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Published by Reuters By Jeff Mason (Reuters) – Amid a new surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, President Joe Biden is drawing criticism from health experts, who are calling for more urgency, testing, masking and global vaccine sharing. Biden, a Democrat, took office in January pledging to get the coronavirus under control. He presided over a massive vaccine rollout and passed a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, a sharp contrast with his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, who downplayed the pandemic’s severity, dismissed many preventive measures and undermined health experts. Eleven months into Biden’s term, however, the United States has recorded 800,000 COVID-19 deaths, over 300,000 of those on his watch, the highest total and per capita of the Group of Seven (G70 wealthiest nations. As the Omicron variant bears down and people gather for the holiday season, hospitals in some areas are seeing record high numbers of COVID-19 patients. Biden’s vaccination push has led to 65.2 percent of the eligible population being fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Republican-led opposition means that figure is less than 50% on some states. Less than 30% of the population has an additional booster shot believed necessary protect against Omicron. The administration needs to push mask wearing, increase pressure on companies to bring down the cost of tests, share technology on vaccines globally and secure more funding to fight the pandemic on a broad scale, health experts said. Many said the White House had let such measures slide while focusing on getting people inoculated. “Where’s the leadership that asks for national sacrifice at a time of emergency?” said Gregg Gonsalves, an associate professor of epidemiology at Yale University. Biden should “get on TV tonight and say: ‘I want you to mask up.'” he said. The White House has repeatedly said it has the tools to fight Omicron without shutting schools and businesses, while promising more free tests and widespread booster distribution. Biden will speak on Tuesday about new plans, including driving home his message to unvaccinated Americans to get a shot and for those who are vaccinated to get a booster. Broadway theaters, universities and professional sports leagues are already canceling or postponing events, reflecting the reality of a new COVID-19 wave. UGLY U.S. POLITICS ON COVID Biden’s toughest challenge fighting the pandemic has been political. Despite the abundance of free and safe vaccines, misinformation spread through social media platforms and pushback on health measures, driven largely by Republican politicians and conservative media, have thwarted his efforts to persuade pockets of the U.S. population to get vaccinated. The administration vowed early on to crack down on private companies spreading vaccine-related misinformation, but it persists. “I think they underestimated the fact that the anti-vaccine movement was first and foremost a political movement,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. A leading killer of young and middle-aged adults in the United States is “anti-science aggression from the far right,” he said. The White House has sought to depoliticize the issue, sending health officials onto Fox News, even as the cable channel’s conservative commentators sow doubt about vaccines and masks. Despite their sometimes significant differences, the White House sees Fox News as an important outlet to disseminate public health information, including on Biden’s Omicron strategy, a White House official said. The president has sparred with Republican governors whose policies clash with his. More recently, his rhetoric has been less political, focused directly on urging people to get a shot. On Thursday, he sounded a grim warning, predicting a winter of “severe illness and death” for those who are unvaccinated. TEST, MASK SUPPLIES AN ISSUE Biden said earlier this month the government would require private health insurers to reimburse their 150 million customers for the cost of over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests and make 50 million tests available free through rural clinics and health centers for the uninsured. Critics call that insufficient. “There’s more uninsured Americans than that, and what we were only supposed to take one rapid test ever? These policies are completely inadequate,” said Angela Rasmussen, an American virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Surging demand for COVID-19 tests from U.S. employers bringing employees back to work exacerbated a nationwide shortage of rapid tests in the fall, driving up costs for state and local testing programs. The recent spike in cases has led to long testing lines across the country and left Americans scrambling to secure at-home tests at pharmacies and online. The White House said there are tens of thousands of free testing sites across the country, the supply of at-home tests has quadrupled, and a dozen new rapid tests have been authorized to come to the market. “We’re working with governors and state and local health officials to add more capacity,” a White House official said. “We’re also working with manufacturers to expand capacity.” Former CDC Director Tom Frieden told Reuters the administration also needs to step up the promotion of mask wearing and that subsidizing the costs of masks or distributing them could help. “Masks … and vaccination are by far the two most important interventions, and it’s still far too hard for someone to find out the quality of a mask they’re buying, to get masks at a reasonable price. It’s still too much of a Wild West out there in terms of the market,” he said. The Omicron variant that is prolonging the global crisis may not be the last, as vast majorities of people in less-developed nations remain unvaccinated, giving the virus room to mutate. Experts said the Biden administration could have done more to get vaccines to the rest of the world, protecting other populations and Americans as well. “There’s been sort of an ongoing battle with the White House to do more,” said Gonsalves, noting the new Omicron variant came from abroad. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons) View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English Lana Wachowski has launched an impassioned defence of the film industry after the difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic. The 56-year-old filmmaker has helmed the new movie ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ and admits that it has been hard to see many cinemas closed over the past two years due to the pandemic – as she recalled how films helped her come to terms with her trans identity. Lana, who was formerly known as Larry Wachowski, told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of the new ‘Matrix’ movie in San Francisco: “I love movie theatres, and I grew up in them. My best childhood memories were when my family took the day off from school, and we all ran to the movies and packed as many movies as we could into a single day. “My whole life, movie theatres have sustained me. When I was in high school and I was struggling with my identity, I would run to the movies for popcorn, sticky floors and a kung fu movie, and everything seemed like it was going to be OK.” The filmmaker continued: “It’s been hard to be without movie theatres and have them cut off from us and have them closed down. It’s been hard because the collective dreaming that happens in these spaces is how we imagine different futures, different lives, different possibilities, different kinds of hope and different kinds of love. “In my own life, I didn’t always believe in this world. I didn’t believe that I could be an out trans woman Hollywood director.” Lana also reflected on how the 1996 movie ‘Bound’, which she directed with her sister Lilly, was a pivotal moment in her life and career. She explained: “That act of imagining a different kind of outcome for that kind of movie allowed me to imagine a different outcome for my life. “I’m hoping that one day we can get back into movies like this, like tonight, and we can sit shoulder to shoulder again, and we can collectively imagine a different future that maybe the one we’re in right now. Maybe that starts tonight.” Lana Wachowski on Her Trans Struggles on Towleroad Meta to ban surveillance firms from Facebook and Instagram More Aaron Sorkin Says It’s ‘Empty Gesture’ to Cast Gay Actors in Gay Roles; Misses That It is Response to Actors — Once Out — Only Cast As Supporting Stereotypes More Trump sues N.Y. Attorney General to block probe of his businesses More France to make it easier for citizens to take mother’s family name More Britney Spears’ Dad Received $40K Loan From Her Embattled Former Business Manager Before Petitioning For Pop Star’s Conservatorship More Chinese tennis star Peng denies she made accusation of sexual assault More Closing arguments in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex abuse trial to kick off More Schumer says Senate to vote on Biden plan despite Manchin objections More Ricky Gervais defends Golden Globe stints More Saturday Night Live cancels live audience amid COVID fears More In full: Journalist Maria Ressa’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Meta bans surveillance firms from targeting users on Facebook and Instagram. The company behind the social media giants has said seven surveillance companies have been banned from its platforms for targeting around 50,000 users with “malicious activities”. Meta accused the firms of actions like creating fake accounts, befriending targets, and using hacking methods to harvest information. The company has sent warnings about the activities to the 50,000 affected users and revealed some 1,500 pages had been suspended by Meta across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. According to Meta, the surveillance companies targeted people in more than 100 countries on behalf of their clients. The news comes as Facebook is already taking legal action against the owners of Pegasus over the alleged spreading of software via WhatsApp. The US government blacklisted the firm and others last month, accusing them of providing spyware for foreign governments to “maliciously target” individuals. Nathaniel Gleicher, head of security policy for Meta, said at the time: “The surveillance industry is much bigger than just one company, and it’s much bigger than just malware-for-hire.” He also claimed investigators had found targeting that was “indiscriminate” including ordinary members of the public as well as high-profile figures like politicians and human rights advocates. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Aaron Sorkin thinks only casting gay actors as gay characters is an “empty gesture” and a “bad idea”. The 60-year-old filmmaker has slammed criticism of Spanish actor Javier Bardem being cast as Cuban Desi Arnaz in his new movie ‘Being the Ricardos’ and insisted the segregation happening in the industry is “a little chilling” because there are certain elements of a character that are just “not actable”. He said: “It’s heartbreaking, and a little chilling to see members of the artistic community resegregating ourselves. “This should be the last place there are walls. Spanish and Cuban are not actable. “If I was directing you in a scene and said: ‘It’s cold, you can’t feel your face.’ That’s actable. But if I said: ‘Be Cuban.’ That is not actable. “Nouns aren’t actable. Gay and straight aren’t actable. You can act being attracted to someone, but can’t act gay or straight. So this notion that only gay actors should play gay characters? That only a Cuban actor should play Desi? Honestly, I think it’s the mother of all empty gestures and a bad idea.” Aaron admitted he sees similarities between how Lucille Ball – who is played by Nicole Kidman in ‘Being the Ricardos’ – was treated for her views in the 1950s and the modern cancel culture. He told Sunday Times Culture magazine: “In the movie, Lucille checked a box [backing communism] at a time when it wasn’t a big deal. Sixteen years later, the world changed and she’s hung for it. That reminds you of Twitter.” The ‘West Wing’ showrunner admitted he didn’t think Gina Carano should have been fired from the ‘Star Wars’ franchise after expressing doubt about coronavirus and also being accused of being transphobic, but is aware of wider issues that could have contributed to her dismissal. He said: “I could rebut some things she said, but I don’t think she should lose her job because of it. “On the other hand, if they’re losing advertisers because she’s on the show, that’s different. That’s life in a democracy. Also, it’s different if you spread misinformation about vaccines, for instance. Or incite violence. But we’re going to have to start to be OK with having our feelings hurt once in a while.” AAron Sorkin Gay Actors on Towleroad Trump sues N.Y. Attorney General to block probe of his businesses More France to make it easier for citizens to take mother’s family name More Britney Spears’ Dad Received $40K Loan From Her Embattled Former Business Manager Before Petitioning For Pop Star’s Conservatorship More Chinese tennis star Peng denies she made accusation of sexual assault More Closing arguments in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex abuse trial to kick off More Schumer says Senate to vote on Biden plan despite Manchin objections More Ricky Gervais defends Golden Globe stints More Saturday Night Live cancels live audience amid COVID fears More In full: Journalist Maria Ressa’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech More Dr. Oz’s Private Speech Leaked! Ex-TV Doctor Says He Told Oprah To ‘Stay Out’ Of His Political Campaign, Praises ‘Brave’ J.K. Rowling For Stance On Trans Rights More Jeffrey Wright Joins ‘Rustin’ Cast Led by Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin. George C. Wolfe Directs First Obama/Netflix Project More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday sued New York Attorney General Letitia James, seeking to stop her civil fraud investigation into his company. He filed the lawsuit in federal court in Syracuse, New York, after it was reported that James’ office would seek to question Trump as it probes whether his company, the Trump Organization, manipulated the valuations of its real estate properties. Trump and the company, which is also a plaintiff in the case, claim that James has violated their rights under the U.S. Constitution by pursuing a politically motivated investigation. “By filing this lawsuit, we intend to not only hold her accountable for her blatant constitutional violations, but to stop her bitter crusade to punish her political opponent in its tracks,” Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, said in an emailed statement. A spokesperson for James’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The civil probe is related to, but separate from, a more-than-three-year-old criminal probe by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance of the Trump Organization’s business practices, which James joined in May. It includes a focus on whether the Trump Organization overstated the value of some real estate assets to obtain loans and tax benefits. In July, the company and longtime Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in what a prosecutor in Vance’s office called a “sweeping and audacious” 15-year tax fraud. In Monday’s lawsuit, Trump and the company claim that James, a Democrat, is motivated by partisan bias against Trump, a Republican, pointing to public statements she made against the former president before she was elected to her position. They are seeking a court order barring the investigation from going forward. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Reuters PARIS (Reuters) – France will make it easier for citizens to take their mother’s name once they are adults, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said on Sunday. He said the government would support a bill proposed by ruling LREM party lawmaker Patrick Vignal to allow children, when they turn 18, to easily change their family name through a simple procedure at the local town hall. French citizens will be free to keep their father’s family name, take their mother’s family name or take both in whichever order they wish. It is already possible for French citizens to change their family name, but it is a long and difficult procedure that requires them to prove to the justice ministry a legitimate reason for doing so. “Nobody should have to reveal their intimate reasons for changing their name to the state,” Dupond-Moretti said on his Twitter account. The law will be voted on in coming weeks. In an interview with Elle magazine, Dupond-Moretti said the new legislation will make it easier to change the family name of citizens raised by single mothers or by two fathers or two mothers. “It will be a law that will favour equality between parents and freedom for all French people,” Dupond-Moretti told Elle. The legislation would also be a solution for people wishing to change their family name after traumatic situations such as incest, or violence by a father against the mother of his children, he said. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Susan Fenton) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Britney Spears‘ dad Jamie Spears has been exposed! It’s been reported he took out a $40,000 loan prior to requesting to put his daughter under conservatorship in 2008. According to the New York Times, he allegedly secured the borrowed funds from Britney’s former manager Lou Taylor‘s firm, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group. MEGA Reports indicated Jamie took out the loans while the pop star was hospitalized on an involuntary psychiatric hold. Upon receiving the money from the management company, he filed a petition on a California court to take control over the singer’s estate and personal affairs. A judge approved his request for the conservatorship immediately after he convinced the court that his daughter was incapable of looking after herself due to her struggle with mental health issues. The following year, Jamie hired Tri-Star — the company that loaned him the money — to manage Britney’s estate. MEGA Although it is unclear how the loan money was used, Jamie’s actions raised some concerns on the motive behind the conservatorship. National Guardianship Association president Anthony Palmieri brought up a point while speaking to the Times. “It makes me wonder where the allegiance lies,” Anthony said. “Is the conservator making decisions in the best interest of the conservatee or the business manager who they owe a debt to?” before noting the move “reeks of conflict of interest.” Lou’s lawyer,Charles Harder, responded to the news in a statement claiming Jamie eventually “repaid” the “small loan” before addressing the transaction “had no affect on Tri Star’s work for the estate in later years.” The outlet reported Jamie earned an estimated $6 million from the 13-year guardianship while the management company received 5 percent of Britney’s “adjusted gross entertainment revenue.” Jamie and Lou have also been called into question by Britney’s lawyer,Mathew Rosengart, regarding the singer’s current net worth, which is only $60 million despite receiving large payments for her music, concerts, and TV appearances. Mathew claimed Jamie “did not appear” for two schedule depositions but added, “It should not be necessary, but if he continues to evade his deposition, we will file a motion to compel.” MEGA Earlier this month, Jamie filed a formal complaint with the Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing his daughter of trying to destroy his reputation following his termination from her conservatorship. He claimed Britney and her crew released “statements with no other purpose than to attack” him and attempted to paint him as a “disgraced, suspended conservator.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tony Munroe and Yew Lun Tian BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said on Sunday that she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her, and that a social media post she had made early last month had been misunderstood. Peng’s well-being became a matter of concern among the global tennis community and rights groups when she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past. After that post, she was absent from public view for nearly three weeks. “First, I need to stress one point that is extremely important, I have never said or written that anyone has sexually assaulted me, I have to clearly stress this point,” Peng said in the video posted by Lianhe Zaobao, a Singapore media outlet. Peng’s remarks on Sunday marked the first time she had addressed the matter on camera in public. She spoke on the sidelines of a cross-country skiing event in Shanghai. She said that her post on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media site, which had been quickly removed, was a “private matter”. Peng, 35, said in the video that “people have many misunderstandings” about her Weibo post. She did not elaborate. She also said she had been living at home in Beijing without supervision. In the video, she was not asked about Zhang and did not mention him. Reuters has been unable to reach Peng since her Weibo post. The Women’s Tennis Association, which early this month said it would suspend tournaments in China immediately due to concerns over the treatment of Peng and the safety of other players, continued to call for an investigation. “It was again good to see Peng Shuai in a public setting and we certainly hope she is doing well,” the Florida-based WTA said in a statement. “As we have consistently stated, these appearances do not alleviate or address the WTA’s significant concerns about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion,” the WTA said. “We remain steadfast in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern.” China has not directly commented on Peng’s initial post, but said after the WTA’s move to suspend tournaments in China that it “opposes the politicization of sports”. Zhang has not commented on the matter. PATRIOTIC ATTIRE Discussion of the scandal, which emerged as Beijing prepares to stage the Winter Olympics in February, has been tightly censored in China. On Sunday, Peng appeared on a fifth-floor viewing balcony with athletes in various sports, including former NBA basketball star Yao Ming, and watched for about 20 minutes, the Singapore paper said. The three-time Olympian wore a black jacket with a China flag and a red T-shirt bearing the characters for China. Previously, Peng had been seen in photos appearing at a tennis tournament in Beijing, and in a video having dinner at a restaurant that was posted on Twitter by a state media editor. On Twitter, a China researcher at Human Rights Watch, Yaqiu Wang, commented sarcastically on the interview, “Wow, so natural, very real, everyone now believes it. Congratulations, the CCP!” The reference was to China’s ruling Communist Party. Peng said in the video posted on Sunday that she had personally written a letter last month to WTA head Steve Simon, in which she denied the allegation of assault, and that an English translation of it by Chinese state media was accurate. Simon had said at the time that he “had a hard time believing” that Peng had actually written the email or believed what had been attributed to her. (Reporting by Tony Munroe and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing, Brenda Goh in Shanghai, and Chen Lin in Singapore; Editing by Stephen Coates and Clarence Fernandez) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – Closing arguments in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial are set to kick off on Monday, before the jury begins to weigh whether the British socialite set up teenage girls for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to abuse. Maxwell, 59, is charged with eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes. Prosecutors say she recruited and groomed four teenage girls to give erotic massages to Epstein between 1994 and 2004. She has pleaded not guilty, and said on Friday that she would not testify because prosecutors did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. During two weeks of testimony from prosecution witnesses, jurors heard from four women who portrayed Maxwell as central to arranging sexual relationships the women said they had with Epstein as teenagers. Two of the women, known as Jane and Carolyn, said they were 14 when Epstein began abusing them. Prosecutor Alison Moe is expected to refer back to their emotional and often explicit testimonies in her closing argument. Moe will likely reference Carolyn’s testimony about how Maxwell sometimes paid her to give Epstein erotic massages, which could be crucial for the prosecution’s argument that Maxwell committed sex trafficking. Maxwell attorney Laura Menninger is expected to respond by questioning the accusers’ credibility. The defense has repeatedly argued that the women’s memories have become corrupted in the decades since the alleged abuse, and that they are motivated by money to implicate Maxwell. Maxwell’s lawyers argue she is being treated as a stand-in for Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex abuse charges. In a Saturday hearing, Maxwell attorney Jeffrey Pagliuca said the defense would argue that Jane was older than she said she was at the time of the alleged sexual encounters with Epstein, and that Maxwell “never had anything to do with Carolyn.” (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Matthew Lewis) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate will move ahead with a vote on President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan early next year despite opposition from a key Democratic senator, and will also take up voting rights legislation, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday. “The Senate will, in fact, consider the Build Back Better Act, very early in the new year so that every Member of this body has the opportunity to make their position known on the Senate floor, not just on television,” he wrote in a letter to colleagues. “We are going to vote on a revised version of the House-passed Build Back Better Act – and we will keep voting on it until we get something done.” On Sunday, moderate Democrat Senator Joe Manchin dealt a potentially fatal blow to Biden’s $1.75 trillion domestic investment bill, telling Fox News in an interview that he would not vote for the measure.. Schumer also said Congress’ upper chamber would move to consider voting rights legislation soon after returning from its holiday recess in January and would look at changing procedural rules if Republicans “continue to abuse the filibuster” to block the bill. “If the right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, then how can we in good conscience allow for a situation in which the Republican Party can debate and pass voter suppression laws at the state level with only a simple majority vote, but not allow the United States Senate to do the same?” he wrote. (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Toby Chopra and Pravin Char) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ricky Gervais has insisted he could have said far more “terrible things” to Hollywood stars when hosting the Golden Globe Awards. The 60-year-old comic has famously caused a stir on every one of his five stints fronting the ceremony by mocking the star-studded guests – including memorably accusing them of enabling disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein by “acting like they don’t see a thing” at the 2020 ceremony – but he can’t understand why he gets criticism for giving the celebrities a tough time. He said: “Do I pander to the 200 billionaires in the room or the 200 million people at home sitting in their pants drinking beer who aren’t winning awards, who aren’t billionaires? It’s a no-brainer for a comedian. I’m a jester. I play to the other peasants in the mud. I “I wasn’t going in terrible. Think of the things I could have said. “Think of the f****** terrible things I could have joked about. It’s off the charts – It’s. Off. The. Charts – the terrible things I could say.” But despite upsetting some of the famous faces, the ‘After Life’ star insisted some of the crowd were amused. He added to the Guardian’s Saturday magazine: “Robert De Niro was just crying with laughter when I made a joke about Hugh Hefner and his young bride. He called me after a week and said, ‘I wanna say you did a great job.’ ‘Oh man,’ I said, ‘I annoyed some people.’ He said, ‘F*** ’em, they were jokes.’” And Ricky thinks some of his gags have been unfairly criticised because people confuse the target with the subject. He said: “I said [in 2011] the Golden Globe for special effects goes to the people who airbrushed the ‘Sex and the City’ poster. And I go, ‘Girls, we know how old you are, one of you was in an episode of ‘Bonanza’!’ “Kim Cattrall said it was ageist. I said: ‘No it’s the opposite. I’m saying, what’s wrong with being 50?’ I hate that about Hollywood, where f****** George Clooney has to have a f****** 22-year-old girlfriend. Aaagh!” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English ‘Saturday Night Live’ will be filmed without a studio audience amid a spike in coronavirus cases. The latest episode of the long-running comedy show – which is being hosted by Paul Rudd – will be filmed without a live studio audience, and the production team has also decided to limit the number of cast and crew on the set. A show representative said: “Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the show will have limited cast and crew. The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol.” An insider told the New York Post newspaper that “four actors” have tested positive for the virus, and members of the crew are said to be fearful about attending the NBC Studios in New York City. Paul, 52, is due to host the show, while Charlie XCX will be the musical guest on Saturday (18.12.21). And the people behind the scenes are desperate to “hold on” and film the episode, despite the COVID situation. A statement on the ‘Saturday Night Live’ Twitter account read: “The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol. “If you have won tickets to this show, you will be receiving more information soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.” Paul – who was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive earlier this year – is set to host the comedy show for the fifth time. And the Hollywood star recently filmed a promo for the show alongside Charli, 29, and ‘Saturday Night Live’ castmember Ego Nwodim. The ‘Boom Clap’ hitmaker previously appeared on the show in 2014, and has posted a throwback snap of herself on social media. She wrote on Twitter: “2014 baby me on snl vs 2021 grown me. tune in tonight (sic)” View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] In full: Journalist Maria Ressa’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech 4 Published by Hong Kong Free Press Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was awarded with the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize last Friday in Oslo, Norway. Below, HKFP shares the full text of her acceptance speech. Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. I stand before you, a representative of every journalist around the world who is forced to sacrifice so much to hold the line, to stay true to our values and mission: to bring you the truth and hold power to account. I remember the brutal dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, the assassina… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Dr. Mehmet Oz offered up hot take after take during a recent speech about his political campaign — including that he told Oprah Winfrey to “stay out” of his race – and Radar has obtained the exclusive audio. The 61-year-old celebrity physician – who began his career as a cardiothoracic surgeon – is running for Senate in Pennsylvania as a Republican. It was during a private lunch held in New York City on Thursday that an attendee asked Oz about his position on transgender rights, citing the recent controversy surrounding competitive swimmer Lia Thomas, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania who set three school and two national records at a meet earlier this month. She came out as trans in 2019. “The transgender issue is kind of diluted a little bit,” Oz replied. “The suicide rate amongst transgender adults has grown [inaudible]. This is critical to understand. We have to have compassion on this problem. It is a devastating one. And transgender folks who are adults, when they are processing this, have to figure out if they wanna keep living the lie – they don’t think they’re who they are – or be who they truly are and are [inaudible] because of it. So that’s like the baseline.” MEGA Pivoting from his point of compassion, Oz said he feels it’s not right to offer protection to one group of people if it means jeopardizing another. “But then you layer on top of that changes to our society that hurt other people in an effort to protect one group of people, and that’s not fair. That’s not fair,” he said, circling back to the topic of trans athletes. “Feminists have very eloquently fought for the ability to have women’s sports be on equal [inaudible] as men’s sports, and this takes away that ability,” he said, adding, “I would argue that what I just said can’t be said – I definitely couldn’t have said it on [The Dr. Oz Show] – and you need to be able to say those things.” As we reported, The Dr. Oz Show is coming to an end in January after 13 seasons on the air, despite having previously been renewed until mid-2023. The fate of the program reportedly became uncertain after its titular host announced his Senate run; however, his series had not been doing well in the viewership department since before that. At Thursday’s luncheon, Oz insisted his position with regard to trans athletes was “not about being hateful or harmful. I’m not trying to make anyone’s life miserable. I’m respectful of how difficult it is. But we have to be able to say these things in America.” “There might be some cases where it doesn’t matter,” he said. “If you’re a bodybuilder or weightlifter, it matters.” MEGA Oz went on to praise J.K. Rowling, whose controversial remarks about the trans community have been widely condemned as transphobic. “J.K. Rowling, who’s not some icon of the conservative party, said something that I think was very brave,” said Oz. “She was a lifelong feminist, and then she’s canceled. And I’ve talked to people who are canceling her, who would’ve been making a lot of money off her, and they can’t defend what they’re doing, or they don’t wanna be in trouble.” “And as a brave American,” he added, “you have to be willing to get into trouble. That’s what makes us different.” He used that point to make a rather unexpected comment about his relationship with Oprah. Oz became a household name after appearing as a health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show for five seasons. Then in 2009, the media mogul helped the TV doctor launch his own series, which went on to win nine Daytime Emmy Awards. He said he recently spoke to his longtime “friend” and asked her to stay out of his political endeavors. “I talked to Oprah, she’s a friend. And we have friends with different perspectives. And we should! You don’t wanna just be in a bubble with people who think exactly like you. That’s pretty boring,” said Oz. “I asked her to stay out. ‘Don’t support me because, if you get involved in any way, you’ll get hurt. And I don’t want my friends hurt,'” he recalled telling her. He said he instructed his wife and children to do the same. “I told my kids, ‘Stay out of it. If you see things you know are false, don’t go for the bait. Stay out of it.’ Even my wife’s family, who are very active politically, I said, ‘Just don’t get in the way because, if you get on your knee, they’ll pull you down. They can’t say anything more negative than they already are saying now.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jeffrey Wright has joined the cast of ‘Rustin’. The 56-year-old actor has been added to the cast of the Netflix project and will feature with Grantham Coleman, Lilli Kay and Jordan-Amanda Hill. They join previously announced Colman Domingo – who will play civil rights leader Bayard Rustin – who overcame an onslaught of obstacles to alter the course of American history by organising the 1963 March on Washington. The movie is being directed by George C. Wolfe and will also feature Chris Rock, Glynn Turman Audra McDonald, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Johnny Ramey, CCH Pounder, Michael Potts, Carra Petterson, Adrienne Warren, Bill Irwin and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. ‘Rustin’ is the first film production from Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production company, which has their deal at Netflix. The producers are Oscar-winner Bruce Cohen and Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis while Mark R. Wright and Alex G. Scott. Jeffery has been cast in the superhero blockbuster ‘The Batman’ as Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon and believes that audiences will love the ‘Twilight’ actor’s take on the Caped Crusader. The ‘Westworld’ star said: “Robert is gonna do his thing, and we were working within a Matt Reeves vision, so you know, Robert is doing what Robert does and it’s gonna be pretty badass I think.” Jeffrey revealed that he and Robert forged a bond on set to represent the relationship between Batman and his ally in the police force. He said: “I loved working with him, I love his take and his energy and the way that he kind of brought different levels to different parts of the story. And we work off of one another. “I just tried to give him Gordon things, and he did his Batman thing.” Jeffrey Wright Joins Rustin Cast on Towleroad Lady Gaga joined by psychiatric nurse while filming House of Gucci More Dolly Parton World Records Make For A Guinness Hat Trick, And She’s As Gracious As You’d Expect More Ghislaine Maxwell’s defense rests its case in sex abuse trial More Robert Kennedy Jr, Famous Anti-Vaxxer, Blames Wife Cheryl Hines When Pressed On Holiday Party Vaccine Requirement More Camillagate! Prince Charles’ Taped Sex Talk With Lover Spelled End Of Marriage To Diana More U.S. judge tosses $4.5 billion deal shielding Sacklers from opioid lawsuits More U.S. relaxes restriction on abortion pill, allows women to obtain by mail More Omicron rewrites the COVID plan for 2022 More Anderson Cooper Says He Feels ‘Terrible’ For Chris Cuomo But Maintains That ‘Journalists Have Strict Ethics’ More Peloton Pulls New Ad Featuring Chris Noth After Sexual Assault Allegations Surface Against The ‘Sex And The City’ Actor More Special Report-Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm to win Beijing’s favor, document shows More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Gaga had a psychiatric nurse with her on the set of ‘House of Gucci’. The 35-year-old singer-and-actress completely immersed herself in her portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani and she took measures to protect her mental health against the “dark” role. She explained to Variety: “I brought the darkness with me home because her life was dark. “I had a psychiatric nurse with me towards the end of filming. I sort of felt like I had to. I felt that it was safer for me.” Gaga insisted actors don’t need to “push themselves” to the limit in the way that she does and acknowledged she sometimes “goes too far” in her commitment to her work. She added: ““I don’t think that any actor should push themselves to that limit. “And I ask myself all the time why I do that. I’ve done some pretty extreme art pieces throughout my career — the things I’ve put my body through, my mind. It’s like a walnut of sadness in my stomach as I say this to you. “I don’t know why I’m like that. I think that the best answer I could give you is I have a sort of romantic relationship with suffering for your art that I developed as a young girl, and it just sometimes goes too far. And when it does go too far, it can be hard to reel it in on your own. The ‘Edge of Glory’ hitmaker has sought advice from other actors in how to moderate her behaviour. She said: “It’s OK to ask for help. If you’re feeling like that, ask for help. No matter what.” And Gaga hopes to “completely change” her process if she has children in the future because she thinks her approach is “problematic” for family life. She said: “It’s not a secret that I’ll do anything for art. I probably will completely change this when I have a child, but I don’t have a child yet. I want to be available and present for my children in a way that I think when you are acting in that way, it could be problematic for a child to be around.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dolly Parton is “flattered and honoured” after breaking three Guinness World Records. The 75-year-old singer has broken her own record for most hits on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist with 109 hits and also set new records for the female with the most decades on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart with seven, and the record for most most number one hits on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist with 25 of her songs hitting the top spot. Dolly said of her achievement: “This is the kind of stuff that really makes you very humble and very grateful for everything that’s happened. I had no idea that I would be in Guinness World Records this many times! I am flattered and honoured. “I’ve had a lot of people help me get here. Thanks to all of you and all of them for helping me have all of this. “I’ve loved being able to make a living in the business that I love so much. I’ve been so fortunate to see my dreams come true, and I just hope to continue for as long as I can. You’re going to have to knock me down to stop me!” Guinness World Records bosses praised the ‘9 to 5’ hitmaker – who set the overall record for most decades with a Top 20 hit on the US Hot Country Songs chart in 2018 – for her “amazing accomplishment. Adjudicator Sarah Casson said: “Dolly Parton is one of very few musical artists in history with this degree of staying power. Writing and recording music that makes the charts across seven decades is truly an amazing accomplishment.” Dolly Parton World Records on Towleroad Lady Gaga joined by psychiatric nurse while filming House of Gucci More Ghislaine Maxwell’s defense rests its case in sex abuse trial More Robert Kennedy Jr, Famous Anti-Vaxxer, Blames Wife Cheryl Hines When Pressed On Holiday Party Vaccine Requirement More Camillagate! Prince Charles’ Taped Sex Talk With Lover Spelled End Of Marriage To Diana More U.S. judge tosses $4.5 billion deal shielding Sacklers from opioid lawsuits More U.S. relaxes restriction on abortion pill, allows women to obtain by mail More Omicron rewrites the COVID plan for 2022 More Anderson Cooper Says He Feels ‘Terrible’ For Chris Cuomo But Maintains That ‘Journalists Have Strict Ethics’ More Peloton Pulls New Ad Featuring Chris Noth After Sexual Assault Allegations Surface Against The ‘Sex And The City’ Actor More Special Report-Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm to win Beijing’s favor, document shows More Dionne Warwick felt Twitter ‘needed a grown-up’ More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Ghislaine Maxwell’s defense rested its case in the British socialite’s sex abuse trial on Friday, after Maxwell declined to testify, arguing prosecutors had not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. In two days of testimony from former employees of Jeffrey Epstein, a psychologist specializing in memory, and an ex-girlfriend of the late financier, the defense sought to undercut the testimony of four women who said Maxwell set them up for sexual abuse by Epstein when they were teenagers. Maxwell, 59, pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes. Her attorneys argued she is being scapegoated for Epstein’s conduct. Epstein killed himself in 2019 at the age of 66 in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex crimes charges. Closing arguments in the trial are expected on Monday in federal court in Manhattan. The jury would then begin deliberations. “Your honor, the government has not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt and so there is no need for me to testify,” Maxwell, standing up in the courtroom, told U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan. Defendants in U.S. criminal trials are not required to testify, and often do not, since the burden of proof is on prosecutors. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Mark Porter and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Famous anti-vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr. hosted a holiday party at his home in California last week — and the event’s invitation advised the guests to get vaccinated or tested for COVID -19 prior to entering his residence. The vaccine requirement created some confusion as RHK Jr. is notorious for his stance against the COVID jab. According to Politico, Kennedy Jr. blamed his wife Cheryl Hines after being confronted about the invite, claiming he was unaware of the requirements. “I guess I’m not always the boss at my own house,” he confessed to Politico’s Daniel Lippman. Kennedy explained they organized the gathering for his wife’s friends in the entertainment industry. Hines is an Emmy-nominated actress known for playing the role of Larry David’s wife on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. MEGA While trying to clear up the speculation about his hypocrisy, the author shared he had no knowledge regarding the contents of the e-vite invitation before the day of the party. Kennedy also added at the party, they did not check the status of the COVID test and vaccination at the entrance. Last month, Kennedy released his new book, revealing his theory about vaccination titled,The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health. The book has become a best-seller on Amazon since its release. In addition, his anti-vaccine group called The Children’s Health Defense reportedly increased their revenue to $6.4 million last year. Kennedy has always been vocal about his stance and has become one of the most significant anti-vaccine rhetoric sources today. During his speech, while speaking to Louisiana lawmakers at their December 6 house meeting, he made a plethora of statements concerning the vaccine. The nephew of former President John F. Kennedy claimed that the shots’ record “confirms that this is the deadliest vaccine ever made.” He revealed there are reportedly “more people who have died in eight months from this vaccine than from 72 vaccines over the last 30 years.” while mentioning a statistic reported in the federal government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Nonetheless, according to the Chronicle, VAERS is an unreliable and low-quality information source compared to government data sources that are carefully monitored before being presented to the public. MEGA View the full article

Published by Radar Online Shame-faced Prince Charles was publicly humiliated when a raunchy taped phone conversation with his lover Camilla surfaced early in 1992. At the time, he was still wed to Princess Di – but there had been constant rumors of trouble in their marriage. Months later, they announced their separation. Dubbed “Camillagate” – the recording was actually made in December 1989, but was successfully kept under wraps for three years, until it was leaked to the press. Mega At times, the cringe-making hour-long call verged on phone sex between Charles and Camilla. These excerpts from the transcript begin in mid-conversation about a friend: Charles: Anyway you know, that’s the sort of thing one has to beware of. And sort of feel one’s way along, if you know what I mean. Camilla: Mmm. You’re awfully good at feeling your way along. Him: Oh stop! I want to feel my way along you, all over you and up and down you and in and out. Her: Oh. Him: Particularly in and out. Her: Oh, that’s just what I need at the moment. Mega Later in the sexed-up conversation Charles tells his mistress: I fill up your tank! Her: Yes you do! Him: Then you can cope. Her: Then I’m all right. Him: What about me? The trouble is I need you several times a week. Her: Mmm. So do I. I need you all the week. All the time. Him: Oh, God. I’ll just live inside your trousers or something. It would be much easier! Her: (laughs) What are you going to turn into, a pair of knickers? (both laugh) Oh, you’re going to come back as a pair of knickers. Him: Or, God forbid, a Tampax. Just my luck! (laughs) Her: You are a complete idiot. (laughs) Oh, what a wonderful idea! Him: My luck to be chucked down the lavatory and go on and on forever swirling around on the top, never going down! Her: (laughing) Oh darling! Mega After the tape emerged it was reported that the recording was made by a radio enthusiast using a hi-tech scanning device. “Di was revolted by what she heard and immediately moved out,” said a source. Charles and Diana’s separation was announced on Dec. 9, 1992, and their divorce was finalized on Aug. 28, 1996. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brendan Pierson, Mike Spector and Maria Chutchian NEW YORK (Reuters) – A federal judge overturned a roughly $4.5 billion settlement that legally shielded members of the Sackler family who stand accused of helping fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic, a decision that threatened to upend the bankruptcy reorganization of their company, OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said in a written opinion on Thursday the New York bankruptcy court that approved the settlement did not have authority to grant the Sacklers the legal protection from future opioid litigation that formed the linchpin of Purdue’s reorganization. Purdue said it would appeal the decision. “While the district court decision does not affect Purdue’s rock-solid operational stability or its ability to produce its many medications safely and effectively, it will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis,” Purdue Chairman Steve Miller said in a statement. The Sacklers had insisted on the legal shields, known as nondebtor releases because they protect parties that have not filed for bankruptcy themselves, in exchange for contributing $4.5 billion toward resolving widespread opioid litigation. The Sacklers threatened to walk away from the settlement absent the guaranteed legal protections. Representatives for the Sacklers did not immediately respond to a request for comment late on Thursday. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement he was pleased with the ruling. “The bankruptcy court did not have the authority to deprive victims of the opioid crisis of their right to sue the Sackler family,” Garland said. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who had objected to Purdue’s reorganization, also praised McMahon’s decision. “There cannot be two forms of justice – one for ordinary Americans and a different one for billionaires,” Ferguson said. “I’m prepared to take this fight all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to ensure true accountability for the Sackler family.” More than 95% of creditors – in this case predominantly plaintiffs suing Purdue and the Sacklers – voted to approve the drugmaker’s reorganization. But eight states, Washington, D.C., Seattle and more than 2,600 personal injury claimants voted against Purdue’s reorganization, McMahon said. The U.S. Justice Department’s bankruptcy watchdog and the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office also objected. McMahon raised questions about more than $10 billion Purdue distributed to the Sacklers spanning a roughly decade-long period that preceded the company’s bankruptcy filing. The Sacklers have faced allegations, which they deny, that they authorized the financial transfers to prevent the money from being drained in future litigation against Purdue. The Sacklers have said much of the money went toward taxes and investments, as opposed to their pockets. McMahon’s ruling came a week after the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Sacklers, long known for their philanthropy, announced an agreement to remove Sackler name from seven exhibition spaces. Purdue filed for bankruptcy in September 2019 in the face of 3,000 lawsuits accusing the company and Sackler family members of contributing to a public health crisis that has claimed the lives of about 500,000 people since 1999. The litigation accused the company and family members of aggressively marketing OxyContin while downplaying its addiction and overdose risks. The company and family members have denied the allegations. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in White Plains, New York, agreed early in Purdue’s court restructuring to halt litigation against the company and Sackler family members, who had not filed for Chapter 11 protection themselves. The Stamford, Connecticut, drugmaker last year pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from its handling of opioids. At the outset of its bankruptcy case, Purdue said there were a number of legal defenses it could mount in response to lawsuits alleging improper conduct. Drain said it was clear the wrongful marketing of the company’s opioid products contributed to the addiction crisis that touched every corner of the country. But he overruled objections to the legal releases shielding the Sacklers. Drain predicted that denying the releases would unravel Purdue’s reorganization – settlement aimed at steering funds toward communities reeling from the opioid epidemic – and result in the company’s liquidation, leaving little to nothing for victims. McMahon, though, found that the Bankruptcy Code “does not authorize” granting such nonconsensual third-party releases. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson, Mike Spector and Maria Chutchian in New York; editing by Diane Craft, Lincoln Feast and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Thursday permanently eased some restrictions on a pill used to terminate early pregnancies, allowing the drug to be sent by mail rather than requiring it to be dispensed in person. The decision by the Food and Drug Administration comes as the right to obtain an abortion, established in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade, hangs in the balance. The medication, generically known as mifepristone, is approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and is also sometimes prescribed to treat women who are having miscarriages. “The FDA’s decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients,” said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU. The restrictions on the pill had been in place since the FDA approved the drug in 2000 and were lifted temporarily by the government earlier this year due to the pandemic. That enabled women to consult healthcare providers by telemedicine and receive the pills by mail. The FDA’s decision makes that temporary change permanent. As a result of the FDA rule change, many patients will not need to go to a clinic, medical office or hospital in person to receive the medication, but can opt to receive the pill through the mail from a certified prescriber or pharmacy. The decision will increase access to medication abortion for women in remote and rural areas without providers nearby. Low-income women who face obstacles reaching clinics such as lack of transportation and inability to take time off work will also gain greater access to the drug. However, 19 states including Texas have laws that supersede the FDA decision by barring telehealth consultations or mailing of abortion pills. Women in those states would not be able to make use of the rule change at home but could potentially travel to other states to obtain medication abortion. States such as California and New York that have sought to strengthen access to abortion may make the drug available to women from other states. The change is likely to add to the intense U.S. political debate over abortion. Conservative Supreme Court justices indicated https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-consider-rolling-back-abortion-rights-2021-12-01 in Dec. 1 oral arguments over an abortion ban in Mississippi at 15-weeks of pregnancy that they are open to either gutting Roe or overturning it entirely. A decision is due by the end of June. The Charlotte Lozier Institute and Susan B. Anthony List, which advocate against abortion, said in a statement that the FDA decision ignored data on complications and put women at risk. The groups called on the FDA to restore the in-person dispensing requirement and add restrictions. FDA records show that of the 3.7 million women who took Mifeprex, the branded version of the drug, to terminate a pregnancy between September 2000 and December 2018, 24 died from complications. SOME RESTRICTIONS REMAIN The FDA left in place some restrictions, such as the need to use a certified pharmacy and requiring the prescribers to be certified. The ACLU said it was “disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted.” The organization sued the U.S. government on behalf of a Hawaii doctor and several professional health care associations in 2017 challenging the restrictions that it said limited access to medication abortion. Medication abortion involves two drugs, taken over a day or two. The first, mifepristone, blocks the pregnancy-sustaining hormone progesterone. The second, misoprostol, induces uterine contractions. (This refile removes extraneous word in third paragraph) (Reporting by Caroline Humer and Ahmed Aboulenein; additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) – As the Omicron variant gains momentum in Europe and the United States, scientists are rewriting their expectations for the COVID-19 pandemic next year. Just weeks ago, disease experts were predicting that countries would begin to emerge from the pandemic in 2022 after enduring a series of surges driven by the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta variants. First among them would be populations with a significant amount of exposure to the coronavirus, through a combination of infections and vaccination. In those places, COVID was expected to ease into an endemic disease, hopefully with less-severe periodic or seasonal outbreaks. Vaccines, available for much of 2021 only in wealthy nations, could reach the majority of the global population by the end of the year ahead. But the rapid spread of the highly-mutated Omicron variant, identified in late November, and its apparent ability to reinfect people at a higher rate than its predecessors, is undermining that hope. Already, countries are reverting to measures used earlier in the pandemic: restricting travel, reimposing mask requirements, advising against large gatherings for the winter holidays. While it is not quite back to square one, much more of the world will need to be vaccinated or exposed to COVID to get past the worst of the pandemic, disease experts told Reuters. “People are sick of the pandemic and God knows I am, but unless we can get some urgency to compel our leaders to take action, I really see 2022 being a lot of more of the same that we saw in 2021,” said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Even after COVID becomes a more endemic disease, new variants will spawn outbreaks and seasonal surges for years to come. “There’s always going to be a baseline number of COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “A lot of people haven’t come to terms with that.” The hope is that the virus diminishes to the point where it is no longer disruptive. But living with COVID-19 does not mean the virus is no longer a threat. Instead, people will need to be ready to adjust when the next variant comes along, said Dr. Tom Frieden, chief executive of Resolve to Save Lives, a global public health initiative, and former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “You need to recognize that at certain times, it’s going to be safer to do things than at other times.” PANDEMIC PHASE ENDING IN 2022? Some scientists are not entirely ready to abandon hope that some parts of the world will emerge from the pandemic next year. More than 270 million people have been infected with COVID, according to the World Health Organization, while an estimated 57% of the global population has received at least one vaccine dose, representing potential protection that did not exist two years ago. “Even if that immunity is not as good against Omicron, it doesn’t mean that it’s worthless. And that immunity is more effective against serious illness than it is against getting infected at all,” said Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins. So far, most of the studies looking at the effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron have focused on neutralizing antibodies, which latch on to the virus and prevent it from entering and infecting cells. Blood test results from fully vaccinated people show Omicron has learned to escape neutralization; a booster dose might restore that protection. Immune system T cells, which destroy infected cells, also appear still to be able to recognize the variant. Many experts believe this second line of defense will prevent hospitalizations and deaths. “You still have a lot of people who are susceptible” because they are not yet vaccinated, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at New York University. She said that was among the reasons she believes it will be some time before the world moves from pandemic to endemic COVID-19. In the meantime, living with COVID in 2022 will likely mean assessing local risks and protecting oneself through vaccination, masking and social distancing. “When I go to the store this afternoon, what helps me is to know how much COVID is in my community,” said Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at University of California, San Francisco. “There will not be one state of the pandemic. There will be different states for different people and for different regions,” he said. “And that’s going to be the way it is for the foreseeable future.” (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Anderson Cooper has weighed in after Chris Cuomo was axed from CNN. As previously reported by OK!, the network announced the reporter’s termination on Saturday, December 4. “Chris Cuomo was suspended earlier this week pending further evaluation of new information that came to light about his involvement with his brother’s [Andrew Cuomo] defense,” CNN said in a statement at the time. “We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately.” Chris was also accused of sexual misconduct by a woman who is remaining anonymous. He denied the allegation. MEGA CHELSEA HANDLER ‘O-V-E-R’ HER CRUSH ON NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO FOLLOWING SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS Anderson appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Thursday, December 16, where he was asked about the scandal. “I think people were surprised on the day when it actually happened,” the 60 Minutes correspondent said of the termination. He explained that he found out that Chris was axed on the news just like everyone else did. “Look, I don’t want anything bad to happen to somebody who is a colleague and a friend of mine, and I feel terrible for him and his family,” the 54-year-old shared. “That being said… journalists have strict ethics and strict rules that we are to abide by and if you don’t abide by them, there are repercussions. I wish Chris the best, and I’m sorry how all this played out.” WOMEN REVEAL INSTANCES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT WITH #METOO HASHTAG “The first call I got after I got the call about Chris Cuomo was Andy Cohen, like, ‘Do you think I could get that show?'” Anderson revealed. “I was, like, ‘Andy, you’ve got enough real estate in television.'” Michael Smerconish has been filling in for Chris. MEGA According to records released by New York Attorney General Letitia James in November, Chris is said to have been in contact with Andrew’s team amid his older brother’s sexual harassment scandal. The politician stepped down as New York Governor earlier this year in light of the allegations. View the full article