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Showing posts from July, 2021

Scarlett Johansson is now seeking to Avenge a breach of contract taking on the might of Disney

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Scarlett Johansson, the star of the Marvel superhero film 'Black Widow,' is suing the Walt Disney Company over its simultaneous release of the movie in cinemas and on its streaming service.  Johansson alleges the movie will cost her millions of dollars. Johansson claims she lost $50 million because Disney released 'Black Widow' on theaters and on its streaming service Disney Plus at the same time. Scarlett Johansson says she was promised the film would hit the big screen first where she profits.  The actress is arguing that by streaming the movie at the same time box-office receipts were hit.   The lawsuit filed Thursday says,  "...with the bulk of Ms. Johansson's compensation being tied to box office receipts, Disney knew that the cannibalization of such receipts by Disney+ would save Marvel (and by extension, Disney) 'very large' amounts of money that it would otherwise owe Ms. Johansson." adding "team's attempts to reach an "unde

To protect her mental health Simone Biles (USA) withdraws from Olympics Gymnastics team finals

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Simone Biles Game-changing moment for gymnastics in Olympics. Superstar US gymnast Simone Biles pulled out of two events at the Tokyo Olympics - the women's team final on Tuesday and then Thursday's women's all-around competition - not for a physical injury but she says to protect her mental health. The four-time Olympic gold medalist led the all-around standings after the qualifying round on Sunday. Biles is expected to lead the U.S. to gold and was attempting to collect as many as six gold medals at Tokyo 2020 but she quit after one rotation of the team final. The US went on to claim silver, the Russian Olympic Committee takes the gold. She said she felt the 'weight of the world' on her shoulders to perform, and USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that she will not compete in the individual all-around competition. Biles is the most decorated American gymnast and is regarded by many to be one of the greatest and most dominant gymnasts of all time. On the vault, whe

She lifted a total of 224 kilograms in Tokyo Olympics, now Filipino Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz wins Philippines' First Olympic Gold Medal

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Hidilyn Diaz Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz makes Olympic history after securing the Philippines' first ever Olympic Gold medal on Monday night, July 26 in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. Diaz, who is 4 feet 11 inches, struck gold and an Olympic record after conquering the women's 55 kilograms weightlifting event. The 30-year-old Zamboanga City pride clears 97 kilograms on the snatch and an Olympic record 127 kilograms in the clean & jerk for a total of 224 kilograms, edging out China's world record holder Liao Qiuyun, who finished with 223 kg. "It's unbelievable, it's a dream, come true," Diaz said, as her tears flowed freely.  "I want to say to the young generation in the Philippines, 'You can have this dream of gold, too.' This is how I started and finally I was able to do it." PURE EMOTION from Hidilyn Diaz as she wins the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal in any sport 🇵🇭 #TokyoOlympics | @OnHerTurf | #OlympicHERstory

Russia shows naval strength at Navy Day 2021

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Russian Navy Day 2021 Russian navy ships set sail on River Neva in St. Petersburg during a naval parade to celebrate the Russian Navy Day on July 25. The naval parade, a day marked for national pride, involved 54 warships, 48 military aircraft, and over 4,000 servicemen. The tradition to celebrate the Navy on the last Sunday of July date back to the Soviet era having been established in 1939. It was abolished shortly before the Soviet collapse but then reinstated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2003. Russia's Baltic, Black Sea, Northern, Pacific Fleets as well as the Caspian Flotilla participated in the main naval parade in St. Petersburg. The Russian Navy's Northern Fleet's new nuclear-powered submarine Prince Vladimir, the most eye-catching warship on the year's Navy Day, made its debut in the parade. The annual procession of warships and submarines from the Neva river in Saint Petersburg to the nearby island of Kronstadt takes about two hours, an opportunity

2020 Tokyo Olympics kickstart with a bang after year-long delay

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Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony Tokyo Olympics has finally now got underway. After a year-long delay, athletes from around the world came together to officially kick off the games with the opening ceremony. It was a colorful opening for Tokyo Olympics 2020 at the New National Stadium at Shinjuku. Traditional opening was followed, which included artistic program, parade of nations, lighting the Olympic cauldron, and the symbolic release of doves of peace. The games were postponed last year because of the global pandemic. More than 11,000 athletes from 200 nations will be competing without spectators under unprecedented restrictions. Fireworks light the sky. 1,824 drones formed a globe and put on an amazing show in the sky above Olympic Stadium. The artistic program featured the history and culture of Japan. This year's theme is "United by Emotion." The Olympic rings which were made from wood harvested from trees planted at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics are assembled.

Tokyo Olympics: Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony director Kentaro Kobayashi fired for past comments on Holocaust

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On the eve of the big kickoff to the Tokyo Olympics, the director of the opening ceremony, Kentaro Kobayashi, has been sacked after being accused of making a joke about the holocaust in a comedy act in 1998.  The joke which made fun of painful historical facts surfaced online.  This is just the latest scandal plaguing the games. Seiko Hashimoto, Tokyo 2020 President The Tokyo 2020 president said on Thursday while announcing the show director's dismissal,    "Kentaro Kobayashi, a member of the creative team, the production, and direction team for the olympic and closing ceremonies has been found to have used line in his own performances in the past that made fun of painful historical facts.  In response the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee has decided to dismiss Mr. Kobayashi today,"    Seiko Hashimoto, Tokyo 2020 President said. A number of officials in charge of the opening ceremony have also been mired in controversies.  Just days ago, Keigo Oyamada, the composer for the

Record rainfall batters central China's Henan Province, floods subway in Zhengzhou leaving passengers trapped

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China Subway Flooding (Video Screengrab) Flood water wreaking havoc across China's Henan province on Wednesday following days of torrential rain. A month's worth of rain fell in an hour in China. Widespread flooding, roads were suddenly transformed into rivers and lakes. Subway passengers trapped underground plead for help. Local authorities said that there are 12 people reported dead in Henan's capital, Zhengzhou, due to the heavy rain. Video showed commuters chest deep in murky flood waters and an underground station turned into a large pool. Another video showed a crowd rescuing a woman being swallowed by a sinkhole. At least 12 people were killed when a subway line was flooded. Unmistakable panic among the passengers that were trapped inside a submerged subway car when waist deep waters rising to their shoulders. Emergency crews reportedly opening a hole in the roof, evacuating passengers one by one. More than 500 people were pulled to safety. Heavy downpours h

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Blasted Off, successfully completes space flight

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Jeff Bezos Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and three crewmates successfully reached the edge of space in the first crewed flight of the New Shepard rocket from Bezos' private spaceflight company Blue Origin. The flight's crew included the Amazon founder, his brother, 18-year-old student Oliver Daemen, and 82-year-old veteran pilot Wally Funk, both became the oldest and youngest ever in space. Blue Origin streaked skyward, three times the speed of sound.  Audio from the capsule captured the crew members shouting in excitement. At 66 miles up they experienced a few minutes of the weightlessness of zero gravity. The sub-orbital flight lasted about 11 minutes.  After launching to 250,000 feet, the journey back was equally smooth.  Eight minutes into flight the reusable fully automated rocket landed vertically a couple miles from the launch pad, two minutes later, the capsule, three parachutes lowered on to the West Texas desert.  The new shepard rocket was built with Bezos' billions.

Eid al-Adha 2021: Restrictions tight, robots deployed as Muslim pilgrims observe Hajj during 2nd year of pandemic

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Hajj Eid al-Adha is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice. The holiday also marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage where Muslims come together to celebrate their faith by honoring and commemorating Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice everything for God.  The annual Hajj pilgrimage, performed over five to six days, is one of the five pillars of Islam, all Muslims are expected to retrace Prophet Muhamad's final pilgrimage at least once in their lives if they have the means to do so. Muslim pilgrims have ascended Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat in the high point of this year's Hajj which has been held under coronavirus restrictions for the second year running. Restrictions are tight as the kingdom is hoping to repeat last year's success that saw no coronavirus outbreaks during the feast. Just 60,000 vaccinated residents aged between 16 and 65 chosen through a lottery from almost 600,000 are participating in this year's Hajj. Foreign pilgrims were barred ag

Cars, homes swept away, more than 100 dead, many still missing after catastrophic flooding in Europe

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Germany flooding Germany saw its worst mass loss of life in years as floods killed more than 100 people.  Record rainfall has caused deadly flooding across Western Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium. Torrential rains and rushing waters swallowed whole towns cutting villages off from rescuers leading to a disaster in Europe.  Some residents are describing the situation as apocalyptic. In Western Germany three months of rain fell in just 24 hours.  Everything was underwater in just 15 minutes.  They had chest high water in the midst of the storm.   Water started bursting over riverbanks due to constant rain and water kept rising throughout the night. Residents said things happened very suddenly and so fast they've never seen anything like it. Cars and home were swept away after days of rain led to rivers overflowing.  Roads were blocked by wreckage and fallen trees. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing.  Local authorities are saying that at least 1,300 people are still missing. M

Johnson & Johnson Recalls Select Sunscreens Due to presence of Benzene

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Check your sunscreen before hitting the pool today. Johnson & Johnson is voluntarily recalling five of its sunscreen products. The company found low levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, in some of its samples of Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreens even though it's not an ingredient in its sunscreen products. Aerosol Sunscreen Recall NEUTROGENA Beach Defense Sunscreen Spray  NEUTROGENA Cool Dry Sport Sunscreen Spray NEUTROGENA Invisible Daily Defense  NEUTROGENA Ultra Sheer Body Mist AVEENO Protect + Refresh   Benzene is a chemical that can cause cancer when used again and again or depending on the level and extent of exposure. Symptoms includes things like dizziness, irregular heartbeats, and at very high levels even death. J&J said it is investigating the cause of the contamination.  Benzene is a commonly used chemical in a lot of products we use everyday like detergent and paint but the CDC said that at high enough levels it can damage the immune system or e

Olivia Rodrigo Teaming up with the White House with Vaccination Efforts

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Olivia Rodrigo Gen Z superstar Olivia Rodrigo stopped by the White House on Wednesday, July 14 to talk about the importance of young people getting vaccinated against Covid-19.  The 18-year-old was at the nation's capital to meet President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci. She talked and record videos about the importance of getting vaccinated. The videos will be posted on her social media. The first video she recorded for the White House had a straightforward message.  "It doesn't matter if you're young and healthy. Get in the vaccines about protecting yourself, your friends, and your family. Let's get vaccinated,"  Rodrigo said. Olivia Rodrigo at the White House The "Diver's License" songstress had a busy day at the White House. Before she met with President Biden and Dr. Fauci she took the podium at the press briefing room. Olivia stepped up to the mic wearing a matching pink plaid blazer and skirt to deliver her quick message. "I am beyo

Jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma triggers fierce unrest in South Africa, Hundreds loot shops, warehouses in worst unrest in years

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South Africa riots Protests continue for South Africa as discontent over the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma has broiled over into rallies against inequality. The clashes with police are widespread and looters have ransacked shopping malls in the nations worst unrest in years. From the eastern provinces of KwaZulu-Natal to Johannesburg's economic hub, people seized and stole at will as they have done for the past few days. Highways are on fire, skies full of smoke. The police are hopelessly outnumbered. Protests started with the jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma last Wednesday. Accused of corruption, his supporters see his treatment as a symbol of current government's repression.  Just before a midnight deadline, Zuma turned himself in to start serving a 15-month prison sentence. The country's constitutional court handed down the punishment for failing to show up at hearing investigating alleged corruption during his presidency. The 79 year ol

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine: FDA adds Guillain-Barre Syndrome warning to J&J Covid-19 shot

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The FDA is adding a new warning to Johnson & Johnson's one dose covid vaccine, after about 100 people who got the shot developed a rare but serious autoimmune disorder that attacks the nerves, it is called Gullain-Barre Syndrome. Gullain-Barre Syndrome is a neurological condition, a rare condition in which the body's immune system essentially attacks nerve cells. The disorder can start with a tingling sensation in the arms and legs and in some cases lead to paralysis.  But a J&J spokesperson seemed to downplay the risks saying, "We have been in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Admin. and other regulators about rare cases of the neurological disorder...the chance of having this occur is very low." The cases have been seen in men 50 and over about two weeks after receiving the shot. So far there have been nearly 13 million J&J doses administered nationwide.  Scientists say there are only a few cases connected to the vaccine and that the J&J shot

Richard Branson Space Flight: Virgin Galactic founder rockets to the edge of space

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Richard Branson Richard Branson has flown to the edge of space and back onboard Virgin Galactic's first fully crewed flight, becoming the first person to fly to space aboard his own spaceship. It was launched above the skies of New Mexico on Sunday. The billionaire founder of Virgin Galactic was inside the VSS Unity which detached from a carrier aircraft called VMS Eve above 40,000 feet. Then, it fired its rocket engine and accelerated faster than the speed of sound to get to the edge of space. Virgin Galactic Two pilots guided the vehicle carrying Branson and three Virgin Galactic employees. The crew experienced weightlessness and unique views of Earth. "It's the complete experience of a lifetime. Now I'm looking down at a beautiful spaceport. Congratulations to everybody's work for creating such a beautiful, beautiful place. Congratulations to all our wonderful team at Virgin Galactic for 17 years of hard, hard work to get us this far, said Branson. Richard

BTS drops 'Permission to Dance' as 'Butter' reign continues | Announces Funko Pop Set, Model Louis Vuitton, Song and Dance Challenge

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BTS - Permission to Dance BTS on July 9 drops their new Ed Sheeran collab single "Permission to Dance" and cowboy wear in the desert as "Butter" tops the Top 100 for a sixth week. "Permission to Dance" is a new dance-pop based track released in celebration of its beloved fandom's anniversary, BTS Army Day. Like "Butter," "Permission to Dance" is an english song. British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran co-wrote the song, marking his second collaboration with BTS after "Make it Right." In the upbeat music video, BTS was featured dancing in front of a sign that reads "The wait is over," as masks workers and kids celebrate to a somewhat normal life. The performance delivers the message of "No permission is needed to dance." Jimmy Falon will welcome back the global superstars on Tuesday July 13th and Wednesday on July 14th for a special two night musical takeover. They will be performing "Butter" a

Haiti President Assassination: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at home, first lady at hospital, US citizens among suspects

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Haitian President Jovenel Moïse (right) with First Lady Martine Moïse (left) Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was killed and his wife is in hospital when his home in the capital Port-au-Prince was stormed by a group of armed men in the early hours of Wednesday. According to reports, the attack was launched by gunmen who told onlookers they were running a drug enforcement operation. Initial information suggests the attackers who spoke English and Spanish used high caliber weapons when they killed the president. The First Lady of Haiti Martine Moïse has been hospitalized by the attack. She was flown to Miami Florida hospital for life-saving treatment. Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph says the killing of President Jovenel Moïse was "a hateful, inhumane and barbaric act."  He confirmed that a "highly trained and heavily armed group" carried out the attack. An all-out hunt for the killers of the president. Authorities say they killed four people connected