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Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Over 100,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses during the 12-month period ending April 2021, setting a grim record, according to data published on Wednesday. That marks a 28.5% jump from the previous year, with deaths from opioids such as fentanyl, which can be 100 times more potent than morphine, and psychostimulants including methamphetamine helping drive the increase, provisional data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed. “As we continue to make strides to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot overlook this epidemic of loss, which has touched families and communities across the country,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement. Data in July showed https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-drug-overdose-deaths-rise-30-record-during-pandemic-2021-07-14 that last year’s drug overdoses jumped 30% as pandemic lockdowns made getting treatment difficult and dealers laced more drugs with fentanyl or copycat versions of the potent opioid. Drug suppliers more frequently mixed the powerful synthetic opioid with cocaine and methamphetamine to boost their effects, health officials said. Even minuscule amounts of fentanyl make the drugs far more dangerous to users. The new data showed that deaths from cocaine and prescription pain drugs also increased compared to the previous year. The U.S. states with the biggest percentage spike in overdose deaths were Vermont at 70%, followed by West Virginia (62.2%) and Kentucky (54.5%). (Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Back in 2018, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s electric chemistry in A Star Is Born was all anyone could talk about. During an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter the actor, 46, finally responded to all of the speculation that he and the “Perfect Illusion” singer, 35, were more than co-stars acting out an epic love story on screen. MEGA “Just from a personal standpoint, it reduces the anxiety level,” Cooper told the entertainment outlet about his connection with Gaga. LADY GAGA REVEALS SHE WORE ‘BULLETPROOF’ DRESS WHILE SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM AT PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S INAUGURATION “They [Jackson and Ally] kind of fall in love in that scene in the film,” the director explained, referring to the duo singing “Shallow” for the first time. “It’s that explosive moment that happens to them on a stage in front of thousands of people…It would have been so weird if we were both on stools facing the audience.” While addressing the steamy Oscars performance between the two, the outlet revealed that Cooper “had conceived the performance to unfold like a scene from the movie in part to help manage his own fears about singing live.” MEGA As OK! previously reported, in 2019 — Gaga tackled the rumors head on during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live following the live performance of the headline-making duet. BARBRA STREISAND WAS ‘SURPRISED’ BY HOW SIMILAR BRADLEY COOPER & LADY GAGA’S ‘A STAR IS BORN’ WAS TO THE 1976 VERSION SHE STARRED IN When the late night host told the vocalist that people thought “Oh, they must be in love,” Gaga replied — “Yes, people saw love and guess what? That’s what we wanted you to see.” MEGA “This is a love song, ‘Shallow.’ The movie A Star Is Born, it’s a love story,” the “Born This Way” musician explained. “We worked all week on that performance,” as she added “Bradley had the vision for how it should go.” The actress further clarified “I’m an artist and I guess we did a good job. Fooled ya!” Cooper and Gaga starred as Ally and Jackson Mane in the highly acclaimed musical film. The songwriter took home an Oscar for Best Original Song for penning “Shallow” as well as a nomination for Best Actress. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nichola Groom (Reuters) -The Biden administration on Wednesday kicked off an auction of oil drilling rights to 80 million acres in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico days after joining a global agreement that for the first time targeted fossil fuels as the main driver of global warming. The sale by the Department of Interior is the first under President Joe Biden, whose administration paused drilling sales under a promise to end development on federal properties. But Biden lost a court fight to oil-producing states that sued to reinstate the sales. Sale statistics released by the administration early on Wednesday indicated higher interest in drilling tracts from oil and gas companies than in recent government sales. Interior said 307 tracts received bids from 29 companies. At the department’s last Gulf lease sale a year ago, 93 tracts received bids from 23 companies. The auction was being live-streamed early on Wednesday, and early bidders included Exxon Mobil Corp, BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Talos Energy Inc. The administration has appealed and a suit by environmental groups seeking to halt the sale is pending. The U.S. is moving ahead to hold onshore lease auctions in several states early next year. Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management was auctioning almost all available unleased Gulf of Mexico blocks, 80 million acres, at a live-streamed event on Wednesday morning. It is the first opportunity to test the oil and gas industry’s demand for Gulf acreage with energy prices at multi-year highs. U.S. crude futures on Tuesday settled at $80.76 a barrel, up 95% in the last 12 months. The Trump administration’s final Gulf sale, held last November, generated a modest $121 million in high bids. But oil companies Shell, BP and Chevron are seizing on the higher prices to advance offshore projects. Despite the court-ordered resumption of auctions, Interior spokesperson Melissa Schwartz said the agency was “conducting a more comprehensive analysis of greenhouse gas impacts from potential oil and gas lease sales than ever before.” Environmentalists called for Biden to halt the sale via executive order. “Biden has the authority to stop this, but instead he’s casting his lot in with the fossil fuel industry,” said Kristen Monsell, senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. (Reporting by Nichola Groom; additional reporting by Sebastien Malo in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mark and Patricia McCloskey, known for pulling guns on BLM supporters in front of their home, not only showed up to Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial for a second day but were seen posing with a man throwing up a sign used by white supremacists. Daily Mail obtained photos of the couple, who became conservative celebrities last year, outside the Wisconsin courthouse where 18-year-old Rittenhouse is facing five felonies. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two men and injuring a third individual on August 25, 2020, in Kenosha during protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. MEGA Mark, who is running for the US Senate seat in Missouri, was seen standing next to a man flashing the OK sign, which is known to be used by racists. Kyle Rittenhouse Trial: Defendant’s Lawyers Accuse Prosecution Of ‘Lying’ When They Say Their Client Provoked Violence In Kenosha IN the photo, Mark, who is wearing a suit, is standing next to a man in a blue shirt who proudly makes the hand signal for the camera. Another man next to Mark is seen wearing an American flag mask that concealed his identity. MEGA Outside the courthouse, Mark told the media he was there to support Rittenhouse and even compared their stories. “We are just here to support people’s Second Amendment rights and defend themselves, especially when the government abdicates that duty and fails to protect its citizens,” he said. The couple said they hope the jury finds Rittenhouse not guilty of all charges. Barry Diller Takes The Stand For First Time In Billion-Dollar Tinder Lawsuit If you recall, last year, Mark and Patricia came out of their St. Louis home armed with guns after Black Lives Matters supporters marched through their gated neighborhood. Earlier this year, the McCloskeys pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges over the incident with Black Lives Matter members. The court ordered them to pay a fine. Eventually, the Republican Missouri Governor, Mike Parson, pardoned Mark and his wife. The potential politician said outside the courthouse he had no regrets and wouldn’t change his actions with BLM. MEGA View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen (Reuters) – A lawyer for one of the three white men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery when the Black man ran through their mostly white southern Georgia neighborhood told a jury on Wednesday that Arbery could have called out to his client for help but did not. William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, was the last to join the pursuit of Arbery on the afternoon of Feb. 23, 2020, in Satilla Shores, a leafy cluster of homes outside the small coastal city of Brunswick. Bryan recorded the cellphone video of Arbery, 25, being killed with a shotgun after the two other defendants chased the jogger in pickup trucks and cornered him. The video caused outrage when it was published more than two months after the shooting. Bryan along with father-and-son co-defendants Gregory McMichael, 65, and Travis McMichael, 35, have pleaded not guilty to murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. They say they thought Arbery might have committed a crime before they chased him and were trying to make a legal citizen’s arrest. They face life in prison if convicted of murder. Here are some important moments from the ninth day of evidence presentation on Wednesday in Glynn County Superior Court: OPENING STATEMENT BY KEVIN GOUGH, LAWYER FOR BRYAN: Bryan was outside making repairs on his porch when a Black man he had never seen before ran by, pursued by a pickup truck. Arbery could have called out to Bryan for help, Gough said. “Arbery has the opportunity to say and speak out, ‘Help! Call 911! There’s crazy people after me,'” Gough told the jury. “That doesn’t happen.” Prosecutors from the Cobb County district attorney’s office had earlier told the jury that the defendants had “assumed the worst” about a Black man running in their neighborhood, saying Arbery was simply an avid runner out for a Sunday jog. “Mr. Bryan hasn’t assumed the worst about anyone,” Gough said, “Mr. Arbery has assumed the worst about Mr. Bryan.” Bryan joined the chase of Arbery because “he knows the difference between running to something and running from something,” Gough said. He emphasized that, unlike the McMichaels, he did not grab his gun from his home before getting in his pickup truck. Though opening statements by both sides usually happen before the prosecution case begins, Gough asked to defer his statement until after the prosecution rested, which it did on Tuesday. Before beginning and before the jury was brought in, Gough again complained https://www.reuters.com/world/us/defense-lawyer-ahmaud-arbery-trial-asks-jesse-jackson-be-removed-court-2021-11-15 about the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other civil rights activists being seated with Arbery’s parents in the courtroom’s public gallery, which Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley again rebuffed. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York and Rich McKay in Atlanta; editing by Ross Colvin and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by AFP 'QAnon shaman' Jacob Chansley with other supporters of Donald Trump during the storming of the US Capitol on January 6 2021 Washington (AFP) – The self-proclaimed “shaman” whose bare chest and horned fur headgear made him the face of the January 6 assault on the US Capitol was sentenced Wednesday to 41 months in prison. Jacob Chansley, 34, had pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding after taking part in the storming of the US Senate chamber by supporters of former president Donald Trump. The court heard how, after entering the chamber, Chansley had taken then-vice president Mike Pence’s seat on the dais, leaving behind a message saying: “It’s only a matter of time. Justice is coming.” “Men of honor admit when they’re wrong,” Chansley told the court. “I was wrong for entering the Capitol. I had no excuse,” he said. In a long, rambling statement, Chansley praised the judge and made references to Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha and US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. “I’m not an insurrectionist. I’m certainly not a domestic terrorist,” he said. The sentence matched the stiffest yet meted out to the hundreds of Trump supporters who took part in the assault. Democrats have labeled the attack an insurrection that sought to block the Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the November 2020 presidential election. Federal prosecutors had sought as much as 51 months in prison for Chansley, a promoter of the QAnon conspiracy theories who had traveled the country appearing at pro-Trump rallies. Ahead of the sentencing, Assistant US Attorney Kimberly Paschall played for the court videos of Chansley in the Senate chamber, moments after Pence and senators had been evacuated due to the attack. In the video, Chansley, carrying a spear with a US flag attached and his face painted in red, white and blue, gives a long howl and shouts “time’s up,” adding an epithet. “If the defendant had been peaceful on that day, we would not be here… The defendant’s activities were anything but peaceful,” Paschall told the court. But Chansley’s lawyer Albert Watkins said Chansley has long suffered from diagnosed mental illness and was genuinely remorseful. “He is accountable and wants to be held accountable,” Watkins said. Chansley recounted a difficult childhood and family life and said he had been diagnosed with a personality disorder. Chansley was one of more than 600 people charged over the January 6 attack, which succeeded in delaying for several hours the certification of Biden as the incoming president. Most of the sentences, mainly for charges of illegal entry into the Capitol, have been fairly light. But most of the more serious cases, relating to conspiracy and assault on police officers, have yet to be heard. One assailant, Scott Fairlamb of New Jersey, was sentenced in early November to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty for his part in the attack and for assaulting a police officer. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Moira Warburton and David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives was poised to punish a Republican lawmaker on Wednesday over an anime video that depicted him killing progressive Democrat Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and swinging two swords at President Joe Biden. The House was slated to vote on a resolution to censure Representative Paul Gosar and strip him of two congressional committee assignments – a move likely to draw only a smattering of support from Republicans who have largely decried the Democrats’ action as partisan politics. Gosar posted an anime video https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-gosar/u-s-democrats-move-to-censure-republican-gosar-for-violent-video-idUSKBN2HX1UV this month that showed him killing Ocasio-Cortez. It was the latest instance of escalating violent rhetoric in Congress, 10 months after thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers prepared to certify his election defeat. Gosar, a staunch Trump ally and hardline conservative, removed the video from Twitter and Instagram but has offered no apology to Ocasio-Cortez, according to the Democratic lawmaker. A 62-year-old Arizona Republican, Gosar described the Trump followers who assaulted the Capitol as “peaceful patriots”, voted against finalizing Biden’s 2020 election victory in January and backed Trump’s claims of a stolen election. If the censure measure were adopted, Gosar would be required to stand in the well of the House while the resolution is read. He would also be ejected from the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Oversight and Reform Committee, where he serves alongside Ocasio-Cortez. Democrats say the action is necessary because House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has refused to discipline Gosar. Democrat Majority Whip James Clyburn told CNN on Wednesday that he thought the House should be voting to expel Gosar, but that such a decision was the responsibility of Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. House Republican leaders were recommending but not requiring their members vote no on the motion, according to a source familiar with the matter. The resolution is expected to draw support from at least two Republicans who oppose Trump: Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who both sit on a House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. House Democrats stripped firebrand Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-republicans/u-s-house-punishes-republican-congresswoman-over-incendiary-remarks-idUSKBN2A42IF of her committee assignments this year for incendiary remarks that included support for violence against Democrats. The last time a U.S. House member was censured was 2010, when the action was taken against then-Democratic Representative Charles Rangel after he was found guilty of several ethics violations, including improper fundraising and inaccurate financial disclosure reports and federal tax returns. (Reporting by David Morgan and Moira WarburtonEditing by Scott Malone and Mark Heinrich) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser Steve Bannon on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he defied a congressional subpoena from a U.S. House panel investigating the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to court documents. Bannon, who made his initial appearance in federal court on Monday, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress. Bannon has vowed to fight the congressional subpoena, telling reporters outside the courthouse on Monday that he believes the prosecution is a politically motivated attack against him by President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He was due to be arraigned in court on Thursday, but agreed to waive his right to a formal reading of the indictment, according to court documents filed on Wednesday. The U.S. House of Representatives, led by the Democrats, voted on Oct. 21 to hold Bannon in contempt, leaving it up to the Justice Department, headed by Garland, to decide on any charges. A Republican, Trump has sought to stonewall the House committee and directed his associates not to cooperate, claiming that a former president has a right to keep the requested material confidential under a legal doctrine called executive privilege. Bannon, a prominent figure in right-wing media circles, was an architect of Trump’s 2016 presidential victory and served as White House chief strategist in 2017. He faces one contempt count for refusing to appear for a deposition before the House Select Committee and a second for refusing to produce documents. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison along with a fine of up to $100,000. In a fiery speech before the riot, Trump told followers to “fight like hell.” Four people died in the riot. A Capitol Police officer attacked by protesters died a day later and four officers later took their own lives. About 140 officers were injured. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) – The Manhattan District Attorney’s office said it will act to exonerate two men convicted of killing Black activist and civil rights advocate Malcolm X in 1965 in what will represent an official acknowledgement of errors made in the case. Malcolm X rose to prominence as the national spokesman of the Nation of Islam, an African-American Muslim group that espoused Black separatism. He spent more over a decade with the group before becoming disillusioned, publicly breaking with it in 1964 and moderating some of his earlier views on racial separation. He was shot dead at New York’s Audubon Ballroom while preparing to deliver a speech. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted in the shooting. The District Attorney’s move was first reported by the New York Times and confirmed to Reuters by a spokesperson for the Manhattan DA’s office on Wednesday. In an interview with the Times, Cyrus Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, apologized on behalf of law enforcement, which he said had failed the families of the two men – Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam. “This points to the truth that law enforcement over history has often failed to live up to its responsibilities,” Vance said. “These men did not get the justice that they deserved.” A nearly two-year investigation conducted jointly by the Manhattan DA and lawyers for the two men found that prosecutors and law enforcement agencies withheld key evidence that, had it been turned over, would likely have led to the pair’s acquittal, according to the Times. Some historians and scholars have contended that the wrong men were convicted. Vance’s office said last year it would review the convictions in the case. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Heinrich) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – In-person jury selection began on Tuesday in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite accused of grooming underage girls for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse. Here’s an explanation of how the process will work: WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR? Between Nov. 4 and Nov. 12, more than 600 prospective jurors filled out questionnaires asking what they had heard about Maxwell and Epstein, as well as their own experiences with sexual abuse or assault. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? Of that initial pool, U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan plans to question 231 individuals in person, a process known as voir dire. Nathan will ask whether potential jurors know any of the Maxwell accusers who will be testifying and if they have opinions about people with “luxurious lifestyles” that would prevent them from being impartial. Due to the personal nature of many of the questions, prospective jurors will appear individually before Nathan and lawyers for both sides. Nathan will dismiss candidates whose answers indicate they could be biased, known as a strike for cause. Both prosecutors and defense attorneys will be able to object to those rulings and propose follow-up questions. Nathan said she hopes to have a pool of 50 to 60 qualified jurors by the time voir dire is complete on Nov. 19. Attorneys for both sides will then select dozens of jurors to be removed from the pool without specifying a reason – known as a peremptory strike. Opening statements are scheduled for Nov. 29. The trial is expected to last six weeks. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL SERVE ON THE JURY? The Manhattan federal court jury will consist of 12 jurors and six alternates. WHO WILL BE ON THE JURY? The identities of the jurors will not be made public because of the sensitive nature of the case and the personal questions they will be asked during jury selection. The jury pool is drawn from Manhattan and the Bronx, as well as some of New York City’s northern suburbs. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kim Kardashian West has appealed for an incarcerated man to be removed from Death Row. The 41-year-old reality TV star and aspiring lawyer has urged Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt to save the life of Julius Jones, 41, a man who was found guilty of shooting Paul Howell during a carjacking in 1999, but has insisted he is innocent. In a Twitter thread, Kim revealed to followers that Julius is due to be put to death on Thursday (18.11.21), despite the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board’s recommendation his life be spared and called on the state official to accept the recommendation. She wrote: “We are all anxiously awaiting a decision from Governor Stitt. “He can choose to accept the recommendation (for a second time) from the Parole Board, to grant Julius Clemency/Life w. the possibility of parole or have him executed Thursday the 18th. “Julius, his family and everyone on his team are still hopeful Stitt will do the right thing. Today Julius’ family and close friends received invites to his execution. I can’t even imagine how they all must be feeling right now.(sic)” Kim detailed the treatment Julius – who was just 19 when the crime took place – has received over the last two weeks and accused the state of being set on “vengeance”. She tweeted: “JuliusJones has been on death watch for more than two weeks. In preparation for his execution on 18 November, he is alone in his prison cell just feet away from the executioner’s chamber. “He has been strip-searched, x-rayed, and issued a new set of clothes, shoes, mattress and bedding “Julius is being closely monitored by staff – every meal he has and every liquid he consumes is logged. His personal property has been catalogued and he has designated who is to receive it after he is put to death. He has also designated who will receive his remains. The state is so bent on vengeance that they will make every effort to ensure they get to kill Julius- including reviving him if he happens to go into cardiac arrest prior to the execution. “Like all incarcerated people put to death by the Oklahoma Dept of Corrections, #JuliusJones organs are not eligible for donation. The staff who will administer his execution are being selected and trained to put him to his death. “On Thursday, the Inspector General will obtain the body bag and tag from the medical examiner’s office and all witnesses for the execution will be selected. Next week, they will restrict access to the unit where Julius is housed and they will perform equipment checks. “At 9pm the day before his execution, #JuliusJones phone privileges will be terminated and he will receive his last meal. He will be checked on every 15 minutes for the last four hours of his life. Then, he will be put to death. “This is the cold machinery of the Death Penalty in America. In just over two weeks, an innocent man could be put to death. My heart breaks for Julius and so many others who have suffered from such tragic miscarriage of justice.(sic)” Kim has previously visited Julius in prison and has advocated for other people on death row. In 2019, she successfully spoke out on behalf of Rodney Reed, a Texas inmate who was convicted of the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites, to get him a fresh trial. She has done similar work for Brandon Bernard, appealing to the then-US President Donald Trump to stop him being put to death in 2020 and turn his sentence into a life in custody for his involvement in the 1999 kidnapping of two youth ministers Todd and Stacey Bagley. Kim also persuaded Trump to release Alice Marie Johnson, who had been given a life sentence for a first-time drug offence. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nathan Layne KENOSHA, Wis. (Reuters) -The judge in the Wisconsin murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse instructed the jury on Tuesday to begin deliberating on the fate of the teenager, who killed two men and wounded a third during racial justice protests last year. The jury, which numbered 18 through two weeks of testimony, was whittled down to 12 for deliberations. Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder told the jury to begin weighing the case, which pits the prosecution’s argument that Rittenhouse recklessly shot the men without justification, against the teenager’s assertion that he acted in self-defense. “OK folks, you can retire to consider your verdicts,” Schroeder said. Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with killing Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, on Aug. 25, 2020. The shootings took place in Kenosha during protests – marred by arson, rioting and looting – that followed the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, who was left paralyzed from the waist down. Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty and took the stand last week to argue that he only fired his weapon after the men attacked him. He said Rosenbaum, the first person he shot that night, grabbed the barrel of his semi-automatic rifle. On Monday, prosecutors and defense counsel gave their closing arguments, offering widely different portrayals of the defendant. Prosecutors described Rittenhouse as a reckless vigilante who provoked the series of violent encounters, first by raising his rifle in a threatening way, then by shooting Rosenbaum which created an “active shooter” situation which others tried to stop. The defense said Rittenhouse, who carried a medical kit in addition to his gun, merely wanted to help the injured and protect a used-car dealership from the kind of property damage that Kenosha had seen over two nights prior to the shooting. The shootings have emerged as the most closely watched case involving a civilian’s right to self-defense since George Zimmerman was acquitted in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager, in 2013. Like Zimmerman, Rittenhouse has become a polarizing figure, viewed as heroic by some conservatives who favor expansive gun rights and as a symbol of a reckless American gun culture by many on the left. (Reporting by Nathan LayneEditing by Alistair Bell and Ross Colvin) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Maria Caspani NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City’s Times Square will once again fill with revelers ringing in the new year on Dec. 31, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday, but only if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Last year, the still-raging coronavirus pandemic allowed only a handful of invited guests, including essential workers, to witness in person the dropping of the iconic New Year’s Eve ball, signaling the start of the new year. “We can finally get back together again,” de Blasio told reporters, touting New York City’s recovery after more than a year of pandemic hardship. “It’s going to be amazing, it’s going to be a joy for this city.” Visitors to the area will be asked to provide proof of vaccination and a valid photo ID, de Blasio said. Security checkpoints will be in place to check documentation of those seeking to enter Times Square for the festivities. “We will require spectators five and older who are eligible to be fully vaccinated,” said Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance. “If you are unable to get vaccinated because of a disability, we will require a proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours.” Masks will be required for those unable to get vaccinated, he added. Earlier this month, U.S. health authorities authorized the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech for children aged 5 to 11. (Reporting by Maria Caspani, Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by AFP This March 7, 2011 NASA handout image shows a close-up view of the International Space Station Washington (AFP) – The United States said Monday it was investigating a “debris-generating event in outer space” after astronauts on the International Space Station were forced to prepare for a possible evacuation. It came amid unconfirmed reports that Russia had carried out an anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) test — rare show-of-force demonstrations criticized by the space community because of the risk they create for crews in low Earth orbit. “US Space Command is aware of a debris-generating event in outer space. We are actively working to characterize the debris field and will continue to ensure all space-faring nations have the information necessary to maneuver satellites if impacted,” the agency said. “We are also in the process of working with… the State Department and NASA, concerning these reports and will provide an update in the near future.” NASA has not yet commented, but its Russian counterpart Roscomos, downplayed the incident. “The orbit of the object, which forced the crew today to move into spacecraft according to standard procedures, has moved away from the ISS orbit. The station is in the green zone,” the agency tweeted. “Friends, everything is regular with us! We continue to work according to the program,” tweeted Anton Shkaplerov, the current commander of the outpost. Earlier, NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer floated into their SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for safety, according to a report by Spaceflight now. At the same time, Russian cosmonauts Shkaplerov, Pyotr Dubrov, and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei boarded a Soyuz spacecraft on the Russian segment, the outlet added. Both spacecraft can be used as lifeboats to bring crew back to Earth in an emergency. US space industry analyst Serata tweeted the debris might have been caused by a missile test. “ASAT missile strike now suspected. Seradata SpaceTrak database orbital data had Cosmos 1408 (an old Soviet satellite) in a 487 x 461 km orbit — a bit higher than ISS but not much,” the company tweeted. “The ASAT strike on Cosmos 1408 would cause some debris to be fired below it…threatening ISS with a crossing debris cloud.” View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced legislation on Monday that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and eliminate legal hazards facing many cannabis-related businesses while regulating its use like alcohol. Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who is spear-heading the legislative effort, described the bill as a “compromise” with less onerous regulations than measures proposed earlier by other lawmakers including Democrats. The legislation’s path in the Democratic-controlled House was uncertain. Mace, a first-term lawmaker, said the measure has five Republican co-sponsors. Adult use of cannabis is legal https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx in 18 U.S. states and allowed medically in 36 states. But it remains illegal under federal law, which has deterred banks and other investors from involvement with companies that sell marijuana or related products. “This bill would also support businesses, in particular small businesses. That’s very important,” Mace told a news conference. “If we were to pass this bill today … businesses would operate and be legal and regulated just like alcohol.” Titled the States Reform Act, the Republican legislation would defer to state authorities on matters of prohibition and regulation. It would prohibit marijuana use by those under 21, restrict advertising, protect access to hiring and benefits for veterans who have used cannabis and expunge the records of people convicted on nonviolent, cannabis-only related offenses. The bill diverges in several important ways from draft legislation https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-democrats-release-discussion-draft-federally-legalize-cannabis-2021-07-14 proposed in July by Senate Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Mace’s bill would impose a 3% excise tax on cannabis, compared to an increasing Senate tax proposal that would top out at around 25%. Where the Senate proposal would give the Food and Drug Administration a primary oversight role, the Republican legislation limits FDA involvement to medical marijuana and makes the Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau the primary regulator for interstate commerce. (Reporting by David Morgan; editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the couple who made national headlines after aiming their guns at protestors passing by their St. Louis home last year, showed up outside the Kenosha courthouse where closing arguments are being made in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. According to Fox News, the McCloskey couple showed up outside the Kenosha courthouse today as the lawyers defending Kyle Rittenhouse were finishing up their closing arguments to the court and jury. Mark, who plead guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault earlier this past summer, is currently running for the United States Senate in Missouri. mega Both Mark and Patricia McCloskey are staunch supporters of gun rights as well as advocates for using guns for self-defense. “I’d do it again,” Mark told reporters in St. Louis after pleading guilty to assault in June. “Any time the mob approaches me, I’ll do what I can to put them in imminent threat of physical injury because that’s what kept them from destroying my house and my family.” It is no surprise that the McCloskey couple arrived outside the courthouse where the Rittenhouse trial is wrapping up, particularly because the big argument within the courthouse is centered around whether or not the defendant acted in self-defense when he fatally shot two individuals and injured a third during a night of unrest in Kenosha on August 25, 2020. mega But while the St. Louis couple showed up to seemingly join the protestors protesting in that Rittenhouse should be found innocent, there are also plenty of protestors outside the courthouse protesting that Rittenhouse should be found guilty for killing two people and injuring a third with a gun he brought in from out of state. This all comes only hours after Radar reported how the whole city of Kenosha is preparing and bracing for the final verdict of this trial to be reached. As we previously reported, this past Friday Governor Tony Evers announced that 500 members of the National Guard would be present and on standby in Kenosha as the trial comes to an end. In addition to the presence of the National Guard, citizens and business owners in Kenosha have reportedly started to board up their windows in preparation of potential unrest following the verdict. Although the defense and prosecution’s closing arguments were being made today, that does not mean a final verdict will definitely be reached anytime soon. According to reports, the jury’s deliberation regarding the final verdict could take anywhere from hours, to days, to even weeks. mega View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Malcolm McDowell feels disconnected from Hollywood. The 78-year-old actor – who was raised in Liverpool, England, and now lives in Santa Barbara, California – has confessed to feeling detached from the “Hollywood scene”. He shared: “I’m not part of the Hollywood scene. Actually, Hollywood people still think I live in England.” Malcolm admits that his own approach to movie-making doesn’t chime with the culture of Hollywood. He told The Independent: “They are not making the kind of movies I liked and was in. How many Marvel movies do you want to see?” Malcolm remains a huge fan of Liverpool Football Club and he’s still an avid follower of the soccer team, even though he lives thousands of miles away. The actor – who has kids Lilly, 40, Charlie, 38, Beckett, 17, Finnian, 14, and Seamus, 12 – said: “I don’t miss it at all because I see every game. They’re all shown live in California. “Once I got so excited I screamed out loud, and my neighbours knocked on my door they were so worried. And I can tell you the houses aren’t exactly close together. It then turned out they know Liverpool’s American owners, and we’re all coming back to watch Liverpool vs Spurs later in the season. I will be bringing my 12-year-old.” Meanwhile, Malcolm previously admitted he can barely remember any of his on-screen roles. The veteran star has appeared in around 300 productions during his career, but he doesn’t have many vivid memories of his performances. He said: “People stop me and say: ‘Oh, we loved you in blah-blah’ and I say: ‘Sorry, that wasn’t me.’ And then they’ll show me on their phone or show me the DVD cover and sure enough, there I am. And I have no memory of doing it at all.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Tuesday will hear arguments in a long-running lawsuit over whether Congress can obtain former President Donald Trump’s tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service. Trump was the first president in 40 years not to release his tax returns as he aimed to keep secret the details of his wealth and activities of his family company, the Trump Organization. The dispute lingers on some 10 months after he left office. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden in Washington will hold a court hearing in the case at 2 p.m. ET (1900 GMT). Trump’s lawyers have asked McFadden to dismiss the case, which dates back to 2019, saying the House Ways and Means Committee made an illegitimate request to see the tax returns. Democratic Representative Richard Neal, the committee’s chairman, has said it requested Trump’s tax returns to examine how the IRS audits presidents and to consider new legislation. In an Oct. 26 court filing, Trump’s lawyers called that rationale a pretext for wanting to search for information that will embarrass Trump. “No one believes that Chairman Neal requested President Trump’s tax returns so he can study legislation about IRS audits. No one,” Trump’s lawyers said. The case has moved slowly in the courts, partly because the U.S. Justice Department reversed positions. In July, six months after President Joe Biden took office, it released a memo saying the House panel had offered “sufficient reasons” for requesting the material. In 2019, under Trump, it said the request for his taxes by the committee was based on a “disingenuous” objective aimed at exposing them to the public. The U.S. Supreme Court last year ruled against Trump in an unrelated case about whether a Manhattan prosecutor could see his tax returns as part of a criminal investigation against his business. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Scott Malone and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by NJ.com In his new book, Chris Christie describes the bout with COVID he had in 2020 while he was helping to prepare President Donald Trump for his debates with Joe Biden. After returning from Washington following one such session, he writes, he decided to self-quarantine in his summer home in Bay Head to minimize the risk of catching COVID and perhaps passing it on to the president. But the former governor was soon hit by the symptoms of the virus. He felt well enough to drive himself to Morristown Medical Center, where he was immediately put in the Intensive Care Unit. Christie writes of pondering t… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michael Erman and Emma Farge (Reuters) – Pfizer Inc said on Tuesday it will allow generic manufacturers to supply its experimental antiviral COVID-19 pill to 95 low- and middle-income countries through a licensing agreement with international public health group Medicines Patent Pool (MPP). The voluntary licensing agreement between Pfizer and the MPP will allow the United Nations-backed group to grant sub-licenses to qualified generic drug manufacturers to make their own versions of PF-07321332. Pfizer will sell the pills it manufactures under the brand name Paxlovid. Pfizer, which also makes one of the mostly widely used COVID-19 vaccines, has said the pill cut the chance of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of severe disease by 89% in its clinical trial. The drug will be used in combination with ritonavir, an HIV drug that is already available generically. Pfizer’s licensing deal follows a similar arrangement by rival Merck & Co for generic manufacturing of its COVID-19 treatment. The deals are unusual arrangements that acknowledge the dire need for effective treatments as well as the pressure drugmakers are under to make their life saving drugs accessible at very low costs. “We are extremely pleased to have another weapon in our armoury to protect people from the ravages of COVID-19,” Charles Gore, Executive Director of the Medicines Patent Pool, said in an interview. Gore said he hoped the generic version of Pfizer’s drug will be available within months. The 95 countries in the license agreement cover around 53% of the world’s population and include all low- and lower-middle-income countries and some upper-middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. They also include countries that have transitioned from lower-middle to upper-middle-income status in the past five years, Pfizer and the MPP said. “We believe oral antiviral treatments can play a vital role in reducing the severity of COVID-19 infections… We must work to ensure that all people – regardless of where they live or their circumstances – have access to these breakthroughs,” Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said in a statement. Pfizer will waive royalties on sales in low-income countries. It will also waive them in the other countries covered by the agreement as long as COVID-19 remains classified as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. Pfizer’s version of the drug will be in high demand. The company has said it expects to manufacture 180,000 treatment courses by the end of next month and at least 50 million courses by the end of 2022. Even so, the drugmaker could be stretched trying to supply 47% of the world’s population. A Pfizer executive said last week the market for the drug might be up to 150 million people and that many countries might also be interested in buying doses for their strategic reserves. Pfizer has said it will sell the supply it produces using a tiered pricing approach based on the income level of each country. In the United States, it expects to price its treatment close to where Merck has priced its drug at around $700 a course. Merck has license agreements for it COVID-19 pill, molnupiravir, in over 100 countries. Still, some international health officials said even that is not enough for the medicine to reach many in low- and middle-income countries in large enough numbers. (This story corrects to fix typo in lead paragraph) (Reporting by Michael Erman and Emma Farge; Editing by David Gregorio) View the full article

Google launches pets as part of it’s Arts & Culture free app that you likely still have from the launch of finding your face in museums. Miss Frida tried it out and there’s only one hilarious fail. Published by BANG Showbiz English Google has launched a new tool which matches pets to their “art doubles”. Pet Portraits – which uses machine learning to match someone’s furry friend with their doppelganger from collections in institutions around the world – has been added to the tech giant’s Arts & Culture App for both iOS and Android. Michelle Luo – Product Manager, Google Arts & Culture – explained in a blog post: “When you take a photo in Pet Portraits, our trained computer vision algorithm recognises where your pet is, crops the image and puts them where they belong: front and centre. “Once that is done, a machine learning algorithm matches your pet’s photo with over tens of thousands of artworks from our partners’ outstanding collections to find the ones that look most similar. “Now it’s time for them to enter the spotlight: Share your pet’s #PetPortraits as a single still image or select multiple images to animate together as a GIF slideshow.” The feature also allows people to tap on the result to learn more about the stories and artists behind each piece of art. Luo added: “Pet Portraits [is] a way for your dog, cat, fish, bird, reptile, horse, or rabbit to discover their very own art doubles among tens of thousands of works from partner institutions around the world. “Your animal companion could be matched with ancient Egyptian figurines, vibrant Mexican street art, serene Chinese watercolours, and more.” View the full article

Published by AFP Friday's bomb scare occurred six years after the December 14, 2012 slaughter that saw gunman Adam Lanza enter the school with an assault rifle and shoot dead 20 six- and seven-year-olds along with six teachers New York (AFP) – A US judge ruled Monday in favor of parents who sued conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for saying that the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school was a hoax, a lawyer for the families said. Twenty-six children and teachers were shot dead at the school in Newton, Connecticut in December 2012 by 20-year-old gunman Adam Lanza, who then killed himself. Jones, a far-right broadcaster who runs the Infowars website, has claimed the mass shooting was staged as part of a government plot to take away Americans’ guns. He even said that the bereaved families were paid actors. In 2018, six families of victims filed a lawsuit against him, claiming that he had made millions of dollars from peddling a narrative he knew to be false. Connecticut judge Barbara Bellis held Jones liable by default after he refused to hand over documents, including financial records, requested by the court, US media reported. “Mr. Jones was given every opportunity to comply but when he chose instead to withhold evidence for more than two years the court was left with no choice but to rule as it did today,” Chris Mattei, who represents the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “While today’s ruling is a legal victory, the battle to shed light on how deeply Mr. Jones has harmed these families continues,” he added. A judge in Texas recently issued similar rulings in three defamation lawsuits brought by Sandy Hook families there. Juries in both states will now decide how much Jones, who has since acknowledged that the shooting was real, must pay the families. View the full article

=Buck SlipAll too well. How well did SNL leverage Swift having her step in on Pete Davidson’s satirical song roasting of SNL’s ‘3 Sad Virgins’, ostensibly part of writing team.— ‘Man Park’ is an instant classic you’ll replay. — And a Bee Gees Bonus, 1963 ‘Blowing in the Wind’ [This post contains video, click to play] Published by OK Magazine Jake Gyllenhaalhas been spotted for the first time since Taylor Swift’sbombshell song “All Too Well’ was released last week. Swift’s esteemed track — which has long been beloved by her fans as one her most emotional break-up songs — was released in its original 10-minute form as part of her re-recorded Red album drop on Friday, November 12. The music mogul, 31, also released a short film starring Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink to go along with the tune’s heartbreaking lyrics, which are widely believed to be based on her relationship with ex Gyllenhaal. MEGA Gyllenhall has since been seen at his first public appearance after making headlines over his role in allegedly inspiring the Swiftie anthem. TAYLOR SWIFT SAYS IT’S ‘REALLY NICE’ TO RELEASE ‘RED (TAYLOR’S VERSION)’ ‘AND NOT BE SAD’ & ‘NOT BE TAKING BREAKS IN BETWEEN INTERVIEWS TO CRY’ The 40-year-old actor was pictured at the Hamilton Behind The Camera Awards on Saturday, November 13 — just one day after Swift’s album drop sent her fans into a frenzy, and on the same day as her performance on Saturday Night Live. Getty Images for Los Angeles Confidential / Hamilton Behind the Camera The event — which seeks to honor filmmakers for the most renowned films of the year — was hosted by Insecure’s Yvonne Orji at the Avalon theatre in Hollywood, Calif. Gyllenhaal was in attendance for the ceremony to present for his Netflix film The Guilty, while his sister Maggie Gyllenhall was awarded with the breakthrough director award for her directorial debut on The Lost Daughter. Getty Images for Los Angeles Confidential / Hamilton Behind the Camera At the same time the Brokeback Mountain actor was dressed to the nines for the Hollywood event, social media users were buzzing online after Swift’s new release brought up old wounds regarding the former flames’ previous relationship. The songwriter dated Gyllenhaal back in 2010, and Swifties fans have long speculated that many of her tracks from the original Red record revolve around the Zodiac actor after their relationship reached a messy downfall. TAYLOR SWIFT REFLECTS ON OLD WOUNDS OF JAKE GYLLENHAAL ROMANCE IN NEW 10-MINUTE VERSION OF ‘ALL TOO WELL’ Fans have since been analyzing the lyrics to “All Too Well” and other tracks on the album to uncover more details about the pair’s former relationship, including theories that the Prisoners actor reportedly didn’t show up to her 21st birthday party while they were dating, and that their roughly 9-year age gap was the reason for the breakup. While she is the queen of dropping clues about her songs’ meanings for her fans to decode, the “Blank Space” singer has never explicitly confirmed who “All Too Well” is about. Swift has since moved on with lover and British Actor Joe Alwyn, 30, who she has been gushing over for roughly 5 years, while Gyllenhaal has been dating his 25-year-old girlfriend Jeanne Cadieu since 2018. The new album, Red (Taylor’s Version) is the second album Swift has re-recorded in order to reclaim her own music after the original records were sold without her knowledge. All Too Well Shirtless Pete Davidson on Towleroad Defense lawyer in Ahmaud Arbery murder trial tries to eject Jesse Jackson from court More Man-icures: How and why men are embracing nail varnish More Factbox-‘Don’t get brazen with me’: Who is the judge in the Rittenhouse murder trial? More Austria locks down unvaccinated as COVID cases surge across Europe More Trump adviser Bannon surrenders to FBI on Capitol riot probe charges More U.S. ex-congressman Beto O’Rourke to challenge Texas Governor Abbott More Judge dismisses charge against U.S. teen Rittenhouse for possessing rifle More TikTok Star Says She Shares Husband With Mother, Sister; Explains Benefits of Being Polyamorous Swingers; #Likes4PolyFam, America? More In Texas, ‘sanctuary cities’ pass their own anti-abortion laws More Jenna Johnson Spills JoJo Siwa’s Next ‘DWTS’ Performance Explores ‘Emotion’, Following Pop Star’s Split From Girlfriend More Trump reaches $375M deal to sell DC hotel – WSJ More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen and Rich McKay (Reuters) -A lawyer for one of the three white men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man, in their southern Georgia neighborhood failed in an attempt to have the judge remove civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson from the courtroom on Monday. The same lawyer, Kevin Gough, made a similarly unsuccessful attempt last week to get the court to prevent any more “Black pastors” attending the trial after Rev. Al Sharpton, another civil rights leader, was seen sitting with Arbery’s parents in the public gallery. After the jury was sent out, Gough stood and said he objected to what he called “an icon in the civil rights movement” sitting between Arbery’s parents. “How many pastors does the Arbery family have?” he said, referring to a similar objection he had made to Sharpton’s visit. “The seats in the public gallery of a courtroom are not like courtside seats at a Lakers game.” Gough said the presence of civil rights leaders might influence jurors hearing the high-profile case. Cell phone footage made by Gough’s client, William “Roddie” Bryan, of the fatal shooting of Arbery after he was chased through Satilla Shores on a Sunday afternoon in Feb. 2020 drew outrage. Prosecutors say Arbery was an avid jogger, and his killing was seen by some as another example of a Black man facing dangerous suspicion while doing some banal activity in public. Jackson quietly listened to Gough, holding the hands of Arbery’s father, Marcus Arbery Sr., and mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones. When Gough, who wore no face mask, complained that Jackson’s face mask was not covering his mouth and nose, Cooper-Jones reached and lifted Jackson’s mask back up. Judge Timothy Walmsley was audibly exasperated as he rejected the motion by Gough, saying the court’s ruling last week that he would not issue any blanket bans on who could enter a public courtroom would still stand. He said he was not aware that Jackson was in the room until Gough made his motion. The judge said it was odd that Gough kept objecting to Black pastors showing up and that he was “done talking about it.” “At this point, I’m not exactly sure what you’re doing,” the judge said. “It’s almost as if you’re just trying to keep continuing this for purposes other than just bringing it to the court’s attention and I find that objectionable.” EMOTIONAL ‘OUTCRY’ Bryan, 52, is standing trial alongside father and son Gregory McMichael, 65, and Travis McMichael, 35, on charges of murder, assault and false imprisonment. They have pleaded not guilty, saying they were justified in chasing Arbery because they thought he may have committed some sort of crime. They do not dispute that the younger McMichael killed Arbery with a shotgun, but say this was self defense after Arbery turned toward him and reached for the raised weapon. Gough then said he wanted to move for a mistrial based on an emotional “outcry” by Arbery’s mother from the public gallery when a photograph of Arbery was shown to jurors on Monday. Several jurors looked over as she sobbed. Lawyers for the McMichaels joined the motion. The judge overruled it, reading from a legal precedent that said “emotions are neither unreasonable nor unexpected during murder trials.” Sharpton has said he will be joined by more than 100 Black pastors at the courthouse on Thursday. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York and Rich McKay in Atlanta, Editing by Ross Colvin, Nick Zieminski and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by DPA Some men are gradually trying out nail varnish, as a relatively low risk experiment. picture alliance / dpa Gianni Versace made it clear years ago: The men wearing nail varnish are “nice and witty.” It was 1994 and Versace was explaining the business of fashion to a journalist after being asked who was walking around like ‘that.’ ‘That’ referred to male models on the Milan catwalk, clad in miniskirts over their trousers, embellished with bright red lips and sporting nail varnish. Thirty years later, it’s not every young man who is painting his nails. But some are. And they are often “nice and witty.” Designer Marc Jacobs said a few years ago that nail polish was the perfect finish for men who sought to achieve the perfect look. Some may think it silly to cover their nails with chemicals – while others say it is super sexy. Take Portugal football star Cristiano Ronaldo, known for painting his toenails. American rapper Lil Yachty has gone a step further, launching a nail polish line for men. However, the Negatives 001 man-icures collection is initially only available in shades of concrete grey, matte white and matte black. “I always thought painted fingernails were beautiful,” German actor Lars Eidinger told dpa. “It’s the level of exaltation I allow myself, so to speak.” He says putting on nail varnish is not a statement and does not indicate he wishes he was a woman. When it comes to choosing a colour, Eidinger says he usually opts for blue or black, with a classic red occasionally to shake things up. A look at the world of celebrities reveals further fans beyond Eidinger and Lil Yachty, from glam rocker Damiano David of the Italian band Maneskin, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, to queer rapper Lil Nas X, British pop singer Harry Styles, US actor Ansel Elgort and Brooklyn Beckham, oldest son of the football star David. Meanwhile Instagram offers thousands of posts under hashtags such as #guynails or #malepolishedtoes. Of course, there have been male celebrities in the past who wore varnish – think of David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Johnny Depp and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler. But their use was generally considered a quirk. “Right now, we see that male influencers have become more enthusiastic about decorative cosmetics,” says Birgit Huber, who works for a German consumer products association. More and more often, actors show up to red carpet events with their nails done, she says. Nail polish has also brightened up the Polished Man Challenge, a social media campaign seeking to raise awareness about sexual violence against children. On average one in five minors is a victim of sexual violence. To heighten awareness, participants paint one of their five fingernails. Chris Hemsworth, his brother Liam, Zac Efron and Shawn Mendes have all joined in. Surveys show people are noticing, says Huber. Men tell pollsters they see make-up and nail polish becoming increasingly trendy on Instagram. But that does not mean they will take to the nail polish themselves. Yes, they have seen it, but no, they would not feel confident using it, is a frequent response, she says. But for young boys who like the look of nail polish and may feel like trying it, few receive a positive response and instead are bullied or told off. Occasionally, though, fathers put on some nail polish out of solidarity with their sons. Overall, men wearing nail polish has its own distinct meaning, different to when women paint their nails, say observers. “Nail polish is a way for men to signal flexibility and openness to social change without seriously challenging the standards of masculinity on the street,” says male fashion expert Marco Nikolaj Rechenberg. Nail polish for men comes from the mostly straight punk, rock, grunge and skater worlds, rather than drag queen culture, says Rechenberg. “The motivation is not the suggestion of queerness or gender-bending, but, on the contrary, rather the emphasis of one’s own heterosexuality or masculinity by breaking the rules, which is perceived as courageous,” he says. Wearing nail varnish is a good way to do this, as it is a relatively low risk product, he says. Using nail varnish seems less feminine than other cosmetics, as it does not emphasize a feature in the way that lipstick and eye shadow do, says Rechenberg. Historically, nail polish has been less about attractiveness and more about social status, with wearers showing off the fact that they do not have to work with their hands. “Nail varnish is completely artificial,” Rechenberg points out. “People have red lips by nature, but not shiny nails.” A man paints his nails. Gregor Tholl/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa “I always thought painted fingernails were beautiful,” says German actor actor Lars Eidinger, here at the opening of a film festival in Berlin. Gregor Fischer/dpa View the full article