th Hour. mega View the full article