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Published by AFP Luxury shops in San Francisco's Union Square have been particular targets in the surge of Washington (AFP) – US retailers are adding security and locking up goods after flash mob heists involving dozens of thieves at once stunned luxury stores in the San Francisco area and beyond, as the holiday shopping season opens. In the most shocking of recent thefts, around 80 masked people in 25 cars raided a high-end Nordstrom department store in Walnut Creek, California east of San Francisco on Saturday, plundering its first-floor luxury goods counters in just a few minutes before fleeing. That took place one day after 40 people drove up and swarmed a Louis Vuitton store in San Francisco’s Union Square, emptying its shelves in seconds before jumping in cars to speed away. And near Chicago, also hit by a series of similar thefts, a gang of 14 crooks swept into a Louis Vuitton store in the Oak Brook suburb, snatching more than $100,000 worth of luxury bags and garments. It was the third such attack on a Chicago-area Vuitton outlet in a month. Retailers around the country are taking notice and precautions against possible copycat hits as the sheer size of the robbery gangs and their ability to plan secretly have made them nearly impossible to halt. “The level of organized retail theft we are seeing is simply unacceptable,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. “Businesses and customers should feel safe while doing their holiday shopping.” The thefts come at a key moment on the shopping calendar. Thursday is Thanksgiving, and the day after the holiday has been nicknamed “Black Friday,” the traditional kickoff to America’s frenzied Christmas shopping season. Newsom ordered a special task force in the California Highway Patrol to work with local officials to address the theft problem. Despite the action, the number of flash mob thefts multiplied, with a jewelry store in Hayward near San Francisco hit by a group of between 30 and 40. In nearby Oakland a streetwear store was cleaned out: security video shows more than 30 masked, hooded people squeezing into the small shop, grabbing collectable shoes and garb and rushing out in under a minute. Flash mob thefts, also dubbed “flash robs,” have been around for years, but have accelerated in 2021, besetting owners of small pharmacies, mid-level chain clothing stores and top-end luxury goods alike. But the sheer size and speed of the Nordstrom attack in Walnut Creek stunned many. “I wouldn’t even characterize that as organized crime, that was domestic terrorism,” Rachel Michelin, president of the California Retailers Association told Fox40 television in Sacramento. Brazen and graphic Jeffrey Ian Ross, a criminologist at the University of Baltimore, said there is nothing indicating that overall retail theft in the country has risen significantly. But he said the spread of video footage of the heists on news and social media may have inspired others to copy them. “It’s brazen, it’s graphic,” he said. Ross said that police, already burdened by rising murder cases and other violent crime, “just can’t keep up” with the volume of stolen goods and the people who resell them. What remained unclear are the ties if any between the multiple group thefts in the San Francisco area, how the participants communicate and coordinate, and how any organized fencing operation might work. Only three people have been confirmed arrested in the Walnut Creek robbery, out of the estimated 80-plus people who took part. On Tuesday San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced felony charges against nine people in store robberies, including the Louis Vuitton store in Union Square. Michelin, though, said that California could need tougher laws against this kind of crime, where social media appears to be used to coordinate the culprits. “We’re going to have those uncomfortable conversations and have a look at some of the laws on the books,” she told Fox40. “Obviously they aren’t working.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Adam Driver took a pair of Gucci shoes home from the ‘House of Gucci’ set, but he snubbed the suits. The 38-year-old actor plays Maurizio Gucci, one-time head of the fashion house, in the movie, and while he decided to treat himself to a pair of Gucci shoes after filming wrapped, he opted against taking any of the suave suits because he didn’t want to feel like his character off-set. He said: “I didn’t take the suits. I took a pair of Gucci shoes. “I always find from when I work on a movie and you’re wearing a costume 14 hours a day for months, always something weird happens where I start to feel like, ‘Oh. This is actually who I am. This is my identity. I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.’ “And then, you get back to reality and you put the clothes on that you’ve taken from set, because you’re like, ‘This is great.’ And then you pretty soon are like, ‘What? What am I doing? This is not who I am at all.’ “ Driver admitted that also happened to him on historical drama movie ‘The Last Duel’, but joked if he wore his chain mail to the bank staff might think he was about to rob the place. Speaking to Screen Rant, he added: “And that’s what happened with this, regardless if it was Gucci. I mean ‘Last Duel’, you put chain mail on. “After a certain point, you’re like, ‘Actually, think I can kind of pull… You know? I could do this at the bank.’ “And then you get back in reality and realise, ‘No, probably people would construe this as robbery.’ “ This comes after Driver’s ‘House of Gucci’ co-star Lady Gaga joked she probably “annoyed” him on set by remaining in her Italian accent throughout the motion picture. Gaga – who portrays Patrizia Reggiani, who was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband Maurizio – said: “I started in the voice six months before we started shooting and I stayed in it for the whole of filming, which I am sure was super annoying for Adam. “For me I thought it was harder to go in and out, so I stayed in character.” Gaga – whose parents both have Italian ancestry – admitted she felt “so excited” to work alongside Driver, and that was one of the reasons she signed up for the film. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English A previously unreleased Whitney Houston demo has been released as a part of a new NFT collection. The pop superstar – who died in 2012 and was known for hits ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ – is being offered as part of an upcoming NFT which will see the demo auctioned off to auctioned off next month as a single “OneOf One Iconic” item. Pat Houston, executor of Whitney’s estate said in a statement: “I’m excited to see Whitney’s legacy and her wonderful music expand into bold new technology of this era.” An NFT is a non-fungible token, which operates almost as a one-of-a-kind trading card and at their highest level are part of Ethereum cryptocurrency. The winning bidder will gain access to the song demo in the OneOfVault as well as a video that has been digitally 17-year-old artist Diana Sinclair which features archival footage of the legendary musician. Pat Houston added: “It was a joy partnering with 17-year-old Diana Sinclair and watching the artistry of Whitney’s music influence a new generation.” For gaming fans who miss out on the coveted never-before-released demo song, there are still other tiers of Whitney-themed NFTs up for grabs. Thousands of fixed-price NFTs tiered as Golden, Platinum and Diamond will be available, with the first two featuring artwork of the singer inspired by her hit songs ‘I Will Always Love You’ from ‘The Bodyguard’ and ‘The Greatest Love of All.’ Proceeds from the sales of the collection will benefit the Whitney E. Houston Foundation, which aims to inspire the creative youth of today. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Peter Jackson would have cast John Lennon as Gollum in ‘Lord of the Rings’. The 60-year-old filmmaker – who is at the helm of new documentary series ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ – has opened up on the Fab Four’s nixed plans to make a live action musical movie based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels, and he’s weighed on how the casting could have gone with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison taking on the lead roles. Appearing on ‘The Late Show’, he told host Stephen Colbert: “Obviously Paul is Frodo, isn’t he? Sam is obviously Ringo. So then you’ve got, well, John is Gollum obviously. “They cast themselves, and they did it right. Gandalf is George the mystic, magician, that’s perfect. I mean you’d have to age him up a bit. “And I guess if you had have Gollum, and you had the four Beatles, John Lennon is the obvious one, absolutely, slam dunk.” In the end, the ‘Hey Jude’ hitmakers didn’t get the rights to the movie, and Jackson would later go on to direct the big screen trilogy. Meanwhile, the director explained who Apple film producer Denis O’Dell originally had the idea, but it didn’t get off the ground. He told the BBC: “Ultimately, they couldn’t get the rights from Tolkien, because he didn’t like the idea of a pop group doing his story. So it got nixed by him. “They tried to do it. There’s no doubt about it. For a moment in time they were seriously contemplating doing that at the beginning of 1968.” Jackson admitted he was in “two minds” about the quartet’s version never getting made. He explained: “Paul said, ‘Well I’m glad we didn’t do it, because you got to do yours and I liked your film.’ “But I said to him, ‘Well, it’s a shame you didn’t do it, because it would have been a musical.’ What would The Beatles have done with a Lord of The Rings soundtrack album? “That would have been 14 or 15 Beatles songs that would have been pretty incredible to listen to. So I’ve got two minds about it. “I would have loved to hear that album, but I’m also glad I got the chance to do the films. But those songs would have been fascinating.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Billy Porter thinks of himself as “spiritual” after becoming unsure about his belief in God following his upbringing around the church. The ‘Pose’ star reflected on his relationship with religion despite his agnostic position upsetting his mother – who raised him in the Pentecostal Church – as he noted he does believe in “a higher power”. The 52-year-old actor told the ‘Table Manners’ podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware: “I don’t know. I don’t know. That hurts my mother’s feelings. I know it hurts her feelings. It hurts her heart so much. And I don’t know. I don’t know, “I do believe in something in something, I do believe in a higher power. I don’t know any more if that is simply out of habit. Because I don’t know anything else. “And I’m afraid to not believe in something. Because, like my grandmother said, ‘If you don’t believe in something, you’ll fall for anything. You gotta believe in something, or you’ll fall for anything.’ “ Billy labelled himself and his wedding five years ago to eyewear entrepreneur Adam Smith as “spiritual” instead of religious. He explained: ”It was a was a legal ceremony. Yeah. But it wasn’t religious. It was spiritual. Yeah, you know, I’m spiritual. I really do believe in spirit, I do believe in a higher calling, a higher level of consciousness. You know, I do believe that, you know, God is the word that we most know. “I do believe that energy is inside of all of us. Personally, how we access that, how we share that is our life’s work. You know, that’s my life’s work, is how I share that energy. You know, I try to be the change that I want to see.” The ‘Cinderella’ star said the church was “what I grew up with”. He added: “You know, so coming out in the church, being young, when that was happening. And then, you know, I mean, I can talk about this because I talk about it in my book, but I was molested by my stepfather.” Billy also recognised that much of who he is comes from “those teachings” however expressed disgust at hypocrisy after he experienced negative aspects of it. He said: “The human being that I am is because of those teachings. A lot of those teachings. My problem is, so many of those people don’t live by those teachings. So many of those people don’t practice what they preach. I stand at the intersection of holding that community accountable. Your language is murderous, you’re killing people. “I have a Bible too. I know what it says. And you are not practising what that book says. And somebody needs to call you out for that. All of you evangelicals who stand behind that Bible and act like [President Donald] Trump is the saviour, f*** you. Somebody needs to say it.” View the full article

Published by DPA European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova gives a press conference on proposals to reinforce democracy and the integrity of elections. Lukasz Kobus/European Commission/dpa The European Union could soon ban targeted online political advertising using sensitive personal data without user consent under new European Commission proposals published on Thursday. “Elections must not be a competition of opaque and non-transparent methods,” said commission Vice President Vera Jourova in a press release. “People must know why they are seeing an ad, who paid for it, how much, [and] what micro-targeting criteria were used,” said the commissioner whose portfolio covers values and transparency. The proposals come after years of concern that voters in the EU are vulnerable to manipulation from hostile actors on social media. Jourova told journalists in Brussels that the Cambridge Analytica scandal provided a “glimpse” into the risks posed by targeted online advertising. The data analytics company was accused of harvesting the Facebook data of millions of users for work aiding the pro-Brexit campaign as well as former US president Donald Trump’s 2016 White House bid. Under the proposed regulations, targeted political advertisements based on sensitive data like sexual orientation and religious beliefs are to be banned, unless the user explicitly consents. In addition, new transparency labels must show social media users who financed and by how much the political advert they are seeing. The label also needs to explain the relevant connection to current political events like referendums or elections. The commission aims for the rules to be in place by 2024. A recent Eurobarometer survey showed that nearly four out of ten Europeans have been exposed to content where they could not easily determine whether it was a political advertisement or not. European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova gives a press conference on proposals to reinforce democracy and the integrity of elections. Lukasz Kobus/European Commission/dpa View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Mariah Carey is adapting her memoir into a TV series alongside director Lee Daniels. The ‘All I Want For Christmas is You’ hitmaker is planning to bring her life story to television via an eight-part series, and she’s been collaborating the writer behind the likes of ‘Monster’s Ball’, ‘Precious’ and ‘Empire’. The 52-year-old singer – who released ‘The Meaning of Mariah Carey’ last year – shared an update with Z100 with host Garrett Vogel, who asked if she would ever consider doing a musical. Mariah said: “We did the book, And we are getting it together. I’m working with my friend Lee Daniels. And we are talking about the adaptation of my book. I would rather do that that’s why we wrote the book first. Broadway is a great thing, I just want to do something.” However, she said a musical was less likely, noting the project was “probably” going to be a television show. She added: “Lee is probably going to hear this and kill me but it’s probably going to be an eight-part series. The ‘Without You’ singer – who is mother to 10-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with her rapper ex-husband Nick Cannon – emphasised the importance of the show being “gritty, grimy, beautiful, specular and real”. She said: “I need it to be gritty, grimy and beautiful, spectacular and real!” In the book, the ‘We Belong Together’ singer was incredibly frank about her life, including detailing the abuse she witnessed as a child. Her memoir read: “By the time I was a toddler, I had developed the instincts to sense when violence was coming. As though I was smelling rain, I could tell when adult screaming had reached a certain pitch and velocity that meant I should take cover.” Mariah said the pending project was so “difficult now” because of the on-going pandemic – and the ensuing problems – but that paperback was due to hit shelves soon. She explained: “It’s so difficult now because of COVID and we don’t know what’s going on. First things first I wrote my memoir last year and now it’s coming out in paperback.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Will Smith has asked Lin-Manuel Miranda to “help” him with a one-man stage show. The ‘King Richard’ actor couldn’t resist asking the ‘Hamilton’ creator to give him a hand on a project he’s wanted to make “for years” as he hailed the actor and director as “the one of one in this business”. With both stars appearing on Friday’s (26.11.21) episode of ‘The Graham Norton Show’, he said: “This is probably a terrible thing to ask at this time, but I want to do a one-man show and I would love you to help me do it. “I have had it in my mind for years and I think you are the one of one in this business.” Lin-Manuel – who was on the programme via video link – seemed shocked but didn’t turn down the offer. He replied: “You heard it here first!” There’s not likely to be anything too racy in the production, as Will admitted elsewhere during the interview that he hates doing “sex scenes”. He explained: “Sex scenes are the worst part of acting – when you watch it in a movie there is music and wine but on set there is some big dude holding the microphone, chewing and watching you.” Whether or not Lin-Manuel does get on board with Will’s show, he’s already got experience after making his directorial debut with new musical drama ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Opening up on the film, he explained: “It’s about Jonathan Larsen and an amazing portrait of an artist. “He would go on to write ‘RENT’, which, when I saw it as young man gave me permission to write musicals. When I saw ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ it clarified that this was my calling.” Regarding Andrew Garfield in the lead role, he added: “I didn’t know if he could sing or not. I saw him on stage at The National and left feeling that he could do anything – he had all the superpowers and I hoped he could sing. “He told me he had always wanted to, so he trained. We gave him all the resources and he was like a brand-new instrument coming into its power over the course of a year.” ‘The Graham Norton Show’ airs on BBC One on Friday (26.11.21) and will be available on BBC iPlayer. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Ahmaud Arbery‘s killer’s sister sure did add insult to injury, but she insists it wasn’t done maliciously. On Wednesday, Travis McMichael, 35, his father, Gregory McMichael, 65, and the pair’s neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., 52, were convicted of murdering the late 25-year-old Black man in their neighborhood of Satilla Shores – near Brunswick, Georgia – last February. At the time, Arbery was mid-jog when the three white men chased after him in their cars, cornered him and gunned him down. It was Travis who fired off the shot that killed Ahmaud. Though a date to determine the murderers’ sentences has not yet been set, all three are facing the possibility of the death penalty. Mega Now, Travis’ sister/Gregory’s daughter is copping to callously sharing a graphic image of Ahmaud’s blood-soaked and lifeless body on the internet. After her family members murdered Arbery in cold blood, Lindsay McMichael snapped a photo of the aftermath and uploaded it to her Snapchat account. “I had no nefarious or malicious intent when I posted that picture,” she claims, according to The Sun. “The thing is I’m a huge fan of true crime – I listen to four or five podcasts a week – I’m constantly watching that sort of thing.” “It was more of a ‘Holy s–t, I can’t believe this has happened,'” she added. “It was absolutely poor judgment.” The Arbery family attorney, Lee Merritt, ripped into Lindsay for her actions, calling them “very disturbing.” Mega As Radar reported, Travis was found guilty on all charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Gregory was found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony. And Roddie was found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony. All three felons will remain in custody until sentencing. Throughout the high-profile 10-day trial, the defense team tried desperately to present Arbery as a criminal. During closing arguments on Monday, one of those attorneys took it a step further. “Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choices that he made does not reflect the reality of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores in his khaki shorts with no socks to cover his long, dirty toenails,” Laura Hogue told jurors, eliciting an audible gasp from the people in the courtroom. Among them was the late victim’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, who got up and left after hearing the remark. “I gotta get out of here,” she said on her way out. Prosecutors maintained that Ahmaud’s only crime was being Black and daring to run away from his attackers. Mega View the full article

Published by Reuters LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Jazz musician Jon Batiste led nominations on Tuesday for the Grammy Awards with 11 nods, followed by Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R with eight apiece. Batiste and Bieber will compete for the top prize – album of the year – along with Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, H.E.R, Kanye West, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, newcomer Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, organizers said. The Grammys, the highest honors in the music industry, will be handed out at ceremony in Los Angeles on Jan 31. Nominees in the top three categories – album, song and record of the year – were increased to 10 from 8 for the first time. “Adding more nominees is a way to cast a wider net for more music, more artists and more genres,” Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr said, announcing the change on Tuesday. Eilish, Rodrigo, Bieber and Batiste were also among the 10 nominees for record of the year, along with Swedish band Abba’s new single, “I Still Have Faith in You.” But Swift, who snagged a best album nod for “Evermore,” was shut out of both the record of the year and song of the year races. Teen phenomenon Rodrigo, 18, who burst onto the U.S. charts in January when her single “Drivers License” went viral, got seven nods, including best new artist and for her debut album “Sour.” (Reporting by Jill Serjeant, Editing by Nick Zieminski) View the full article

Janet Jackson and her Rhythm Nation have been the worried well of pop for 17 years He’ll “have you naked by the end of this song” … WHOOPSIE …boob out, pastie on — is best explained by the “multiple hecks of coincidence theory” Now the subject of an entire NYTimes documentary…I just don’t know where to put Janet’s emotional distress. It if was this year, we’d get @janetsboob a twitter account and forget. This is what we remember of 2004? Not bird flu, tsunami, Abu Ghraib or the truly smarmy John Edward VP candidacy. Pasties in place, boob door shuts. No one’s hurt. Also, who put all the folllwing together: Nelly, Jessica Simpson, PDiddy, Kid Rock, Janet and Timberlake? –Editor [This post contains video, click to play] Janet Jackson's Stylist Wayne Scot Lukas Says He Did 'Exactly' As He Was 'Supposed To Do'; There Was No 2004 Super Bowl 'Malfunction' 31 Published by OK Magazine Janet Jackson’s wardrobe stylist — who worked with the star on her headline-making 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show look — is telling his side of the story about the infamous nip slip. Celebrity fashion consultant Wayne Scot Lukas sat down with Access Hollywood on Monday, November 22, and made it clear that the “wardrobe malfunction” seen ’round the world was a planned move and not a failure of his work. The “Control” singer and Justin Timberlake shook audiences to their core during their performance of his song “Rock Your Body” at the NFL Halftime Show. After the former boy band member sang the lyric, “Gotta have you naked by the end of this song,” he tore off part of Jackson’s top, exposing her breast, which featured a nipple cover. MEGA JANET JACKSON SHOWS SUPPORT TO BRITNEY SPEARS AS POP STAR DANCES TO ‘THAT’S THE WAY LOVE GOES’ AMID CONSERVATORSHIP BATTLE Timberlake, 40, told Access Hollywood at the time that it was a “wardrobe malfunction,” but Lukas begs to differ. “I was hired to do a job. I did exactly what I was supposed to do,” he told the outlet. “If I would’ve hurt my friend, I wouldn’t have worked with Janet for six years after the Super Bowl,” he explained, adding that he puts “snaps, pins and velcro” on his client’s outfits so that even during a quick-change, the performance look will not fall apart. “I would have been fired that day.” The Friends With Benefits star’s claim that it was Lukas work that failed during the set is particularly hurtful for the stylist. “[He] came off the stage and said, ‘It was just a little wardrobe malfunction. We all want to give you something to think about,’” Lukas said. Access Hollywood “He coined that phrase, and when he said that, I thought, ‘Friendship over,” he continued. “Wardrobe malfunction? I don’t malfunction. I was a professional stylist. $10,000 a day back then. I can’t fail. Why did you say that?” BRITNEY SPEARS REFLECTS ON 2001 MTV VMAs, MAKES IT CLEAR THERE IS NO BAD BLOOD WITH EX JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE DESPITE DOCUMENTARY Lukas pointed the finger at the show’s producers, saying that viewers “were never supposed to see a movement where a breast was out” because the network was supposed to “cut to black.” “Somebody didn’t push the button. Somebody didn’t protect my friend,” the fashion expert claimed, adding that the pre-taped rehearsal was filmed depicting the performance exactly as it was meant to be played out. MEGA As OK! previously reported, former MTV senior vice president and producer of the performance, Salli Frattini revealed in the new documentaryMalfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson that she “felt betrayed” by Jackson and Timberlake for the incident. “I was a wreck, personally, and I pretty much just lost it. I was in tears. People were crying. It was really upsetting. It’s very emotional. I felt betrayed,” Franttini said in the special. “My instincts told me that there was a private conversation between wardrobe, stylist and artist where someone thought this would be a good idea, and it backfired.” Janet Jackson 2004 Super Bowl on Towleroad Jon Batiste leads Grammy nods; Billie Eilish, Kanye West among album of year nominees More Lady Gaga reveals Tony Bennett’s reaction to their 6 Grammy nominations More Pentagon to form new group to investigate UFOs More They’d Only Just Begun… Karen Carpenter ‘would be absolutely fabulous’ at 71, Says Brother Richard Who Believes the Duo Would Be Doing Shows Today More China, Russia furious over Biden democracy summit snubs More Thanksgiving travel rush tests U.S. carriers More Ahmaud Arbery Court Shocker: Defense Calls Out Deceased Victim’s ‘Long, Dirty Toenails’ In Closing Arguments During Murder Trial More Caitlyn Jenner Admits She Could’ve Handled Bitter Feud With Ellen DeGeneres ‘A Little Bit Differently’ On ‘Big Brother VIP’ More Will Smith’s Shocking New Look, Plastic Surgeons Weigh In More U.S. House panel probing Capitol riot subpoenas leaders of Proud Boys, Oath Keepers More U.S. Congress panel corrects tax rates for wealthy under Biden’s proposal More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Gaga has shared her delight at Tony Bennett, who has Alzheimer’s, understanding her every word when she told him the news they are up for six Grammys. The ‘Stupid Love’ hitmaker, 35, and the 95-year-old Jazz legend have been showered with nods for their acclaimed second duets album, ‘Love For Sale’, including the prestigious Album of the Year prize. And the ‘House of Gucci’ star has been left “utterly speechless” after finding out they are up for several accolades for the follow-up to 2014’s ‘Cheek to Cheek’. The duo are also in contention for Record of the Year for ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’, and best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Music Video, and Engineered Album Non-Classical. Tony became the oldest artist in history to be nominated in the general categories. Their first LP took home Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album seven years ago. In a lengthy statement on Instagram, Gaga gushed: “Thank you so much to the @RecordingAcademy for these 6 nominations for Love For Sale. I am stunned and shocked and beyond grateful. I don’t know what to say. I just keep crying and am utterly speechless. “This means so much to me, @itstonybennett, the Bennetts, my family, jazz music, and the great Cole Porter who wrote all these timeless classics. I’ll never forget today and congratulating Tony on his 6 nominations.” On Tony’s reaction, she continued: “I’ll never forget that today he could track every word I was saying and understood the world was celebrating him and celebrating jazz – a genre that embodies the joy, abundance and imagination of Black music throughout history. “Thank you to all the Grammy voters for recognizing me and Tony’s dedication to jazz music and for also recognizing it in major categories where this music is often not nominated. (sic)” The ‘Born This Way’ singer admitted there is no better feeling than the “love and partnership” they share – despite their 60-year age gap. Gaga concluded: “This album happened because it was Tony’s idea and I made him a promise that we would make it and we did. “At 95 years old, he has more nominations than ever, I’m so honored to be his companion in music and his friend. “Thank you to the public for loving us, we surely love each other, and you. “Believe in love and partnership, even with 60 years between us, and Alzheimer’s, there is nothing like the magic of music. I love you Tony, and the world loves you too. How could they not?” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The United States Department of Defense late on Tuesday said it will establish a new group to investigate reports on the presence of UFOs in restricted airspace. The formation of the group comes after the government released a report in June, encompassing 144 observations, which said there was a lack of sufficient data to determine the nature of mysterious flying objects. The new group, Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group, will be overseen by the Under Secretary Of Defense for Intelligence, the director of the Joint Staff and officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said in a separate statement the presence of unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) in restricted airspace poses a potential safety of flight risk to aircrews and raises potential national security concerns. The new group which will succeed the U.S. Navy’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, will work to detect, identify and attribute objects, assess and mitigate any associated threats, the Pentagon said. The U.S. military have spent decades deflecting, debunking and discrediting observations of unidentified flying objects and “flying saucers” dating back to the 1940s. (Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; editing by Philippa Fletcher) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Richard Carpenter believes The Carpenters would still be making music if his sister was still alive. The 75-year-old musician is “certain” his late sibling and bandmate, Karen Carpenter – who died in 1983 from a cardiac arrest after struggling with anorexia – would have still had a “fabulous” voice even in her seventies and thinks their group would still be growing strong. He told America’s Closer magazine: “She’d be like 71 one right, and I’m certain she would be absolutely fabulous. Perry Como sounded great at 75 because he sang properly. Karen was the same. We would have hundreds of recordings of the two of us already done, and we’d still be making more.” Richard reminisced about how he and Karen would jam together in their childhood bedrooms with the first tracks they wrote when they were teenagers. He shared: “I was 13 and Karen was 16. I was a budding songwriter, so I asked Karen to sing a couple of these songs I’d come up with. At the time, she didn’t have the marvellous voice that developed later.” But the ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’ hitmaker admitted Karen didn’t enjoy singing when she was younger and always agreed to his requests “begrudgingly”. He said: “So every now and again, I would ask her to sing some new song that I’d written. She’d do it begrudgingly because she didn’t care to be singing at all.” And Richard admitted he was in “shock” when his sister died as he was confident he was in a good place after kicking his own addictions and was looking forward to the future. He recalled@ “After Karen passed away, I was in shock. I had gone to rehab, and I had gotten off the sleeping pills. I was healthy and full of life and full of desire to keep making records. So I polished up and finished as many [Carpenters] outtakes as I could.” Karen Carpenter on Towleroad Pentagon to form new group to investigate UFOs More China, Russia furious over Biden democracy summit snubs More Thanksgiving travel rush tests U.S. carriers More Ahmaud Arbery Court Shocker: Defense Calls Out Deceased Victim’s ‘Long, Dirty Toenails’ In Closing Arguments During Murder Trial More Caitlyn Jenner Admits She Could’ve Handled Bitter Feud With Ellen DeGeneres ‘A Little Bit Differently’ On ‘Big Brother VIP’ More Will Smith’s Shocking New Look, Plastic Surgeons Weigh In More U.S. House panel probing Capitol riot subpoenas leaders of Proud Boys, Oath Keepers More U.S. Congress panel corrects tax rates for wealthy under Biden’s proposal More Gay Santa is Smitten And Flirty, But Love Comes Slowly With Just 1 Night a Year in ‘When Harry Met Santa’, A Norwegian Xmas Ad That May Bring A Tear: WATCH More Ghislaine Maxwell Reasoned She Should Look The Other Way With Ex Jeffrey Epstein Because Her Father Told Her To ‘Do Whatever It Takes To Keep Your Man’: Report More U.S. not heading toward COVID lockdown, White House says More Load More View the full article

Published by AFP Since taking office, the US president has placed the fight between democracies and 'autocratic governments' at the heart of his foreign policy Beijing (AFP) – China and Russia reacted furiously Wednesday to US President Joe Biden’s planned democracy summit, which will exclude them, with Beijing angered over an invitation for Taiwan and the Kremlin branding it divisive. The global conference was a campaign pledge by the US president, who has placed the struggle between democracies and “autocratic governments” at the heart of his foreign policy. The inclusion of Taiwan, and not China, led to an angry rebuke from Beijing, which said it “firmly opposes” the invitation to “the so-called Summit for Democracy.” Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory to be retaken one day, by force if necessary. Around 110 countries have been invited to the virtual summit, including the United States’ major Western allies but also Iraq, India and Pakistan. But Russia said the guest list, released Tuesday on the State Department website, showed that the United States “prefers to create new dividing lines, to divide countries into those that — in their opinion — are good, and those that are bad.” “More and more countries prefer to decide themselves how to live,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that Washington is “trying to privatise the term ‘democracy’.” “That can’t do so and should not do so,” he said. Diplomatic coup The invitation is a major coup for Taipei at a time when China is ramping up its campaign to keep Taiwan locked out of international bodies. Taiwan said the gathering would be a rare opportunity to burnish its credentials on the world stage. “Through this summit, Taiwan can share its democratic success story,” presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang told reporters. Only 15 countries officially recognise Taipei over Beijing, although many nations maintain de facto diplomatic relations with the island. The US does not recognise Taiwan as an independent country but maintains it as a crucial regional ally and opposes any change to its status by force. China baulks at any use of the word “Taiwan” or diplomatic gestures that might lend a sense of international legitimacy to the island. “I agree Taiwan more than qualifies — but it does seem to be (the) only democratic govt invited that the US govt does not officially recognise. So its inclusion is a big deal,” tweeted Julian Ku, a Hofstra University law professor whose specialties include China. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it would be represented at the summit by its de facto US ambassador Bi-khim Hsiao and digital minister Audrey Tang, who is one of the world’s few openly transgender national politicians. Scrutinised guest list The long-advertised meeting will take place online on December 9 and 10 ahead of an in-person meeting at its second edition next year. India, often called “the world’s biggest democracy”, will be present, despite increasing criticism from human rights defenders over democratic backsliding under Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So too will Pakistan, despite its chequered relationship with Washington. Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States whose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was dubbed an “autocrat” by Biden, did not make the list. Neither did the city-state of Singapore, or Bangladesh, one of the world’s most populous democracies. In the Middle East, only Israel and Iraq were invited. The traditional Arab allies of the US — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — are all absent. Biden also invited Brazil, which is led by controversial far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. In Europe, Poland is represented, despite recurring tensions with Brussels over respect for the rule of law, but Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban is not. On the African side, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Niger are invited. ‘Decline of democracy’ “For this kick-off Summit… there’s a case for getting a broad set of actors into the room: it provides for a better exchange of ideas than setting a perfect bar for qualification,” Laleh Ispahani of the Open Society Foundations told AFP. Rather than using the summit as an anti-China meeting, Ispahani urged Biden to address “the serious decline of democracy around the world — including relatively robust models like the US.” This summit is being organised as democracy has suffered setbacks in countries where the US had placed great hopes. Sudan and Myanmar have experienced military coups, Ethiopia is in the midst of a conflict that could lead to its “implosion,” according to US diplomats, and the Taliban took power in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troops after two decades. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO (Reuters) – Flights and airports across the United States are expected to be packed on Wednesday as millions of Americans fly to visit their families for Thanksgiving holiday. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects to screen about 20 million air passengers during the travel period, compared with nearly 26 million in the same period in 2019. On Monday, the TSA screened 2.1 million U.S. air passengers, the fifth consecutive day with checkpoint volume topping 2 million. The holiday weekend is a test for carriers after a spate of flight cancellations marred travel over the summer. One in five Americans are concerned about delays and cancellations, according to a new American Pecans/YouGov survey. But with the weather expected to remain calm for Thanksgiving on Thursday, airlines are sounding confident. “We’re staffed and ready to get our customers to where they need to go safely, reliably and enjoyably,” a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said. The Atlanta-based carrier has hired 8,000 new employees including 1,500 reservation agents. American Airlines has recalled 1,800 flight attendants this month, while Southwest Airlines has hired more than 4,500 employees in the past few months. American, Southwest and JetBlue are also offering bonuses, higher pay and other incentives to ensure they have enough workers. Southwest has cut flight schedules to enhance ontime performance and bolstered its customer relations department. The Thanksgiving week is shaping up to be the busiest travel week in two years as rising COVID-19 vaccination rates have made Americans more confident to travel again. Travel group AAA estimates 53.4 million people will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 13% from 2020, with air travel recovering to about 91% of pre-pandemic levels. Rising gas prices are the biggest concern of American this holiday season, the YouGov survey found. (Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Throughout the murder trial of the men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery, the defense team has tried desperately to present the late victim – a 25-year-old Black man who was unarmed and shot dead while on a jog in a neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia – as a dirty criminal. During closing arguments on Monday, one of those attorneys took it a step further. “Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choices that he made does not reflect the reality of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores in his khaki shorts with no socks to cover his long, dirty toenails,” Laura Hogue told jurors, eliciting an audible gasp from the people in the courtroom. Among them was Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, who got up and left after hearing the remark. “I gotta get out of here,” she said on her way out. Supplied Later appearing on CNN, Cooper-Jones said she found the comment to be not only disturbing but also a grasp at straws. “I thought it was very, very rude to talk about his long, dirty toenails and to totally neglect that my son had a huge hole in his chest when he was shot with that shotgun,” she said, adding that she felt the defense was trying to deflect from the fact that they “don’t have the proper evidence to get a conviction. So they’re actually going to any measure to get it, to get a conviction, which is not there for them.” The moment has since gone viral, with outraged social media users pointing out, “They don’t even attempt to disguise their racism anymore.” Similar to the recently wrapped double homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse – who was acquitted of shooting three Black Lives Matter protestors, killing two – the McMichael-Bryan trial has been undeniably racially charged. Mega; GLYNN COUNTY DETENTION CENTER AND SHERIFF’S OFFICE The three defendants are white Satilla Shores residents Gregory McMichael, his son, Travis McMichael,and William “Roddie” Bryan. On February 23, 2020, Gregory saw Ahmaud running past his house, suspecting that he had committed burglary or theft in his neighborhood, even though no evidence of such has emerged. Armed and in one vehicle, the McMichaels chased Ahmaud, who was on foot. Roddie – who was in another vehicle and videoed both the pursuit and shooting, which quickly went viral – saw the chase and joined in independently, even though he was not sure if Arbery had done anything wrong. After Travis exited his vehicle and wielded a shotgun, he and Ahmaud engaged in a physical confrontation, during which Travis shot Arbery dead. Mega View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Bad blood? Caitlyn Jenner is speaking out about the beef she has with Ellen DeGeneres. During an episode of Big Brother VIP, the 72-year-old admitted that she could have handled the situation “a little bit differently” after infamously feuding with the daytime talk show host. “I did go on [the show], and then I blasted her a**,” the former athlete admitted on Tuesday, November 23, per Daily Mail. MEGA She also recalled thinking about calling her then-wife Kris Jenner and insisting that they should “ban any of the kids from being on Ellen,” before realizing it was better to not make the situation any worse. CAITLYN JENNER SAYS O.J. SIMPSON ‘OBVIOUSLY’ KILLED NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON: ‘HE GOT AWAY WITH IT’ Caitlyn shares Kendall, 25, and Kylie, 24, with the 66-year-old momager — as well as step-children Kourtney Kardashian, 42, Kim Kardashian, 41, Khloé Kardashian, 37, and Rob Kardashian, 34. MEGA The Olympic gold medalist’s war with DeGeneres first started in 2015 when Caitlyn appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Showshortly after coming out as a trans woman. The talk show host asked Caitlyn to clarify her view on gay marriage, after the reality star alluded to being hesitant to accept gay marriage at first. “She goes to me, ‘Well it sounds like you’re really not for [gay marriage],” Caitlyn recalled. “And I said, “No, I just said I’m for gay marriage.’” “The next week, she goes on Howard Stern’s radio show and says I was against gay marriage and absolutely burnt my a**,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum continued. “And so, in the media, I got really tough on her.” CAITLYN JENNER CALLS OUT JIMMY KIMMEL AFTER BEING CALLED ‘DONALD TRUMP IN A CAITLYN JENNER WIG’ MEGA The I Am Cait star confessed in the clip, “I could’ve handled a couple of things a little bit differently” after “blasting” DeGeneres following the incident. In her 2017 memoir, The Secrets of My Life, Jenner revealed that she felt DeGeneres had “alienated” her from “members of the LGBTQ community” after taking her comments of her evolving views out of context. “I believed, as anyone would, that that was exactly what she wanted to talk about my progression in terms of changing attitude over the years,” she wrote in her book. “I am for it. I did not initially understand why marriage was so important, influenced no doubt by my own personal experience. Now I do, and it’s a wonderful thing to see.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Will Smith looked unrecognizable during a television appearance days ago, leaving everyone to wonder if he had work done to his face. The 53-year-old has been promoting his new movie, King Richard, but his more youthful look has taken over headlines. Radar has spoken to two famous Beverly Hills plastic surgeons to the stars who are weighing in. MEGA Dr. Michael K. Obeng tells us there’s a noticeable difference in Will’s appearance. “Will definitely looks a lot smoother,” he tells us. According to Dr. Obeng, “his skin texture is better,” which can be achieved “with a series of micro-needling” and “CO 2 laser,” as well as “fat transfer to the face.” Dr. Obaid Chaudhry, MD agrees that something looks different. “Will Smith has a much fuller face,” he says, adding, “this can be achieved with fillers or fat transfer.” Dr. Chaudhry tells us that age plays a huge role. “As we age we lose fat in our face making us look gaunt even frail,” he explains. “Replacing the lost fat with the patient’s own fat will give a more youthful look.” It’s worth noting, neither of these plastic surgeons has worked on Will but they are experts in their field. MEGA Will set the internet on fire days ago, and his fans’ reactions were priceless. “What’s up with Will Smith’s face??” one person tweeted. “Will Smith doesn’t look like Will Smith,” added another. “What has he done to his face?” questioned a third. Others called his new look “robotic.” But not all the reactions were negative. Some fans believe he looks exactly like he did during his Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air days. Regardless, Will is thriving at 53 years old. Besides having a great family and a banging wife, Will’s career is on a high. His latest movie based on Serena and Venus Williams‘ dad has made a splash at the box office. MEGA View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives committee probing the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol said on Tuesday it issued five subpoenas to far-right extremist groups that have backed former President Donald Trump and individuals associated with those groups. Among others, the Select Committee said it issued subpoenas seeking testimony and documents to the Proud Boys group and to Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, who was its chairman, as well as to the Oath Keepers and its president, Elmer Stewart Rhodes. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chris Reese) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Americans with incomes over $1 million would see their taxes rise under President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” bill, the U.S. Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation said on Tuesday, correcting an earlier analysis that their taxes would fall. Under the bill passed last week by the House of Representatives and now being considered by the Senate, those with incomes of $1 million and more would be taxed at an average rate of 33.1%, up from the current 29.9%, the committee said. A previous analysis pegged the proposed average tax rate dropping to 28.2%. For those earning $500,000 to $1 million a year, taxes would fall to 27.2% under the bill, from the current $28.1%, instead of the previously reported reduction to 26.8%. Some Democrats have criticized the $1.75 trillion bill expanding social programs and attacking climate change because it would reduce taxes on some wealthy Americans, even as it would raise them for other high-income earners and corporations to cover the cost of the measure. Representative Jared Golden, the lone Democrat to vote against the House bill, expressed his opposition even with the corrected scoring. “I objected and continue to object to the fact that the single largest part of this bill is a $275 billion tax giveaway to millionaires and the wealthy. Regardless of the net tax change, there’s no excuse for that provision being in this bill,” Golden said on Twitter. The Democratic bill, which is expected to be opposed by all Republicans in Congress, would loosen a $10,000 cap on the deduction of state and local taxes, known as SALT. The change would mainly benefit wealthy taxpayers in coastal states that are heavily Democratic. The SALT cap was imposed under a tax reform law enacted in 2017 when Republicans controlled Congress and fellow Republican Donald Trump was president. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is aiming to pass Biden’s domestic investment bill by the end of this year. But first, moderate Democrats, including Senator Joe Manchin, are pushing for some revisions of the House-passed bill. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Leslie Adler) View the full article

It’s a very different thing than last year’s ‘Make Christmas Great Again’ also below.. Gay Santa is Smitten And Flirty, But Love Comes Slowly With Just 1 Night a Year in 'When Harry Met Santa', A Norwegian Xmas Ad That May Bring Tear: WATCH 16[This post contains video, click to play] It’s not some Santa and his elves hard core anything. It’s A long-distance, long-term relationship with all the issues, and a bit of a finer point on them. “When Harry Met Santa” is the story of an extremely long courtship (told in a very short ad format) The flirtation and courtship happens across decades of one-night-a-year year visits. Santa is a busy. They aren’t getting any younger and things haven’t really progressed, no surprise a day a year to get to know each other. The montage of first-date things spans years, decades of quick hits, funny gifts, flirty horsing around, awareness of the body aging, and deep looks. Each encounter ends with, “I’ll be back next year.” Oh, the yearning, Until this year, when Harry writes Santa to say Mariah Carey isn’t what he wants. “All i want for Xmas is you.” And, with a little help from Norway Post on the toy delivery front, Santa can spend real time with his man, and they deliver a make out session with leave us implying there is more to come. The Norway Post’s ad honors, appropriately smugly their leading the way flashing “In 2022 Norway Marks 50 years of being able to love whoever we want,” And they put an even finer point on the Norwegian democratic spirit ending “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year From All of Us. To All of Us.” All of it a very different thing than last year’s “Make Christmas Great Again” Trumpian Santa, but likely to make the friends of Fox as twisted and snow-flakey. Christmas 2020 Ad for The Norwegian Postal Service. Long versjon. It seems to be the year for #loveisloveisold with older gay couples likely less sexualized and more comfortable for brands, nonetheless interesting and bringing out good work like this ad ICYMI for Doritos (Doritos?) on Day of the Dead.. [This post contains video, click to play] Gay Santa on Towleroad Ghislaine Maxwell Reasoned She Should Look The Other Way With Ex Jeffrey Epstein Because Her Father Told Her To ‘Do Whatever It Takes To Keep Your Man’: Report More U.S. not heading toward COVID lockdown, White House says More US unions call for halt to Amazon buyout of MGM More Peter Jackson’s ‘Get Back’ finds joy in final days of the Beatles More US Justice Dept to pay $130 mn to Parkland victims’ families over FBI blunder More U.S. lawmakers call for privacy legislation after Reuters report on Amazon lobbying More Kevin Spacey to pay $31 mn after losing arbitration case with makers of ‘House of Cards’ More U.S. House panel probing Capitol riot subpoenas Roger Stone, Alex Jones More 2021 AMAs: Cardi B Hosts With Flair. BTS First Asian “Artist of Year”; JoJo Promises Cardi Xmas; New Kids / New Edition Collab ‘Depend’; Taylor, Olivia, Jlo More Democracy Slipping Away in More Nations Than Ever. Populism, Silencing Dissent With COVID, Disinformation To Blame, Says 34 Nation Intl. Institute More JK Rowling Calls Police After Being Doxxed, Trans-Activists Showed Up Outside Scotland Home More Load More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine A new documentary has uncovered the strong influence Ghislaine Maxwell‘s father had on her life and relationships. The new Discovery+ docuseries Chasing Ghislaine reportsthe accused accomplice to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had an extremely close relationship with her father Robert Maxwell. “She wanted to be like her father,” The Post journalist Vicky Ward states in the special, per New York Post. “It’s critical in understanding why a man like Jeffrey Epstein would have been so extraordinarily compelling to her.” Mega GHISLAINE MAXWELL REPORTEDLY ATTENDED FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO’S 1990 WEDDING TO KERRY KENNEDY, NEW BOOK CLAIMS According to Ward, a friend of Ghislaine’s had witnessed Epstein — who the 59-year-old allegedly dated at one point — take a young woman into a back room alone at his East Side offices in front of Ghislaine. The friend allegedly told Ghislaine that she did not have to “put up” with the late financier’s philandering ways, to which the former British socialite responded, “Yes, I do. My father taught me you do whatever it takes to keep your man.” Mega Robert Maxwell — a well known media tycoon in England — had a reputation for being ruthless and vindictive. Martin Dillon, the author of The Assassination of Robert Maxwell: Israel’s Superspy revealed, “The guy in many ways was a monster.” PRINCE ANDREW’S COUSIN SPILLS ON ‘REMORESLESS’ GHISLAINE MAXWELL IN NEW BOOK AS HER COUSIN’S SEXUAL ASSAULT DEPOSITION LOOMS The father-daughter duo had a very close bond — Robert even named one of his yachts “Lady Ghislaine” — that heavily influenced her choices in life. “Ghislaine was his darling,” Dillon explained. “A lot of girls love their fathers, even though they’re villains. And he was a villain.” Mega Her father was not the only family member to put Ghislaine on a pedestal. As OK! previously reported, the accused criminal’s brother and sister have also spoken out about the horrifying accusations lodged against their sister. Mega Ghislaine’s older sister Isabel Maxwell recently told CBS Mornings,”The picture that is being painted of my sister is one thousand degrees away from the person that I know.” Her brother Ian Maxwell also explained to the outlet, “I am extremely relieved that neither of our parents are alive to see it because they would have been profoundly shocked.” As OK! previously reported, Ghislaine has been held in a Brooklyn prison as she awaits her sex-trafficking trial. In April, Ghislaine — whose trial is set to begin in New York on November 29 — pled not guilty to two new charges of sex trafficking minors and sex trafficking conspiracy. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ahmed Aboulenein and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States does not need to impose a lockdown or shut down its economy to curb the spread of COVID-19 and will rely on other tools, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Monday. “We are not headed in that direction. We have the tools to accelerate the path out of this pandemic; widely available vaccinations, booster shots, kid shots, therapeutics,” Zients told reporters at a White House briefing. “We can curb the spread of the virus without having to in any way shut down our economy.” U.S. regulators expanded eligibility for booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to all adults on Friday, and 3 million people received them since, Zients said. “In fact, just across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we got 3 million booster shots into arms. A million booster shots per day,” he said. “Don’t delay, get your booster shot so you can have enhanced protection for COVID as we head into the winter.” Separately, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said U.S. health officials are not currently recommending lockdowns or economic restrictions to curb rising COVID-19 cases. Europe is once again the epicenter of the global pandemic with Austria reimposing full lockdown, riots breaking out in cities across the Netherlands over a partial lockdown, and many other countries imposing restrictions. The current seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in the United States rose 18% from last week’s average to 92,800 per day, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said at the briefing. U.S. hospitalizations rose 6% to an average of 5,600 per day and average daily deaths are about 1,000 per day, she said. Around 47 million eligible American adults and over 12 million teenagers are still not fully vaccinated, Walensky added. As of Sunday, COVID-19 had killed 776,188 people in the United States, according to a Reuters tally. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and David Gregorio) View the full article