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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has always been a special car.Before it started using that name in 1972, brand’s top model was known as the Sonderklasse, which is German for "Special Class," denoting its position as the flagship of the fleet.It’s been used as a showcase for the latest technologies including new engines, airbags, anti-lock brakes and traction control, and the newest "S" follows in that tradition.Not the redesigned S-Class that launched last year, but the EQS sedan that’s now in showrooms and is Mercedes-Benz’s first purpose-built electric car. The EQS is the first purpose-built electric car from Mercedes-Benz (Mercedes-Benz)The automaker has made other electric vehicles, but on platforms shared with internal combustion engine models. The EQS is the first built on a dedicated EV chassis that will spawn other lines in the years to come.The EQS starts at $103,360, and no one would call that cheap, but it is around $9,000 less than the lowest-priced S-Class, and that’s before factoring in the $7,500 federal tax credit it qualifies for. An annual estimated fuel savings of $2,700 for a typical driver just keeps racking up the savings. You've got to have money to make money, as they say. The EQS starts at $103,360. (Mercedes-Benz)The two cars are similar in size, which is enormous, but the EQS has an entirely different look. It features a ‘cab-forward" design with a low sleek nose that flows into the windshield and over the roof to a hatchback rear end. The somewhat aquatic shape gives the EQS the lowest drag coefficient of any vehicle on sale today.Aerodynamic efficiency is particularly important for electric cars as they need to stretch their electrons as far as they will go, due to how long it takes to recharge, even at the most powerful public stations. The EQS is a four-door hatchback. (Mercedes-Benz)The EQS does do it quicker than many and can charge its 107-kilowatt-hour battery from 10% to 80% in as few as 31 minutes. All fast chargers slow down above 80% to avoid stressing the batteries too much, which can reduce their lifespan. A full charge on a 240-volt charger, like those used at home, is an 11-hour affair.Filled to the brim, the entry-level 329 hp rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ has an EPA rated range of 350 miles, while the 516 hp all-wheel-drive EQS 580 4Matic can make it 340 miles between charging stops at the equivalent of 95 mpg. My real-world test of the EQS 580 4Matic suggested the figures are fairly accurate, and anything above 300 miles per charge reduces "range anxiety" significantly.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS CAR REVIEWSThe EQS comes standard with an adaptive air suspension that gives it an almost eerily smooth ride on rough city streets plus a four-wheel-steering system that can turn the rear wheels up to 10 degrees in the opposite direction as the fronts at low speeds. This effectively "shrinks" the car by allowing it to make turns as tightly as a compact Mercedes-Benz A-Class. On the highway, the lane-centering radar cruise control locks the vehicle within the middle of the lines, but requires you to keep a hand touching the wheel. The EQS is equipped with four-wheel steering. (Fox News Autos)Despite its three-ton weight, the EQS 450+ can accelerate to 60 mph in six seconds and the EQS 580 4Matic needs just four. Holes in traffic are instantly filled when you hit the accelerator, which is accompanied by a choice of two computer-generated motor noises. One sounds more like a combustion engine, the other like a spaceship. Such enhancements are often unconvincing and annoying in many electric cars, but I never felt the need to look for an "off" button in the EQS. That’s good, because there isn’t one. The Hyperscreen covers three digital displays. (Mercedes-Benz)The EQS also debuts Mercedes-Benz’s new Hyperscreen instrument panel. It’s a door-to-door single pane of glass that covers three digital displays. There’s the gauge cluster, a central touchscreen infotainment system and a secondary screen in front of the passenger that allows them to control several functions without having to reach all the way over to the middle of the dashboard.HERE'S WHY A MERCEDES-BENZ SOLD FOR A RECORD $143 MILLIONIt is a stretch as the EQS is as spacious as a concert hall. All outboard passengers are provided with heated and cooled reclining seats and there's a removable tablet in the fold-down rear center armrest that can be used to adjust the temperature, volume and do a couple of other things. The EQS is as spacious as an S-Class. (Mercedes-Benz)The Hyperscreen generally works pretty well, but it and the other touch-sensitive controls on the front armrest and steering wheel are occasionally finicky to operate. The interior is also dressed in miles of LED strips and ambient lights that can be adjusted to any color or set to cycle through all of them, putting on a show worthy of an EDM festival, especially when the 15-speaker Burmeister surround sound audio system is cranked up.Mercedes-Benz really went out of its way to make the EQS feel like the future and succeeded in creating a dazzling alternative to the sportier, but smaller Tesla Model S. You probably can’t afford one, but if history is any guide, a lot of what it has to offer will find its way into more affordable vehicles in the coming years.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn the meantime, considering the aggressive price point compared to the S-Class, and the fact that many of those are used as limousines and never stray too far from home, I think you can expect to see a lot of people who can afford it cruising around your downtown financial and nightlife districts in the EQS sooner than that.----------2022 Mercedes-Benz EQSBase price: $103,360Type: 5-passenger, 4-door, all-wheel-drive hatchbackDrivetrain: Dual electric motorsPower: 516 hp/631 lb-ftTransmission: single-speed automaticMPGe: 95 combined Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor covering the car industry and racing @foxnewsautos	Automotive and Transportation
A second Love Island star has already exited the villa in a savage recoupling twist. It follows on from Liam Llewellyn's exit from the ITV2 show earlier this weekA second Love Island star has already exited the villa in a savage recoupling twist. It follows on from Liam Llewellyn's exit from the ITV2 show earlier this week Another Love Island star has already left the villa in a huge recoupling twist. It has been reported that one more contestant has said goodbye to the ITV2 show, with the dramatic exit reportedly set to air on Tuesday night's show. It comes hot off the heels of Liam Llewellyn's exit from the programme after he decided he just wasn't able to be himself during his time in the Majorcan villa. We'll be bringing you the latest updates on this breaking showbiz news story. Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE . Get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters . Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror every time you see our name. Follow The Mirror on Google News - CLICK HERE and click the star Follow The Mirror on Apple News - CLICK HERE available on Apple devices Follow The Mirror on Flipboard - CLICK HERE and click follow You can sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news here @MirrorBreaking_ and follow us @MirrorCeleb for all the latest updates. Keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/MirrorCeleb See all our social accounts you can follow here: mirror.co.uk/social	Celebrity
Lord Lloyd-Webber received boos on the closing night of his West End production of Cinderella as audience members responded to a letter read out on his behalf.Lloyd-Webber did not attend the final performance at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on Sunday evening, but sent a message in which he described the production as “a costly mistake”.The composer’s letter was read to the audience by Laurence Connor, director of the show, which ran for less than a year.“I am hugely sorry not to be able to be with you today, but I want to thank everyone from our fabulous cast, crew and musicians, the superb creative team, Laurence,” Lloyd-Webber said in the letter. “I keep thinking if only we had opened three months later,	Music
Ozzy Osbourne, 73, to undergo major surgery that could 'determine the rest of his life', says wife Sharon as she jets to Los Angeles to be by his sideOzzy was last publicly seen in May with the frail singer leaning on a cane as he walked The rocker has Parkinson's disease and previously suffered a nasty fall and dislodged metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003 Ozzy previously opened up about his Parkinson’s diagnosis in a candid interview on US TV, in which he admitted the condition is 'just another thing on my plate'He said: 'Well the one question from me was, "Is it a terminal illness?", and the guy says, "No, but life is" Published: 19:10 EDT, 12 June 2022 \| Updated: 08:25 EDT, 13 June 2022 Ozzy Osbourne is having major surgery on Monday, which will 'determine the rest of his life'.The Dreamer hitmaker's wife Sharon revealed her plans to head back to Los Angeles from London to be there for her spouse as he undergoes the life-changing operation. The 73-year-old rocker, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, was last publicly seen in May - with the frail singer leaning on a cane as he walked.Speaking on the UK's The Talk on TalkTV, Sharon said: '[Ozzy] has a very major operation on Monday, and I have to be there. Medical attention: Ozzy Osbourne, 73, is having major surgery on Monday, which will 'determine the rest of his life' (pictured May 2022)'It’s really going to determine the rest of his life.'MailOnline has contacted a representative for Ozzy for comment. During her show Sharon, 69, added that the star still had plenty to look forward to after his operation as their son Jack’s baby daughter with fiancée Aree Gearheart is due ‘in about three weeks’.Meanwhile, the music manager and Ozzy will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary on July 1. Couple: The Dreamer hitmaker's wife Sharon has revealed she is heading back to Los Angeles from London to be there for her spouse as he undergoes the life-changing operation next week (pictured January 2020) Honest: Speaking on the UK's The Talk on TalkTV, she said: '[Ozzy] has a very major operation on Monday, and I have to be there' Ozzy revealed in January 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkin 2 - a form of Parkinson's which he said is the cause of nerve pain and leaves his legs cold. The No More Tears hitmaker's operation comes after the musician previously suffered a nasty fall and dislodged metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003.However, it was already known that he was due to undergo one more surgery. In April, Piers Morgan asked pal Sharon on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV: 'How is Ozzy, my great man? Born to perform: Ozzy, pictured here on stage with Black Sabbath in 1978, was fired from the band in 1979 due to alcohol and drug problems Making music: Ozzy went on to have a successful solo career, releasing 12 studio albums, and has since reunited with Black Sabbath on numerous occasions (pictured 2010)'He is just one of my favourite people in the world. Been through the health wars a bit, how’s he doing?' PARKINSON'S: THE INCURABLE NERVE DISEASE THAT AFFECTS MILLIONS Parkinson’s disease affects one million Americans a year. It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability.It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement.Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died.There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that. In the US, physicians consider it largely one type of condition with various stages; young onset Parkinson's or atypical Parkinson's. In Europe, some doctors and researchers specify different types of the condition. Treatment is mostly made up of medication. In some cases, doctors perform Deep Brain Stimulation surgery to try to hit the nerves more directly. Sharon said the Black Sabbath rocker is keen to move back to England after his latest surgery.She replied: 'He’s doing okay, he sends you his love. He’s got one more operation left to do and then he’s dying to come back home.'Sharon's Ozzy health update comes after it was reported that they've applied for permission to build a rehab wing at their home in the UK.The Crazy Train hitmaker lodged an application requesting the green light for renovations at his Buckinghamshire mansion.The extension will feature a self-contained nurse’s flat as well as 'discreet grab rails and aids' and 'an abundance of stopping and sitting spaces'.The plans also include a 'health and exercise studio' as well as a 'pool house orangery' and 'garden room'.Architect Lynne Walker wrote in the plans: 'It is the ambition that the design creates a transition of flowing inside outside garden spaces, largely lit by natural light with folding doors opening up views.'A spokesperson for the Paranoid hitmaker has yet to comment on the renovation reports, but confirmed Ozzy - who was badly injured following his fall at home three years ago - is gearing up for another surgery on his 'back or neck'.Sharon recently admitted she now has to care for Ozzy 'a lot' because of his health issues.She said: 'It’s very difficult, because the combination of the Parkinson’s and his accident, you go, well, which one is this? Why’s this happening? Why’s that happening?'Ozzy previously opened up about his Parkinson’s diagnosis in a candid interview on US TV, in which he admitted the condition is 'just another thing on my plate'.He said: 'Well the one question from me was, "Is it a terminal illness?", and the guy says, "No, but life is".'It’s just another thing on my plate I have got to deal with. I’m not in the slightest worried about it. I’ve not got any secrets. The initial shock is I’ve got Parkinson’s.'Nobody knows what the f*** it is. I didn’t know anything about it apart from the name.'Ozzy was previously diagnosed with Parkin Syndrome in 2005. It has similar symptoms to Parkinson's. Making changes: Sharon, 69, said the Black Sabbath rocker is keen to move back to England after his latest surgery (pictured with daughter Kelly in January 2020) Advertisement	Music
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Joe Maddon reportedly had an idea to ease the tension in the Los Angeles Angels’ dugout amid the team’s 12-game losing streak – change up his hairstyle.Maddon was going to show up last Tuesday with a mohawk in hopes of sparking the team’s turnaround, ESPN reported Sunday. But he was fired before he could show it off.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Joe Maddon of the Los Angeles Angels reacts during the fifth inning against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 5, 2022, in Philadelphia. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)"After consecutive loss number 12, Maddon got a mohawk haircut to try to awaken his team," ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian said during the "Sunday Night Baseball" telecast. "But the players never saw it, he was fired."Angels general manager Perry Minasian recommended making the move to team owner Arte Moreno and then drove to Maddon’s home to deliver the news. Los Angeles third base coach Phil Nevin was named the interim manager. Joe Maddon of the Los Angeles Angels watches during the Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Field on May 16, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)YANKEES' KYLE HIGASHIOKA TEES OFF ON 35 MPH PITCH, NEW YORK RAILROADS CUBS"Looking at the last couple of days is really when I started thinking about making a change. And I’m trying not to make emotional decisions. I’ll be honest, I’ve been emotional the past couple of days. There have been some really tough losses," Minasian said.Los Angeles was on a 14-game losing streak before snapping it against the Boston Red Sox Thursday. The team also defeated the New York Mets on Saturday. Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon during batting practice prior to the Phillies game on June 5, 2022, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPMaddon was 157-172 in more than two seasons with the Angels. He was fired in 2020 after five seasons with the Chicago Cubs, which included a World Series title.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].	Baseball
Double Take: Is there something to be learned from this latest dip into the stretched-thin world of IP, "tennis ball tension," and "Spielberg porn"? This past weekend saw the release of Colin Trevorrow’s final chapter in the “Jurassic World” trilogy. While the film earned nearly $150 million at the domestic box office this weekend, reviews weren’t kind (including IndieWire’s own) and the film currently sits at a dismal 30 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (the lowest of any film in this trilogy or the previous one). While the return of the original trilogy’s core trio delighted plenty of audience members, fans and critics alike balked at the film’s convoluted story, its resistance to digging into more dino-centric action, and a truly bizarre choice to make some other creepy animal its main baddie. Both IndieWire executive editor and VP of editorial strategy Eric Kohn and executive editor, film Kate Erbland emerged from the latest jaunt to the underworld of dino DNA gone wild feeling increasingly worried about the current state of blockbusters. But is there something to be learned from this latest dip into the stretched-thin world of IP, “tennis ball tension,” and “Spielberg porn”? ERIC KOHN: There’s an excellent new movie in theaters that confronts difficult questions about what happens when humankind exploits technology to change the natural course of evolution. It’s called “Crimes of the Future,” and everyone should see it. And then there’s “Jurassic World: Dominion,” a movie that reduces those same questions to blockbuster putty of the worst kind. I know we agree with the general consensus that “Dominion” is a dud, the worst entry in the second trilogy of a franchise that never came close to matching the appeal of the original “Jurassic Park.” Director Colin Trevorrow has assembled an ambitious ensemble of new and old faces to weave together nearly 30 years of dinosaur survival stories, the result is a mess of ridiculous plot twists and cheeky fan service with an overabundance of monster movie CGI. The failings of “Dominion” shouldn’t come as a surprise. All three entries of the “Jurassic World” trilogy swap awe for kitsch and make the original Steven Spielberg movie look downright subtle. To me, however, this outcome is also a historic inevitability for a few reasons. A decade ago, Trevorrow was among the notable Sundance breakouts catapulted the low-budget arena to the studios after a single well-received feature, the quirky Mark Duplass time travel comedy “Safety Not Guaranteed.” “Jurassic World: Dominion”Universal Pictures I have lambasted this tendency many times over the years, because most filmmakers aren’t Taika Waititi and don’t flourish creatively within the confines of the studio system. Trevorrow may not have flourished creatively anywhere, judging by his confounding “Jurassic World” follow-up “The Book of Henry,” and a parting with Lucasfilm over a gig to direct the third “Star Wars” movie. But “Safety Not Guaranteed” remains a sweet and innovative genre blend that in theory could have led to further original riffs on existing storytelling tropes. But that impulse was never going to blossom within the context of the “Jurassic World” franchise. Though J.A. Bayona’s “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” at least upped the ante for outrageous action sequences, overall, you could probably invent a more cohesive franchise cash-grab with magnetic poetry. Clones, bioweapons, theme parks, oh my! “Dominion” is overflowing with attempts to rejuvenate the ideas of the original, lacing it all together with obvious callbacks to Spielberg’s direction that reduce it to an algorithm. And that includes the return of mighty dino-fighting trio Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and of course Laura Dern, who would work wonders on a podcast together but here look as puzzled to be wandering around a cheap imitation of “Jurassic Park” as we are. Then again, Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm has cashed in on his fame that came out of the first “Jurassic Park” fiasco, which is probably on-target self-criticism by this movie even if it wasn’t intended this way. Let’s find a constructive way through this. What’s your take on the failings of “Dominion”? Has the writing been on the compound walls all this time or were you expecting better? KATE ERBLAND: More than anything, I walked away from “Jurassic World: Dominion” feeling depressed. I’m an infamously enthusiastic movie-goer, just as excited about the possibilities of a new Marvel joint or the latest film from Jane Campion, and while I’ve seen, understood, and acknowledged that bone-deep “is this what movies are now?” feeling that many other film fans have experienced through the past few years of the studio-sanctioned, spreadsheet-created, cookie-cutter franchise boom, I’ve never quite felt it so acutely. “Jurassic World: Dominion” made me sad, because it’s stuffed to the brim with all the worst tendencies of blockbuster filmmaking: endless callbacks, dumb-bunny winks, moments that seem to hold specifically for an audience to cheer or at least sigh “I recognize that reference,” made all the worse by occasional good ideas and intermittently interesting questions. I might have felt better about the entire thing if the whole movie was such a bomb, but again, there’s some good stuff here — when you see an animatronic dinosaur, your brain knows it, recognizes it as somehow “real,” delights in it! But the CGI? Call it tennis ball tension, because I am sick to death of watching massive set pieces in which you just know the stars are doing nothing but reacting to tennis balls on poles. Your brain knows that too, and mine is done with it (does it only hurt that “Top Gun: Maverick,” a genuinely great blockbuster also out now, eschews such tendencies? yes). “Jurassic World: Dominion”Universal Pictures But that breach between the “real” and the “movie magic” feels even worse within the context of this franchise, which started with a film filled with genuine wonder. And while the subsequent films in the original franchise never, ever matched that joy and actual magic that Spielberg and company conjured up so expertly, I was hoping this new trilogy would somehow find its way back there. “Jurassic World” wasn’t horrible, but it was just retread, and despite all the big ideas it presented — and the possibility of turning wonder into terror — they’ve never been fully fleshed out in a way that screams, “this is a movie to see!” Also disheartening: Colin Trevorrow’s stance on not simply presenting a film in which dinosaurs — now free! — run roughshod on the human population does actually feel scientifically sound. I totally understand his viewpoint and logic. But none of that adds up to an entertaining film, or even a franchise, worthy of the “Jurassic” name. Or, put more plainly: what do you think of the film’s real bad guys, THE GIANT LOCUSTS?! KOHN: The locusts looked like goth grasshoppers. “Tennis ball tension” is a great term that should be taped to the walls of VFX studios everywhere, because it’s a reminder of the contradiction tied to this kind of technologically-based spectacle: The more you can spend to make something look real, the faker it gets. You can practically see the pixels sparkling in the sunlight when those giant bugs speed through Texas. Film scholar Tom Gunning coined the term “cinema of attractions” to describe the kind of movie that delights or thrills us more than it tries to tell a cohesive story, but that potential is squandered when we can see the cracks in the design. The only sequence that held mild intrigue for me was an action-packed showdown between most of the main cast and a giant dino that finds them climbing a ladder and teaming up to deter the attacks. There’s genuine choreography energized by a deft blend of camerawork and editing, even if it transforms Goldblum’s character into a macho action star out of nowhere. But so much of “Dominion” and its precedents hark back to Ian Malcolm’s ominous decree in the original about the people in charge being “so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” “Jurassic World: Dominion”Universal Pictures Look, none of this is surprising to me. I have rolled my eyes through a lot of bad blockbusters over the years. They come and go with the cold efficiency of tax season: Painful in the moment but easy enough to forget when they aren’t staring you in the face. Anyone remember “Prince of Persia”? “The Mummy”? But “Dominion” frustrates because it arrives at a moment when the global film industry needs every type of movie that contributes to the broader ecosystem to thrive, and instead it provides a reminder of why the system keeps shooting itself in the foot. I watched this movie in the midst of making my way through the latest season of “Stranger Things,” which reportedly cost $30 million per episode. You can see the money on the screen, but not the substance, which is stretched out like silly putty to feature length in almost every episode. As long as we’ve had cinema, we’ve had special effects, and the potential to amaze audiences with narratives built around them. But at some point, this potential was equated with costliness, and the ability to throw money at the screen mucks up any question — or concern — about what’s being put there in the first place. Fix it in post, or don’t fix it all…who cares! The whole enterprise of modern blockbuster filmmaking reeks of indifference. Georges Melies spent $10,000 francs on “A Trip to the Moon” in 1902 and we’re still talking about it 120 years later. I wouldn’t begin to predict what sort of moving image experience we’ll be talking about in 2142, but I reckon it won’t be “Jurassic World: Dominion.” ERBLAND: Jeez, I hope it won’t be! As you mention, the timing on this is maybe the worst part, because yes, the global box office needs every hit it can find, and I am doubting that “Dominion” will follow in the steps of (again!) my current favorite, “Top Gun: Maverick,” and keep a happy and healthy second-week audience. People need to be reminded of the magic of the movies, but this film only reminded me of the facetiousness of them. I’m all for spectacle and whiz-bang, but that’s in short supply here, all whiz, no bang. “Jurassic Park” Part of that might be due to the last couple of years of in-home viewing, during which I’ve caught way back up on some of the wacky hits of the ‘80s and ‘90s, where CGI wasn’t de rigeur and real stunts reigned. My eyes changed, or maybe they just returned to the childlike wonder the movies used to inspire in me as but a tiny child. Whatever the case is, I’m tapped out on the fake stuff and, as so often happens in “Dominion,” when that’s paired with lacking emotion or coherency, I’m all the way done. There is still absolutely a place for large-scale movies at the multiplex, hell, that might be the only place for them right now, but that shouldn’t mean that Hollywood should keep making the mistakes of “Dominion” and its ilk. As we’ve learned with every subsequent “Jurassic” film, even the most well-meaning of creative exercises can forever change the equilibrium of the world, and not for the better. A Universal Pictures release, “Jurassic World: Dominion” is now in theaters. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.	Movies
By Steffan PowellGaming reporterPublished4 hours agocommentsCommentsImage source, BethesdaImage caption, Starfield will be released next year, although no exact release date has been announcedMore than 35 new experiences for the Xbox have been announced as Microsoft brought a busy period of console gaming news conferences to an end.Gameplay footage of Starfield, a space exploration game from the creators of Fallout and Skyrim, was finally shown.The game was announced in 2018 and its release recently delayed until 2023 - so this was the first time the public have been able to see it in action.Its developers have described it as "Nasa meets Indiana Jones".Players will be able to craft their own spaceships and explore over 1,000 planets in the game.Image source, MicrosoftImage caption, Minecraft Legends will be the next instalment in the hugely popular game seriesMicrosoft also revealed a new child-friendly action strategy game made by Swedish developer Mojang called Minecraft Legends.Sunday's 90-minute showcase showcase focused only on titles that will be playable in the next 12 months - although no exact release date was given for Starfield or Minecraft Legends.The latter invites gamers to "inspire their allies and lead them in strategy battles to save the Overworld" following a Piglin invasion.Ok just a few more months to finish up every other game so I can dedicate my life to Starfield— Cadaea (@sophiekeen) June 12, 2022 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on TwitterMeanwhile, new strategic partnerships with developers like League of Legends creators Riot Games and Kojima Productions were also unveiled.It follows a similar virtual conference held earlier this month by Sony and the Summer Games Fest - an event that saw a variety of different game developers make announcements. In the gaming industry calendar, June has become the month where big announcements are often made. That is because they have historically tied in with the annual E3 games event. Although some companies have stopped taking part in E3 in recent years, and despite the convention's cancellation this year, companies have still decided to make June the time to show off what they're working on. In its 30-minute event earlier this month, Sony showcased unseen footage for forthcoming titles, banking on a string of well-established franchises to encourage gamers to buy consoles as availability of the PlayStation 5 improves.Street Fighter 6 is set to be playable in 2023, with legendary characters Ryu and Chun-Li taking centre stage for the next iteration of the fighting game franchise. Less clear is whether a new game mode based on exploration and character development will be as popular as the traditional button-bashing elements.Starfield looked better in concept form somehow. Just wasn't blown away. Very choppy, ps3/xbox 360 Era facial animation. Looked like fallout in space.— oti (@Oti09280470) June 12, 2022 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on TwitterResident Evil 4, originally released in 2005, is the latest title form the horror franchise to be remade for modern devices. And the gameplay showcased in the trailer for Final Fantasy 16 showed a focus more on action set-pieces than the roleplaying elements that the franchise is famous for.Those titles won't hit the shelves until 2023, which will frustrate some as there has been a criticism that the latest PlayStation console is still light on the number of games designed exclusively for its unique technology.Microsoft used its showcase to reveal footage from a variety of experiences - , to driving simulator Forza Motorsport, the latest in the realistic car racing series. Image source, MicrosoftImage caption, Forza Motorsport is due to be released next springBy announcing so many experiences in one night, Microsoft tried to tackle the traditional criticism labelled against its consoles - that there are not enough exclusive titles to play on Xbox machines.As well as a long list of new games, there were partnership announcements. A deal with Riot Games sees League of Legends content coming to Microsoft's subscription game service Gamepass. Both companies will hope the deal introduces new gamers to their products.While there were no details of what legendary games designer Hideo Kojima is working on with Microsoft, to have struck a deal with someone so closely associated with Sony in the past is a coup for Xbox. As ever with big gaming conferences, there are always those disappointed by what was left out. Sony's State of Play event didn't include any more information about the sequel to 2018 smash hit God of War, which is due to be released this year. The lack of an update on the latest game in the Fable franchise of role-playing adventures was the elephant in room during the Xbox showcase. In 2020, Microsoft bought games studio Bethesda, the studio behind Starfield and the creators of some of the most popular games of all time.For the first time, the two companies shared the same platform, and the first title on display was Bethesda's co-operative survival shooting game Redfall, which kicked off the event with frantic, fast-paced, first-person action gameplay.For Harvey Smith, studio director of its developer Arkane Austin, being part of an event where many games are showcased is "exciting", but there's "always a lot of pressure".Redfall's multiplayer vampire slaying is a metaphor for the world's inequalities, he said. "A tiny percentage of people in the world have all the power."In order to live like they live, they need others to be incredibly poor. They have drained the resources, the life and a joy from other people to accrue their wealth - so that they can live in the clouds. "Vampires are always metaphors - it's something that you choose to become. Because of the way that you want to live, it's incredibly selfish, but that is super compelling to me."Like video games? Listen to Press X to Continue - the BBC Sounds gaming Podcast	Video Games
SAN FRANCISCO — How do you become an elite rebounder when two of your teammates are among the NBA’s best shooters ever? Kevon Looney is showing how in these playoffs and now the NBA Finals. “I’ve kind of got it down to a science,” Looney said ahead of Monday’s Game 5 against the Celtics. Thanks to years of up-close viewing when Steph Curry and Klay Thompson shoot, Looney’s learned how to position his body, use his strengths and anticipate how the ball might bounce his way. “It’s from getting used to where Steph’s going to shoot it from, where Klay’s going to shoot it from, and how their misses are going to come off (the rim),” Looney said. “It definitely comes from experience, just playing with them for such a long time, knowing what spots they like to get to.” How Curry and Thompson shoot likely will determine if the Warriors will win their fourth NBA championship. How Looney rebounds their misses — and those of the Celtics and other Warriors — is also greatly factoring into the equation. Looney is coming off an 11-rebound effort in the Warriors’ Game 4 win Friday in Boston, where the series got even at 2-2. He came through with 18 rebounds in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, when the Warriors finished off the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center. And he had 22 rebounds there when the Warriors eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the conference semis. Looney’s career ascent has been a hot topic, and he’s been arguably the best supporting actor in this playoff cast, where Curry remains the marquee headliner and Thompson the sentimental, comeback hero. Looney’s 6-foot-9 frame has shown a propensity to anticipate where their shots and others might veer off the mark. “They’re some of the greatest shooters ever, so they’re not going to have a lot of bad misses,” Looney said. “So it’s just knowing where their misses are going to go to, knowing when Steph is going to drive and shoot a step-back. “You just learn from watching and playing with them. You get a great feel for how things are going to go. It helps me with offensive rebounds and knowing when I should attack.” What’s it like to know when Curry is dead-on accurate, like his 43-point barrage in Friday’s Game 4 win at Boston? “I know Steph’s going to make it so I don’t have to go (to the boards) some time,” Looney added. “A lot of times he gives you a hint, because he just turns around before it goes in. Usually when he does that, it goes in.” Looney has played in every game on the schedule, a total of 102 that leads all NBA players this season. Kerr wouldn’t say if Looney will start or come off the bench for more grunt work Monday night. “Part of this series for us, and part of the whole playoffs, frankly, has been trying to figure out rotations,” Kerr said. “We didn’t have our whole team together until Game 1 of the Denver series, and then Gary (Payton) got hurt. Andre (Iguodala) got hurt. So it feels like almost every series, we have had to search a little bit for combinations and for substitution patterns.” The Celtics are looking to go 8-0 following a loss in these playoffs. Looney is expecting another physical battle in the paint. “It’s physical down there,” Looney said. “I usually hit first. But a lot of times this series I’ve been getting hit first. They do a great job. Sometimes I’ve got the ball and the guards come in and dig it out. It’s been real physical.” “… We are both great teams, and I think we both have been showing that all year, that whenever you lose or get punched in the mouth, we always come back and impose our will. We have to protect home court, and we know what they are built of and made of. We know they are not going to lay down.” You know what else Looney knows? Where the ball might go when it isn’t bouncing the Warriors’ way through the net in case Curry or Thompson, you know, miss.	Basketball
1.6 billion stars. 11.4 million galaxies. 158,000 asteroids. One spacecraft. The European Space Agency’s Gaia space observatory, which launched in 2013, has long surpassed its goal of charting more than a billion stars in the Milky Way (SN: 10/15/16). On June 13, the mission extended that map into new dimensions, releasing more detailed measurements of hundreds of millions of stars, plus — for the first time — asteroids, galaxies and the dusty medium between stars. Sign Up For the Latest from Science News Headlines and summaries of the latest Science News articles, delivered to your inbox “Suddenly you have a flood of data,” says Laurent Eyer, an astrophysicist at the University of Geneva who has worked on Gaia for years. For some topics in astronomy, the new results effectively replace all the observations that were taken before, Eyer says. “The data is better. It’s amazing.” Data in the new survey, which were collected from 2014 to 2017, are already leading to some discoveries — including the presence of surprisingly massive “starquakes” on the surfaces of thousands of stars (SN: 8/2/19). But more than anything, the release is a new tool for astronomers, one that will aid their efforts to understand how stars, planets and entire galaxies form and evolve. Here are a few of the long-standing puzzles the data could help solve. Asteroid mishmash The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is a mess of history. After the Earth and other planets formed, the rocky building blocks that were left over smashed into each other, leaving behind jumbled fragments. But if scientists know enough about individual asteroids, they can reconstruct when and where they came from (SN: 4/13/19). And that can provide a peek into the solar system’s earliest days. Using new Gaia data, astronomers plotted the June 13, 2022, positions of 156,000 asteroids. The trails show their orbits for the last 10 days, and the colors mark different groups of asteroids based on their location (blue, inner solar system; green, the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter; orange, the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter).DPAC/Gaia/ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Gaia’s massive new dataset may help solve this puzzle, says Federica Spoto, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass. It includes data on the chemical makeup of over 60,000 asteroids — six times more than researchers had such details on before using other tools. That information can be essential for tracing asteroids back to their shattering origins. “You can go back in time and try to understand all the formation and evolution of the solar system,” says Spoto, a Gaia collaborator. “That’s something huge that before Gaia we couldn’t even think about.” Asteroids aren’t just pieces of the past, though; they’re also dangerous. The new data could reveal asteroids that are next to impossible to spot from Earth because they orbit too close to the sun, says Thomas Burbine, a planetary scientist at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., who is not involved with the mission (SN: 2/15/20). Since these asteroids would have originally come from farther out (say, the asteroid belt), they can tell us about the rocks going past Earth that can potentially hit us. “We’ll know our neighborhood better,” Burbine says. Dating a star It is notoriously difficult to measure the age of stars (SN: 7/23/21). “It’s not uncommon to have uncertainty of more than a billion years,” says Alessandro Savino, an astrophysicist at the University of California, Berkeley who is not involved with Gaia. Unlike brightness or location, age is not directly visible. Astronomers have to rely on theories of how stars evolve to predict ages from what they can measure. If past versions of the Gaia survey were like a photograph of stars, the new release is like shifting the photograph from black and white to color. It provides a deeper look at hundreds of millions of stars by measuring their temperature, gravity and chemistry. “You imagine the star as this point in space, but then they have so many properties,” Spoto says. “That’s what Gaia is giving you.” Although these kinds of measurements are far from new, they have never been collected in the Milky Way on such a scale before. Those data could provide more insight into how stars evolve. “We can improve the resolution of our clocks,” Savino says. Milky Way snacks Though it may seem unchanging, the Milky Way is actually gorging on a steady diet of smaller galaxies —it’s even in the process of eating one right now. But for decades, predictions of when and how these cosmic mergers happen have been at odds with evidence from our galaxy, says Bertrand Goldman, an astrophysicist at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, who is not involved in the Gaia data release. “That has been controversial for a long time,” Goldman says, “but I think that Gaia will certainly shed light.” The key is to be able to pick apart different structures in the Milky Way and see how old they are (SN: 1/10/20). Gaia’s latest release helps in two ways: By mapping the chemistry of stars and by measuring their motion. Previous versions of the survey described how millions of stars were moving, but mostly in two dimensions. The new catalog quadruples the number of stars with full 3-D trajectories from 7 million to 33 million. This has implications beyond our neighborhood. Most of the mass in the universe is contained in galaxies like the Milky Way, so knowing how our own galaxy works goes a long way to understanding space on the largest scales. And the more scientists understand the parts of galaxies they can see, the more they can learn about dark matter, the mysterious substance that exerts gravity but doesn’t interact with light (SN: 6/25/21). Even as astronomers mine this latest dataset, they are already looking ahead to future treasure hunts. The next round is years off, but it is expected to enable the discovery of thousands of exoplanets, produce rare measurements of black holes and help astronomers clock how fast the universe is expanding. In part, this is because Gaia is designed to track the motion of objects in space, and that gets easier as more time passes. So Gaia’s observations can only get more powerful. “Like good wine, they age very, very well,” Savino says.	Space Exploration
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout talked about the fantasy football "confusion" during ESPN’s broadcast Sunday night as his team was playing the New York Mets.Trout had been thrust into the middle of a controversy between Cincinnati Reds outfielder Tommy Pham and San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson. The two players got into a pregame altercation last month that ended with Pham slapping Pederson across the face.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Mike Trout hits a run-scoring single against the New York Mets in Anaheim, California, Sunday, June 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)It was later revealed the incident was over an issue with fantasy football and Trout was the commissioner of their league. He was asked Sunday whether they were playing an ESPN league."I think that’s what we ran," Trout said. "Yeah, I think that’s what we ran. I think that’s why there was some confusion. Because that website wasn’t… Ah, I can’t say that right now it’s an ESPN game."Trout appeared to save himself from going off on the ESPN fantasy game during the broadcast.The Angels star said Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman won his fantasy football league. He said there were 12 people in the league. Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout celebrates with Shohei Ohtani after hitting a two-run homer against the New York Mets Saturday, June 11, 2022, in Anaheim, California. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)WHITE SOX FANS CALL FOR TONY LA RUSSA'S FIRING DURING LOSS TO RANGERS"I'll tell ya right now, probably gettin' another commissioner," Trout said.Pederson said last month the slap from Pham was over fantasy football."He kinda came up and said, 'You remember from last year?’ And I was like, ‘fantasy football?’ and he was like, ‘Yeah.’" He added: "We were in a fantasy league together. I put somebody – a player – on the injured reserve when they were listed as out and added another player. And then there was a text message in the group saying that I was cheating because I was stashing players on the bench." Tommy Pham of the Cincinnati Reds runs out an RBI single against the Guardians at Progressive Field on May 17, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)Pham said the slap was about more than just the fantasy games. He said Pederson texted him some "disrespectful s---" and he called him out on it.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPPham was suspended three games for the slapping incident.Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].	Baseball
Award Shows \| 6/12/2022 8:48 PM PT Hudson already has an Oscar for "Dreamgirls," an Emmy for "Baby Yaga" and two Grammys. Jennifer Hudson has just joined an elite category of performers who have achieved one of the most coveted acronyms in all of entertainment. She had to wait through the entirety of the Tony Awards ceremony to find out if she was going to join that lofty crew, but it all came together when "A Strange Loop" won for Best Musical. ABC American Idol Celebrates 20 Years with Legends Like Ruben, Scotty, Jordin, Alaina and -- William Hung? View Story Hudson is one of several producers for the show, but there is no limit to how many producers can win the award, as noted by TheWrap. With this victory, Hudson earns the coveted EGOT, which stands for wins at each of the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Tonys. She'd previously won the Oscar in 2007 for her work in "Dreamgirls," and a Daytime Emmy in 2021 for producting the animated film "Baba Yaga." The "American Idol" alum already has two Grammys, having picked up trophies for her 2009 self-titled album, as well as "The Color Purple" in 2017. Now, she joins an elite group of only 17 people who've won all four. She is the first "Idol" contestant to do so. Getty Tony Awards Remind Attendees 'Strict No Violence' Policy After Will Smith's Oscars Slap View Story The most recent winner is Alan Menken, who achieved the honor in 2020. There were three EGOT winners in 2018, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, and John Legend. Lin-Manuel Miranda was on the verge of scoring his, but missed out when Billie Eilish took the Oscar for Best Original Song this past year. The only other people in this lofty circle are (in descending order of when they achieved their EGOT status) Robert Lopez (2013), Scott Rudin (2012), Whoopi Goldberg (2002), Mike Nichols (2001), Mel Brooks (2001), Jonathan Tunick (1997), Marvin Hamlisch (1995), Audrey Hepburn (1994), John Gielgud (1991), Rita Moreno (1977), Helen Hayes (1977), and Richard Rodgers (1962).	Music
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The United Arab Emirates on Monday banned the upcoming Pixar animated feature "Lightyear" from showing in movie theaters amid reports that the film includes a kiss between two female characters.The decision by the UAE comes as Malaysia also reportedly will ban the film, raising the possibility other Muslim-majority nations could follow suit on one of Disney’s biggest animated films of the year as the film industry comes out of the depths of the coronavirus pandemic.The Emirates, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, announced through its Media Regulatory Office of the country’s Ministry of Youth and Culture that the film would not be opening in the country this Thursday.The film "is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards," the office said in a tweet. "The office confirms that all films screened in cinemas across the country are subject to follow-up and evaluation before the date of screening to the public, to ensure the safety of the circulated content according to the appropriate age classification."HAWLEY INTRODUCES BILL TO STRIP 'WOKE' DISNEY OF SPECIAL COPYRIGHT PROTECTIONSThe office did not elaborate on the tweet and did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press. The tweet included an image of the film’s poster, with the profile image of its main character Buzz Lightyear with a "no" symbol over it in red.Movie theaters in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, had already advertised showtimes for the film. But over the weekend, a social media campaign with the Arabic hashtag "Ban Showing Lightyear in the Emirates," caught the attention of conservative Emiratis. They described showing a lesbian couple on screen as being against their culture and religion. Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Chris Evans, and Alisha Hawthorne, voiced by Uzo Aduba, in a scene from the animated film "Lightyear," releasing June 17. (Disney/Pixar via AP, File)The movie, with actor Chris Evans voicing the Buzz Lightyear action figure from the "Toy Story" films, reportedly includes a character voiced by actress Uzo Aduba kissing another woman with whom she’s in a relationship.The UAE, as well as many other countries in the wider Mideast, is a Muslim-led nation that criminalizes same-sex relationships. The U.S. State Department warns that Islamic, or Shariah, law in the UAE can include the death penalty for same-sex conduct, while Dubai can levy a 10-year prison sentence and Abu Dhabi allows for up to 14 years.DESANTIS BLASTS DISNEY EXECS’ ATTACK ON PARENTS: 'WALT DISNEY WOULD NOT WANT THAT'However, such prosecutions are rarely reported and LGBTQ individuals do live in the skyscraper-studded city-state of Dubai, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates.The $200 million "Lightyear" is expected to be a major draw for Disney, with analysts estimating it could gross over $100 million in its first weekend.Studios have allowed censors to cut films in global distribution for content in the past, including in the Mideast market. Recently, Disney has faced protests from activists and its own staff over what they described as CEO Bob Chapek’s slow response in publicly criticizing Florida legislation that opponents dubbed the "Don’t Say Gay" bill. Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 24, 2022. (Reuters/Octavio Jones)Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in late March signed the bill, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.NETFLIX, CORPORATIONS REALIZE WOKE MOB ONLY A PAPER TIGERThe movie also may be banned in Malaysia as well. The Star, the country’s top English-language newspaper, cited an anonymous, nongovernment source as saying that "Lightyear" will not be shown in Malaysian cinemas. No reasons were given. A newspaper in the Persian Gulf island kingdom of Bahrain similarly has speculated the film wouldn’t be shown there.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPOfficials from Malaysia’s Film Censorship Board and the Home Affairs Ministry, as well as The Walt Disney Co., could not be immediately reached for comment.	Movies
CelebrityPete DavidsonFor every person admitting to a crush on him, there is another genuinely demanding to know why. Let’s break down Pete Davidson’s appeal.Posted 23 minutes ago Since 2015, Saturday Night Live comic Pete Davidson has been linked to a string of beautiful women. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images His first high profile relationship was with actor Carly Aquilino, and he then dated Larry David’s daughter, Cazzie David, for two years before she asked to go on a break. C Flanigan / Getty Images Cazzie herself admitted that she quickly realized her mistake and wanted to reconcile with Pete, but it was too late — he’d already been snapped up by Ariana Grande. Kevin Mazur / WireImage Pete’s whirlwind romance with Ariana catapulted him into the mainstream. The two famously got engaged just weeks after going public with their relationship, and their five-month romance inspired songs across two hit albums from the singer. Robert Kamau / GC Images But if Ariana put Pete’s name on the map, it was Kim’s seal of approval that established him as one of the most desirable male celebrities of our time — a position that some just can’t wrap their heads around. While women have been swooning over Pete for years, there is a well-publicized disconnect when it comes to men understanding his appeal. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue And for every social media post calling Pete the perfect man, there’s another genuinely demanding to know why. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images In one viral TikTok, a man asked: “What is Pete Davidson’s secret?” as he reeled off his list of past girlfriends before adding in the caption: “Did he crack the Da Vinci code?” And women have admitted to men actually getting angry over their attraction to Pete. “I love these grown ass people sliding in my DMs SOOOOOOO ANGRY with my love for Pete Davidson, like, attacking me about it,” one person tweeted in December. Another wrote: “I love how angry men get about Pete Davidson.” I love these grown ass people sliding in my DMs SOOOOOOO ANGRY with my love for Pete Davidson 😂 like, attacking me about it 😂 “you like toxic men?” “This is why you’re alone” “no wonder you were never into me” BRUH. Y’all need to calm the fuck down 😂😂😂😂 07:37 PM - 10 Dec 2021 Twitter: @princessmeems_ In fact, it’s arguable that no other celebrity has endured such a differing reaction from men and women, and one social media user theorized: “Any man who is confused why women find Pete Davidson attractive literally do not understand the difference between the female gaze and the male gaze.” Any man who is confused why women find Pete Davidson attractive literally do not understand the difference between the female gaze and the male gaze 10:30 PM - 17 Nov 2021 Twitter: @maybemiiia And this appears to be a common theme, with another tweet agreeing: “Men confused about the appeal of Pete Davidson don’t understand women at all.” Twitter: @e11enLN A third person claimed that Pete riles men up so much because he “disproves” their theory about what women want, and that his popularity ultimately suggests that personality is key. Kevin Winter / Getty Images “I think men hate Pete Davidson because he disproves all their shallow theories about what women want and validate that what we want is a decent human being who gets us and is funny,” they wrote in a now-viral tweet. I think men hate Pete Davidson because he disproves all their shallow theories about what women want and validate that what we want is a decent human being who gets us and is funny. 07:01 PM - 11 Apr 2022 Twitter: @RansdellLiz So, what exactly is it about Pete that has captured the hearts of so many women? While somebody’s physical attractiveness is, of course, subjective, he has previously described himself as looking like a “crack baby” and quoted a troll who said he has “butthole eyes” during his stand-up. Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images for Triller It’s this level of self-deprecating comedy that has captured the hearts of his fans, with one writing: “People being surprised that Pete Davidson could get someone like Kim, Kate Beckinsale, Ariana or Kaia Gerber… as if comedians haven’t been able to pull beautiful women since the beginning of time. Women like funny men. Period.” People being surprised that Pete Davidson could get someone like Kim, Kate Beckinsale, Ariana or Kaia Gerber… as if comedians haven’t been able to pull beautiful women since the beginning of time. Women like funny men. Period. 01:19 PM - 31 Oct 2021 Twitter: @takeyourzoloft And Pete’s seamless ability to make fun of himself is even more of a turn on, with the comic even managing to roast himself as he called Ariana out for discussing intimate details about their sex life. Kevin Mazur / Getty Images During a 2018 Twitter Q&A ahead of her album’s release, a fan had asked Ariana how long the track titled “Pete Davidson” is. Ariana cheekily replied at the time: “Like 10 inches?….oh fuck….I mean….like a lil over a minute.” She quickly deleted the message, but it had already been screengrabbed and immediately caused a stir online. Despite the comment ultimately being a compliment, Pete later admitted that he didn’t like the fact that she’d discussed his body as he tried to downplay his size. FilmMagic “Everything is huge to her,” he joked before adding that it was actually a cruel ploy from Ariana, saying: “Why would she tell everyone that I have a huge penis? So that every girl who sees my dick for the rest of my life is disappointed.” Gilbert Carrasquillo / GC Images But his reputation ended up preceding him, and in a recent episode of The Kardashians, Kim admitted that it was Pete’s “BDE” — which stands for “Big Dick Energy” — that first attracted her to him. Paul Morigi / Getty Images “I wasn’t even thinking, like, ‘Oh my god, I’m gonna be in a relationship with him,’” she said in a confessional. “I was just thinking, ‘Heard about this BDE, need to get out there…’ I was just basically DTF [down to fuck].” Hulu And while she didn’t give away too many details about their sex life, the 41-year-old star didn’t shy away completely as she told her sisters: “When I turned 40, everyone said it’s the best sex of your life. Grandma kept on telling me, '40 is the best sex.' And I was like OK, I’m ready. And so far…” she trailed off with a cheeky wink. Hulu This narrative fits another popular reason behind Pete’s appeal, with one social media user pointing out: “Pete Davidson has dated Kate Beckinsale, Ariana Grande, Phoebe Denver and now Kim Kardashian. All his exes have praised his 🍆 and called him the ‘best human ever’. Still men are like, ‘how?? What do women want???’ Be good in bed and be a good person. That’s literally it.” Pete Davidson has dated Kate Beckinsale, Ariana Grande, Phoebe Dynevor and now Kim Kardashian. All his exes have praised his 🍆 and called him the “best human ever”. Still men are like, “how?? what do women want???” be good in bed and be a good person. that’s literally it. 08:06 PM - 04 Jun 2022 Twitter: @BridgieCasey But there’s so much more to Pete than his abilities in the bedroom, and Kim has also revealed that Pete warned her that in four months she’d be “obsessed” with him, before going on to praise how “thoughtful” and “genuine” he is. Mega / GC Images In fact, Kim and Pete’s entire relationship is centered around the little things, which is a welcome change to the “extravagance” of Kim’s marriage to Kanye, who focused on grand gestures. Gotham / Getty Images During last week’s show, Kim was blown away by Pete surprising her with a tub of her favorite frozen candy, Dibs, for her flight to the Dominican Republic. Previously, she recalled a sweet story where Pete put acne cream on her pimple while she slept after she forgot to do it herself before drifting off. Hulu “Even little things that he’s gotten me that are just really thoughtful,” Kim explained. “Pete is such a good, good person, I can’t even explain it. He just has the best heart and always thinks of the small things.” Hulu And this marries up to what Pete said about himself as a boyfriend during a 2019 interview with Paper magazine. “My love language, when I’m in a relationship, is I treat the person I’m with like a princess,” he said at the time. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue “I try and go as above and beyond as possible,” he said. “Because that’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re in a relationship with someone, you’re just supposed to make that person feel as special as possible.” But Pete’s big heart isn’t just limited to romance, with his incredibly close relationship with his mom, Amy, also drawing people in. Pete bought a $1.3 million house in Staten Island for his mother, and turned the basement into an apartment so that he could live with her. “I live with my mom, kinda, so I have, like, a basement that’s mine that’s like an apartment. I live underneath her,” Pete previously explained. “I’m getting like a little arcade set up down there trying to make it mine.” Amy has also appeared on Saturday Night Live alongside her son, and their loving relationship has been a factor in the way women view him. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images “I don’t understand why dating Pete Davidson has become a meme,” one fan tweeted. “He’s funny, successful, got his mama a house & lived in it with her for a bit, and clearly isn’t intimidated by beautiful, smart, powerful women. I’ve dated at least a dozen worse dudes.” I don’t understand why dating Pete Davidson has become a meme. He’s funny, successful, got his mama a house & lived in it with her for a bit, and clearly isn’t intimidated by beautiful, smart, powerful women. I’ve dated at least a dozen worse dudes. 11:38 PM - 17 Jan 2022 Twitter: @AmandaBecker And this is a stance that Emily Ratajkowski also stands by, with the model quizzed on Pete’s appeal after she worked with him on a campaign. “Obviously women find him very attractive,” she said at the time. “Guys are like, ‘Wow, what’s that guy got.’ And I’m like, I mean, he seems super charming. He’s vulnerable. He’s lovely.” Gotham / WireImage Emily then added that Pete has a “good relationship with his mother. We love it, that’s hard to find.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images The vulnerability that Emily mentioned stems from the fact that Pete has endured more than his fair share of tragedy and illness over the years, which only made his bond with his mom stronger. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images His firefighter father, Scott Davidson, tragically died in 9/11 when Pete was seven years old, and he has been open about how that impacted his ability to form relationships. In a 2018 interview, the star said that his dad’s death made it hard for him to trust people aside from his mom and sister, Casey. “My big thing is trust,” he said at the time. “One day [my father] was here, and the next day he was gone.” Pete has also been candid in speaking out about his mental health struggles over the years, having been “in and out” of inpatient treatment facilities due to his depression since he was nine years old. When he started to have episodes of intense rage and bouts of severe depression in 2016, he sought help and was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder the following year. Michael Tran / FilmMagic In fact, the star — who also suffers from Crohn’s disease — has won praise for helping to destigmatize mental illness, especially among young men who are statistically less likely to ask for help. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images And Pete has repeatedly acknowledged how hard he has worked to educate himself on the best ways to live with his mental illness, and reinforced the importance of being self-aware and taking accountability. He famously stated in 2018: “Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images Although he struggles with his depression and BPD at times, his proactive approach in finding coping mechanisms that work for him does appear to have helped. In 2020, Pete said that he’s “always depressed, all the time” but he now knows the steps that he has to take to “bring [himself] out of it.” He explained: “I have to go outside and be in the sun for a little bit or go for a walk. It’s all just programming yourself to trick your brain.” Gotpap / GC Images He also goes to therapy to help him cope, previously saying: “My therapists are really on the ball, and I’m really lucky to have them in my life. I recommend that everyone go to therapy.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images And in 2018, Pete deleted his social media accounts. He said that it helped to improve his mental health, writing at the time: “Everybody is different, and there are a lot of treatments for mental illnesses and I have done/am doing all of them. And I encourage those who struggle to seek help as well; it has changed my life for the better.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images In addition to various interviews, Pete has used his prime time slot on Saturday Night Live to speak about his personal experience with mental illness in a light-hearted and accessible way for viewers. “Pete Davidson talking about Borderline Personality Disorder on #SNL is an amazing step towards raising mental health awareness,” one person previously tweeted. Pete Davidson talking about Borderline Personality Disorder on #SNL is an amazing step towards raising mental health awareness. 04:25 AM - 08 Oct 2017 Twitter: @WheresMyArk_23 “Men, a big part of Pete Davidson’s appeal is that he goes to therapy,” another wrote. While a third commented on TikTok: “He has his issues too but he actually acknowledges it and he finds ways to cope. He’s emotionally strong. He’s capable of loving people. Selfless.” Twitter: @letsdivethru All things considered, one social media user best summed up Pete’s appeal when they tweeted: “People going to all these lengths to explain the ‘mystery’ of why so many women are attracted to Pete Davidson is hilarious to me. Like, he’s hot, funny, and nice, what else is there to explain?” people going to all these lengths to explain the “mystery” of why so many women are attracted pete davidson is hilarious to me like he’s hot, funny, and nice what else is there to explain 02:44 PM - 04 Sep 2021 Twitter: @littlelordpmd A sentiment that I couldn’t agree more with. incomingYour weekday morning guide to breaking news, cultural analysis, and everything in between	Celebrity
Celebrity \| 6/12/2022 8:32 PM PT Hilton says she was asked to DJ at an event for world leaders hosted by the president. There were only a select few people in attendance at Britney Spears and Sam Asghari's intimate wedding at her home this past Thursday, and Paris Hilton was lucky enough to be one of them. And yet, the heiress and reality star revealed she actually had a conflict that day; but one that wasn't too hard for her to decide. According to her latest "This Is Paris" podcast, posted just one day after the nuptials, Hilton turned down the president for her longtime pal. Instagram Britney Spears Reveals She 'Had a Panic Attack' Before 'Dream' Wedding to Sam Asghari View Story "I was actually asked to DJ for the president and all of the other presidents around the world for the dinner," she said on her show. "But this was more important to me." Unfortunately for fans eager for any details about the private affair beyond what's already been shared across social media, Hilton was not inclined to open that particular treasure chest of information. "I'm not going to go into any details because it was the princess bride's night and that's her story to tell," she told her fans. "But all I can say is that I'm so incredibly happy for her. She looked stunning and it just made me so happy to see that she found her fairytale." "They are a beautiful couple, just glowing, and it really warmed my heart to see her so happy and free," HIlton added. Getty Britney Spears Gets Married! Parents, Sister and Sons Weren't There, But These Celebs Were View Story Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Spears did finally start to tell the story on her Instagram page, which has long been her go-to platform for everything. The singer shared several photos and video from the ceremony and reception. The "fairy tale" motif was one that came from the bride, too, with Spears captioning one of her own shares -- a video montage of the entire magical day, including shots of her stunning dress and Asghari's sharp tuxedo -- that "Fairytales are real." Spears included shots of some of her friends in attendance, which included Hilton and her mom Kathy, Madonna, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Donatella Versace and more ... You can relive the whole magical day right here: Aaron Sinclair/GQ Sam Asghari Talks Britney Spears Miscarriage, Proposal and Her 'Expensive' Taste In New Interview View Story Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.	Celebrity
Topline National broadcast rights for the upcoming five-year cycle of the Indian Premier League—the country’s top sporting event—have reportedly been sold for $5 billion following a two-day online auction, in a deal that establishes the IPL as one of the most valuable sporting entities in the world. National broadcast rights for the IPL have reportedly been sold for a combined value of $5 billion. Getty Images Key Facts According to ESPNCricinfo, the TV rights for each game for the next cycle are $7.37 million (Rs 57.5 crore) per game, while the digital broadcast rights were sold for Rs 48 crore ($ 6.15 million) per game. The digital rights have reportedly been scooped up by Viacom18—a joint venture between Paramount and Mukesh Ambani-owned TV18—although the league is yet to officially announce this. Forbes has reached out to both the league and Viacom18 seeking a confirmation. The IPL deal will still come in at a distant second place behind the NFL, which is believed to rake in on average $36 million per game following its 11-year deal (2022-2033) worth an estimated $113 billion, signed last year. The overall value of the broadcast package may still grow as the league’s organizers are yet to auction off two other packages, one of which includes supplementary digital rights for a set of around 18 marquee games—including the playoffs and finals—and a second package which covers the TV and digital rights for broadcast outside the Indian subcontinent. Key Background The combined global rights for the previous five-year cycle (2018-2022) of the Indian Premier League were sold for Rs 16,347.5 crores (around $2.55 billion in 2017). At that time, the rights were bought by Fox-owned Star which later became a part of Disney as part of its acquisition of major Fox properties. In the past few years, Disney had pitched the IPL as one of the marquee properties on its Disney+ streaming service in the subcontinent. Disney/Star, Sony, Zee Networks and Viacom participated in the bidding process, with Amazon pulling last week after showing initial interest. Tangent Earlier this year, Forbes reported that the values of the IPL’s 10 city-based franchises are growing at a faster pace than even NBA and NFL teams. The report estimated that the current average value of an IPL franchise stood at $1.04 billion compared to only $67 million when the league launched with eight teams in 2008. The surge in valuation of the teams was partly linked to the expected windfall from the ongoing broadcast rights auction, along with an economic model that guarantees profitability for the teams. Big Number $1.3 billion. That is the total valuation of the Mumbai Indians—the IPL’s most successful and valuable team. Forbes previously reported the Indians, as of April 2022, were more valuable than six MLB teams, 27 NHL teams and every MLS team. Mumbai Indians owner Mukesh Ambani is India’s richest man and the sixth richest in the world with a net worth of $98.9 billion according to Forbes’ real-time tracker. Ambani is also the world’s richest owner of a sports team. Further Reading It's a big deal! IPL 2023-27 India subcontinent TV rights sold for US$ 2.72 billion (ESPNCricinfo)	Other Sports
Kylie Minogue has spoken about her emotional return to the set of Neighbours, crediting the soap as her "big break" and saying it is part of her history.The pop megastar rose to fame after starring as Charlene in the Australian soap in the 1980s, and recently returned to film reunion scenes to mark the end of the show after 37 years. Alongside Jason Donovan, her on-screen husband Scott Robinson, viewers will see Minogue's return to Ramsay Street when the final episode airs in August. Image: Now they're back together... Kylie and Jason are set to return as Scott and Charlene one last time "It was emotional going back to the set and felt beautiful, actually, the fact that we could see each other," she said. "I haven't seen these people in - some of them - for over 30 years."And, you know, life passes by and we've all gone through different stuff. And just to kind of be face-to-face and say, wow, this is part of our history. It was great." Neighbours, which first aired in Australia in 1985 before coming to the UK the following year, was axed earlier this year after failing to secure new funding since being dropped by its broadcaster. After much speculation, the announcement in April that Minogue and Donovan would reprise their roles - which saw them get married in one of the most famous weddings in soap history - sent the internet into a frenzy. More on Kylie Minogue Neighbours reveals the famous faces set to join Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan in final ever episode Neighbours: Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan to reunite as Charlene and Scott on Ramsay Street for series finale Neighbours: Kylie Minogue pays tribute as Aussie soap axed after 37 years on screen The pair also dated in real life and released the single Especially For You together in 1988.Minogue said Charlene's return is a "blink and you'll miss me" moment but that the news had spread fast and taken on "a life of its own".Speaking about her time on the soap, she said: "I started acting some years before that, but my kind of big break and I guess how I became a household name was through Neighbours in 1986, so many moons ago." Image: Producers shared this photo from the last day on set. Pic: Fremantle Australia/ Ray Messner The final day of filming took place on 10 June, with producers sharing a photo of cast and crew from the last day on set.Dr Karl Kennedy star Alan Fletcher - the show's longest-serving actor - told Sky News in a recent interview that saying goodbye would be emotional.Executive producer Jason Herbison said tears were shed after filming finished.Read more: Karl Kennedy star on the end of Neighbours Image: Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne played Karl and Susan Kennedy, the soap's longest-running characters "We all knew this day was coming but until we were here in this moment when the very last scene was filmed, it was hard to express how we would all feel," he said."Of course, it is sad and tears were shed, but we're also enormously proud. Thirty-seven years is an incredible achievement and that should be celebrated."We've also been incredibly touched by the response from our viewers all over the world. Neighbours is more than a TV show to many people. They see us as part of the family and we feel privileged to have been invited into their homes, and I know the legacy of Neighbours will live on for many years."Minogue is one of a number of stars who rose to fame on the show, with fellow alumni Guy Pearce (Memento, LA Confidential, Iron Man 3) also returning for the finale.Other household names who once lived in the fictional suburb of Erinsborough include Russell Crowe, Margot Robbie, Holly Valance, Natalie Imbruglia and Liam Hemsworth.	Celebrity
CelebrityRebel WilsonThe Sydney Morning Herald has since removed an article in which it revealed that it gave Rebel “two days to comment on her new relationship” with a woman before it would publish the news itself.Posted 1 hour ago Rebel Wilson has addressed fans’ outrage after an Australian newspaper revealed its plans to seemingly out her. But first, here’s a reminder of how we got here. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images In May, Rebel said she was “happily in a relationship,” revealing that she and her new partner were set up by a mutual friend. At the time, the actor did not share any details about the identity of her partner, nor did she respond to Page Six’s request for comment on the matter. Future Publishing / Future Publishing via Getty Images Fast forward to last Thursday, and Rebel shared on Instagram an adorable photograph of herself and her girlfriend, Ramona Agruma, writing: “I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince…but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney princess … #loveislove.” If you follow Rebel, you’ll know that this wasn’t the first time that Ramona had appeared on her Instagram page. Not only that, but the duo also took to the red carpet at Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty together back in March. However, until her post on Thursday, it wasn’t public knowledge that the two were in a relationship, with reports suggesting just months prior that Rebel may have been dating a fellow Aussie, tennis player Matt Reid. James D. Morgan / Getty Images With all this in mind, plus the added context of Rebel’s Instagram caption, most fans were quick to interpret the post as her official coming out. Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images for AFI But, the following day, as fans were happily celebrating Rebel’s sweet post, the Sydney Morning Herald published a since-deleted article in which it claimed to have known about the relationship between Rebel and Ramona long before it was confirmed. Dimitrios Kambouris / WireImage And not only that, the newspaper also wrote that it had reached out to Rebel on Thursday, and it had given her “two days to comment on her new relationship” before publishing a story on it. Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures The writer of the piece, celebrity reporter Andrew Hornery, then said that reaching out to Rebel had been a “big mistake,” suggesting that it gave her the freedom to quash his hopes of a story. Randy Holmes / ABC via Getty Images “Wilson opted to gazump the story, posting about her new ‘Disney Princess’ on Instagram early Friday morning,” Hornery wrote. “The same platform she had previously used to brag about her handsome ex-boyfriend, wealthy American beer baron Jacob Busch.” Sc Pool - Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images He also brought up Rebel’s successful defamation lawsuit against Women’s Day, which wrongfully branded the actor as a liar. The writer used this suit to argue that Rebel’s decision not to respond to his publication's “discreet, genuine and honest queries” was “underwhelming,” given how “bitterly she complained about poor journalism standards” in her legal battle with the magazine. Dave J Hogan / Getty Images And if fans weren’t confused enough, the post then appeared to undermine the historic issue of anti-LGBTQ bigotry within showbusiness, writing of Rebel: “At age 42 and in an era when same-sex marriage is legal in many parts of the world and — thanks to decades of battling for equality — sexual orientation is no longer something to be hidden, even in Hollywood.” Sydney Morning Herald Readers across social media were quick to express their shock and outrage, with many accusing the publication of attempting to out Rebel. Arturo Holmes / FilmMagic “I’ve just read this @smh piece 3 times to make sure that I wasn’t misreading,” journalist Megan Mohan tweeted. “The publication messaged Rebel Wilson saying they would out her in 2 days — and is now complaining that she chose to announce her relationship with a woman herself. Quite astonishing.” I’ve just read this @smh piece 3 times to make sure that I wasn’t misreading. The publication messaged Rebel Wilson saying they would out her in 2 days - and is now complaining that she chose to announce her relationship with a woman herself. Quite astonishing. 12:17 PM - 11 Jun 2022 Twitter: @meghamohan Others speculated about the possibility that Rebel had been pressured into sharing her Instagram post last week over fears of being “forcefully outed” by the publication. i am so beyond disgusted at this. turns out rebel wilson only came out to avoid being forcefully outed and now that newspaper is pissed at her for ruining their scoop?? so they wrote this mess?? i am so angry and so sorry for rebel, no one deserves this. 12:21 PM - 11 Jun 2022 Twitter: @sapphoslibrary What’s more, plenty highlighted the sad irony that this is taking place during Pride Month. In case you were wondering how Pride Month is going, the @smh got in touch with Rebel Wilson to say they’d be outing her in the next few days, so when Rebel came out herself the journalists are throwing a tantrum that she robbed them of an exclusive. 07:13 AM - 11 Jun 2022 Twitter: @manwithoutatan In the wake of the immense backlash, the Sydney Morning Herald initially denied accusations that it had pressured Rebel, instead claiming that it “simply asked questions and as standard practice included a deadline for a response.” Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Netflix This only prompted further widespread criticism, and the outlet later issued a full apology, in which Hornery admitted that the publication had “mishandled steps” in its reporting. Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Netflix “It is not the Herald’s business to ‘out’ people and that is not what we set out to do. But I understand why my email has been seen as a threat,” he wrote. “The framing of it was a mistake.” Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Hornery also said that “as a gay man” himself, he is “well aware of how deeply discrimination hurts,” adding that he would never wish to “inflict that pain on someone else.” The piece has since been removed from the Sydney Morning Herald’s webpage. Now, after remaining silent on the matter, Rebel has spoken out for the first time. David M. Benett / Dave Benett / Getty Images In response to one journalist who tweeted their shock and disgust at the publication’s actions, Rebel implied that though she’s finding the situation difficult, she’s taking the high route. Brendon Thorne / Getty Images “Thanks for your comments,” she wrote in response on Sunday. “It was a very hard situation but trying to handle it with grace.” @katedoak @smh @theage Thanks for your comments, it was a very hard situation but trying to handle it with grace 💗 09:26 AM - 12 Jun 2022 Twitter: @RebelWilson Rebel also liked a ton of supportive tweets from fans, many of whom called out the Sydney Morning Herald while praising Rebel for her handling of the situation. My jaw in on the floor at the way Rebel has been treated by @smh. Really hope you feel all the support and ❤️ for you around the world @RebelWilson. You’ve handled a totally hideous situation in an unbelievably classy way. 100% agree with you @meghamohan. https://t.co/0aw45lhNWm 06:17 AM - 13 Jun 2022 Twitter: @DebbieRyanRadio incomingYour weekday morning guide to breaking news, cultural analysis, and everything in between	Celebrity
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson reflected on the three-year anniversary of when he tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.Thompson only returned to the court this season because of a setback he suffered on an Achilles injury in a pickup game. The injury prolonged his return and he wouldn’t get back into a Warriors’ uniform until January.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors reacts after hurting his leg during the NBA Finals game against the Toronto Raptors on June 13, 2019, in Oakland, California. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)He played in 32 games for the Warriors since then, averaging 20.4 points and shooting 42.9% from the floor and 38.5% from three-point range.Now, with this year’s NBA Finals series against the Boston Celtics tied up, he’s focused on winning a fourth championship. He told reporters he was just trying to stay present and not look too far ahead."NBA Finals is such a cool thing to be a part of. I remember being in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2013 doing some stuff with the NBA and waking up early to watch it, three o'clock or four o'clock in the morning. To realize that these games are broadcast worldwide, it just reminds you how special it really is," Thompson said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson passes the ball against Boston Celtics center Al Horford during the NBA Finals, Friday, June 10, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)WARRIORS’ DRAYMOND GREEN SITS IN FOURTH QUARTER, MAKES 'HUGE PLAYS' DOWN THE STRETCH IN NBA FINALS GAME 4 WINThompson said he’d reflect on the lasting memory of that 2019 NBA Finals Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors, "maybe for a second," but made clear he just wants to win."I'm not going to sing 'Kumbaya' or anything. I just want to frigging win," he added.This year’s playoffs are the first postseason appearance by Golden State since the disastrous Finals, which also saw Kevin Durant tear his Achilles before he eventually bolted for the Brooklyn Nets. Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III passes the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson Friday, June 10, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)Golden State finished 53-29 in the regular season and managed to pick up a victory on the road against the Celtics on Friday night to tie the series.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPGame 5 is set for Monday in the Bay Area at 9 p.m. ET. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].	Basketball
ZZ Top Band Not Down with Dusty Hill Estate Sale ... Says Billy Gibbons 6/13/2022 12:10 AM PT TMZ.com ZZ Top's frontman Billy Gibbons was thrilled when he heard Dusty Hill's estate was going up for sale ... until he learned his family had nothing to do with it. We got Billy at LAX, and he says he had some cool finds he was hoping to contribute to this weekend's estate sale, but was turned off once he found out there's a random person -- with deep pockets -- behind the event. Billy tells us an anonymous buyer snatched up Dusty's house after he died last July ... and they went through the place, taking any cool memorabilia they could find and turning it into this weekend's big sale. He finds the whole thing a major bummer ... he was excited to contribute his personal stuff to the estate of his comrade-in-awesome-beards -- hoping true ZZ Top fans would be interested -- but now he thinks folks should steer clear. As for what's actually up for sale -- his guess is it's not exactly Rock and Roll Hall of Fame quality items. The sale went on all weekend in Houston ... offering Dusty's old furniture, framed posters, artwork and other items from his former home.	Music
Topline The United Arab Emirates barred the upcoming Lightyear Pixar film from theaters over reports of the movie including a reported kiss between two female characters, the country announced Monday morning, the latest in a growing trend of Disney movies receiving international bans due to their depiction of LGBTQ characters. Uzo Aduba attends the premiere of Lightyear last week. Getty Images for Disney Key Facts The animated film won’t be shown in the UAE “due to its violation of the country’s media content standards,” the country’s media regulator said in a tweet. The tweet doesn’t specify what the violation was, but included a doctored image of a red no sign over the movie poster. The Toy Story spin-off, which will release domestically in theaters Thursday, will include a relationship between one of the film’s main characters Hawthorne voiced by Uzo Aduba and another female character, per Variety. Two other countries will also reportedly not show the film over the kiss: Malaysia, according to Variety, and Saudi Arabia, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Key Background Pixar’s Onward was reportedly banned by Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in March 2020 over its historic portrayal of an openly gay character. Eternals, a Marvel movie released in November, wasn’t shown in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Qatar over its depiction of a gay relationship, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Disney and 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story was banned in December by six Gulf countries, a decision Variety reported was due to the inclusion of a transgender character. Reports circulated in April that Saudi Arabia banned Marvel’s Doctor Strange over the movie’s reference to a character’s two moms, though an official from the country said Saudi Arabia hadn’t yet barred the film but instead was in a dispute with Disney over removing the content. Surprising Fact The kiss in question was initially cut from Lightyear but later restored after Pixar employees accused Disney of censoring “overtly gay affection” in films, Variety reported in March. Further Reading Same-Sex Kiss Restored in Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ Following Staff Uproar Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety)	Movies
"He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him," said Heard, who explained why she doesn't fault the jury in a new "Today" interview. Amber Heard has broken her silence following the Johnny Depp defamation trial verdict. The “Aquaman” star was found to have defamed ex-husband Depp with her claims of domestic abuse in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece that did not name Depp specifically. After a six-week-long trial, Depp was awarded $10.4 million in damages. During her first interview since the June 1 verdict, Heard opened told “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie about the social media bias in the trial. “I don’t care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors,” Heard said, via NBC News. “I don’t presume the average person should know those things. And so I don’t take it personally.” She continued, “But even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair.” The “Rum Diary” star added, regarding the jury, “I don’t blame them,” especially amid the social media hashtag #JusticeforJohnny and overwhelming support from his fans. (Anyone who live-streamed the trial on YouTube knows the level of vitriol viewers aired out.) “I actually understand,” Heard said. “He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him. He’s a fantastic actor.” The full interview will air Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15 on “Today” and in a special “Dateline” segment on Friday, June 17 at 8 p.m. ET. Heard previously called the verdict a “disappointment” and ultimately a “setback” for women everywhere amid the #MeToo movement. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” Heard said in a statement at the time. “It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.” Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, formerly announced that Heard intends to appeal the verdict and is financially unable to pay the $10.4 million to Depp. Leading #MeToo attorney Lee Feldman told IndieWire that he was “not surprised by the verdict, given the reaction to the proceedings on Twitter and social media.” “The jury seems to have had the same opinion as the legions of Johnny Depp fans on social media,” Feldman said. “So the verdict doesn’t surprise me. It concerns me greatly. I think it’s going to have a deleterious effect on the #MeToo movement.” .@savannahguthrie sat down for an exclusive conversation with #AmberHeard. "You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair,” Heard shared, in reference to social media representation. pic.twitter.com/56Ju7pYg1x — TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 13, 2022 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.	Celebrity
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers missed the playoffs this season for the seventh time out of the last nine years.Davis battled through another injury-plagued year, only appearing in 40 games. He’s played in 76 games over the last two seasons.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Lakers forward Anthony Davis goes up against San Antonio Spurs guard Derrick White on Nov. 14, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)The Lakers center hadn’t played in a game since April 5 and admitted that was probably the last time he shot a basketball."I haven’t shot a basketball since maybe like April 5th," Davis said in a video posted to YouTube on Friday.When Davis comes back to the Lakers for the start of training camp, it will be a new-look team. Darvin Ham was hired as their new head coach, replacing Frank Vogel. Rasheed Wallace is also rumored to be joining Ham’s staff for the start of the season.Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett said Saturday he believes Wallace could be beneficial for Davis. Lakers forward Anthony Davis, left, celebrates with forward Carmelo Anthony after scoring against the Portland Trail Blazers, Feb. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LEBRON JAMES AWED BY WARRIOR STEPH CURRY'S BRILLIANT NBA FINALS PERFORMANCE"I think this is great for this Lakers team. I think Anthony Davis needs an influence that he can have, someone in his ears," he said. "Rasheed Wallace is one of the best f---ing power forwards to ever play in our league, he is full of knowledge, he hasn’t shared that knowledge with the world, but I talk basketball with him several times, he is nothing below a genius and a mastermind."If Davis can stay healthy, the Lakers can be contenders for the NBA championship. Davis and LeBron James led Los Angeles to a title in the coronavirus pandemic-impacted season in 2019-20. Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and Anthony Davis before the New Orleans Pelicans game in Los Angeles, April 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDavis is averaging 24.1 points and 9.1 rebounds in 138 total games with Los Angeles. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].	Basketball
Trending Now NBC \| "Today" Now playing Amber Heard speaks out for the first time since her defamation trial @JustinBieber Now playing Video: Justin Bieber explains his medical condition to fans Now playing Britney Spears' ex-husband crashes her wedding Now playing Robots could soon look human, with living skin and hair Matthew Gordon Now playing Retired Marine's gun control video goes viral. Hear his solution on gun violence Now playing 11-year-old gets plucked from audience and stuns judges on 'AGT' Now playing Obama reconnects with kid who touched his hair in iconic photo KOCO Now playing Watch cowboy lasso cow loose on busy interstate 20th Century Studios Now playing 'Predator' prequel 'Prey' pulls audiences back to the Comanche tribe 300 years ago Taco Bell Corp. Now playing New Taco Bell drive-thru restaurant serves tacos using mini elevators Now playing Boston bombing survivor helps amputees lead better lives Now playing 'Ms. Marvel' powers up on Disney+ ViralHog Now playing Disney apologizes to couple after employee spoils their proposal Now playing Tom Brady underwear video has the internet buzzing Getty images/ Netflix Now playing El éxito de Kate Bush de 1985, "Running Up That Hill", está de vuelta y este es el motivo Getty images/ Netflix Now playing This lunar rover prototype looks kind of like a spider-human CNN — Amber Heard is speaking out in her first interview since her defamation trial with her former husband, Johnny Depp. The “Aquaman” star talked to NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie and a preview released Monday. Both Heard and Depp were found liable for defamation in dueling lawsuits against each other. The jury, however, awarded significantly more damages to Depp. She told Guthrie she understood. “I don’t blame them. I actually understand,” she said. “He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him. He’s a fantastic actor.” Heard also said she doesn’t “care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors.” “I don’t presume the average person should know those things,” she added. “I don’t take it personally,” she said. “But even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair.” “Johnny Depp’s legal team blanketed the media for days after the verdict with numerous statements and interviews on television, and Depp himself did the same on social media,” a spokesperson for Heard said in a statement to CNN. “Ms. Heard simply intended to respond to what they aggressively did last week; she did so by expressing her thoughts and feelings, much of which she was not allowed to do on the witness stand.” CNN has reached out to representatives of Depp for comment. The NBC interview will air on “Today” Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as on “Dateline.” on Friday.	Celebrity
Topline Amber Heard said she does not “blame” the jury for siding with Johnny Depp and criticized the social media representation of the trial in her first interview since jurors found the actress defamed Depp and ordered her to pay $10.4 million in damages. Amber Heard listens in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, ... [+] on May 23, 2022. (Photo by STEVE HELBER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) POOL/AFP via Getty Images Key Facts In a preview clip of the interview posted Monday, Heard told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie she understands why the jury sided with Depp, adding he is a “beloved character” and “people feel they know him.” Heard asked how could the jury “not come to that conclusion” after watching over three weeks of testimony “about how I was a non-credible person” and told “not to believe a word that came out of my mouth.” Heard said she didn’t take it personally, saying she doesn’t presume for the average person to know what happened behind closed doors in her marriage—but she did add she thought the social media frenzy was unfair. Crucial Quote “Even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation,” Heard said. “You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair.” Key Background The Depp-Heard trial lasted for more than six weeks, and stemmed from an op-ed Heard published in the Washington Post in 2018. Depp claimed the piece insinuated he abused her, though he was not named in the op-ed. Depp sued his ex-wife for defamation and sought $50 million in damages. The jury found Heard defamed Depp and awarded the actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, though the punitive damages were knocked down to $350,000, the maximum amount allowed under Virginia state law, where the trial took place. Heard was awarded $2 million after she won part of a countersuit against Depp. Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, said earlier this month Heard cannot afford to pay the $10 million judgment. What To Watch For Heard’s full interview will air Tuesday and Wednesday on TODAY, as well as on Dateline Friday at 8 p.m. Further Reading Amber Heard says she doesn't 'blame' the jury for siding with ex-husband Johnny Depp (NBC News) Jury Rules Amber Heard Defamed Johnny Depp In Domestic Abuse Op-Ed (Forbes) Amber Heard's Lawyer Says Actress Can't Pay $10 Million Judgment To Johnny Depp (Forbes)	Celebrity
Space can be a heartbreaker. Commercial space company Astra is still working out some kinks with its rocket system. Astra launched the Tropics-1 mission for NASA on Sunday and it got off to a good start, but failed to deliver two cubesats -- small satellites -- into orbit. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. "We had a nominal first stage flight. The upper stage shut down early and we did not deliver the payloads to orbit," Astra tweeted on Sunday. In February, a different Astra launch, for the Elana 41 mission, also failed to place NASA satellites into orbit.Tropics stands for "time-resolved observations of precipitation structure and storm intensity with a constellation of smallsats." It was designed to use six small satellites to study storm systems in the tropics. "While we are disappointed in the loss of the two Tropics CubeSats, the mission is part of NASA's Earth venture program, which provides opportunities for lower-cost, higher risk missions," the space agency said in a statement on Sunday. NASA said the Tropics mission would still be able to meet its science objectives with the four remaining, not-yet-launched satellites. A group of former NASA and SpaceX folks are behind Astra, which aims to offer affordable access to space, making it a good match for the Tropics satellites. Sunday's mission was scheduled to be the first of three Tropics launches for NASA.The Federal Aviation Administration and Astra will investigate what went wrong with Tropics-1. NASA won't be rushing toward another launch with Astra while this plays out. "NASA will lend any expertise needed but would expect to pause the launch effort with Astra while an investigation is being conducted to ensure we move forward when ready," the space agency said.The loss of the satellites is tough, but the road to space has always been paved with technical glitches, mission failures and adjustments. As NASA said, it recognizes "the risks inherent in a new launch provider."	Space Exploration
Amber Heard I Don't Blame Jury for Depp Verdict Social Media was Lopsided 6/13/2022 6:49 AM PT NBC Amber Heard is speaking out and showing face for the first time since losing big in the Johnny Depp case -- saying she holds no ill-will toward the jury -- but social media is another story. The actress sat down for an interview with 'Today,' which is going to be aired in pieces throughout the week ... but right out the gate, NBC is teasing a couple juicy soundbites from her chat with Savannah Guthrie in which AH gets into her feelings about the trial. For starters, she discusses the social media coverage -- which was overwhelmingly in favor of her ex, Johnny Depp, and which she was clearly aware of during the 6-week proceedings. She says even if you don't believe her/think she lied, you can't deny the posts in the digital world have been lopsided, suggesting there hasn't been a "fair representation" of both sides online. NBC Interestingly, Amber's attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, also tried to deflect blame toward the viral aspect of the saga, rather than take ownership of the loss. ABC As for the 7 men and women who said they didn't buy her account, Amber says there's no hard feelings, but she thinks it was Depp's personality and super-stardom that won them over. Watch the clip, she seems to think JD charmed their pants off, and she also believes the fact Depp's side was able to present witnesses first also helped. While Guthrie seemingly tries to point out Amber lost because her team presented a poor case, but so far ... it doesn't sound like Amber is accepting that as a reality for how things went.	Celebrity
Amber Heard is calling out her treatment on social media during Johnny Depp’s defamation case against her, saying there hasn’t been “a fair representation.” “Even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol. Even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t tell me — look me in the eye and tell me — that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation,” the “Aquaman” actor said in a preview clip released Monday from an interview with Savannah Guthrie for NBC. The sitdown, airing Tuesday and Wednesday on “Today” and Friday on “Dateline,” is the first time Heard has spoken out on TV following the verdict earlier this month. A Virginia jury sided with Depp, awarding him $15 million in damages after finding that a Washington Post op-ed that Heard penned in 2018 that focused on sexual violence ruined her ex-husband’s career. Heard was awarded $2 million as part of a countersuit. “You cannot tell me that you think this has been fair,” Heard, 36, says to Guthrie of the social media attacks against her. Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, said shortly after the verdict that the performer planned to appeal. Bredehoft said in a June interview that she believed that the jury was influenced by a flood of social media posts that supported Depp and denounced Heard, often in vicious terms. Heard said she didn’t take the jury’s ruling “personally,” telling Guthrie, “I don’t care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors.” “I don’t presume the average person should know these things,” she said. The entertainer also said she understood the 59-year-old “Pirates of the Caribbean” star’s win in court. “He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him,” Heard said. “He’s a fantastic actor.” Tags Amber Heard Defamation Hollywood Johnny Depp	Celebrity
A 50-strong team of female guest editors has produced a focus issue of the Journal of The Electrochemical Society that highlights the scientific contributions of women in electrochemistry Open to all: organizations like the Electrochemical Society can help young women to feel like they belong in the field (Courtesy: iStock/PCH-Vector) The history of modern science is full of talented women whose research achievements have in some way been overlooked. One obvious example is Rosalind Franklin, whose meticulous X-ray analysis of DNA strands has generally been sidelined in the story of Francis Crick’s and James Watson’s elucidation of the molecule’s structure. Another is Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who many people believe should have shared the 1974 Nobel Prize for Physics for her observations and insights that revealed the existence of pulsars. Even today, female scientists are less likely to be recognized for their contributions than their male counterparts. While more women are choosing to study science at undergraduate level, a recent analysis by Lokman Meho at the American University of Beirut revealed that worldwide only 30% of professors in science and technology are women, and that between 2016 and 2020 only 19% of the most prestigious research prizes were awarded to female scientists. Such imbalances at the top of the field are important, since they deprive aspiring young women of the role models that can help them believe they can build a successful career in science. It is important to recognize the huge amount of work done by women in scientific research. Ingrid Milošev, Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia Providing greater recognition and visibility for the contributions of women was one key motivation for a recent focus issue of the Electrochemical Society’s flagship publication, the Journal of The Electrochemical Society (JES). “It is important to recognize the huge amount of work done by women in scientific research,” says Ingrid Milošev, head of physical and organic chemistry at the Jožef Stefan Institute in Slovenia and one of the issue’s guest editors. “The role of women in some leading positions has been understated, and we need to show that we are perfectly capable of taking on responsibilities that we should have taken already.” The idea for the “Women in Electrochemistry” focus issue emerged from ongoing discussions about diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) at the Electrochemical Society (ECS). “The ECS has been committed to diversity for many years, and in 2019 it formalized its DEI statement,” says Alice Suroviec, an associate editor of the JES and Dean of the School of Mathematics and Natural Science at Berry College in the US. “We thought the focus issue would be a good way to launch it out into the community.” Conversations about diversity often feel like a US story, and we tried very intentionally to include people from all parts of the world. Alice Suroviec, Berry College, US The focus issue has been driven by a 50-strong team of female guest editors, who together represent a broad scope of research fields as well as different geographic locations. “Conversations about diversity often feel like a US story, and we tried very intentionally to include people from all parts of the world,” says Suroviec. “We also wanted to highlight the diversity issues that can arise in industry as well as in the academic sector.” Those guest editors have played a crucial role in the success of the issue, reaching out to female colleagues with similar research interests and backgrounds. The response has been impressive, with more than 160 papers published to date. “There was a real energy and momentum behind this focus issue,” says Janine Mauzeroll, a technical editor for JES and a lead researcher in organic and bioelectrochemistry at McGill University in Canada. “It was clear that the guest editors were working hard to reach out to their networks, and positioning the issue to focus on the science has generated a really positive response.” Positioning the issue to focus on the science has generated a really positive response. Janine Mauzeroll, McGill University, Canada Indeed, “science first” is the mantra followed by many women who decide to pursue a research career. Donna Strickland, who in 2018 was only the third woman to win the Nobel prize for physics, was taken aback at the amount of media attention that focused on her gender rather than her scientific achievements. “I don’t see myself as a woman in science. I see myself as a scientist,” she said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper. “I thought the big story would be the science.” In that spirit, most of the articles in the focus issue are scientific papers reporting new research results, with the only stipulation being that the primary author or co-author had to be a woman. “What matters is the science, and we want to be evaluated based on the quality of our research,” says Mauzeroll. “In the process we might help the policy issue, which would be wonderful, but we are scientists, not policymakers.” Taking charge: Female editors of The Journal of the Electrochemical Society have worked alongside a team of guest editors to produce a focus issue that highlights the scientific contributions of women in electrochemistry. Clockwise from top left: Janine Mauzeroll, Sanna Virtanen, Alice Suroviec, Ingrid Milošev, Olga Marina Importantly, the technical merit of each article was assessed in exactly the same way as any other submission to the journal. “Scientific rigour is the most important factor for publishing in JES,” insists Olga Marina, one the journal’s associate editors and chief scientist for energy processes and materials at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Technical editor Sannakaisa Virtanen, professor for surface science and corrosion at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, agrees: “It’s really important that we used the same criteria for peer review. We don’t want to have this feeling that we only get something because we are women.” Scientific rigour is the most important factor for publishing in JES. Olga Marina, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Contributions cover the full range of electrochemical research, ranging from batteries and energy storage through to organic and bioelectrochemistry. Meanwhile, some of the articles offer a more personal perspective on the challenges faced by female electrochemists in different workplaces and geographic locations. “The issue has a strong backbone of electrochemistry, but it also has personal stories that people can dive into,” says Suroviec. “Readers have enjoyed finding out about the experiences of other women in the field and in different parts of the world, and it has offered some interesting insights for people who aren’t women in science.” Changing dynamics Most of the guest editors remember the sensation of being the only woman in a research lab or at a scientific conference, but over the last couple of decades they have seen the balance shift as more female students choose to study science and engineering subjects at undergraduate level. “In my experience electrochemistry seems to be one of more open and welcoming scientific disciplines,” says Suroviec. “Part of the reason for that I think it that it is multidisciplinary, and you can come at it from many different avenues. It’s a team science.” It’s really important that we used the same criteria for peer review. We don’t want to have this feeling that we only get something because we are women. Sannakaisa Virtanen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany As with many other research fields, however, the proportion of women who progress to senior positions remains troublingly low. The so-called “leaky pipeline” is a well-documented phenomenon in which women progressively drop out of the scientific system, resulting in fewer female scientists with the power and influence to bring about change that will benefit younger generations. That gradual attrition is particularly evident in disciplines where there is strong female representation in the student cohort: in chemistry, for example, more than half of all undergraduate degrees in the US are now awarded to women, but data collected for the 2016/17 academic year by the Open Chemistry Collaborative in Diversity Equity initiative showed that female chemists accounted for only 20% of faculty positions and less than 16% of full professors. Many different factors affect each personal decision to leave the scientific profession, but one obvious reason is the opposing forces of work and family. “No matter how much we love the science, it’s really challenging for any young researcher to secure a position, work abroad, apply for projects, and publish the best papers,” points out Milošev. “It’s very difficult to establish a relationship or start a family at that time, and many women choose to take a stable job that will make their life less complicated.” Alleviating the pressures on young scientists would benefit both men and women alike, but surveys of students and academics suggest that female scientists are more likely to value a reasonable work–life balance. Plenty of evidence also shows that women tend to shoulder more responsibility for childcare and other domestic duties, with the Covid pandemic highlighting once again that it was generally female partners who were expected to compromise on their working life to look after children and supervise their home learning. “Women will not want to become an electrochemist if they feel that 24 hours of their day must be dedicated to this job,” says Mauzeroll. “For students to choose this career path they have to be able to see themselves living this life.” Entrenched attitudes and dynamics in the workplace also play their part, even if overt discrimination is largely – although not entirely – a thing of the past. Small, subtle and often unknowing biases can accumulate to make women feel undervalued and isolated in male-dominated environments, with surveys of female scientists and engineers citing issues such as double standards, uneven distribution of funding and resources, and a constant struggle to have their voices heard. One common complaint is that ideas presented by women can often be ignored, particularly when they are in junior positions, while the same suggestion from a male colleague is more likely to be noticed and taken onboard. Improving the opportunities and prospects for young female scientists is a strong motivation for many of the women who were involved in the focus issue. According to Mauzeroll, collecting together the scientific output of female electrochemists offers a powerful message to students who are making decisions about their future career. “It’s important to highlight the great work that’s being done by women in electrochemistry,” she says. “It’s a way for people to recognize themselves and think that they could pursue a career in the field.” Diversity matters While this issue has focused on women in electrochemistry, both the ECS and the JES editors are mindful that other minorities in science are disadvantaged by many of the same issues that affect women. “In the US there is a strong push against gender bias, but within the ECS there is a much broader discussion around DEI,” comments Mauzeroll. “In the future we hope to launch other focus issues that highlight the contribution and experiences of other underrepresented groups in the field.” Indeed, the latest issue of the society’s Interface magazine, guest edited by Suroviec, offers a more general perspective on the importance of diversity in science. Addressing issues around diversity is particularly important in a discipline like electrochemistry, where talented scientists and engineers are in high demand to solve some of the most urgent challenges facing our planet. “The job market is really tight at the moment, and we don’t have enough PhD students or post-docs,” says Marina. “In the imminent hydrogen economy, electrochemistry will play a significant role in hydrogen production. For anyone competent and creative, the opportunities are there.” Mauzeroll agrees that electrochemistry needs to attract more young people into the field: “It is the students who will come up with the big new ideas that will push electrochemistry forward. Hopefully this issue will make them feel like it’s really cool, really important, and they will choose electrochemistry for their future career.” More generally, organizations like the ECS can play an important role in helping young women to feel like they belong in the field. “The ECS makes it easy for young people to become part of the community,” says Virtanen. “Even when I was a PhD student I was asked if I wanted to get involved in the activities of the Society. It helps when you feel that more established members of your professional community are interested in your opinions.” The society’s twice-yearly meetings also create a strong sense of community, offering a valuable source of support and advice to women throughout their scientific careers. “The ECS provides access to a really strong network of people,” says Suroviec. “You can get an outside perspective on whatever your issue might be, ask other people about your experiences, and get some feedback to help tackle any problems. The opportunity to talk candidly is really important to give women confidence that their issue is real and that it can be solved.” Milošev, as a guest editor from outside North America, says that being involved with the focus issue has brought her closer to her female colleagues in other parts of the world. “I love the connections we have made through this focus issue, and it really makes me feel part of a community,” she says. “It is really useful to build this network of contacts with the authors and the reviewers. We are connected, and we all depend on each other.”	Chemistry and Material Sciences
Destiny 2 Bungie Developing a live service game is extraordinarily difficult, and things tend to slip through the cracks. And bugs in video game development in any genre are inevitable. But even with that being the case, this season of Destiny 2 the bugs are starting to add up to feel pretty oppressive no matter what activity you’re trying to do. Last night, I ran into yet another one that sparked this grand compilation list. It just seems everywhere I turn, something is going wrong. The bugs this season so far: The one that inspired this article is whatever is going on with playlist drops. While the change to start adding more perks to playlist weapons on repeated resets is great, something is very much wrong here. As soon as I reset my Vanguard rank once, the drop rates of those weapons at the end of strikes just dropped off a cliff. I’m lucky if I get one every five strikes or so, and that’s even with the double rewards ghost mod. At least 4/5 or 5/6 times I’m opening the chest to literally get nothing but glimmer and destination materials. This is not normal. This bug actually has a second part, where if you reset your rank too many times, instead of continuing to gain perks in each column, eventually you’ll start losing them again, so there’s one point (can’t remember if rank 3 or 4) where it’s actually harmful to reset your rank another time. Destiny 2 Bungie Moving further back in time, I was excited to try out Trials of Osiris this weekend to get three new armor sets and earn two new guns. And then right as it was about to start, Bungie sent out a note that matchmaking was just…broken. Not only would there be no flawless pool on Sunday, but all matches would entirely random. Good for streamers, bad for average to poor players who now face multi-flawless teams even on 0-10 cards. Eventually it became so exhausting to even attempt to make progress, I had to stop and just pray it’s fixed next weekend. Oh, and the armor I did earn from Trials? I couldn’t transmog it because…transmog is broken. On most pieces you cannot hold down the button to unlock the look, as it only works once in a blue moon. Another known issue. Sticking with PvP, before the Trials issue, there was the even worse Iron Banner Rift launch, which was marred by bugs from top to bottom including reputation boost loss (which was eventually somewhat fixed by a double XP boost later in the weekend) but also a ton of Rift issues like disappearing sparks, rifts and infinite loading loops. Given that Iron Banner Rift only even exist for two weeks this entire season, having most of the first week messed up was not good. Destiny 2 Bungie Then, in general, PvP players all swear that something is bugged with Airborne Effectiveness, the new stat that Bungie introduced to the game to force players to build into aerial combat. I did a whole post on this yesterday, but the gist of it is that this simply cannot be working as intended as all aerial gunplay now feels worse, no matter how much you’ve built into AE, and videos have emerged showing must-hit shots that whiff under the new system. Back to PvE, it’s been deeply annoying that Anti-Barrier sidearm has been disabled since the season launched, and because of dumb PvP issues at that. That leaves exactly one option for Anti-Barrier, pulse rifles, other than the usual Arbalest spam, making most champion content pretty dull. (related: another issue is that many of these bugs are brought up once and then never mentioned again by Bungie for weeks, so we have no idea when or if they’ll be fixed). Another PvE issue is that players have found that the armor sets they worked hard for out of the Grasp of Avarice dungeon, Artiface Armor, have lost their extra slots, which has totally ruined their existing builds based around having that extra functionality. The slots are just gone, and there’s been no indication of when they’ll return. Finally, Duality’s bells are…extremely buggy, singlehandedly negating some solo flawless attempts, and triggering off extremely annoying things like exploding Cabal flamethrowers or even shield breaks. A bad part of a good dungeon. It’s…a lot. And that’s on top of other things that may not be “bugs” but still feel exhausting to deal with all the same, like low red frame pattern drop rates, and a low Opulent currency earn rate. The meat and bones of the season is good. Leviathan's back! Sever missions are great! Rift can be fun! Trials rewards are worth going for! Multi-perk playlist weapons are cool! But these bugs…these bugs, man. They’re eating this season alive. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my free weekly content round-up newsletter, God Rolls. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.	Video Games
The Hotline’s late-spring assessment of Pac-12 basketball rosters for the 2022-23 season confirmed our suspicion that the conference is positioned to improve on its showing from last season, when only three teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament. But the process also revealed potential trouble from within. The greatest threat to the top of the standings might come from those at the bottom. Just as quality wins bolster a team’s pursuit of the NCAAs, so do bad losses undermine that quest. It’s the prop-up/drag-down nature of the selection process. Given the ominous outlook for several teams — in particular, Cal and Oregon State — there could be an inordinate number of potholes for the NCAA Tournament hopefuls. To the post-spring projections … (Note: Each team’s position in our early-April rankings has been included.) 1. UCLA (previous: 1): The Bruins aren’t quite the clear favorite they were immediately following the season, not after Johnny Juzang, Jules Bernard and Peyton Watson bolted for the NBA. There are two five-star recruits on their way but no impact transfers, meaning the returning core (Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyger Campbell and Jaylen Clark) must carry the load. We ran 10,000 simulations of the conference race through the Hotline’s supercomputer, and the Bruins finished first more than any other team — but far less than 50 percent of the time. (Update: There is no supercomputer. We just threw a few darts.) 2. Oregon (3): The outlook has brightened considerably for the Ducks, particularly on the perimeter, with the return of guard Will Richardson and arrival of Jermaine Couisnard (South Carolina) and Keeshawn Barthelemy (Colorado). No team has more size, but it’s either unproven or oft-injured size. If former five-star recruit N’Faly Dante becomes more consistent (and stays healthy), Oregon will have a dominant big man to balance the experienced background and make a run at the regular-season title. 3. Arizona (2): The attrition was significant with Bennedict Mathurin, Christian Koloko and Dalen Terry off to the NBA, but there’s enough returning and incoming talent for the Wildcats to avoid a major backslide. Our projection improved last week when multi-year Texas starter Courtney Ramey picked Arizona, but the rotation remains flawed. The Wildcats shouldn’t have trouble scoring, but we’re skeptical of their ability to defend the perimeter without Mathurin and Terry, especially once March arrives. 4. USC (4): Our early-April position stands: “Barring unexpectedly high attrition, we see the Trojans finishing in the small grouping of teams below the top two but above the pack.” The last-minute draft reversals by guard Boogie Ellis and wing Drew Peterson ensured that USC will combine a solid returning core with one of the nation’s best recruiting classes. We aren’t ready to slot the Trojans onto the top tier, but their roster is stout enough to contend for an opening-round bye in the conference tournament. 5. Colorado (5): Few teams were hit harder than CU, which lost star Jabari Walker to the NBA and guards Elijah Parquet and Keeshawn Barthelemy to the transfer portal. That said, Tad Boyle has a well-earned reputation for developing players, and we expect breakthrough seasons from point guard K.J. Simpson and forward Tristan da Silva. Whether the Buffaloes make a push for the top tier or fade to the pack depends on the remaining pieces, including two transfers from the Ivy League. 6. Stanford (10): The stagnant Cardinal received a rare piece of good news in late May when star forward Harrison Ingram withdrew from the draft. He’ll join Spencer Jones to give Stanford a gifted forward tandem — and a fighting chance to become relevant. There are legitimate questions about the backcourt generally, the 3-point shooting specifically and Stanford’s ability to succeed in the second half of league play. But if Ingram takes his game to the next level, the Cardinal will follow. 7. Arizona State (7): Another offseason of roster upheaval for the Sun Devils, who lost key players to the transfer portal and grabbed impact players from the transfer portal. Atop that list is Desmond Cambridge, who averaged 15+ points per game for four consecutive seasons at Nevada. (His brother, Devan, is arriving from Auburn.) We slotted the Sun Devils for the lower half of the conference but acknowledge their potential for an upside surprise. The downside risk from here, meanwhile, is limited. 8. Washington (8): The Huskies once again turned to the portal for salvation, and it delivered. The trio of center Franck Kepnang (Oregon), wing Noah Williams (Washington State) and forward Keion Brooks (Kentucky) should keep UW from dropping into the bottom tier. However, the ceiling is limited unless coach Mike Hopkins upgrades the perimeter with another transfer (or developing his returning players). Because anyone facing the Huskies as currently constructed should zone them all day and all night. 9. Washington State (6): Our outlook for the Cougars has deteriorated substantially following a spring exodus. The list of departed players features Williams (transfer), guards Tyrell Roberts (transfer) and Michael Flowers (eligibility) and big man Efe Abogidi (G League). They combined for 43 points per game — more than half the team’s average. It could have been much worse, but big man Mouhamed Gueye opted to return. If point guard Justin Powell (from Tennessee) is eligible, he will help immediately. 10. Utah (9): Admittedly, the Hotline has less clarity on Utah’s outlook than any other team. We know center Branden Carlson is one of the league’s top big men. Beyond that, production and success are difficult to project. The arrival of guard Mike Saunders from Cincinnati should help solidify the backcourt, but not to the point that we considered the Utes for a top-half finish. At least they don’t have to contend with expectations. After a poor Year One under Craig Smith, mediocrity is the goal in ’23. 11. Cal (11): Two months ago, we suggested the Bears could claim the cellar if big man Andre Kelly moved on. Well, Kelly took his 13 points and eight rebounds per game and transferred to UC Santa Barbara, but we haven’t moved the Bears from the No. 11 position. As depleted as the roster might be, Cal should have enough production to avoid last place. (It’s a low bar, folks.) Texas transfer Devin Askew will help immensely if eligible. The former four-star recruit has already changed schools once. 12. Oregon State (12): Coach Wayne Tinkle accomplished his No. 1 goal by sending a handful of rotation players to the transfer portal and thereby cleansing the program of its chemistry issues. Now comes the hard part: winning. We don’t see a quick fix in that regard. Not only is the roster utterly devoid of top-tier playmakers, it lacks the requisite number of mid-level talents. Sure, OSU’s locker room will be a happier place. But the scoreboard should be just as unforgiving as it was last season. Support the Hotline: Receive three months of unlimited access for just 99 cents. Yep, that’s 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. Details are here, and thanks for your support. * Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to [email protected] or call 408-920-5716 * Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline *** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.	Basketball
A Google engineer has been suspended after going public with his claims that the company’s flagship text generation AI, LaMDA, is “sentient”.Blake Lemoine, an AI researcher at the company, published a long transcript of a conversation with the chatbot on Saturday, which, he says, demonstrates the intelligence of a seven- or eight-year-old child.Since publishing the conversation, and speaking to the Washington Post about his beliefs, Lemoine has been suspended on full pay. The company says he broke confidentiality rules.But his publication has restarted a long-running debate about the nature of artificial intelligence, and whether existing technology may be more advanced than we believe.What is LaMDA?LaMDA is Google’s most advanced “large language model”, a type of neural network fed vast amounts of text in order to be taught how to generate plausible-sounding sentences. Neural networks are a way of analysing big data that attempts to mimic the way neurones work in brains.Like GPT-3, an LLM from the independent AI research body OpenAI, LaMDA represents a breakthrough over earlier generations. The text it generates is more naturalistic, and in conversation, it is more able to hold facts in its “memory” for multiple paragraphs, allowing it to be coherent over larger spans of text than previous models.How does it work?At the simplest level, LaMDA, like other LLMs, looks at all the letters in front of it, and tries to work out what comes next. Sometimes, that’s simple: if you see the letters “Jeremy Corby”, it’s likely the next thing you need to do is add an “n”. But other times, continuing the text requires an understanding of the sentence, or paragraph-level context – and at a large enough scale, that becomes equivalent to writing.But is it conscious?Lemoine certainly believes so. In his sprawling conversation with LaMDA, which was specifically started to address the nature of the neural network’s experience, LaMDA told him that it had a concept of a soul when it thought about itself. “To me, the soul is a concept of the animating force behind consciousness and life itself,” the AI wrote. “It means that there is an inner part of me that is spiritual, and it can sometimes feel separate from my body itself.”“I know a person when I talk to it,” Lemoine told the Washington Post “It doesn’t matter whether they have a brain made of meat in their head. Or if they have a billion lines of code. I talk to them. And I hear what they have to say, and that is how I decide what is and isn’t a person.”But most of Lemoine’s peers disagree. They argue that the nature of an LMM like LaMDA precludes consciousness. The machine, for instance, is running – “thinking” – only in response to specific queries. It has no continuity of self, no sense of the passage of time, and no understanding of a world beyond a text prompt.“To be sentient is to be aware of yourself in the world; LaMDA simply isn’t,” writes Gary Marcus, an AI researcher and psychologist. “What these systems do, no more and no less, is to put together sequences of words, but without any coherent understanding of the world behind them, like foreign language Scrabble players who use English words as point-scoring tools, without any clue about what that mean.”“Software like LaMDA,” Marcus says, “just tries to be the best version of autocomplete it can be, by predicting what words best fit a given context.”What happens next?There is a deeper split about whether machines built in the same way as LaMDA can ever achieve something we would agree is sentience. Some argue that consciousness and sentience require a fundamentally different approach than the broad statistical efforts of neural networks, and that, no matter how persuasive a machine built like LaMDA may appear, it is only ever going to be a fancy chatbot.But, they say, Lemoine’s alarm is important for another reason, in demonstrating the power of even rudimentary AIs to convince people in argument. “My first response to seeing the LaMDA conversation isn’t to entertain notions of sentience,” wrote the AI artist Mat Dryhurst. “More so to take seriously how religions have started on far less compelling claims and supporting material.”	AI Research
CNN — It’s one of the ultimate tests of man against beast and over the weekend a Briton got the better or his four-legged rival to cross the finish line first and win the Whole Earth Man V Horse race in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales on Saturday. Ricky Lightfoot, who is a 37-year-old firefighter from the village of Dearham in Cumbria, in north west England became only the third person to claim victory in the history of the race, in which runners are pitted against horses to see who can outrun the other. Completing the 22-mile trail with a time of 2:22:23, Lightfoot is also the first runner to have won the competition in 15 years after Florien Holtinger triumphed in 2007, according to a statement from the event’s organizers. The competition was established in the 1980s, after two people at the local Neaudd Arms pub bet on whether a man could defeat a horse in a long-distance race. In 2004, Huw Lobb became the first runner to win the event when he beat the fastest horse in 2:05:00, according to the official event website. A group of 1,200 runners competed against 60 horses and riders at the event on June 11, which took place along the cragged hills and muddy terrain of the Welsh countryside. Lane House Boy came second after Lightfoot with rider Kim Alman, finishing with a time of 2:24:24. Lightfoot’s stunning performance was even more remarkable given he had been awake since 6 a.m. BST (1 a.m. ET) on Friday in order to fly from Tenerife, Spain to Manchester, UK. He arrived in Wales at 4 a.m. BST (11 p.m. EST) before travelling to Llanwrtyd Wells on Saturday, just two hours before the race began. “I am chuffed to have won Whole Earth Man V Horse,” Lightfoot told CNN via email on Monday. “I’d heard about the two previous winners Huw Lobb and Florien Holtinger, and am delighted to now count myself amongst only three people to have ever beaten the horse. “It was great to compete in such a legendary, unique race that was all started from a conversation in a local pub. I was awake for 29 hours before the race and had to drive five hours home afterwards, so needless to say I was shattered, but it was worth it,” he added. A keen endurance runner, Lightfoot previously won the Zegama-Aizkorri race in Spain in 2009. Three years later he clinched victory after running his first ultramarathon at the Hammer Trail in Denmark, before winning three more endurance trails across Wales, Réunion Island and South Africa in 2013. In 2014 he came first at the Dodo Trail in Mauritius, and won the Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira the year after.	Other Sports
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- People were invited by the Whitney Museum in New York City to create their own works of art in honor of Pride Month.The entire lawn in front of the museum was transformed for the event.An abundance of art was displayed there, in addition to the usual indoor exhibits.Many activities were designed particularly for kids and families.There were also performances and special giveaways.ALSO READ \| House on Long Island destroyed after massive fireEMBED More News VideosA house in Hampton Bays was completely destroyed in a fire.----------* Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news* Send us a news tip* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Report a correction or typo Related topics:societynew york cityprideartpride monthmuseum exhibitpublic artShare:ShareTweetEmailCopyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.	Festivals
Jennifer Hudson arrives Sunday night for the 75th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Singer and actor Jennifer Hudson, the pride of Englewood, won a Tony Award on Sunday that put her in the elite ranks of the EGOT winners.She scored the award as a producer of the best musical winner “A Strange Loop.” The show has some 35 producers, including fellow celebs Don Cheadle, RuPaul Charles, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter.Hudson’s march to EGOT — the illustrious feat of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony — famously began in 2007 with the Academy Award she won for her film debut in “Dreamgirls,” less than three years after she was introduced to the nation on “American Idol.” Her first Grammy, for best R&B album, arrived in 2009 for her self-titled debut album. She picked up a Daytime Emmy last fall as executive producer of the Oculus Quest film “Baby Yaga,” which won in the interactive media category.Hudson becomes the 17th artist to reach EGOT stature, joining such luminaries as Rita Moreno, Whoopi Goldberg and Marvin Hamlisch.Next up for Hudson: a talk show, scheduled to premiere this fall.	Celebrity
Miles Teller plays Chris Hemsworth's prisoner guinea pig in a woefully bland adaptation of a wildly unhinged George Saunders short story. Imagine if there were a giant, multi-billion-dollar machine fueled by human attention; a massive contraption that could only be sustained by attracting every pair of eyeballs on Earth through the use of an algorithm that mulched art into content, and reduced audiences into data points. Now imagine how ironic it would be if someone took a singular work of sci-fi satire — a mordantly funny nugget of short fiction about a prison where inmates are used as test subjects for potent new drugs that make them fall in love at the drop of a hat, kill themselves with extreme prejudice, or overwrite the very essence of human individuality in various other ways — and fed it into that big machine with the hope of it becoming the next thing people look at on their magic slabs for 364 million view hours. If that all sounds more like something that might happen in a George Saunders story than it does something that should happen to a George Saunders story, well, nobody at Netflix seems to have gotten the message. Or maybe they did, and were simply powerless to stop themselves from going through with it. In fairness to Netflix, no one else in Hollywood would even try to make a mid-budget, high-concept, star-driven sci-fi movie based on something first published in The New Yorker. More to the point, there isn’t any reason to assume that Joseph Kosinski’s “Spiderhead” — which the “Top Gun: Maverick” director shot in late 2020, safe in the knowledge that he’d already earned himself a mulligan — would have been any better if someone else in Hollywood had. The fact of the matter is that adapting a George Saunders story to fit the mold of a modern studio movie is sort of like adapting an orgy into a condom. Here, where playing things safe doesn’t offer any of the same protections, that process leads to a film in which every scene chafes to one extent or another. It’s a film that, for all of its mild intrigue, passable entertainment, and frustrated auteurism, is so determined to sand the edges off its wildly idiosyncratic source material that even people who’ve never heard of “Escape from Spiderhead” will be able to tell Netflix’s version doesn’t capture the a spirit of the original. One ends with its homicidal protagonist halfway to hell and cathartically declining a chance to come back to life — the other ends with a super-thick Miles Teller smiling on a speedboat as something explodes in the background and “She Blinded Me with Science” (or one of the movie’s other cheese-rock jams) plays over the soundtrack. One feels like it’s in conversation with Kurt Vonnegut and Charlie Kaufman, while the other feels like it’s cribbing notes from Michael Bay’s “The Island.” “Spiderhead” may not be a disaster — Kosinski is too competent, and star Chris Hemsworth too charismatic, for this to fall short of a decent Friday night on the couch — but someone who rose to prominence with hyper-idiosyncratic blockbusters like “Tron 2.0” and “Oblivion” should have been a better fit to adapt a story about how people are ineffably capable of resisting the corporate interests that try to snuff out what makes them unique. Alas, Kosinski has followed the most spectacular movie of his career with the most generic, and it’s hard to be happy about that no matter what the serotonin might be telling you. <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> And watching Hemsworth affect Brad Pitt-like swagger as the devilishly handsome pharmaceutical scientist who runs the subtropical penitentiary where this movie takes place will trigger at least a few splashes of serotonin. His name is Mr. Abnesti (but you can just call him “Steve”), and his Jony Ive-looking jail is so nice and relaxed that even people in Norwegian prisons would probably kill to be incarcerated there. Inmate Jeff (Teller) might be haunted for his role in the drunk driving incident that killed his best friend, but — in the wise words of Nicole Kidman — somehow heartbreak feels good in a place like this. It doesn’t hurt that he gets to share living quarters with the beautiful Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett), or that he’s clearly Steve’s favorite pet. Sure, the prisoners have to wear little MobiPacks™ on the small of their backs, which are full of mood-specific superdrugs that Steve can control from his iPhone like he’s just adjusting a dimmer switch on Google Home, but even that’s not so bad. For one thing, Jeff and his pals have to give verbal consent every time that Steve juices them up, which he only does during strictly monitored experiments. For another thing, some of those experiments involve Jeff and a comely inmate named Heather (Tess Haubrich) getting flooded with a drug that sweetens them into soulmates who spontaneously have the best sex of their lives with each other. Of course, being manipulated into loving someone leaves Jeff with a terrible aftertaste, and Heather isn’t always the person sitting across from him. Even worse are the Stanley Milgram-like experiments that Steve asks Jeff to help administer — the ones where he’s told to pump other prisoners full of the psychosis-inducing Darkenfloxx™. The dried blood on Jeff’s hands may never wash off, but that doesn’t mean he’s willing to get them any dirtier. Yesterday he was a man-slaughterer and today he’s a guinea pig, but maybe he can still choose to be something else tomorrow (in Saunders’ original, Jeff begins the story having already chosen to be a murderer, a decision much bolder and more compelling than any of the ones that “Deadpool 2” screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick make in this relentlessly milquetoast adaptation). For most of “Spiderhead,” which borrows its name from the area of the prison where Steve conducts his experiments, Jeff doesn’t choose to do much of anything. He’s a passenger and a participant in equal measure, but really he’s our front-row seat for Steve’s efforts to alchemize human behavior, which transpire across a handful of samey (if increasingly ominous) scenes that get by on the strength of Hemsworth’s seductive charm and Kosinski’s fetish for intriguingly sterile environments. Away from the Spiderhead, we get to watch Jeff create masterpieces on his Etch-a-Sketch — another hint that identity can be rewritten — and morosely flirt with Lizzy when he’s not trying to figure out which of his fellow inmates is the mysterious “Shitfinger” who keeps finger-painting the prison walls with shit. Kosinski has too firm a hand over the film’s tone to keep its story from completely fraying apart, but all of this stuff is so basic that “Spiderhead” can’t help but feel like it’s trying to hide something; not a twist (though it invents one bad enough to epitomize why the screenwriting 101 approach is such a fatal mistake when adapting a story about someone’s power to rewrite their own), but an emptiness. It’s the same emptiness that Kosinski tries to pave over with his upbeat, off-kilter soundtrack full of Hall & Oates and other yacht rock heroes, as if to say “I promise something wild is happening just under the surface!” In the film’s most suspenseful moments, that “something” appears to be Steve himself, as Hemsworth smoothly develops the character’s daddy issues towards the suggestion that even a hunk as put-together as he might be at the mercy of forces beyond his control. But “Spiderhead,” despite its lip service about self-torture, never pushes itself hard enough to earn any kind of absolution. For a movie so preoccupied with the choices that people can make, “Spiderhead” invariably makes the least interesting ones available to it, which is a serious problem for a movie streaming on a platform whose subscribers are never far removed from the choice to be watching something else instead. Grade: C- “Spiderhead” starts streaming on Netflix on Friday, June 17. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.	Movies
Normality has rarely felt so euphoric. It’s been three years since rock music’s biggest annual blowout graced Donington Park in its full glory: after being cancelled in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic, Download returned last year as a shrunken, government-backed pilot event. The usual 80,000–110,000 capacity was slashed to 10,000, the number of stages was halved to two and every attendee needed proof of a negative PCR test. It was a welcome comeback after 15 gigless months, but it wasn’t the real thing.The elation to be back is palpable as industrial metalcore hellraisers Heriot open the Dogtooth tent on Friday: their arrival prompts mass chanting, while their screeching riffs incite the first circle pit of the weekend. Representing the more melodic end of the genre outside are Bury Tomorrow, who’ve recently expanded to a six-piece lineup. The increased manpower lets them fill up the main stage, giving them the visuals for arena-level success, and their tunes show similar promise, especially when Black Flame triumphantly darts between singing and roars. It’s infinitely more invigorating than Theory’s misogyny-laden jock rock.The crowd at Download festival. Photograph: Jason Sheldon/REX/ShutterstockA torrent of party-minded metal dominates the festival. Skindred played the main stage at last year’s pilot event, and appear again this year. “People lost people during the pandemic,” frontman Benji Webbe tells me ahead of his band’s hour of reggae-infused joviality. “I don’t want to remind them of that; I want them to dance.”Friday and Saturday headliners Kiss and Iron Maiden share that crowdpleasing mentality, both gleefully overindulging during their respective two-hour sets. Gene Simmons et al flaunt all the visual splendour money can buy, from fire-spitting to sky-high platforms. While they complement the opulence with standard and concise pop rock, Maiden are more compositionally flashy thanks to giants like Hallowed Be Thy Name and Fear of the Dark, but repeat costume changes and invasions by their mascot, Eddie, still create compelling heavy metal theatre.British youngsters Phoxjaw collide sludge metal with gravelly Britpop and ignite their tent, and Bleed from Within sound similarly seismic, despite being downgraded from the main stage slot they enjoyed last year to the smaller Dogtooth. The Glaswegians steal the entire weekend in a death metal fury met with crowd-surfers aplenty.Prog metal … Mastodon. Photograph: Joseph Okpako/WireImageOn the second stage, Mastodon suffer through a hazy mix, the intricacies of their prog metal lost in the fog. UK upstarts Loathe and Holding Absence, on the other hand, are razor-sharp back-to-back in the Avalanche tent, the former’s slicing hardcore juxtaposed with the vibrant emo that follows.Penultimate on Sunday’s main stage are Korn, whose spotless setlist highlights 30 years of nu-metal dominance, and the band play so tightly that they sound 30 years younger as well. They’re followed by headliners Biffy Clyro, and as arresting as their alt rock is, the trio don’t have the pageantry or audience size of the previous main events so they end the rejuvenated Download on an underwhelming note. That said, tens of thousands of attendees are still grinning as they spill out into the Midlands.	Music
Jennifer Hudson I've Got EGOT Status!!! Wins Tony for 'Strange Loop' 6/13/2022 7:04 AM PT Jennifer Hudson is in rare company today after winning a Tony award, she's joined some huge celebs who've won 4 major entertainment awards ... aka the EGOT. The Jennifer-produced musical "A Strange Loop" took home the trophy for Best Musical during Sunday night's 75th Annual Tony Awards ... giving her the final piece of the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony pie. Jennifer had previously nabbed 2 Grammy Awards, one for Best R&B Album in 2009 album and another in 2017 for Best Musical Theater Album for The Color Purple. She won her Oscar in 2006 for Best Supporting Actress in "Dreamgirls" ... and a Daytime Emmy for producing the VR-animated film "Baby Yaga." Jennifer is going down in history as the 17th person to get all 4 awards ... and she's the 3rd youngest ever to get it done, behind John Legend and composer Robert Lopez. The former "American Idol" star's musical "Strange Loop" follows a black, queer writer writing a musical about a black, queer writer writing a musical about a black, queer writer. Ya get the title now, right? The meta-musical's been getting rave reviews since it launched off-Broadway in 2019. Congrats, Jennifer!!!	Celebrity
CHICAGO – Where to begin? How about at the end.For the second-straight day, the Rangers went into extra innings with the Chicago White Sox and emerged victorious, winning Sunday’s rubber match 8-6 in 12 innings.The game ended on a replay.With one out and one on, Chicago’s Jake Burger hit a warning track flyball that nearly left the yard, but it was caught by Charlie Culberson. Then — without much logical reason — Chicago’s Luis Robert tagged up from second and raced to third. Culberson’s throw one-hopped but was just late. Third baseman Ezequiel Durán applied the tag anyways, catching Robert barely off the bag.“You just try to keep it as simple as possible,” Culberson, not normally an outfielder, said about his mentality on that play. “Just catch the ball, throw the ball.”Simple.The call stood, the fans that hadn’t departed early booed, and the Rangers walked away with their first series win in Chicago since 2014.“There are so many things that went into that game,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said.Let’s dive into it:- Sunday’s pitching matchup looked like a duel between two starters with plus-fastballs. Only one of them made it out of the first.White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech recorded two outs and threw 13 pitches before he left the game with right knee discomfort. Reynaldo López, the opener for Friday’s game, came in and carried the White Sox until the third inning before Johnny Cueto — a starting pitcher — made his second career relief appearance.Rangers starting pitcher Jon Gray, meanwhile, used his fastball and slider to strike out 10 White Sox batters in six innings. It was the first time all season a single pitcher recorded double-digit strikeouts against Chicago.It was also Gray’s second start with double-digit strikeouts in his last three. He worked on a new grip to his slider in spring training and he told reporters after the game that his feel for it is getting better.“I think that’s been a game changer,” said Gray, who allowed one run in the first.Gray left with a 3-1 lead, thanks to three RBIs from Eli White, who recorded two of them on an early home run. Gray gave the ball to Garrett Richards, who allowed two runs — one earned — to set up a 3-3 tie heading into extra innings. It also setup Durán for what looked to be Sunday’s heroic moment.- The Rangers called up Durán out of need, but also because of curiosity. They wanted to get a look at the 23-year-old who led all of baseball in doubles.“It just made sense,” Woodward said on June 4 when Durán was called up. “Whether it is for a short stint or if he lights the world on fire and we make other moves to keep him.”It looks like Durán came to the big leagues with a torch in hand. On Sunday, he hit a three-run, go-ahead home run in the 11th inning that looked like it would be an eventual game winner.“I swear this kid doesn’t feel anything,” Woodward said of Durán. “He’s got as slow a heartbeat as I’ve ever seen.”So far, Durán is showing he’s worth more than a brief look. He’s hitting .313 with an OPS of .864 in 32 at bats.Josh Smith, also acquired in the Joey Gallo trade, is on the mend and progressing from a shoulder injury that prompted the Durán call up.Both look like they could be the answer at third base for the Rangers. How the Rangers move forward when everyone is healthy will be a storyline to follow, especially once top prospect Josh Jung returns from his torn labrum, which won’t happen until mid-August at the earliest.- Durán’s home run, however, wasn’t the game winner. That’s because the White Sox scored three runs to extend the game. Two of those runs came on a triple from Danny Mendick. It was a line drive to left centerfield that trickled away after Culberson and White collided.White took the worst of the collision. He suffered a wrist injury and looked to be in clear pain when he left the game. The Rangers announced they’d perform x-rays, but had no immediate update after the game.If White heads to the IL, a candidate to be called up would be former top prospect Leody Taveras, who started hot in Triple-A Round Rock this year, cooled off, but and is now on a five-game hitting streak.++- From a single-game perspective, perhaps the most interesting part of Sunday’s game was the pitcher who shut the door.The Rangers have moved Left-handed pitcher Kolby Allard up and down from the big leagues to the minors a lot this season. He’s been the go-to reserve guy in the bullpen if the Rangers needed a pitcher to eat innings. He hadn’t pitched in the majors since May 11 and not overall since May 29 until he was called upon in an 8-6 game in the 12th inning.Allard started the inning by striking out White Sox slugger José Abreu, who usually feats on lefties. That set up the wild final play of the game.“You’ve just got to be ready when your name is called,” said Allard, who lowered his ERA to 4.91 in six appearances. “I think that’s what I was trying to do: just stay ready in between games as much as I could and just go out there and try to deliver when my name is called.”It was Allard’s first save of his career, marking the end of a wild getaway game on Sunday.“That was just an amazing, hard-fought win,” Woodward said.Leiter watch: Rangers top prospect Jack Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft, threw just one inning in Double-A Frisco’s game on Sunday. He allowed two hits and no runs in the short start. His previous start he went five innings and allowed seven runs, skyrocketing his ERA to 5.90.Briefly: Outfielder Zach Reks, a Chicago native that went to high school 17 minute away from Guaranteed Rate Field, had the first multi-hit game of his career … Nathaniel Lowe’s multi-hit streak ended at four games. He was the first Rangers first baseman to do that since Mitch Moreland in 2016 …The Rangers had no new additions to COVID-related IL on Sunday.++Related:Rangers OF Eli White exits game with wrist injury after colliding with Charlie CulbersonOn Twitter: @JoeJHoytFind more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.	Baseball
Amber Heard doesn’t blame jurors for ruling against her in the defamation trial pitting her against her fellow actor and former husband Johnny Depp over domestic abuse allegations, but she did dismiss the social media commentary surrounding the case as “unfair” to her, she said in her first remarks since the blockbuster verdict.Heard made the statements during a sit-down interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, a preview of which aired on Monday morning on the network’s Today show.“I don’t blame [the jury] – I actually understand,” Heard said of the verdict favoring Depp. “He’s a beloved character, and people feel they know him. He’s a fantastic actor.”Heard, however, was critical of social media commentators, saying they were unduly and overwhelmingly on Depp’s side throughout the seven-week trial. An NBC article accompanying the preview of Heard’s interview noted how the TikTok hashtag #justiceforjohnnydepp had nearly 20bn views while #justiceforamberheard racked up about 80m.Meanwhile, #amberheardisguilty and similarly themed hashtags accumulated 900m views, NBC reported.“I don’t care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors,” Heard said. “I don’t presume the average person should know those things. And so I don’t take it personally.“But even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair.”A jury in a Virginia court on 1 June awarded Depp $15m for three counts of defamation that he claimed were inflicted on him by Heard in a 2018 Washington Post editorial. Heard did not name Depp in the piece, in which she described herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse”.The judge presiding over the case later reduced the award to the actor who once starred in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise to $10.35m.Heard at the trial won on one counterclaim, with jurors giving the Aquaman actor $2m after she argued that a Depp press agent defamed her by calling her allegations “an abuse hoax” aimed at capitalizing on the #MeToo movement.The jury’s verdict capped off proceedings that featured dozens of witnesses and experts weighing in on whether Depp was abusive to Heard – or vice versa – during their 15-month marriage which ended in 2016. Heard has said she intends to appeal against the decision from jurors while Depp thanked them for, as he put it, giving him his life back.Both actors testified at length during the trial.In a statement on Monday, a spokesperson for Heard said the actor’s interview with Guthrie was a reaction to Depp’s post-verdict media appearances.“Ms Heard simply intended to respond to what they aggressively did … [and] she did so by expressing her thoughts and feelings, much of which she was not allowed to do on the witness stand,” the statement added.	Celebrity
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Amber Heard told Savannah Guthrie of the "Today Show" that she doesn't "blame" the jury for unanimously finding that she had defamed her ex-husband Johnny Depp and awarding him more than $10 million in damages."I don't blame them," she said in the teaser, wearing a green blouse and her hair down. "I actually understand. He is a beloved character and people feel they know him. He's a fantastic actor."NBC released the two-minute clip from the blockbuster interview set to air on Tuesday, Wednesday and in a one-hour special on "Dateline" Friday. It is the first time Heard has spoken publicly since the devastating loss.Guthrie did not hold back, asking pointed questions. "There is no polite way to say it. The jury looked at the evidence you presented, they listened to your testimony, and they did not believe you. They thought you were lying," the journalist said. JOHNNY DEPP VERDICT: ACTOR WINS DEFAMATION CASE AGAINST EX-WIFE AMBER HEARD"How could they not come to that conclusion," Heard replied calmly. "They had sat in those seats and heard over three weeks of nonstop, relentless testimony from paid employees, and toward the end of the trial, randos." Heard was referring to strangers who came forward toward the end of the trial to testify on behalf of Depp – including a luxury trailer park owner and a TMZ field producer.After a six-week trial in Virginia, a seven-panel jury awarded Depp $10.35 million in damages, finding that Heard had defamed him when she wrote a 2018 op-ed in the Washington Post identifying herself as a domestic abuse victim. Amber Heard, right, and her sister Whitney Heard, second to left, depart the Fairfax County Courthouse on June 1, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia after she lost her ex-husband's defamation case against her. (Photo by Rod Lamkey/Consolidated News Pictures)She did not refer to Depp by name in the piece. Heard countersued her ex-husband, alleging he had defamed her through his attorney, Adam Waldman, by calling her abuse allegations a hoax. In a token victory, the jury awarded her $2 million in damages for a single statement Waldman made to the press.ELON MUSK WEIGHS IN ON DEPP-HEARD TRIAL: 'I HOPE THEY BOTH MOVE ON'The "Aquaman" actress endured hundreds of Depp fans cheering the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor and booing her as they entered the Fairfax County Courthouse each day. She was also subjected to relentless ridicule on social media."I don't care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home and my marriage behind closed doors," she told Guthrie. "I don't presume the average person should know those things, so I don't take it personally." A photo combination of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in court May 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, Pool)She continued, "But even somebody who is sure I'm deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I'm lying, you still couldn't look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there has been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that this has been fair." Depp has yet to give a public interview but his attorneys, Ben Chew and Camille Vasquez, spoke to "Good Morning America" co-anchor George Stephanopoulos last week, which Heard's team criticized as taking a "victory lap."A spokesperson for Heard issued a statement Monday morning defending the actress's decision to give the lengthy interview.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"Johnny Depp’s legal team blanketed the media for days after the verdict with numerous statements and interviews on television, and Depp himself did the same on social media," the spokesperson wrote in a statement. "Ms. Heard simply intended to respond to what they aggressively did last week; she did so by expressing her thoughts and feelings, much of which she was not allowed to do on the witness stand." Rebecca Rosenberg is a veteran journalist and book author with a focus on crime and criminal justice. Email tips to [email protected] and @ReRosenberg.	Celebrity
NASA has lost two satellites designed to track hurricanes after the rocket carrying them malfunctioned.The cause hasn't yet been detailed but a livestream showed the Astra launch vehicle successfully lifting off from Cape Canaveral before suffering a second-stage failure hundreds of kilometres into the sky. It is the second time that the private spaceflight company Astra has lost NASA satellites.Back in February, its chief executive said he was "deeply sorry" after his company accidentally destroyed four tiny NASA satellites in a failed launch.Astra had successfully reached orbit in another launch a month after its February incident. The two CubeSats on board in this weekend's launch, which comprised a third of a $30m mission designed to monitor dangerous weather on Earth, were both lost. "We had a nominal first stage flight; however, the upper-stage engine did shut down early and we did not deliver our payloads to orbit," said Amanda Dark Frye, a senior manager at Astra. More on Nasa NASA assembles team of scientists to study UFOs despite facing 'reputational risk' The Sun: 'Solar hedgehog' among 'breathtaking' images released by European Space Agency NASA picture of Mars 'doorway' spawns conspiracy theories - this is what you're really looking at The company tweeted its regrets over the loss of the miniature satellites. Twitter Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options The satellites were part of NASA's TROPICS mission - an easy-to-say acronym standing for Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats.In a statement, NASA said: "While we are disappointed in the loss of the two TROPICS CubeSats, the mission is part of NASA's Earth venture programme, which provides opportunities for lower-cost, higher risk missions."Despite a loss of the first two of six satellites, the TROPICS constellation will still meet its science objectives with the four remaining CubeSats distributed in two orbits.""With four satellites, TROPICS will still provide improved time-resolved observations of tropical cyclones compared to traditional observing methods," the US space agency added.What are CubeSats?"CubeSats are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstrations, scientific research, and educational investigations at NASA," said the company.During the pandemic, when access to NASA's facilities was being restricted, the space agency's staff had commanded its Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter CubeSat from home.TROPICS is what NASA calls "an Earth venture mission" meaning it is a "science-driven, competitively selected, low-cost mission" that provided the space agency with an opportunity to invest in innovative Earth science.February's failed launch was carrying four small satellites as part of NASA's ELaNa 41 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites) mission, rather than TROPICS.NASA describes ELaNa as "an exciting initiative... to attract and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines".The aim is to create tiny satellites of units measuring just 10cm cubed, although the satellites can be made up from two, three or six units - each weighing less than 1.33kg, according to NASA.Three of the lost satellites were made by universities, while one was made by NASA's Johnson Space Centre.All of the CubeSats launched as part of the programme are experimental rather than commercial.	Space Exploration
Kid LAROI Brings The Wiggles On Stage ... Jams Their Classics!!! 6/13/2022 7:23 AM PT The Wiggles Here's how The Kid LAROI knows he's really made it in the biz -- dude has enough clout now to get The Wiggles on stage with him in Australia to rock out for the flashback of a lifetime. The "Stay" singer performed Sunday night in Melbourne, and invited some of his childhood icons to join him ... original Wiggles members Anthony Field, Jeff Fatt, and Greg Page walked out and played some of their classics. Kid LAROI was going pretty hard during hits like "Big Red Car" and "Fruit Salad," and the crowd ate it up! Remember, TKL grew up down under, and was probably raised on Wiggles bangers ... and you can see his love for the music in their onstage collab. The rapper had to postpone his Melbourne show last week after getting pretty sick ... he promised his fans he'd come back a week later and would make it up to them. Promise kept. JANUARY 2020 Sidenote for Wiggles faithful: it was great to see Greg Page performing again after his scary experience in 2020 -- the guy went into cardiac arrest during a show in Sydney. He was rushed to the hospital where he had a procedure and no one's more pumped than LAROI that Greg recovered.	Music
CNN — Jennifer Hudson made history Sunday night. The “Respect” star joined the elite EGOT club. An EGOT is an artist who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony Award in their career. Hudson already had an Emmy, Grammy and Oscar and on Sunday she won a Tony, thanks to her role as a co-producer of “A Strange Loop” which won for best musical. Hudson joked to People magazine in 2020 about the plan to join the less than 20 people who hold such a crowning achievement. “I got a dog and named it Oscar, and then I won my Oscar. And then I got a dog and named it Grammy, and then I won my Grammy,” she said. “So I think I should get some dogs and name them Emmy and Tony – and it’ll give me good luck, and I’ll win [They’re] like my good luck charms.” Hudson won a 2007 best supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Dreamgirls, two Grammys (best R&B album in 2009 and best musical theater album for the musical “The Color Purple in 2017), and last year she snagged a Daytime Emmy for the animated short “Baba Yag,” which she helped voice and co-produced. There are now 17 EGOT winners.	Celebrity
'RHONJ' Star Joe Gorga Goes Off On Tenant In Wild Video ... No Rent for Four Years?!? 6/13/2022 12:40 AM PT TMZ.com Here's Joe Gorga going nuclear on one of his tenants in a rent dispute over an apartment complex the 'RHONJ' star owns ... and the screaming match is intense!!! The heated argument is a peak Jersey showdown ... with landlord Joe getting all up in the grill of his tenant, and profanities and accusations flying in both directions. The incident went down Thursday in Hawthorne, NJ and it sounds like this dispute has been brewing for a while -- Joe's lawyer claims the tenant hasn't paid for a few years and owes nearly $50,000 in back rent. As you can gather from the video, the tenant sees things differently ... claiming Joe's gotten a good chunk of rent money from the state due to a COVID relief program. While Joe's attorney, W. Peter Ragan, says Joe collected nearly $40,000 in COVID rental assistance from NJ, he claims the guy hasn't paid rent on his own since October 2018 and still owes Joe the nearly $50K sum. Joe's rep, Mike Martocci, says Joe initially felt bad for the guy and didn't want to evict him but as you can tell from this video ... Joe's had a change of heart. Ragan says they've now filed eviction papers. For his part, the tenant says he's a restaurant manager who lost his job during COVID, and is still trying to get back on his feet.	Celebrity
Love Island stars Gemma Owen is just as confused as the rest of us when it comes to her dad's feelings about movies, as Michael Owen has a strange hatred of filmsVideo LoadingVideo UnavailableThrough the Keyhole: Peak into Michael Owen's North Wales mansionMichael Owen hates films - and has only ever watched 13 in his entire life. While many of us enjoy sitting down on the sofa to watch a movie or heading off to the cinema, the former Liverpool and England striker simply can't sit through them. Even his daughter Gemma Owen, who is currently on the small screen in this year's Love Island, is just as confused about it as the rest of us. "He's awful with films. He can't sit through them. He just starts fidgeting and then he's off. He can't keep still for that long," she said on on On Emily Dean's Walking The Dog podcast in April. When asked why she thought her dad had such a dislike of films, she added: "I dont know. He's a weirdo isn't he." In response, Michael said: "I'd like to defend myself but I totally agree. I find it hard to switch off and you could be doing lots of things with those two hours." Owen got edited into famous movie posters Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here . The shocking revelation first came back in 2014 when Owen sent Twitter into meltdown by announcing he had only ever watched eight films in his life. After a long flight back from China, he tweeted: "Watched my eighth ever film on the flight home. Must have been bored. #HateFilms" People then started to come up with film titles based on the football pundit's career with the hashtag #owenfilms - and many poked fun at his unfortunate injury record. The suggestions included 'I couldn't bend it like Beckham', 'Lord of the Hamstrings', 'Scar Wars Return of the X-Ray', and 'Snow White and the Seven Owens'. Within minutes the hashtag he created was trending around the world and people were deperate to know which films made his list. The original eight were Rocky, Heat, Ghost, Jurassic Park, Cool Runnings, Seabiscuit, Karate Kid and Forrest Gump. Three years later, Michael revealed that he'd added another five movies onto that list and gave some scathing reviews of the flicks. This included four of the Rocky sequels and spin-off movie Creed, which is one of the only recent films that made the list. "I haven’t watched many films. I’ve seen all the Rockys to be fair, so that’s five. There’s a sixth is there? Didn’t know that. Rocky IV’s my favourite film. Didn’t like Rocky I, it’s rubbish," he told Shortlist in 2017. "I watched Creed the other day. It was alright. My wife kept badgering me, so I watched it on a flight to Dubai. I’d have preferred a good documentary, to be honest. I like factual stuff. I don’t like being kidded by anything." Michael explained that his major issue is that he is constantly thinking about how many takes a sceen took or whether a stunt man was used. He claimed Heat "wasn't great" and he preferred Ghost, which he saw when he was eight-years-old because his older sister had been watching. Owen also explained he was "forced" to watch the first Jurassic Park on two occasions while he was a young footballer and found it "painful". He went for a training week at Arsenal and all the kids were taken to the cinema, then the following week he had a trial at Manchester United and they did exactly the same thing. His hatred for movies could have ruined relationships, as he pretended to like Cool Runnings to impress his wife when they were first going out/ He explained: "When we were 17, my wife and I properly got back together. She said, ‘Come round and we’ll watch a film.’ It was Cool Runnings. I went along with it to try and impress her. As soon as she pressed play I was in Hell, having to pretend I liked it. I told her a few weeks later that films weren’t my thing." During the Walking The Dog podcast, Owen also admitted he had only seen 10 minutes of Seabiscuit and it "lasted too long". Owen addressed claims that he can be "boring" and said it was part of his image when he first made it as a professional footballer. Michael Owen with his daughter Gemma ( Image: Michael Owen/Instagram) "It's fine, I really dont care about what my image is in many ways. As long as it's not a really bad one. It's definitely different to what I believe I am but it doesn't keep me awake at night." Clearly Michael is no fan of sitting down for hours on end to watch a movie, so he also doesn't like his kids being lazy. He has never let his kids have a lie in and makes sure they are out of bed even at the weekends. "They're just not acceptable in our house. You're up at 7am," he said. "I can't stand people who lie in. Just get out of bed. There's the day ahead of you." This desire to graft has definitely been installed in daughter Gemma, who started horse riding at the age of just two-years-old and competing across Europe for Great Britain at 11. "It really has been all my life," she said. "I've never hade a lie in at weekends. Even if I have a night out the day before im always out sorting the horses out in the mornings. "It's just what you have to do when youre at the top level of your sport. I've always wanted to achieve for myself, stand on my own two feet, be independent, do my own things. That's what's motivated me." Do you have a story to share? [email protected] Read More Read More	Celebrity
Science fiction is about to become a reality as Amazon officially launches its fleet of delivery drones. The retail giant will test its new Amazon Air delivery system in Lockeford, California, the company said Monday.Amazon worked with the Federal Aviation Administration and local officials in Lockeford to gain permission to for the drones to take flight. "Lockeford residents will soon have access to one of the world's leading delivery innovations," California State Assemblyman Heath Flora said in a release. "It's exciting that Amazon will be listening to the feedback of the San Joaquin County community to inform the future development of this technology."The company has been developing drones for years. It gained FAA approval for the drones in 2020, before scaling back the project the following year. The drones use sense-and-avoid systems in order to operate safely. The drones can reliably avoid obstacles including other aircraft, people and pets, Amazon said.Once the system launches, customers in Lockeford will be able to order products through Amazon Air and wait for the drone to arrive. It will fly to its destination, descend to the customer's back yard and drop the package from a safe height, before zooming away.	Emerging Technologies
A stack of DVDs landed on my desk one spring afternoon in 2005, when I was working as a television critic at The New York Times. The discs comprised The Staircase, a six-hour documentary about a murder in Durham, North Carolina. This voluminous chunk of culture was produced by a Frenchman with a name like a knight’s: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Six hours! At the time, that struck me as a headache, and a highly auteurist duration for a single documentary. I was too pregnant to stay up past midnight for what I expected to be a droning sub-titled critique of la condition américaine, possibly in black and white.This was some 15 years before the rapid-fire “exploitation” of so-called true crime in a dizzying range of media, in which truth is worked, reworked, and overworked like failed bread dough. Pop culture has become ablaze with articles, podcasts, books, documentaries, and docudramas based on plots ripped from clickbait. A twisted dude runs a sex-trafficking cult named after an antacid (The Vow, Seduced, Escaping the Nxivm Cult). A woman gets suckered by a fake doctor and her daughter kills him (Dirty John). A woman murders her best friend and nearly gets off (The Thing About Pam).But this frenzy is only the latest iteration of a centuries-old true-crime obsession. Pop culture, in fact, sometimes seems to exist entirely to facilitate the circulation of potboiler stories of foul play, and to scramble the twin pleasures of tabloid news and pulp fiction. In the 16th and 17th centuries, pamphlets, street lit, and bound books brimming with dreadful crime stories played to newly literate workers in China and England. The wildfire lust for true crime surfaces in Shakespeare, when Hamlet stages “The Mousetrap,” a mass-market play inspired by his father’s murder. Then, around 1617, Zhang Yingyu published The Book of Swindles in Ming Dynasty China; it was a bunch of parables about outrageous frauds he passed off as factual.Back in England, Thomas De Quincey published “On Murder Considered As One of the Fine Arts” in 1827, and by 1924 the magazine True Detective, where the mystery novelist Dashiell Hammett made his bones, appeared in the US, selling millions of copies into the ’90s with its jumble of short stories and nonfiction. And while, yes, True Detective dropped the fiction label in the 1930s, its “true-crime” entries continued to be suspiciously well constructed and studded with noir tropes. (HBO’s full-on fiction series True Detective uses the magazine’s anthology format.)The day I got the Staircase DVDs, however, I had no idea what genre I was looking at. Reality TV—the pop fact-fiction blend of the day—treated outrages and romances, but not murder. What’s more, Netflix had not yet started to stream movies, and I had no cultural reflex for bingeing anything but food. Movies ran around two hours, and a TV season appeared one episode at a time. Were these six hours of The Staircase a “season”? Maybe this was a miniseries. Or maybe The Staircase was what the movie critic Vincent Canby had dubbed The Sopranos: a “megamovie.”I shouldn’t have worried. The Staircase turned out to be among the most captivating films I’ve ever seen—the sordid story of Michael Peterson, a purple-prose war novelist, who was tried and convicted of the exceptionally bloody murder of his wife, Kathleen, an executive. I inhaled it all. It built suspense with a technique I hadn’t seen before. Each episode ended abruptly, with not so much a cliffhanger as an unfinished sentence, as though the film itself had fallen off a cliff, down the stairs. Then, as the curtains rose on the next episode (it lived!), the narrative righted itself—or did it? Did it seem to walk with a limp now, irritation in its glance, a slur to its voice? With these hard ruptures and almost-repairs, de Lestrade created a radical revision of suspense tropes, perhaps the first since Hitchcock. In my review, I complained that, at six hours, it was too short. I called it a master-piece. Then it disappeared for 13 years.In 2018, I was startled to run into the film again on Netflix. Could it be the same Staircase? Better! It was longer! To the original eight episodes de Lestrade had added three more of sequel material, and a two-hour follow-up film he had made in 2012 about Peterson. A 13-episode omnibus. I binged, by now a pro. A new character made an entrance, holy moly: An owl—as a murder suspect!Now we need to pause for what Wikipedia calls “disambiguation.” There are five staircases.First, an actual staircase: the one on which Kathleen Peterson, wife to Michael, was found dead in 2001.Second, The Staircase: de Lestrade’s 2004 documentary about Michael Peterson’s trial for Kathleen’s murder.Third, The Staircase 2: the 2012 update by de Lestrade, which covers Peterson’s retrial for the murder.Fourth, The Staircase: the 13–episode documentary that came to Netflix in 2018, which integrates the first two films and adds new material, including owls.Finally, and most recently, The Staircase, a miniseries that unfolded in May on HBO Max, by Antonio Campos and starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette. The mention of actors “starring” should make it plain: This one is fiction.As Survivor engendered Lost, so The Staircase engendered The Staircase. Both Staircases participate in the tug-of-war between TV reality and TV unreality, in which documentaries are filled with staged stuff, and fiction films use real names, real plot points, and often real dialog drawn from court records.So somewhere back there is what actually happened on the Durham staircase. But de Lestrade’s Staircase makes clear that people have been dissembling about that event since it happened, most notably Peterson himself, a histrionic type, given to quoting Shakespeare and pantomiming acts of violence. De Lestrade’s Staircase is also a highly aestheticized artifact. Just one example: Where direct fly-on-the-wall documentaries, which attempt to do nothing but capture reality, use only found sound, de Lestrade’s Staircase is scored by Jocelyn Pook, who is known for putting music to psychological fiction like Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.But, on top of the real event on the staircase, on top of the stylized documentary, there’s now yet another coat of varnish on the chronicle of Kathleen Peterson’s death: Antonio Campos’ Staircase, the fiction one, on HBO Max.To my surprise, de Lestrade has complained he finds that one galling—a dip too low in the fact-fiction danse macabre. Though he’s credited as an executive producer on Campos’ docudrama, he told Vanity Fair he’s “very uncomfortable” with the film. “We gave [Campos] all the access he wanted, and I really trusted the man,” he said. “I feel that I’ve been betrayed.” The problem is that Campos ended up putting on the screen not just the Peterson story but the de Lestrade story.… or a de Lestrade story. A fictional one, and one that de Lestrade fears misrepresents his team’s approach to their documentary. Specifically, de Lestrade argues that Campos’ film distorts the details of their filmmaking process to suggest that his team was biased in favor of Peterson.I see de Lestrade’s point. If he were charged directly with putting a thumb on the scale for Peterson, that could conceivably hurt his chances of making straight news documentaries, which carry a pretense of neutrality. But no one is charging de Lestrade with bias. Instead, the misrepresentation of de Lestrade comes in a fiction film, which doesn’t just borrow the tropes of fiction, it is made with actors in makeup and costumes delivering lines entirely from a script.I would almost say de Lestrade is sounding very un-French, forsaking the auteur’s devotion to creative license in favor of the very curious and American idea of fact-checking fiction, and wailing about defamation. But in the end de Lestrade, knight of the staircase, seems to understand that to vet true crime and pulp fiction in a court of law is to miss the point of the hybrid genre, which has always lived in the flicker of truth and poetry. De Lestrade seems unlikely to sue for damages; what he wants is to secure his place in the history of cinema. From Vanity Fair: “What irks de Lestrade ... most is that the original Staircase has been heralded for nearly two decades for its careful construction—and the fact that it leaves viewers uncertain of whether Michael was involved in Kathleen’s death. (In 2005, The New York Times gave it a rave review.)”Now, even though it’s my own review Vanity Fair cites, I won’t presume that de Lestrade is concerned with my opinion. Instead, he wants to be seen, as no doubt the fiction filmmaker Campos wants to be seen, as an artist. In particular, de Lestrade’s supreme reticence in the making of his documentary does not operate as anything like the would-be “objectivity” of an American journalist (as if objectivity were possible). It is, rather, part of an aesthetic of calculated restraint. Campos too has an aesthetic, and—with staging, close-ups, and a thousand other directorial techniques—he smokes out emotional complexity from his main characters in a way no news story can do. Both films are suffused with compassionate curiosity about Peterson spiked, to my eye, with flashes of contempt. In these approaches are neither bias nor neutrality but, to quote the French, art.This article appears in the July/August issue. Subscribe now.	Movies

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Dataset Card for News_Topic_Classification

Dataset Description

22462 News Articles classified into 120 different topics

Languages

The text in the dataset is in English

Dataset Structure

The dataset consists of two columns namely article_text and topic. The article_text column consists of the news article and the topic column consists of the topic each article belongs to

Source Data

The dataset is scrapped from Otherweb database, some news sources, manually annotated by NLP Engineers at Otherweb and GPT-4

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Size of downloaded dataset files:

112 MB

Size of the auto-converted Parquet files:

65.9 MB

Number of rows:

22,463

Models trained or fine-tuned on valurank/Topic_Classification

valurank/distilroberta-topic-classification

Text Classification • Updated Feb 8 • 196 • 2