Monday, July 31, 2023

Looking at Early Christianity Through a Different Lens


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"Barbie"'s Greta Gerwig and America Ferrera Spotted at Beyoncé's "Renaissance" Tour

Beyoncé's "Renaissance" tour is in full swing and, while she's filled stadiums across Europe and North America with thousands of adoring fans, there have been a fair amount of celebrity sightings in the crowds, too. In addition to being joined on stage by her 11-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, Beyoncé's husband, JAY-Z, has been spotted supporting his girls, alongside the singer's mom, Tina Knowles, making the "Renaissance" tour a real family affair. Rumi and Sir, Beyoncé and JAY-Z's 6-year-old twins, have yet to make a formal appearance, but considering they're still pretty young, it makes sense they haven't appeared on stage yet! (Although never say never.)

Beyoncé kicked off the "Renaissance" tour in Stockholm on May 10 and is currently touring around cities in the US now through to Sept. 27. At her first London show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 29, she performed to a star-studded audience that included Kris Jenner and Dua Lipa. Prior to this, Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, and Pharrell Williams watched her perform in Paris.

On June 2, "Bridgerton" star Nicola Coughlan and "Queer Eye" host Jonathan Van Ness posted photos from their second time attending a "Renaissance" tour show on Instagram. The duo were joined by their friends Lydia West and Amalia Vitale, both actors. The following day, Priyanka Chopra raved about her "Renaissance" tour experience online as well, thanking her husband, Nick Jonas, for seemingly treating her to the show. Then, on July 30, "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig and movie star America Ferrera were spotted out in the crowd in East Rutherford, NJ.

Elsewhere, plenty of other stars have been enjoying Beyoncé's "Renaissance" tour, too. Zendaya and Tom Holland were spotted adoringly singing the lyrics from "Love on Top" while at Beyoncé's June 27 show in Warsaw, Poland. The video, posted on Twitter by a fan, shows the couple belting out, "You're the one I love, you're the one I need" to each other. The pair watched the show alongside Zendaya's "Euphoria" costar Hunter Schafer.

With a tour wardrobe made up of sparkling Alexander McQueen catsuits and iridescent bodysuits, fans can be certain Beyoncé puts on a damn good show. Ahead, check out all the celebrities who have shown up to her "Renaissance" tour so far.



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Sunday, July 30, 2023

Judge Dismisses Trump’s $475 Million Defamation Suit Against CNN


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Your Monday Briefing: Dozens Dead in Pakistan


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Coup Supporters Attack the French Embassy in Niger


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Josh Gad Takes His Daughter to See Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: "It's Me. Hi. I'm the Dad. It's Me."

Taylor Swift's tours tend to be star-studded events. During her "1989" tour, guests like Justin Timberlake, Serena Williams, Mick Jagger, Julia Roberts, and Mary J. Blige all appeared on stage, while her "Reputation" tour included appearances from Camila Cabello, Selena Gomez, and more. While Swift has mostly performed solo during the Eras Tour, plenty of stars have already shown up in the audience to support their pal.

Swift's Eras Tour kicked off on March 17 and runs through Aug. 9, though Swift has promised international stops to come. Swift marked the start of her tour with the release of four new songs, and she's dazzled fans with symbolic manicures, outfits designed to match each of her albums, and a few surprise songs each night. The tour has been a coveted event since Swift announced it, even sparking lawsuits against Ticketmaster after fans struggled to obtain presale tickets.

Still, all of these stars managed to obtain tickets, and watching them dance along to Swift's hits has been an event in itself. Ahead, check out all the celebrities who have shown up to Swift's Eras Tour so far.



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Terence Crawford Stands Alone at the Top of Boxing


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Saturday, July 29, 2023

$60 Million Refund Request Shows Financial Pressure on Trump From Legal Fees


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Worms Revived After 46,000 Years Frozen in Siberian Permafrost


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welcome to the weekender


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School Will Pay $9.1 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over a Student’s Suicide


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Trader Joe’s Recalls Cookies and Falafel Because They ‘May Contain Rocks’


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Biden Presses Ahead With Effort to Broker Israeli-Saudi Rapprochement


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Friday, July 28, 2023

Review: This ‘Summer Stock’ Cast Is Having a Blast


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The 2023 Emmys Ceremony Has Been Postponed as the Actors' and Writers' Strikes Continue

It's official: the 2023 Emmys ceremony has been postponed amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, as confirmed by Variety. This marks the first time the Emmys have been postponed since 2001, when the show was pushed to November in the wake of 9/11. As the strikes continue, it's unclear at this point when the awards will air, but Fox is reportedly pushing for a January 2024 date. Meanwhile, according to the publication, the TV Academy is hopeful the ceremony could air in November.

The Emmys were originally scheduled to air on Sept. 18. With the writers and actors continuing to strike for fair pay and protections against AI, it became clear the planned date would no longer be feasible. The Television Academy and Fox have not yet made an official announcement confirming the news, but vendors have reportedly been told the show will not be taking place on Sept. 18. Additionally, the Creative Arts Emmys, which were set to take place on Sept. 9 and 10, will also be postponed.

Despite the Emmys being moved, voting will go on as planned. The final voting period runs from Aug. 17 to Aug. 28. In a typical year, this period would be marked by campaign pushes, but with actors and writers prohibited from participating in interviews for the duration of the strikes, the campaign season is set to be a more subdued affair. It's unclear how (or if) this will impact the eventual winners.

Emmy nominees were announced on July 12, just 48 hours before SAG-AFTRA members joined writers on the picket line. HBO nabbed the most nominations thanks to critically-acclaimed series like "Succession," "The White Lotus," and "The Last of Us." On the comedy side, Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso," ABC's "Abbott Elementary," and FX on Hulu's "The Bear" are among the buzzy shows vying for the top prize.



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Thursday, July 27, 2023

‘War Pony’ Review: The Sad Absurdities of Reservation Life


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22 Shows Coming to Netflix in August, From "Heartstopper" to "Ugly Betty"

When it comes to sheer quantity and variety, you can't beat Netflix in the ongoing streaming wars. The OG platform is still churning out plenty of new content every month, from brand-new originals to exciting additions to its extensive catalog of licensed content. With so many shows to navigate, it can be easy to fall into a routine of watching your same few favorites over and over again. And while no one would blame you for rewatching "Bridgerton" or "Stranger Things" for the umpteenth time, there's plenty to love every month on Netflix - and we're here to help you narrow down your choices.

Are you looking for an emotional drama or a clutch-your-sides-laughing comedy? You'll find 'em here. Interested in trying some international shows or learning something new from a nonfiction series? Yep, we've got that covered, too. You'll even find some of your old favorites - maybe shows you haven't thought about in years - popping up this year on Netflix. When we say there's something for everyone, we really mean it. So keep your calendar nearby, and get a sneak preview of all the amazing shows making their Netflix debuts in August. With this guide in hand, you won't miss a thing!



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Wednesday, July 26, 2023

16 People Sickened in Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Ground Beef


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Is Ryan Gosling Actually Singing In "Barbie"? How Ken's Iconic Ballad Came to Be


Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" centers around the iconic doll (Margot Robbie) trying to find her human owner in the real world in hopes that it will stop her from further malfunctioning. While Ken (Ryan Gosling) plays a big part in the film, his goal is much simpler: to get noticed by Barbie. After failing to do so several times, Ken sings his frustrations out in a ballad called "I'm Just Ken" during the film's climax. The song is all about feeling like he'll never be good enough for Barbie with lyrics like, "Doesn't seem to matter what I do. I'm always number two."

Since some actors don't actually provide their own vocals in movies, you may have left the theater wondering whether Gosling actually sings in "Barbie." Let's dive into it.

Does Ryan Gosling Actually Sing in "Barbie"?

Yes, that's really Gosling singing "I'm Just Ken" in the film. He's even credited as one of the many artists on "Barbie: The Album," alongside other major stars like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Lizzo. While he's primarily known as an actor, Gosling also has a lengthy background in music.

As a child, Gosling performed on "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club" during the 1990s alongside other stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. After rising to fame with films like "The Notebook" and "Half Nelson," Gosling began playing in the indie rock band Dead Man's Bones with his friend Zach Shields. Apart from "Barbie," Gosling also contributed his own vocals on the "Blue Valentine" and "La La Land."

What Was the Inspiration Behind "I'm Just Ken"?

The soundtrack's executive producer, Mark Ronson, opened up about creating the iconic track in a July 11 interview with Vanity Fair. The star said he first got the idea for the song after failing to buy a single Ken doll while shopping. "You cannot find a Ken doll for love nor money in any Toys 'R' Us, because nobody gives a shit about buying a Ken doll," he said. After reading the "Barbie" script, Ronson immediately began penning a track for Ken about his unrequited love for Barbie. "I instantly had this idea for this lyric: 'I'm just Ken. Anywhere else I'd be a 10.' It just seemed funny. It felt a little bit emo, like, this poor guy. He's so hot, but can't get the time of day," Ronson said.

While the lyrics are from Ken's point of view, Ronson admitted he didn't think Gosling would actually be the one to sing the track. So, when the actor personally volunteered to perform it in the film, Ronson was happily surprised. "He really got [that] it had to walk this line of not being funny or parody," Ronson said about working with Gosling. "But obviously, the song is also kind of ridiculous at times. So he was really amazing, and when he really did start hitting the big notes, I was like, this dude is a vocal powerhouse!"

Videos of Ryan Gosling Singing

If you want to take a deep dive into Gosling's musical performances, I've got you covered. Here are some of his best music moments over the years.

"You Always Hurt the One You Love" From "Blue Valentine"

"In The Room Where You Sleep" by Dead Man's Bones

"A Lovely Night" From "La La Land"

"City of Stars" From "La La Land"

"I'm Just Ken" From "Barbie"

Catch Gosling as Ken in "Barbie" in theaters now



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Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administration’s New Asylum Policy


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How the "Oppenheimer" Team Constructed Their "Beautiful and Threatening" Trinity Test Explosion

When he set out to make "Oppenheimer," director Christopher Nolan opted not to use CGI for the film's central nuclear explosion. "It's difficult to make CG threatening," Nolan told IGN on July 18. "So I first showed the script to Andrew Jackson, my visual effects supervisor, and said, I don't think that tool's going to work for us. So let's see if we can produce all of these effects using analog methods, from the very first imaginings that Oppenheimer has of the quantum world, of atoms, and how they would be interacting with strong force between them. Waves, particles, the duality of that." Ultimately, to show the size and scale of 1945's Trinity test, which was the first time a nuclear weapon had ever been detonated, he chose another route: building an actual bomb.

What Was the Trinity Test?

The Trinity test took place in Los Alamos, the New Mexico town that J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy in the film) and the United States government built together to support the Manhattan Project, a nationwide effort to construct a nuclear weapon. At 5:29 a.m. on July 16, 1945, the Los Alamos team detonated an atomic bomb in the heart of the Jornada del Muerto desert for the first time in history.

The code name "Trinity test" was conceptualized by Oppenheimer and references a line from a John Donne poem that begins, "Batter my heart, three person'd God." Oppenheimer was a known fan of the poet, as was his former lover Jean Tatlock, per The New Yorker.

While the Manhattan Project team chose the New Mexico desert partly because it appeared empty, the Trinity test detonation had long-term effects on the surrounding areas. In years after the detonation, thousands of New Mexico residents developed cancers from radiation, and infant death rates spiked, among other consequences, per NGI. More than 70 years after the explosion, consequences are still being identified; for example, per The New York Times, a July 20 study that has yet to be peer reviewed found that the fallout from the Trinity test may have reached 46 states.

Did "Oppenheimer" Use a Real Bomb?

The "Oppenheimer" team did craft a real bomb to film the Trinity test. Fortunately for everyone involved, though, their bomb was powered by petroleum, not atomic energy.

Instead of splitting atoms, per IGN, Jackson and special-effects supervisor Scott Fisher used a blend of gasoline, propane, black powder, aluminum powder, and magnesium flares to craft an explosion that could reflect nuclear bombs' violent red-orange shades and unimaginable force. They also smashed ping-pong balls together and threw paint and glowing chemical solutions into the mix to add to the explosion's texture, according to IGN.

How Did "Oppenheimer" Film Its Trinity Test Explosion?

In order to bring the explosion to the big screen, the team also used some strategic filming tactics. Utilizing a strategy called forced perspective, they filmed their bomb's explosion in an extreme close-up, creating an optical illusion that made the detonation look much larger than it actually was, per SYFY. In postproduction, they layered different shots of the explosion over one another to simulate the massiveness of the world's first mushroom cloud.

To film the explosion, the "Oppenheimer" crew ventured far from Hollywood studios, out into the same desert where Oppenheimer's first bomb fell. "We were out there in the desert of New Mexico, just like the scientists of the Manhattan Project," Nolan told IGN. "We built the bunkers, we built the tower. We're out there at night preparing for these very large-scale explosive events that have to be conducted safely and with great care. So there's a tension, there's an anticipation in what we are doing as filmmakers that I think helps the actors, helps everybody understand, gain some small understanding of what must it have been like to be there that night, that early morning at the Trinity test."

Ultimately, Nolan wanted audiences to feel the visceral, terrifying power of the bomb. "'This can't be safe," he told The Hollywood Reporter, quoting a conversation he'd had with Jackson. "'It can't be comfortable to look at it. It has to have bite. It's got to be beautiful and threatening in equal measure.'"



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Monday, July 24, 2023

How Do You Party — Barbie Style?


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"Barbie" Is Jam-Packed With Cameos - Including Some Rare Barbies and Kens

It's a "Barbie" world! "Barbie" the movie hit theaters on July 21, sending fans into a bright-pink, over-the-top fantasyland where the most important person in the world is Barbie! For months, "Barbie"'s plot stayed mostly under wraps until Warner Bros. released the film's full-length trailer on May 25. In the nearly three-minute clip, all the Barbies - including star Margot Robbie's (the main Barbie) - blissfully enjoy their carefree lives in Barbie Land. That is, until Robbie's stereotypical Barbie shatters their reality with an existential crisis as she starts to lose her spunk (this includes her famous perched Barbie toe).

To get to the bottom of the mystery, she's instructed to go where no Barbie doll has gone before . . . the real world. With her Ken (Ryan Gosling) riding shotgun in her bubblegum-pink convertible, the two jet off to experience a whole new world, clueless to the trouble they'll soon get into.

An expanded peek into the "Barbie" universe came through a June 21 trailer, which features an intro message from Gosling and Robbie, who promised the "pinkest" film of the year. In the footage, Robbie explains to some human girls, "Basically everything that men do in your world, women do in ours ... Barbie is a doctor and a lawyer and so much more than that." The entire clip is set to Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj's "Barbie World" collab that samples the Aqua track "Barbie Girl."

Previously, Warner Bros. dropped 23 whopping character posters for Gerwig's long-awaited movie on April 4, announcing the role of nearly every cast member. Of course, fans already knew that Robbie stars as Barbie with Gosling as Ken, but the posters also confirmed that the movie is overflowing with plenty more Barbies, portrayed by actors like Issa Rae, Nicola Coughlan, Sharon Rooney, Hari Nef, Emma Mackey, Ritu Arya, and even Kate McKinnon. Additionally, the posters revealed for the first time that pop star Dua Lipa is in the film as a mermaid Barbie, and she even has a song on the movie's soundtrack.

A few hours later, Warner Bros. released the second teaser trailer for "Barbie," which gives a Beach Boys-infused look at Barbie Land and its many Barbie and Ken residents who soak up the sun and the color pink.

The first teaser for "Barbie" was released in December 2022, and the over-the-top footage paid homage to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" to hilarious effect. The clip opens with footage of a sunrise over a desert as a documentary-style narrator says, "Since the beginning of time, since the first little girl ever existed, there have been dolls." Little girls play with their dolls as the narrator continues, "But the dolls were always and forever baby dolls, until . . ." The narration fades as a massive version of Robbie's Barbie stands among the girls and winks at them. Utterly impressed, the girls begin smashing their baby dolls.

Many doubted that a "Barbie" movie would ever come to fruition, including Robbie, who explained in an interview with Fandango why she thought Mattel was going to pull the plug on director Greta Gerwig's script before they even got started. "The reason I didn't think they'd let us make it, honestly, is because the Mattel CEO is a main character," she said in a video published on June 21. Will Ferrell plays the fictionalized version of the CEO.

Robbie added, "Mattel itself is a character, and I just thought, 'They're never going to agree to this.' And then there was a lot of jokes in there that I was like, 'They're not going to let us get away with that.' But they did."

A June 27 article from Time about the making of "Barbie" revealed how Gerwig and Robbie won Mattel execs over. Robbie Brenner, the executive producer of Mattel Films, told the Mattel bosses of the movies, "You're just gonna white-knuckle it the whole time." And Richard Dickson, COO and president of Mattel, told the outlet that he actually flew to the London set at one point to argue with Gerwig and Robbie over a scene he thought was off-brand. Gerwig and Robbie performed the scene for him and changed his mind. Those weren't the only "Barbie" battles for Gerwig.

In a Nov. 25, 2022, episode of Lipa's podcast "At Your Service," - before it was revealed that the singer is in the film - the director shared why she herself had doubts when she started filming "Barbie." "It was terrifying. I think there's something about starting from that place where it's like, 'Well, anything is possible,'" Gerwig said. "It felt like vertigo starting to write it. Like, where do you even begin? What would be the story?"

However, Gerwig's fear is part of what drew her to the "Barbie" project in the first place. "Usually, that's where the best stuff is. When you're like, 'I am terrified of that,'" she said. "Anything where you're like, 'This could be a career-ender,' then you're like, 'OK, I probably should do it.'"

Despite her trepidation, saying yes to the project wasn't difficult for Gerwig. When Robbie asked her to write it, she immediately agreed. "She came to me and said, 'Would you be interested in writing this?'" Gerwig said, adding that she volunteered her partner Noah Baumbach without even asking him. "And I said, 'Yes!' And then I said, 'And Noah would like to write it too.' And I had not really talked to Noah about this," she added. "I don't know! I think I had a six-month-old baby when I said yes. And I wasn't necessarily running everything by him . . . It was in March of 2020 that Noah said, 'Are we meant to be writing a "Barbie" movie?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'I don't have any ideas for that! Why didn't you sign us up to write a different thing?' And I was like, 'Because I have a feeling. I like Margot and I have a feeling.'"

"Barbie" appeared to have wrapped filming in July 2022, when stars including Rooney, Nef, Alexandra Shipp, and Ana Cruz Kayne all posted snaps from production on their social media - including a photo from that March that featured Robbie and Gerwig celebrating in the foreground. "It's a wrap for the Doll! see you in Barbieland," Nef captioned the picture on Instagram.

Shipp also shared a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos, as well as some hot pink Barbie clip art on her Instagram to commemorate her time on the production. "Thank you @barbie," the actor captioned her post. "Thank you #GretaGerwig for trusting me to portray one of your fabulous Barbies Thank you everyone who made this experience possible 💖 I felt all the feels and love these humans so hard with all my strength! thank you cast, thank you crew, thank you production without everyone this experience wouldn't be possible thank you thank you THANK YOU!"

Back in the summer of 2022, Warner Bros. released the first film stills of Robbie as Barbie and Gosling as Ken, complete with an orange-hued six-pack and bleach-blond hair. That June, Gosling and Robbie were also spotted on the set of "Barbie" dressed as their characters, showing off some of Barbie and Ken's most iconic outfits.

Robbie admitted in a September 2022 interview with Jimmy Fallon that she was "mortified" to have someone take photos of them in costume on set. "We look like we're like laughing and having fun, but dying on the inside. Dying. I was like, 'This is the most humiliating moment of my life,'" she explained.

Ahead, here's everything you need to know about the "Barbie" movie, including some of its major cameos.

- Additional reporting by Chandler Plante and Njera Perkins.



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Sunday, July 23, 2023

Inconclusive Election Thrusts Spain Into Political Muddle


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Victoria Beckham and Her Husband, David, Perform the Spice Girls' "Say You'll Be There"

Victoria Beckham and her husband, David Beckham, spiced up their life with a karaoke performance of "Say You'll Be There" by the Spice Girls in Miami on July 22. On July 23, Victoria shared a video of her and David performing the '90s hit on TikTok. In the TikTok, the fashion designer/woman formerly known as Posh Spice holds hands with her husband as they dance and belt out the iconic song.

"Warming up the vocals in Miami! More to come," Victoria captioned the TikTok. Meanwhile, she teased the full-length video on her Instagram as well, writing, "Just a casual night out in Miami! check out my tik tok to see the full performance no really I did not drink that much." The official Spice Girls account commented on her post with two heart emojis.

Victoria and David's throwback Spice Girls sing-along appeared to have taken place shortly after Lionel Messi made his Inter Miami debut (David co-owns Inter Miami). The Beckhams were there to cheer Messi on along with a number of their famous friends including Kim Kardashian and her son, Saint West, LeBron James, and Marc Anthony. Two of the couple's children - Harper and Cruz - attended the match, as well.

After the match, Victoria shared a post featuring candid shots from the after-party. She captioned the joyful photos, "Work hard play hard! wow!! What a night celebrating with friends in Miami!!!! I love you @davidbeckham x."

The couple's big night may have inspired Victoria to indulge in a bit of Spice Girls nostalgia, but fans of the band shouldn't expect to see her on tour anytime soon. In a 2022 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," she told host Andy Cohen that she's too busy to suit up as Posh Spice again.

"I had so much fun being in the Spice Girls. But I think now with everything else I've got going on - with my fashion, and my beauty line, four children - I couldn't commit to that," she said of a potential reunion tour. She also confirmed that she still loves to sing the band's songs during karaoke (as evidenced in the video below). "I had so much fun in the Spice Girls. I love the girls," she added. "I really, really enjoy singing Spice Girls when I'm doing karaoke."

@victoriabeckham

Warming up the vocals in Miami! More to come 🤫!! 🎶🎤

♬ original sound - Victoria Beckham


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Your Monday Briefing: A Major Vote in Israel


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Review: ‘Henri VIII,’ an Operatic Rarity About a Tudor Tyrant


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‘I want equality.’


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Joey King Wears a Wedding Veil in Photos From Her Napa Valley Bachelorette Party

The star of Joey King's bachelorette party was undeniably wine. On July 22, Joey shared photos from her party on Instagram. The pics reveal the "The Kissing Booth" star opted for a wine tour in Napa Valley for her special day - and it was clear she loved every minute of the celebration. She captioned her carousel of photos, "OHHHHHHHH SH************T," alongside bride and eggplant emoji.

In the first snap, Joey is wearing a halter-top dress paired with a bridal veil. The bride-to-be has her arms swung wide and holds an empty wine glass in one hand. Behind her are wine barrels from the Napa Valley winery where her bachelorette was held. In the second photo, she strikes a pose outside, while the third finds her on a walkway high in the air above some of the winery's machinery. The final photo shows off the cheeky cookies for her party - obtained by her sister Hunter King from Frosty'z Bakery by Jaeden - which feature boxers with a suggestive outline.

Hunter reshared her little sister's post on her Instagram Stories alongside the caption, "Bride to be." She also posted a closer look at the cookies, writing, "@frostyzbakerybyjaeden brought my cookie dreams to life for @joeyking bachelorette."

Joey announced her engagement to Steven Piet in March 2022 after three years of dating. The pair met on the set of "The Act," where he directed two episodes of the Hulu limited series that earned Joey a 2019 Emmy nomination. She shared her happy news in an Instagram post featuring her and her fiancé sharing a kiss.

"I never knew happiness could be so powerful that it can take the air from your lungs, overwhelming every part of you that you can't help but feel your eyes well from the undeniable joy," she wrote in part. "I never knew that a persons presence and heart could feel like a real home. I never knew love could be so unquestionably beautiful. I never knew until you."

Check out photos from Joey's bachelorette party below.



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Saturday, July 22, 2023

Four Are Missing After Severe Flooding in Nova Scotia


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Drake Reveals Why He's Not Married in Under the Covers Interview With Bobbi Althoff

Drake slid underneath the covers and got real about why he's not married in a July 20 appearance on "The Really Good Podcast With Bobbi Althoff." Althoff, a rising TikTok star who disarms her podcast guests with her deadpan sense of humor, had no problem asking the "Hotline Bling" rapper questions both intimate and silly. This led Drake to share his honest thoughts about marriage and what he's looking for in a partner.

When asked why he's never been married, Drake responded, "I don't know. It seems like a thing of ancient times or something. I think I will eventually. I don't know, I don't think I can offer somebody what they'd be looking for. Just consistency. I think my life, my work is my priority." Althoff teased her guest by asking if he just wanted to "sleep around," to which he said he couldn't offer "consistency" at this stage of his life. "I don't wanna get married 'cause I just don't wanna disappoint someone, and I'm not like, Amish," he said.

Drake went on to share details about what he looks for in partner, while also asserting that he's unlikely to marry a fellow celebrity. "I probably will not end up marrying someone famous," he told Althoff. He added that famous people aren't "that intriguing."

Instead, Drake is looking for someone who is a true individual - and maybe into cosplay? "I like somebody that's, like, their own," he explained. "They're not just not like a carbon copy, like a person that I've seen a bunch of times throughout my existence. I like somebody with a sense of humor, you know? I like - I don't know, like, cosplay."

Althoff then asked who the musician would like his prospective partner to dress up as, prompting Drake to clarify his remarks. "No, I don't need them to [dress up] - I probably will f*ck with them more if they are into cosplay," he said. "Not with me, just like generally."

"You're weirder than I thought you were," Althoff said after hearing his response. Drake shot back, "That's a fact for sure. You have no idea, honey."

Watch the pair's playful interview in full above.



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Stars Muted No More at British Open, Rahm Roars Up Leaderboard


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At the British Open, a Mom’s Influence Looms Large for Many Golfers


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Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian, and More Stars Attend Lionel Messi's Inter Miami Debut

Lionel Messi's July 21 Inter Miami debut proved to be a star-studded affair. Celebrity soccer fans including Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian, LeBron James, and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham attended the highly anticipated match, which saw Inter Miami facing off against Cruz Azul. Messi's first match included a game-changing moment thanks to the athlete's 94th-minute free kick, cinching his team's 2-1 victory.

The incredible game-winning kick was witnessed by numerous fans, including celebs like Kardashian, who attended the game with her 7-year-old son, Saint West. During an interview with Major League Soccer, the reality-TV star revealed her son has turned her into an avid soccer fan. "He's obsessed with soccer," Kardashian explained. "And I will do anything for my babies. So I traveled the world. We do soccer trips. All summer, we're going to different exhibition games."

Kardashian went on to reveal she played soccer when she was younger, and she's glad she and Saint can bond over the game. "I'm happy that my boy loves it, and that we can hang out." When asked if her son has a favorite player, the answer was Messi, of course. In Kardashian's Instagram Stories, she revealed that Saint met Messi after the game and even snagged a signed jersey.

Meanwhile, David; his wife, Victoria Beckham; and two of their children, Harper and Cruz, were on hand to celebrate Messi's first game after he signed with Inter Miami earlier in July. In an interview with the AP, David said Messi has "raised the bar" for soccer in the United States. "When I went on the journey in 2007, and when I started my Miami journey 10 years ago, my vision was exactly what we saw the moment that Leo announced," he said. "That's what I wanted to see for the sport."

Check out the gallery ahead to see photos of the celebrities who attended Messi's Inter Miami debut.



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Friday, July 21, 2023

Transmitting Shakespeare to the Next Generation


By Christopher Kuo from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/twuCZeV
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The Best Baguette Is the One You Make Yourself


By Claire Saffitz from NYT Food https://ift.tt/QRt1UKy
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A Complete Breakdown of "They Cloned Tyrone"'s Complex Ending

Content warning: This post contains spoilers for "They Cloned Tyrone."

Netflix's "They Cloned Tyrone" has us seeing double, triple, and even quadruple in the freaky conspiracy-theory film. John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris star in the sci-fi comedy that uncovers a sinister cloning experiment happening right underneath their rundown, inner-city neighborhood, The Glen. While the bulk of the movie focuses on the trio finding out how clones are being made under their noses, the climax and conclusion reveal why the nefarious study is even happening in the first place.

"They Cloned Tyrone" starts off with Boyega's character, Fontaine, a stoic hustler who spends his free time lifting weights, buying scratch-offs, and drinking malt liquor. Oh, and also beating up other local hustlers who mess with his cashflow. One unlucky encounter leads Fontaine to a shootout that kills him - or so everyone thinks. When he miraculously shows up at Slick Charles's (Foxx) motel door unharmed the next day, the fast-talking pimp informs him that he just saw Fontaine get shot in the parking lot the night before. His working girl Yo-Yo (Parris) confirms the story, too, which leads Fontaine to suspect something strange is afoot.

His suspicions lead the trio to an unsuspecting abandoned house, where they stumble upon an elevator that unveils a "freaky laboratory." It's there that they discover a dead clone of Fontaine and, soon thereafter, other clones of familiar faces from their neighborhood being stored in gas chambers, including Slick Charles.

After uncovering several hidden locations that lead back down to the lab, the trio attempt to expose it publicly, but not before their investigation summons the bad guy in charge. Well, almost in charge. There's a scientist who's the real mastermind behind the clones, but more on that later.

Halfway through the movie, when Fontaine, Slick Charles, and Yo-Yo get cornered by hypnotized club patrons in the street, a man named Nixon (Kiefer Sutherland) pulls up with another Fontaine clone and finally clues them in on what's really been going on. Turns out, the cloning experiment is actually part of a bigger scheme to, as Nixon says, "keep the United States united." In order to do so, they need clones of hustlers and pimps like Fontaine and Slick Charles as "a control setting" to, in short, keep run-down neighborhoods as they are, undisturbed without the interference of gentrification.

When an angered Fontaine tries to attack Nixon over the revelation, he's halted by a code word that places him under hypnosis: "Olympia Black." Then and there, Fontaine realizes the real truth: he's been a clone all along, because the command only works on clones.

Feeling powerless after their standoff, Fontaine's left with no other option but to accept his fate, however, Slick Charles and Yo-Yo have other plans - especially when the latter gets kidnapped back to the cloning lab. So Slick Charles teams up with Fontaine to dream up a scheme to shut down the harmful cloning operation once and for all.

Ahead, we break down the mind-blowing ending to "They Cloned Tyrone," plus an end-credits scene that hints at a potential sequel.

"They Cloned Tyrone" Ending Explained

In order to get back down to the lab undetected, Slick Charles suggests a plan where Fontaine gets shot, like at the beginning of the movie, but this time, he plays dead. Once his "dead" body is picked up off the street by the cloning agents and taken to the lab, Fontaine sets out to find Yo-Yo and release the other clones. In the meantime, Slick Charles rounds up folks from the neighborhood to lead a revolt and rescue mission for Yo-Yo and the clones. Once everyone gets underground, they destroy the lab while Slick Charles and Yo-Yo take out Nixon. But he's not the only villain who needs defeating.

When Fontaine comes face to face with one of his more dangerous clones, he's beaten to a pulp and dragged down to an office that finally reveals the mad cloning scientist. And, surprise, it's Fontaine! But this version of him is the actual original, who's much older. When the two meet, the original Fontaine shares more background behind the cloning experiment and why there are multiple clones of him. As he explains, it all stems from the death of his little brother, Ronnie, whom we see glimpses of in photos throughout the movie. It's the one memory that all the Fontaine clones have. Per the scientist, Ronnie's death is the reason he "made a deal with the devil" to start the whole operation: to prevent instances like that tragedy from happening.

According to the scientist's side of the story, the "invisible powers that be" above him had already tried torturous research experiments on Black communities before he came along - these included hair products, fried chicken, songs on the radio, etc. And they used clones to maintain the charade to try to keep the peace in America. But the scientist points out that it wasn't enough just for clones to all think the same; they have to be the same, too. And because of his research, he tracked hundreds of unique genes in the Black clones that separate "the ghettos" from other communities. So the plan is to eventually turn them all, even across the country, into other races in years to come. Because "assimilation is better than annihilation."

Before the original Fontaine can kill off his clone (the protagonist we know), the latter strains to utter the magic command "Olympia Black." This activates his dangerous clone, whom our Fontaine instructs to shoot and kill the original. Down the hall, Slick Charles shoots and kills Nixon, too. Free from the experiment, the movie's trio and all the clones (who also happen to be naked) return back to The Glen, where news crews swarm to cover the peculiar, shocking discovery. But that's not the end of the story.

"They Cloned Tyrone" End-Credits Scene Explained

Way across the country, in Los Angeles, we meet another Fontaine clone, whose name is, of course, Tyrone. He has a similar routine to his counterpart: he lifts weights outside, buys scratch-offs, and drinks 40 oz. In the "They Cloned Tyrone" end-credits scene, Tyrone and his friends watch the news to see more reports about clones being found. And interestingly enough, Tyrone sees his own clone on TV, which makes one of his friends turn and ask, "Ain't that you, Tyrone?"

An updated version of Erykah Badu's 1997 hit "Tyrone" then plays as the film's credits roll, with lyrics like: "Them motherf*ckers cloned Tyrone (Cloned him) / So tell him come on," and "Every time we go somewhere / they gotta search down in my purse / And scan your waves, and your homeboy's waves / And sometimes your cousin's waves."

The movie's ending doesn't seem to suggest a continuation with a second film, but it certainly leaves the door open to possibilities.

"They Cloned Tyrone" is now streaming on Netflix.



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Thursday, July 20, 2023

Summer Pastas for Summer Zodiac Signs


By Tanya Sichynsky from NYT Food https://ift.tt/7qKFGbJ
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Travis Barker Shares Possible Name For His Baby With Kourtney Kardashian

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's first child is already giving off rock-star energy. Just a few days after Kardashian announced she's pregnant at her husband's Blink-182 concert at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on June 16 by holding up a handwritten sign that read "Travis I'm Pregnant" (an exciting moment that POPSUGAR was there to witness), the Lemme founder and Barker revealed the sex of their baby with an actual drumroll.

On June 24, the couple shared a video on Instagram revealing they're expecting a boy. In the video, Kardashian wore a white bodysuit over black leggings and sat on her husband's lap behind his drums. "Is our pyro guy ready?" Barker asked his wife in the video. "I don't know what's happening, whatever you guys had planned," she replied.

From there, Barker began a drumroll that culminated with an explosion of blue streamers. The clearly emotional couple then wrapped their arms around one another as a crowd just out of frame cheered.

After her initial pregnancy announcement, Kardashian doubled down on sharing the exciting news by posting a video of herself with the sign on Instagram. Her sister Kim Kardashian - whom she's been feuding with on currently airing episodes of "The Kardashians" - was among the top comments, posting a pregnant-woman emoji and some other happy faces.

Barker and Kardashian were married in 2022. She shares three children - daughter Penelope and sons Mason and Reign - with ex Scott Disick. Barker is already the dad of three, as well. He shares stepdaughter Atiana, daughter Alabama, and son Landon with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler.

In a July 19 interview with Complex, Barker discussed GOAT baby names with Alabama, revealing that he likes Rocky 13. "That's this name that's just been going through my head," Barker tells his daughter. "Rocky George played guitar for Suicidal Tendencies and 13 is just the greatest number of all time." When Alabama asks her dad if she's going to name his baby Rocky 13, Barker says, "Possibly."

Kardashian and Barker had been very open about their journey with IVF in previous years. The couple documented their attempts to get pregnant on "The Kardashians," with the former ultimately announcing last fall that she was "for now done with IVF" due to the "toll on my health and my - just even mentally - the hormones, the medication." Ultimately, of getting pregnant, Kardashian Barker said, "I feel truly, like if it's meant to be, it'll happen."



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