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Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2022-02-11 14:15:12

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/11/entertainment/inventing-anna-review/index.html

'Inventing Anna' review: A Netflix miniseries puts the accent in the wrong place, diluting Anna Delvey's juicy true story - CNN

"Inventing Anna" transforms a juicy real-life drama about a con artist among the influencer crowd into a fairly inert limited series, in part by giving almost equal weight to the reporter who broke the story. Shonda Rhimes caught lightning in a bottle for Netflix with "Bridgerton," but her latest creation is less likely to have tongues wagging.

entertainment, 'Inventing Anna' review: A Netflix miniseries puts the accent in the wrong place, diluting Anna Delvey's juicy true story - CNN

'Inventing Anna' puts the accent in the wrong place, diluting Anna Delvey's story

(CNN)"Inventing Anna" transforms a juicy real-life drama about a con artist among the influencer crowd into a fairly inert limited series, in part by giving almost equal weight to the reporter who broke the story. Shonda Rhimes caught lightning in a bottle for Netflix with "Bridgerton," but her latest creation is less likely to have tongues wagging.Rhimes has populated the show with a number of familiar faces from her ABC/"Scandal" days, but the marquee parts go to Julia Garner ("Ozark"), sporting an accent seemingly patterned after Balki in "Perfect Strangers," and Anna Chlumsky ("Veep"). Even if Garner's character, Anna Delvey, actually sounded this way, listening to it for nine episodes borders on becoming a distraction at best, and an ear-bending ordeal at worst.While taking liberties with the story, the underlying bones of it are pretty sensational: Delvey, a "fake heiress," beguiled the Manhattan elite and banks alike, worming her way into high society before the walls came crashing down and landed her in a courtroom.Julia Garner as Anna Delvery in 'Inventing Anna' (David Giesbrecht/Netflix).Delvey lived the good life, creating an image that fooled plenty of people and left many reluctant to discuss their relationships with her. That included running up expenses like a $62,000 trip to Morocco, with a friend (played by "Scandal's" Katie Lowes) holding the bill.Anna's story was a tough one to crack, due in part to the reticence of those she fooled. Enter Chlumsy's Vivian, who doggedly pursues Anna and her friends, trying to expose not just what happened but who Anna really is and where that peculiar accent might have originated. (The show is based on a New York magazine article by Jessica Pressler.)Read MoreStrictly as a viewing proposition it doesn't help that most of the episodes run more than an hour, which breeds a certain flabbiness in the storytelling. The same goes for a structure that shifts the focus to a different one of Anna's marks in each chapter, jumping back and forth in time before reaching the trial and eventually deciding her fate.Along the way Vivian and Anna have several prison interviews, but we're expected to accept that the reporter has bonded with her — or at least finds her oddly endearing, for reasons that frankly seem mystifying — even as she struggles to meet her deadline, hold her life together and, oh yeah, have a baby.If that sounds like a lot, it is, with a tone that's often whimsical. The flashbacks generally work better than Vivian's part of the story, which provides a reminder that portraying the practice of journalism in drama can be a thorny proposition, with a whole lot of misfires for every "All the President's Men."Those criticisms don't completely undercut the meatiness of the story, and the schadenfreude of how all these privileged masters and mistresses of the universe were so easily deceived. But it does make "Inventing Anna," finally, a bit of a slog — a series that seeks to be a little too inventive for its own good."Inventing Anna" premieres Feb. 11 on Netflix.

Marianne Garvey and Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN

2022-03-15 18:06:14

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/entertainment/inventing-anna-deportation-cec/index.html

Anna Delvey: The real-life 'Inventing Anna' is facing deportation - CNN

Anna Sorokin, the fake German heiress Netflix's "Inventing Anna" is based on, remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. Her attorney had reportedly feared her deportation.

entertainment, Anna Delvey: The real-life 'Inventing Anna' is facing deportation - CNN

The real-life 'Inventing Anna' is facing deportation

(CNN)Anna Sorokin, the fake German heiress Netflix's "Inventing Anna" is based on, remains in Immigration and Enforcement custody, a spokesman for the agency said Tuesday. Her attorney had reportedly feared her deportation when he couldn't reach her on Monday.Sorokin, 31, has been in ICE custody at the Orange County Correctional Facility in upstate New York since June 7 of last year, according to a class-action lawsuit she filed with several other immigration detainees earlier this month."She remains in ICE custody pending removal," ICE spokesman Emilio Dabul said in an email to CNN Tuesday. The agency did not specify where Sorokin is currently being held and said it could not discuss any future deportation plans.Attorney Manny Arora told NBC News on Monday that he hadn't been able to reach Sorokin and was "working under the presumption that she is being deported." Arora could not be immediately reached for comment.'Inventing Anna' is Shonda Rhimes' drama of a grifter who fleeced the New York party eliteRead MoreHe told NBC that attorneys were given a month to appeal when a deportation order was signed on February 17."Legally, they should not be able to deport her until the 19th. ... But we are dealing with bureaucracy, and there are numerous filings in her case, so you just never know if there was a paperwork error," Arora said, according to NBC.Sorokin duped victims out of money by pretending to be a German heiress called Anna Delvey with a $60 million trust fund.She was found guilty of stealing more than $200,000 from banks and friends while scamming her way into New York society, the Manhattan District Attorney said after her 2019 conviction.Sorokin was released from jail in February 2021 after serving nearly four years on theft and larceny charges. But it wasn't long before she ended up back behind bars.ICE took custody of Sorokin on March 25, 2021. In November, the Board of Immigration Appeals granted an emergency stay in her case, according to ICE. She's been fighting her deportation -- and also recently joined a group of plaintiffs suing the agency, alleging they'd requested and been denied Covid booster shots while in custody.Sorokin's case drew widespread attention after a 2018 New York magazine article.That article became the basis of Shonda Rhimes' "Inventing Anna," a dramatization which started streaming on Netflix last month. Actress Julia Garner, best known for her Emmy-winning role as Ruth on "Ozark," plays Sorokin.CNN's Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.

Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-12-11 02:13:06

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/10/entertainment/star-wars-live-action-shows/index.html

'Star Wars': Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader join the growing live-action universe on Disney+ - CNN

The live-action "Star Wars" universe that "The Mandalorian" launched into the streaming space is about to get a whole lot more crowded.

entertainment, 'Star Wars': Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader join the growing live-action universe on Disney+ - CNN

Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader join the growing live-action universe on Disney+

(CNN)The live-action "Star Wars" universe that "The Mandalorian" launched into the streaming space is about to get a whole lot more crowded. Disney+ has ordered a spinoff series featuring Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, and Hayden Christensen is slated to reprise his role as Darth Vader in a previously announced Obi-Wan Kenobi prequel show.Obi Wan, She Hulk and a new Pinochhio: Disney+ is about to get a lot bigger, and more expensiveDisney made those announcements at an Investor Day event, which also included news from the feature side that "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins would be tapped to oversee a new "Star Wars" movie, subtitled "Rogue Squadron," for release in 2023. That project joins a planned film from director Taika Waititi.Still, the most powerful force emanating from Lucasfilm might surround its limited series for Disney+, drawing energy from established "Star Wars" characters as the streaming service works to build its subscriber base. "The Mandalorian" -- which launched on the day Disney+' made its debut in November 2019 -- has already proven to be a huge asset, and now a springboard for other fare.Read MoreDawson appeared on the show as Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker's padawan introduced in the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated series. Another fan favorite also joined the series in its second season, bringing back the character of Boba Fett, played by Temuera Morrison.Separately, Anakin -- or rather, Darth Vader -- will provide another tie to the past, with Christensen confirmed to appear opposite Ewan McGregor in the Obi-Wan series, which will cover a period a decade after events in the prequel trilogy that began with "The Phantom Menace." After some delays, production is scheduled for next year.Disney also unveiled another live-action show set during "The Mandalorian" time frame, "Rangers of the New Republic," which will come from executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni; and "Lando," an event series about the exploits of Lando Calrissian, being developed by Justin Simien, the creator of the Netflix show "Dear White People."There were no casting details about the latter. Billy Dee Williams originated the role -- and recently appeared again in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" -- and Donald Glover portrayed a younger version in "Solo."Disney also said that production has begun on "Andor," featuring Diego Luna as the character he played in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-09-13 15:44:16

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/13/entertainment/y-the-last-man-review/index.html

'Y: The Last Man' review: Diane Lane stars in an FX on Hulu drama that envisions an apocalyptic world without (well, almost) males - CNN

Add "Y: The Last Man" to the long list of comics-turned-series since "The Walking Dead" became a smash hit that have yearned to emulate its post-apocalyptic appeal. Like most of the others, this beyond-grim drama falls short, at least initially, despite a strong cast headed by Diane Lane as the US' new leader.

entertainment, 'Y: The Last Man' review: Diane Lane stars in an FX on Hulu drama that envisions an apocalyptic world without (well, almost) males - CNN

'Y: The Last Man' envisions an apocalyptic world without (well, almost) males

(CNN)Add "Y: The Last Man" to the long list of comics-turned-series since "The Walking Dead" became a smash hit that have yearned to emulate its post-apocalyptic appeal. Like most of the others, this beyond-grim drama falls short, at least initially, despite a strong cast headed by Diane Lane as the US' new leader.Unlike "Walking Dead," which essentially skipped over the outset of the zombie outbreak, "Y" rather ghoulishly wades into it, counting down to that moment when the entire male population (everything with a Y chromosome) abruptly and inexplicably dies, leaving behind a world consisting of women, with notable exceptions.There's a touch of "The Leftovers" in the arbitrary nature of events, followed by the crumbling of the social order and frantic attempts to maintain it. Much of that falls to survivors lead by congresswoman Jennifer Brown (Lane), who stands tall amid the global chaos and isn't spared from partisan politics even during these extraordinary circumstances.Brown's resources include a nameless government agent (Ashley Romans) who is both deadly and ruthless, but even when the government begins to coalesce, she's hardly out of the woods in terms of cascading crises.In a sense, you almost have to get past the first few episodes for "Y" to settle into its dramatic arc, following multiple plots that include the lone cisgender male survivor, Yorick Brown (Ben Schnetzer), who must hide his identity. Yorick also has a pet monkey that's male, and both have "future lab rat" written all over them.Read MoreSuch science-fiction series generally begin somewhere after everything has gone to hell, so at first the show appears to deserve credit for trying something different by building up to the equivalent of the nuclear blast or lethal plague that suddenly changes everything. The wholesale deaths, however, and associated grief of those left behind cast a pall over the series, which with a few exceptions struggles to develop the kind of characters that made "Walking Dead" pop originally.Don't expect any immediate answers, either, about the "why" of the "last man," as the concept -- based on Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's DC comic -- lurches forward in a way that feels relentlessly bleak and depressing. While no one would expect the dystopian concept to yield feel-good TV, watching society break down this way, at this moment, has a glutton-for-punishment quality without outlandish wrinkles like zombie gore to introduce a sense of escapism.In addition to the overwhelmingly female cast, all the directors and most of the key crew members are women, working under showrunner Eliza Clark, a playwright whose TV credits include TNT's "Animal Kingdom."Ultimately, though, the series feels handcuffed by the device that sets the narrative in motion. Despite his potential importance to understanding what happened and humanity's future, when discovered by someone Yorick says, "I'm just a guy. I'm not special."While not for lack of trying, nor is "Y: The Last Man.""Y: The Last Man" premieres Sept. 13 on FX on Hulu.

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2021-06-03 13:17:49

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/03/entertainment/lisa-kudrow-friends-reunion-moment/index.html

Lisa Kudrow almost missed this touching 'Friends' reunion moment - CNN

You are forgiven if you missed a particularly touching moment on the "Friends" reunion -- as Lisa Kudrow says she almost did, too.

entertainment, Lisa Kudrow almost missed this touching 'Friends' reunion moment - CNN

Lisa Kudrow almost missed this touching 'Friends' reunion moment

(CNN)You are forgiven if you missed a particularly touching moment on the "Friends" reunion -- Lisa Kudrow says she almost did, too.In an interview with "E! News" the actress who played Phoebe Buffay in the beloved series said costar David Schwimmer had to point the moment out to her when they watched the HBO Max (which is owned by CNN's parent company) special together.'Friends' took over the world -- and the show's superfans aren't ready to say goodbyeThe pair joined Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc in the star-studded program and Kudrow said the usually not emotional Cox "comes in (to the reunion set) and burst into tears."" ... I grab a napkin or a tissue" Kudrow said. "LeBlanc takes it because he is telling us a story and doesn't want to skip a beat and starts dabbing her eyes, just on automatic."It was very sweet. "That's who we were!" Kudrow said.Read MoreThe original hit NBC series ran from 1994 to 2004 and has been extremely successful in syndication and on streaming in the years since.

Toyin Owoseje, CNN

2021-05-21 16:16:39

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/21/entertainment/lisa-kudrow-rachel-phoebe-friends-quiz-intl-scli/index.html

Lisa Kudrow says she originally wanted to play Rachel in 'Friends' - CNN

The role of zany massage therapist Phoebe Buffay made Lisa Kudrow a household name -- but she originally believed she was a better fit for another "Friends" character.

entertainment, Lisa Kudrow says she originally wanted to play Rachel in 'Friends' - CNN

Lisa Kudrow says she originally wanted to play Rachel in 'Friends'

(CNN)The role of zany massage therapist Phoebe Buffay made Lisa Kudrow a household name -- but she originally believed she was a better fit for another "Friends" character. Appearing on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" via video link on Wednesday, the Emmy award-winning actress revealed that when she initially auditioned for the show, she was actually drawn to Rachel Green's character, subsequently played by Jennifer Aniston. "It's funny because when I first read the script, and I was going to be auditioning for Phoebe, I saw Rachel and I just went, 'Oh, that's like a Long Island JAP (Jewish-American princess) -- that could be hilarious. I can identify with that more.' But they said, 'No, no. Phoebe,'" Kudrow explained. Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay and Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green in 'The One With Monica and Chandler's Wedding,' first broadcast in 2001.The 57-year-old may have been on to something, because her initial instinct was recently confirmed after she took to a Buzzfeed quiz to find out which "Friends" character she most resembled. "I thought I was answering questions that would bring me to Phoebe," she said. "Favorite color? Yellow! Or something like 'Who would you want to be on a date with?' 'SpongeBob!' Then it just said 'Rachel.'" Read MoreDuring her appearance on the show, Kudrow also gave some details of the highly anticipated "Friends" reunion special, which is set to premiere later this month. 'Friends' cast shares what they think their characters would be up to today "(It had been) 17 years since our last show and we haven't all been in the same room in like five or six years," she told Colbert. "And then Covid delayed this whole thing so much that it was so ... it was thrilling and a little emotional." She went on to explain that the producers of the reunion had rebuilt all the sets. "I think we were meant to be excited about seeing the set, and everyone was but me because I wanted to see the people." "Friends: The Reunion" special debuts May 27 on HBO Max, which, like CNN, is part of WarnerMedia.

Rob Frehse, CNN

2021-06-25 21:01:26

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/25/entertainment/marilyn-manson-warrant/index.html

Marilyn Manson will turn himself in on charges related to videographer assault, police chief says - CNN

Marilyn Manson will turn himself in to police to face assault charges stemming from a 2019 incident with a videographer in Gilford, New Hampshire, according to police.

entertainment, Marilyn Manson will turn himself in on charges related to videographer assault, police chief says - CNN

Marilyn Manson will turn himself in on charges related to videographer assault, police chief says

(CNN)Marilyn Manson will turn himself in to police to face assault charges stemming from a 2019 incident with a videographer in Gilford, New Hampshire, according to police.Manson will report to the Los Angeles Police Department, as part of an agreement between New Hampshire officials and Manson's attorney, but it's unclear when that will take place, Gilford Police Chief Anthony Bean Burpee said.CNN has reached out to an attorney representing Manson for comment.Manson, whose given name is Brian Hugh Warner, faces two misdemeanor counts for allegedly assaulting a videographer who was hired to record his concert, Bean Burpee previously told CNN. The videographer, who was subcontracted by a New Hampshire based company, was located in the stage pit area when the alleged assaults occurred. Bean Burpee noted that the alleged assaults were not sexual in nature.Read MoreThe charges carry a possible jail sentence of less than one year and a fine of $2,000 or less, according to Bean Burpee.

Chloe Melas, CNN

2022-01-24 16:29:23

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/24/entertainment/evan-rachel-wood-marilyn-manson-documentary-phoenix-rising/index.html

Evan Rachel Wood discusses alleged abuse by Marilyn Manson in new documentary - CNN

Evan Rachel Wood powerfully speaks out about the abuse she says she experienced in a new documentary.

entertainment, Evan Rachel Wood discusses alleged abuse by Marilyn Manson in new documentary - CNN

Evan Rachel Wood discusses alleged abuse by Marilyn Manson in new documentary

(CNN)Evan Rachel Wood powerfully speaks out about the abuse she says she experienced in a new documentary."Phoenix Rising -- Part I: Don't Fall" premiered over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival. In the film, Wood details her alleged abuse by her ex-fiance, Marilyn Manson. Wood began working on the project before she publicly named Manson for the first time last year in an Instagram post, stating he "horrifically abused" her for years. Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, has previously denied Wood's claims. He also issued the following statement to the filmmakers through his attorney. "[Warner] vehemently denies any and all claims of sexual assault or abuse of anyone. These lurid claims against my client have three things in common -- they are all false, alleged to have taken place more than a decade ago and part of a coordinated attack by former partners and associates of Mr. Warner who have weaponized the otherwise mundane details of his personal life and their consensual relationships into fabricated horror stories."Read MoreMarilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood in 2006.Wood and Manson first met when she was 18 and he was 37. They got engaged in 2010, but ended their relationship a few months later.Wood testified in front of Congress in 2018 about surviving sexual assault to advocate for other survivors.The film, directed by Amy Berg, will premiere in two parts on HBO later this year.(HBO and CNN are both part of WarnerMedia.)

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-07-14 13:59:08

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/entertainment/showbiz-kids-review/index.html

'Showbiz Kids' review: Alex Winter's HBO documentary examines Hollywood's troubling history with child actors - CNN

There are few darker corners in the entertainment industry than the history of child stars, a subject explored with candor and nuance in "Showbiz Kids," an excellent HBO documentary directed by Alex Winter, a one-time child actor himself.

entertainment, 'Showbiz Kids' review: Alex Winter's HBO documentary examines Hollywood's troubling history with child actors - CNN

'Showbiz Kids' examines Hollywood's troubling history with child actors

(CNN)There are few darker corners in the entertainment industry than the history of child stars, a subject explored with candor and nuance in "Showbiz Kids," an excellent HBO documentary directed by Alex Winter, a one-time child actor himself, punctuated by the voices of those who have lived the experience.Headlines about former child actors getting caught up in controversy and trouble have become almost a cliché, but Winter (the less-famous half of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure") zeroes in on that from a number of perspectives, interviewing both adults who worked in movies and TV as kids, while introducing a couple of youths seeking to make their way in the business now.It's soberly noted at the outset that the overwhelming majority of those who brave this career path will never wind up being cast. For those that did make it, the mixed feelings about the toll on their young lives rings through loud and clear."I gave up my childhood for this industry, and it wasn't my choice," says Wil Wheaton, who adds, "I don't know a seven year old who's like, 'What I want to do is go to work.'"Wheaton also talks about his "Stand by Me" co-star River Phoenix -- who died of a drug overdose at age 23 -- saying, "I was and remain so angry at the predatory people around him that didn't try to help him."Read MoreEven the comments by those who have grown up and stayed in Hollywood can sound vaguely chilling, such as Evan Rachel Wood -- a star of HBO's "Westworld" -- who says of her upbringing, "I was bred to do this."The candid interviews also include Milla Jovovich, who addresses being sexualized at a young age; Todd Bridges, another cautionary tale, and the victim of abuse; Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce, who tragically died of a seizure last July; Mara Wilson ("Mrs. Doubtfire"); Jada Pinkett Smith, who appeared in "A Different World" before becoming the mother to child actors; and Henry Thomas, whose audition video for "E.T. the Extraterrestrial" is among the highlights.Cameron BoyceThose conversations are intercut with those a young aspirant and his mother, who insists she's not a "stage mom" as she drags the kid around to auditions and an acting coach.Winter also incorporates silent-film child star Diana Serra Cary and explains the Coogan Law, the California measure adopted to protect kids after Jackie Coogan (the kid in "The Champ") was fleeced out of his earnings by his family. (Those concerns, notably, have also migrated to exploitation of children on social media.)"No one ever asked me how I was doing," Wood recalls, while Boyce weighed in on the difficulty adjusting as child actors grow up, and the craziness when "your adolescent life is documented for all the world to see."Another point involves how easily it's forgotten that these little performers are children, with uncomfortable clips of kids getting singled out for criticism on, say, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's movie-review show.While each of the grown actors has an individual story to tell, clear themes emerge from their collective memories. They're the kind that make you want to grab the contemporary kids -- the ones whose families still harbor those dreams of Technicolor stardom -- and urge them to click their heels and go back home."Showbiz Kids" premieres July 14 at 9 p.m. on HBO. Like CNN, HBO is a unit of WarnerMedia.

Harmeet Kaur, CNN

2022-03-08 21:04:36

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/entertainment/marvel-king-conan-matoaka-pocahontas-cec/index.html

A Marvel comic book character is getting changed over concerns that it was offensive to Indigenous people - CNN

Marvel is changing the name and design of a character that debuted in a recent issue of the comic miniseries "King Conan" after it was criticized for its portrayal of an Indigenous woman.

entertainment, A Marvel comic book character is getting changed over concerns that it was offensive to Indigenous people - CNN

Marvel is changing a comic book character after Indigenous people criticized it for being demeaning

(CNN)Marvel is changing the name and design of a character that debuted in a recent issue of the comic miniseries "King Conan" after it was criticized for its portrayal of an Indigenous woman.The third issue of "King Conan," published on February 16, finds its protagonist stranded on a island with a scantily clad princess named Matoaka. The princess, as it turns out, has a dark past: She hails from "a land far to the west," and once fell in love with a man who tried to colonize her people. When the man ransacked her home, she killed him, but her father nonetheless exiled her to the island, where she's now cursed to lure other would-be colonizers away from her native land.To people in Indian Country, Matoaka's name and backstory were a clear reference to the real-life Pocahontas, who privately went by the same name. For centuries, Pocahantas has been romanticized and mythologized as a woman who defied her father to save the English colonist John Smith from execution. In reality, she was around 11 or 12 when she first met Smith, and historians have disputed Smith's claims that she rescued him at all. Later, she was kidnapped by the English and raped in captivity, according to the Mattaponi tribe's oral history. Given that history, some Indigenous comic book artists and fans found the character in "King Conan" -- and the hypersexualized way she was depicted -- to be demeaning and disrespectful.Read More"The real Matoaka was a pre-teen girl who suffered at the hands of her English captors," Arigon Starr, a comic book artist who is an enrolled member of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, wrote in an email to CNN. "What's even more shocking is that most of this information is online; a quick search would have informed the writer, artist, editor and publisher that it was a poor choice to give this character the name of a famous victim of violence."Kayla Shaggy, a Two-Spirit comic book artist who is Diné and Anishinabe, said she felt that the character reduced Indigenous women to an offensive stereotype."The fact that they depict an Indigenous woman as this nubile prize to be won by non-natives in stereotypical, fetish-y clothing contributes to the current, ongoing harm and ignorance of missing and murdered Indigenous women," she wrote to CNN.In light of the criticism, writer Jason Aaron apologized for the character, calling his decision to use the name Matoaka "ill-considered.""This new character is a supernatural, thousand-year-old princess of a cursed island within a world of pastiche and dark fantasy and was never intended to be based on anyone from history," he said in a statement shared by Marvel. "I should have better understood the name's true meaning and resonance and recognized it wasn't appropriate to use it. I understand the outrage expressed by those who hold the true Matoaka's legacy dear, and for all of this and the distress it's caused, I apologize."Aaron added that he had donated the money he made from the issue to the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center. A spokesperson for Marvel said that Matoaka's name and appearance would be changed in future printings, upcoming issues and digital editions, though the details were still being finalized.Still, Shaggy was disappointed that the company didn't pull the issue from stands and halt distribution altogether."The character is still an Indigenous stereotype, her story is a rehash of racist narratives, and overall continuing the story still puts money in the company's pocket at the expense of native people," she said.Native Americans have long been marginalized and misrepresented in comic books, "from the bloodthirsty barbarians and noble savages of dime novels, to formulaic secondary characters and sidekicks" as Michael Sheyahshe explored in his book "Native Americans in Comic Books: A Critical Study.""To paraphrase from Michael's work -- Native people have been relegated to the sidekick, shaman, overly sexualized or super tracker characters," Starr said. "We are rarely the main character or the hero."In recent years, however, projects helmed by Native artists and writers have provided more authentic representation in the comic book world. Starr and Shaggy said they hoped the "King Conan" controversy would result in more opportunities for Indigenous creators in the industry."The support for authentic Native characters and comics is out there," Starr added. "Maybe one day, Marvel and DC will catch up to us."

Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

2021-11-12 15:06:04

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/12/entertainment/disney-calendar/index.html

Disney+ Day: Some of the (many) new titles coming to Disney+ in 2022 - CNN

The House of Mouse is celebrating the second birthday of Disney+ with a rollout of premiere dates for a ton of new Disney, Marvel and Star Wars-related titles, like "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

entertainment, Disney+ Day: Some of the (many) new titles coming to Disney+ in 2022 - CNN

Some of the (many) TV shows and films coming to Disney+ in 2022

(CNN)The House of Mouse is celebrating the second birthday of Disney+. In lieu of a slice of sheet cake -- though, Mmmm, cake -- the streaming service on Friday released logos, trailers and release dates for a number of highly anticipated TV and film projects.Here's a look at what's coming to Disney+ next year and beyond. "The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild" (January 28) ❄️ @IceAge is back, and it's coming to #DisneyPlus! Get ready for a wild prehistoric adventure! Check out the teaser trailer for The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, streaming January 28. #DisneyPlusDay pic.twitter.com/KKGe0EUQTP— Disney+ (@disneyplus) November 12, 2021 "Sneakerella" (February 2022)Read More"The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" (February 2022) "Cheaper By the Dozen" remake (March 2022) "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" film (spring 2022) "Better Nate Than Ever" (spring 2022)"Baymax" (summer 2022) "Ms. Marvel" (summer 2022) "Prey," from the "Predator" franchise (summer 2022) "The Princess" (summer 2022) "Hocus Pocus 2" (fall 2022) They're already running amok, amok, amok! 🕯 @BetteMidler, @SJP, and @KathyNajimy are in production on #HocusPocus2, coming Fall 2022 on #DisneyPlus. #DisneyPlusDay pic.twitter.com/deTH8HxPjW— Disney+ (@disneyplus) November 12, 2021 "Pinocchio" (fall 2022) "Disenchanted," the "Enchanted" sequel (fall 2022) "Zootopia+" short-form series (2022) "Rodrick Rules" (2022) "Cars on the Road" (2022) "Moon Knight" (2022)"She-Hulk" (2022)"Willow" (2022) "Obi-Wan Kenobi" (2022) "Rosaline" (2022) "Limitless with Chris Hemsworth" (2022) "Tiana" (2023) "Win or Lose" (2023)

By Alan Duke, CNN

2013-11-06 18:06:57

entertainment

showbiz

https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/showbiz/ms-marvel-muslim-superhero/index.html

Marvel's newest superhero is a Muslim-American teen - CNN

Comic book fans meet Ms. Marvel, Marvel Comic's first Muslim-American superhero.

Ms. Marvel, Muslim superhero, Marvel Comics, Kamala Khan, showbiz, Marvel's newest superhero is a Muslim-American teen - CNN

Marvel's newest superhero is a Muslim-American teen

Story highlightsMs. Marvel, aka Kamala Khan, is a Muslim-American teen from New JerseyShe uses her powers to become like her idol, Captain MarvelIt's "a tale about what it means to be young, lost amidst the expectations," editor saysThe series "stemmed out of a desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora"Comic book fans meet Ms. Marvel, Marvel Comic's first Muslim-American superhero. Kamala Khan, a fictional New Jersey teenager, transforms into Ms. Marvel in the debut of Marvel's new monthly series in January, the comic book publisher said."At her core, Kamala is just a 16-year-old girl, exploring the many facets of her identity when she is suddenly bestowed with super-human powers that send her on the adventure of a lifetime," Marvel Comics Editor In Chief Axel Alonso said.Kamala uses her powers to become like her idol, Captain Marvel, which "challenges the very core of her conservative values," Marvel's announcement said."Like any teenager, all of her opportunities are in front her and she is full of potential, but her parents' high expectations come with tons of pressure and has led Kamala to carve out a future that she has little interest in," Marvel said.JUST WATCHEDMarvel Comics creates Muslim superheroReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMarvel Comics creates Muslim superhero 02:29Ms. Marvel will be "true-to-life, something real people could relate to, particularly young women," writer G. Willow Wilson said."High school was a very vivid time in my life, so I drew heavily on those experiences -- impending adulthood, dealing with school, emotionally charged friendships that are such a huge part of being a teenager." Wilson said. "It's for all the geek girls out there, and everybody else who's ever looked at life from the fringe."The inspiration for the character "stemmed out of a desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora from an authentic perspective," series editor Sana Amanat said. "This story isn't about what it means to be a Muslim, Pakistani or American," Amanat said. "Those are just cultural touchstones that reflect the ever changing world we live in today. This is ultimately a tale about what it means to be young, lost amidst the expectations bestowed upon you, and what happens when you get to choose."Islamic superheroes change perceptions

Brian Lowry, CNN

2019-03-08 14:33:26

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/08/entertainment/captain-marvel-and-marvel-universe/index.html

'Captain Marvel' takes off as Marvel tests the limits of its universe - CNN

'Captain Marvel' takes off as Marvel tests the limits of its universe, with an ambitious slate of movies and TV shows to serve Disney networks and new streaming service Disney+.

entertainment, 'Captain Marvel' takes off as Marvel tests the limits of its universe - CNN

'Captain Marvel' takes off as Marvel tests limits of its universe

(CNN)Marvel is flying high right now -- coming off its breakthrough best picture Oscar nomination for "Black Panther" and a win for the animated "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Combine that prestige with the promise of two more blockbusters, "Captain Marvel," opening this weekend; and "Avengers: Endgame," and it makes for a gaudy display of the Disney-owned studio's power. Still, danger could lurk ahead -- not in the form of a supervillain, but rather a hunger for content that will test Marvel's thus-far formidable limits.Marvel's arsenal is about to grow, via another Disney acquisition. Two signature properties, Fantastic Four and X-Men, will be reunited with their comic-book brethren, one of the benefits of parent Disney's pending absorption of Fox Entertainment holdings.Movie rights to those titles had been parceled off years ago, when Marvel Comics faced financial difficulties. While "X-Men" has produced a profitable series of movies, attempts to bring "Fantastic Four" to the screen have proved disappointing.Still, Disney's reliance on Marvel is about to grow, creating pressure to expand what's known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The company has generally been shrewd in that regard, but even Earth's mightiest heroes have exhibited vulnerabilities -- especially in television -- as the company reaches farther and wider to bring less-well-known titles to the screen.Read MoreMarvel is one of the centerpieces of Disney's strategy as the studio prepares to launch its own streaming service, joining other key assets -- especially "Star Wars" and Disney/Pixar animated hits -- in providing a come-on to consumers.In an interview with ComicBook.com, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige stated that programs coming to the streaming venture, known as Disney+, will be "entirely interwoven with both the current MCU, the past MCU, and the future of the MCU."It's an ambitious scheme, and Marvel has demonstrated its ability to create an interlocking franchise, while transforming titles that were hardly on the tips of most people's tongues -- like "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Ant-Man" -- into rousing successes. If anything, the company's savvy exploitation of second-tier properties has been as much a linchpin of its unblemished box-office resume as its marquee heroes.Brie Larson as 'Captain Marvel'With pressure to feed Disney's need for premium, must-have content, the company is going to have to keep reaching further into its grab bag. That includes not only movies and Disney+, but servicing ABC, cable network Freeform, children's channels like DisneyXD and the other streaming service that Disney controls, Hulu.As enviable as Marvel's track record has been, unlike Iron Man, it's not invincible. Although the studio has remarkably avoided a major box-office misfire -- as even Lucasfilm experienced with "Solo: A Star Wars Story" -- ABC's "The Inhumans" flopped, and an attempt to spin off "Agents of SHIELD" died in development.Creatively speaking, Marvel's Netflix shows -- among them "Iron Fist" and "The Punisher" -- also fell well short of Marvel's top tier, even if it's difficult to quantify their commercial performance.Marvel is staying relatively mum about its output for Disney+, holding back announcements until after this spring and summer's movies. Several new shows, however, are being planned, including one built around the Avengers characters Vision and Scarlet Witch, and another featuring the Thor villain Loki.In addition, the company has announced a quirky animation lineup for Hulu, with four series in the works, among them "Howard the Duck."Howard the Duck, of course, was a much-admired comic book that was turned into a 1986 movie, which laid such a conspicuous egg at the box office as to serve as a kind of shorthand for a misguided flop.A lot has changed for the better since then when it comes to comic-book adaptations, and Marvel has made clear that it feels emboldened to tell all kinds of stories, big and small, just as Lucasfilm is mining various quadrants of its galaxy far, far away.Yet as with any creative endeavor, the more at-bats taken, the greater the chance of striking out. Marvel remains the envy of the movie industry, but as the studio stretches to explore the outer expanse of its universe, the risk will only increase in terms of scrambling those well-laid plans.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2022-03-04 17:37:54

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/entertainment/the-batman-review/index.html

'The Batman' flies high with its dark and serious Dark Knight, but hangs around too long - CNN

"The Batman" presents a muscular vision of the Dark Knight that hardcore fans have long desired, a dark and serious epic, detective-driven take.

entertainment, 'The Batman' flies high with its dark and serious Dark Knight, but hangs around too long - CNN

'The Batman' flies high with its dark and serious Dark Knight, but hangs around too long

(CNN)"The Batman" presents a muscular vision of the Dark Knight that hardcore fans have long desired, a dark and serious epic that's somewhat offset by two disclaimers: At nearly three hours, the movie hangs around too long, really feeling it down the stretch; and despite its origins, this detective-driven take owes more to movies like "Seven" and "L.A. Confidential" than other superhero fare.First, the very good news: Robert Pattinson is terrific as a young, brooding Batman/Bruce Wayne, narrating his story in a hard-bitten style that recalls the hushed tones of Dirty Harry and the film noir detectives played by Humphrey Bogart.Batman again operates in a corrupt, muddy-toned Gotham whose ornate trappings are part New York, part "Blade Runner," and when pressed into action, his fights are bruising, not balletic. The look might be stylized, but director/co-writer Matt Reeves has steeped Wayne's tragic history in gritty realism, even more so than Christopher Nolan's trilogy starring Christian Bale.While running through the cast, there's also plenty to praise in Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman (a name never uttered, despite her fondness for felines), Jeffrey Wright's James Gordon and Paul Dano's Riddler. The last is dangerous, homicidal and enigmatic in a way that pushes the movie to the edge of its PG-13 rating, bearing a greater resemblance to Heath Ledger's Joker than Jim Carrey's manic incarnation, much less the colorful 1960s version.For those reasons and others, "The Batman" begins extremely well, introducing the masked vigilante -- still viewed warily by authorities two years into his on-the-job training -- as he teams with Gordon to investigate a grisly, high-profile murder. Lurking in shadows, the Riddler engages them in a game of cat and mouse, sprinkling clues and taunting Batman, who has sought to strike fear into criminals' hearts, rumbling when one asks who he is, "I'm vengeance."Read MoreThe mystery carries through a dense mythology that incorporates not only the tainted foundation upon which Gotham rests, but Batman's origins (although for once, happily, they dispense with reenacting the murders that orphaned him). Those details emerge in part via Wayne's interplay with the loyal Alfred (Andy Serkis), while Catwoman/Selina harbors separate but equally grim motives.Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz star in 'The Batman.'However resourceful Batman is, Riddler actually drives the story, in much the way "Seven's" killer led those detectives on a not-so-merry chase that left a trail of victims. As clues pile up, more and more of Gotham's power players get drawn into that web, with the Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), the top henchman to mob boss Falcone (John Turturro), adding to the Rogues Gallery of villains.The script by Reeves and Peter Craig in some respects echoes "Batman: Year One," portraying the character at a more nascent phase, if not a completely green one. The look reflects the art of Neal Adams and Marshall Rogers, whose work in the '70s helped redefine Batman and cast off the remnants of "Biff! Wham! Pow!" lightness and camp.While the seriousness is welcome, the level of darkness risks becoming oppressive in a manner that doesn't leave much room for fun of any kind. If that's hardly a negative for Batman-ologists, it threatens to blunt the film's appeal among those who can't identify the issue of Detective Comics in which he first appeared.Still, that's a modest quibble compared to the main gripe that "The Batman" could easily lose 30 minutes without sacrificing much. Most of that flab comes during the final hour, which serves a purpose in terms of the character's maturation but piles on at least one climax too many.That's a shame, really, because Reeves gets so much right that indulging in a "Snyder cut"-length flex from the get-go feels like an unforced error. Given what a major box-office attraction the film should be for hungry theaters and Warner Bros. (like CNN, a unit of WarnerMedia), plus the likelihood of sequels, there was no need to overstay its welcome.Batman has a long history of provoking passionate reactions and debate, and the latest entry will be no exception. In Pattinson, the producers have found a Dark Knight worthy of the hoopla, while creating a Gotham much in need of him.As new chapters go, it's a strong beginning; if only it had known when to end."The Batman" premieres March 4 in US theaters. It's rated PG-13.

Scott Huver, CNN

2019-06-23 14:27:06

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/23/entertainment/batman-turns-30/index.html

'Batman' turns 30: How a superfan got Hollywood to redefine the Dark Knight - CNN

One dedicated superfan refused to give up his crusade to bring the Caped Crusader to cinematic life, and in doing so he helped redefine Batman's perception in the public eye.

entertainment, 'Batman' turns 30: How a superfan got Hollywood to redefine the Dark Knight - CNN

'Batman' turns 30: How a superfan got Hollywood to redefine the Dark Knight

(CNN)Three decades after director Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" film became a box office blockbuster and pop culture phenomenon, the decision to bring the Dark Knight to the big screen seems like it should have been a no-brainer. But in the years leading up to the film's release, it was as hard to breach the barriers to Hollywood as it was to break into the Batcave.One dedicated superfan refused to give up his crusade to bring the Caped Crusader to cinematic life, and in doing so he helped redefine Batman's perception in the public eye."By the time I graduated high school I had over 30,000 comic books that took up my dad's entire garage -- he never got his car in the garage," remembers "Batman" producer Michael E. Uslan of his comic book obsessed youth, growing up in the 1960s. "I went to the first Comic-Con ever held in history, the summer of '64 in a fleabag hotel in New York City; I was an early member of comic book fandom as it organized. When I was 11 years old, I met Stan Lee for the first time and it was a life-changing experience."Producer Michael E. Uslan (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TCM)His passion burned into adulthood as he attended Indiana University, where he pitched the folklore department with a then-unheard-of take on comic book heroes as a pantheon of modern mythology: the Flash was analog to the Greek god Hermes and the Romans' Mercury, and so on.When a dean who'd read comics as a kid dismissed Uslan's pitch as preposterous, Uslan asked him to recount the story of Moses, then pointed out the undeniable parallels to Superman's well-known origin. "He stops, stares at me for a veritable eternity and then says, 'Your course is accredited,'" says Uslan. "I then became the first college professor of comic books, ever."Read MoreWith some sly self-promotion, Uslan's popular class became the subject of much media coverage. Suddenly he'd receive supportive phone calls from Stan Lee ("Which I always refer to as my burning bush," he quipped, as well as DC Comics' soon-to-be president Sol Harrison, who flew Uslan into New York and found ways to put his skills to use for the company between semesters -- a connection that cemented his connection to his favorite comic book superhero of all, Batman.Cover illustration for 'World's Finest Comics,' with Superman, Batman and Robin selling US War Bonds to sink the 'Japanazis' in World War II, 1940s."I began to write Batman comics, which was my dream since I was eight years old," Uslan recalls -- a wish-fulfillment that panicked him for "ten minutes" until he formulated his next dream, one that had been percolating since 1966 when the much-anticipated "Batman" TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward debuted, shocking the young Uslan with its campy, tongue-in-cheek take on the hero he knew had dark, gothic roots."All I can describe the night to you is I was simultaneously thrilled and horrified by what I was seeing on TV," he remembers. "As a hardcore fanboy who really knew the whole history of Batman, this was not the true Batman. This was not the creature of the night stalking disturbed criminals in the shadows. I realized they were making fun of Batman. It was being done as a comedy, and the world was laughing at Batman.""That night, I made a vow, like Bruce Wayne once made a vow: 'Somehow, someday I will show the world the true Batman and attempt to eliminate from the collective consciousness of the world culture these new words, 'Pow! Zap! and Wham!'"By the early '70s, legendary comics writer Dennis O'Neil and revolutionary artist Neal Adams had successfully initiated a return to the moodier, shadowy tone that distinguished co-creator Bob Kane and Bill Finger's earliest Batman stories, a move that fans and fellow creators embraced as a means of washing away the bad taste left among the faithful by the TV series, which had been hugely, but only briefly, all-pervasive in its popularity.Uslan, who by then had secured a job in the film industry, went to DC's Harrison with a new pitch: "I want to buy the rights to Batman, and I want to make a dark and serious Batman movie and show the world the true Batman." Harrison urged him to reconsider. "'The brand is as dead as a dodo,'" Uslan remembers being told, "He said to me, 'Michael, nobody's interested in Batman anymore.'"But Uslan soldiered forward, teaming in 1979 with the esteemed former MGM exec Benjamin Melnicker to purchase and peddle the film and television rights."I was turned down by every studio and every mini-major," says Uslan. "They told me basically it was the worst idea they ever heard, that I was crazy. You can't do serious comic book movies. You can't do dark superheroes. You can't make a movie out of an old television series. It's never been done."Writer-artist Frank Miller's 1985 landmark Batman miniseries "The Dark Knight Returns" provided a boost to Uslan's argument that the hero could thrive in the darkest, grittiest and most psychologically complex of storylines, to widespread, mainstream attention."What it did was it convinced both Hollywood and the general public that comic books were maturing and growing up and were no longer just for little kids," says Uslan. "That change in perception was critically important to this movie getting up, and then an atmosphere of acceptance for it."Soon an up-and-coming filmmaker named Tim Burton, known for his imaginative, edgy visual sense and affection for freakish characters came aboard. Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Keaton with director Tim Burton on the set of his movie 'Batman Returns.' It was Burton who cracked the code. "He had the vision," says Uslan. "He knew how to do the world's first revolutionary, dark, serious comic book superhero movie. He said to me, 'This movie, if we're going to do it this way and not get unintentional laughs from the audience, is not about Batman. It's got to be about Bruce Wayne. We have to show a Bruce Wayne so obsessed and driven to the point of being psychotic that audiences will go, oh yeah, that's a guy who would get dressed up as a bat and go out and do that.' It was critical to the whole suspension of disbelief.""Then he said 'Gotham City has to be the third most important character of this movie," Uslan adds "From the opening frames of the movie, we have to convince audiences that Gotham City is real, because that's the only way they'll accept a guy like Batman and the Joker seriously.' He was absolutely right about it."Suddenly, seemingly disparate pieces began to form a compelling whole: Academy Award winning actor Jack Nicholson signed on to play the Joker, a role that seemed tailor-made for him; Burton's choice of his "Beetlejuice" collaborator Michael Keaton, known primarily for comedy, to play Batman launched endless fan debates over the film's serious intentions; Prince, the reigning pop music genius of the moment provided a funky soundtrack, while former Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman delivered a broody, operatic score; another Oscar winner, production designer Anton Furst, fully realized a Gotham City that was one part industrial oppression, one part gothic monument.Michael Keaton on the set of 'Batman' Somehow, it all coalesced, and, as the character turned 50 years old, a blockbuster franchise was born -- one that would boost comic sales, launch a toy and merchandising dynasty, spawn further film and TV iterations as well as a fresh superheroic cinema genre and, perhaps most importantly, reimagine Batman as the dark avenger of the night he was always meant to be (fond memories of Adam West notwithstanding)."My belief was always 'Let's just find great filmmakers who love this character, have an understanding and knowledge of it, have a vision for it,'" says Uslan, whose name continues to grace the credits of every subsequent Batman television and film production. "With Batman in particular, it's about story, story, story and character, character, character. It's not about blowing stuff up and showing off special effects. It's about his humanity...It's important to always respect the character, who's now celebrating his 80th Anniversary.

Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-06-22 19:53:07

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/22/entertainment/joel-schumacher-obit/index.html

Joel Schumacher, director of Batman movies and 'St. Elmo's Fire,' dead at 80 - CNN

Joel Schumacher, an eclectic director whose career ranged from a pair of divisive Batman movies to "St. Elmo's Fire," died Monday after a year-long battle with cancer, a representative for Schumacher told CNN. He was 80.

entertainment, Joel Schumacher, director of Batman movies and 'St. Elmo's Fire,' dead at 80 - CNN

Joel Schumacher, director of Batman movies and 'St. Elmo's Fire,' dead at 80

(CNN)Joel Schumacher, an eclectic director whose career ranged from a pair of divisive Batman movies to "St. Elmo's Fire," died Monday after a year-long battle with cancer, a representative for Schumacher told CNN. He was 80.Schumacher worked on a wide variety of films, including the teen vampire tale "The Lost Boys," the Julia Roberts melodrama "Dying Young," the dark satire "Falling Down" starring Michael Douglas, and a pair of thrillers adapted from John Grisham novels, "The Client" and "A Time to Kill."Still, he was known best in some circles for his affiliation with the Batman franchise, directing "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin" in the 1990s, in a notable tonal departure from the darker approach that director Tim Burton brought to those movies.In a 2017 Vice interview, Schumacher apologized to fans who were disappointed in those films -- which starred Val Kilmer and George Clooney, respectively -- saying, "I think I owe them that." He added of the famous choice to add a more sexual component to Batman's costume, "I just know that I'll always go down over the nipples on Batman starting with 'Batman Forever.'"Born in Queens, Schumacher attended the Parsons School of Design at New School University and had worked as a window dresser before coming to Hollywood as a costume designer, including an early job on the Woody Allen science-fiction comedy "Sleeper."Read MoreSchumacher became a writer in the 1970s -- including scripts for "The Wiz" and "Car Wash" -- before launching his career as a director with a pair of TV movies, followed by "The Incredible Shrinking Woman," starring Lily Tomlin, and "D.C. Cab."Schumacher developed a reputation for identifying young talent, as exemplified by the ensemble casts on "St. Elmo's" and "Lost Boys," which included Demi Moore, Rob Lowe and Kiefer Sutherland.More recently, Schumacher directed the movie version of the musical "The Phantom of the Opera" and a few episodes of the Netflix drama "House of Cards."Schumacher, who was gay, gave an interview with Vulture last year in which he candidly discussed his life and career choices.Producer-director Bryan Fuller tweeted that he remembered learning that Schumacher was gay and out, saying, "His visibility mattered, nipples and all."

Frank Pallotta, CNN Business

2022-03-04 16:30:11

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/media/the-batman-box-office-preview/index.html

'The Batman' wants to save Gotham, and movie theaters too - CNN

"The Batman" opens this weekend and theaters are hoping this blockbuster film will help the industry nudge closer toward normalcy.

media, 'The Batman' wants to save Gotham, and movie theaters too - CNN

'The Batman' wants to save Gotham, and movie theaters too

New York (CNN Business)"The Batman" opens this weekend and theaters are hoping this blockbuster film will help the industry nudge closer toward normalcy.The film stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. It is projected to bring in roughly $100 million for its opening weekend in North America. That would be one of the best openings for the series, but strong buzz and the character's historical success at the ticket booth could propel the Warner Bros. film even higher. It brought in $21.6 million for its preview showings. (Warner Bros., like CNN, is a unit of WarnerMedia.)"'The Batman' is the most anticipated film since [December's] 'Spider-Man: No Way Home,' and we all know how that delivered the goods," Jeff Bock, senior analyst at entertainment research firm Exhibitor Relations, told CNN Business. "'The Batman' is not only the film theaters want, it's the film theaters need right now." But will the lingering effects of the pandemic and a nearly three hour run time keep "The Batman" from saving theaters?Read MoreThe theater industry's dark knightRobert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz star in "The Batman."Many films over the last year, from "A Quiet Place Part II" to "No Way Home," helped theaters stay afloat. But theaters haven't been able to re-establish their pre-pandemic footing consistently because of new coronavirus variants popping up and causing cases to surge. "The Batman" could change that this weekend.The film is being released as Covid cases are dropping and momentum at the ticket booth is growing thanks to hits like "No Way Home," "Scream" and "Uncharted." If "The Batman" can bring in crowds this weekend and over the next few weeks, it could be a bridge to the historically lucrative summer movie season."The box office year of 2022 will get its spiritual start in March with 'The Batman,'" Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore (SCOR), told CNN Business. "It seems like the planets are perfectly aligned for the film."Theater owners can be optimistic given the character's track record at the box office. Films based on the Caped Crusader have brought in more than $5 billion at the global box office since the first film, 1989's "Batman." Why 'The Batman' heading to theaters is important to Warner BrosThe moody superhero has starred in a prolific and eclectic number of movies from Academy-Award winning films (2008's "The Dark Knight"), crossovers with other DC heroes (2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"), animated films (1993's "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"), animated films made out of LEGOs (2017's "The LEGO Batman Movie") and even one of the worst films of all time (1997's "Batman & Robin")."Batman is one of the most beloved and revered characters in all of filmdom," Dergarabedian said. He added that Christopher Nolan's take on "Batman" over three films from 2005 to 2012 reinvigorated the franchise, turning the iconic crime fighter from a "camp classic hero to serious cinematic character."That serious tone for the Batman universe continues this weekend with a film that's not just garnering the attention of audiences, but critics as well.A '176-minute latex procedural'Robert Pattinson in "The Batman.""The Batman" holds an 86% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the film's direction and Pattinson's brooding take on the character.David Ehrlich, IndieWire's chief film critic, called the film "a sprawling, 176-minute latex procedural that often appears to have more in common with serial killer sagas like 'Se7en' and 'Zodiac' than it does anything in the Snyderverse or the [Marvel Cinematic Universe]."That type of description could pique the interest of audiences looking for something fresh from their superhero fare. However, the film's violent tone could also alienate families looking to take their young children to the latest Batman flick.Another issue that could keep the film from reaching the box office heights of other superhero movies is that "The Batman" clocks in at two hour and 56 minutes.Which Batman actor has made the most at the ticket booth?That lengthy run time will likely cut down on how many screenings the film could get this weekend, and keep away audiences who don't want to spend that much time in Gotham City.Yet long run time and grim tone notwithstanding, it's likely that Batman will follow in Spider-Man's footsteps and bring in the type of blockbuster opening numbers that could set off a much-needed revitalizing year for the theater industry."It's interesting that a spider and a bat would be the saviors of theaters," Dergarabedian said. "But 'The Batman's' expected success will create an excitement and momentum that should carry forward and boost the other blockbusters that are on the calendar for the rest of the year."

By Chris Lee, EW

2014-08-15 12:09:14

entertainment

showbiz

https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/15/showbiz/movies/ben-affleck-batman-ew/index.html

Affleck on Batfleck: He knows he can do it - CNN

Say the word "Batfleck" to Ben Affleck and it turns out he'll laugh.

showbiz, Affleck on Batfleck: He knows he can do it - CNN

Affleck on Batfleck: 'I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think I could'

Story highlightsAffleck is filming "Batman v. Superman"He said everyone is entitled to their opinion"At the end of the day, the movie's all that matters"Say the word "Batfleck" to Ben Affleck and it turns out he'll laugh.Toward the end of a wide-ranging conversation with EW about his starring role in Gone Girl—director David Fincher's adaptation of the bestselling 2012 crime thriller that's spotlighted in an exclusive cover story in this week's issue—Affleck opened up about another project that Twitter has been chattering about ever since his involvement with it was announced last August: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.Comic-Con: Ben Affleck's 'Batman' makes an appearanceThe Oscar-winning director-star has both a sense of perspective and humor about the most recent meme to hybridize his name.Briefly on hiatus from filming the mega-budget superhero action flick in Detroit to attend San Diego's Comic-Con International—where Affleck stunned the crowd, appearing alongside co-star Henry Cavill and director Zack Snyder to debut footage from Batman v. Superman but giving no interviews—Affleck appeared to have packed on pounds of muscle in the service of portraying a decidedly un-Bale-like kind of Batman/Bruce Wayne. That is, one in his mid-forties, his hair flecked with grey.'Batman v Superman': Meet your new AquamanHe remained tight-lipped about the particulars of the 3D follow-up to Snyder's Man of Steel that's set to reach theaters in March 2016, part of a DC cinematic universe that will also eventually include a Justice League movie. But for the first time, Affleck addressed certain issues—in particular, the fan freak-out surrounding his casting— about which he's until now remained resolutely silent.EW: So what it's like to portray Batman?Ben Affleck: I'm right in the middle of shooting now. It's a process that I'll probably have better perspective on when I'm done. I can tell you that every time I do a role, it's the responsibility of an actor to get their physical self as close to the role as possible. And Batman's obviously got a set of expectations that are tough. So I spent a lot of time working out. And it's a far cry from Gone Girl where my character is described as "puffy and hungover." I want you to know I worked equally hard at both! [laughs]Affleck says tabloid scrutiny helped 'Gone Girl'EW: It feels slightly ridiculous using the word "outcry" describing your casting. But there was actual outcry—a lot of people freaked when they heard about Batfleck. To what extent did all that get under your skin?Affleck: Before I took the role, Warner Bros. gave me a bunch of past reactions to casting and said, "Are you sure you want to get into this? This is part and parcel of these movies now. There's a lot of active fans with a lot of opinions." To me, having been through a certain amount of that, it doesn't really... Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I wouldn't have taken the part if I didn't trust my instincts in terms of the filmmaking. I think Chris Terrio wrote a terrific script. Zack's a great visual director. And there's an interesting take. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think I could do it. I have the benefit of a lot of that understanding. But also, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That's a big part of this international sport. The Fifty Shades of Grey kid or whatever it is. That's sort of become a thing.Affleck will be a great Batman, Adam West saysEW: Fans feel like their vote counts.Affleck: You know what? It's great that people do care that much. They want to see the movie that much. And it is incumbent on you to honor the story. There are the Greek myths and these are the American myths. The American myths are these superheroes. People care about 'em a lot. And it's incumbent on you to do a good job and make it as excellent as you possibly can. At the end of the day, the movie's all that matters.

Marianne Garvey, CNN

2021-08-30 19:10:18

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/30/entertainment/sandra-oh-fame-trnd/index.html

Sandra Oh says 'Grey's Anatomy' fame caused her to seek therapy - CNN

Sandra Oh says quick rise to fame with the success of "Grey's Anatomy" was "traumatic" and led her seek out a good therapist.

entertainment, Sandra Oh says 'Grey's Anatomy' fame caused her to seek therapy - CNN

Sandra Oh says intense fame from 'Grey's Anatomy' led her to seek therapy

(CNN)Sandra Oh says quick rise to fame with the success of "Grey's Anatomy" was "traumatic" and led her seek out a good therapist.Oh appeared on "Sunday Today" over the weekend with Willie Geist, where she spoke about losing her privacy when she first became famous. Oh, who played Dr. Cristina Yang for the first 10 seasons of The ABC medical drama, said it all happened so fast."To be perfectly honest, it was traumatic," she said. "The reason why I'm saying that is the circumstances you need to do your work is with a lot of privacy."She continued, "So when one loses one's anonymity, you have to build skills to still try and be real. I went from not being able to go out, like hiding in restaurants, to then being able to manage attention, manage expectation, while not losing the sense of self."She was able to cope with the help of a therapist.Read More"I'm not joking. It's very, very important," she said. "You just have to work at finding your way to stay grounded. And a lot of times that's by saying no."Oh announced her departure from the show in 2013. She landed five Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for her performance on the show. While Season 17 of "Grey's" saw the return of Sarah Drew as April Kepner, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey, and Eric Dane as Mark Sloan, Oh has not returned.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-12-24 15:06:23

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/24/entertainment/soul-review/index.html

'Soul' review: Pixar's life-after-death movie rivals its classics - CNN

The best Disney/Pixar animated movies historically straddle the line between delighting children and adults. "Soul," a Pixar title diverted to Disney+, tilts heavily toward the latter, beautifully exploring ambitious themes about the meaning of life that should resonate more with adults than the younger souls in your streaming orbit.

entertainment, 'Soul' review: Pixar's life-after-death movie rivals its classics - CNN

'Soul' rivals the Pixar classics but might aim too high for the kids

(CNN)The best Disney/Pixar animated movies historically straddle the line between delighting children and adults. "Soul," a Pixar title diverted to Disney+, tilts heavily toward the latter, beautifully exploring ambitious themes about the meaning of life that should resonate more with adults than the younger souls in your streaming orbit.That warning aside, credit Pixar veteran Pete Docter ("Up" and "Inside Out") and co-director Kemp Powers (the writer of the play and upcoming movie "One Night in Miami") with an addition to Pixar's library worthy of its classics. While the movie might not have been a commercial slam dunk, it's hard not to admire a premise that dares to tackle such lofty ideas as life after death and what makes living worthwhile, as filtered through the hopes and dreams of Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx).A middle-school music teacher, Joe has spent his life yearning to make it as a musician, pursuing gigs at the expense of his career. When the opportunity suddenly presents itself to live out those dreams, his distracted glee leads to his untimely demise -- a real bummer, considering that he had just said he "could die a happy man" if he got to play with the musician that had offered him the chance.Awakening on the escalator to the hereafter, Joe makes a desperate break to go back, leading to a fairly amusing tour of what the great beyond might resemble. While that animation is customarily lush, the actual character design of the "souls" is rounded and simple -- a bit like the Poppin' Fresh doughboy, only a slightly eerie shade of blue.In the process, Joe encounters a young soul in what's known as The Great Before, 22 (Tina Fey), who has long resisted embarking upon the journey to Earth, despite a hilarious roster of mentors that includes a who's who of historical figures.Read MoreIt's around here where "Soul" really begins to leave small fry behind, unless your preteen is apt to get jokes about George Orwell and Mother Teresa.Pixar's 'Soul.'Ultimately, Joe and 22 do find their way to Earth, but not in the way (or form) he expected, leading to a madcap series of encounters as he seeks to achieve what he sees as his life's purpose.That section of the movie unfolds cleverly enough, but it's the resolution that really brings the whole idea home. The emotional nature of that experience recalls the opening sequence in "Up," which silently chronicled a lifetime of love and ultimately loss, leaving many adults in the theater (ah, theaters) sobbing while their kids waited to get to the talking dog and airborne house."Soul" also features a wonderful score, since music is fundamental to the story, provided by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with jazz compositions courtesy of Jon Batiste -- again, not something likely to be fully appreciated by the tykes on the couch.Aside from Foxx and Fey, the voice cast includes Phylicia Rashad, Angela Bassett and Graham Norton and Daveed Diggs.Of course, the idea of animation tackling big, existential themes is welcome, and the "Soul" creative team deserves enormous credit for the effort. Yet one suspects translating that into the sort of box-office stampede Pixar has enjoyed with movies like the "Toy Story" and "Incredibles" franchises would have been challenging, making the direct-to-streaming gambit less of a financial sacrifice.Either way, "Soul" is highly recommended -- especially to adults who might not be otherwise inclined -- and a return to form for Pixar after the less-satisfying "Onward." Parents wanting to really enjoy it, however, might want to watch at least once without their kids, who, understandably, will be less cognizant of choices made, roads not taken and where their own escalators might lead them."Soul" premieres Dec. 25 on Disney+. It's rated PG.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-06-17 20:43:59

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/17/entertainment/luca-review/index.html

'Luca' review: Pixar's generic (and literal) fish out of water tale lands on Disney+ - CNN

Pixar dips into the ocean once too often with "Luca," a colorful but thin (and literal) fish-out-of-water tale. Although the movie touches on familiar themes about friendship, overcoming differences and letting children go, there's roughly enough story for something between an animated short and the film that lands, understandably in hindsight, via Disney+ instead of theaters.

entertainment, 'Luca' review: Pixar's generic (and literal) fish out of water tale lands on Disney+ - CNN

'Luca,' Pixar's generic (and literal) fish out of water tale, lands on Disney+

(CNN)Pixar dips into the ocean once too often with "Luca," a colorful but thin (and literal) fish-out-of-water tale. Although the movie touches on familiar themes about friendship, overcoming differences and letting children go, there's roughly enough story for something between an animated short and the film that lands, understandably in hindsight, via Disney+ instead of theaters.The title character owes a debt to another curious ocean-dweller that helped launch the modern resurgence of Disney animation, "The Little Mermaid." Discontented with his life under the sea, Luca (voiced by "Room's" Jason Tremblay) yearns for an existence he can scarcely fathom above the waves, which seems magical to a young sea monster (or "little merman," in a sense).Naturally, Luca's inquisitive nature exasperates his mother (Maya Rudolph), who warns him, "The curious fish gets caught." Indeed, he's introduced nearly doing just that, coming too close to the fishing nets of a "land monster" from the quaint village nearby in the Italian Riviera.On shore, for some reason, sea monsters assume human form, which is where Luca meets Alberto ("It'" and "Shazam!'s" Jack Dylan Grazer), a slightly older sea monster with a wandering spirit who has this whole land thing down -- or at least, insists that he does. Their joint discoveries carry the story for a while, before they meet a human girl, Giulia (Emma Berman), who gives them the half-baked idea of entering a local race, and dazzles Luca with tales of her world.It's around then that the film, directed by Enrico Casarosa (whose credits include the Oscar-nominated Pixar short "La Luna"), begins to feel like it's treading water, as the boys experience a rift thanks to Luca's friendship with Giulia, and weather a series of near misses every time one of them gets wet, at the risk of exposing what amount to their secret identities.Read MoreTwo sea monsters get a taste of dry land in Pixar's 'Luca' (Disney+).Pixar movies have a habit for finding simple truths and tugging at the heartstrings, and "Luca" accomplishes some of that deftly enough before it's over.Mostly, though, it's a bit of a bore when ashore -- another tale of a kid who feels misunderstood and runs away from home (or the reef), forcing his parents (Jim Gaffigan plays dad) to contemplate whether they've been too rigid in demanding that he adhere to family traditions.At its best, the film offers lovely glimpses of Italy, while adding to the relatively modest subgenre of human/sea-creature relations. There's also a deeper undercurrent in the theme of hiding who you are.Otherwise, it's the sort of generic concept that's pleasant enough but falls short of the high standards Pixar has set, and after the disappointing "Onward," recently achieved again with "Soul," which exemplified the ambition that "Luca" (the movie, not the character) conspicuously lacks. That applies to the casting as well, which includes squandering Sacha Baron Cohen in a throwaway role.Studios have engaged in an imprecise science in deciding how best to exhibit films since the pandemic began, in some instances seemingly leaving money on the table by redirecting movies to streaming or offering them at home simultaneously with their release.In the case of "Luca," it's easy to see why Disney opted to bypass theaters and go with the streaming flow. Because while it's not bad, the movie ultimately feels like a little fish in a big pond."Luca" premieres June 18 on Disney+. It's rated PG.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-03-05 15:14:04

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/entertainment/onward-review/index.html

'Onward' continues Pixar's apparent quest to make us cry - CNN

Pixar's enviable track record with original animation is a mixed blessing, creating sky-high expectations for each new movie. "Onward," an undeniably emotional and imaginative concept, joins that rich tradition.

entertainment, 'Onward' continues Pixar's apparent quest to make us cry - CNN

'Onward' continues Pixar's apparent quest to make us all cry

(CNN)Pixar's enviable track record with original animation is a mixed blessing, creating sky-high expectations for each new movie. "Onward," an undeniably emotional and imaginative concept, joins that rich tradition, without reaching the upper rungs of the ladder set by its predecessors.Fundamentally about a pair of brothers dealing with lingering grief over the loss of their dad, the film adds a magical wrinkle to the premise by setting the story in a mythical world filled with elves, centaurs and pixies -- one where modern wonders and mechanization evolved very much along the lines of our own.Still, hints remain of the magic that once ran rampant, we're told at the outset. And it's a belief in those fantastic possibilities that lead an elf Ian, just turned 16, and his goofball older brother Barley on a quest to bring their dad back, if only for a day.That's right, the "visitation spell" that the pair invoke only lasts for 24 hours -- enough time, they reckon, to bid him a proper farewell. But something goes wrong (or there wouldn't be enough material for a movie), leaving dad reconstituted only from the waist down, as the two embark on a desperate mission to find the magical object that will allow them to complete the spell in time.In a Marvel-ous pairing, Ian and Barley are voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, respectively, and they bring a goofy chemistry to their interaction, with the level-headed younger brother forced to ground the free-spirited older one.Read MoreJulia Louis-Dreyfus, meanwhile, plays their mom, who happily joins in the story in a significant way, as opposed to being one of those Disney/Spielberg moms who can't see E.T. hiding in plain sight.That, and the wellspring of family emotion into which the movie taps, represent the good news. The less admirable qualities involve the protracted, slightly chaotic nature of the quest, and a certain "Weekend at Bernie's" vibe as the pair lug dad around in his half-there state.Co-written and directed by Dan Scanlon (who has cited losing his father at a young age as inspiration), "Onward" certainly doesn't lack for ambition. The movie also breaks ground by fleetingly featuring the first overtly LGBTQ character in one of the studio's animated movies (voiced by Lena Waithe), a relatively low-key milestone after the whole "Will she come out?" fever that surrounded "Frozen 2."Only a true cynic could wholly resist "Onward's" deeper themes, but they come in the service of a movie that has to be classified in the mid-level tier of the Pixar file.To be fair, falling short of gems like "Up," "Ratatouille" and "Inside Out" (the last being perhaps the film's closest thematic cousin) isn't bad company, and it's nice to see another wholly original concept after a string of Pixar sequels. But it still leaves "Onward" in "good" territory, from a company defined by its upward trajectory."Onward" premieres March 6 in the US. It's rated PG.

Sandra Gonzalez and Lisa Respers France, CNN

2022-02-15 13:02:58

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/15/entertainment/oscars-hosts/index.html

Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall to host the Oscars - CNN

And the Oscar host duties go to ... Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall.

entertainment, Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall to host the Oscars - CNN

Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall to host the Oscars

(CNN)And the Oscar host duties go to ... Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. On Tuesday the trio were officially named hosts of the upcoming 94th Academy Awards during the "Good Morning America" telecast. "Good morning America I'm not sure who thought this was a good idea, but I am hosting the Oscars along with my good friends Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall," Schumer said in a video shown on "GMA." "I better go watch some movies." This is the first time in Oscars' history that three women have hosted the show -- though it's not the first time more than one person has been enlisted for the job. Read MoreThe most recent instance was in 2011, when actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted, to harsh reviews. The Oscars has not had three hosts since Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan teamed up for the 59th Academy Awards in 1987.The past three ceremonies have been hostless, a trend that began in 2019 when Kevin Hart opted to step away from the gig amid controversy. In Sykes, Schumer and Hall, the Oscars have recruited three seasoned comedic entertainers and experienced hosts. In addition to her big- and small-screen work, Schumer led the MTV Movie Awards in 2015 and Hall presided over the BET Awards in 2019. Scene-stealer Sykes, meanwhile, is an accomplished emcee, hosting everything from her own talk show to the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. She's also guest hosted for the likes of Jimmy Kimmel and Ellen DeGeneres. The Oscars will be held on March 27.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-10-20 19:38:11

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/20/entertainment/american-utopia-broadway-tv-review/index.html

'American Utopia' and 'What the Constitution Means to Me' review: Broadway comes to TV with twin specials - CNN

With Broadway marquees dark, this weekend brings a welcome double dose of the New York stage to TV screens: "American Utopia," David Byrne's free-spirited concert, directed by Spike Lee for HBO; and "What the Constitution Means to Me," Heidi Schreck's not-quite one-woman show, a searing political commentary that finds an at-home forum via Amazon.

entertainment, 'American Utopia' and 'What the Constitution Means to Me' review: Broadway comes to TV with twin specials - CNN

Broadway comes to TV with 'American Utopia' and 'What the Constitution Means to Me'

(CNN)With Broadway marquees dark, this weekend brings a welcome double dose of the New York stage to TV screens: "American Utopia," David Byrne's free-spirited concert, directed by Spike Lee for HBO; and "What the Constitution Means to Me," Heidi Schreck's not-quite one-woman show, a searing political commentary that finds an at-home forum via Amazon.Both shows are worth the time, although seeing them at home, frankly, reinforces what's lost in translation given the tingle that live theater, at its best, can send up your spine -- a sensation that doesn't quite emerge on either front. Together, they underscore what "Hamilton" so impressively accomplished by conjuring that elusive magic. Notably, HBO Max's "The West Wing" special also captures some of that by bringing a TV show to the stage for the purposes of watching at home. (Like CNN, HBO is a unit of WarnerMedia.)Byrne, the Talking Heads front man, has always possessed a theatrical and cinematic flair, including his 1986 directorial effort "True Stories." Those qualities inform "American Utopia," a collection of songs -- imaginatively choreographed and lit -- that conveys the joyous and playful aspects of his music.On the plus side, that sense of fun is entertaining enough. The main drawback is that while Byrne addresses pressing issues during his chatting with the audience -- including the importance of voting, and introducing his performance of Janelle Monae's "Hell You Talmbout," name-checking Black people killed by police -- there's scant thematic adhesive to the presentation, unlike some other productions wedding rock to Broadway (Bruce Springsteen's "Springsteen on Broadway," filmed for Netflix, comes to mind).Lee does an admirable job of shooting the performance from every conceivable angle, although while the overhead shots are quite cool, one could probably do without closeups on Byrne's feet, which along with the rest of the performers, are bare.Read MoreByrne's playlist includes the hit "Burning Down the House," and a boisterous rendition of "Road to Nowhere," which includes a march through the appreciative audience."American Utopia" doesn't set the screen ablaze, but Byrne and his collaborators certainly know how to put on a show, even when it feels like they're going nowhere.Heidi Schreck in 'What the Constitution Means to Me'"What the Constitution Means to Me," by contrast, is an audacious idea, one that starts slowly -- at least in this format -- before sinking in its hooks about halfway through.Playwright-star Schreck (a Tony nominee on both scores) earned college tuition money by competing in Constitutional debates, and revives her 15-year-old self to explore -- humorously at first, pointedly later -- its troubling and inequitable aspects, including mistreatment of women.Schreck's reminiscing about "Dirty Dancing" and visiting legion halls to wax eloquently about the Constitution to mostly older men come into sharper focus when she exits the time capsule, and pivots to speaking in her 40-something voice.At that moment her memories and observations become sharper, from the patriarchal values of the court to violence against women to her own experience with abortion."When abortion became illegal, it didn't become rare," she says, referencing the days before Roe v. Wade. "It only became deadly."Schreck closes by engaging in a debate with a teen orator, Rosdely Ciprian, about whether the Constitution is indeed the living, breathing document that we've been taught to admire in school -- adaptable to the modern age -- or a hopelessly dated construct that needs to be discarded, starting over from scratch. It's an interesting device, while lacking the impact of the material that precedes it.Directed by Marielle Heller ("A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"), "What the Constitution Means to Me" serves as a reminder that those pining for the past tend to ignore historic inequalities. There's even quotation from the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- who caused a stir when she saw the show last year -- which makes the special feel extra timely and poignant.Minor drawbacks aside, both shows have plenty to recommend them. And if live theater means anything to you, they provide at least a taste of what you're missing."What the Constitution Means to Me" premieres Oct. 16 on Amazon."American Utopia" premieres Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on HBO, which like CNN, is a unit of WarnerMedia.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-07-08 13:28:02

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/entertainment/expecting-amy-review/index.html

'Expecting Amy' review: Amy Schumer takes fans behind the scenes of her difficult pregnancy - CNN

"I found out two days ago that I'm pregnant," Amy Schumer says tearfully at the start of the "Expecting Amy." "Maybe I'll document it or something." That translates into a three-part docuseries, and a test of one's fandom level toward the comic/actor, offering a very-personal account of her gestation process for two things: The baby she had last year, and a Netflix stand-up special.

entertainment, 'Expecting Amy' review: Amy Schumer takes fans behind the scenes of her difficult pregnancy - CNN

Amy Schumer takes viewers behind the scenes of her difficult pregnancy in 'Expecting Amy'

(CNN)"I found out two days ago that I'm pregnant," Amy Schumer says tearfully at the start of the "Expecting Amy." "Maybe I'll document it or something." That translates into a three-part docuseries, and a test of one's fandom level toward the comic/actor, offering a very-personal account of her gestation process for two things: The baby she had last year, and a Netflix stand-up special.Primarily shot by Schumer and her husband, Chris Fischer, using their phones, viewers should be forewarned that Schumer had an extremely difficult pregnancy, and this HBO Max presentation illustrates that by showing her throwing up in a variety of locales. In fact, it's hard not to think about Fischer snatching up his phone every time his wife becomes nauseous so he can capture the moment, which speaks to a certain level of commitment to the process.The degree of personal detail is a testament, in theory, to Schumer's unflinching openness, and highlights the balance associated with juggling a pregnancy and work -- in this case, a high-profile career touring clubs to hone her material.That proves to be the more unique aspect of this project, seeing Schumer workshop and fine-tune her act. In addition, there's the friction that ensues over her decision to talk about her husband -- diagnosed with being on what she calls the "mild" end of the autism spectrum -- as part of the show.Amy Schumer in 'Expecting Amy.'Directed and edited by Alexander Hammer (who worked on Beyoncé's "Homecoming"), "Expecting Amy's" journey includes video of the couple's wedding, tracking Schumer as she participates in protests against then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and moments in which she brings her dog on stage, again demonstrating that pooches remain the ultimate scene-stealers, even in a verité-style documentary. Plus, lots of ultrasounds, run-ins with paparazzi and, lest anyone forget, vomiting.Read MoreSchumer seems mindful of the possibility the exercise will appear a tad self-indulgent, at one point asking if she sounds whiny, and during another looking directly into the camera and saying, "Stars, they're just like us."Yet that is, inevitably, part of the appeal, as even a perfunctory glance at People and US Weekly would attest. For anyone who doesn't crave such access, Schumer's discussions with the likes of Colin Quinn and Jerry Seinfeld offer a more intriguing window into her professional world."I can always perform," Schumer says, despite feeling shaky physically. "You just have to do your job."Comedians regularly invite audiences into their lives and heads, seeking to glean identifiable truths from their personal experiences. Because "Expecting Amy" offers such an intimate portrait, it's almost impossible to separate the project from the person, meaning one's interest level in Schumer going in will likely determine the extent to which this docuseries diary delivers."Expecting Amy" premieres July 9 on HBO Max. Like CNN, HBO Max is a unit of WarnerMedia.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-12-25 15:43:10

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/25/entertainment/dont-look-up-review/index.html

'Don't Look Up' review: Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence headline a scathing climate-change satire that occasionally veers off course - CNN

In a grand science fiction tradition, "Don't Look Up" uses a disaster-movie framework as a metaphor for a reality-based crisis, with a huge comet hurtling toward Earth as a surrogate for indifference to addressing climate change. Yet this star-studded, extremely provocative satire at times veers off course itself, partially undermining its admirable qualities with the broadness of its tone.

entertainment, 'Don't Look Up' review: Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence headline a scathing climate-change satire that occasionally veers off course - CNN

'Don't Look Up' delivers a scathing satire that occasionally veers off course

(CNN)In a grand science fiction tradition, "Don't Look Up" uses a disaster-movie framework as a metaphor for a reality-based crisis, with a huge comet hurtling toward Earth as a surrogate for indifference to addressing climate change. Yet this star-studded, extremely provocative satire at times veers off course itself, partially undermining its admirable qualities with the broadness of its tone.At its core, writer-director Adam McKay (who wrote the script with journalist/activist David Sirota) delivers a very pointed treatise on the dysfunctional state of current politics and media, in which everyone is so myopic as to be unable to focus on an existential threat. The title reflects the inevitable endpoint of that, with a bury-your-head-in-the-sand approach to impending doom.The window into that absurdity comes when astronomy professor Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his PhD. student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) discover the comet, whose trajectory will lead to a direct collision with Earth in a little over six months.Understandably alarmed, their findings quickly reach the White House, where the president (Meryl Streep, poorly served by the ridiculousness of her character) is too preoccupied with her endangered Supreme Court pick to focus on what Randall describes as an extinction-level event. After fruitless back and forth, she concludes that they'll "sit tight and assess" the situation.From there, "Don't Look Up" is off to the races with a scathing indictment of everything about our media and political ecosystem, from the happy-talk news show (anchored by Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett, standing out as especially self-absorbed TV anchors) to websites preoccupied with traffic and social-media memes.Read MoreMcKay and Sirota deliver a spot-on attack on how easily distracted people (especially in media) are, fixating on Kate's hair and clothes and ignoring the substance of her message.The attempts to make that point, however, careen wildly in different directions, from a tech billionaire (Mark Rylance, adopting a not-of-this-world accent) who sees opportunities to cash in on the comet's natural resources to the president's chief of staff (Jonah Hill), who can only see the threat in terms of how it might impact the midterm elections.Still, "Don't Look Up" keeps getting sidetracked, thanks in part to piling up celebrities in minor roles (witness Timothée Chalamet's belated entrance for no particular reason) and pursuing subplots that drag out the tension on whether these flawed leaders will find the fortitude and sobriety to take action.DiCaprio (whose climate-change activism included producing the documentary "Ice on Fire") and Lawrence are both very good, but many of the other bold-faced names basically serve as flashy and somewhat unnecessary window dressing. McKay's "The Big Short" and "Vice" represent his most obvious antecedents in tackling major institutions in a darkly satiric way, but the film owes a debt to "Dr. Strangelove" as well, casting its net wider with higher (indeed, the highest) stakes. The title certainly does a lot of heavy lifting, capturing the prevailing response to inconvenient news.As was clearly its intention, "Don't Look Up" uses satire to spur a conversation about potentially ignoring a crisis until it's too late. It's a sobering message, but one that comes barreling toward us through the lens of an uneven movie."Don't Look Up" premieres Dec. 10 in select theaters and Dec. 24 on Netflix. It's rated R.

Christina Zdanowicz, CNN

2021-09-27 18:38:24

sport

sport

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/27/us/kareem-abdul-jabbar-nba-vaccines-spt-trnd/index.html

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar calls for unvaccinated players and staff to be removed from teams - CNN

If NBA players are not vaccinated, they shouldn't be on the team, basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar told Rolling Stone.

sport, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar calls for unvaccinated players and staff to be removed from teams - CNN

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar calls for unvaccinated players to be removed from teams

(CNN)If NBA players are not vaccinated, they shouldn't be on the team, basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar told Rolling Stone."The NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or remove them from the team," said Abdul-Jabbar. "There is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research."Abdul-Jabbar elaborated on that point during an interview on Don Lemon Tonight Monday, saying, "I don't think that they are behaving like good teammates or good citizens. This is a war that we're involved in. And masks and vaccines -- they are the weapons that we use to fight this war."Abdul-Jabbar has been a vocal advocate for getting the Covid-19 vaccine. The NBA great received his vaccine on camera and appeared in an NBA public service announcement encouraging others to get vaccinated.Read MoreThe NBA does not require players to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to play. However, referees and other staff who work closely with players are required to be fully vaccinated.NBA requiring Covid-19 vaccinations for referees and others who work with playersNew York City and San Francisco changed the game in August when they required that NBA players on their home teams be vaccinated. That could mean that stars of NBA teams in those cities would not be able to play, unless they are medically or religiously exempted.Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving wasn't physically present with his teammates at the Nets annual media day on Monday. But Irving took a question on the issue remotely. Irving did not disclose his vaccination status -- nor did he say if he expected to be vaccinated or compliant by the time the Nets return home following their preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. He said he wants "to keep that stuff private.""I'm a human being first," Irving said. "Obviously living in this public sphere, it's just a lot of questions about what's going on in the world of Kyrie and I think I just would love to just keep that private and handle it the right way, with my team and go forward together with the plan."Abdul-Jabbar later told CNN's Don Lemon he "can't accept" Irving's statement. "He's hiding behind procedure here. Either you understand what's going on and you're going to do the right thing, or you don't understand what's going on and you're going to continue to create all this confusion with your stance."Abdul-Jabbar also called out vaccine deniers in the Rolling Stone article."What I find especially disingenuous about the vaccine deniers is their arrogance at disbelieving immunology and other medical experts," he told Rolling Stone. "Yet, if their child was sick or they themselves needed emergency medical treatment, how quickly would they do exactly what those same experts told them to do?"During his interview with Lemon, Abdul-Jabbar touched on vaccine misinformation, saying, "The more ignorance that is spread around, the easier it is to confuse people about what's happening.""We have to educate ourselves so that we understand what is being offered. These vaccines are safe and they are effective. And we have to fight this virus as a group. We can't have certain people feeling, 'Well, I don't have to do that.' That's insanity," Abdul-Jabbar said.While vaccine hesitancy is shrinking, there are parts of the population who are still more hesitant than others.Black Americans are the least vaccinated demographic group, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimated in August that 25% of the Black population in the US was fully vaccinated. Of the US population that is fully vaccinated, only 9% are Black. However, this data is incomplete -- the CDC reports that race and ethnicity data is available for only 68% of people who are fully vaccinated.Abdul-Jabbar has spoken about the importance of reaching out to those who are vaccine hesitant, especially those in the minority community.JUST WATCHEDBasketball star explains why he wants NBA players vaccinated nowReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBasketball star explains why he wants NBA players vaccinated now 02:41"We have to gain the trust of minority communities by showing them that the vaccine is effective and that it's in their best interest to take the vaccine," Abdul-Jabbar told CNN's Chris Cuomo in March. "The problem in times past was that no one wanted to give them the latest treatment."He referred to the Tuskegee experiment, when researchers unethically withheld treatment for Black men who had syphilis between 1932 and 1972, letting the disease progress. Abdul-Jabbar said athletes and celebrities may be able to help those who are vaccine hesitant."A lot of people in minority communities respect athletes that go out there and take their word on things of this nature," he told CNN in March. "Anytime that that happens it's making it possible for more people to get the vaccination that they need and help us beat this Covid-19 thing down."CNN's Nicquel Terry Ellis contributed to this report.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2020-04-17 13:44:06

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/entertainment/the-last-dance-review/index.html

'The Last Dance' review: ESPN hits the right notes with its look back at Michael Jordan and the Bulls - CNN

"The Last Dance" -- which ESPN moved up by two months transports viewers back to the off-court drama, flamboyant personalities and great basketball associated with Michael Jordan and the six-time champion Chicago Bulls.

entertainment, 'The Last Dance' review: ESPN hits the right notes with its look back at Michael Jordan and the Bulls - CNN

'The Last Dance' hits the right notes with its look back at Michael Jordan and the Bulls

(CNN)Instead of a nifty chaser to the NBA Playoffs, "The Last Dance" -- which ESPN moved up by two months -- essentially fills that void, transporting viewers back to the off-court drama, flamboyant personalities and great basketball associated with Michael Jordan and the six-time champion Chicago Bulls. At 10 parts, it's a very, very deep dive, but for fans who will eat this stuff up, it hits all the right notes.The title refers to the Bulls' final title run in 1998, echoing the preseason handbook that coach Phil Jackson passed out to the team. With general manager Jerry Krause announcing that Jackson wouldn't be back and Jordan saying he would retire if that happened, it was a season-long campaign to put an exclamation point on the squad's greatness.The documentary series, meanwhile, alternately focuses not just on 1998, but all the previous dances, as well as individual dancers. That means taking extended detours into the lives of Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen (one of 12 children) and Jackson.Still, it's clear who the prima ballerina is here, and now as then, that's Jordan. Notoriously competitive, his tenacity and will to win are spoken of with awe by practically everyone who crossed his path during those years, but the centerpiece is extensive access to the man himself, who displays great candor in discussing his life and legacy.Directed by Jason Hehir, "The Last Dance" draws heavily on behind-the-scenes footage shot at the time, by an NBA Entertainment film crew allowed to chronicle the team throughout the season. There are also tantalizing glimpses of such things as Jordan and Magic Johnson trash-talking during a "Dream Team" practice game, or inside the locker room at an NBA All-Star Game, as Jordan and others snipe about a young ball hog on the opposing team name Kobe Bryant. (Bryant and Jordan later became close, and the late Lakers star is among those featured.)Read MoreThe current interviews -- from practically every basketball luminary imaginable -- are almost as good as the archival bounty. As further proof the filmmakers spoke to pretty much everybody, the documentary includes two former presidents: Bill Clinton, who reminisces about seeing Pippen play as a collegiate star in Arkansas; and Barack Obama, reflecting on Jordan regarding both his impact in Chicago and as an African American in the public spotlight, comparing him to Oprah Winfrey and Obama himself.Michael Jordan in 1997 (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)In some respects, "The Last Dance" exists to remind the world of Jordan's greatness, and the level of stardom and adulation that surrounded him. That said, it's hardly a whitewash, underscoring the nasty streak that accompanied his drive for greatness.We see Jordan as a rookie -- joining a franchise that, we're told, was drawing fewer fans than indoor soccer -- talk about lifting the Bulls to a level rivaling the Lakers and Celtics, then hear Magic and Larry Bird marvel about Jordan's astonishing 63-point performance against the Celtics in the 1986 playoffs. Jordan also discusses how pre-title criticism that he was a great individual player but not a winner "ate at me." Still, in regard to his scoring feats Jordan muses that while there's no "I" in team, "There's an 'I' in win."Dennis Rodman (left) in the 1998 NBA playoffs. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)For all the basketball highlights, there's so much more going on here that even an NBA fan who lived through those years might not remember it all. That ranges from Pippen fuming about being underpaid to all of Rodman's outlandish antics to the murder of Jordan's father, and media coverage that probed whether the tragedy was somehow linked to revelations about Michael Jordan's gambling habit.To those who recall what it meant to "Be like Mike" (cue the jingle), "The Last Dance" is an intoxicating trip into the way-back machine. More broadly, though, the project is a thoughtful look at the costs associated with stardom and how they've evolved in the modern sports era, particularly in the NBA.Jordan wasn't the first hugely popular athlete, but like Magic and Bird, he became the image-conscious league's most powerful ambassador, with all the weight and expectations that entailed.Jordan, notably, in the present-day interviews repeats his stance that basketball should have been enough, explaining his reluctance to venture beyond it. As a famous example, the documentary considers his failure to publicly support North Carolina Senate candidate Harvey Gantt, an African American who ran against the notoriously racist Jesse Helms in 1990. A 1995 book reported that Jordan told friends, "Republicans buy sneakers too," a quote he has disputed.ESPN will schedule two episodes each Sunday over five weeks (with an edited version, minus the profanity, on ESPN2), providing a welcome infusion of original programming on the network. It ranks among the channel's best documentary efforts since "O.J.: Made in America," an even more ambitious 10-part exercise.As "The Last Dance" reminds us, this isn't the first time that Jordan and company have been a boon to ESPN and the sports world. And if it's not the same thrill as a live buzzer-beater for basketball fans, it's the next best dance partner one could hope to find."The Last Dance" premieres April 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. It's available outside the US beginning April 20 on Netflix.

Brian Lowry, CNN

2017-06-12 15:41:18

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/12/entertainment/celtics-lakers-review/index.html

'Celtics/Lakers' rivalry 'saved' NBA, scores on ESPN - CNN

'Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies' review: ESPN '30 for 30' documentary scores with look at NBA's greatest rivalry that 'saved the NBA'

entertainment, 'Celtics/Lakers' rivalry 'saved' NBA, scores on ESPN - CNN

'Celtics/Lakers' rivalry that 'saved' NBA scores for ESPN

(CNN)For those enjoying the aerial displays of Golden State/Cleveland, ESPN provides a glorious reminder of the NBA's greatest rivalry in "Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies," a five-hour documentary that wraps those memorable series in historical and sociological context. If it's not "O.J.: Made in America" in scope and impact, this high-scoring "30 for 30" effort is the next best thing.Director Jim Podhoretz employs a rather cheeky device by having Boston native Donnie Wahlberg and L.A.'s Ice Cube trade off narration duties, leveling pointed jabs at each other's preferred basketball teams. (Wahlberg, for example, dismisses the Lakers' home court of the "Showtime" 1980s, the Fabulous Forum, as "The arena that doubles as a nightclub.")The alternating approach, however, lends color to the rivalry, which, with the project's luxury of time, allows the participants to reminisce at length about, say, the classic 1984 NBA Finals. In addition, Podhoretz wisely punctuates the action with calls from Lakers and Celtics play-by-play announcers Chick Hearn and Johnny Most, two wildly distinctive voices whose homer-ism practically defined the emotion that surrounded these contests."That's a lousy rotten play!" Hearn bellows, in that memorable moment when Kevin McHale clotheslined the Lakers' Kurt Rambis as he raced to the hoop on a fast break."Celtics/Lakers" also devotes considerable time to the racial undertones that surrounded the teams and the NBA, with the flashy Lakers and their African-American stars going against the Celtics and their "Great White Hope" Larry Bird -- a description that Bird fastidiously rejected, but an unavoidable aspect of the rivalry at the time that was magnified by the Celtics' predominantly white squad, including the aforementioned McHale and Danny Ainge.Read MoreAlthough the 1980s showdowns are the focal point, "Celtics/Lakers" reaches back to provide context, recalling the Celtics' dominance during the Bill Russell/Jerry West era. That includes how Celtics mastermind Red Auerbach struck blows for civil rights by first choosing Russell and later naming him player/coach in 1966 -- the latter a first in major sports -- despite Boston's reputation as a city with deep racial divisions.The documentary also delivers a jarring reminder of how far the NBA has come as an enterprise, with the Bird-Johnson storyline fostering excitement around a league that struggled in the 1970s, with sluggish attendance widely attributed to white patrons resisting a sport featuring predominantly black stars.The Lakers and Celtics of the '80s "saved the NBA," says "Real Sports" host Bryant Gumbel.Even die-hard fans will find tidbits here they didn't know or had perhaps forgotten: Bird being such an accomplished trash-talker that he would actually tell opponents what play they were going to run -- confident they couldn't stop him; Philadelphia fans chanting "Beat L.A.!" as Boston finished off their 76ers before heading west to face the Lakers; and the much-beloved Johnson being booed by hometown fans after he forced the firing of Coach Paul Westhead.Like the best "30 for 30" productions, "Celtics/Lakers" revels in the drama of sports while going well beyond it, tracing how the game has evolved along with the U.S., and basketball's relationship to society at large. (As a footnote, HBO's splendid 2010 documentary "Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals" is an ideal companion piece.)Underlying it all, meanwhile, is the bond the 1980s teams shared, which comes across loud and clear in the interviews -- knowing they were part of something truly memorable and special. On that score, the Celtics and Lakers have earned their "Best of Enemies" label, and ESPN has produced a two-night event that's worthy of all the hoopla."Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies" airs June 13-14 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-10-15 12:11:53

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/15/entertainment/succession-season-3-review/index.html

'Succession' review: Success hasn't spoiled HBO's riveting Murdochian drama - CNN

Success hasn't spoiled "Succession," as the Emmy-winning drama returns with all its Shakespearean and Murdochian overtones intact, with a bruising father-son battle over its fictional media empire.

entertainment, 'Succession' review: Success hasn't spoiled HBO's riveting Murdochian drama - CNN

'Succession' doesn't miss a beat as its Murdochian family feud continues

(CNN)Success hasn't spoiled "Succession," as the Emmy-winning drama returns with all its Shakespearean and Murdochian overtones intact, with a bruising father-son battle over its fictional media empire. Stripped of that, the HBO series remains enormously fun, filled with cringe-inducing moments and the kind of vicious insults that would make the writers of "Veep" blush.Having become HBO's version of "Game of Thrones" in sportscoats and loafers, the events of season two have left the company's future very much in doubt. That includes the real possibility that some of its executives could be going to jail -- a prospect that particularly obsesses Tom (Matthew Macfadyen, creating one meme-worthy scene after another), who laments, among other things, about the absence of "fine wines" in prison.The main event, however, again boils down to family patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his son Kendall (Jeremy Strong), who wages a one-man war for control of Waystar, while seeking to pick off support from other members of his immediate and extended corporate family, testing the transactional nature of their loyalties.Amid all the twisted family dynamics, Kendall remains the awkward heart of the show, a guy desperate to prove that he can take a joke who looks profoundly uncomfortable when he hears one. His father, he notes rightly, isn't the indestructible figure he represented in the past, yet he's still plenty formidable, prompting Kendall to ask, "Can I do this? Can I win?"Series creator Jesse Armstrong essentially turns that question into a season-long proposition based on the seven episodes previewed, which again demonstrate an extraordinarily savvy ear for corporate deal-making but also politics, with Logan relishing his ability to influence the latter and eldest son Connor (Alan Ruck) still harboring vaguely delusional political ambitions.Read MoreWhile Armstrong has stressed that Rupert Murdoch and his progeny only serve as one of the inspirations for the series (there are plenty of eccentric media moguls and family dynasties), certain elements of this third season -- particularly in the later episodes previewed -- certainly evoke images of the News Corp. chairman, including influencing editorial matters to advance the company's interests.Perhaps most impressively, the new episodes set up plenty of tests for all of the Roys (and thus splendid showcases for the cast), including daughter Shiv (Sarah Snook) and son Roman (Kieran Culkin). Indeed, just the promise of being named a figurehead CEO -- as Logan contemplates stepping more into the shadows -- sets off a dizzying whirlwind of shifting alliances even by "Succession" brutal standards.Adrien Brody, Hope Davis and Alexander Skarsgard are among those who appear as major financial players in later episodes, as the Roys explore various options in their efforts to save the company.As with "Veep," much of the dialogue is gleefully vulgar, and the episodes get better and better as the season progresses, from the backstage maneuvering at a shareholders meeting to an insanely over-the-top birthday party."Succession" has no shortage of company in pulling back the curtain on the outwardly glamorous lives of the super-rich, exposing the insecurities and family grievances that lurk underneath.As for that "Game of Thrones" comparison, the battles on "Succession" don't leave a trail of bodies in their wake. But as meticulously constructed, the collateral damage associated with losing this game might be the next worst thing."Succession" begins its third season Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, which, like CNN, is a unit of WarnerMedia.

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2022-02-08 12:36:29

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/08/entertainment/oscar-nominations-list-2022/index.html

Oscar nominations 2022: Full list of nominees - CNN

The nominations for the 94th Academy Awards were announced Tuesday and included films in a wide range of genres.

entertainment, Oscar nominations 2022: Full list of nominees - CNN

Oscar nominations 2022: See the full list of nominees

(CNN)The nominations for the 94th Academy Awards were announced Tuesday and included films in a wide range of genres."The Power of the Dog" led among nominated films with 12 nods. The drama's director, Jane Campion, made history by becoming the first woman to be nominated more than once for best director. (Her previous nod was for "The Piano.") Fellow directing nominee Steven Spielberg also set a new record. As producer of "West Side Story," which earned a total of seven nominations, Spielberg has now produced 11 films nominated for best picture, a new record for the Oscars.Denzel Washington extended the record he already holds as the most nominated Black actor, earning his tenth Oscar nomination for his performance in "The Tragedy of Macbeth." (One of his nominations was for producing.)The Academy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, March 27. See below for a full list of nominees.Read MoreBEST PICTURE"Belfast""CODA""Don't Look Up""Drive My Car""Dune""King Richard""Licorice Pizza""Nightmare Alley""The Power of the Dog""West Side Story"ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLEJessie Buckley, "The Lost Daughter"Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"Judi Dench, "Belfast"Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"Aunjanue Ellis, "King Richard"ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLECiaran Hinds, "Belfast"Troy Kotsur, "CODA"Jesse Plemons, "The Power of the Dog"J.K. Simmons, "Being the Ricardos"Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM"Drive My Car""Flee""The Hand of God""Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom""The Worst Person in the World"DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)"Audible""Lead Me Home""The Queen of Basketball""Three Songs for Benazir""When We Were Bullies"DOCUMENTARY FEATURE"Ascension""Attica""Flee""Summer of Soul"Writing with Fire"ORIGINAL SONG"King Richard""Encanto""Belfast""No Time to Die""Four Good Days"ANIMATED FEATURE FILM"Encanto""Flee""Luca""The Mitchells vs. The Machine""Raya and the Last Dragon"ADAPTED SCREENPLAY"CODA""Drive My Car""Dune""The Lost Daughter""The Power of the Dog"ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY"Belfast""Don't Look Up""King Richard""Licorice Pizza""The Worst Person in the World"ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLEJavier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick... Boom!"Will Smith, "King Richard"Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLEJessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"Penelope Cruz, "Parallel Mothers"Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"Kristen Stewart, "Spencer"DIRECTORKenneth Branagh, "Belfast"Ryusuke Hamaguchi, "Drive My Car"Paul Thomas Anderson, "Licorice Pizza"Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"Steven Spielberg, "West Side Story"PRODUCTION DESIGN"Dune""Nightmare Alley""The Power of the Dog""The Tragedy of Macbeth""West Side Story"CINEMATOGRAPHY"Dune""Nightmare Alley""The Power of the Dog""The Tragedy of Macbeth""West Side Story"COSTUME DESIGN"Cruella""Cyrano""Dune""Nightmare Alley""Westside Story"ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND"Belfast""Dune""No Time to Die""The Power of the Dog""Westside Story"ANIMATED SHORT FILE"Affairs of the Art""Bestia""Boxballet""Robin Robin""The Windshield Wiper"LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM"Ala Kachuu — Take and Run""The Dress""The Long Goodbye""On My Mind""Please Hold"ORIGINAL SCORE"Don't Look Up""Dune""Encanto""Parallel Mothers""The Power of the Dog"VISUAL EFFECTS"Dune""Free Guy""No Time to Die""Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings""Spider-Man: No Way Home"FILM EDITING"Don't Look Up""Dune""King Richard""The Power of the Dog""Tick, Tick... Boom!"MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING"Coming 2 America""Cruella""Dune""The Eyes of Tammy Faye""House of Gucci"

Frank Pallotta, CNN Business

2021-12-26 17:01:52

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/26/media/spider-man-no-way-home-box-office-billion/index.html

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is first film to make $1 billion since 2019 - CNN

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" — the latest movie in the Marvel franchise — crossed $1 billion at the global box office, the film's studio Sony said on Sunday.

media, 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is first film to make $1 billion since 2019 - CNN

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is first film to make $1 billion since 2019

New York (CNN Business)"Spider-Man: No Way Home" — the latest movie in the Marvel franchise — crossed $1 billion at the global box office, the film's studio Sony (SNE) said on Sunday. The film reached the milestone just 12 days after it was released. Only 2019's "Avengers: Endgame" and "Avengers: Infinity War" reached that mark in less time, at 5 days and 11 days, respectively.The film has made $1.05 billion worldwide so far."No Way Home" — which stars Tom Holland and Zendaya as Peter Parker and MJ as they battle villains from across the Marvel multiverse — is also the only film of the pandemic era to make $1 billion worldwide.It is the first film to reach $1 billion since "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," which was released in December 2019. Sony also said that "No Way Home" is now the top grossing film of the year worldwide.Read MoreThe film — which was made by Sony and Disney's Marvel Studios — has had an amazing run at the box office, especially since the world is still in the midst of a pandemic.'Spider-Man: No Way Home' was the second-biggest box office opening ever"No Way Home" notched a record-breaking opening weekend at the North American box office last weekend when it brought in $260 million. That was the second largest domestic opening of all time. That opening was also the best ever for each of the month of December, the Spider-Man franchise and Sony Pictures."What this represents is quite mind-boggling," Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore (SCOR), told CNN Business. "These numbers would be very impressive in the pre-pandemic era, but for 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' to sprint to a billion dollars in this marketplace is really hard to wrap your mind around.""The monumental achievement of 'No Way Home' hitting this number cannot be overstated for this industry right now," he added.

Frank Pallotta, CNN Business

2021-10-08 17:41:41

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/08/media/no-time-to-die-james-bond/index.html

'No Time to Die' is the most important film of the pandemic era - CNN

In the nearly six decades since 1962's "Dr. No," one thing has been a constant at the cinema: Bond, James Bond.

media, 'No Time to Die' is the most important film of the pandemic era - CNN

'No Time to Die' is the most important film of the pandemic era

New York (CNN Business)In the nearly six decades since 1962's "Dr. No," one thing has been a constant at the cinema: Bond, James Bond.The iconic super-spy returns for his latest adventure this weekend with "No Time to Die," the franchise's 25th film, which represents both a literal and figurative end of an era. "No Time to Die" is the final film for Daniel Craig, who has played the character five times since 2006's "Casino Royale." Craig revitalized the character while also racking up some of the series' most significant box office totals.Yet "No Time to Die" debuts at an inflection point for both the Bond franchise and movie theaters as the industry attempts to return to normalcy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and the rise of streaming. Bond as a brand is also at a crossroads, as tech giant Amazon (AMZN) plans to take over MGM, the home of the series.How "No Time to Die" performs this weekend and in coming weeks will have huge ramifications on the health of the theater industry and the future of 007.Read More"The Bond franchise has always been done on a grand scale," Jonathan Kuntz, a film professor at UCLA School of Theater, Film and TV, told CNN Business. "James Bond exemplifies the best in theatrical film."Kuntz added, "Now, some are wondering in the 21st century, is there still space for that?"Craig, Daniel Craig"No Time to Die" will be Daniel Craig's last performance as 007."No Time to Die" is expected to bring in around $55 million to $60 million at the North American box office this weekend, estimates that are on the conservative side because of the pandemic. Given Craig's box office history, that total could be much higher.The James Bond franchise has racked up more than $7 billion worldwide, according to Comscore (SCOR). Of that total, Craig's outings as Bond (in "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace," "Skyfall," "Spectre" and "No Time to Die," which opened internationally last week) have brought in almost half that total, $3.3 billion. "Daniel Craig's tenure has been one of the most beloved runs in the long history of 007," Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com, told CNN Business. "He and the creative teams involved since 'Casino Royale' have made strides to modernize the franchise, and now they've had the chance to close their particular chapter on their terms."Daniel Craig explains why 'No Time to Die' is best experienced in a theater To be sure, Bond audiences skew much older than those who buy a ticket to see "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," which made $90 million last weekend, and he doesn't have the Marvel name attached. But Bond is still Bond — one of the most iconic characters in film history. Mix that with Craig's farewell performance and strong reviews (the film holds an 84% critic's score on Rotten Tomatoes), and the film's box office numbers could easily exceed expectations.Plus, the film has already made $121 million internationally so far and brought in $6.3 million in the US Thursday night, a solid start. For theaters, a big box office win for "No Time to Die" could keep the momentum going from the strong performance of "Venom" last weekend into the rest of October, which is vital if theaters want to keep moving in the right direction and go into 2022 strong. Other films have opened this year to mix results, but "No Time to Die" is arguably the most important film of the pandemic so far. If it's able to find an audience it could act as a bridge to a brighter future for theaters."There was a time in the '80s where it seemed like the James Bond films were going through the motions. But I think since 2006, each James Bond film has been carefully crafted," Kuntz said. "It doesn't mean they've all been masterpieces, but they've given us something really new and visually stunning in the Bond films." Kuntz continued, "The question is, is that enough? Is Bond enough? And if it's not, the theatrical film is in trouble."Bezos, Jeff BezosWhat will James Bond look like in the Amazon era?James Bond and wealthy, bald, technology-focused men have never really gotten along. (See the villain Blofeld in 1961's "Thunderball.") But now the spy will have to: his new boss is Jeff Bezos.Amazon purchased MGM, the studio behind Bond, for $8.4 billion in May. MGM, home to classic characters like Rocky Balboa and RoboCop, has more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows in its catalog. Yet the biggest catch is Bond.The studio owns a piece of the spy franchise, which Eon Productions also controls. However, beyond Bond's box office prowess, the films and their lead character represent a lifestyle that spreads across the globe and throughout pop culture. Bond is more than a mere piece of intellectual property — it's a vibe.And while streaming is a small part of Amazon's empire, the company has become a more prominent player in the entertainment world.Bond ratings: The best and worst of 007 as 'No Time to Die' marks Daniel Craig's exitPrime Video is tied to Amazon's popular Prime program, which offers faster package delivery and has more than 200 million paid subscribers. That makes it a strong competitor in the streaming marketplace, and having Bond in its ranks will likely bolster that position.But what does this mean for the cinematic future of Bond?Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who hold the rights to the character, are adamant that 007 will stay in theaters. But that doesn't mean that Bond or other characters from the series like M, Q, or Moneypenny won't appear elsewhere, much as the Star Wars or Marvel universes have done so successfully."I would expect some branching out to occur, likely with spin-off series and crossovers that focus on periphery characters within the 007 universe," Robbins said. "Ultimately, though, the health of the brand is best maintained by making sure it continues to evolve without sacrificing part of what made it uniquely great to begin with: movie theaters."

Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

2018-09-06 18:34:19

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/06/entertainment/oscars-popular-movie-category/index.html

Academy nixes addition of 'popular movie' category to Oscars -- for now - CNN

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is rethinking the addition of a popular film category to the Oscars after the idea proved to be largely unpopular.

entertainment, Academy nixes addition of 'popular movie' category to Oscars -- for now - CNN

Academy nixes addition of 'popular film' category to Oscars -- for now

(CNN)The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is rethinking the addition of a popular film category to the Oscars after the idea proved to be largely unpopular."There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members," said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson in a statement Thursday. "We have made changes to the Oscars over the years -- including this year -- and we will continue to evolve while also respecting the incredible legacy of the last 90 years." The Academy announced in August that it intended to add a category for achievement in popular film, in hopes it would open the door to movies that might otherwise be overlooked in the best picture category. In announcing the move, the Academy left key questions unaddressed, however. Particularly, how a movie would earn the distinction of being a so-called popular film and whether a movie could be nominated in both the popular film and best picture categories. Everyone from prominent film critics to celebrities like Rob Lowe criticized the move. Read More"The film business passed away today with the announcement of the 'popular' film Oscar," Lowe wrote on Twitter. "It had been in poor health for a number of years. It is survived by sequels, tent-poles, and vertical integration."At the time, the Academy did not clarify when the category would be added, but the body's announcement that the measure "merits further study" indicates it had been on track for addition in the upcoming Oscars cycle. The Academy's decision to extend honors to so-called popular films was largely considered a play for more viewers. The most-watched telecast in Oscars history was in 1998 when "Titanic" won.Last year's telecast hit an all-time low in ratings with just 26.5 million viewers, a drop of 20% from the previous year.The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-11-16 17:09:27

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/16/entertainment/the-power-of-the-dog-review/index.html

The Power of the Dog' review: Benedict Cumberbatch stars in director Jane Campion's slow-burn western - CNN

"The Power of the Dog" is such a delicately constructed movie as to almost defy the ability to review it without saying too much. Keeping the audience off balance, writer-director Jane Campion creates a slow, ominous build around the fine performances toward a satisfying conclusion that nicely pays off on the slow-canter ride.

entertainment, The Power of the Dog' review: Benedict Cumberbatch stars in director Jane Campion's slow-burn western - CNN

'The Power of the Dog' stars Benedict Cumberbatch in a tense slow-burn western

(CNN)"The Power of the Dog" is such a delicately constructed movie as to almost defy the ability to review it without saying too much. Keeping the audience off balance, writer-director Jane Campion creates a slow, ominous build around the fine performances toward a satisfying conclusion that nicely pays off on the slow-canter ride.Marking the first film in 12 years from the director (who did do the TV series "Top of the Lake" in between), Campion has adapted a 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, set in Montana during the 1920s. While the western tone and subject matter has drawn comparisons to "Brokeback Mountain," the story feels distinctive, and owes as much to Campion's signature movie "The Piano" with its strained relationships in a harsh, remote environment.The central tension stems from the bond between two brothers, who have grown up together on the family ranch but couldn't be more different. Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) is tethered to the past and tradition, as well as vaguely sadistic in his treatment of his brother George (Jesse Plemons), a quiet sort who he persists in calling "Fatso."When George abruptly announces he's marrying an attractive widow, Rose (Kirsten Dunst, again paired with her off-screen partner after "Fargo"), Phil responds terribly and treats his brother's bride abusively. That discourteousness that also extends to her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who Phil sees as being effeminate and cruelly teases along with the other cowhands.Life on the ranch takes its toll on Rose, but she's understandably concerned when Peter returns from school and begins spending time with Phil, who has seemingly taken it upon himself to make a man out of the boy, while reminiscing about his own schooling from a cowboy known as Bronco Henry. Yet his motives and virtually everyone else's remain suspect, creating a sense of menace and tension that lingers throughout.Read MoreThe cast is uniformly good, though Cumberbatch has the showiest role as the intense, brooding cowboy, who fears and resents change or any of the social niceties to which his brother aspires. When George hosts guests, Phil bristles at the suggestion that he should clean up before dinner, tersely announcing, "I stink. And I like it."Netflix clearly harbors awards aspirations for the movie, and the film earns a place in that conversation. At its core "Power of the Dog" probes questions of masculinity filtered through the Marlboro Man images of the past, as well as how both vulnerability and reservoirs of strength can come from unexpected sources. Like a cattle drive, it's an arduous process getting from here to there, but finally a rewarding one when the film reaches the finish."The Power of the Dog" premieres in select US theaters on Nov. 17 and Dec. 1 on Netflix. It's rated R.

Chloe Melas, CNN

2022-02-01 01:56:44

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/31/entertainment/we-dont-talk-about-bruno-number-one-song/index.html

'We Don't Talk About Bruno' is the No. 1 song in America - CNN

Let's talk about Bruno. The hit song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from the animated Disney movie "Encanto" is now the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

entertainment, 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' is the No. 1 song in America - CNN

'We Don't Talk About Bruno' is the No. 1 song in America

(CNN)Let's talk about Bruno.The hit song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from the animated Disney movie "Encanto" is now the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.The catchy tune, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, knocked Adele's "Easy On Me" out of the top spot and became the first Disney song to reach the pinnacle of the chart since "A Whole New World" from "Aladdin" in 1993.The Oscar-winning song "Let It Go" from Disney's "Frozen" peaked at No. 5 on the chart in 2014.With 'Encanto' and 'Tick, Tick ... Boom,' Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't throwing away his movie shots"We Don't Talk About Bruno" has had more than 34 million streams, according to Billboard. Read More"Encanto" is directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard and premiered in the fall. The film features the voices of Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitan, Diane Guerrero and Wilmer Valderrama. It tells the story of a family from Colombia named the Madrigals who receive magical gifts in their town called Encanto. The character Mirabel, voiced by Beatriz, sets out to save her family's magic. Bruno, Mirabel's uncle, has the power see the future. But as the song title suggests, the Madrigal family would prefer not to talk about it.

Analysis by Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

2020-02-10 05:55:26

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/10/entertainment/parasite-oscars/index.html

'Parasite' dominated the 2020 Oscars on a historic night - CNN

The cast and creative team for "Parasite" took the stage on Sunday to accept the award for best picture, capping off what was a huge night for the film and a significant night for global cinema.

entertainment, 'Parasite' dominated the 2020 Oscars on a historic night - CNN

'Parasite' dominated the Oscars on a historic night

(CNN)The cast and creative team for "Parasite" took the stage on Sunday to accept the award for best picture, capping off what was a huge night for the film and a significant night for global cinema. "I feel like a very opportune moment in history is happening right now," producer Kwak Sin Ae said, via translator. She wasn't wrong. "Parasite" picked up four awards on Sunday night, including a history-making best picture win.After she spoke, Miky Lee, a Korean entertainment mogul, attempted to take a turn at the mic, but the lights on stage dimmed as the camera prepared to return to Jane Fonda, who would close the night. But those in the audience protested, asking loudly from their seats for the stage directors to turn the lights back up and let Lee speak.Read MoreThey won, and she got her turn.'Parasite' cast and crew, accepting the award for best picture The film's Oscar campaign sort of played out in a similar way. If at any time it looked like the spotlight on "Parasite" might dim, it would shine again -- first a Palme d'Or award, then history-making SAG Award win, then a BAFTA and so on.In the end, the infectious buzz around the film, which centers on two families on opposite sides of South Korea's economic gap, turned out to be too powerful for its Oscar competitors, which included some of Hollywood's most seasoned filmmakers. "Parasite" is the first non-English film and first South Korean film to win best picture at the Academy Awards. It is also the first film to win both best international feature (a category previously called best foreign-language film) and best picture.Only 11 non-English language films have ever been nominated in the category. When asked after the ceremony by CNN's Stephanie Elam how he felt about the film's historic success, director Bong Joon Ho was still taking in the news. "I think we destroyed the barrier too much!" he joked, via translator Sharon Choi. "I think it's great in life when things happen so fast and that's what's happening tonight.""Parasite" also picked up best director, best international feature film and best original screenplay. Heading into Sunday night, "1917" and "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" had been considered major competition for the movie. The question on the minds of many in Hollywood had been whether the Academy would put its votes toward those films -- the likes of which have been recognized in the past (a war epic and a star-packed film from a beloved director) -- or honor a filmmaker and cast less familiar to the mainstream. With the win for "Parasite," the Academy made a choice to honor a film unlike any of those honored in the past 91 ceremonies. It's a victory for a community that still struggles to be seen -- one that comes in a year that had been criticized for a lack of individual nominees of color. (Only one actor of color -- Cynthia Erivo, star of "Harriet" -- was nominated this year in the major acting categories.) Nancy Wang Yuen, a sociologist and author of "Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism," previously told CNN that "Parasite" earning best picture could open up opportunities for Asian-American actors, who have a difficult time getting their work recognized on the awards circuit. (For example, "Crazy Rich Asians," which was a success at the box office and a milestone moment for Asian representation, but unsuccessful in its bid for Oscars recognition.)"I think the fact that Asian Americans are rooting for 'Parasite' is because we still aren't even seeing ourselves in main dramatic roles," she said. "The more Asians succeed on the international stage, I think Asian Americans do feel like that will then open up more opportunities for Asian-American actors in Hollywood."On social media, the win was hailed. Sandra Oh, who presented on Sunday night, said, "Congratulations @ParasiteMovie So so proud to be Korean." "The game has changed," wrote actor Lewis Tan. "I'm in tears. This is historic." Actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, from "Kim's Convenience" added: "Lookit all those Koreans onstage at the #Oscars. So proud my heart is bursting."

Sam Mednick, Stephanie Busari and Niamh Kennedy, CNN

2022-01-24 10:32:08

news

africa

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/24/africa/military-detains-president-kabore-intl/index.html

Burkina Faso coup: Burkina Faso's military seizes power in a coup, detains president - CNN

Burkina Faso's army said it took control of the country on Monday, deposing President Roch Kabore, dissolving the government and parliament, suspending the constitution and shuttering its borders.

africa, Burkina Faso coup: Burkina Faso's military seizes power in a coup, detains president - CNN

Burkina Faso's military seizes power in a coup, detains president and dissolves government

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (CNN)Burkina Faso's army said it took control of the country on Monday, deposing President Roch Kabore, dissolving the government and parliament, suspending the constitution and shuttering its borders.The coup was announced on state television by Captain Sidsore Kader Ouedraogo, who said the military had seized power in response to the "ongoing degradation of the security situation" in the country and the "incapacity of the government" to unite the population.Sitting alongside him dressed in military fatigues and a red beret was Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, a senior military officer who was introduced to the people of Burkina Faso as their new leader.Damiba was promoted in December by Kabore to commander of the country's third military region, which is responsible for security in the capital Ouagadougou, according to Reuters. He studied at a military academy in Paris, and recently authored a book titled "West African Armies and Terrorism: Uncertain Responses?"There was no mention made in the televised statement about Kabore's whereabouts. The president has not been seen in public since fighting broke out on Sunday around the presidential palace in Ouagadougou. Read MoreOne of the coup leaders told CNN that Kabore was detained early Monday by soldiers that had taken control of a military base before storming the palace grounds and firing shots near the president's home. The same source said that Kabore signed his resignation and is being kept in a "safe place" in the West African country.Soldiers outside a military base in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou Sunday. Witnesses reported heavy gunfire nearby, raising fears that a coup attempt was underway.But Kabore's exact location remains unknown; on Monday afternoon, a message was posted from his Twitter account asking those involved in the insurrection to lower their arms."Our nation is going through difficult times," the tweet said. "We must in this precise moment, preserve our democratic achievements. I invite those who took arms to lower them in the superior interest of the nation. It is through dialogue and listening that we must resolve our contradictions."The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is concerned about the whereabouts of President Kabore and is following developments in Burkina Faso closely, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a Monday statement.Pictures from Ouagadougou on Monday showed armed vehicles and soldiers parked outside the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Radio Télévision du Burkina (RTB).Plans for the military coup have been underway since August, hatched in encrypted messaging apps and countless secret meetings held outside the capital, one of the coup leaders told CNN, adding that the soldiers are angry at the government's handling of jihadist attacks in the country, and believe Burkina Faso is better off under military rule right now.Civilians gathered on the streets honking car horns and cheering in support of the military following Monday's announcement. "People are fleeing their homes and people are dying everywhere because of terrorism. The situation is not solved. If the army takes the lead I think things will go back to normal," said Oumar Junior Bahoro, who was protesting in downtown Ouagadougou.Why are coups making a comeback in Africa? The Economic Community for West Africa States (ECOWAS) posted a statement on Facebook Monday saying it was watching "with great concern the political and security situation in Burkina Faso, following an attempted coup d'état."ECOWAS demanded that the "soldiers return to the barracks, maintain a Republican situation and favor dialogue with the authorities to resolve problems," adding that it held the military responsible for Kabore's wellbeingOn Monday, the French embassy in Burkina Faso posted a message on its website warning its citizens in the country that the situation "remains rather confusing.""In the wait for a clarification, we recommend that you avoid non-essential movements during the day and do not go out at night," the message said.Two Air France flights scheduled for Monday evening were also canceled, according to the embassy.'Mounting dissatisfaction'Burkina Faso has been wracked with violence linked to the Islamic State and al Qaeda that has killed thousands and displaced 1.5 million people, according to UNHCR. The military has been hard hit; last month at least 50 security forces were killed in the Sahel.Anger has been mounting across the country for weeks. The coup comes one day after a protest in the capital demanding the president's resignation."This coup attempt isn't coming out of nowhere. It's building on mounting dissatisfaction within the population and security forces with the government's handling of the security crisis," said Constantin Gouvy, a Burkina Faso researcher who works for the Netherlands-based Clingendael Institute. Kabore has championed a military-first approach since being first elected in 2015 and it's not been successful, he said.Reuters reported that sustained gunfire rang out from military camps in the West African country on Sunday, as soldiers demanded more support for their fight against Islamist militants. Eight soldiers in Burkina Faso arrested for alleged plotProtesters came out to support the mutineers on Sunday and ransacked the headquarters of Kaboré's political party, according to the news agency.The government declared a curfew until further notice and closed schools for two days.The turmoil in Burkina Faso comes after successful military putsches over the past 18 months in its West African neighbors Mali and Guinea, where the army removed President Alpha Conde last September. West Africa, which until recently appeared to have shed its reputation as Africa's "coup belt," remains susceptible to unrest.The military also took over in Chad last year after President Idriss Deby died on the battlefield there.Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in West Africa -- despite being a gold producer.Its army has suffered heavy losses at the hands of Islamist militants, who control swathes of the country and have forced residents in those areas to abide by their harsh version of Islamic law, Reuters reports.CNN's Sam Mednick reported from Ouagadougou and Niamh Kennedy reported from Dublin. Reuters contributed reporting.

Marianne Garvey

2022-03-03 17:29:05

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/03/entertainment/anna-netrebko-russian-soprano-metropolitan-opera-met/index.html

Anna Netrebko, Russian soprano, out at the Metropolitan Opera - CNN

Famed Russian soprano Anna Netrebko will no longer perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City this season or next after she refused to publicly distance herself from Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a statement from the Met.

entertainment, Anna Netrebko, Russian soprano, out at the Metropolitan Opera - CNN

Anna Netrebko, Russian soprano, out at the Metropolitan Opera

(CNN)Famed Russian soprano Anna Netrebko will no longer perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City this season or next after she refused to publicly distance herself from Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a statement from the Met."It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera," the company's general manager, Peter Gelb, said in a statement to CNN. "Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine there was no way forward."Netrebko was scheduled to perform in Puccini's "Turandot" this spring, as well as Verdi's "Don Carlo" next season.Анна Нетребко приняла знамя Новороссии! #Донбасс #Новороссия #Украина pic.twitter.com/srcpcSG3ow— Олег Царев (@OlegTsarov) December 8, 2014 Ukranian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska will replace her in "Turandot" and her replacement in "Don Carlo" will be announced at a later date, according to the Met.Netrebko had issued statements critical of the war, but has not publicly commented on Putin.Read MoreIn 2014, Netrebko made a large donation to an opera house in Donetsk, a city in Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists, according to a report by the New York Times. After she made the donation, she was pictured holding a Novorossiyan flag, which is used by separatist groups.

Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

2022-02-25 17:27:22

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/25/entertainment/eurovision-russia-competition/index.html

Eurovision reverses course, says Russia will not be allowed to compete - CNN

In less than 24 hours, Eurovision is singing a different tune.

entertainment, Eurovision reverses course, says Russia will not be allowed to compete - CNN

Eurovision reverses course, says Russia will not be allowed to compete

(CNN)In less than 24 hours, Eurovision is singing a different tune. Organizers said on Friday that Russia will not be allowed to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, according to a statement. The decision comes less a day after the European Broadcasting Union initially decided it would allow a performer to represent the country, which this week invaded Ukraine, in the competition. "The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced that no Russian act will participate in this year's Eurovision Song Contest," the statement said. "The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year's Contest would bring the competition into disrepute." Ukraine had petitioned to the European Broadcasting Union to bar Russia from participating in the competition in light of the invasion, according to a statement that was translated by NPR. The request was made in a letter that was primarily asking the EBU to remove Russian media from the association.Russia had not yet chosen a performer to compete in the competition.Read MoreRap group Kalush Orchestra was selected to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, which is set to take place in Turin, Italy in May.The EBU said before making Friday's decision it "took time to consult widely among its membership." EBU's most recent statement also reasserted its position as an "apolitical" body. "The EBU is an apolitical member organization of broadcasters committed to upholding the values of public service," the statement said. "We remain dedicated to protecting the values of a cultural competition which promotes international exchange and understanding, brings audiences together, celebrates diversity through music and unites Europe on one stage." On Thursday, after initially allowing Russia to compete, Eurovision organizers faced backlash. Hanna Stjärne, CEO of the Sweden's Eurovision broadcaster, SVT, was among those who called on Eurovision to reconsider its decision to allow Russia's participation.

Mallika Kallingal, Kevin Dotson and John Sinnott, CNN

2021-01-16 02:24:43

sport

sport

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/15/sport/ralph-lauren-drops-justin-thomas/index.html

Justin Thomas: Ralph Lauren cuts ties with golfer for using anti-gay slur - CNN

The Ralph Lauren Corporation is cutting ties with golfer Justin Thomas over his use of a homophobic slur.

sport, Justin Thomas: Ralph Lauren cuts ties with golfer for using anti-gay slur - CNN

Ralph Lauren cuts ties with golfer Justin Thomas for using anti-gay slur

(CNN)The Ralph Lauren Corporation is cutting ties with golfer Justin Thomas over his use of a homophobic slur.Thomas apologized for the incident, which occurred at a PGA Tour tournament in Hawaii last Saturday."There's no excuse," Thomas told the Golf Channel in an on-air apology immediately after his round.In a statement, the company said it was discontinuing its sponsorship of Thomas because of his use of the slur, which the company said inconsistent with its values."While we acknowledge that he has apologized and recognizes the severity of his words, he is a paid ambassador of our brand and his actions conflict with the inclusive culture that we strive to uphold," a statement from the corporation said.Read MoreThomas uttered the slur after he missed a par putt during the Sentry Tournament of Champions' third round in Hawaii and his words were caught by television microphones.Justin Thomas apologizes for using 'inexcusable' anti-gay slur"I'm an adult. I'm a grown man. There's absolutely no reason for me to say anything like that. It's terrible. I'm extremely embarrassed. It's not the kind of person that I am ... But unfortunately I did it and I have to own up to it and I'm very apologetic. I deeply apologize to everybody and anybody who I offended and I'll be better because of it," Thomas said in his apology.A former world No. 1, Thomas is now third in golf's rankings."As we make this decision, our hope is that Mr. Thomas does the hard and necessary work in order to partner with us again — truly examining this incident, learning, growing and ultimately using his platform to promote inclusion," statement said.The PGA Tour has also spoken out on this incident. "As he expressed after his round, we agree that Justin's comment was unacceptable," the PGA Tour said in a statement according to the AFP news agency, which added Thomas is likely to be fined for conduct "unbecoming of a professional."

Rhea Mogul, Manveena Suri and Swati Gupta, CNN

2022-02-10 08:41:49

news

india

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/10/india/hijab-karnataka-india-protest-intl-hnk/index.html

Karnataka 'hijab row': protests spread in India as girls refuse to be told what not to wear - CNN

A college student has become a symbol of resistance in India's Karnataka state, where religious tensions are rising over the right to wear religious clothing to school.

india, Karnataka 'hijab row': protests spread in India as girls refuse to be told what not to wear - CNN

Hijab protests spread in India as girls refuse to be told what not to wear

(CNN)A college student has become a symbol of resistance in India's Karnataka state, where religious tensions are rising over the right to wear religious clothing to school.Muskan Khan was attempting to hand in a college assignment in the city of Mandya when she was accosted by a group of Hindu men wearing saffron scarves -- the color of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- according to video posted to social media. "They were not allowing me to go inside, just because I was carrying the burqa," she told local outlet channel NDTV. Khan had covered her head with a hijab, an Islamic headscarf, and was wearing a religious dress.The men heckle her as she makes her way across the school grounds, demanding she take off her face covering, but instead of complying, Khan shouts back "Allahu Akbar" as she punches her fist in the air. The confrontation illustrates the religious divide that's been widening in Karnataka since a group of girls began protesting outside their government-run school in January after they were denied entry in the classroom for wearing a hijab.Read MoreThe girls petitioned the state's top court to lift the ban, prompting rival protests from right-wing Hindu students.On Wednesday the court referred the petition to a larger panel of judges, but no date has been set for hearings. Activists say the hijab row is yet another example of a broader trend in India -- one that has seen a crackdown on India's minority Muslim population since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP came to power nearly eight years ago. They say that by denying Muslim women the choice to wear the hijab, the government is denying them their religious freedoms, enshrined in the Indian constitution. "This is a massive attempt by the BJP to homogenize Indian culture, to make it a Hindu-only state," said 23-year-old Muslim activist Afreen Fatima, who has been protesting in support of the students in her hometown of Allahabad in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state. "Muslim women are isolated in India. And the situation is getting worse every day." The 'hijab row' What started as a small protest made national headlines after several other government-run educational institutions in Karnataka denied entry to students wearing hijabs.The protests have since spread to other cities. Scores of students took to the streets in India's capital Delhi this month holding placards and shouting slogans to express their anger at the ban. And hundreds more have protested in Kolkata and Hyderabad, Reuters reported. Indian Muslim woman shouts slogans during a protest in Delhi against the ban on Muslim girls wearing hijab in class.On Tuesday, BJP-ruled Karnataka ordered a three-day closure of all high schools and colleges amid the growing tensions. And on Wednesday authorities in the state's capital Bengaluru banned protests outside schools for two weeks.For many Muslim women, the hijab is an integral part of their faith. While it has been seen as a source of controversy in some western countries, in India it is neither banned, nor restricted from being worn in public places. Karnataka's education minister B.C. Nagesh said he supported banning the hijab in educational institutions, citing the state's mandate on religious attire. "Government is very firm that the school is not a platform to practice dharma (religion)," he told CNN affiliate CNN News-18. But experts say the issue runs deeper than a dress code.Karnataka -- where just 13% of the population is Muslim -- is governed by the BJP. According to lawyer Mohammed Tahir, who is representing one group of petitioners in court, Karnataka is a "hotbed" of the Hindutva ideology supported by many right-wing groups, which seeks to make India the land of the Hindus. Karnataka has banned the sale and slaughter of cows, an animal considered sacred to Hindus. It has also introduced a controversial anti-conversion bill, which makes it more difficult for interfaith couples to marry or for people to convert to Islam or Christianity. And according to Tahir, the lawyer, religious tension in the state will likely increase ahead of pivotal state elections next year. "These issues (like the hijab ban) are very easy to polarize the entire community for votes," he said. In a statement Tuesday, the Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy said it "strongly condemns the attempt by Hindutva forces and the BJP government of Karnataka to engulf college and school campuses in the already raging communal fire in the state.""College campuses have thus been transformed into yet another playing field for the BJP and other right-wing Hindu majoritarians," the statement said. CNN has attempted to contact the state authorities but did not receive a response. Muslim women further targeted The hijab row follows a string of online attacks against Muslim women in India. In early January, the Indian government was investigating a website that purported to offer Muslim women for sale. It was the second time in less than a year that a fake online auction of that kind sparked outrage in the country."They came for us online," said Fatima, who was featured on the online app. "Now, they are directly targeting our religious practice. It started in one college, and grew. I have no reason to believe it will end there." On Tuesday, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, called the hijab row "horrifying." "Objectification of women persists -- for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women," she wrote on Twitter.The All India President of the Students' Federation of India, V P Sanu, criticized the hijab ban, saying it was used "as a reason to deny Muslim women's right to education."Modi referred briefly to Muslim women in a speech in Uttar Pradesh Thursday as that state started voting in local elections.The Prime Minister said his government "stands with every victim Muslim woman." He didn't refer to the hijab ban but said the government gave Muslim women "freedom" by scrapping the controversial Muslim practice of triple talaq, which allows a Muslim man to divorce his wife by simply saying the Arabic word for divorce, "talaq", three times. The Indian government criminalized the practice in 2019. Khan, the student who yelled at the Hindu men, said she was defending her religious rights."Every religion has freedom, India is a unity...every religion has freedom," Khan told reporters Wednesday. "They are following their culture and I am following my culture. They should let us follow our culture and not raise any obstacle."CNN's Esha Mitra contributed reporting

Helen Regan, Omar Khan and Swati Gupta, CNN

2019-05-30 02:17:32

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/29/asia/india-modi-muslim-fear-intl/index.html

Modi says India's minorities are living in world of imaginary fear. Muslims disagree - CNN

Narendra Modi will be sworn in for a second term as India's Prime Minister on Thursday after winning a landslide in elections and many Muslims are fearful of what another five years of BJP rule will mean for them

asia, Modi says India's minorities are living in world of imaginary fear. Muslims disagree - CNN

Modi says India's minorities are living in world of imaginary fear. Muslims disagree

New Delhi, India (CNN)The call to prayer rings out through the crowded, bustling streets of Old Delhi -- a maze of chaotic streets full of honking scooters, shouting rickshaw wallas, vendors selling jewelery and eateries laden with sweet delicacies. Set away from the din of the street through narrow alleys and stone stairs flanked by old buildings with ornate facades is the house of 65-year-old Alauddin, who goes by one name, his four sons and their families. They can trace their relatives back to the Mughal Empire, which ruled India between 1526 and 1857. The time ticks past 7 p.m. and the family is settling down on the floor to break their fast with iftar, the first meal eaten after sunset during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, or Ramzan in India. Dates are eaten first followed by deep fried cheese, potatoes and a spicy dish of curried apple, melon, and lentils washed down with iced strawberry milk. It's a fun and loving family atmosphere, with some of Alauddin's five grandchildren running about and giggling as their pet birds chirp in their cages, and the adults discuss their fourth-generation family sweet shop.Read More"We eat, all of us together," said Alauddin's oldest son Adnan Qureshi, 39. "We feel good when they all come, everyone sits and has a laugh."Mateen's family sit down to break their fast with iftar in Old Delhi. But conversation soon turns to politics. On May 23, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi won another landslide victory in the country's mammoth general elections. He'll be sworn in as Prime Minister again on Thursday, ushering in another five years of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule.While much of the country celebrated the stunning victory of a man who has promised economic reform and development, others, especially minorities and liberals, have grown increasingly concerned about the impact of the BJP's Hindu nationalist background on the country's secular fabric. The BJP has its roots in the right wing-Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) -- of which Modi is a member -- and many of its members are adherents of the Hindutva ideology that promotes a Hindu-first India. It's a stance that worries liberals and minorities, including more than 170 million Indian Muslims in a country of 1.3 billion people. "There are a lot of effects (from nationalism), majorly on Muslims and it's going to get worse," Alauddin said.The family, who live in Old Delhi's Muslim majority neighborhood, said they have not experienced any communal tension here. The community is strong, with Hindus and Muslims living and working together for generations, they said. But they are concerned that the social fabric may change with the BJP in power for five more years."There is no violence in Delhi, but there is a possibility it might happen now," said Mateen, 35, the youngest son who, like his father, uses just his first name. Some members of India's Muslim community say they don't feel safe traveling to other towns and villages.Attacks on Muslims and minoritiesAttacks under the name of "cow protection" have risen since Modi came to power, according to a Human Rights Watch report. The group said that between May 2015 and December 2018, 44 people suspected of killing or transporting cows for slaughter, or even just eating beef, were killed in vigilante attacks. That number included 36 Muslims.Human Rights Watch said many of the murders went unpunished in part due to delayed police investigations and "rhetoric" from ruling party politicians, which may have incited mob violence."Muslims are scared, very scared," said Alauddin. "The cow protectors, what they have done in all these places. Muslims are affected."In Old Delhi, Mateen said goats and buffalo used to be slaughtered in the neighborhood, but no longer. "Everything has to go to the slaughterhouse and then the meat is transported here. They are shifting the slaughter house further away," Mateen said.It's not just cow vigilantes that are cause for concern, according to activists. Human Rights Watch South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly points to a larger theme of right wing nationalists targeting anyone they disagree with, saying many Indians -- not just Muslims -- now fear a "culture of mob violence." "BJP's supporters have attacked people whether it is to oppose an inter-community relationship, or because they claim to be protecting cows, or simply for their religious identity. They have also disrupted meetings, book readings or film screenings, and threatened activists, because they are 'offended,' and declared that opposing views are 'anti-national,'" she said.In August, Modi condemned the vigilante attacks and has called on the states to prevent mob violence. "I want to make it clear that mob lynching is a crime, no matter the motive," Modi said. "No person can, under any circumstances, take the law into his own hand and commit violence."Yet reports of mob attacks continue. Minorities and liberals have grown increasingly concerned about the impact of the BJP's Hindu nationalist background on India's secular fabric. The violence has cast a pall over many communities and the family said, though they haven't been impacted themselves, they will not take what they see as a risk and travel."We are not safe going to other towns or villages," said Mateen. "We are not safe. We see in the news, it's very scary actually. That's why we won't go."Yusuf Qureshi, president of the Muslim All India Jamiatul Quresh Action Committee, which provides legal aid and support to India's Muslims, said the problems faced by minorities under Modi run deep. "They are closing all opportunities for us -- education, employment -- all the doors are being shut." He repeated Modi's motto used during campaigning, "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas," which means "everyone together, development together.""If you want us together with you, then give us development also," he said. Rise of right-wing groupsIn 2014, Modi was elected with a massive mandate to reduce corruption and create jobs. He also promised to be a champion of minorities.But the appointment of hardline nationalists to key posts during his first term had observers questioning these promises. In 2017, Yogi Adityanath was made chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, the largest and key election state with almost 40 million Muslims. Adityanath, a hardline Hindu ascetic who is known for anti-Muslim comments, has called for India to become a Hindu state, and has expressed views against inter-faith marriage.BJP President and Modi's right hand man Amit Shah called Muslim migrants from Bangladesh "infiltrators" and "termites" and promised to "remove every single infiltrator from the country, except Buddha, Hindus and Sikhs."India's minorities fear return of ModiHe promised to do so by implementing the National Register of Citizens nationwide. The NRC is a hugely controversial policy mooted last year in Assam, a region of India which shares a porous border with Bangladesh.Meanwhile, the BJP-picked Pragya Singh Thakur, who was elected to Parliament in recent elections, and is currently facing terrorism charges connected to a bomb attack on Muslims several years ago. Thakur denies the charges.The BJP has portrayed the case against her as a conspiracy by its opponents to tar the country's Hindu community. However, as campaigning ended in the 2019 election, Thakur made headlines again when local media quoted her as calling the hardline Hindu who murdered independence leader Mahatma Gandhi a patriot.The party censured her and initiated disciplinary action, she apologized and Modi, speaking to a local television network, said he would never be able to forgive her. But she remains one of the BJP's flag-bearers."They are all very dangerous people are running India," said Alauddin. Modi's own track record with the Muslim community has come under intense scrutiny. A few months after Modi assumed office in Gujarat in late 2001, the state was rocked by riots, in which more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.Modi was criticized for not doing enough to halt the violence, but was not charged with a crime. The US State Department denied Modi a visa in 2005 over the issue.There are fears among minorities and activists that another five years of Modi will embolden right wing Hindu groups, which observers say have become more vocal during Modi's first term.Alauddin fears the right wing will grow. "When they come to power, nobody is going to move them. They can do anything -- whatever they like." Human Rights Watch's Ganguly said the old Delhi family is not alone in its fears. "There is great concern that Hindu extremists engage in violence because they believe they enjoy political patronage," she said. "It is for the state to uphold rule of law, including to take action against those that might back the ruling party's political ideology."Speaking to members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in parliament's Central Hall this week, Modi promised to win the trust of minorities."Vote bank politics created this imagined fear, this imagined atmosphere and an environment of dread was created," he said. "In 2019, I am coming to you responsibly with a certain expectation; I am standing in front of the constitution with my head bowed and making this plea to you. We need to break this deception."India's Modi made the election a referendum on his leadership -- and it paid off But Yusuf Qureshi questioned whether Modi has the will, or even the power, to halt the right-wing or extremist elements of his support base. "He has said these things but the organizations associated with the BJP -- which harass us -- they are not under his control it seems. Every day we see incidents circulating on social media where minorities are being beaten and abused, he should be able to control them and punish them," said Yusuf Qureshi."Based on the past five years, I think there is no point in trusting unless he does something substantial -- gives us educational opportunities, gives us employment."Ultimately, the family is concerned about what kind of India their children will grow up in."They are not secure," said Adnan Qureshi, of the Old Delhi family. "We are worried about our next generation and their next generation. They are not at all secure in any means. If Hindutva comes, then we have no means to live. No power, nothing." CNN's Nikhil Kumar and Manveena Suri contributed.

Amy Woodyatt, Nada Bashir and Dalal Mawad, CNN

2022-02-01 14:15:50

sport

sport

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/01/sport/france-hijab-ban-intl-spt/index.html

French lawmakers have proposed a hijab ban in competitive sports. The impact on women could be devastating. - CNN

Mama Diakité is 23, and has been playing club football for the past 10 years. But all of that could change, she says, if a ban on wearing the hijab while playing sports proposed by the French senate becomes law.

sport, French lawmakers have proposed a hijab ban in competitive sports. The impact on women could be devastating. - CNN

French lawmakers have proposed a hijab ban in competitive sports. The impact on women could be devastating.

(CNN)Mama Diakité is 23, and has been playing club football for the past 10 years. But all of that could change, she says, if a ban on wearing the hijab while playing sports proposed by the French senate becomes law. "It almost means the end of soccer for me," Diakité, a member of Paris based Les Hijabeuses, a collective of young hijab-wearing female footballers campaigning against the ban, and fighting what they describe as the exclusion of Muslim women from sports. Paris based Les Hijabeuses are a collective of young hijab-wearing female footballers tackling what they say is exclusion of Muslim women from sports.The French senate in January voted 160 to 143 to ban the wearing of the hijab and other "ostensible religious symbols" in sports competitions following a proposed amendment from Les Républicains, a right wing party who argued that headscarves can risk the safety of athletes wearing them. Les Républicains Senator Jaqueline Eustache-Brinio said that the French government must have the "courage" to resist what she described as the "Islamist grip" on the country -- something her party believes has taken hold in both sport and education. "We must have the courage, wherever possible to do so, to preserve the unity and cohesion of the Republic," she told RMC, radio partner of CNN affiliate BFMTV.Read MoreAn estimated five million people make up France's Muslim population, the largest in Europe."Sport and school are two places that we must preserve and for which we must resist. Sport is a place where -- whether you are rich or poor, black or white, atheist or believer -- we can practice together and have shared time," she said. "What we want to do is apply the article of the Olympic charter that exists, but that no one wants to hear. Article 50 specifies that in sport, it is neither a political nor a religious element. I think that in sport and in sporting competitions, we have to maintain neutrality until the end."Numerous athletes have competed in the hijab at the Olympic Games, and various headscarf designs have been developed to allow Muslim women to safely compete with their heads covered.Vogue France says 'yes to the headscarf.' Some Muslim women are not happyMuslim women in France already face restrictions on what they can wear in certain places. The full Islamic veil (burqa and niqab) has been banned from public places -- including streets, public transport, shops, hospitals, and cinemas -- in France since April 2021, following a law prohibiting the concealment of the face in the public space. Several other countries, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark followed with their own bans, partial bans and local bans of face coverings.The hijab -- a general term for all modest dress, which is also synonymous with a headscarf that covers a woman's hair in the West -- is authorized in all public areas in France, with the exception of public schools, middle schools and high schools, following a 2004 law, which prohibits the wearing of religious symbols deemed "conspicuous" in schools. Mama Diakité, 23, part of Les Hijabeuses, says talent should be recognised -- not what women wear on their heads.Founé Diawara, 22, of Les Hijabeuses, says the veil should not be seen as a "political flag."Now, some politicians are taking further aim at sports. The French Football Federation already bans women from wearing the hijab in official matches and competitions -- despite FIFA sanctioning the wearing of them in 2014 after a seven-year ban.On Monday, the senate conceded that bitter disagreement amongst lawmakers over the proposed ban would prevent the bill from being passed in its current state.It expressed "regret" over the government's "lack of will" to put a stop to what they described as the "development of Islamism in sport."The law will now be revised by the National Assembly, which is expected to have the final word.Nicolas Cadene -- co-founder of "Vigie Laïcité," an organization that works on a better understanding of French secularism known as laïcité -- explained that over the past few years, France has witnessed "strong tensions between those who want to distance themselves from religion and those who want to affirm it, especially when it comes to Islam."Cadene told CNN that the veil is being politically "instrumentalized" by a part of the French political class that wants to show that it is "tougher and more firm when it comes to laïcité," especially when it comes to Islam and the veil -- a religious symbol that "is misunderstood by the public." Secularism is deeply ingrained in French culture, with many believing that nothing -- not even one's religion -- should come before national identity.He added that there was "a confusion between the practice of Islam as a religion and radicalism," which some politicians are taking advantage of to portray themselves as defending a French identity threatened by foreigners."It's terrible because the French Muslims are not foreigners, and there is not one single French identity," he added.Gendered IslamophobiaCritics of the bill say that far from maintaining neutrality in sports, ongoing discussions surrounding Muslim dress and so-called claims of women's emancipation and integration in French society are simply "gendered Islamophobia."With the French presidential election looming this year, the proposed bill is just a part of a wider ongoing debate in the larger political sphere about secularism, freedom of speech and religious equality."Excuses of 'we want laïcité and we want secularism' -- they're really a shield, because they don't apply fairly to the men performing crosses before they step onto the pitch," Shireen Ahmed, senior contributor with CBC Sports, told CNN."They don't apply to footballers who do that, even within the French league. So where are the rules about this, where half the Paris Saint-Germain F.C. does it [making the sign of the cross] before they step onto the pitch. Where's the consistency here?" she said. "It's a deliberate exclusion."Cadene said the new amendment does not include gestures, which shows its objective is "political and only targets the veil.""Laïcité is being wrongly put forward, it only assumes the neutrality of those who practice a public service, or students in public schools but not sports," he said. "Secularism is for those who represent the state only -- when you are in service."Fatima Bent, head of French feminist and anti-racist organization Lallab, told CNN that "this argument of banning the hijab has nothing to do with liberation, helping Muslim women, and nothing to do with sports conditions. French President Emmanuel has called colonialism a "grave mistake.""This discourse stems from this colonial European approach where Muslim women are always depicted as women to save: from their families, their origin, who have to deny their identities to assimilate.""It is a continuation of a story of a European colonial power that asserts dominance, asserts that Muslim women submit, and considers them as inferior," she added. France is paying the price for normalizing IslamophobiaThe French held colonies in various forms from the 17th century, mainly in Africa and Southeast Asia, losing much of its overseas territory after World War II as independence movements around the world gained strength.France under President Emmanuel Macron has sought to reckon with its colonial past, with the president previously calling colonialism a "grave mistake" and a fault of the republic.An anti-hijab amendment was proposed last year by a group of right-wing senators as part of a law "against separatism." The National Assembly, which had the final say on the bill, rejected it, and is expected to reject that amendment once again this year. Macron's party is opposed to the hijab ban in sports, as is sports minister Roxana Maracinenau.But even if the amendment is not implemented and is not voted through, it will have a great effect, Bent said. Photos: Burqa, hijab, niqab: What's what?Do you know the difference between a hijab and a niqab? How about a burqa and a chador? Click through to read about the different types of headscarves some Muslim women wear.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Burqa, hijab, niqab: What's what?Hijab: The scarf worn tightly around the head and neck does not cover the face. It is the most common Islamic head covering. This Indonesian girl is shopping for a hijab in Yogyakarta.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Burqa, hijab, niqab: What's what?Burkini: The full-body swimsuit worn by Muslim women leaves only the face, hands and feet exposed. Here a woman in a burkini wades in the water with a child at Ghar El Melh beach in Tunisia.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Burqa, hijab, niqab: What's what?Burqa: This full-body garment has a mesh over the eyes. The burqa is widely used in Afghanistan and was required under the Taliban. These Afghan women are shopping in Herat.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Burqa, hijab, niqab: What's what?Niqab: The full-face veil exposes only the eyes. A Palestinian bride in Jericho wears this one.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Burqa, hijab, niqab: What's what?Chador: The full-body black garment leaves the face exposed. These Iranian women are wearing chadors at a political meeting in Tehran.Hide Caption 6 of 6"These political debates and amendments participate in the creation of a narrative in which we see women are either victims, or dangerous and complicit in Islamism," she said. "It shows the dehumanization of Muslim women," she added.Widening the gulf in sports Statistics that show physical activity participation by different religious groups are hard to come by, but the UK's Women's Sports Foundation says that Muslim women already have comparatively lower participation rate in sport because of "religious misinterpretations or simply a lack of awareness" and a lack of single sex provisions which can put young women off sport and physical activity. "When I was in high school, I had to take my veil off every time I went to school, and it was a real humiliation," Founé Diawara, Co-President of Les Hijabeuses said. "Sports are supposed to be open to everyone and are supposed to be synonymous with unity and diversity.""They should stop thinking that the veil is a political flag. When we come to play soccer for 90 minutes we only think about the ball, and kicking the ball. We are not there to make demands or to promote our religion," she added.People gather in Paris on October 27, 2019, to protest against Islamophobia and media bias in France. Worldwide, critics say restrictive legislation is further blocking Muslim women's access to sports. "I was hoping to become the first Bangladeshi girl to represent England on the England International team, but unfortunately that didn't happen," UK based former professional soccer player Lipa Nessa told CNN. "My dreams were cut short."Football's world governing body FIFA enforced a 2007 ban on headscarves -- and it wasn't until seven years later in 2014 that they were sanctioned. Meanwhile, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) changed its rules to allow players to wear religious head coverings during games only as recently as 2017Elite male athletes play in shorts and tank tops, women basically in bikinis"People around me were telling me that they would have to check if I would be allowed to play competitively, because it was still new," Nessa told CNN. Nessa was eventually allowed to play football, but says her negative experiences in the sport caused her to give up on her dreams of playing professionally.She told CNN that when she was 16 and playing semi-professionally, "the parents of the opposition started making airplane noises, booing me, and started making other noises that I don't really want to mention, but they were in relation to attacks that have happened during my lifetime, unfortunately." Diawara, who was excluded from a French soccer field at the age of 15, told CNN: "Even without this amendment, there is a real impact for girls and women who want to do sports. We have many, many testimonies of women and girls who tell us I want to do sports, but I do not know if I can because I wear the hijab."It's a sentiment echoed by Nazma Khan, the founder of the World Hijab Day organization, who says that placing regulations on women's bodies and how women choose to dress could prevent them from pursuing their passions. "Countries like France talk about women's empowerment, but when it comes to Muslim women, they are going backwards by marginalizing Muslim women through hijab bans," Khan told CNN ahead of World Hijab Day on February 1.Some advocates of the bill say they are doing so in support of women's freedoms, but this is a view contested by some Muslim women.Meanwhile, Ahmed told CNN that "forcing women out of clothing is as violent as forcing them into it.""What kind of feminism is a feminism that ignores the voices of the women it's affecting? That's violence, that's oppressive in its very nature: you don't get to decide for someone what their religious beliefs are or constitute," Ahmed said. If they are unable to dress modestly, Muslim women could choose not to participate in sports, because it would contradict their religious beliefs, or affect their safety, she added."I think that itself is a shame for society." Joseph Ataman, Camille Knight and Xiaofei Xu contributed to this report from Paris.

Rob Picheta, CNN

2018-10-23 15:37:53

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/23/europe/france-niqab-ban-un-intl/index.html

France's niqab ban violates human rights, UN committee says - CNN

France's niqab ban violates the human rights of Muslim women and risks "confining them to their homes," the United Nations Human Rights Committee said Tuesday.

europe, France's niqab ban violates human rights, UN committee says - CNN

France's niqab ban violates human rights, UN committee says

(CNN)France's niqab ban violates the human rights of Muslim women and risks "confining them to their homes," the United Nations Human Rights Committee said Tuesday.The committee said two women fined for wearing the full-face Islamic veils should be compensated and it called on France to review its controversial 2010 law banning the garment."The French law disproportionately harmed the petitioners' right to manifest their religious beliefs," the committee said in a statement, adding that France had not adequately explained the need for the ban."The Committee was not persuaded by France's claim that a ban on face covering was necessary and proportionate from a security standpoint or for attaining the goal of 'living together' in society," they said.Why are the burqa and burkini being banned?They added that the ban, "rather than protecting fully veiled women, could have the opposite effect of confining them to their homes, impeding their access to public services and marginalizing them."Read MoreWomen in France can be fined up to 150 euros ($172) for wearing the niqab, a full-face veil with an opening for the eyes, under a law that came into effect in 2011 prohibiting the wearing of headgear covering the face.The French government estimated when it introduced the law that around 2,000 women out of a Muslim population of 3.5 million wore the niqab.Complaints by two women were received by the 18-person expert UN panel in 2016, after they had separately been prosecuted for wearing niqabs in 2012. France must now report to the committee within 180 days on the actions it has taken to implement the panel's decision.In 2014 the European Court of Human Rights rejected a claim by a young Muslim woman that France's ban violated her rights.Denmark and the Netherlands have passed similar bans on face-covering garments since the French law came into effect, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for legislation to do the same.But a further ban on the burkini, a full-length swimsuit worn by some Muslim women, in the French city of Nice was overturned by a regional court after attracting criticism worldwide.

Susanne Gargiulo and Angela Dewan, CNN

2018-08-01 20:48:30

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/01/europe/denmark-burqa-ban-protest-intl/index.html

Denmark burqa ban: Protesters in face veils rally against new law - CNN

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the Danish capital of Copehangen wearing burqas and other veils to protest a law against facial coverings.

europe, Denmark burqa ban: Protesters in face veils rally against new law - CNN

Protesters in face veils march against Denmark's new burqa ban

Copenhagen, Denmark (CNN)Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the Danish capital of Copenhagen wearing burqas and other face veils Wednesday to protest a law against facial coverings, saying the legislation oppresses some Muslim women and violates their rights.Denmark joins several other European nations restricting face coverings. France banned the full face veil in 2011, while Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands and parts of Switzerland have restrictions in place. Other European countries have debated the issue.Protester Sabina says the law will radically change her life. The Danish law was passed in May and came into effect Wednesday, meaning people found wearing facial coverings in public could be fined from 1,000 Danish krone ($157), for a first offense, up to 10,000 krone ($1,565) for a fourth violation.Several women wearing niqabs -- which fully cover the body but leave the eye area open -- said this would make it very difficult for them to leave their homes, whether to take their children to school, grocery shop, or just move around their communities. The burqa covers the entire body and has mesh in the eye area. A Muslim protester -- Sabina, who gave only her first name and wears a niqab -- said it would have "huge consequences" on her life. Read More"Every time I step outside my front door, I am a criminal. I have to stay in my house, isolated. I cannot go to the grocery store, I cannot go out," she told CNN. "Wearing this is an important spiritual choice for me. And now it is also a sign of protest. Every time the government does this, they make me firmer in my belief."Demonstrators march against burqa/niqab ban in Copenhagen today pic.twitter.com/6DCSNLzG1V— Susanne Gargiulo (@sgargiulo) August 1, 2018 The ban has been ridiculed for its vague language -- and for outlawing all facial coverings in public -- despite its backers clearly stating that its real target is the Islamic face veil. Anything from ski masks and fake beards to scarves covering the face could be seen as illegal. Police said they would not enforce the ban during Wednesday's protest because people had the right to demonstrate.Critics of the law also point out the small number of women who actually wear the veil in Denmark -- only around 150 to 200 Muslim women wear the niqab or the burqa on a daily basis, according to a University of Copenhagen study. Muslims account for about 5% of Denmark's population of 5.7 million.Sasha Andersen, a spokeswoman for the Party Rebels political group that organized the protest, called on the government to rescind the law. "It moves us in a direction that is far more discriminatory and it limits people's freedom with something as commonplace as clothing," she said. Protesters gathered in Norrebro, a neighborhood known for its cultural diversity, and marched through the city's streets to the Bellahoej Police station less than a mile away, shouting: "No racists in our streets." Protesters form a human chain around a police station. They formed a human chain around the large police station, as several police officers protected the building.Martin Henriksen, an MP from the Danish People's Party, which proposed the ban, said he was very pleased with the progress of the law. "The burqua and niqab are the purest form of extremism. This is a battle again fundamentalism. As a society, we are showing what we are willing to accept," he said. "We believe this is an important step for our country and we hope it will inspire other countries to do the same. It is irreconcilable with Danish culture and values."He added that in the future his party also hoped to see the banning from schools of Islamic headscarves that leave the face visible.CNN's Angela Dewan wrote from London. Journalist Susanne Gargiulo reported from Copenhagen.

Manveena Suri, CNN

2017-03-21 16:07:28

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/21/asia/india-uttar-pradesh-hindu-priest/index.html

Yogi Adityanath: Hindu priest-turned-politician to lead India's most populous state - CNN

The appointment of a polarizing Hindu religious leader as the next chief minister of an Indian state with almost 40 million Muslims has raised concerns about the country's direction under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

asia, Yogi Adityanath: Hindu priest-turned-politician to lead India's most populous state - CNN

India: Priest-turned-politician-turned-state leader raises concerns in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi (CNN)The appointment of a polarizing Hindu religious leader as the next chief minister of an Indian state with almost 40 million Muslims has raised concerns about the country's direction under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After BJP swept Uttar Pradesh elections in a landslide last week, taking 75% of available seats, Yogi Adityanath became head of the state's government. Adityanath is known for his provocative rhetoric against Muslims, including once vowing in a speech about inter-faith marriage that "If the Muslims take away a Hindu girl, we will take away 100 Muslim girls."Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state with 204 million people -- nearly a fifth of which are Muslim.Adityanath, 44, is head priest of a Hindu temple in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh's northeast, and five-time member of parliament for the district. Read MoreWhile he is popular with many Hindus, his appointment caught many by surprise, said Shekhar Gupta, a veteran political journalist and former editor of the Indian Express newspaper who currently hosts "Walk the Talk", a political interview talk show on NDTV24x7."There was a great degree of polarization in this election," Gupta said. "The Hindu vote is divided on the basis of caste, and the challenge (for BJP) was to try and use faith to reunite what caste has divided." BJP has defended Adityanath's appointment, with BJP minister and spokesman Venkaiah Naidu saying in a statement that the new chief minister "is a strong politician and committed to (helping) the downtrodden." Unity and developmentSince coming to power in 2014, Modi and the BJP have focused on fiscal growth and development. In the run-up to its record-breaking win in Uttar Pradesh this month, the BJP campaigned on a promise of "sabka saath, sabka vikas," which loosely translates to "unity together, development together." But for some, Modi's backing of Adityanath raises the specter of Hindutva, an ideology which considers India a Hindu nation. The Indian constitution established the country as a secular republic."The BJP campaigned on several issues and 'development' was only one of them," said Firat Unlu, lead India analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)."The choice of Adityanath makes sense as it will help solidify the BJP's gains among the Hindu population and the Hindutva plank was arguably more important than the 'development' agenda in UP."Multiple BJP figures have said Muslim support for the party was key to their victory in the state. However, concerns have been raised over how willing Adityanath's government will be to reach out to Muslim residents. In recent years, there have been numerous religious and communal clashes in the state. According to an investigation by the Hindustan Times, of the 11,000 incidents of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh since 2012, around 23% were sparked by "religious intolerance." Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsA supporter of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) attends an election rally for leader Mayawati in February, 2017. Millions of voters in Uttar Pradesh, India's biggest state, start to head to the polls on February 11.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsSupporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cheer during an election rally addressed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2017.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsPopular Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a landslide victory in the national elections in 2014. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsSitting Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party takes a selfie with a phone during a public rally in February 2017.Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsAn art student paints during a voting awareness campaign ahead of the elections. As India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh has the largest parliamentary representation and holds huge political sway.Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsCongress party vice president, Rahul Gandhi, looks at Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav, during a joint election rally in Agra. In January, the two parties revealed they were forging an alliance.Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsBahujan Samaj Party supporters listen to leader Mayawati during an election rally on February 7, 2017. Mayawati is seeking a fifth term as Chief Minister. She was beaten convincingly in 2012 by the Samajwadi Party.Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsSupporters wave from a rooftop as they attend a joint election campaign rally by Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav, and Congress party vice president, Rahul Gandhi, in February 2017. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Uttar Pradesh: 100 million Indians to cast vote in pivotal electionsIndian election officials examine Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) at a distribution centre in Amritsar on February 3. The final count is on March 11, after a seven-phase voting period.Hide Caption 9 of 9Veerappa Moily, a senior figure in the opposition Congress party, called Adityanath's appointment a "big assault" against secularism. "India is not Hinduism. Hinduism is not India," he told the Press Trust of India news agency. In a statement, Congress said it accepted it was the right of the ruling part to appoint the chief minister but vowed to act "as (a) watchdog of people's interests." Gupta, the political commentator, said "if I was a Muslim in UP today, I'd be feeling very unwanted." He accused the BJP of discounting non-Hindu supporters and choosing a "divisive" candidate. "We thought that (Modi), who had insisted that this was a vote for development and for equality, would have come up with a more modern leader than Yogi Adityanath," Gupta said.Representatives for the BJP and Adityanath did not immediately respond to a request for comment. OutspokenAdityanath has staunch views on the slaughter of cows, an animal considered sacred by Hindus. He also has a history of controversial statements having reportedly told those who oppose yoga to leave the country or drown themselves, and, according to media reports, claiming at a religious rally in 2016 that Mother Teresa was part of a conspiracy to "Christianize India." He also once compared Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan to Hafiz Saeed, the alleged planner of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, according to the Press Trust of India.In January, he praised US President Donald Trump's travel ban barring citizens of several Muslim-majority countries and called for India to take similar measures, according to NDTV. On Monday, Amnesty International India called on Adityanath to retract his previous statements. "Adityanath has been one of Uttar Pradesh's most polarizing politicians, given to hateful rhetoric that incites discrimination and hostility against minority groups, particularly Muslims," said executive director Aakar Patel."He (Adityanath) and his party have an obligation to ensure that his positions do not become government policy. It is therefore imperative that he retracts any statements which may provide a license for others to abuse human rights." A calculated risk Modi congratulated Adityanath on Twitter, writing that he had "immense confidence" the new team "will leave no stone unturned" in developing Uttar Pradesh (UP). "Our sole mission and motive is development," Modi said on Twitter. "When UP develops, India develops. We want to serve UP's youth and create opportunities for them."  I have immense confidence that this new team will leave no stone unturned in making UP Uttam Pradesh. There will be record development.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2017 Following his swearing-in on Sunday, Adityanath said his government will work for all sections of society without any discrimination."His appointment was a "calculated risk that will polarize voters but could pay off electorally," said EIU's Unlu. "Having raised expectations for economic development so high the BJP needs to advance on its 'development' platform," he said. "A stronger coordination between the central and UP governments could drive economic growth while Adityanath ensures that the base remains happy."Editor's note: This story has been updated for clarity.

Rhea Mogul and Swati Gupta, CNN

2022-01-15 00:22:46

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/14/asia/india-hindu-extremist-groups-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

India's Hindu extremists are calling for genocide against Muslims. Why is so little being done to stop them? - CNN

At a conference in India last month, a Hindu extremist dressed head-to-toe in the religion's holy color, saffron, called on her supporters to kill Muslims and "protect" the country.

asia, India's Hindu extremists are calling for genocide against Muslims. Why is so little being done to stop them? - CNN

India's Hindu extremists are calling for genocide against Muslims. Why is little being done to stop them?

Delhi, India (CNN)At a conference in India last month, a Hindu extremist dressed head-to-toe in the religion's holy color, saffron, called on her supporters to kill Muslims and "protect" the country. "If 100 of us become soldiers and are prepared to kill 2 million (Muslims), then we will win ... protect India, and make it a Hindu nation," said Pooja Shakun Pandey, a senior member of the right-wing Hindu Mahasabha political party, according to a video of the event. Her words and calls for violence from other religious leaders were met with a roar of applause from the large audience, a video from the three-day conference in the northern Indian city of Haridwar shows.But across India, people were outraged. Nearly a month on, many are still furious at the lack of government response or arrests over the comments, which they say highlights a worsening climate for the country's Muslims. After mounting pressure, India's top court intervened on Wednesday, asking for a response from state and federal authorities within 10 days.Read MorePandey and several others are being investigated by local police for insulting religious beliefs, a charge that carries a possible sentence of up to four years in prison, Haridwar police officials told CNN.Neither Pandey, nor the others, have publicly commented about the outcry or investigations.Late Thursday, police in Uttarakhand state, where Haridwar is located, arrested a man who spoke at the event, senior Haridwar Police official Shekhar Suyal told CNN. It is unclear what the man said at the event. Police have not formally charged anyone with any crime. CNN has contacted India's Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Hindu Mahasabha and Pandey, but has not received a response.In Hindu-nationalist India, Muslims risk being branded infiltrators in their own countryAnalysts say the Hindu Mahasabha is at the tip of a broader trend in India which has seen an alarming rise in support for extremist Hindu nationalist groups since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power nearly eight years ago. Although these groups aren't directly associated with Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), his own Hindu nationalist agenda, and the lack of repercussions for these groups' previous vitriolic comments, has given them tacit support, making them even more brazen, analysts say. Analysts fear this rise poses a serious danger to minorities, especially Muslims -- and worry it may only get worse as several Indian states head to the polls in the coming months. "What makes the Hindu Mahasabha dangerous," said Gilles Verniers, an assistant professor of political science at Ashoka University near India's capital, New Delhi, "is that they have been waiting for a moment like this in decades."Rise of the right-wing Hindu groupFounded in 1907 during British rule at a time of growing conflict between Muslims and Hindus in the country, the Hindu Mahasabha is one of India's oldest political organizations. The group didn't support British rule, but it didn't back India's freedom movement either, led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was particularly tolerant of Muslims. Even now, some members of the group worship his assassin, Nathuram Godse.The Hindu Mahasabha's vision, according to the group's official website, is to declare India the "National Home of the Hindus." The website says if it takes power, it will not hesitate to "force" the migration of India's Muslims to neighboring Pakistan and vows to reform the country's education system to align it with their version of Hinduism. With its controversial campaigns and ideology, Hindu Mahasabha has always been a marginal political force. The last time the group had a presence in Parliament was in 1991. India is investigating a fake website that offered Muslim women for saleBut according to Verniers, their "strength is not to be measured in electoral terms." And in the past eight years since Modi came to power, they appear to have expanded in numbers and influence based on the size and frequency of their meetings, he said.While the group does not publicly disclose how many members it has, Verniers said they are "comfortably in the tens of thousands."Hindu Mahasabha targets rural communities in northern states, where there is a large BJP presence, encouraging them to vote for parties that align with their Hindu-nationalist ideology, including Modi's BJP, Verniers said. Modi, in turn, has publicly honored the Hindu Mahasabha's late leader, Veer Savarkar, for "his bravery" and "emphasis on social reform." Nathuram Godse's statue is adroned with a garland at the Hindu Mahasabha office in New Delhi.And as Hindu Mahasabha has grown in recent years, it has become more outspoken.In 2015, Sadhvi Deva Thakur, then a senior member of the group, caused widespread controversy when she told reporters Muslims and Christians should undergo forced sterilization to control their population growth. CNN has reached out to her for comment. Pandey, who spoke at the December conference in Haridwar, was arrested in February 2019 after a video showed her shooting an effigy of Gandhi, according to CNN affiliate CNN News-18. Photos uploaded to her official Facebook page last May show her worshiping a statue of Gandhi's assassin. CNN has not been able to confirm whether she was formally charged over the February 2019 incident. Hindu Mahasabha isn't the only right-wing Hindu nationalist group to espouse violent sentiment toward liberals and minorities -- including India's 200 million Muslims, who make up 15% of the country's 1.3 billion population.At last month's conference, several speakers called on India's Hindus to "defend" the religion with weapons. Another called for the "cleansing" of India's minorities, according to video from the event. But according to Verniers, Hindu Mahasbha one of the largest right-wing political groups aiming to make India the land of the Hindus.And while the group's campaigns and ideas are decades old, they're more bold about them now. "The escalation of their hate speech is reflective of the state of affairs in India," said Verniers. "But they are able to get away with it more."Thousands of people gather to mark protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act law in Delhi, India, on January 26, 2020. Acting with impunityThe reason extremist groups appear to be on the rise is clear, according to experts: they have impunity and support. India prohibits hate speech under several sections of its penal code, including a section which criminalizes "deliberate and malicious acts" intended to insult religious beliefs. According to lawyer Vrinda Grover, any group inciting violence is barred under Indian law. "Police, states and the government are responsible to ensure (inciting violence) doesn't happen," she said. "But the state, through its inaction, is actually permitting these groups to function, while endangering Muslims who are the targets." Pandey's rant and some of the other calls for violence were the "worst form of hate speech," according to Verniers. "This is the first time I find myself using the term 'genocide' in Indian politics," he said, referring to the comments made at last month's conference. "They have tacit support in the form of government silence."That's because Modi also has a Hindu nationalist agenda, experts say.Indian comedian Vir Das sparks explosive online debate with controversial tale of 'two Indias'Modi swept to power in India in 2014, promising economic reform and development for the country. But starting from his first term as Prime Minister, minority groups and analysts say they began to see a significant shift in India's ideology from a secular to a Hindu nationalist state.The BJP has its roots in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right wing-Hindu group that counts Modi among its members. Many RSS members are adherents of the Hindutva ideology that the Hindu Mahasabha preach -- to make India the land of the Hindus. In 2018, India's current Home Minister Amit Shah said Muslim immigrants and asylum seekers from Bangladesh were "termites" and promised to rid the nation of them. The BJP's Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of the north Indian state Uttar Pradesh, known for his anti-Muslim views, once compared Muslim Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan to Hafiz Saeed, the alleged planner of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, according to the Press Trust of India. Between 2015 and 2018, vigilante groups killed dozens of people -- many of whom were Muslims -- for allegedly consuming or killing cows, an animal considered sacred by Hindus, according to a report from Human Rights Watch. Modi publicly condemned some of the killings, but the violence continued, and in 2017, his government attempted to ban the sale and slaughter of cows --currently illegal in several Indian states -- nationwide. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inauguratea the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor, Varanasi, on December 13, 2021. Human Rights Watch said many of the alleged murders went unpunished in part due to delayed police investigations and "rhetoric" from ruling party politicians, which may have incited mob violence.In 2019, India's Parliament passed a bill that would give immigrants from three neighboring countries a pathway to citizenship -- except for Muslims. It led to extended protests and international condemnation.In December 2020, Uttar Pradesh enacted a controversial anti-conversion law, making it more difficult for interfaith couples to marry or for people to convert to Islam or Christianity. Other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Assam, introduced similar laws, leading to widespread harassment and, in some cases, arrests for interfaith couples, Christian priests and pastors.The chief minister of India's Uttar Pradesh state Yogi Adityanath addresses a public rally in Allahabad on December 26, 2021. All of this has only served to encourage extremist groups like the Hindu Mahasabha, say experts. Zakia Soman, a women's rights activist and co-founder of the Muslim group Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, said "a failure of governance" had given rise to more right-wing extremists. "Our community is realizing that we have become second-class citizens in our own country," Soman said. "Minority bashing and hate is becoming regular and normalized. As the intensity increases, the venom and violence in their language also increases." A 21-year-old Muslim student in Delhi, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of backlash from right-wing groups, said Muslims are filled with "a sense of fear" every time right-wing Hindu groups make hateful comments. "It gives us a sense that we don't belong here," he said.The future of the Hindu-rightDespite police investigations and public outrage, legal action against those who spoke and were present at December's event have been slow.In a letter submitted to Modi on Friday and seen by CNN, students and faculty of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore and Ahmedabad said his silence "emboldens" hate, adding there is "sense of fear" among minority groups in India. Some experts agree the government's silence has only emboldened these groups further. "Hate speech precedes hate crimes," Grover, the lawyer, said. "And we are witnessing a crescendo of hate crimes. These groups are rapidly spreading poison through society." A 2019 US intelligence report warned that parliamentary elections in India increase the possibility of communal violence if Modi's BJP "stresses Hindu nationalist themes." It added that state leaders "might view a Hindu-nationalist campaign as a signal to incite low-level violence to animate their supporters." The BJP -- which rarely gives statements on the issue -- says it does not discriminate against minorities, adding in a statement last March that it "treats all its citizens with equality" and "laws are applied without discrimination." But analysts fear the BJP's divisive politics will could lead to increased violence against minority groups in the lead up to pivotal state elections this year. And reported episodes of violence against Muslims have already increased ahead of this year's state elections. In December, crowds of India's Hindu-right confronted Muslims praying on the streets in the city of Gurugram, just outside of Delhi. They prevented Muslims from praying, while shouting slogans and carrying banners in protest. "It is an electoral strategy," said Verniers, the political scientist. "Create religious tension, activate religious polarization and consolidate on the Hindu vote." Grover, the lawyer, said criminal laws are "weaponized" in India, adding anyone who challenges those in power "face the wrath of the law." "Muslim lives in India are demonized," she said. "The Indian state is in serious crisis." On January 1, Pandey held a live broadcast for her more than 1,500 Facebook followers. The subject was "Religious Parliament," her post said.For the 21-year-old student, it is difficult to "expect any sense of justice" for Indian Muslims. He says even having a Muslim name is enough to make him feel unsafe. "It is really scary to carry the Muslim identity in India today."

Tim Lister, Josh Pennington, Luke McGee and Radina Gigova, CNN

2022-03-06 06:22:05

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/06/europe/ukraine-russia-invasion-sunday-intl-hnk/index.html

Irpin, Kyiv family killed: Russian military strike hits evacuation route in suburb - CNN

A Russian military strike hit an evacuation crossing point in a Kyiv suburb Sunday, killing a family with two children and several other civilians trying to flee the Russian invasion, according to the city's mayor, as civilian casualties seeking safety from the onslaught continue to rise.

europe, Irpin, Kyiv family killed: Russian military strike hits evacuation route in suburb - CNN

'A family died... in front of my eyes': Civilians killed as Russian military strike hits evacuation route in Kyiv suburb

Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN)A Russian military strike hit an evacuation crossing point in a Kyiv suburb Sunday, killing a family with two children and several other civilians trying to flee the Russian invasion, according to the city's mayor, as civilian casualties seeking safety from the onslaught continue to rise. Two mortar or artillery shells hit the checkpoint in the suburb of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities said, which has been the site of intense shelling by the Russian military in recent days. Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said eight civilians have been killed across the district, and international media filming at the checkpoint reported that a shell landed as a stream of civilians was coming through. Blinken says US has seen reports of Russian abuses in Ukraine that 'would constitute a war crime'"A family died," Markushyn said in a statement. "In front of my eyes, two small children and two adults died."Video from the moment the strike killed a family shows a Ukrainian soldier standing outside a building on a street. Suddenly, an explosion is seen and heard on the video. Debris is heard raining down on the building and the street is obscured by a dust cloud. A number of journalists are heard reacting to the strike.Read MoreAs the scene begins clearing, someone is seen pulling the Ukrainian soldier away. Other soldiers run across the street and appear to be checking the condition of a number of individuals on the ground."Medic," someone is heard repeatedly screaming.Photographs from the Associated Press showed bodies on the ground covered by sheets, with suitcases standing upright nearby. CNN has determined the civilians were killed in the Russian military strike seen in the video.Russia invades UkraineThe Kyiv Regional Military Administration appealed to international organizations for help in resolving a growing humanitarian crisis."Thousands of people found themselves in isolation, because of direct hostilities, and in some places for 5-6 days they survive without electricity, water, food, medical help and means of subsistence. They are in direct danger," it said.The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said Sunday that more than 360 civilians had been killed in Ukraine since Russia's invasion began, while acknowledging that the real figure is likely "considerably higher." CNN cannot independently verify the casualty numbers. The UN also reports more than 1.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine since February 24. Evacuation corridors closed In the country's southeast, hopes that a second attempt to open up safe evacuation routes for civilians in Mariupol and Volnovakha might succeed -- after a first effort failed on Saturday -- were dashed within hours.The governor of the Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said on Facebook on Sunday that the planned "evacuation convoy with local residents was never able to leave Mariupol today: the Russians began to regroup their forces and heavy shelling of the city. It is extremely dangerous to evacuate people in such conditions." Kyrylenko added that a convoy carrying humanitarian aid from the central city of Zaporizhzhia, three hours from Mariupol, "has not yet reached its destination and is currently on its way."The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also said Sunday's planned evacuation in Mariupol had failed."Today, our team began opening up the evacuation route from Mariupol before hostilities resumed. We remain in Mariupol and are ready to help facilitate further attempts -- if the parties reach an agreement, which is for them alone to implement and respect," the ICRC said on Twitter."People in Mariupol and in other places across #Ukraine are living in desperate situations. They must be protected at all times. They are not a target. People urgently need water, food, shelter. The basics of life. We need safety guarantees to be able to bring them aid."Ukrainian lawmaker Inna Sovsun claimed Sunday that Russian forces had damaged a gas pipeline in southeastern Ukraine, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without heat in bitter temperatures. 'They shoot at anyone who tries to leave.' Ukrainians describe terror of living under Russian occupation "Donetsk-Mariupol gas pipeline was damaged by #Russian occupants. Now, more than 750,000 of people are left without any heat, while it's still often below 0°C (32 degrees Fahrenheit) outside," Sovsun said on Twitter. Separately, television and radio broadcasts have been knocked out in Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, after Russian military strikes, according to the Regional Administration.In a post on Facebook Sunday, the Regional Administration said "repeated shelling" of the TV tower in Kharkiv had knocked out broadcasting capabilities. Russia has fired a total of 600 missiles since the invasion of Ukraine began, a senior US defense official told CNN on Sunday, and has committed approximately 95% of its amassed combat power inside Ukraine.Earlier Sunday, heavy shelling was reported to the west and northwest of Kyiv. The impact of explosions was heard by CNN teams in Kyiv and in rural areas to the southwest. Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn aerial view of the Retroville shopping mall in Kyiv on Monday, March 21 after a Russian shelling.Hide Caption 1 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian servicemen search through rubble inside the Retroville shopping mall in northwest Kyiv on March 21 after a Russian attack.Hide Caption 2 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople share dinner and sing "Happy Birthday" during a celebration at an artists' co-living studio space in Kyiv on March 20. The space has turned into a bomb shelter for approximately 25 artists from around Ukraine who are now volunteering to help the war effort. Hide Caption 3 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineFormer Ukrainian Parliament member Tetiana Chornovol, now a service member and operator of an anti-tank guided missile system, on March 20 examines the Russian tank she destroyed in a recent battle on the front line in the Kyiv region.Hide Caption 4 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople gather in a basement used as a bomb shelter during an air raid in Lviv on March 19.Hide Caption 5 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian serviceman stands among debris after shelling in a residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 18. Hide Caption 6 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUS President Joe Biden holds a virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in this photo that was released by the White House on March 18. Biden sought to use the 110-minute call to dissuade Xi from assisting Russia in its war on Ukraine.Hide Caption 7 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineStaff members attend to a child at the Zaporizhzhia Regional Children's Clinical Hospital on March 18. Children who have sustained severe injuries during the Russian invasion are treated at the hospital. Hide Caption 8 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineRussian President Vladimir Putin attends a rally at a stadium in Moscow on March 18. Speaking from a stage in front of a banner that read "for a world without Nazism," Putin said Russia "will definitely implement all our plans" in Ukraine. He insisted that national unity was the strongest in a long time, even as many people flee Russia or protest against war in the streets. State workers were told by authorities to attend the celebration, which commemorated the eighth year of Russia's annexation of Crimea.Hide Caption 9 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineOn March 17, a woman reacts while speaking outside a destroyed apartment block in the southern port city of Mariupol. Hide Caption 10 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky receives a standing ovation as he virtually addresses the US Congress on Wednesday, March 16. The historic speech occurred as the United States is under pressure to provide more military assistance to the embattled country.Hide Caption 11 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn elderly woman is helped by policemen after she was rescued from an apartment that was hit by shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, March 15.Hide Caption 12 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineFirefighters work to extinguish flames at an apartment building in Kyiv on March 15.Hide Caption 13 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMilitary cadets attend a funeral ceremony at a church in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 15. The funeral was for four of the Ukrainian servicemen who were killed during an airstrike on the Yavoriv military base near the Polish border. Local authorities say 35 people were killed.Hide Caption 14 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman walks past a damaged window to lay flowers at a makeshift memorial for victims of the recent shelling in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine, on March 15.Hide Caption 15 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineFirefighters search a building for survivors after an attack in Kharkiv on Monday, March 14. At least one dead body was pulled from the rubble after hours of digging.Hide Caption 16 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian soldiers take cover from incoming artillery fire in Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 13.Hide Caption 17 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian soldier surveys a destroyed government building in Kharkiv on March 13.Hide Caption 18 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA mother and son rest in Lviv, Ukraine, while waiting to board a train to Poland on March 12.Hide Caption 19 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn explosion is seen at an apartment building in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 11. The city in southeastern Ukraine has been besieged by Russian forces.Hide Caption 20 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMariana Vishegirskaya's husband, Yuri, holds their newborn daughter, Veronika, at a hospital in Mariupol on March 11. Vishegirskaya survived the maternity hospital bombing in the city earlier in the week.Hide Caption 21 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople pay their respects during a funeral service for three Ukrainian soldiers in Lviv on March 11. Senior Soldier Andrii Stefanyshyn, 39; Senior Lt. Taras Didukh, 25; and Sgt. Dmytro Kabakov, 58, were laid to rest at the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church. Even in this sacred space, the sounds of war intruded: an air raid siren audible under the sound of prayer and weeping. Yet no one stirred. Residents are now inured to the near-daily warnings of an air attack.Hide Caption 22 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gives a news conference after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Antalya, Turkey, on March 10. Two weeks into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lavrov falsely claimed that his country "did not attack" its neighbor.Hide Caption 23 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA resident takes shelter in a basement in Irpin on March 10. Due to heavy fighting, Irpin has been without heat, water or electricity for several days.Hide Caption 24 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineEmergency workers carry an injured pregnant woman outside of a bombed maternity hospital in Mariupol on March 9. The woman and her baby later died, a surgeon who was treating her confirmed. The attack came despite Russia agreeing to a 12-hour pause in hostilities to allow refugees to evacuate.Hide Caption 25 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian servicemen work inside the damaged maternity hospital in Mariupol on March 9. "The destruction is enormous," the city council said. "The building of the medical facility where the children were treated recently is completely destroyed."Hide Caption 26 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineDead bodies are placed into a mass grave on the outskirts of Mariupol on March 9. With overflowing morgues and repeated shelling, the city has been unable to hold proper burials.Hide Caption 27 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineCars drive past a destroyed Russian tank as civilians leave Irpin on March 9. A Ukrainian official said lines of vehicles stretched for miles as people tried to escape fighting in districts to the north and northwest of Kyiv.Hide Caption 28 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA displaced Ukrainian mother embraces her child while waiting at the Przemysl railway station in Poland on March 8.Hide Caption 29 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian serviceman walks past the remains of a Russian aircraft lying in a damaged building in Kharkiv on March 8.Hide Caption 30 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is displayed on a screen as he addresses British lawmakers via video on March 8. "We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight until the end at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost," he said in his comments translated by an interpreter. The House of Commons gave Zelensky a standing ovation at the end of his address.Hide Caption 31 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA firefighter works to extinguish flames after a chemical warehouse was reportedly hit by Russian shelling near Kalynivka, Ukraine, on March 8.Hide Caption 32 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAlexandra, 12, holds her 6-year-old sister, Esyea, who cries as she waves at her mother, Irina, on March 7. The children were leaving Odesa, Ukraine.Hide Caption 33 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMembers of the Red Cross help people fleeing the Kyiv suburb of Irpin on March 7.Hide Caption 34 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineThe dead bodies of civilians killed while trying to flee are covered by sheets in Irpin on March 6. CNN determined they were killed in a Russian military strike.Hide Caption 35 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineCivilians seek protection in a basement bomb shelter in Kyiv on March 6.Hide Caption 36 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineLocal residents help clear the rubble of a home that was destroyed by a suspected Russian airstrike in Markhalivka, Ukraine, on March 5.Hide Caption 37 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineGeorge Keburia says goodbye to his wife and children as they board a train in Odesa on March 5. They were heading to Lviv.Hide Caption 38 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA statue is covered in Lviv on March 5. Residents wrapped statues in protective sheets to try to safeguard historic monuments across the city.Hide Caption 39 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River on the outskirts of Kyiv on March 5.Hide Caption 40 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMarina Yatsko runs behind her boyfriend, Fedor, as they arrive at the hospital with her 18-month-old son, Kirill, who was wounded by shelling in Mariupol on March 4. Medical workers frantically tried to save the boy's life, but he didn't survive.Hide Caption 41 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople remove personal belongings from a burning house after shelling in Irpin on March 4.Hide Caption 42 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineOksana and her son Dmytro stand over the open casket of her husband, Volodymyr Nezhenets, during his funeral in Kyiv on March 4. According to the Washington Post, he was a member of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, which is comprised mostly of volunteers.Hide Caption 43 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople crowd on a platform as they try to board a westbound train in Kyiv on March 4.Hide Caption 44 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA bullet-ridden bus is seen after an ambush in Kyiv on March 4.Hide Caption 45 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople take shelter on the floor of a hospital during shelling in Mariupol on March 4.Hide Caption 46 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA member of the Ukrainian military gives instructions to civilians in Irpin on March 4. They were about to board an evacuation train headed to Kyiv.Hide Caption 47 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSurveillance camera footage shows a flare landing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, during shelling on March 4. Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces have "occupied" the power plant.Hide Caption 48 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian child rests on a bed at a temporary refugee center in Záhony, Hungary, on March 4.Hide Caption 49 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA residential building destroyed by shelling is seen in Borodyanka, Ukraine, on March 3. Russian forces have shown a "willingness to hit civilian infrastructure on purpose," a senior US defense official told reporters.Hide Caption 50 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineLeos Leonid recovers at a hospital in Kyiv on March 3. The 64-year-old survived being crushed when an armored vehicle drove over his car. Video of the incident was widely shared on social media.Hide Caption 51 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian soldier carries a baby across a destroyed bridge on the outskirts of Kyiv on March 3.Hide Caption 52 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineResidents react in front of a burning building after shelling in Kharkiv on March 3.Hide Caption 53 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian soldier who says he was shot three times in the opening days of the invasion sits on a hospital bed in Kyiv on March 3.Hide Caption 54 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople form a human chain to transfer supplies into Kyiv on March 3.Hide Caption 55 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA cemetery worker digs graves for Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv on March 3.Hide Caption 56 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA mother cares for her two infant sons in the underground shelter of a maternity hospital in Kyiv on March 3. She gave birth a day earlier, and she and her husband haven't yet decided on names for the twins.Hide Caption 57 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA member of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces sits with a weapon in Kyiv on March 2.Hide Caption 58 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineParamedics treat an elderly woman wounded by shelling before transferring her to a hospital in Mariupol on March 2.Hide Caption 59 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineResidents of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, work in the remains of a residential building on March 2. The building was destroyed by shelling.Hide Caption 60 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman reads a story to children while they take shelter in a subway station in Kyiv on March 2.Hide Caption 61 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA member of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces inspects damage in the backyard of a house in Gorenka on March 2.Hide Caption 62 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian woman takes her children over the border in Siret, Romania, on March 2. Many Ukrainians are fleeing the country at a pace that could turn into "Europe's largest refugee crisis this century," the United Nations Refugee Agency said.Hide Caption 63 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMilitia members set up anti-tank barricades in Kyiv on March 2.Hide Caption 64 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople wait at a train station in Kyiv on March 2.Hide Caption 65 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople shelter in a subway station in Kyiv on March 2.Hide Caption 66 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky poses for a picture in a Kyiv bunker after an exclusive interview with CNN and Reuters on March 1. Zelensky said that as long as Moscow's attacks on Ukrainian cities continued, little progress could be made in talks between the two nations. "It's important to stop bombing people, and then we can move on and sit at the negotiation table," he said.Hide Caption 67 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn explosion is seen at a TV tower in Kyiv on March 1. Russian forces fired rockets near the tower and struck a Holocaust memorial site in Kyiv hours after warning of "high-precision" strikes on other facilities linked to Ukrainian security agencies.Hide Caption 68 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian soldiers attend Mass at an Orthodox monastery in Kyiv on March 1.Hide Caption 69 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMedical workers show a mother her newborn after she gave birth at a maternity hospital in Mariupol on March 1. The hospital is now also used as a medical ward and bomb shelter.Hide Caption 70 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn administrative building is seen in Kharkiv after Russian shelling on March 1. Russian forces have scaled up their bombardment of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.Hide Caption 71 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian emergency workers carry a body of a victim following shelling that hit the City Hall building in Kharkiv on March 1.Hide Caption 72 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman named Helen comforts her 8-year-old daughter, Polina, in the bomb shelter of a Kyiv children's hospital on March 1. The girl was at the hospital being treated for encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain.Hide Caption 73 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian refugees try to stay warm at the Medyka border crossing in Poland on March 1.Hide Caption 74 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineVolunteers in Kyiv sign up to join Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces on February 28.Hide Caption 75 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA member of the Territorial Defense Forces loads rifle magazines in Kyiv on February 28.Hide Caption 76 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineDelegations from Russia and Ukraine hold talks in Belarus on February 28. Both sides discussed a potential "ceasefire and the end of combat actions on the territory of Ukraine," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhaylo Podolyak told reporters. Without going into detail, Podolyak said that both sides would return to their capitals for consultations over whether to implement a number of "decisions."Hide Caption 77 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian forces order a man to the ground on February 28 as they increased security measures amid Russian attacks in Kyiv.Hide Caption 78 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA displaced Ukrainian cradles her child at a temporary shelter set up inside a gymnasium in Beregsurány, Hungary, on February 28.Hide Caption 79 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineRussian infantry mobility vehicles are destroyed after fighting in Kharkiv on February 28. A residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was hit by a rocket attack, according to Ukrainian officials and multiple social media videos geolocated by CNN. A civilian was killed and 31 people were wounded, the city's council said. Hide Caption 80 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineThe lifeless body of a 6-year-old girl, who according to the Associated Press was killed by Russian shelling in a residential area, lies on a medical cart at a hospital in Mariupol on February 27. The girl, whose name was not immediately known, was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.Hide Caption 81 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSmoke billows over the Ukrainian city of Vasylkiv, just outside Kyiv on February 27. A fire at an oil storage area was seen raging at the Vasylkiv Air Base.Hide Caption 82 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople wait on a platform inside the railway station in Lviv on February 27. Thousands of people at Lviv's main train station attempted to board trains that would take them out of Ukraine.Hide Caption 83 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Russian armored vehicle burns after fighting in Kharkiv on February 27. Street fighting broke out as Russian troops entered Ukraine's second-largest city, and residents were urged to stay in shelters and not travel.Hide Caption 84 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineLocal residents prepare Molotov cocktails in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, on February 27.Hide Caption 85 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineCars line up on the road outside Mostyska, Ukraine, as people attempt to flee to Poland on February 27.Hide Caption 86 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian troops in Kyiv escort a prisoner February 27 who they suspected of being a Russian agent.Hide Caption 87 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian forces patrol mostly empty streets in Kyiv on February 27. Mayor Vitali Klitschko extended a citywide curfew.Hide Caption 88 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members take position at the Vasylkiv Air Base near Kyiv on February 27.Hide Caption 89 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman sleeps on chairs February 27 in the underground parking lot of a Kyiv hotel that has been turned into a bomb shelter.Hide Caption 90 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA damaged residential building is seen in Kyiv on February 26.Hide Caption 91 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople in Kyiv run for cover during shelling on February 26. Hide Caption 92 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn apartment building in Kyiv is seen after it was damaged by shelling on February 26. The outer walls of several apartment units appeared to be blown out entirely, with the interiors blackened and debris hanging loose. Hide Caption 93 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople in Kyiv take cover as an air-raid siren sounds February 26 near an apartment building that was damaged by shelling.Hide Caption 94 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA police vehicle patrols the streets of Kyiv on February 26.Hide Caption 95 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian troops inspect a site following a Russian airstrike in Kyiv on February 26.Hide Caption 96 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineFollowing a national directive to help complicate the invading Russian Army's attempts to navigate, a road worker removes signs near Pisarivka, Ukraine, on February 26.Hide Caption 97 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA man kneels in front of a Russian tank in Bakhmach, Ukraine, on February 26 as Ukrainian citizens attempted to stop the tank from moving forward. The dramatic scene was captured on video, and CNN confirmed its authenticity. The moment drew comparisons to the iconic "Tank Man" of Tiananmen Square.Hide Caption 98 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople in Kyiv board a train heading to the west of the country on February 26. Kelly Clements, the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, told CNN that more than 120,000 people had left Ukraine while 850,000 were internally displaced.Hide Caption 99 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members look for and collect unexploded shells after fighting in Kyiv on February 26.Hide Caption 100 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSmoke and flames are seen near Kyiv on February 26. Explosions were seen and heard in parts of the capital as Ukrainians battled to hold back advancing Russian troops.Hide Caption 101 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineThe body of a Russian soldier lies next to a Russian vehicle outside Kharkiv on February 25.Hide Caption 102 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman weeps in her car after crossing the border from Ukraine into Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania, on February 25.Hide Caption 103 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian soldier sits injured from crossfire inside Kyiv on February 25.Hide Caption 104 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA child from Ukraine sleeps in a tent at a humanitarian center in Palanca, Moldova, on February 25.Hide Caption 105 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA firefighter walks between the ruins of a downed aircraft in Kyiv on February 25. Hide Caption 106 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineNewly married couple Yaryna Arieva and Sviatoslav Fursin pose for photo in Kyiv on February 25 after they joined the Territorial Defense Forces.Hide Caption 107 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMembers of the Ukrainian National Guard take positions in central Kyiv on February 25.Hide Caption 108 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople walk past a residential building in Kyiv that was hit in an alleged Russian airstrike on February 25.Hide Caption 109 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineThe body of a school employee, who according to locals was killed in recent shelling, lies in the separatist-controlled town of Horlivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region on February 25.Hide Caption 110 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineKyiv residents take shelter in an underground parking garage on February 25.Hide Caption 111 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineIn this handout photo from the Ukrainian government, firefighters respond to the scene of a residential building on fire in Kyiv on February 25. Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said the city had been hit by "cruise or ballistic missiles."Hide Caption 112 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA wounded woman stands outside a hospital after an attack on the eastern Ukrainian town of Chuhuiv, outside of Kharkiv, on February 24.Hide Caption 113 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineThe body of a rocket remains in an apartment after shelling on the northern outskirts of Kharkiv on February 24.Hide Caption 114 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA boy plays with his tablet in a public basement used as a bomb shelter in Kyiv on February 24.Hide Caption 115 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA man mourns after an airstrike reportedly hit an apartment complex in Chuhuiv on February 24.Hide Caption 116 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSviatoslav Fursin, left, and Yaryna Arieva kneel during their wedding ceremony at the St. Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv on February 24. They had planned on getting married in May, but they rushed to tie the knot due to the attacks by Russian forces. "We maybe can die, and we just wanted to be together before all of that," Arieva said.Hide Caption 117 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members sit atop armored vehicles driving in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region on February 24.Hide Caption 118 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople in Kyiv try to board a bus to travel west toward Poland on February 24.Hide Caption 119 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUS President Joe Biden arrives in the East Room of the White House to address the Russian invasion on February 24. "Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences," Biden said, laying out a set of measures that will "impose severe cost on the Russian economy, both immediately and over time."Hide Caption 120 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSmoke rises from a military airport in Chuhuiv on February 24. Airports were also hit in Boryspil, Kharkiv, Ozerne, Kulbakino, Kramatorsk and Chornobaivka.Hide Caption 121 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople seek shelter inside a subway station in Kharkiv on February 24.Hide Caption 122 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineRussian military vehicles are seen at the Chernobyl power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine, on February 24. Russian forces have seized control of the the plant, the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster, according to the agency that manages the area.Hide Caption 123 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople wait after boarding a bus to leave Kyiv on February 24.Hide Caption 124 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian President Zelensky holds an emergency meeting in Kyiv on February 24. In a video address, Zelensky announced that he was introducing martial law. He urged people to remain calm.Hide Caption 125 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePolice officers inspect the remains of a missile that landed in Kyiv on February 24.Hide Caption 126 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA staff member of a Kyiv hotel talks on the phone on February 24.Hide Caption 127 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSmoke rises from an air defense base after an apparent Russian strike in Mariupol on February 24. A CNN team in Mariupol reported hearing a barrage of artillery.Hide Caption 128 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople wait in line to buy train tickets at the central station in Kyiv on February 24.Hide Caption 129 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA long line of cars is seen exiting Kyiv on February 24. Heavy traffic appeared to be heading west, away from where explosions were heard early in the morning.Hide Caption 130 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA photo provided by the Ukrainian President's office appears to show an explosion in Kyiv early on February 24.Hide Caption 131 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople in Moscow watch a televised address by Russian President Vladimir Putin as he announces a military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine on February 24. "Whoever tries to interfere with us, and even more so to create threats to our country, to our people, should know that Russia's response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences as you have never experienced in your history," he said.Hide Caption 132 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAn emergency meeting of the UN Security Council is held in New York to discuss the crisis on February 23. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop "attacking Ukraine" and to give peace a chance.Hide Caption 133 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA convoy of Russian military vehicles is seen February 23 in the Rostov region of Russia, which runs along Ukraine's eastern border.Hide Caption 134 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian soldiers talk in a shelter at the front line near Svitlodarsk, Ukraine, on February 23.Hide Caption 135 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSmoke rises from a damaged power plant in Shchastya that Ukrainian authorities say was hit by shelling on February 22.Hide Caption 136 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA damaged house is worked on after shelling near the Ukrainian front-line city of Novoluhanske on February 22.Hide Caption 137 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMourners gather at a church in Kyiv on February 22 for the funeral of Ukrainian Army Capt. Anton Sydorov. The Ukrainian military said he was killed by a shrapnel wound on February 19 after several rounds of artillery fire were directed at Ukrainian positions near Myronivske.Hide Caption 138 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian soldiers pay their respects during Sydorov's funeral in Kyiv on February 22.Hide Caption 139 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA sign displays conversion rates at a currency exchange kiosk in Kyiv on February 22. Global markets tumbled the day after Putin ordered troops into parts of eastern Ukraine.Hide Caption 140 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineRussian howitzers are loaded onto train cars near Taganrog, Russia, on February 22.Hide Caption 141 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople who left a separatist-held region in eastern Ukraine watch an address by Putin from their hotel room in Taganrog, Russia, on February 21. Putin blasted Kyiv's growing security ties with the West, and in lengthy remarks about the history of the USSR and the formation of the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic, he appeared to cast doubt on Ukraine's right to self-determination.Hide Caption 142 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePutin signs decrees recognizing the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic in a ceremony in Moscow on February 21. Earlier in the day, the heads of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian republics requested the Kremlin leader recognize their independence and sovereignty. Members of Putin's Security Council supported the initiative in a meeting earlier in the day.Hide Caption 143 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineProtesters demanding economic sanctions against Russia stand outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv on February 21. Only a small number of protesters showed up to demonstrate.Hide Caption 144 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineActivists hold a performance in front of the Russian embassy in Kyiv on February 21 in support of prisoners who were arrested in Crimea. They say the red doors are a symbol of the doors that were kicked in to search and arrest Crimean Tatars, a Muslim ethnic minority.Hide Caption 145 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian servicemen shop in the front-line town of Avdiivka, Ukraine, on February 21.Hide Caption 146 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople lay flowers at the Motherland Monument in Kyiv on February 21.Hide Caption 147 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA local resident shows the depth of a crater from shelling in a field behind his house in the village of Tamarchuk, Ukraine, on February 20.Hide Caption 148 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members are seen along the front line outside of Popasna, Ukraine, on February 20. Hide Caption 149 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople evacuated from the pro-Russian separatist regions of Ukraine are seen at a temporary shelter in Taganrog, Russia, on February 20.Hide Caption 150 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAnastasia Manha lulls her 2-month-old son Mykyta after alleged shelling by separatists forces in Novohnativka, Ukraine, on February 20. Hide Caption 151 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian soldier stays on position on the front line near Novohnativka on February 20. Hide Caption 152 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA couple arrives at the city council to get married in Odesa on February 20. As Ukrainian authorities reported further ceasefire violations and top Western officials warned about an impending conflict, life went on in other parts of the country.Hide Caption 153 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy, left, visits soldiers at a front-line position in Novoluhanske on February 19. Minutes after he left, the position came under fire. No one was injured.Hide Caption 154 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman rests in a car near a border checkpoint in Avilo-Uspenka, Russia, on February 19.Hide Caption 155 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA Ukrainian service member walks by a building on February 19 that was hit by mortar fire in the front-line village of Krymske, Ukraine.Hide Caption 156 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineFighter jets fly over Belarus during a joint military exercise the country held with Russia on February 19.Hide Caption 157 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian soldiers stand guard at a military command center in Novoluhanske on February 19.Hide Caption 158 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePeople sit on a bus in Donetsk on February 18 after they were ordered to evacuate to Russia by pro-Russian separatists.Hide Caption 159 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineThe remains of a military vehicle are seen in a parking lot outside a government building following an explosion in Donetsk on February 18. Ukrainian and US officials said the vehicle explosion was a staged attack designed to stoke tensions in eastern Ukraine.Hide Caption 160 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA memorial service and candlelight vigil is held at the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv on February 18. They honored those who died in 2014 while protesting against the government of President Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Russian leader who later fled the country.Hide Caption 161 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA kindergarten that officials say was damaged by shelling is seen in Stanytsia Luhanska, Ukraine, on February 17. No lives were lost, but it was a stark reminder of the stakes for people living near the front lines that separate Ukrainian government forces from Russian-backed separatists.Hide Caption 162 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineChildren play on old Soviet tanks in front of the Motherland Monument in Kyiv on February 16.Hide Caption 163 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineAmbassadors of European countries lay roses at the Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv on February 16. The wall contains the names and photographs of military members who have died since the conflict with Russian-backed separatists began in 2014.Hide Caption 164 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUS troops walk on the tarmac at the Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland on February 16. US paratroopers landed in Poland as part of a deployment of several thousand sent to bolster NATO's eastern flank in response to tensions with Russia.Hide Caption 165 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA 200-meter-long Ukrainian flag is unfolded at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv on February 16 to mark a "Day of Unity," an impromptu celebration declared by President Volodymyr Zelensky.Hide Caption 166 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineTravelers wait in line to check in to their departing flights February 15 at the Boryspil International Airport outside Kyiv. US President Joe Biden urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country, warning that "things could go crazy quickly" in the region.Hide Caption 167 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA location of Oschadbank, a state-owned bank, is seen in Kyiv on February 15. The websites of Oschadbank and PrivatBank, the country's two largest banks, were hit by cyberattacks that day, as were the websites of Ukraine's defense ministry and army, according to Ukrainian government agencies.Hide Caption 168 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineA woman and child walk underneath a military monument in Senkivka, Ukraine, on February 14. It's on the outskirts of the Three Sisters border crossing between Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.Hide Caption 169 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members talk at a front-line position in eastern Ukraine on February 14. Hide Caption 170 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineMembers of Ukraine's National Guard look out a window as they ride a bus through the capital of Kyiv on February 14.Hide Caption 171 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineSatellite images taken on February 13 by Maxar Technologies revealed that dozens of helicopters had appeared at a previously vacant airbase in Russian-occupied Crimea.Hide Caption 172 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkrainePro-Russian separatists observe the movement of Ukrainian troops from trenches in Ukraine's Donbas area on February 11.Hide Caption 173 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members unpack Javelin anti-tank missiles that were delivered to Kyiv on February 10 as part of a US military support package for Ukraine.Hide Caption 174 of 175 Photos: Russia invades UkraineUkrainian service members walk on an armored fighting vehicle during a training exercise in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region on February 10.Hide Caption 175 of 175"They (Russian troops) captured Hostomel and Bucha yesterday (Saturday). The Russians entered there," said Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser in the Ukrainian President's Office, referring to two suburbs northwest of Kyiv. "They have injured many children and do not allow to evacuate them, despite numerous appeals at the highest state level to provide a 'green corridor' from Bucha and Irpin. There are many children in the basements."Arestovych described the situation as a "catastrophe," adding that discussions were going on "at the highest level with international humanitarian institutions, through mediators with the Russians" in order to find a way out for those who are trapped.Several children have died, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Health.Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Sunday that Russia was preparing to bomb the Black Sea port city of Odessa in southern Ukraine and said the airport in Vynnytsia, in the west of the country, had been destroyed by a rocket strike. In an address broadcast on Facebook, Zelensky said: "Russian people always used to come to Odessa and they only knew warmth and generosity and what's now? Artillery, bombs against Odessa. This will be a war crime. This will be (a) historic crime."Zelensky calls for no-fly zone and harsher sanctions on Russia in Zoom meeting with US lawmakersIn a separate message, Zelensky again appealed for a no-fly zone to be imposed over Ukraine, following the destruction of Vynnytsia's airport. "They continue to ruin our infrastructure our life, which we have built, and our parents, and grandparents, many generations of Ukrainians. We repeat every day -- close the skies over Ukraine," he added.US and European officials have been discussing how the West would support a government in exile helmed by Zelensky should he have to flee Kyiv, Western officials told CNN.The discussions have ranged from supporting Zelensky and top Ukrainian officials in a potential move to Lviv in western Ukraine, to the possibility that Zelensky and his aides are forced to flee Ukraine altogether and establish a new government in Poland, the officials said.Western officials have been wary of discussing a government in exile directly with Zelensky because he wants to stay in Kyiv and has so far rejected conversations that focus on anything other than boosting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, two Western diplomats said.Calls for more supportAs the Russian invasion continues, Zelensky has reiterated his pleas for US and NATO assistance in establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine -- a move which could prevent Russian forces from carrying out airstrikes against the country.JUST WATCHED'This war is for all the world': Zelensky says war is over democracy and freedomReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'This war is for all the world': Zelensky says war is over democracy and freedom 04:35But there are fears such a move could be seen as an escalation, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning on Saturday he would consider countries imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine as "participants in a military conflict." Zelensky has repeatedly asked NATO and Western officials to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but both say they oppose such a move.In an impassioned call to US lawmakers Saturday, Zelensky also encouraged Eastern European nations to provide Ukraine with fighter jets, stressing they were needed to defend against Russian aggression.On the call, Zelensky said if the West won't impose a no-fly zone they should give Ukraine planes. A White House spokesperson confirmed the United States is working with Poland on the possibility of Warsaw providing fighter jets to Ukraine. Some Biden administration officials privately fear that this move could be viewed by the Russians as an escalation, US officials say.At a secret airfield in Eastern Europe, a multinational effort to send weapons to Ukraine proceeds at high speedMeanwhile, a multinational effort to send weapons to Ukraine is running at top speed at an undisclosed airfield in Eastern Europe, a defense official said. The US European Command is at the heart of the operation, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley met last week with troops and personnel to examine the weapons shipments activity, the official said.Since the invasion, 14 countries have sent security assistance to Ukraine, a senior US defense official said Friday, some of which had rarely sent such substantial equipment before.Putin claimed Saturday that Russia had almost completed the destruction of Ukrainian air defense systems, and added that Western sanctions were the "equivalent of a declaration of war."Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US has seen "very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians" in Ukraine that would be considered a war crime.He added that the US is working with its allies in Europe to look into the possibility of banning Russian oil imports in an effort to further punish the country for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.CNN's Mariya Knight, Hira Humayun, Arlette Saenz, Amy Cassidy, Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood, Kaitlan Collins, Oren Liebermann, Kevin Liptak, Barbara Starr, Sharon Braithwaite, Nick Paton Walsh, Nada Bashir, Paul P. Murphy and Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report.

Sara Spary, Niamh Kennedy, Rob Iddiols, Derek Van Dam and Amy Cassidy, CNN

2022-02-18 11:41:31

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world

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/18/world/storm-eunice-landfall-weather-climate-intl-gbr/index.html

Storm Eunice blows off rooftops with highest wind speeds on record in England - CNN

Storm Eunice tore down rooftops and trees, crushed cars and sent planes skidding on London's runways as millions of people across the United Kingdom hunkered down at home to stay out of hurricane-strength winds.

world, Storm Eunice blows off rooftops with highest wind speeds on record in England - CNN

Storm Eunice blows off rooftops with highest wind speeds on record in England

(CNN)Storm Eunice tore down rooftops and trees, crushed cars and sent planes skidding on London's runways as millions of people across the United Kingdom hunkered down at home to stay out of hurricane-strength winds.The storm led to 10 fatalities across the UK and parts of western Europe, with wind speeds as high as 122 miles per hour (mph) -- the fastest on record in the country. High wind speeds is what make wind storms intense. The UK Met Office expanded its rare "danger-to-life" weather alert ahead of the storm on Friday morning to include most of the south of England and some of Wales.A woman was killed in north London's Muswell Hill on Friday after a tree fell on her car, according to a statement from the London Fire Brigade, while a man in his 50s was also killed on Friday while driving his car in Liverpool, according to Merseyside Police. In Hampshire, one man died and another was seriously injured in a car accident. Both men, in their 20s, were in their vehicle when a tree fell on top of it during the storm. Police are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident and have appealed for witnesses.Read MoreIn Ireland, which is also experiencing strong winds from Eunice, a man in his late 60s was killed after being hit by a falling tree, the national police service, known as the Gardaí, confirmed to CNN.The man, who has not been named, died in County Wexford, southeastern Ireland, and was pronounced dead at the scene.The storm also wreaked havoc in mainland Europe, with German broadcaster ZDF reporting two deaths in Germany, with one person falling from his roof and the other crashing his car into a fallen tree. A 79-year-old English man also died in western Belgium after strong winds knocked him off his barge and into the water of a marina, state broadcaster RTBF reported.Meanwhile, the Amsterdam-Amstelland fire brigade reported three deaths due to fallen trees in the Netherlands on Friday, while most of the country was under the highest weather alert with people advised to stay home ahead of the storm. Large sections of the O2 Arena rooftop were blown off on Friday.The storm has damaged buildings in the UK, with footage shared to social media showing the roof of London's O2 arena severely damaged by strong wind.Op de #vrijheidslaan in Amsterdam is een boom op een fietser terecht gekomen. Deze fietser is hierdoor overleden.Large sections of the fabric roof were shredded and ripped off by the gusts, while the building was evacuated and closed.On its website, the 02 said an event at the venue Friday night would be rescheduled."The safety of our visitors remains of paramount importance, and we will continue to assess the ongoing situation and act accordingly," the statement said.Elsewhere, a CNN reporter witnessed part of a rooftop flying off a home in the southwestern London area of Surbiton. The roof crushed a car parked on the street. Social media video showed a building housing lifeboats with part of its rooftop blown off at Sennen beach in the country of Cornwall, where strong winds were pushing waves above a seawall. Police in Cornwall and neighboring Devon said they had received high volumes of calls about flying debris, collapsed roofs and fallen trees.Other video footage shared on Twitter showed a church spire in Somerset collapsing in high winds.Residents around the UK also posted images on social media of collapsed fences and trees in roads.A large tree fell after high winds battered an area of Battersea, London on Friday.Many homes were also left without power on Friday, including small pockets of London and larger areas of southern England.As dozens of flights were canceled across London's major airports, more than 200,000 people tuned in to watch a live stream on YouTube of planes landing at London's Heathrow. The aircraft were seen battling strong gusts as they came into land, some of them wobbling mid-air, others skidding from side to side once they hit the runway.The video, on the Big Jet TV channel, was accompanied by comical commentary by presenter Jerry Dyer, who kept viewers entertained by offering words of encouragement to the pilots, at one point saying: "Come on mate, you can do it!"British Airways said it was grounding a number of planes and expected "significant disruption," but that most flights would go ahead as planned. "Safety is our number one priority, and we're canceling a number of flights," British Airways said in a statement.The airline said it was looking at deploying larger aircraft where possible to better withstand the weather.Rail companies have urged customers to reconsider their plans, with blanket speed restrictions in place for most lines across the country. In a statement Friday, Network Rail warned of high winds blowing trees and other debris onto railway lines, which then block trains and cause delays and cancelations. Waves crash against the sea wall and Porthcawl Lighthouse in Bridgend, Wales, as Storm Eunice hits the UK on Friday. A local butcher carries his shop sign across a snowy pavement in County Durham, Britain, as Storm Eunice makes landfall.Authorities are expecting gusts to cause travel delays, power cuts and possible mobile phone coverage outages throughout Friday.A sting jet could hitMeteorologists have also raised the possibility of a sting jet, the weather phenomenon which made the 1987 Great Storm so destructive and deadly. Eighteen people were killed in that storm and 15 million trees were blown down in winds that topped 100 mph.A sting jet is a very narrow and concentrated blast of powerful, upper-level winds that can form inside powerful weather systems. It descends to the the Earth's surface and can last a few hours, potentially causing damage to life and property, according to CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam. "The 'sting' refers to the cloud formation it creates, which resembles a scorpion's stinger," he said. A person walks past a sign at Waterloo station, warning of severe weather. Motorists drive through the sleet and snow along the M8 motorway near Bathgate in West Lothian as Storm Eunice sweeps across the UK after hitting the south coast earlier on Friday.Eunice is the second storm in a week for the UK after Storm Dudley battered parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland Wednesday, leaving thousands of homes without power. Those homes have since been reconnected. Hannah Cloke, professor of Hydrology at Britain's University of Reading, urged people to stay home where possible.She said people should not to take the red alert "lightly," as the winds were likely to uproot trees and roof tiles. "If you're hit by one of those you will be seriously hurt or killed. Wind that strong will sweep people and vehicles off streets, and topple electricity lines," she said. A climate connection?There is little to suggest any link between human-made climate change and the frequency and intensity -- or windspeeds -- of storms in northern Europe at current levels of global warming.But damage from windstorms are still getting worse because the rainfall associated with them is becoming more intense, a trend that many scientific studies do link to climate change. Sea level rise also plays a role. "With more intense rainfall and higher sea levels as human-caused climate change continues to heat the planet, flooding from coastal storm surges and prolonged deluges will worse still further when these rare, explosive storms hit us in a warmer world," Richard Allan, a climate scientists at the University of Reading, said in a statement. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that if global temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius, compared with levels before industrialization, then northern Europe would start to see an increase in the frequency of severe windstorms.Temperature rise is currently at around 1.1 degrees Celsius, according to conservative estimates. The world is on track for warming well above 2C, according to an analysis, which looked at governments' plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions at the COP26 climate talks last year.CNN's Martin Goillandeau, Nada Bashir, Sara Mazloumsaki, Manveena Suri and Jeevan Ravindran contributed to this report.

Jen Christensen, CNN

2021-10-28 00:48:18

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/27/health/breast-implant-fda-regulations/index.html

FDA adds boxed warning to breast implants - CNN

The FDA said Wednesday that it made several changes to breast implant regulations, including new labeling that includes a boxed warning and a patient checklist that will inform people that implants are not a medical device that will last a lifetime.

health, FDA adds boxed warning to breast implants - CNN

FDA adds boxed warning to breast implants

(CNN)The US Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that it made several changes to breast implant regulations, including new labeling that includes a boxed warning and a patient checklist that will inform people that implants are not a medical device that will last a lifetime.Woman's breast implant deflects bullet, saving her lifeAfter hearing testimony in 2019 from women who said their doctors did not adequately warn them about the potential health complications of breast implants, the FDA said it decided to restrict the sale of breast implants to only health care providers who offer patients a standardized checklist that explains the risks. The changes require doctors to walk patients through these potential problems and to give the patient an opportunity to sign off on the checklist to show they were properly informed about the risks to their health. The older the implants are, the more health risks they pose, and those risks could require additional surgery. The warning and the checklist will explain symptoms that some patients with implants have experienced, including fatigue, joint pain, tiredness, brain fog, and memory loss. It will also explain the possible link between implants and a rare type of cancer of the immune system known as anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). The cancer occurs more commonly in patients with textured breast implants than those who have the smooth implants. Many of the documented cases were tied to textured implants produced by Allergan that the company voluntarily recalled in 2019.From supersized to a more natural look: The evolution of breast implantsScientists have known that breast implants can cause health problems since the 1960s, according to the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Read MoreThe FDA maintains a registry to which doctors are supposed to report cases of anaplastic large cell lymphoma in individuals with breast implants. Breast augmentation is among the top five most performed cosmetic surgical procedures, but the number of people who have had it done fell by 33% in 2020 from the year before. Nearly 200,000 people got breast implants in 2020, according to the 2020 plastic surgery statistics report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plastic surgery procedures were down across the board, but breast augmentations declined the most.About 75% of those who get implants do so for cosmetic reasons. The rest get them following breast cancer surgery. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.The FDA has also updated implant rupture screening recommendations for silicone gel-filled breast implants and updated its guidelines on what manufacturers will need to do with post-approval studies. "In recent years, the FDA has sought more ways to increase patients' access to clear and understandable information about the benefits and risks of breast implants," Dr. Binita Ashar, the director of the FDA's Office of Surgical and Infection Control Devices in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement."By strengthening the safety requirements for manufacturers, the FDA is working to close information gaps for anyone who may be considering breast implant surgery."

Jazmin Goodwin, CNN Business

2021-03-17 17:41:52

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/business/what-is-nft-meaning-fe-series/index.html

What is NFT? Non-fungible tokens explained - CNN

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are the latest cryptocurrency phenomenon to go mainstream. And after Christie's auction house sold the first-ever NFT artwork — a collage of images by digital artist Beeple for a whopping $69.3 million — NFTs have suddenly captured the world's attention.

business, What is NFT? Non-fungible tokens explained - CNN

What is an NFT? Non-fungible tokens explained

New York (CNN Business)Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are the latest cryptocurrency phenomenon to go mainstream. And after Christie's auction house sold the first-ever NFT artwork — a collage of images by digital artist Beeple for a whopping $69.3 million — NFTs have suddenly captured the world's attention.So what are NFTs?In the simplest terms, NFTs transform digital works of art and other collectibles into one-of-a-kind, verifiable assets that are easy to trade on the blockchain.Although that may be far from simple for the uninitiated to understand, the payoff has been huge for many artists, musicians, influencers and the like, with investors spending top dollar to own NFT versions of digital images. For example, Jack Dorsey's first tweet sold for $2.9 million, a video clip of a LeBron James slam dunk sold for over $200,000 and a decade-old "Nyan Cat" GIF went for $600,000. A CryptoKittyBut NFTs aren't exactly new. CryptoKitties, a digital trading game on the cryptocurrency platform Ethereum, was one of the original NFTs, allowing people to purchase and sell virtual cats that were both unique and stored on the blockchain. Read MoreSo why is the NFT phenomenon taking off now? "Some of that interest is from people who enjoy supporting the work of independent creators by purchasing their works," Artsy CEO Mike Steib told CNN Business. "Others are intrigued by the idea of taking a digital asset that anyone can copy and claiming ownership of it. The recent headline price records for NFTs seem to have been largely driven by newly minted crypto millionaires and billionaires looking to diversify their bitcoin holdings and more interest to the crypto ecosystem."Here's what else you need to know: What are NFTs?Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are pieces of digital content linked to the blockchain, the digital database underpinning cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum. Unlike NFTs, those assets are fungible, meaning they can be replaced or exchanged with another identical one of the same value, much like a dollar bill. Move over, bitcoin. Ether is back and nipping at your heelsNFTs, on the other hand, are unique and not mutually interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. Think of Pokémon cards, rare coins or a limited-edition pair of Jordans: NFTs create scarcity among otherwise infinitely available assets — and there's even a certificate of authenticity to prove it. NFTs are typically used to buy and sell digital artwork and can take the form of GIFs, tweets, virtual trading cards, images of physical objects, video game skins, virtual real estate and more. How to buy NFTsEssentially, any digital image can be purchased as an NFT. But there are a few things to consider when buying one, especially if you're a newbie. You'll need to decide what marketplace to buy from, what type of digital wallet is required to store it and what kind of cryptocurrency you'll need to complete the sale. OpenSea's marketplaceSome of the most common NFT marketplaces include OpenSea, Mintable, Nifty Gateway and Rarible. There are also niche marketplaces for more specific types of NFTs, too, such as NBA Top Shot for basketball video highlights or Valuables for auctioning tweets such as Dorsey's currently up for bid. A beginner's guide to crypto lingoBut be wary of fees. Some marketplaces charge a "gas" fee, which is the energy required to complete the transaction on the blockchain. Other fees can include the costs for converting dollars into ethereum (the currency most commonly used to buy NFTs) and closing expenses. If you're curious and want to know more about what it's like to purchase an NFT, we went ahead and bought one. (And yes, it is a cat.) How to sell NFTs?NFTs are also sold on marketplaces and the process can vary from platform to platform. You'll essentially upload your content to a marketplace then follow the instructions to turn it into an NFT. You'll be able to include specifics such as a description of the work and suggested pricing. Most NFTs are purchased using ethereum but can also be bought with other ERC-20 tokens such as WAX and Flow. How to make an NFT? Anyone can create an NFT. All that's needed is a digital wallet, a small purchase of ethereum and a connection to an NFT marketplace where you'll be able to upload and turn the content into an NFT or crypto art. Simple, right?-- CNN's Oscar Holland and Rishi Iyengar contributed to this report.

Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN Business

2021-10-28 15:34:06

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/28/tech/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-keynote-announcements/index.html

Meta: Facebook changes its company name - CNN

Facebook is changing its company name as it shifts its focus to the "metaverse" and confronts wide-ranging scrutiny of the real-world harms from its various platforms after a whistleblower leaked hundreds of internal documents.

tech, Meta: Facebook changes its company name - CNN

Facebook changes its company name to Meta

(CNN Business)Facebook is changing its company name as it shifts its focus to the "metaverse" and confronts wide-ranging scrutiny of the real-world harms from its various platforms after a whistleblower leaked hundreds of internal documents.Founder Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday that Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta, effectively demoting Facebook's namesake service to being just one of the company's subsidiaries, alongside Instagram and WhatsApp, rather than the overarching brand.The company formerly known as Facebook also said in a press release that it plans to begin trading under the stock ticker "MVRS" on December 1.A rebranding could be part of an effort to overhaul Facebook's reputation and turn the page following a series of PR nightmares, including misinformation on its platforms, content moderation failures and revelations about the negative effect its products have on some users' mental health.The name change, which was announced by Zuckerberg during the company's virtual reality and augmented reality conference Facebook Connect, aligns with its growing focus on the metaverse, which refers to efforts to combine virtual and augmented reality technologies in a new online realm. Read MoreWhy Silicon Valley is betting on making this dystopian sci-fi idea a reality"I've been thinking a lot about our identity as we begin this next chapter. Facebook is one of the most used products in the history of the world," Zuckerberg said on Thursday. "It is an iconic social media brand, but increasingly it just doesn't encompass everything that we do."Today we're seen as a social media company," he added, "but in our DNA, we are a company that builds technology to connect people. And the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started."Zuckerberg, who said he loved studying classics in school, said the name was inspired by the Greek word meta, which means "beyond." "For me, it symbolizes that there is always more to build."The company also replaced its corporate sign, which featured a picture of a "thumbs up," outside of its California, headquarters with one touting its new logo: a blue infinity sign.Earlier this week, the company said that it would break out Facebook Reality Labs — its division dedicated to augmented and virtual reality services — as a separate reporting segment from its social apps. The change is set to take effect beginning in the fourth quarter.Facebook did not announce any executive changes on Thursday. But on Zuckerberg's personal Facebook page, his job title was changed to: "Founder and CEO at Meta." When asked by The Verge if he would remain CEO at Facebook in the next 5 years, he said: "Probably. I don't have a specific date how long I want to be doing this for. I guess what I could say is I'm very excited about the next chapter of what we're doing."Mark Zuckerberg's avatar presenting the metaverse at an event Thursday.Zuckerberg kicked off the big product event by teasing a series of new social, gaming and workplace concepts for the metaverse -- and by acknowledging the optics of focusing on such products amid renewed scrutiny of the company."I know that some people will say that this isn't a time to focus on the future, and I want to acknowledge that there are important issues to work on in the present. There always will be," Zuckerberg said. "So for many people, I'm just not sure there ever will be a good time to focus on the future. But I also know that there are a lot of you who feel the same way that I do." "We live for what we're building," Zuckerberg added. "And while we make mistakes, we keep learning and building and moving forward."Facebook showed a series of concept videos that highlighted its vision for metaverse, such as sending a holographic image of yourself to a concert with a friend attending in real life, sitting around virtual meeting tables with remote colleagues or playing immersive games with friends. Facebook recently said it would hire 10,000 people in Europe to build out the concept.Mark Zuckerberg in the metaverse as an avatar.Zuckerberg also announced Messenger calling is coming to VR, plans to operate a virtual marketplace where developers can sell virtual goods and a new home screen in Oculus Quest to make chatting and games in the virtual world more social."Your devices won't be the focal point of your attention anymore," he said. "We're starting to see a lot of these technologies coming together in the next five or 10 years. A lot of this is going to be mainstream and a lot of us will be creating and inhabiting worlds that are just as detailed and convincing as this one, on a daily basis."A number of major companies have changed established brands over the years. Kentucky Fried Chicken shortened its name to KFC, Japanese car brand Datsun became Nissan. Some high-profile name changes have followed scandal or controversy. Philip Morris, the maker of Marlboro, changed its name to Altria, for example, and ValuJet became AirTran after one of its planes crashed in 1996.Other name changes are intended to reflect the company's broader ambitions. Snapchat rebranded as Snap in 2016 to reflect its foray into hardware and Google restructured the company with a new name, Alphabet, and plans to grow a variety of business divisions.

Aisha Salaudeen, CNN

2020-05-25 15:24:17

news

africa

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/africa/3d-model-congo-fashion/index.html

Hanifa designer launches collection with 3D runway models to raise awareness for Congo - CNN

Congolese designer, Anifa Mvuemba, gave a preview of what catwalks might look like in a post-pandemic world with a collection using 3D runway models.

africa, Hanifa designer launches collection with 3D runway models to raise awareness for Congo - CNN

Fashion designer showcases the future of the runway with 3D models

(CNN)Congolese designer, Anifa Mvuemba, gave a preview of what catwalks might look like in a post-pandemic world with a collection using virtual models. Mvuemba released the latest collection for her fashion brand, Hanifa, on Instagram live on Friday. During the show, the digital models sashayed down the runway with the designer's outfits draped on headless, three-dimensional bodies. The Pink Label Congo collection featured pants and dresses in vibrant colors and was described as the future of runway fashion by spectators. View this post on Instagram We can't say thank you enough for all of your support. The full #PinkLabelCongo🇨🇩 collection is now available on Hanifa.co | Watch the replay on our IGTV✨. A post shared by Hanifa (@hanifaofficial) on May 24, 2020 at 9:55am PDT Mvuemba, whose previous designs have been worn by celebrities such as rapper Cardi B, told Teen Vogue, she already had plans to go digital with her collection before various Covid-19 restrictions were put in place around the world. She said in the interview with the fashion magazine that she had been working for seven months to create the computer-generated models, "Designing content using 3D models and now an entire collection has been a complete game changer for me. "It actually requires an even greater amount of attention-to-detail for the clothes to fit and look just right." Read MoreHanifa's virtual collection is part of a growing trend of fashion houses increasingly embracing technology to showcase their designs. Last year American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger used an Instagram influencer Noonoouri created by a graphic designer to promote their products.Hilfiger's CEO said at the time, "they shape consumers' purchasing decisions, inspiring them in more relevant ways, further blurring the lines between digital and reality." A tribute to African seamstressesMvuemba said during the launch that each of the outfits represents Congo, the central African country where she is from. One of the outfits was a backless mini dress in red, blue, and yellow, representing the flag of Congo. And a maxi dress in blue and green representing the point where the Congo river meets land. Congo is one of the world's leading producers of cobalt, accounting for more than 60% of the world's production. Cobalt is a chemical element used in producing smartphones, tablets and electric vehicles. Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa at the Teen Vogue Celebrates Generation Next"I am so intentional about everything I do with this collection," she said. "If you're African then you know about African seamstresses and how detail is so important and the color is so important and prints are so important. I really just wanted to use that in this collection, just to give tribute to African seamstresses," Mvuemba said during the launch on her Instagram page on Friday. Congolese cobalt minesThe Pink Label Congo collection is not just about fashion going digital. It's also about raising awareness for Congolese mines, the designer said. Inspired by her hometown in Congo, 29-year-old Mvuemba started the fashion show with a short documentary on the experiences of children working in cobalt mines. Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell and Tesla are sued over alleged child labor in CongoUnderaged children and women work in these mines under harsh conditions including physical abuse. Sometimes they are forced to dig for cobalt with nothing but their bare hands.In 2019, Tech giants like Apple, Google, Dell, and Tesla were sued for their alleged involvement in using children to mine cobalt in the country. Raising awareness on minesMvuemba said the Pink Label Congo collection was inspired by these mine stories and she is using it to bring awareness around it."Growing up, I heard so many stories about the cobalt and mining issues in Congo...a lot of times, there are children at these mines, a lot of them are losing their lives and a lot of families are affected," she said. The documentary showcased multiple reports from media organizations about the current mining conditions in Congo and the dangers of including children in the process. View this post on Instagram Riddled with a painful history, the beauty of Congo is often untapped and overlooked. The gentleness, beauty, history, poise, majesty, strength, power, and hope of the Congolese spirit inspired this collection. When creating each piece, I was reminded of the stories my mother told me of the women she knew back home in Congo. Women who suffered great loss but still, mustered every ounce of strength everyday to show up. My hope is that this collection inspires all women to stand tall in their power and like the Democratic Republic of Congo, to use their history, whether pretty or painful — to redesign their future. My country, the land of Congo, is ripe with an abundance of natural resources — the greatest of which are its people — its women. Hanifa presents.... Pink Label Congo. Now available at Hanifa.co A post shared by Hanifa (@hanifaofficial) on May 22, 2020 at 9:39pm PDT Everything about the collection is related to Congo to serve as a reminder of these mine conditions, Mvuemba said. "I really wanted to shed light on their conditions. And I want this collection to support and benefit the families that are affected," she added.

Reuters

2021-12-14 13:14:03

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/14/tech/nike-rtfkt/index.html

Nike buys virtual sneaker RTFKT maker to sell digital shoes in the metaverse - CNN

Nike said on Monday it had bought virtual sneaker company RTFKT for an undisclosed sum, as the sportswear giant looks to quickly expand its footprint in the fast-growing "metaverse."

tech, Nike buys virtual sneaker RTFKT maker to sell digital shoes in the metaverse - CNN

Nike buys virtual sneaker maker to sell digital shoes in the metaverse

Nike said on Monday it had bought virtual sneaker company RTFKT for an undisclosed sum, as the sportswear giant looks to quickly expand its footprint in the fast-growing "metaverse."Last month, Nike (NKE) became one of the first big brands to enter the shared virtual world that gained prominence after Facebook recently rebranded itself to Meta Platforms (FB).In such blockchain-based environments, users can buy virtual land and other digital assets such as clothing for avatars in the form of a crypto asset called a non-fungible token (NFT).Formed in 2020 by Benoit Pagotto, Chris Le and Steven Vasilev, RTFKT also makes NFT collectibles and memes, according to its website."This acquisition is another step that accelerates Nike's digital transformation and allows us to serve athletes and creators at the intersection of sport, creativity, gaming and culture," Nike Chief Executive Officer John Donahoe said in a statement.

Madeline Holcombe, CNN

2019-02-07 06:58:09

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/07/us/gucci-blackface-sweater/index.html

Gucci apologizes after social media users say sweater resembles blackface - CNN

Gucci has apologized and discontinued selling a sweater that social media users said resembles blackface because of its design.

us, Gucci apologizes after social media users say sweater resembles blackface - CNN

Gucci apologizes after social media users say sweater resembles blackface

(CNN)Gucci has apologized and discontinued selling a sweater that social media users said resembles blackface because of its design.In a Twitter post Wednesday, the Italian luxury brand said it "deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper." The top, which is no longer on the company's website, is a black turtleneck sweater that pulls up over the bottom half of the face with a cut out and oversized red lips around the mouth. Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper.We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make. Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/P2iXL9uOhs— gucci (@gucci) February 7, 2019 "We can confirm that the item has been immediately removed from our online store and all physical stores," Gucci said in a statement on Wednesday. "We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond."The sweater had been slammed on social media, with Twitter users saying it resembled blackface and expressing emotions ranging from exasperation to outrage.Read More"Today Gucci released their Balaclava Knit Top. Sigh. Really Gucci? Really?" Keisha Ka'oir tweeted. Today Gucci released their Balaclava Knit Top. Sigh. Really @Gucci? Really? pic.twitter.com/ETWKFhHVEB— Keisha Ka'oir (@MikeishaDache) February 6, 2019 Michael Bonner tweeted his frustration at the constant depiction of racist imagery in the news recently. "One day I am going to deliver a prolific dissertation on how it feels to live in a continuous cycle of disrespect as a black man," he said. "Gigantic brands like @gucci create offensive "fashion", quickly apologize, and then state, 'We did not know." I don't care. This is unacceptable."One user noted that the controversy was taking place during Black History Month and expressed skepticism that it would stop people from buying the brand. At this point Gucci playing in our face but y'all still gone shop happy black history month 🤦🏽‍♂️‼️ pic.twitter.com/vPTLvsA0TF— Casanova (@weeezy___) February 7, 2019 This is not the first time a fashion brand has been accused of using such imagery. Last year, luxury fashion house Prada said it withdrew products after some items displayed in a Manhattan storefront were seen as depicting blackface imagery. The products, part of Prada's Pradamalia line, were pulled after images surfaced of some merchandise depicting monkey-like figures with black faces and large red lips. The latest controversy also comes as Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is facing criticism and calls to resign because of a photograph on his page in his medical school's yearbook showing one person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood.Chinese model: Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign 'almost ruined my career'Northam initially apologized for the photo, saying he was in it, without specifying which person he was. He later denied he was in the yearbook photo but admitted he had once dressed in blackface during a dance contest in San Antonio.Northam met Wednesday with Southern Christian Leadership Conference President Dr. Charles Steele Jr. and Dr. Bernard LaFayette, chairman of the SCLC board, two well-known black leaders from a group once led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The meeting was an effort to better understand how he can move past the scandal that has engulfed his office, an adviser to the Democrat tells CNN.

Ben Westcott, CNN

2019-06-03 00:52:22

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/02/asia/tiananmen-square-june-1989-intl/index.html

Tiananmen Square massacre: How Beijing turned on its own people - CNN

As the sun rose on the morning of June 4, 1989, the Chinese people woke to a country which had changed overnight.

asia, Tiananmen Square massacre: How Beijing turned on its own people - CNN

Tiananmen Square massacre: How Beijing turned on its own people

Hong Kong (CNN)As the sun rose on the morning of June 4, 1989, the Chinese people woke to a country which had changed overnight.For seven weeks it had seemed like China was on the brink of a massive social change, but in just one night the dreams of hundreds of thousands of protesting students and workers were brutally crushed.For about a decade, China's economy had been steadily opening up and allowing small amounts of free enterprise in the Communist country, after years of strict state control under chairman Mao Zedong.Directing the change was then-Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping, who wanted to see China grow prosperous by embracing some pro-market liberalization. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese gather on June 2, 1989 in Tiananmen Square demanding democracy despite martial law in Beijing.But when large-scale protests in Beijing called for greater social freedoms, such as freedom of speech and even democracy, Deng would prove far less enthusiastic.Read MoreThe protests first began in April, triggered by the death of former Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang at the age of 73. Seen by the public as a champion for liberalization, Hu had been deposed two years earlier and his death on April 15 was widely mourned.Three days later, thousands of grieving students marched through Beijing, calling for a more democratic government in Hu's honor.Chinese students hold aloft a banner calling for freedom, democracy and enlightenment on the Martyrs Monument in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, festooned with a giant portrait of Hu Yaobang, April 19, 1989.The protesters occupied Tiananmen Square, the massive public space in the center of Beijing which faces onto the Forbidden City, former home of the Chinese emperors, and the Great Hall of the People.Over the coming month and a half, the numbers of protesting students and workers steadily grew. A rally on May 19 in the square drew an estimated 1.2 million people, leading then-Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang to meet with them to plead for an end to the protests.He began his now-famous speech by saying: "Students, we came too late. We are sorry."A Chinese student leader reads a list of demands to students staging a sit-in in front of Beijing's Great Hall of the People on April 18.But he was ignored and hardline Premier Li Peng imposed martial law on the city the same day. Trucks of soldiers began to arrive in Beijing, but still the protests didn't stop.On May 30, in the center of the square, protesters built a 10-meter high statue called the Goddess of Democracy, to boost morale among the huge crowd.More than seven thousand students from local colleges and universities march to Tiananmen Square, Beijing, May 4, to demonstrate for government reform.In the end, the government moved swiftly. After a tense two weeks, on the night of June 3, convoys of armed troops entered Beijing with an aim to clear the square by whatever means necessary.Blocked by civilians in the streets who were attempting to protect the students, the troops opened fire. Students, workers and other ordinary citizens fought back, setting fire to some military vehicles, but they were overwhelmed.Pro-democracy demonstrators surround a truck filled of People's Liberation Army (PLO) soldiers on 20 May 1989 in Beijing on their way to Tiananmen Square.Witnesses told horrific stories of tanks driving over unarmed protesters and soldiers shooting indiscriminately into crowds.No official death toll was ever released by the Chinese government, but human rights groups estimate it was the hundreds, if not thousands.On June 4, a rickshaw driver pedals wounded people, with the help of bystanders, to a nearby hospital in Beijing after they were injured during clashes with Chinese soldiers in Tiananmen Square.Many of the protest leaders were imprisoned, some of whom wouldn't be released for more than a decade, and the government has worked hard to remove all mention of the massacre from Chinese history and media, seeing it as a threat to the legitimacy of its continued one-party rule.So far, at least, it appears to have worked. On the 30th anniversary in 2019, no public memorials or events marking the day are expected in mainland China.CNN's Mohammed Elshamy contributed to this article.

James Griffiths, CNN

2021-06-04 05:21:34

news

china

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/04/china/hong-kong-june-4-tiananmen-mic-intl-hnk/index.html

Tiananmen Square massacre vigil in Hong Kong set the city apart from China. Those days may be over - CNN

Editor's note: CNN will be launching the Meanwhile in China newsletter on June 21, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here.

china, Tiananmen Square massacre vigil in Hong Kong set the city apart from China. Those days may be over - CNN

Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigil always set the city apart from China. Those days may now be over

Editor's note: CNN will be launching the Meanwhile in China newsletter on June 21, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here.Friday marks the 32nd anniversary of the Chinese government's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around central Beijing in the early hours of June 4, 1989. For an event that happened almost 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) away, the Tiananmen Square massacre has become deeply embedded in Hong Kong's psyche. That's because for the past three decades, Hong Kong was the only place where major commemorations were held, including marches, church services, and huge candlelit vigils in the city's Victoria Park. After Hong Kong became part of China in 1997, the continuation of these events was always seen as a major litmus test for the city's ongoing autonomy and democratic freedoms, supposedly guaranteed until 2047 by its de facto constitution, the Basic Law, under the principle of "one country, two systems."The 30th anniversary in 2019 saw one of the biggest turnouts at the Victoria Park vigil, with organizers claiming some 180,000 people joined the commemoration (though police said it was closer to 40,000). That anniversary came amid escalating tensions over a proposed extradition bill between Hong Kong and China: just five days later, over a million people marched against it, and in the months that followed, the city was consumed by increasingly violent protests and police crackdowns. Read MoreIn the wake of those protests, Beijing introduced a national security law for Hong Kong, bypassing the city's semi-democratic legislature to criminalize secession, subversion and collusion with foreign powers. That law has been used to crack down on a host of political activity, and almost every prominent pro-democracy politician and activist is either in prison -- or headed there. Thousands took part in a vigil for Tiananmen in 2020, despite the event being banned on coronavirus grounds. As talk of the law rumbled ahead of its abrupt passing on June 30 last year, many saw June 4, 2020, as potentially the final opportunity for a major commemoration. Despite authorities banning the Victoria Park vigil on pandemic grounds, tens of thousands still turned out to mark the event peacefully, and police took a hands-off approach -- though subsequently arrested and charged a number of activists deemed to have "organized" the protest. This year, the gloves are off. The city's Security Bureau said Saturday that any rally on June 4 would be deemed an unauthorized assembly, and "no one should take part in it, or advertise or publicize it, or else he or she may violate the law."Offenders could face up to five years in prison, while those promoting the event could be jailed for up to 12 months, the bureau added. Already this week one activist -- known locally as Grandma Wong -- was arrested for staging a solo Tiananmen protest, while the city's recently reopened June 4 Museum was forced to shut again. Organizers of the candlelit vigil have canceled the event for the first time in over 30 years, asking instead that people "mourn June 4 with perseverance and wisdom, under lawful, safe, peaceful and rational circumstances, in their own way, at the right time and place," though that didn't stop one of them being detained in the early hours of Friday. Likely the safest way to remember Tiananmen will be behind closed doors -- similar to how the event is marked in mainland China, by the few who still choose to remember. Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownTimeline: Tiananmen Square crackdown – Ousted General Secretary of the Communist Party, Hu Yaobang, dies at age 73 on April 15, 1989. The next day, thousands of students gather at Tiananmen Square to mourn him -- Hu had become a symbol of reform for the student movement. A week later thousands more marched to Tiananmen Square -- the start of an occupation that would end in a tragic showdown.Hide Caption 1 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownNil by mouth – May 13, 1989, student demonstrations at Tiananmen Square escalate into a hunger strike with thousands taking part and calling for democratic reforms. Hide Caption 2 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownTiananmen sit in – Student hunger strikers camp out on top of buses parked at Tiananmen Square.Hide Caption 3 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownGorbachev visits – May 16, 1989, then Chinese President Deng Xiaoping (center) takes then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife Raisa by the hand at the Great Hall of the People. Gorbachev's visit coincided with the student hunger strikes, forcing the official reception to be moved from Tiananmen Square to the airport -- embarrassing for the Chinese leadership.Hide Caption 4 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownPrice of protest – May 17, 1989: Five days in and the hunger strike begins to take its toll on students. Paramedics evacuate ailing protestors from the square. Hide Caption 5 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownWitness to discontent – May 18, 1989 and Gorbachev has been in China for three days, witnessing street protests for each of those days. At the height of demonstrations, a million people were marching through Beijing.Hide Caption 6 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownBiker backing – May 18, 1989, Chinese workers parade on motorbikes in support of student hunger strikers. Hide Caption 7 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownMartial law – May 19, 1989, the sixth day of hunger strikes. Communist Party General Secretary Zhao Ziyang arrives at Tiananmen Square to address the students. He begins his now-famous speech by saying: "Students, we came too late. We are sorry." The next day, Premiere Li Peng declares martial law in parts of Beijing.Hide Caption 8 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownStudent-teacher relations – May 20, 1989, teachers from Beijing Normal University arrive at Tiananmen Square by the truckload to support their students after martial law was declared.Hide Caption 9 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownVictory sign – May 20, 1989, pro-democracy demonstrators raise their fists and flash the victory sign while stopping a military truck filled with soldiers on its way to Tiananmen Square.Hide Caption 10 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownMonument to Heroes – May 30, 1989, students from the Central Academy of Fine Arts create a 10-meter-tall statue of the Goddess of Democracy to boost morale amongst student protestors in Tiananmen Square. Erected in just four days, the statue was unveiled in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes.Hide Caption 11 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownMass protest – This photo was taken on June 2, 1989, showing hundreds of thousands gathered around the Goddess of Democracy.Hide Caption 12 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownTroop movements – Countdown to the crackdown: Unarmed troops first approached Tiananmen Square on June 2.Hide Caption 13 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownCrackdown – On the night of June 3 and into the early hours of June 4, armed troops and tanks moved in on students and other civilians in the areas around Tiananmen Square, opening fire on the crowds. Hide Caption 14 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownCaught in the middle – June 4, 1989, journalists covering the crackdown were caught in the line of fire. Hide Caption 15 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownStudents fight back – June 4, 1989, students set fire to tanks. An official death toll has not been released but witnesses and human rights groups say hundreds were killed in the clash. Hide Caption 16 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownPunishment – In the weeks following June 4, activists who were directly or indirectly involved in the pro-democracy demonstrations were arrested.Hide Caption 17 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownHong Kong vigil – Today, Hong Kong is the only Chinese territory where commemoration of the June 4 crackdown is allowed. Here, pro-democracy legislator Lee Cheuk-yan (left) unwraps a replica of the Goddess of Democracy at Hong Kong's June 4 Museum that opened on April 24, 2014.Hide Caption 18 of 19 Photos: 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdownA pro-democracy group takes part in a rally outside the June 4 Museum on its opening day. A candlelight vigil commemorating the martyrs of the 1989 crackdown is held in the city's Victoria Park each year on June 4, attended by thousands. Hide Caption 19 of 19Around AsiaNew Zealand is walking a delicate line trying to remain friendly with both China and its fellow Five Eyes countries, who are increasingly hostile towards Beijing. India's monsoon season has begun, and the amount of rainfall looks to be normal, after several years of unusual weather patterns during an annual period critical for the country to stave off drought and other issues. A smoldering container ship is sinking off the Sri Lankan coast, heightening fears an oil and chemical spill could exacerbate one of the worst ecological disasters in the country's history.Meanwhile in China, all ultra-marathons and trail-running events have been suspended indefinitely in the wake of a mountain race that saw 21 runners die in extreme weather last month.Business of ChinaIf China needed a sign Washington's hostility to Beijing wasn't going to thaw under Joe Biden, this is it.On Thursday, President Biden expanded a Trump-era ban on American investment in dozens of Chinese firms that Washington believes are linked to China's military. Under the executive order, Americans are prohibited from owning or trading securities tied to 59 companies, citing the threat of Chinese surveillance technology. The original order, signed by President Donald Trump in November, applied to 31 Chinese companies that the administration said "enable the development and modernization" of China's military and "directly threaten" US security.Biden's new order goes into effect on August 2.Tech giants including smartphone maker Huawei and Hikvision, a major manufacturer and suppliers of video surveillance equipment, remain on the list, as do some of China's biggest telecommunications firms, including China Mobile, China Telecommunications and China Unicom.Asked Thursday in Beijing about the expected Biden announcement -- the move was reported earlier by Bloomberg -- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Washington's actions marked a "total disregard of facts" and "hurt the interests of global investors including those in the US."Several of the companies that have been named in both orders have previously dismissed claims that they were tied to the Chinese military as groundless.The move suggests that Washington isn't rushing to make amends with Beijing. Analysts have previously said that while Biden will likely strike a more predictable and diplomatic tone with China than Trump did, they don't expect the administration to ease up on tech and trade policy.Even so, the countries are restarting talks on some issues. Beijing said Thursday it is now having "normal communication" with Washington on trade and the economy, citing recent discussions between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as "professional, frank and constructive."-- By Jill Disis and Kyle BlaineChina will stay shut until 2022China has delivered over 700 million coronavirus vaccine doses, but may not relax border restrictions until next year at the earliest, a top health official said Thursday. Life in China has been relatively normal for months now, and vaccinations are roaring along -- some 40% of the population is now inoculated against Covid-19 and it shouldn't be long until China reaches herd immunity level. However, because of the success of the country in containing the virus, there is very little of it floating around to test whether its vaccines will stop transmission as well as deaths -- unlike in the United States, where authorities know the vaccines are working because infection numbers are dropping, along with serious cases.This leaves China with some "unique difficulties" when it comes to reopening, said Feng Zijian, the deputy director General of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Bloomberg. "I don't think we've got to that point -- if we try to open even when 60% or 80% of population are vaccinated, it could still lead to a severe outbreak," Feng said Thursday at a conference in the eastern city of Qingdao, the news outlet reported. "It largely depends on the technical considerations, societal consensus and political concerns."This curse of success has become something of a pattern across Asia, with territories that excelled in the early response to the pandemic -- Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia -- now struggling with vaccines, while some places in the West race ahead. Part of the problem is that when there is little risk of catching Covid, people are less willing to get vaccinated, which makes authorities more wary about opening up. After a rocky start, China has had one of the best responses to the pandemic globally, but that could come to haunt the country if officials are nervous to test that success by op. Quoted and noted"There is reasonable ground for suspecting that the publication of (2021hkcharter.com) is likely to constitute offences endangering national security."-- A letter from police to Israeli hosting company Wix, demanding it remove a website set up by several overseas Hong Kong activists. One of the activists, Nathan Law, shared it online, along with a statement demanding Wix restore access, which it did, claiming the website's removal was an accident, in an email to Law. The company has yet to comment publicly. Photo of the dayOn this site, in 1989: The scene outside Beijing's Tiananmen Gate in the early hours of June 4, 2021.

Steven Jiang and Ben Westcott, CNN

2019-05-31 03:58:20

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/30/asia/tiananmen-massacre-china-wu-qian-intl/index.html

Tiananmen protests were not 'suppressed,' Chinese government says - CNN

The massacre of unarmed citizens by soldiers in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, should not be referred to as "suppression," a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman told reporters Thursday.

asia, Tiananmen protests were not 'suppressed,' Chinese government says - CNN

Tiananmen protests were not 'suppressed,' Chinese government says

Beijing (CNN)The massacre of unarmed citizens by soldiers in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, should not be referred to as "suppression," a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman told reporters Thursday.Next Tuesday, June 4, marks 30 years since Chinese troops ended several weeks of protests by firing at civilians, killing hundreds if not thousands of people.It has been estimated that as many as 10,000 people were arrested during and after the protests. Several dozen people have been executed for their parts in the demonstrations.At his monthly briefing, spokesman Wu Qian was asked by journalists if the People's Liberation Army had any comment on the suppression of students 30 years ago."I don't agree with the word 'suppression' in your question," he said. Read More"Over the past 30 years, the process of our reform and development and our stability and achievements have already addressed your question."Pro-democracy demonstrators surround a truck filled of People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers on 20 May 1989 in Beijing on their way to Tiananmen Square.The protests began in mid-April following the death of former Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang, who had been deposed years earlier and was seen by students as a proponent of greater social freedoms in China.Over the next seven weeks, protesters occupied Tiananmen Square -- a huge public space that faces on to the Forbidden City and the Great Hall of the People.Eventually, hardliners in the Chinese government cracked down on the protesters, declaring martial law and calling in the military.The Chinese government rarely mentions the June 4 massacre and has worked for years to censor all mention of it within the country.On the anniversary, there no public memorials or protests around the issue are expected in mainland China, due to tight government suppression.

James Griffiths, CNN

2019-06-04 00:34:53

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/03/asia/tiananmen-june-4-china-censorship-intl/index.html

Tiananmen Square: China censors all mention as world marks 30 years - CNN

As commemorations for the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre take place worldwide Tuesday, any coverage or discussion of the event will be tightly censored in China.

asia, Tiananmen Square: China censors all mention as world marks 30 years - CNN

World marks 30 years since Tiananmen massacre as China censors all mention

Hong Kong (CNN)As commemorations for the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre take place worldwide Tuesday, any coverage or discussion of the event will be tightly censored in China. Hundreds of people were killed on June 4, 1989, as People's Liberation Army troops cracked down on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Events will be held and speeches made to commemorate the massacre and those who died in cities around the world. Tiananmen Square massacre: How Beijing turned on its own peopleIn central Taipei, capital of self-ruled Taiwan, a massive inflatable version of the iconic "Tank Man," who defied the military as they entered Tiananmen Square, has been on display for several weeks. On Monday, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council called on Beijing to "face up to historical mistakes and apologize as soon as possible for the crackdown.""In the past 30 years, Beijing lacked the courage to calmly reflect on the historical significance of the June 4th Incident," the council's statement said. "Rather, they blocked the information and distorted the truth about it and tried to conceal the crime."An artwork of Tank Man by Taiwanese artist Shake, inspired by a sketch of dissident Chinese artist Baidiucao, is on display in front of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei on May 21, 2019.Read MoreActivists will hold a rally in Washington on Tuesday, with representatives of dozens of human rights groups, including Amnesty International, expected to attend, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Monday that the massacre still stirred the conscience "of freedom-loving people around the world.""We salute the heroes of the Chinese people who bravely stood up 30 years ago in Tiananmen Square to demand their rights," he said, urging the Chinese government to make a "full, public accounting" of the incident. Thousands of people hold candles during a candlelight vigil on June 4, 2016 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong.The biggest event will take place in Hong Kong, the only place on Chinese soil where mass commemorations are held. A candlelit vigil has been held in Victoria Park every year since 1990, with hundreds of thousands attending during key anniversaries. But across the border, the Chinese authorities will be watching attentively for any attempts to remember the massacre. Tourists were visiting Tiananmen Square as usual on Tuesday, under the close watch of police and subject to frequent security checks. On Monday, Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times said the massacre had been a "vaccination" against future "political turmoil" in the country, trumpeting China's economic progress in the decades since.It wasn't the first Chinese comment on the anniversary. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday, Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said crushing the protests had been the "correct policy."Visitors gather around the Monument to the People's Heroes on Tiananmen Square during the 30th anniversary of a bloody crackdown of pro-democracy protesters in Beijing on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.A day that changed ChinaFor weeks in 1989, hundreds of thousands of students and workers gathered in Tiananmen Square, in the heart of the Chinese capital, to call for greater democracy as well as political and social reforms. They faced down the tanks in Tiananmen Square. Now they want their children to forget itAt the height of the protests it seemed like they could be successful, forcing a government that was already pursuing economic reform to also accept limited political liberalization. But hardliners won an internal battle within the ruling Communist Party and a crackdown was ordered. That decision changed China forever, ending hopes of a gradual move towards democracy. Today the Communist Party is stronger than ever, with President Xi Jinping recently throwing out term limits and clearing his way to serve for life. Beijing has always defended the crackdown. Speaking at an international event Sunday, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe described the Tiananmen protests as "political turmoil that the central government needed to quell.""The government was decisive in stopping the turbulence, that was the correct policy," he said.JUST WATCHED2019: China's year of sensitive anniversariesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2019: China's year of sensitive anniversaries 03:53The events of June 4 have been wiped from the history books in China and any discussion of the crackdown is strictly censored and controlled. Tiananmen is a prime target of the Great Firewall, China's sprawling online censorship apparatus. Tuesday will be a major test of that system, which activists have spent years attempting to get past by using coded phrases such as "May 35" or "that year." But it's a test that it will likely pass with ease. It's that time of the year again. A posting that says "Singapore beats the US to become the world's most competitive economy" had to be manually checked by Sina censors before being published. pic.twitter.com/ijhUQcNb2q— Shen Lu 沈璐 (@shenlulushen) June 3, 2019 In the lead-up to June 4, internet users in China complained about difficulties accessing virtual private networks, a common method of bypassing the firewall, while posts on Chinese social media have been restricted or deleted as companies ramp up censorship during this sensitive period. June 4 has been nicknamed "internet maintenance day" for the number of websites that go offline around the anniversary, their owners deciding that being dark is safer than accidentally publishing something which could provoke the ire of the authorities. On Tuesday, CNN's website was blocked by the Great Firewall. While the move is not unprecedented, CNN was available to users in China ahead of the June 4 anniversary, as confirmed by GreatFire.org, an independent site which analyzes internet censorship in China.The Cyberspace Administration of China, the government body which oversees internet regulation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Screenshot from @GreatFireChina's analyzer. June 4 is forever internet maintenance day: pic.twitter.com/Mexjs6xwkB— 𝕛𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕘𝕣𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕤 🇭🇰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@jgriffiths) June 4, 2019 Other international media organizations, including the New York Times and the BBC, have long been inaccessible to users inside China, according to GreatFire.org. Speaking ahead of the anniversary, Mak Hoi-wah, chairman of the June 4 Museum in Hong Kong, said this type of mass censorship was damaging to the country. "Without understanding the historical facts, we will not be able to move on," Mak said. "The Chinese government is trying to suppress it because they don't want their wrong deeds be remembered by the people."CNN's Ben Westcott and Steven Jiang contributed to this article.

Jenni Marsh, CNN Business

2021-06-23 07:22:13

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/23/media/apple-daily-closure-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

Apple Daily: Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy newspaper closes as Beijing tightens its grip - CNN

One year was all it took for a Beijing-imposed National Security Law to take down Hong Kong's largest and loudest pro-democracy newspaper.

media, Apple Daily: Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy newspaper closes as Beijing tightens its grip - CNN

Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy newspaper closes as Beijing tightens its grip

Hong Kong (CNN Business)One year was all it took for a Beijing-imposed National Security Law to take down Hong Kong's largest and loudest pro-democracy newspaper.Next Media announced Wednesday that Apple Daily, its flagship tabloid, would publish its final copy Thursday due to an untenable environment in which its journalists had been arrested and millions of dollars in assets had been frozen. Its digital platform will cease operations on the same day, the company said in a statement. The news sent a deep chill through Hong Kong's media industry and undermined government claims the new legislation would not diminish press freedom. Last year, China's ruling Communist Party moved to bring Hong Kong in line with its authoritarian rule by bypassing the city's legislature to implement the security law. It punishes anything the authorities deem to be subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison. While city leader Carrie Lam said back then that press freedoms would still be protected, Apple Daily staffers say they knew it was only a matter of time before they were targeted.Read MoreHong Kong's first trial under new national security law begins without a jury"But it still came as a shock when it happened," said one journalist at the publication, who asked to remain anonymous out of security fears. Since the law took effect, Apple Daily has been crippled bit by bit. Founder Jimmy Lai — already in jail for attending a pro-democracy rally — has been arrested and charged with colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. Five of the newspaper's top editors and executives have been accused of the same crime, apparently for using articles to call for foreign governments to sanction Hong Kong. Hundreds of police officers have twice raided the publication's newsroom, most recently seizing computers and materials — an alarming development for journalists and their sources in an increasingly sensitive environment. Several Apple Daily journalists had already quit before this month, saying the rewards of their work no longer outweighed the risk of imprisonment. Even as official pressure piled on the newspaper, public support surged. Last Friday, after the arrest of its top editors, Apple Daily printed 500,000 copies which sold out.Police officers raid the Apple Daily office on June 17 in Hong Kong.That wasn't enough to counter a financial squeeze brought on by Hong Kong authorities. While Next Media told investors it had enough money to last 18 months from April, in recent days the paper's bank accounts had been frozen. On Wednesday, as the board met to discuss the paper's future, police officers again descended on the newsroom arresting another journalist. Hours later, the paper announced that after 26 years on newsstands, it would close its doors."A woman sent me a note a few days ago saying without Apple Daily she just doesn't feel as safe as she used to with a free press as the protector of society," said Mark Simon, one of Lai's top advisers. "They're coming for everyone else soon."A critical voiceJimmy Lai founded Apple Daily in 1995, channeling the wealth he'd accumulated as a textile tycoon into the Next Digital publishing operation. The mission of its centerpiece title, Apple Daily, was always clear: to criticize the Communist Party that Lai had fled mainland China from as a child.The newspaper was a sensation, and its tabloid sensibilities quickly made it a market leader, giving Lai a huge platform to influence opinion in Hong Kong. The paper drove a paparazzi culture in the city, and at times attracted ire for its reporting methods. But it also tracked the wealth of mainland officials and their families in Hong Kong, and devoted ample resources to holding those in power to account. An advertisement introducing the newspaper to the world made it clear Jimmy Lai knew the Apple Daily made him a target. Beijing's growing economic influence in the early 2000s meant that other outlets often avoided openly criticizing the Communist Party, mindful of commercial implications. Lai didn't care. Apple Daily continued poking the bear, even if that meant major Hong Kong corporations such as Cathay Pacific or CK Hutchison Holdings never advertised with the publication.The newspaper didn't back down as the Communist Party under President Xi Jinping grew increasingly intolerant to any dissent — especially in its disputed or semi-autonomous territories such as Hong Kong, which after being handed back to China from Britain in 1997 was promised its own system of governance for 50 years. That two-track setup led to a disconnect between how Hong Kongers expected to be governed and Beijing's desire to control the city. Lai was a key figure in a series of 2014 protests dubbed the Umbrella movement, which brought central Hong Kong to a standstill for months. His paper became a symbol of the opposition to Beijing's plans for how Hong Kong's leader would be selected.When mass unrest erupted again in 2019, this time over a bill proposing extradition to China, Apple Daily's front pages urged readers to attend huge marches, and printed anti-government posters for them to carry.Copies of the Apple Daily newspaper -- paid for by a collection of pro-democracy district councillors -- sit on a cart before being handed out in Hong Kong on August 11, 2020, a day after authorities conducted a search of the newspaper's headquarters after the companys founder Jimmy Lai was arrested under the new National Security Law. Anger in the city that year turned into the most serious violence Hong Kong had seen in decades: The city's legislature was sacked, a dramatic 12-day siege unfolded at a university and the international airport was shut down, twice. All that was too much for Beijing on Chinese soil. In June 2020, as pandemic restrictions thwarted the ability of Hong Kongers to protest, China passed the National Security Law.In the 12 months since, nearly all pro-democracy politicians have either been jailed or have fled the territory. Apple Daily was the last major voice of the pro-democracy camp still at large.Declining media freedomsApple Daily divided opinion in Hong Kong. It was loved by those who shared its liberal values and loathed by conservatives who accused it of causing chaos.Still, its death has caused alarm about freedom of press in Hong Kong. On Tuesday, city leader Lam tried to dismiss those fears, saying that the police probe into Apple Daily was "unrelated to normal journalist work." Michael J. Abramowitz, president of NGO Freedom House railed against that sentiment. "Treating independent, fact-based journalism as a threat to national security is an unacceptable attack on press freedom and comes amid a wider crackdown on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in Hong Kong," he said. It is now unclear how Hong Kong's mini-constitution — the Basic Law, which guarantees freedom of expression and the media — will operate alongside a national security law that sets increasingly narrower parameters for journalistic work. The Apple Daily's closure follows a slew of attacks on press freedom. The city's police chief recently proposed an anti-fake news law; a journalist was convicted for an administrative error when investigating alleged police wrongdoing; and public broadcaster RTHK has seen its coverage squeezed.Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, founder and owner of Apple Daily newspaper is seen handcuffed and escorted by the guards leaving Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre on December 12, 2020, in Hong Kong, China. Two fugitive opium dealers, a media mogul and an alleged smoking gun video: the story of a Hong Kong newspaper feudAt the same time, there has been a clampdown on broader civil liberties. This year, Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen Square vigil was not permitted to go ahead, ostensibly because of Covid restrictions, and potential attendees threatened with up to 12 months in jail.In a sign of Hong Kong's decreasing tolerance for political positions that diverge from those of Beijing, Taiwan announced it will remove all non-local staff from its office in the city. Taipei accused the Hong Kong government of demanding its Taiwanese staff sign a document acknowledging Beijing's claim over the self-governing island as a prerequisite for visa renewals. As newsstands open next week, they will be absent of the apple-bearing masthead that has been a staple for decades. Jimmy Lai remains in jail with no ability to advocate for the paper founded. In his mid-70s, it is debatable whether he will ever walk free in Hong Kong again. Just now, outside Apple Daily's HQ, a woman named Pan left a sunflower and card for staff at the paper. "Although the Apple is about to be picked off the tree, the spirit and perseverance of Apple Daily people will forever stay in our hearts." pic.twitter.com/3EC16iWAD3— Karina Tsui 徐敏姿 (@karina_tsui) June 23, 2021 "I never would have imagined it would come to this." said Andrea Lo, a freelance journalist in Hong Kong. "Apple Daily is a huge part of everyday life for us as Hong Kongers, but not just because it has consistently been the biggest champion of the voice of the people. All of us find a lot of value in its coverage on everything from the pro-democracy protests, to real-time reports on incidents around Hong Kong." On Wednesday, grieving readers gathered outside the newspaper's headquarters, holding placards, and bearing cards and flowers. "I think people will miss the Apple Daily as a platform where they could speak freely and be critical of the government and Beijing," said the Apple Daily newsroom staffer. "Maybe some other media will become the substitute for us," he added, doubtfully. -- Lauren Lau contributed to this report.

Reuters

2021-10-28 03:18:09

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/27/media/hong-kong-film-censorship-intl-hnk/index.html

Hong Kong passes film censorship law to 'safeguard national security' - CNN

Hong Kong's legislature passed a new film censorship law on Wednesday to "safeguard national security," though critics say it will dampen creativity in its world famous movie industry and further reduce freedoms in the former British colony.

media, Hong Kong passes film censorship law to 'safeguard national security' - CNN

Hong Kong passes film censorship law to 'safeguard national security'

Hong Kong's legislature passed a new film censorship law on Wednesday to "safeguard national security," though critics say it will dampen creativity in its world famous movie industry and further reduce freedoms in the former British colony.China imposed a sweeping national security law over its most restive city last year, and Hong Kong's legislature has no opposition lawmakers left after mass resignations from the pro-democracy camp in protest against the ousting of some colleagues.Amid censorship fears, Hong Kong's artists contemplate an uncertain futureThe Hong Kong government said the film censorship law was aimed at content deemed to "endorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national security."The law empowers Hong Kong's chief secretary, the second-most powerful figure in the city's administration, to revoke a film's license if it is "found to be contrary to national security interests."Punishment for violating the law included up to three years imprisonment and fines of up to HK$1 million ($128,400).Read More"The goal is very clear: it's to improve the film censorship system, to prevent any act endangering the national security," Commerce Secretary Edward Yau told the Legislative Council.Critics, however, voiced fears that the new law would harm Hong Kong's vibrant cinema industry, whose output ranges from Bruce Lee's innovative martial arts movies to acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai's arthouse films."Adding national security clauses to the bill is clear political censorship," said Kenny Ng, associate professor at the Academy of Film at Hong Kong Baptist University."It's heavy-handed. The film industry will need time to adapt."Since the national security law was introduced in response mass 2019 pro-democracy protests, most opposition politicians and activists have been jailed, either under the new law or for other alleged crimes, or have fled into exile.Hong Kong University to remove 'Pillar of Shame' Tiananmen Square sculptureScrutiny over education, arts, media and culture has intensified. Book publishers have admitted to self-censoring, cinemas have pulled a protest documentary and a university cancelled a press photography exhibition. A contemporary art museum said national security police could vet its collections. Pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily closed in June amid a national security probe.This year, for the first time since 1969, the Oscars were not broadcasted in Hong Kong, matching decisions in mainland China, despite an unprecedented nomination for a Hong Kong-born director.Authorities reject the description of their actions as a "crackdown" on civil society and say the rights and freedoms promised to Hong Kong upon its return to Chinese rule in 1997 remain intact, but national security is a "red line".Filmmaker Kiwi Chow, whose documentary "Revolution of Our Times" chronicles the 2019 protests and was featured at this year's Cannes Film Festival, says the bill hurts the local movie industry by reducing "the freedom to create.""It will worsen self-censorship and fuel fear among filmmakers," Chow told Reuters.

Emanuella Grinberg, CNN

2015-10-08 17:39:53

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2015/10/08/entertainment/daniel-craig-james-bond-feat/index.html

Daniel Craig is really over being James Bond - CNN

After playing James Bond in four films, including the new "Spectre," Daniel Craig is ready to put the role behind him. He says he'd rather "slash my wrists."

entertainment, Daniel Craig is really over being James Bond - CNN

Daniel Craig: I'd rather 'slash my wrists' than play James Bond again

Story highlightsActor Daniel Craig says he's really done playing James BondNewest Bond film, "Spectre," comes out November 6 in the U.S. (CNN)Tell us how you really feel, Daniel Craig.After playing James Bond in the last four films of the successful franchise, including the forthcoming "Spectre," the British actor told Time Out London he's ready to put the role behind him. Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond"Spectre," the 24th James Bond movie, hit theaters in 2015, more than 50 years after the first film in the popular series, "Dr. No." "Spectre" stars Daniel Craig as 007, with turns from Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux and Ralph Fiennes. Look back at highlights of the character's career, including the Bond girls and villains: Hide Caption 1 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondSean Connery plays James Bond with Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in 1962's "Dr. No," the film that launched the franchise.Hide Caption 2 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondConnery rehearses a scene from the James Bond Film "From Russia With Love" with the Italian actress Daniela Bianchi playing Tatiana Romanova, while director Terence Young helps the actors.Hide Caption 3 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond British composer John Barry, creator of the James Bond theme music, at his piano in December 1967.Hide Caption 4 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondSean Connery's Bond is up to his tricks with actress Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore during the filming of "Goldfinger" in 1964.Hide Caption 5 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondEnglish actress Shirley Eaton covered in gold in the James Bond film "Goldfinger," directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Sean Connery. Hide Caption 6 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondA scene from the James Bond film "Thunderball" with Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, as Domino Derval, and Adolfo Celi playing Emilio Largo. Hide Caption 7 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondSean Connery and Luciana Paoluzzi as Fiona Volpe being photographed in bed on the set of the James Bond film, "Thunderball" in 1965.Hide Caption 8 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondActress Claudine Auger poses smoking a cigarette for her role as Domino Derval in the James Bond film, "Thunderball," directed by Terence Young, 1965. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)Hide Caption 9 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondConnery surrouned by bathing beuties in "You Only Live Twice" in 1966.Hide Caption 10 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond Donald Pleasence in character as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, holding a white cat on the set of "You Only Live Twice," in November 1966. Hide Caption 11 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondCo-producers Harry Saltzman and Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, right, on the set of "You Only Live Twice" in October 1966.Hide Caption 12 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondGeorge Lazenby with actress Diana Rigg, who played Teresa di Vicenzo, during a press conference for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in London, in October 1968. Hide Caption 13 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondGeorge Lazenby offers co-star Helena Ronee a light during the filming of "'On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in the Swiss Alps in October 1968.Hide Caption 14 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondThe cast of "Live and Let Die," in 1973, from front center, clockwise, Roger Moore as Bond, Jane Seymour as Solitaire, Julius Harris as Tee Hee, Geoffrey Holder as Baron Samedi, Earl Jolly Brown as Whisper and Yaphet Kotto as Kananga. Hide Caption 15 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondPierce Brosnan poses for a publicity shot for "GoldenEye" in 1995.Hide Caption 16 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondRoger Moore hams it up during the filming of "Live and Let Die," in 1973.Hide Caption 17 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondRoger Moore relaxes on location for the filming of "Live and Let Die," in 1973.Hide Caption 18 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondRoger Moore drinks a martini, James Bond's signature drink.Hide Caption 19 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondBritish pop singer Lulu poses with the gun from "The Man With The Golden Gun" after being signed to sing the film's title song. Hide Caption 20 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondA replica gun from the 1974 James Bond movie, "The Man with the Golden Gun," autographed by Roger Moore.Hide Caption 21 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond A Walther PPK handgun is held in front of a poster of the film "For Your Eyes Only."Hide Caption 22 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondRoger Moore poses with the Bond Girls from the film "View to a Kill" in 1984.Hide Caption 23 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondRoger Moore on set during the filming of "A View to a Kill" in Paris, France in August 1984. Hide Caption 24 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondTimothy Dalton and Maryam d'Abo as Kara Milovy pose for a publicity still for the 1987 film "The Living Daylights." Hide Caption 25 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondDirector Timothy Dalton arrives at the Deauville airport in France to promote "The Living Daylights" in September 1987. Hide Caption 26 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond Pierce Brosnan and Desmond Llewelyn, as Q, on the set of "The World Is Not Enough."Hide Caption 27 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondPierce Brosnan with Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, playng Wai Lin, pose on a motorcylce for "Tomorrow Never Dies" in 1997. Hide Caption 28 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondPierce Brosnan poses on an Aston Martin before starting filming on "Die Another Day" in January 2002. Hide Caption 29 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondDaniel Craig poses in 2005 after being unveiled as the next actor to play the legendary British secret agent James Bond for "Casino Royale" in October 2005.Hide Caption 30 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondDaniel Craig greets a naval officer as he is unveiled as the new James Bond in October 2005.Hide Caption 31 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondDaniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko attend the Japanese premier of "Quantum of Solace" in November 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. Hide Caption 32 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James Bond"Skyfall," the 23rd James Bond movie, opened in theaters in 2012. Craig continued to lead the film as Bond, joined by Naomie Harris, Judi Dench and Javier Bardem.Hide Caption 33 of 34 Photos: Decades of Bond -- James BondBritish actor David Oyelowo reportedly told The Guardian that he's been picked to portray Bond and other characters in the audiobook version of the novel "Trigger Mortis."Hide Caption 34 of 34Craig has implied as much in previous interviews. But this time, he left no doubt when asked, "Can you imagine doing another Bond movie?""Now? I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That's fine. I'm over it at the moment. We're done. All I want to do is move on."It's hard to blame him. It's been nearly 10 years since he took over the role for 2006's "Casino Royale." In much of the interview with journalist Dave Calhoun, Craig addresses his growing fatigue at inhabiting a role he felt became increasingly stale with each installment. Read MoreDaniel Craig hopes his bond 'is not sexist'Plus, all the work that goes into the looking the part can be a bit of a "drag," he said. "The best acting is when you're not concerned about the surface. And Bond is the opposite of that. You have to be bothered about how you're looking. It's a struggle. I know that how Bond wears a suit and walks into a room is important. But as an actor I don't want to give a f---k about what I look like! "So I have to play with both things. In a way that works, as that's Bond: he looks good and he doesn't give a f---k what you think he looks like!' "Craig said he's grateful for the opportunity but that the all-consuming role has kept him from pursuing other projects."Bond allows me to do anything I want to in some respects. But it's changed my working life in an incredible way. There are more opportunities. I could do many, many things. But it takes an awful amount of time. If anything, the restriction is that it is incredibly time-consuming. That's the restriction."In fairness, Craig had just wrapped an eight-month shoot for "Spectre" in England, Mexico City, Morocco, the Austrian Alps and Rome when he sat down for the Time Out London interview. So he may have been a little burned out. Secrets abound in new 'James Bond' trailerAbove all, he said he was looking forward to sleeping in on Sundays, switching his brain off and enjoying a few drinks.And yet the 47-year-old actor did not completely close the door on the possibility when asked if he really wants "to move on from Bond for good.""I haven't given it any thought. For at least a year or two, I just don't want to think about it. I don't know what the next step is. I've no idea. Not because I'm trying to be cagey," he said. "At the moment, we've done it. I'm not in discussion with anybody about anything. If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money.""Spectre" will open in U.S. theaters on November 6 after premiering October 26 in the UK.

Chloe Melas, CNN

2018-03-15 16:52:13

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/15/entertainment/danny-boyle-james-bond-director/index.html

Danny Boyle talks plans for next Bond film - CNN

The plot for the next James Bond film is well underway.

entertainment, Danny Boyle talks plans for next Bond film - CNN

Danny Boyle talks plans for next Bond film

(CNN)The plot for the next James Bond film is well underway. Director Danny Boyle revealed Wednesday night that he is working on a screenplay for Bond franchise. It's unclear if he'll also direct the film. "We are working on a script right now," Boyle told Metro US. "I am working on a Richard Curtis script at the moment. We hope to start shooting that in six or seven weeks. Then 'Bond' would be right at the end of the year. But we are working on them both right now."Boyle is best known for his films "Slumdog Millionaire," "127 Hours" and "Trainspotting."Related: Daniel Craig confirms return as James BondRead MoreBoyle said his longtime collaborator, John Hodge, who wrote the screenplay for "Trainspotting," is working with him on the Bond script.. Daniel Craig confirmed in August that he'll resume the title role in the upcoming installment, marking the fifth film in which Craig has played Bond. He made his debut in 2006's "Casino Royale."CNN has reached out to Boyle's representatives for comment, as well as producers for the film.

James Masters, CNN

2018-09-20 09:09:03

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/20/entertainment/james-bond-cary-joji-fukunaga-intl/index.html

James Bond 25: Cary Joji Fukunaga named as new director - CNN

Cary Joji Fukunaga has been given a license to thrill. The director of the highly acclaimed first series of HBO's "True Detective" was revealed as the director of the next James Bond movie Thursday.

entertainment, James Bond 25: Cary Joji Fukunaga named as new director - CNN

The 25th James Bond movie will be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

London (CNN)Cary Joji Fukunaga has been given a license to thrill. The director of the highly acclaimed first series of HBO's "True Detective" was revealed as the director of the next James Bond movie Thursday. The 41-year-old is the first American to direct a James Bond movie and replaces the British director Danny Boyle, who quit last month citing "creative differences."The official James Bond Twitter account and website confirmed Fukunaga's role in the production, which will begin filming on March 4.Daniel Craig last starred as James Bond in 2015's "Spectre.""Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig announced today that Bond 25 will begin filming at Pinewood Studios on 4 March 2019 under the helm of director, Cary Joji Fukunaga with a worldwide release date of 14 February 2020," the statement read."We are delighted to be working with Cary. His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure," said Wilson and Broccoli.Read MoreFukunaga most recently directed "Maniac." a dark comedy for Netflix starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill.He also directed the 2015 film "Beasts of No Nation" starring Idris Elba.The film will be Craig's fifth and final appearance as Bond after starring in "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace," "Skyfall" and "Spectre." The film will be released on February 14, 2020.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-09-28 23:11:00

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/28/entertainment/no-time-to-die-review/index.html

'No Time to Die' review: Daniel Craig bids farewell with a slightly bloated Bond film - CNN

Daniel Craig's service in the Bond franchise comes to its conclusion in "No Time to Die," a big epic, which, despite its flaws, should buy the movie considerable goodwill from an audience that has waited (and waited) for it.

entertainment, 'No Time to Die' review: Daniel Craig bids farewell with a slightly bloated Bond film - CNN

'No Time to Die' marks the end of Daniel Craig's service with a slightly bloated Bond film

(CNN)After 25 movies over 60 years, billing a James Bond adventure as the end of something requires a certain leap of faith. Still, Daniel Craig's yeoman service comes to its conclusion with "No Time to Die," a big and length-wise bloated epic that includes the desired bells and whistles, which, despite its flaws, should buy the movie considerable goodwill from an audience that has waited (and waited) for it.One of the original theatrical casualties of the pandemic, MGM delayed the release of Craig's fifth and final outing for 18 months, putting 15 years between his debut in "Casino Royale" and this chapter. While he hasn't lost a step, his editions of Bond have never quite equaled that dazzling introduction, and "No Time to Die" is no exception.To its credit, this two hour, 43-minute movie (thus making the title a bit of a lie) assiduously builds on everything that the recent Bond movies have established, in a way earlier incarnations generally didn't. That has deepened the character, allowing Bond to experience grief, loss and love without hitting the reset button, the recurrence of the villainous Blofeld notwithstanding.Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga ("True Detective"), this Bond serves notice of its grand storytelling ambitions with perhaps the longest pre-credit sequence in memory, both introducing the mysterious new villain (played by Rami Malek, seemingly channeling Peter Lorre) and finding Bond happily retired.Of course, his post-service bliss can't last, as M (Ralph Fiennes) and his CIA pal Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) both endeavor to lure him back on a mission that involves a terrible bioweapon (maybe not the best time for that particular plot) and his old nemeses at Spectre, bringing back Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) and the now-incarcerated Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) from that 2015 movie.Read MoreBond also finds his slot at MI6 having been ably occupied by a new agent (Lashana Lynch) who has inherited his 007 license. Yet while Lynch makes a strong addition, their squabbling banter is relatively weak, and merely adds to the abundance of moving parts that the even more-convoluted-than-usual plot has to service.An underlying theme is that the world has changed -- certainly from the Cold War period in which the character was born -- clouding alliances and making it, as Leiter muses, "hard to tell good from bad." That measure of complexity, however, hasn't enhanced a formula built on world-threatening villains and muscular action.In terms of Bond staples, the movie does deliver some impressive chases and action sequences, with Ana de Armas (Craig's "Knives Out" co-star) adding another dose of female empowerment during a mission that takes Bond to Cuba.Still, "No Time to Die" feels as if it's working too hard to provide Craig a sendoff worthy of all the hype associated with it -- an excess that might be summed up as simply, finally, by taking too much time to reach the finish."No Time to Die" premieres in US theaters on Oct. 8. It's rated PG-13.

Frank Pallotta, CNN Business

2021-05-26 12:48:35

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/26/media/amazon-mgm-deal/index.html

Amazon buys MGM in a mega media deal - CNN

James Bond, meet Jeff Bezos.

media, Amazon buys MGM in a mega media deal - CNN

Amazon buys MGM in a mega media deal

New York (CNN Business)James Bond, meet Jeff Bezos.Amazon (AMZN) is investing even more heavily in growing its position in the entertainment world. The company announced Wednesday that it made a deal to acquire MGM, the home of James Bond and one of the most iconic movie studios in Hollywood.The deal, which is valued at $8.45 billion, gives Amazon an extensive library of film and TV shows that it can use to fill out its Prime Video content coffers. MGM has a catalog with more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows, according to Mike Hopkins, who heads Prime Video and Amazon Studios."The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM's talented team. It's very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling," he added.CEO Jeff Bezos said that Amazon is "really excited about MGM" during the company's annual shareholder meeting Wednesday. Read More"The acquisitions thesis here is really very simple: MGM has a vast, deep catalog of much beloved intellectual property," Bezos said, "and with the talented people at MGM and the talented people at Amazon Studios, we can reimagine and develop that IP for the 21st century." The two companies said that the completion of the deal "is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions."Even though streaming is a small part of Amazon's empire, the company has focused on becoming a more prominent player in the entertainment world as of late. For example, a highly anticipated series based on "The Lord of the Rings" is in the works.Prime Video — which also features original and award-winning shows such as "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" — is tied to Amazon's immensely popular Prime program, which offers faster delivery and has more than 200 million paid subscribers. Those kinds of numbers make it a competitor to the likes of Netflix (NFLX), which has 208 million subscribers.MGM and 007Although MGM's logo of a roaring lion has played in front of some of Hollywood's most beloved films, including "The Wizard of Oz," it doesn't have the deep franchise bench that other studios have. So why would Amazon want MGM? Three words: Bond, James Bond.The studio owns a piece of the spy franchise, one of Hollywood's most famous film series. The Bond brand, which Eon Productions also controls, is more than a box office success story racking up billions of dollars over the past 60 years. The films and their lead character also represent a lifestyle that branches out to all parts of the globe and pop culture. If Prime Video is the new home of James Bond, that's an alluring proposition for potential consumers. Plus, "No Time to Die," the latest Bond film, is set to open this October after being delayed multiple times because of the Covid-19 pandemic.Why you should care about Discovery and WarnerMedia mergingAway from the suave British spy, MGM also houses franchises including "Rocky," "The Handmaid's Tale," "RoboCop," "Legally Blonde" and the Epix TV network.A consolidating media industryAnother reason Amazon would want to acquire MGM is that the media world is consolidating at a breakneck pace. To compete with Netflix and Disney (DIS), companies need scale, and buying up content, networks or studios is the best way to do that.The latest major media deal happened on Monday when AT&T announced that CNN parent company WarnerMedia would be spun off and combined with Discovery. The deal brings together a litany of brands under the Discovery and WarnerMedia banner, including Warner Bros., Discovery Channel, HBO, CNN and HGTV.Amazon acquiring MGM may not be as earth-shaking as that Discovery and WarnerMedia deal, but it's still quite notable thanks to MGM's historical prestige and Amazon's reach and resources.But the simplest reason Amazon wanted to buy MGM is that it can afford to.The hefty price tag for the acquisition is nothing of significant consequence for Amazon, one of the world's wealthiest companies. Amazon, which paid nearly $14 billion for Whole Foods in 2017, has a market cap of $1.7 trillion.Ultimately, the deal gives Amazon more content, a respected studio in Hollywood and a stylish super spy. That will only help it further compete in the ruthless world of streaming.-- CNN's Clare Duffy contributed to this story.

Sneha Kohli Mathur, CNN

2020-08-25 08:22:40

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/25/health/postpartum-depression-womens-health-wellness/index.html

Postpartum depression: A family hopes their loss will help others - CNN

The family and friends of Nima Bhakta, who died after suffering postpartum depression after the birth of her son, hope her story will help other new mothers, especially women of color, seek support for mental health issues.

health, Postpartum depression: A family hopes their loss will help others - CNN

Postpartum depression: A family hopes their loss will help others

(CNN)Nima Bhakta was that college friend who everyone knew would be a great mother. We met in 2006, and I could see that she was always at ease when she interacted with children. Kind and confident, she was also the friend who talked about how excited she was to have children of her own. That's why it was such a devastating loss to her family, friends and to me, when she lost her battle with postpartum depression and died by suicide on July 24. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in women with postpartum depression. Nima Bhakta (L) and author Sneha Kohli Mathur (R) became roommates and friends at the University of California San Diego. In a letter to her family before she died, Nima wrote that she tried to tell her loved ones about her struggle with postpartum depression but she hadn't been able to find the words to explain the depth of her suffering. She wrote that she had a loving and supportive husband and that no one was at fault for her pain. Read MoreIt started, she wrote, after her son was born in 2019. She felt completely changed as an individual, wife, sister, daughter and aunt, and she didn't understand how she couldn't even attempt cooking or other things that she once enjoyed. Her constant worry about the future and self-blame for any difficulties with her son overwhelmed her. She got to the point that she believed that she was a complete failure as a mother and was scared that she would cause him harm in the future. Throughout her letter was a sense of shame for needing help taking care of her son, and guilt that she wasn't feeling better despite having an incredibly supportive husband, Deven Bhakta, and her sisters and family.FDA approves first postpartum depression drugIn her text messages to me she expressed she was experiencing postpartum depression. "Everything I do for Keshav just seems like a task for me, it's been hard to have that bond between me and him. Really didn't expect all this since I love kids but with Keshav I've been struggling. I haven't been out of the house either unless it's for a doctor appointment, it's pretty bad. Deven's been such a big help it's ridiculous." She couldn't see what a wonderful mother she was to her beautiful baby boy. I saw her as a devoted mother diligently attending to all of his daily needs. I could see she loved him so much. How did a mother who didn't have any of the risk factors for PPD -- factors that include a personal or family history of depression and lack of social support -- still succumb to it? It can be harder for Indian women like us to ask for psychological help because these issues are not always discussed in our community, but there are other reasons women suffer from this misunderstood condition. What is postpartum depression?During pregnancy and in the hours after childbirth, women experience a dramatic drop in their estrogen and progesterone hormone levels, and that fluctuation is thought to contribute to postpartum mental health problems, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Nima and her husband Deven celebrated at their baby shower on October 6.In addition to the changes in hormones, emotional factors, fatigue and general life stressors may contribute to PPD, experts say. Postpartum depression may begin in the days or weeks following childbirth, or it may begin months later, and it can last weeks, months or years if untreated. While the experience of PPD can look different for each woman, common symptoms include a loss of pleasure or interest in doing things she once enjoyed; eating and sleeping much more or much less than usual; experiencing panic attacks or anxiety most or all of the time; feelings of guilt, worthlessness and self-blame; sadness or crying uncontrollably; fear of not being a good mom; fear of being alone with the baby or disinterest in the baby; difficulty making decisions; and thoughts of hurting oneself or the baby. Postpartum depression is not the so-called "baby blues," which 70% to 80% of all moms experience, according to the American Pregnancy Association. While baby blues may begin soon after birth, its symptoms -- which can include crying for no apparent reason, anxiety, insomnia and mood changes -- should dissipate two weeks after childbirth. If they continue past two weeks, mothers should be examined for postpartum depression.How many women are affected by postpartum depression?Anywhere from 10% to 20% of new moms in America experience postpartum depression, which means that about 400,000 to 800,000 mothers are impacted annually, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, studies have found that up to 50% of cases may go undiagnosed.Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States during the postpartum period, accounting for about 20% of postpartum deaths, according to a 2005 study. Despite its prevalence, there is no universally designed or approved screening process, and the experience of going through PPD is often a surprise to new moms.How are women of color disproportionately affected? The experiences of women of color are not well documented in research, and this leads to a discrepancy of care for mothers of color, according to a 2016 survey by Robert Keefe, a professor at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Women of color may not reach out for mental health support because they believe that their depression is a normal part of motherhood.Women of color face further pressures due to cultural expectations. Furthermore, our mental distress may present in a different manner than a medical practitioner has been trained to look for, as the majority of research reflects the experiences of white women, according to Keefe's survey. This picture of Nima was taken on October 11 by her husband, Deven in Bishop, California.Asian and Asian American women often express psychological distress in physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal problems, or headaches and backaches, according to a 2014 study by Dr. Sandeep Grover and Dr. Abhishek Ghosh, both psychiatrists with the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in India. This may be because psychological expression of distress is culturally frowned upon. In Keefe's survey, Latina women reported that having a medical provider of the same cultural background made them more comfortable to confide in, but there are fewer providers of color to serve them. One solution that would benefit women of all cultures is to create more support groups for mothers of the same cultural background. How can family members help new mothers? Despite having a supportive family and friends who encouraged her to seek out medical support, Nima still felt detached from everyone. In the midst of a pandemic, when people are more isolated than usual, it's important to check in on the new moms in your life. If you know someone who is a new mom, there are things you can do. Talk to your new mother friends and make the conversation about her, not just the baby. Don't try to solve her problems; instead, listen and validate her feelings. Celebrate all the little victories she achieves, both with her baby and personally. This is a medical condition, and people with this condition need medical assistance. If we break a leg, we wouldn't hesitate to visit a doctor, take medications to treat the pain and then go to therapy to strengthen the muscle, right? Taking care of our mental health is the same! Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. What other help is available? Friends can't be therapists. However, we can normalize and encourage psychotherapy. While taking medication, usually antidepressants, is thought to help treat PPD, as a mental health professional, I find that therapy is also often needed but underutilized. Through therapy, a mom can better understand her experiences and discover healthy ways to cope with her feelings, solve problems, set realistic goals and respond to situations in a positive way. Despite its prevalence and potentially fatal outcome, only one drug has been developed to specifically treat postpartum depression. An intravenous infusion of the drug brexanolone, sold as Zulresso, was approved by the FDA in 2019. Can we share our feelings?I wish I had been more open with Nima about my own experience with having suicidal thoughts during my pregnancy. I spent most of my pregnancy in bed, in the dark, getting most food from a PICC line inserted into my arm because of hyperemesis gravidarum, a medical condition that affects 0.3 to 2.3% of pregnant women. Hyperemesis gravidarum is characterized as extreme and continuous vomiting and nausea during pregnancy. It can cause weight loss of more than 5% of the pregnant woman's body weight, lead to dehydration and potential complications for the baby. Some days I felt like I simply couldn't go on. Other than my therapist, I did not share these thoughts with anyone. I wondered what was wrong with me and how I could be a good mother when I thought about ending my own life. We all have a lot to learn about postpartum depression.This short video is a good place to start: https://t.co/rbnSlKM7Fl#breakthestigma4nima pic.twitter.com/qCoaOAisV0— Anand Patel (@anandp29) August 3, 2020 But I was not myself. I was experiencing perinatal depression. As my therapist explained to me, depression is a powerful force that hijacks your brain and doesn't allow you to think clearly. I didn't want any visitors. I didn't even want to talk to or text anyone. I wanted to lie in the dark without so much as the curtains being open. Sometimes I just lay on the bathroom floor waiting for my next bout of vomiting because I didn't have the energy or motivation to make it back to my bed. Luckily, I have an educational background in psychology, and I recognized the signs of slipping into a depression. I reached out to my therapist, and therapy and medication helped me get through that difficult time, and continue to help me manage my anxiety.Parents need to know they're not aloneI hope that sharing my experience from three years ago will encourage more people to share their experiences, because only then will we shatter the stigma. That way others experiencing similar things know that they are not alone.I am so thankful that I could reach out to my therapist during those difficult times, and that my family encouraged and supported my journey. If you are having or ever have had any mental health struggles, especially related to PPD, and are open to sharing, please do so. It may save someone's life. Also, give therapy a chance; it will be worth it. Overcoming Depression: Facts and ResourcesThe American Psychological Association provides the following resources:Racism and depression: A real linkHow to find a therapist in your areaTherapists of colorCovid-19 psychological impactThe color of Covid-19 databaseTo honor Nima's wish to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues, Nima and Deven's families started the #BreakTheStigma4Nima hashtag on social media. In response to this hashtag, friends and strangers have been sharing stories about their own struggles related to PPD, including some who had never openly discussed their experiences before. Ultimately, this is what inspired me to share my story as well.To get help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). There is also a crisis text line. For crisis support in Spanish, call 1-888-628-9454.To learn more about postpartum depression, call Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773 or visit its website. Sneha Kohli Mathur has a BA and MA in psychology and is a board-certified behavior analyst and a doctoral candidate in education, working to support adults on the autism spectrum as they transition to college and employment.

Angela Fritz and Rachel Ramirez, CNN

2021-08-09 08:00:08

news

world

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/09/world/global-climate-change-report-un-ipcc/index.html

Climate change report: Earth is warming faster than scientists previously thought scientists say, and the window is closing to avoid catastrophic outcomes - CNN

A landmark report by global scientists says the window is rapidly closing to cut our reliance on fossil fuels and avoid catastrophic changes that would transform life as we know it.

world, Climate change report: Earth is warming faster than scientists previously thought scientists say, and the window is closing to avoid catastrophic outcomes - CNN

Earth is warming faster than previously thought, scientists say, and the window is closing to avoid catastrophic outcomes

(CNN)As the world battles historic droughts, landscape-altering wildfires and deadly floods, a landmark report from global scientists says the window is rapidly closing to cut our reliance on fossil fuels and avoid catastrophic changes that would transform life as we know it.The state-of-the-science report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the world has rapidly warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels, and is now careening toward 1.5 degrees — a critical threshold that world leaders agreed warming should remain below to avoid worsening impacts.Only by making deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, while also removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, can we halt the precipitous trend."Bottom line is that we have zero years left to avoid dangerous climate change, because it's here," Michael E. Mann, a lead author of the IPCC's 2001 report, told CNN.Unlike previous assessments, Monday's report concludes it is "unequivocal" that humans have caused the climate crisis and confirms that "widespread and rapid changes" have already occurred, some of them irreversibly.<img alt="Scientists can now say yes, that wild weather was caused by climate change." class="media__image" src="//i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/210809054524-20210809-ipcc-regional-map-large-169.png">Scientists can now say yes, that wild weather was caused by climate change. Read MoreThat is due in part to the breakneck pace at which the planet has been recently warming, faster than scientists have previously observed. Since 2018, when the panel published a special report on the significance of 1.5-degrees, greenhouse gas emissions have continued mostly unabated and have pushed global temperatures higher.Even under the IPCC's most optimistic scenario, in which the world's emissions begin to drop sharply today and are reduced to net zero by 2050, global temperature will still peak above the 1.5-degree threshold before falling.In a statement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the report "a code red for humanity," and noted the 1.5-degree threshold is "perilously close.""The only way to prevent exceeding this threshold is by urgently stepping up our efforts, and pursuing the most ambitious path," Guterres said. The IPCC report comes just three months before the UN-led international climate change talks, during which global leaders are expected to strengthen their commitments to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Though some countries have pledged stricter cuts since the 2015 Paris Agreement, many have missed deadlines to do so, and there is still a significant gap between what leaders are promising and what's needed by 2030."From a scientific perspective, every degree, every part of a degree, every half of a degree matters in terms of limiting the impacts that we will see from climate change," Ko Barrett, the former vice chair of the IPCC, told CNN. "So at whatever level countries decide is what they're aiming for, there are benefits and there are consequences to choosing those limits."An evolution on climate changeWith each IPCC report, the science has converged on what scientists now say is irrefutable: the climate crisis is caused by human greenhouse gas emissions.1990 — "The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect ... is not likely for a decade or more."1995 — The ability to connect climate change to human influence is "currently limited."2001 — There is "new and stronger evidence" that warming is due to greenhouse gas emissions.2007 — Global warming is unequivocal, and there is "high confidence" that human influence is to blame.2013 — "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal," and "human influence on the climate system is clear."2021 — "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land."Dave Reay, the director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, said world leaders "must have the findings of this report seared into their minds" at the November conference and take urgent action."This is not just another scientific report," Reay said. "This is hell and highwater writ large."As computing power increases, scientists are more confident than ever in connecting the dots between the climate crisis and extreme weather, which for some regions — even at 1.1 degrees of warming — is already becoming unbearable.Michael Byrne, a climate researcher at the University of Oxford, said that's what's different about this report is "the effects of global warming are no longer in the distant future or in far-flung corners of the world.""We knew what was coming and now it's here," Byrne said.A heat wave that killed hundreds this summer in the US Northwest and British Columbia would have been "virtually impossible" without the climate crisis, researchers found. It made Hurricane Harvey's devastating rainfall roughly three times more likely to occur and 15% more intense, scientists said. Harvey dumped more than 19 trillion gallons of water on Texas and Louisiana in 2017, triggering devastating floods in the Houston area. The IPCC says heavy rainfall that used to occur once every 10 years now occurs 30% more frequently. JUST WATCHEDNearly 200 people were killed in Germany and Belgium when more than an entire month's worth of rain fell in as little as 12 hours. Tens of thousands of people were unable to return to their homes left without access to power and drinking water.ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNearly 200 people were killed in Germany and Belgium when more than an entire month's worth of rain fell in as little as 12 hours. Tens of thousands of people were unable to return to their homes left without access to power and drinking water. 01:21Globally, droughts that may have occurred only once every 10 years or so now happen 70% more frequently, according to the report. The climate change connection is particularly strong in the Western United States, which is experiencing a historic, multiyear drought that has drained reservoirs and triggered water shortages.Amid unrelenting drought and record heat, wildfire seasons are now longer and result in more destructive fires. Six of the top 10 largest fires in California have occurred in 2020 or 2021, according to CalFire."We're seeing truly frightening fire behavior. I don't know how to overstate that," said Chris Carlton, supervisor of California's Plumas National Forest supervisor in California, who called this year's wildfire season "uncharted territory."Charles Koven, a lead author of the report's chapter on global carbon cycles, said California has already reached a tipping point on wildfires."I don't think we knew where that threshold was until we crossed it," he told CNN. "What the report makes clear is that the likelihood of crossing any of these tipping points is certainly going to increase the more warming that we see." Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe Alisal Fire burns near Goleta, California, on Tuesday, October 12.Hide Caption 1 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter puts out a roadside fire in Goleta, California, on Wednesday, October 13.Hide Caption 2 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestAn air tanker drops retardant on a wildfire in Goleta. Hide Caption 3 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestJames Grooms looks through the remains of his home at the Rancho Marina Mobile Home & RV Park following the Brannan Fire in Sacramento County, California, on Tuesday, October 12. Hide Caption 4 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighter Tyler McManigal battles the Alisal Fire in Gaviota, California, on October 12.Hide Caption 5 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA forest of ashen trees stands in the wake of the Windy Fire, south of California Hot Springs, on September 27.Hide Caption 6 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA volunteer attempts to evacuate horses to safety as the Windy Fire expands in California's Sequoia National Forest on September 25.Hide Caption 7 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestOperations Section Chief Jon Wallace looks at the General Sherman giant sequoia tree at Sequoia National Park on September 22. The base of the tree, the world's largest by volume, was wrapped in an aluminum-based burn-resistant material to protect it from wildfires.Hide Caption 8 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters spray water as flames from the Windy Fire push toward a road in California's Sequoia National Forest on September 22.Hide Caption 9 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters battling the Windy Fire extinguish a spot fire in the Sequoia National Forest on September 19.Hide Caption 10 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe Windy Fire burns in the Trail of 100 Giants grove in the Sequoia National Forest on September 19.Hide Caption 11 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA helicopter drops water on the KNP Complex Fire burning in Sequoia National Park on September 15. Hide Caption 12 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFlames from the KNP Complex Fire burn along a hillside in the Sequoia National Park on September 14. Hide Caption 13 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThis aerial photo, taken on September 4, shows the Dixie Fire on Horton Ridge in Plumas County, California.Hide Caption 14 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestRiley Cantrell cries while she and boyfriend, Bradley Fairbanks, view what's left of her mother's home in Greenville, California, on September 4. It was destroyed by the Dixie Fire.Hide Caption 15 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter is seen as the Caldor Fire rages near California's Silver Lake on September 2.Hide Caption 16 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA helicopter flies over Wrights Lake while battling the Caldor Fire in California's Eldorado National Forest.Hide Caption 17 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestEmbers fly from a tree as the Caldor Fire burns along Highway 50 in California's Eldorado National Forest.Hide Caption 18 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestVeronica Foster, an evacuee from South Lake Tahoe, California, hugs her dog, Gracie, as she and her co-workers gather outside an evacuation center in Gardnerville, Nevada, on August 31. The governors of California and Nevada declared states of emergency as the fast-moving Caldor Fire prompted officials to tell everyone to get out of South Lake Tahoe.Hide Caption 19 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestJason Marone of the Roseville Fire Department hoses down a hot spot in Meyers, California, on August 31.Hide Caption 20 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA tree burns in a blackened forest at dawn on August 30 after the Caldor Fire tore through Twin Bridges, California.Hide Caption 21 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter winds up hose at a spot fire near Meyers, California, on August 30.Hide Caption 22 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe Caldor Fire burns homes along a ridge near South Lake Tahoe on August 30. Hide Caption 23 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestSouth Lake Tahoe residents are stuck in gridlock while attempting to evacuate the city on August 30.Hide Caption 24 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA tanker makes a fire-retardant drop near Lytle Creek, California, on August 26 as efforts continued to stop the South Fire.Hide Caption 25 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter tries to extinguish flames at a burning house as the South Fire burned in Lytle Creek, California, on August 25.Hide Caption 26 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFrom left, Astrid Covarrubias, Jose Lamas and Maria Covarrubias walk through smoke after visiting their burned-out home in Lytle Creek on August 25.Hide Caption 27 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe French Fire continues to spread near Wofford Heights, California, on August 25.Hide Caption 28 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters are seen behind the flames of a backfire they were setting to battle the French Fire near Wofford Heights.Hide Caption 29 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestCrews battle California's Caldor Fire as it moved east toward Lake Tahoe on August 23.Hide Caption 30 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThis aerial photo, taken on August 19, shows burned homes at the Creekside Mobile Home Park a day after they were destroyed by the Cache Fire in Clearlake, California.Hide Caption 31 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters dig a containment line on the Caldor Fire near Pollock Pines, California, on August 18.Hide Caption 32 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestSmoke and haze from wildfires obscure the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline on August 18.Hide Caption 33 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestIn this long-exposure photo, embers light up hillsides as the Dixie Fire burns near Milford, California, on August 17.Hide Caption 34 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestDestiney Barnard holds Raymond William Goetchius while stranded at a gas station in Doyle, California, on August 17. Barnard's car broke down as she was helping Raymond and his family flee the Dixie Fire.Hide Caption 35 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestDestroyed property is seen August 17 after the Caldor Fire passed through Grizzly Flats, California.Hide Caption 36 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters spray water on trees being burned by the Dixie Fire near Janesville, California, on August 17.Hide Caption 37 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestAs the KNP Complex Fire approaches, Forest Service firefighters Armando Flores, right, and Heron Hilbach-Barger clear vegetation around structures at the Ash Mountain headquarters in Sequoia National Park, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021. The blaze is burning near the Giant Forest, home to more than 2,000 giant sequoias.Hide Caption 38 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighting helicopter flies in front of the sun, which was shrouded in thick wildfire smoke near Lakeview, Oregon, on August 15.Hide Caption 39 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestWind blows smoke away for a moment, revealing damage from the Parleys Canyon Fire in Utah on August 14.Hide Caption 40 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestCrews battle a fire in Newhall, California, on August 12.Hide Caption 41 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA table and chairs sit in front of a destroyed home in Greenville, California, on August 12.Hide Caption 42 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter battles the Dixie Fire near Taylorsville, California, on August 10.Hide Caption 43 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestSmoke plumes rise from the Kwis Fire near Eugene, Oregon, on August 10.Hide Caption 44 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter works to extinguish a controlled burn, a preventative measure, to protect a home in Greenville, California, on August 9.Hide Caption 45 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters battling the Dixie Fire clear a fallen tree from a roadway in Plumas County, California, on August 6.Hide Caption 46 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFlames from the Dixie Fire consume a pickup truck on Highway 89, south of Greenville, California, on August 5.Hide Caption 47 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestOperations Chief Jay Walter passes the historic Sierra Lodge as the Dixie Fire burns through Greenville, California, on August 4. The fire leveled multiple historic buildings and dozens of homes in central Greenville.Hide Caption 48 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters work at a Greenville home that was engulfed by the Dixie Fire on August 4.Hide Caption 49 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe Dixie Fire burns near Taylorsville, California, on July 29.Hide Caption 50 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, and Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak tour an area destroyed by the Tamarack Fire in Gardnerville, Nevada, on July 28. Hide Caption 51 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighter Brentt Call walks through a burned-over area of the Bootleg Fire near Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 27.Hide Caption 52 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestCal Fire Capts. Tristan Gale, left, and Derek Leong monitor a firing operation in California's Lassen National Forest on July 26. Crews had set a ground fire to stop the Dixie Fire from spreading.Hide Caption 53 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters try to reach a fire site in Quincy, California, on July 25.Hide Caption 54 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestVolunteers sort clothing at a donation shelter for those affected by the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon.Hide Caption 55 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestScott Griffin surveys his property, which was destroyed by the Bootleg Fire in Sycan Estates, Oregon.Hide Caption 56 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFlames consume a home as the Dixie Fire tears through the Indian Falls community of Plumas County, California, on July 24.Hide Caption 57 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestPeople stand behind the fire line as flames from the Steptoe Canyon Fire spread through dry grass in Colton, Washington, on July 22.Hide Caption 58 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestPlumes of smoke from the Dixie Fire rise above California's Plumas National Forest, near the Pacific Gas and Electric Rock Creek Power House, on July 21.Hide Caption 59 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters walk near a wildfire in Topanga, California, on July 19.Hide Caption 60 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter does mop-up work in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, which has been struggling with the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.Hide Caption 61 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA car is charred by the Bootleg Fire along a mountain road near Bly, Oregon.Hide Caption 62 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestNicolas Bey, 11, hugs his father, Sayyid, near a donated trailer they are using after their home was burned in the Bootleg Fire near Beatty, Oregon.Hide Caption 63 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters extinguish hot spots in an area affected by the Bootleg Fire near Bly, Oregon.Hide Caption 64 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA bear cub clings to a tree after being spotted by a safety officer at the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.Hide Caption 65 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters work to protect Markleeville, California, from the Tamarack Fire on July 17. The Tamarack Fire was started by a lightning strike. Hide Caption 66 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe Tamarack Fire burns in Markleeville, near the California-Nevada border, on July 17.Hide Caption 67 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA member of the Northwest Incident Management Team 12 holds a map of the Chuweah Creek Fire as wildfires devastated Nespelem, Washington, on July 16.Hide Caption 68 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA cloud from the Bootleg Fire drifts into the air near Bly, Oregon, on July 16.Hide Caption 69 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters spray water from the Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in California's Plumas National Forest on July 16.Hide Caption 70 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestHorses climb a hillside that was burned by the Chuweah Creek Fire in eastern Washington.Hide Caption 71 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFire from the Bootleg Fire illuminates smoke near Bly, Oregon, on the night of July 16.Hide Caption 72 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter battles the Bootleg Fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, along the Oregon and California border, on July 15.Hide Caption 73 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighting aircraft drops flame retardant on the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon, on July 15.Hide Caption 74 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters dig away at hot spots underneath stumps and brush after flames from the Snake River Complex Fire swept through the area south of Lewiston, Idaho, on July 15.Hide Caption 75 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestBurned cars sit outside a home that was destroyed by the Chuweah Creek Fire in Nespelem, Washington.Hide Caption 76 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestEvacuee Dee McCarley hugs her cat Bunny at a Red Cross center in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 14.Hide Caption 77 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestAn airplane drops fire retardant on the Chuweah Creek Fire in Washington on July 14.Hide Caption 78 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestOperations Section Chief Bert Thayer examines a map of the Bootleg Fire in Chiloquin, Oregon, on July 13.Hide Caption 79 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFire consumes a home as the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, tears through Doyle, California, on July 10. It's the second time in less than a year that the small town has been ravaged by a wildfire.Hide Caption 80 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestMen hug a member of the Red Cross at a Bootleg Fire evacuation center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.Hide Caption 81 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestEmbers blow across a field as the Sugar Fire burns in Doyle, California, on July 9.Hide Caption 82 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters monitor the Sugar Fire in Doyle, California, on July 9.Hide Caption 83 of 84 Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestIn this long-exposure photograph, taken early on July 2, flames surround a drought-stricken Shasta Lake during the Salt Fire in Lakehead, California.Hide Caption 84 of 84With every fraction of a degree of warming, the effects worsen. Even limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, which countries in the Paris Agreement determined was ideal to stave off the worst impacts, the kinds of extreme weather the world has experienced this summer will become more severe and more frequent.Beyond 1.5 degrees, scientists say the climate system could begin to look unrecognizable.Andrew Watson, a scientist at the University of Exeter, said the climate models used in the report don't capture the risk of "low probability, high impact" events that become more likely as global temperature increases."These are events such as ice sheet collapse, sudden changes in ocean circulation, or catastrophic wildfires," Watson said. "These 'known unknowns' are scarier still."Key takeaways from the UN report on the climate crisisThe roughly 3,500-page report is a culmination of nearly a decade of climate research by scientists around the world. And although the IPCC is considered the ultimate source on climate change, it tends to be conservative in its findings because of the way it's developed — by having hundreds of scientists come to a consensus not only on the research but the language describing it.Yet Monday's report uses the strongest wording to date in describing the climate crisis. Ice sheets are melting and will continue to melt; extreme flooding from higher sea level will continue to get more frequent; and sea level itself will continue to rise well into the 22nd century, simply because of the amount of heat the oceans have already trapped. At the same time scientists are sounding the alarm, the International Energy Agency says human carbon emissions "are on course to surge by 1.5 billion tonnes in 2021 — the second-largest increase in history — reversing most of last year's decline caused by the Covid-19 pandemic."The IPCC report is clear that global leaders must cut greenhouse gas emissions now, before deadly and costly weather extremes get even worse. But Barrett said a key message in the report is that it's still possible to prevent the most dire impacts."It really requires unprecedented transformational change, rapid and immediate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050," said Barrett. "The idea that there is still a pathway forward is a point that should give us some hope."CNN's Angela Dewan, Brandon Miller and John Keefe contributed to this report.

Bryony Jones, CNN

2015-02-25 10:22:13

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2015/02/25/europe/vintage-nasa-space-photos-auction/index.html

Vintage NASA space photos up for auction - CNN

An out-of-this-world collection of vintage NASA photos -- including the first "selfie" taken in space -- are to go up for sale in London.

europe, Vintage NASA space photos up for auction - CNN

Vintage NASA space photos up for auction

Story highlightsTreasure trove of more than 600 NASA images from the space race are up for sale at auction in London.Photographs include the first "selfie" in space, and an extremely rare picture of Neil Armstrong on the Moon.London (CNN)An out-of-this-world collection of vintage NASA photos -- including the first "selfie" taken in space and a rare image of pioneering astronaut Neil Armstrong on the Moon -- are to go up for sale in London.The treasure trove of more than 600 images, including some of the most significant moments in lunar exploration, was put together over decades by a dedicated collector.The pictures will go under the hammer at Bloomsbury Auctions in London on February 26, where they are expected to sell for between £300 ($465) and £10,000 ($15,525) -- a total of upwards of £500,000.Among the highlights of the sale is a photograph snapped by Buzz Aldrin -- later the second man to step onto the Moon -- during the Gemini 12 mission in November 1966, which is believed to be the first space "selfie." It is tipped to sell for £600 to £800 ($932 to $1,242).Aldrin also features in perhaps the most famous image in the sale: the so-called "visor photograph" showing him on the Moon on July 20,1969 during the Apollo 11 mission.Read MoreA spokesman for Bloomsbury Auctions said the picture, taken by Armstrong just minutes after he had made his "one small step" speech and featuring the pioneering astronaut reflected in his colleague's helmet visor, was likely to excite a lot of interest from bidders.NASA astronaut Ed White taking part in the first U.S. spacewalk on June 3, 1965. Photograph taken by fellow astronaut James McDivitt."A picture like that still has enormous power today," the photography expert said.There's also an extremely rare picture taken by Aldrin showing his fellow explorer Armstrong on the lunar surface. Most of the photos from the Apollo 11 landing were taken by Armstrong himself, so there are very few of him actually on the Moon."It is very rare to find a vintage print of that because it wasn't recognized by NASA at the time," explained the Bloomsbury Auctions spokesman. "They didn't realize it was Neil Armstrong, so they didn't release it to the press. It was found years later, and very few people have seen it, it hasn't been widely published, so that one is of obvious historic significance."But the collection is not limited to photos from the 1960s heyday of the space program. The oldest image in the sale is one dating all the way back to 1946; shot by a camera strapped to a V-2 rocket, it is the first to show the earth from space.The view of the first 'Earthrise' over the lunar horizon changed Man's relationship with the cosmos foreverSara Wheeler, Bloomsbury AuctionsIn addition to photos of astronauts, there are also landmark mosaics and panoramas showing the lunar surface, and shots looking back at Earth from the darkness of space, including the iconic "Earthrise" image taken by Apollo 8's William Anders in December 1968, which Sara Wheeler, head of photographs at Bloomsbury Auctions, said "changed man's relationship with the cosmos forever."The auction house spokesman said previous sales of NASA images had proved hugely popular, both with space enthusiasts and photography aficionados."Four years ago in 2011 we sold a private collection of NASA photos and I was surprised by the range of people who did buy them -- I'd say about half were interested in the aesthetics of the image, and the other half were looking for the significant moments in space history -- the classic images: the first 'earthrise', the first picture of the whole earth and so on."He said the fact that the pictures were vintage prints, dating back to the days of the space race only added to their allure."They represent a golden age in the history of photography, when a few men went to the unknown to bring back awe-inspiring pictures," said Wheeler.The From the Earth to the Moon: Vintage NASA photographs sale takes place at Bloomsbury Auctions in London on Thursday February 26.

Maeve Reston CNN Video by Jeremy Moorhead and Gabe Ramirez

2019-06-18 10:00:07

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/18/politics/los-angeles-homeless-crisis/index.html

Los Angeles' homeless crisis: too many tents, too few beds - CNNPolitics

In Los Angeles' Skid Row, tents line entire city blocks. These makeshift shelters for the city's homeless are now an almost permanent fixture of the city's landscape, with barbecue grills and clusters of bikes standing alongside them.

politics, Los Angeles' homeless crisis: too many tents, too few beds - CNNPolitics

Los Angeles' homeless crisis: too many tents, too few beds

(CNN)In Los Angeles' Skid Row, tents line entire city blocks. These makeshift shelters for the city's homeless are now an almost permanent fixture of the city's landscape, with barbecue grills and clusters of bikes standing alongside them.Some residents have tethered their tents to nearby fences and industrial buildings. Others run long power cords from their tents to nearby light poles to tap into the city's power grid. A few Skid Row pet owners have created small dog yards next to their tents under tarps to block out the sun and makeshift fencing. On a recent evening in this industrial part of LA's downtown, a young woman was washing her hair and her tank top in the jet of water gushing from a fire hydrant into the street. As Los Angeles city and county officials struggle to shelter and build housing for nearly 60,000 people who are living on the streets, they are facing resistance -- not just to new structures in neighborhoods where residents fear more crime and blight, but also from some within the homeless community, who insist they would rather continue living independently on the streets in their tents.While the homeless crisis is perhaps most visible in California, it is gripping so many other cities, including Washington, that many of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates are beginning to face questions from voters about their plans. In 2018, about half of all Americans experiencing homelessness lived in one of five states -- California (24%), New York (17%), Florida (6%), Texas (5%) or Washington state (4%), according to the 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, presented to Congress in December. In dozens of interviews with unsheltered people in LA over the past year, many told CNN they won't apply for housing because they are afraid of the police, or unable to access the right documents to apply for ID, or sometimes simply wary of losing their independence if they are forced to live under rules that might be imposed if they moved into subsidized housing facilities.Read MoreIN PICTURES: L.A.'s homelessness crisisTents are now all over LA County. But the so-called "shelter-resistant" population is most evident in Skid Row, the portion of downtown where many of the city's homeless shelters, temporary housing and homeless services have traditionally been concentrated. At the root of this tremendously complex problem is the fact that many within LA's unsheltered population are grappling with substance abuse addictions and untreated mental illness. Another major factor is that a series of lawsuits against the city -- aimed at preserving the rights of homeless people to protect their property -- has created a semipermanent tent culture in some sectors of LA.Under city policy, tent-dwellers are required to take down their tents during daylight hours to clear the streets for pedestrians and business owners. But because of the lawsuits, that policy is not being uniformly enforced. In some areas it does not appear to be enforced at all.The lawsuits and court injunctions against the city have had other unintended consequences. Because of the proliferation of tents, police say, it is much harder to identify and halt drug dealing and human trafficking. The legal battles have also complicated the city's ability to clear trash-strewn streets, because it is not easy to identify what bedding or clothing might belong to an unsheltered person living nearby.Homeless women most vulnerableThe way in which tent culture feeds resistance to housing is one of the greatest frustrations for Los Angeles Police Officer Deon Joseph, who has worked in Skid Row for more than two decades both as a homeless advocate and enforcer. During several nighttime patrols through Skid Row, he reeled off countless stories of unsheltered women who he has tried to get into the pipeline for housing, in part because they are among the most vulnerable to sexual assault, domestic violence and even demands for money from gang members who try to charge rent on certain blocks.Several times a year, Joseph holds what he calls "Ladies Night" for the women of Skid Row -- a workshop where he brings in advocates to teach self-defense, how to report assault and rape, and legal rights.He often cites the example of a 70-year-old woman named Lena living in Skid Row who he got to know well but who was resistant to housing: "I tried to house her, tried to house her, tried to house her," Joseph said, "and then one day I came back and someone found her dead in a pile of garbage. A human being found in garbage."Joseph notes that scores of well-meaning volunteers and church groups show up on Skid Row each month to try to help the population by providing food, clothing and even new tents. But in Joseph's view, that assistance often perpetuates the cycle of people living on the street. "The shelters and the missions here, they give food and clothes to draw people in to get the services to that help people get on their feet -- like drug programs, alcohol programs, domestic violence program, job programs," Joseph said. "But many of the folks from here won't use them, because they're getting their needs met on the streets of Skid Row."Rising homeless rateAs a result of several ballot measures approved by LA voters in the past few years, the city and the county spent hundreds of millions of dollars last year to address the homeless crisis. But the number of people living without shelter still went up 12% in the county and 16% in the city. Homelessness among youth and children rose 24% over the previous year, according to the 2019 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Results. Of the nearly 60,000 people who are homeless in LA County, 19% told officials they came to LA County from out of state, 15% said they arrived from another part of California and 1.2% said they came from outside the United States. While the homeless count in Los Angeles was shocking, the rise in homelessness in neighboring counties was equally bracing. Homelessness was up 43% in Orange County over the previous year, 28% in Ventura County and 50% in Kern County.When questioned about why they had fallen into homelessness, 53% of those who said they were homeless for the first time in LA County cited "economic hardship"-- with the lack of affordable housing serving as a major driver for many. The staggering homeless count rose despite the fact that LA's coordinated city-county homeless crisis response system helped 21,631 people move into permanent housing last year.Another 31,500 people have been assessed by case managers and are waiting for housing or rental subsidies, according to city and county homeless officials. The county has opened eight new mental health urgent care centers and a sobering center to expand its outreach.Housing for the homelessWhile Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has confronted serious opposition in some neighborhoods even for his initial goal of placing 15 new shelters in City Council districts across the city, residents of some parts of Los Angeles County have been more receptive to housing for the homeless.One example is the former Tiki Motel in LA County, a notorious site of neighborhood crime and blight that appeared in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie "The Terminator."Al Nunez, who grew up in East Los Angeles and was homeless for three years after his mother died of lung cancer, is one of the residents who now live at the converted Tiki Apartments.Nunez was paralyzed by a gunshot wound to the spine 16 years ago. He often got sick during the time he was homeless, and would go days, he said, sleeping in his wheelchair."They would call me 'the statue,' " he recalled in an interview. "I was just alone because I was ashamed and embarrassed. Especially, where I was at -- it was my neighborhood where I grew up."Former friends and acquaintances would often pass him on the street: "They wouldn't even acknowledge me or say anything to me. But I understand, it's because it's a stigma like -- 'You're homeless' -- It's like I wasn't the same person.""All I could think about is that I was going to either die from getting sick -- from being in my wheelchair -- or to the point where I wanted to take my own life because it was just a lot of suffering," he said. "The only time I would go lay on a bed was when I would end up in the hospital. But ... once I was stable, it was like, 'You've got to go back on the street and fend for yourself.' "At another housing development called Mosaic Gardens at Willowbrook, in an unincorporated area of LA County, formerly homeless residents or those who were housed here because they were on the brink of homelessness have a playground, a computer lab and financial literacy programs, as well as access to services to help treat substance abuse or mental illness. Suny Lay Chang, the chief operating officer of LINC Housing Corp., which built the project, notes that they involved the community in the design, from the paint colors to the city-in-the-country feel that they tried to create with a community garden and kitchen."We have groups come in to lead cooking classes and demonstration classes to help people learn how to eat healthy, cook healthy. We'll use some of the vegetables from the community garden to do that," Chang said. "It's part of treating the whole individual."The project got off the ground, in part, because the community got behind it. One of the community leaders involved was Michael Torrence, a minister at nearby Fellowship Baptist Church who also directs a substance abuse prevention program for youth and families that is part of Volunteers of America of Greater Los Angeles.Torrence said residents from the Willowbrook community were there "from the planning to the first shovel to the cutting of the ribbons.""We feel a great sense of ownership," he said during an interview in the community kitchen of Mosaic Gardens at Willowbrook. "I'm not a resident here, but as far as I'm concerned this is my place too."When asked about the resistance in other parts of Los Angeles to building homeless housing units and shelters, Torrence said he would argue that those neighborhoods will be safer if currently unsheltered people have ready access to wraparound services for substance abuse and mental health issues."Not in my backyard is only because you have a backyard right now," Torrence said. "We have to recognize the fact that these are people.""If we address this, and provide housing and assistance and support -- then you can get past the whole notion of this is the other -- and begin to see them as my neighbor," he said."So, your backyard? If they're invested in it, they will take care of the backyard."A national political issueWhen Los Angeles County released its shocking homeless count this month, Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted that housing is a "human right," noting that her proposed LIFT Act -- to give lower-income working families a tax credit of up to $6,000 a year -- as well as her "Rent Relief Act" are intended to address the crisis.The California Democrat and presidential candidate, addressing the Poor People's Campaign Forum in Washington on Monday, also introduced a new line in her campaign speech, saying, "What we learn in that parable is that neighbor is that person you are walking by who is homeless on the street."Julian Castro recently toured storm tunnels beneath the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas where hundreds of homeless individuals have sought shelter -- and on Monday he outlined his plan to "end chronic homelessness by the end of 2028." "It wasn't lost on me or anyone else there that underneath hotels that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars," Castro said, "you have people who are living in deep poverty, sleeping not even in the street but in a drainage tunnel."California voters approached both Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke citing homelessness as a top concern during their respective visits to the Golden State. A voter in San Diego -- a city that erected enormous tent shelters last year to temporarily house hundreds of people -- told O'Rourke she was worried about the number of veterans living on the streets. The former Texas congressman noted that some of the homeless veterans he has spoken to in his home state had to wait so long for mental health treatment that they sought drugs on the street to treat their symptoms. "If you cannot see a doctor and be well enough -- then there's a more likely chance that you're going to be homeless in the first place," O'Rourke told the voter during his San Diego town hall in late April. "So starting with health care for everybody -- without exception, including mental health care -- is so fundamental to being able to get this done. And in California, perhaps especially, where housing prices are going through the roof, we've got to make sure that we are creating enough housing units for the demand that is here." Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont routinely highlights the growing number of homeless people nationwide as he rails against the fact that 40 million people are living in poverty while the "very rich" are "getting richer." "Tonight some 500,000 Americans, including many veterans, will be sleeping out on the streets," Sanders said during a speech earlier this month at George Washington University.

Ariane de Vogue, CNN Supreme Court Reporter

2021-06-17 14:32:40

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/17/politics/supreme-court-fulton/index.html

Justices rule in favor of Catholic foster care agency that refused to work with same-sex couples - CNNPolitics

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that Philadelphia violated the First Amendment when it froze the contract of a Catholic foster care agency that refused to work with same-sex couples as potential foster parents because the agency believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

politics, Justices rule in favor of Catholic foster care agency that refused to work with same-sex couples - CNNPolitics

Supreme Court rules in favor of Catholic foster care agency that refused to work with same-sex couples

(CNN)The Supreme Court on Thursday said that Philadelphia violated the First Amendment when it froze the contract of a Catholic foster care agency that refused to work with same-sex couples as potential foster parents because the agency believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. The dispute arose because Catholic Social Services -- which was receiving taxpayer funds -- was unwilling to work with LGBTQ couples as foster parents out of religious objections to same sex marriage. The policy was brought to the attention of the city in 2018 after inquiries from a local newspaper, and soon after the government put a freeze on the contract. The group, led by long-time foster parent Sharonell Fulton who has fostered more than 40 children over 25 years, brought suit. The issue before the court was whether Philadelphia could require foster agencies to comply with its non-discrimination law. READ: Supreme Court opinion in same-sex couple foster care agency caseChief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion for six of the nine justices. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch joined in the result, but did not join the majority's rationale -- and was disappointed at the result."The Court has emitted a wisp of a decision that leaves religious liberty in a confused and vulnerable state," Alito wrote. "Those who count on this Court to stand up for the First Amendment have every right to be disappointed -- as am I."Read MoreAlito would have gone much further overruling decades old precedent and making it much more difficult for the government to enforce laws that burden some individuals' religious beliefs.They said they would have overturned a 1990 case that said that if a legal requirement applied equally to everyone, even if it burdened religious practice, it was constitutional as long as the government had a rational basis for the law."Today's decision is another victory for religious groups, but not the major one that they sought," said Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at the University of Texas School of Law. "The court's three most conservative justices wanted to overturn three decades of precedent and subject virtually all government regulations that even incidentally impact religious practice to the most exacting judicial scrutiny. But Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett appeared unwilling, or at least not yet ready, to make such a move -- resting the decision on narrower grounds," he added. "That may also explain why none of the three more progressive justices dissented -- lest they encourage the three justices in the middle to go bigger."Nothing Justice Stephen Breyer has said publicly suggests he's ready to quit Roberts, joined by the liberals on the court as well as Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, focused on the fact that Philadelphia had not shown a good reason why the contract should be frozen and the religious rights of the agency should be burdened. He noted that there were other agencies available to work with same sex placements."It is plain that the City's actions have burdened CSS's [Catholic Social Services'] religious exercise by putting it to the choice of curtailing its mission or approving relationships inconsistent with its beliefs," he wrote. He added that the agency "seeks only an accommodation that will allow it to continue serving the children of Philadelphia in a manner consistent with its religious beliefs; it does not seek to impose those beliefs on anyone else." The city, he noted, had allowed other exemptions based on marital status or disability but not an exemption to the agency for its religious beliefs. Philadelphia City Solicitor Diana Cortes said Thursday she was disappointed in the decision, calling "difficult and disappointing.""With today's decision, the Court has usurped the City's judgment that a non-discrimination policy is in the best interests of the children in its care, with disturbing consequences for other government programs and services," Cortes said. "At the same time, the city is gratified that the Supreme Court did not, as the plaintiffs sought, radically change existing constitutional law to adopt a standard that would force court-ordered religious exemptions from civic obligations in every arena."Supreme Court dismisses challenge to Affordable Care Act, leaving it in placeCatholic Social Services is a religious non-profit affiliated with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that provides foster care services in the city. It is one of 30 foster care agencies that has a contract with the city that is renewed on an annual basis. When a child in need of foster care enters the city's custody, the child is referred, by Human Services, to one of the foster care agencies. That agency chooses the appropriate foster parent for the child. The contract includes language prohibiting agencies from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion or natural origin as per the city's Fair Practices Ordinances. A federal appeals court ruled in favor of the city, holding that the policy is a "neutral, generally applicable law, and the religious views of the [Catholic Social Services] do not entitle it to an exception from that policy." The court held that the foster agency "failed to make a persuasive showing that the City targeted it for its religious beliefs, or is motivated by ill will against its religion, rather than sincere opposition to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation." The court said that the city acted in "good faith" in its effort to enforce its laws against discrimination. The Catholic charity, represented by the conservative Becket Fund, noted that it has served the city for over 100 years and that no same-sex couples had sought foster-care certification from the agency.In court, Lori Windham told the justices that the agency was making a "modest" request which is to be able to allow diverse religious agencies to serve the city and get an exemption from the city's Fair Practices Ordinance. Instead, she said, the city was attempting tell a private religious ministry "how to run its internal affairs and trying to coerce it to make statements that are contrary to its religious beliefs as a condition of continuing to participate in the religious exercise that they have carried out in Philadelphia for two centuries." She urged the court to revisit a 1990 case, Employment Division v. Smith, court precedent that holds that a law that burdens religious exercise is not subject to strict scrutiny from the court as long as it applies equally to everyone.JUST WATCHEDWhy Supreme Court ruled in favor of Catholic foster care agencyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhy Supreme Court ruled in favor of Catholic foster care agency 04:24In addition, Windham said that Philadelphia violated free speech guarantees by forcing it to deliver the "government's preferred message on marriage," and demonstrating hostility toward its religious beliefs. Before the election, the Trump administration sided with the foster care agency and argued that the city violated the agency's rights and showed hostility to its beliefs.Neal Katyal, a lawyer for the city said that while the organization continues to assist foster children through other government contracts, and can support foster parents in its private capacity it could not contract with the government while sidestepping the city's non-discrimination requirement. He stressed that neither the district court nor the appeals court found that the agency was targeted for its religious beliefs. Lawyers for the ACLU, which is involved in the case, said it could have "profound consequences" for the more than 400,000 children in foster care across the country.This story has been updated with additional details.

Michelle Toh, CNN Business

2019-09-26 03:58:32

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/25/tech/stockx-detroit-sneaker-startup/index.html

StockX: Detroit's first unicorn wants to be a 'stock market of things' - CNN

Helping people buy and sell Jordans and Yeezys has turned into a billion-dollar business for one startup.

tech, StockX: Detroit's first unicorn wants to be a 'stock market of things' - CNN

This billion-dollar startup is turning sneakers into a 'stock market'

Hong Kong (CNN Business)Detroit finally has its first unicorn: a hip, very millennial sneaker trading platform that wants to create a so-called "stock market of things." StockX, an online marketplace for rare kicks including Jordans and Yeezys, allows users to track shoe collections like asset portfolios and brands to hold "IPOs" for new products.In June, the startup hit a new milestone, notching a billion-dollar valuation after raising the largest round of venture capital funding in Michigan history, according to data provider PitchBook. Now the company is sharing more on its strategy to ride the booming sneaker craze and its effort to eliminate retail pricing, not just for limited-edition items. StockX's website looks more like trading platform Fidelity than it does Adidas. If you click on a pair of cream white Yeezys, you'll see how much its sale price has fluctuated over the last 12 months, a "ticker," a 52-week high and a gauge for price volatility. Read More"Demand has always been a guess, a forecast, an estimate, a projection off of last year — except in the stock market," Josh Luber, StockX's co-founder and former CEO told CNN Business in a recent interview in Hong Kong. Luber currently serves on the leadership team and board of directors."If you're buying a share of Nike stock on the New York Stock Exchange, there's one ticker symbol for Nike and there's one price for Nike ... It is standardized. And that is literally the rule for us, is to take a consumer good and make it functional in a stock market."The site, which started off in footwear and went live in 2016, has resonated with sneaker fans. It has expanded rapidly over the years, branched out into new categories, racked up hundreds of thousands of sellers and gained customers in nearly 200 countries.Resetting retailThe idea was first born about nine years ago, when Luber, a former IBM consultant who'd been collecting shoes since he was eight, found a way to track auction data for sneakers on eBay. He decided to turn it into a price guide called Campless, "a play off the fact that people camp out for shoes," he said. "No more — camp less." "I have a pretty reasonable collection in the sneaker world," says StockX co-founder Josh Luber. "It's around 400 pairs."In hopes of monetizing the project, Luber requested meetings with "everybody," he said. "Nike, eBay, Foot Locker, Complex, you name it."Nothing stuck until 2015, when a representative for Dan Gilbert, the billionaire founder of mortgage lender Quicken Loans and owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, got wind of the concept — and reached out. Luber couldn't believe his luck. "There was maybe one guy in the whole world who had this exact same idea at the exact same time, and it happens to be one of the most successful business people in the world," he said. They agreed to team up.The sneaker businessStockX makes money through transaction fees, and sees millions of dollars in activity on its platform each day, according to a spokesperson. As of June, the most recent month for which the company made its figures available, revenue had doubled over the past year — and a representative said it's projecting similar growth this year.Experts chalk up the company's ascent to two trends: The rise of streetwear culture, which has exploded around the world, and the need for a trusted resale outlet with modern-day conveniences.Sneakers and streetwear are "very hot now," said Sucharita Kodali, an e-commerce and retail analyst at Forrester. As much as 85% of growth in the global luxury goods market in 2017 came from millennials and younger consumers, which has led more brands to embrace streetwear, according to a Bain report. At the same time, some customers said they were getting tired of buying sneakers on eBay or on random Facebook groups, where there was constant worry about getting duped."The resale platforms give buyers and sellers a secure and convenient way to trade sneakers," said Matt Powell, a sports business analyst at the NPD Group. "Prior to the platforms, sales were much more complicated and risky."A StockX employee processing a pair of sneakers. The company started with six employees and has since grown to a headcount of 800.StockX isn't the only player in this space. GOAT Group, another sneaker resale startup based in Los Angeles, is a major competitor and won a $100 million investment from Foot Locker earlier this year.To alleviate concerns, both companies enlist armies of people to sift through and authenticate the shoes and other designer goods sold on their platforms. That has helped them win trust with customers."Fakes are becoming better and better by the day," said Billy Woodward, a StockX user who has collected about 250 pairs of sneakers and is based in San Antonio, Texas. "The authentication process is a big deal for me."The practice could catch on with traditional retailers, too. One day, Nike (NKE) and Adidas (ADDDF) will likely also get in the game of verifying used merchandise, predicts Kodali. "They can capture the profit from the secondary market, or they can choose to destroy or save the shoes that come back to them to increase the value of what continues to be in circulation," she explained. "Frankly, I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet."Trading sneakers like stocksSome customers say the platform has made them rethink how they view consumer goods. "I absolutely believe that StockX has changed the game," said Woodward, who uses the company's app to check the latest price fluctuations on shoes he's coveting. "I will use them to see if a sneaker that I don't necessarily want to own for my personal collection is going to generate a profit for me and how much that profit could be."A pair of shoes listed on StockX.Others are more skeptical."I generally don't believe in and am not interested in treating the sneakers I've bought and collected purely as an investment," said Brendan Dunne, a deputy editor at Complex and co-host of "Full Size Run," a weekly online sneaker talk show. Dunne owns about 700 pairs of sneakers, dozens of which he has bought and sold on StockX. "To turn them into a number would be to strip them of their true value, which is sentimental," he added.'IPO' for shoesStockX doesn't plan to stop there. Someday, users will also be able to exchange goods without ever taking possession of them, said Luber. "You can literally have day trading. This is like oil futures."One of the startup's most important plans for growth also happens to rest on perhaps its loftiest idea: getting retailers to treat its platform as a full-fledged distribution channel. That means putting out new products through a process called a "blind Dutch auction," which lets users bid what they want while setting a winning price based on the amount of merchandise available."We literally talk about it as IPOing products into existence," said Luber.StockX employees examining shoes at a company facility. The startup is based in Detroit, where it recently raised the largest round of venture capital funding ever seen in Michigan.The company tested out the concept in January, hosting an "initial public offering" for a pair of slides designed by Ben Baller, a celebrity jeweler.Customers showed up: Over three days, more than 10,000 bids were placed on 800 pairs of shoes, and users who made the highest offers won, according to StockX. But because of the way the auction was set up, they all paid the same amount.The way the company sees it, it's a win-win. "If the [goods] were released in stores, you might have seen campouts and crowd control issues. If released online, sites would've crashed or bots would've gotten them all," it said in a blog post. "We think this [is] a fundamentally better way to release and price hyped products."Going globalWorking with brands is just one of three ways that StockX hopes to grow over the next year. The team of 800 has ambitious expansion plans that are bankrolled by a roster of high-profile investors, including Silicon Valley heavyweights GGV Capital, GV (formerly known as Google Ventures) and Marc Benioff. Even celebrities such as Eminem, Steve Aoki, Karlie Kloss and Mark Wahlberg have jumped onboard. Battle of Supremes: How 'legal fakes' are challenging a $1B brandA big part of the pitch to investors has been international growth, which Luber described as the company's "highest priority.""In the US, we started to see that, 'Hey, street culture is becoming a lot more vibrant.' And streetwear captured that," said Hans Tung, a managing partner at GGV Capital and StockX board member."In China, we noticed the same thing ... And when you see that happening in the two biggest markets in the world, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that other parts of the world are following as well, and be like, 'We gotta be in this market."A StockX worker authenticating a Louis Vuitton handbag in Detroit. Verifying designer merchandise has helped the company build trust with users, who often worry about getting duped online.About a quarter of StockX's business comes from outside the United States, particularly from countries such as China and Japan. The company declined to share specific projection numbers, but said it aims to become a household name over the next three years by adding more teams overseas and rolling out its service in different languages. The company also plans to capitalize on its existing user base with the addition of more products, such as watches, handbags and collectibles.Although StockX's core approach is unique for retail, Luber said it's a tried-and-true tactic; one "we didn't make up.""The stock market has been the most efficient form of commerce for 200 years," Luber said. "All we did was copy that, and point it from old commodities, like stocks and bonds and oil and gas, to new commodities, like streetwear and watches and handbags."

Emiko Jozuka, Jessie Yeung and Jake Kwon, CNN

2019-12-26 04:52:17

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/25/asia/japan-birthrate-hnk-intl/index.html

Japan's birth rate hits another record low in 2019 - CNN

Japan's demographic crisis is getting worse. The fast-graying nationposted a record-low birthrate, as the estimated number of babies born in 2019 fell to 864,000 -- the lowest since records began in 1899 -- according to a report published Tuesday by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

asia, Japan's birth rate hits another record low in 2019 - CNN

Japan's birth rate hits another record low in 2019

(CNN)Japan's demographic crisis is getting worse, as the fast-graying nation experienced its biggest natural population decline and a record-low birth rate this year, government statistics show.The estimated number of babies born in the country in 2019 fell to 864,000 -- the lowest since records began in 1899 -- according to a report published Tuesday by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.The number of newborns is estimated to have shrunk by 54,000 from 2018, and the figure remains under the 1 million mark for the fourth year running.Deaths in 2019 also hit a postwar record high of 1.376 million, with a natural population decline of 512,000 -- the highest ever. Japan is a "super-aged" nation, meaning more than 20% of its population is older than 65. The country's total population stood at 124 million in 2018 -- but by 2065 it is expected to have dropped to about 88 million. Read MoreThe country's demographic decline means a shrinking cohort of workers is left supporting an increasingly elderly population in need of healthcare and pensions.Japan isn't alone in facing falling fertility rates. Germany is a also a "super-aged" nation. And by 2030, the US, UK, Singapore and France are expected to have earned that status. Neighboring South Korea, too, has struggled for years with an aging population, shrinking workforce, and low birth rates. In 2018, the country's total fertility rate fell to its lowest since records began.The total fertility rate measures the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime. In South Korea in 2018, this dropped to 0.98 -- or less than one baby per woman, and a drop from the previous year's rate of 1.05.US births decline for fourth year in a row, CDC saysThis means 8.7% fewer babies were born in South Korea in 2018 compared to 2017.This record low puts South Korea near the bottom of lowest fertility rates in the world -- even lower than Japan, which had a rate of 1.42 in 2018.To put that into perspective, the 2018 fertility rate was 1.72 in the United States. In some African countries, which see the highest fertility numbers in the world, the rate can go up 5 or 6.To maintain a stable population, countries need a fertility rate of 2 -- anything above that indicates population growth.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to prevent the population from dropping below 100 million by 2060. In 2017, the government announced a 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) spending package to expand free preschool for children aged 3 to 5 -- and for children aged 2 and under from low-income families -- and cut waiting times at day care centers.Meanwhile, the South Korean government lowered maximum working hours from 68 hours a week to 52 hours last year, with some experts pointing to the declining fertility rate and its economic consequences as a motivator.

Chris Parker, Billboard

2015-04-19 19:06:25

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2015/04/19/entertainment/feat-rock-roll-hall-fame-billboard/index.html

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Ringo Starr, Joan Jett - CNN

Ringo Starr, Green Day, Lou Reed and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts were among those honored at the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

entertainment, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Ringo Starr, Joan Jett - CNN

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Ringo Starr, Green Day, Joan Jett

Story highlightsPaul McCartney honors Ringo Starr at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Green Day, Lou Reed, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts also honored (Billboard)The key to rock's longevity is it never defines itself into irrelevance. So while there were some loud, dirty guitars at the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland on Saturday night, there was as much recognition for rock's antecedents in soul and blues, speaking less to a particular taxonomy than a spirit that's beyond words.It's easy to talk of such spirit when Paul McCartney is there to honor Ringo Starr, and Yoko Ono is on hand as well. Speaking briefly backstage, Ono expressed feeling that it was wonderful for Starr to be honored, "just sad John and George aren't here," referring to her late husband John Lennon and Beatles guitarist and fellow songwriter George Harrison.Starr was certainly happy to be there — after a long wait, he's the final Beatle to be inducted as a solo act. "I've finally been invited, and I love it," said the 74-year-old drummer. "I got lucky, and it was actually in Cleveland," he said to enormous applause.Fifty-one years earlier, Starr had been in town to play the very same Hall; he admitted backstage that he didn't remember the cops stopping the show during "All My Loving" and making the Beatles return to the dressing room for ten minutes until the fans could be calmed. Starr said in a backstage interview that he couldn't recall the incident specifically, but admitted that there had been a lot of shows in between.Read More"I'll remember this one," he promised.Others receiving Rock Hall honors included Paul Butterfield Blues Band, early soul act The 5 Royales, singer Bill Withers, punk rockers Green Day, Lou Reed, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Stevie Ray Vaughan.It was a night for the young to honor the old and perhaps prepare for a later visit. John Mayer hailed his longtime idol, the late Vaughan, in a heartfelt speech. John Legend came out to honor Bill Withers with a performance of "Use Me" backed by Stevie Wonder, who inducted Withers. The two then shared "Lean on Me," until Legend went and pulled Withers to the front of the stage to join them.Beck, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bill Withers, Seymour Stein hit Rock Hall's weekend festivitiesThe 76-year old soul legend hasn't performed live in many years but had hinted in the months leading up to the induction ceremonies that he might sing once more. Withers sounded great, though he may have an even brighter future in stand-up."This has got to be the biggest AA meeting [in the] Western hemisphere," said Withers, alluding to an earlier moment in the show when Jimmie Vaughan confessed, "I taught my brother guitar, and he taught me how to get sober."He called being inducted by Wonder, "A lion holding the door for a kitty cat."JUST WATCHEDSinger Bill Withers: Hall of Fame induction was 'fun'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSinger Bill Withers: Hall of Fame induction was 'fun' 02:58The moment of relative levity was welcome after moving tributes paid to the late Lou Reed by Patti Smith and Reed's widow, music artist Laurie Anderson, who shared the three rules for life that they came up with: "One: don't be afraid of anyone; Two: get a really good b------t detector and learn how to use it; Three: be really, really tender."Smith had to push back tears on at least three occasions. She recalled a night when they wound up in the same hotel and Reed invited her up. She found him in the tub dressed in black and she sat on the toilet and talked with him.Green Day was inducted by Fall Out Boy, who referenced the length of some of the speeches. Cracked Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump: "I feel like I'm in a line at the DMV." As one of the youngest acts, it's not surprising they gave one of the two most exciting performances of the evening.Rock Hall induction ceremony: Lou Reed 'would be amused,' says sisterThe other belonged to Tom Morello, Doyle Bramhall II and Zac Brown with harmonica player Jason Ricci performing "Born in Chicago" in tribute to the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Not only did Ricci slay, but Morello played a nasty scabrous solo that raised the hairs on your arm, it was so alive.Miley Cyrus inducted Joan Jett in her own inimitable way, recalling a time she walked in on Jett smoking pot and being so turned on by her strength, wisdom and soul that the young pop star wanted to have sex with the legendary rocker. Jett joined the Blackhearts and Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl for a mini-set that include such classics as "Bad Reputation," the Runaways' "Cherry Bomb" and "Crimson and Clover," the Tommy James & the Shondelles cover that Jett took to No. 1. It was that kind of a night, and it closed with a rousing version of the Beatles' "I Want to Be Your Man," where just about everybody who could make it out on stage did, including a near-end guitar scrum/lead-off between Gary Clark Jr., Morello, Zac Brown and Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner.©2015 Billboard. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Strickland, CNN

2019-07-20 05:07:24

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/20/us/apollo-11-moon-mission-landing-anniversary-scn/index.html

Moon landing anniversary: 11 things to know about the historic Apollo 11 mission - CNN

The Apollo 11 moon landing took place 50 years ago on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Whether you saw the landing as it happened or recently watched rare or never-before-seen footage in the documentary, "Apollo 11," there may be some things you've forgotten or never knew about the mission.

us, Moon landing anniversary: 11 things to know about the historic Apollo 11 mission - CNN

11 things to know about the historic Apollo 11 mission

(CNN)Saturday is the anniversary of what many consider to be the greatest achievement of the 20th century.It's been 50 years since astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the surface of the moon. Buzz Aldrin followed him out of the Eagle lander while Michael Collins orbited the moon in the Columbia spacecraft. Celebrations commemorating that day are planned across the country Saturday.Whether you saw the landing as it happened on Sunday, July 20, 1969, or recently watched rare or never-before-seen footage in the documentary, "Apollo 11," produced in partnership with CNN Films, there may be some things you've forgotten or never knew about the mission.Training for Apollo 11 was hectic and dangerousRead MoreIn May 1961, President John F. Kennedy set a goal many doubted would ever happen: He wanted to land a man on the moon before the decade was over. As pointed out by Charles Beames, the executive chairman at York Space Systems, Kennedy's Moonshot was part Cold War strategy. If it was successful, it would show America's dominance in the space race.To pull it off, the Apollo astronauts and the teams that supported them put in grueling hours of training. They were so busy that they didn't know much about the events of the 1960s unfolding outside of what they were doing. They would catch up on the Vietnam War and other headlines later.What it takes to be an astronaut: the real 'right stuff'But the work was also dangerous. On May 6, 1968, Armstrong performed his 22nd flight of Lunar Landing Research Vehicle No. 1 at Ellington Air Force Base outside Houston. Five minutes in, he lost control of the vehicle due to a loss of helium pressure and was ejected 200 feet above the ground as the vehicle crashed and burned on impact.Later, he would say that the Eagle, the spacecraft he and Aldrin landed on the moon, handled just like the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle, which he flew more than 30 times before Apollo 11."That of course gave me a good deal of confidence -- a comfortable familiarity," Armstrong said at the time. "It was a contrary machine and a risky machine but a very useful one."The woman in the roomOn July 16, 1969, the day of Apollo 11's historic launch, rows of men in shirts and ties lined the consoles inside Kennedy Space Center. But one woman stood out -- 28-year-old JoAnn Morgan.JUST WATCHEDHow she (in a sea of men) made history during Apollo 11ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow she (in a sea of men) made history during Apollo 11 00:10Morgan, who worked as an instrumentation controller for the mission, was the only woman allowed inside the firing room where NASA employees were locked during Apollo 11's historic liftoff.Morgan needed to be in the room to alert the test team if anything went wrong, but she had to get special permission to be there. Morgan also endured obscene phone calls and had to use the men's restroom because there weren't any for women.She went on to pave a path as one of NASA's first female engineers. After Apollo 11, Morgan's career took off. From 1958 to 2003, she continued to break barriers and became the first female senior executive at the Kennedy Space Center.And the woman who helped land men on the moonMargaret Hamilton was the software engineer who developed the onboard computer programs that powered NASA's Apollo missions, including the 1969 moon landing.Hamilton effectively invented the term "software engineer" with her work developing the Apollo guidance computer, the lifeline for astronauts that controlled the spacecraft. The computer processor on the Apollo 11's lunar module nearly overloaded as the craft neared the moon, which could have forced Armstrong and Aldrin to abort, according to Google, which is honoring Hamilton on the lunar landing anniversary.Her software put men on the moon. Fifty years later, Margaret Hamilton got a glowing moonlit tribute But the software cleared all tasks each time it neared overload, allowing the astronauts to enter the landing commands. The software's emergency preparedness is thought to have helped save the mission, Hamilton wrote.For the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, Google unveiled a giant tribute to Hamilton in California's Mojave Desert: More than 107,000 mirrors were positioned to reflect moonlight and form her image for one night on the grounds of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, the world's largest solar thermal power plant.Armstrong was 'Mr. Cool' The Apollo 11 crew of Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins traveled 240,000 miles in 76 hours to reach the moon. Collins remained in the spacecraft, Columbia, while Armstrong and Aldrin headed to the lunar surface in the Eagle.As Aldrin and Armstrong approached, Armstrong had to take control and navigate beyond the targeted landing spot. Boulders littered the area, and even though they were running dangerously low on fuel, Armstrong piloted the lander like a helicopter and landed in the perfect spot, all while alarms sounded warnings. When the lunar module landed on the moon, it had less than 40 seconds of fuel left. Years later, Apollo 11 flight dynamics team leader Jerry Bostick asked Armstrong what he would have done if Houston had called for an abort during the landing phase. "And he said, 'Well, I probably would have said, "Say again Houston, I didn't copy that," and gone ahead and landed.' And he would have. And he would have done it. That's how much confidence that I and the other people involved had in Neil Armstrong. He could do the impossible," Bostick said.It was this dynamic that earned Armstrong the nickname "Mr. Cool." Some people called him "First Man."When America seemed divided beyond repair, something great came out of itAfter the successful Apollo 11 flight, Collins saw another side of Armstrong as the three astronauts embarked on a trip around the world to talk about their experiences. Armstrong was their spokesman."But what people maybe don't know about First Man was that First Man was one marvelous proponent of the virtues of the United States and spread those all over the globe," Collins said.What the moon landing looked likeThe historic moment of Armstrong stepping on the moon roughly six hours later was actually quite blurry as it was seen on TV. The shot came from a camera attached to the lander.But what many don't know is that Aldrin was filming Armstrong, too; he captured those monumental steps from above, while inside the lander, looking down the ladder at Armstrong.Apollo fans and experts have long known about this angle. But the public hasn't previously seen it uncut and in high-resolution, a view that expands our knowledge of the mission. It can be seen in the "Apollo 11" film. And then there are the photos. While the lunar surface looks quite alien up close, some of the most breathtaking images were captured when the astronauts turned the camera back to the view of Earth from space. Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosApollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin salutes the American flag on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. Aldrin was the second man to ever step foot on the lunar surface. The first was Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11's mission commander.Hide Caption 1 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosApollo 11's crew is pictured in May 1969, the month before the launch. From left are Armstrong, Michael Collins and Aldrin. Collins piloted the command module that orbited the moon while Armstrong and Aldrin spent time on the surface.Hide Caption 2 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosApollo 11 was launched into space by a Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969.Hide Caption 3 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosFormer US President Lyndon B. Johnson and then-Vice President Spiro Agnew were among those watching the launch at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 4 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosIt took the crew 76 hours to travel 240,000 miles from the Earth to the moon.Hide Caption 5 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosThe Apollo 11 spacecraft consisted of a command module, Columbia, and a lunar module, Eagle. This photo, taken from the Eagle lunar module, shows the Columbia command module pulling away near the lunar surface.Hide Caption 6 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosArmstrong works outside the Eagle module shortly after becoming the first man to step foot on the lunar surface. There aren't that many photos of Armstrong on the moon. That's because he was the one taking most of the photos.Hide Caption 7 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosFans attending a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game cheer after it was announced that the Eagle had made a safe lunar landing on July 20, 1969.Hide Caption 8 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosArmstrong is pictured aboard the Eagle just after the historic moonwalk. As Armstrong lowered himself to the surface, people watching around the world heard him call it "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Armstrong later said he had intended to say "a man" and thought he had. Numerous studies have been carried out over the years to discover whether he had indeed uttered that one little sound. Either way, his intention was clear.Hide Caption 9 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosA view of Earth appears over the lunar horizon as Apollo 11's command module comes into view of the moon.Hide Caption 10 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosAldrin walks on the surface of the moon. He and Armstrong spent a little over two hours collecting rock samples and data near the moon's Sea of Tranquility region. They also left behind a plaque signed by all three crew members and President Richard Nixon. The plaque reads: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon, July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind."Hide Caption 11 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosAldrin's family and friends watch the mission from his home in Texas. Aldrin's wife, Joan, is in the polka-dot shirt. ABC, CBS and NBC spent between $11 million and $12 million to cover the mission from July 20-21.Hide Caption 12 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosAn astronaut's boot print on the lunar surface.Hide Caption 13 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosAldrin co-piloted the Eagle lander to the surface.Hide Caption 14 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosA view of Earth, photographed from Apollo 11 as it returned from the moon.Hide Caption 15 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosUS Navy personnel assist the astronauts after their re-entry vehicle landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969.Hide Caption 16 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosNASA officials and flight controllers celebrate the successful conclusion of the mission.Hide Caption 17 of 18 Photos: The Apollo 11 moon landing, in photosPresident Nixon spends time with the astronauts, who were in a quarantine trailer for their first few days back on Earth. From left are Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin. Since Apollo 11, only 10 other men have walked on the moon. The last was in 1972.Hide Caption 18 of 18"Strangely enough, it looks fragile somehow," Collins said. "You want to take care of it. You want to nurture it. You want to be good to it. All the beauty, it was wonderful, it was tiny, it's our home, everything I knew, but fragile, strange."Collins wasn't the 'loneliest man'While Aldrin and Armstrong landed on the moon, Collins kept circling it. Once Armstrong and Aldrin were finished, he would rendezvous and dock with the Eagle after it left the lunar surface. Collins was often called "the loneliest man" once he returned to Earth, but he didn't feel that way -- even when he lost contact with Mission Control during his flybys on the far side of the moon. NASA's 'loneliest man'? Far from it: Astronaut Michael Collins on the 'cathedral' of Apollo 11"It was a happy home. I liked Columbia," he said. "It reminded me, in a way, of almost like a church or a cathedral. It had the apse, the three couches, and then you went down into where the altar was. That was the guidance and navigation system. And it was laid out almost like a cathedral. And I had hot coffee. I had music I could play if I wanted to. I had people to talk to on the radio, sometimes too many people talking too much on the radio. So I enjoyed that interlude. Being by myself in a machine up in the air somewhere was not unknown to me, and so everything was working well within Columbia, and I enjoyed it."A meal on the moon The first meal eaten in space was in the spring of 1961 by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. He had pureed meat in a squeezable toothpaste-style tube, followed by a tube of chocolate sauce. The Apollo 11 astronauts, meanwhile, had more than 70 food items to choose from. Among the foods that were eaten on the surface of the moon in the lunar module were beef stew, bacon squares, date fruit cake and grape punch.Floating food: The history of eating in spaceAstronauts roaming the lunar surface also had drinking devices with water installed in their space suits, and if they were peckish they could nibble on the high nutrient food bar in their helmet.400,000 people worked on the Apollo 11 missionThe full triumph of Apollo 11 doesn't just belong to the astronauts. It also includes the 400,000 people that supported the mission across the country, mainly at Johnson Space Center in Houston and Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.Young college graduates flocked to NASA after Kennedy's 1961 speech. 'We did the impossible': What it was like inside Apollo 11's Mission Control During Apollo 11, everyone who could possibly be needed or called upon during the mission was in a room at Cape Canaveral or Houston. They each had a specific task. And they all wanted to be there. They jockeyed for places to plug in their headsets and sat on steps."It was a can-do attitude," said Bostick, the flight dynamics team leader. "We were very sober and somber in what we were doing. We took it very seriously. We worked very hard. But at the same time it was fun, we really didn't think of it as a job, even though we were working 12 hours a day at least, six days a week. We didn't understand the magnitude of what we were doing."Mission Control was more than a roomThe small room depicted in movies often shows team leaders sitting at consoles and staring at monitors. But to accommodate the thousands of people needed, team members were in various control rooms, staff support rooms, back rooms, simulators, computing complexes and the projection room known as the "batcave."JUST WATCHEDSee Apollo Mission Control restored to look like it's 1969ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSee Apollo Mission Control restored to look like it's 1969 01:20Over the years, Apollo Mission Control and its surrounding rooms fell into disrepair. Recently, it was restored and reopened. Apollo flight controllers worked on the project to make sure it was authentic -- down to the carpet, wallpaper and even the cigarette butts in the ashtrays.NASA had an art programArt was a priority for NASA's second administrator, Jim Webb. He established NASA's art program in 1962 and allowed artists to start coming to the agency in 1963. He saw a need for art to capture the history that was being made and portray it for the American people. The artists were given free rein.Art and space: 'A quest never to end'Norman Rockwell's famous painting of astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young originated during the early days of the program, in 1965. Andy Warhol painted a silkscreen series of Aldrin standing on the moon next to the American flag.Apollo 11 opened the door to space"The Apollo program made space accessible to us," said Mason Peck, former NASA chief technologist and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University. "Those brief visits to the moon set a high bar for NASA and for all space exploration since."In order for Apollo to be possible, NASA had to build a complex system. Spaceflight navigation had to be configured. Although there was a foundation of the mechanics of flight in the military, space was new territory. Everything was new. Apollo even helped trigger the formation of planetary science as its own field.Why the 1969 moon landing still inspires space explorers today"It really built a infrastructure that didn't exist," said Marshall Smith, NASA's director of human lunar exploration. The program created a boost for technology and economy and allowed for the return of lunar samples to Earth, enabling a better understanding of our solar system's history."The Apollo program, which saw 12 men walk on the surface of the moon, was shuttered after the final flight of Apollo 17, in 1972. But by 2024, NASA vows to land the first woman on the moon with the Artemis program. Thom Patterson, Sarah-Grace Mankarious, Natalie Angley, Scottie Andrew and Katherine Dillinger contributed to this report.

Ashley Strickland, CNN

2020-11-24 11:26:37

news

world

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/24/world/mars-astronaut-traits-wellness-scn-trnd/index.html

Astronauts on a Mars mission will need to be 'conscientious' to work well together - CNN

The astronauts selected for the first human mission to Mars will need to have more than "the right stuff." People on this yearslong mission will need to possess an eagerness for doing the right thing, too.

world, Astronauts on a Mars mission will need to be 'conscientious' to work well together - CNN

Astronauts on a Mars mission will need to be 'conscientious' to work well together

(CNN)The astronauts selected for the first human mission to Mars will need to have more than "the right stuff." People on this very long mission will need to possess an eagerness for doing the right thing, too. Conscientiousness, defined as "wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly," has emerged as the key trait requirement for astronauts that will live and work on the surface of Mars millions of miles from Earth, according to a new study.This trait was identified as more important than honesty, humility, emotionality, extroversion, openness and agreeableness. "Conscientiousness, an individual personality trait, can be thought of as a pooled team-resource," said Julia McMenamin, the study's first author and a doctoral student in psychology at Western University in Canada, in a statement. "The more conscientiousness a team is, the better they will likely be at accomplishing tasks." Meet NASA's first astronaut graduates of the Artemis program, eligible for missions to the moon and MarsThe study published last week in the journal Astrobiology.Read MoreConversely, traits like "social loafing," or the habit of a team member putting in less effort than when they work solo, are undesirable in a potential Marstronaut. Traits that seem counterproductive and negative behaviors are likely to cause more trouble and disruptions in a team environment. The researchers consider these traits and behavior "non-negotiable" for long-duration spaceflight crews. Analog astronauts Iñigo Muñoz Elorza and Carmen Köhler perform an experiment during the 2018 mission in Oman.A careful focus on crew selection, emphasizing effective communication and very detailed work and planning processes, could help avoid any negative factors. Some of the same things identified in the study could be used to help people coping with isolation during the pandemic as well.Simulating a mission to MarsCurrently, NASA is targeting the 2030s for the first human mission to Mars. Depending on the alignment of Mars and Earth for launch and landing and the duration of the mission on the Martian surface, this crew could spend five years together -- not including training together beforehand. To test what this crew dynamic might be like ahead of a real mission, researchers studied a team of five "astronauts" during an exercise analogous to a Mars mission. This event was hosted by the Austrian Space Forum in Oman in 2018. The Dhofar region of Oman is a good analog for the Martian environment in terms of isolation and extreme conditions. McMenamin was joined by Natalie Allen, a professor of psychology at Western Univeristy, and Ottawa-based space exploration company Mission Control Space Services Chief Science Officer Melissa Battler for the study. What it takes to be an astronaut: the real 'right stuff'The AMADEE-18 analog space mission lasted for four weeks. Five astronauts, including four men and one woman between the ages of 28 to 38, lived in a simulated Mars environment. Before, during and after the mission, the astronauts filled out surveys addressing the performance of their team and any team conflicts as well as their stress levels. At the end of the mission, the astronauts rated themselves and each teammate. They also answered questions about their behavior in their respective roles and identified any counterproductive behaviors, including social loafing. NASA, European Space Agency to collaborate on Artemis Gateway lunar outpostThis particular team worked well together as a team, but the researchers were not surprised because they had prepared for their "mission." The team was also supported by field and mission control teams. The team members were also familiar with each other before the mission began. All of these factors can be identified in examples of positive teamwork on Earth, the researchers said. Analog astronauts Joao Lousada and Stefan Dobrovolny are pictured here before sunset."How familiar team members are with one another has been shown to help teams work better together likely because it provides team members with knowledge about each other and helps them communicate better and more efficiently," McMenamin said. NASA outlines $28 billion plan to land the first woman on the Moon by 2024Stress is a common negative factor that can influence team performance on Earth and in space. It's distracting, increases anxiety, causes cooperative difficulty, increases task overload and contributes to destructive emotions. "Anyone who has worked on a team knows conflict amongst team members can harm team performance and make for a negative experience. When people argue about how to get things done, or get into personal disagreements, there is less time and energy left for completing tasks," McMenamin said. "What's interesting is that there are different types of conflict, and so long as interpersonal issues and arguments about how to go about accomplishing tasks are avoided, differences in views and opinions might actually improve team performance likely because this allows for the team to benefit from each member's knowledge and perspective."An antioxidant in red wine might power astronauts on Mars, study saysGiven that this particular analog mission only lasted for about a month, the researchers are interested to know how things might play out over the course of a long-duration mission. "Major issues caused by psychological distress and interpersonal problems don't tend to show up until months or even years spent in an isolated, confined, and extreme environment, which highlights the need for longer-duration simulations," McMenamin said.Teamwork makes the dream workBeing a good team player has almost always been part of the astronaut playbook, going back to the days of the Apollo missions. Former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino spoke to CNN in September about the Netflix series "Away," which focuses on an international crew leading the first human mission to Mars. Massimino served as a consultant for the show. The show crew was most interested in hearing about the human side of being an astronaut, Massimino said. For example, they asked him about the emotional aspects of leaving your family behind on Earth, the camaraderie between the crew and "what it's like in your heart and soul, rather than the process," he said. Massimino, who flew on multiple missions during the Shuttle era, told them that "the Earth looks like heaven. It makes you realize we're so lucky to be here."STS-125 Mission Specialist Mike Massimino is pictured here working with the Hubble Space Telescope in the cargo bay of the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Atlantis in 2009.Regarding the teamwork aspect of spaceflight, "we really do love each other as astronauts," Massimino said. "It's like a hybrid between a family member and a friend. You really do care about each other. And there were seven of us on the Shuttle crew. We became like a family, having all of these experiences in training and spaceflight. They're extraordinary and there is not anything I wouldn't do for these people."Massimino was selected to be an astronaut in 1996. When asked about the traits that would be important for astronauts going to Mars, he said he feels that the selection process would be similar to the way NASA chooses astronaut candidates now for long-term spaceflight on the International Space Station. More than 12,000 people want to be part of NASA's next class of astronauts"We're looking for people who would be good candidates for long-duration spaceflight that get along, personalities that would let things roll. If things go wrong, you make mistakes because you're not perfect, you need to be able to roll with it. They should be able to contribute and be a good positive crew member, not only for their crewmates, but the people helping them back on Earth."One of the most important aspects that helps the crew's morale and performance is a connection to Earth and the people they care about on it -- something that will be increasingly more difficult as a spacecraft leaves Earth for Mars, causing communication delays. People tend to think of astronauts as superheroes, Massimino said. "But we're really just regular people who care about each other and have really awesome jobs."

Leah Asmelash, CNN

2020-01-19 01:12:01

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/18/us/comme-des-garcons-cornrow-wigs-trnd/index.html

Comme des Garçons criticized for cultural appropriation, after using lace front cornrow wigs - CNN

Major Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons has always pushed boundaries. But this time, they may have gone too far.

us, Comme des Garçons criticized for cultural appropriation, after using lace front cornrow wigs - CNN

Comme des Garçons criticized for cultural appropriation for using lace front cornrow wigs

(CNN)Major Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons has always pushed boundaries. But this time, they may have gone too far.The brand showcased its men's fall/winter 2020 line this week at Paris Fashion Week. A key part of the runaway look, amid the bright colors and cropped jackets, appeared to be lace front cornrow wigs and the effect is, uh, debatable.The wigs have gotten much scrutiny from the internet, with some calling the look cultural appropriation — especially since the fashion house used majority white models for an aesthetic strongly linked to black culture.The hair artist for the show has since apologized on Instagram. But the use of the wigs wasn't the only aspect that came under scrutiny. The wigs were placed atop the models' heads like hats, nearly covering their foreheads. The final product looks, some people said, ridiculous."Can't even be mad because of how ridiculously ugly this is," wrote Twitter user Tantine P. Read More"Why the cornrows devouring they foreheads like that," asked Twitter user Johnny Boy. Not every model wore the wigs, though. A few of the black models, who had longer hair, were spared.Julien d'Ys, the hair artist for the show, said the idea was inspired by the hairstyles of ancient Egyptian princes, and apologized on Instagram for the offense. View this post on Instagram Dear all, My inspiration for the comme des garçons show was Egyptian prince A Look i found truly beautiful and inspirational. A look that was an hommage. Never was it my intention to hurt or offend anyone , ever. If I did I deeply apologize. ❤️ Julien d'Ys A post shared by juliendys (@juliendys) on Jan 18, 2020 at 8:59am PST "Dear all, My inspiration for the comme des garçons show was Egyptian prince A Look i found truly beautiful and inspirational," he wrote. "A look that was an hommage. Never was it my intention to hurt or offend anyone , ever. If I did I deeply apologize."

Katie Hunt, CNN

2021-03-19 10:36:39

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/business/space-junk-mission-astroscale-scn/index.html

Space junk removal: Mission to clean up debris with magnets set for launch - CNN

A demonstration mission to test new technology developed by the company Astroscale to clean up space debris is set to launch in the early hours of Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

business, Space junk removal: Mission to clean up debris with magnets set for launch - CNN

Mission to clean up space junk with magnets set for launch

(CNN)It's invisible in the night sky, but above us there is a cloud of more than 9,000 tons of space junk -- equivalent to the weight of 720 school buses.This debris is composed of parts of old satellites as well as entire defunct satellites and rocket bodies. The debris poses risks to the International Space Station and threatens things we take for granted on Earth -- weather forecasting, GPS and telecommunications. It's a problem that's getting worse with more and more satellites being launched each year by ventures like Elon Musk's SpaceX.A demonstration mission to test new technology developed by the company Astroscale to clean up space debris is set to launch in the early hours of Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. A Soyuz 2 rocket will launch a 175-kilogram spacecraft with a satellite attached into space. The spacecraft and the 17-kilogram satellite -- the debris to be cleaned up -- will separate and then perform a high-stakes game of cat and mouse over the next few months. Why we don't know exactly what happened during a near-collision in spaceAstroscale will test the spacecraft's ability to snatch a satellite and bring it down toward the Earth's atmosphere, where it will burn up. It will do this in a series of different maneuvers, with the mission expected to end in September or October of this year. Read MoreAs part of the mission, the company will test whether the spacecraft can catch and dock with the satellite as it tumbles through space at up to 17,500 miles per hour -- several times faster than the speed of a bullet. The tests rely on a magnetic docking plate to latch onto the satellite. Astroscale said it hopes all new satellites being launched will ultimately have this docking plate, allowing them to be safely removed at the end of their life span. What's more, Astroscale said it had already signed a deal with internet satellite company OneWeb. "Now is the time to take the threat of debris seriously by committing to debris removal programs and preparing satellites for future removal at their end of life," said John Auburn, managing director of Astroscale UK and group chief commercial officer. "Avoiding catastrophic collisions will help to protect the space ecosystem and ensure all orbits can continue to thrive sustainably for generations to come." Astroscale is headquartered in Japan but the mission is being controlled from the United Kingdom. The mission will last for about six months. Nets, harpoons and robotic armsThe technology being tested in this mission targets the removal of satellites yet to be launched and doesn't address the problem of debris already in space. However, the company is working with JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, on its first debris removal project.Other space agencies, institutions and companies are also working on technology to remove space junk.A dead Soviet satellite and an old rocket booster narrowly missed each other in spaceClearSpace 1, the European Space Agency's mission to remove space junk from orbit, is expected to launch in 2025. This mission will use four robotic arms to capture the debris.A 2018 demonstration mission successfully deployed a net to ensnare space junk, the first successful demonstration of space cleanup technology. The RemoveDebris experiment is run by a consortium of companies and researchers led by the UK's Surrey Space Centre and includes Airbus, Airbus-owned Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and France's Ariane Group. It has also tried a method using a harpoon.There are at least 26,000 pieces of space junk orbiting the Earth that are the size of a softball or larger and could destroy a satellite on impact; over 500,000 the size of a marble big enough to cause damage to spacecraft or satellites; and over 100 million pieces of debris the size of a grain of salt that could puncture a spacesuit, according to a January report by NASA.In fact, the report said, the bits of space junk that are most dangerous to spacecraft and satellites are often the smallest because they are too small to be detected, and operators aren't able to maneuver to avoid them.

Jacqueline Howard, CNN

2016-10-05 10:59:31

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/05/health/birth-control-depression-risk/index.html

Birth control linked to depression, new study says - CNN

Depression may be a potential adverse effect of hormonal birth control use, a new study suggests.

birth control, birth control depression, birth control depression risk, depression, depression risk, mental health, women's health, hormonal birth control, birth control study, the pill depression, hormonal contraception, hormonal contraceptive, hormonal contraception depression, birth control side effects, birth control pills, birth control implant, birth control hormones, birth control benefits, depression causes, health, Birth control linked to depression, new study says - CNN

Birth control linked to depression, new study says

Story highlightsNew research links hormonal birth control to depression"Adolescents seemed more vulnerable to this risk than women," study saysHowever, the findings won't change how one doctor says she counsels patients (CNN)Taking hormonal birth control might be associated with an increased risk for depression compared with those who don't use contraception, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry last week. The finding is something that users have long suspected, as about 30% of women who ever used the pill in the United States eventually quit because of dissatisfaction with side effects, according to a 2013 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF).For birth control, what's old is new again"We have known for decades that women's sex hormones estrogen and progesterone have an influence on many women's mood. Therefore, it is not very surprising that also external artificial hormones acting in the same way and on the same centers as the natural hormones might also influence women's mood or even be responsible for depression development," said Dr. Øjvind Lidegaard, a professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and lead supervisor of the study.Lidegaard and his colleagues tracked the health of more than 1 million Danish women between the ages of 15 and 34 over 14 years, using data from the National Prescription Register and the Psychiatric Central Research Register in Denmark.To ensure that depression was properly identified in connection with birth control use, women with a depression diagnosis before their 15th birthdays or the start of the data collection were excluded.Read MoreAfter analyzing the data, the researchers found that the use of hormonal birth control was positively linked to a subsequent depression diagnosis and use of antidepressants.Depression risk, by the numbersAmong all hormonal birth control users in the study, there was a 40% increased risk of depression after six months, compared to women who did not use hormonal birth control, the researchers found. The mean age of birth control users in the study was 24.Do you know what an IUD is? Many don'tThe users of combined oral birth control pills experienced a 1.2-fold higher rate of subsequently taking antidepressants during the study period than those not using the birth control. Women who used progestin-only birth control pills experienced a 1.3-fold higher rate, according to the study. As for non-oral forms of hormonal birth control, those who used the transdermal patch had a two-fold increased risk and those who used the vaginal ring had a 1.5-fold increased risk.Similar rate increases were found for depression diagnoses, according to the study.The researchers noted in their study that the difference in risk rates among women taking non-oral and oral forms of birth control might be due to a difference in dose rather than how the contraceptives are administered. All teens should be screened for depression, task force recommends The researchers also noted that this association does not imply that birth control alone causes depression -- and more research is needed to better understand the possible link."Adolescents seemed more vulnerable to this risk than women 20 to 34 years old. Further studies are warranted to examine depression as a potential adverse effect of hormonal contraceptive use," the researchers wrote in their study.One of the study authors has a history of consulting for two pharmaceutical companies, Lundbeck and AstraZeneca, and another author reported receiving funds for talks from Exeltis. No other conflicts of interest were disclosed.Lidegaard said the study results could translate to women in the United States.JUST WATCHEDIs Nuvaring more harmful than other birth control?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs Nuvaring more harmful than other birth control? 09:19In the United States, about 62% of women 15 to 44 years old use some form of contraception (PDF). Among those women, 16% use the pill, 15.5% use female sterilization, and 7.2% use long-acting reversible contraception, such as an IUD or implant, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. What this new data means for womenWhat do other experts think of the new study? Dr. Kathryn Holloway, an ob-gyn practitioner at the Institute for Women's Health in San Antonio, Texas, called it impressive. However, while there may be a correlation between hormonal birth control with the prescription of antidepressants and perhaps a depression diagnosis, causation is hard to prove, she said."Although this study suggests an increased risk of depression with combined hormonal contraception, the increase does not seem so great as to significantly change how I counsel patients," Holloway said, adding that, "Depression is not something to be taken lightly and should not be a missed diagnosis. It is important for physicians to monitor and evaluate for any possible side effects, even if rare, with any prescribed medication."JUST WATCHEDThe pill's benefits to women's health ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe pill's benefits to women's health 04:16While birth control comes with some negative side effects, from stomach cramps to increased risk of stroke, it can also provide some health benefits.Hormonal birth control not only prevents unwanted pregnancies, but also can regulate menstrual cycles, treat endometriosis pelvic pain, control symptoms of fibroids, help acne breakouts, and reduce the risk of some cancers that affect reproductive organs.There are some forms of birth control that are not hormonal, Holloway said.Join the conversationSee the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter."Hormonal contraception options range from the combined oral contraceptive pills to an intrauterine device and a birth control shot such as Depo-Provera," Holloway said. "Non-hormonal contraception options include condoms, cervical caps, the vaginal sponge and spermicide, and the copper IUD," she added. "Some patients are successful with natural family planning by monitoring their cycle on a calendar or menstrual cycle app. It's up to the patient and their ob-gyn to decide which method of birth control is right for their lifestyle and well-being."

Randi Kaye and Shawna Shepherd

2015-04-07 02:00:07

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2015/04/06/us/families-lawsuits-raise-questions-about-nuvaring/index.html

Families, lawsuits, raise questions about NuvaRing - CNN

The NuvaRing is one of the most popular birth control products on the market. Convenient? Absolutely. But safe? That depends on whom you ask.

us, Families, lawsuits, raise questions about NuvaRing - CNN

Families, lawsuits, raise questions about NuvaRing

Story highlightsThe NuvaRing is one of the most popular birth control products on the marketLawsuit cites "a heightened risk of blood clots associated with the use of NuvaRing"Maker: "There is substantial evidence to support the safety and efficacy of NuvaRing" (CNN)Erika Langhart had a zest for life. By the time she finished college she had already visited 37 countries. After graduating from college she was working in Washington and thinking about going to law school. Her life was full of promise, but all that ended suddenly when she was just 24 years old. In Phoenix, Karen Langhart was looking forward to her daughter coming home for Thanksgiving when she received a call from Erika's cell phone.In an interview with CNN, Erika's mom said she "picked up the phone and answered it, 'Hi Schmoo, can't wait to see you' -- Schmoo-bear is our nickname for her -- and it was Sean." With groceries in hand, Erika's boyfriend, Sean Coakley, had arrived at her apartment to make dinner and found Erika collapsed on the floor. The fire department and paramedics were already on the scene. The attendant at the front desk had heard Erika screaming for help and called 911. "[The paramedics] tried to revive her with CPR and while they were in the apartment, I think she had a heart attack and then two more on the way to the hospital in the ambulance, and another one in the hospital, and she never woke up," Erika's father, Rick Langhart, said. Read MoreKaren knew it was serious when the emergency room doctor said they needed to come to the hospital in Arlington, Virginia. She said the doctor asked her whether Erika was using any birth control. According to Karen, when she told him Erika was using the NuvaRing, "He said well there's a link between NuvaRing and pulmonary embolisms," Karen Langhart said. Rick Langhart said doctors removed the NuvaRing immediately. "It was, it was a nightmare," he added. By the time Rick and Karen arrived at the Virginia Hospital Center, Erika was in a coma, in the ICU. "They had determined that Erika had no brain activity and that because of her heart attacks they basically told us that she was brain dead and that's it," Rick Langhart said, fighting back tears. Hospital records cited the NuvaRing as a risk factor for Erika's multiple pulmonary embolisms. Records confirm what Erika's parents told CNN: that a blood clot started in an artery/vein in her right thigh and traveled to her lungs, causing "massive" pulmonary embolisms and "multiple episodes of cardiac arrest" on the way to the hospital and overnight. The Langharts never heard their daughter's voice again. She died on Thanksgiving. "We miss her so much," Karen Langhart said. Megan Henry's close call Less than a year later, 2,000 miles away in Utah, Megan Henry had the scare of her life. Henry, it turns out, was a classmate of Erika Langhart's at American University. She's training to compete in the Olympics in skeleton, a type of high-speed downhill sledding. The scare that shook her in August 2012 threatened her Olympic dreams. Within weeks of starting the NuvaRing, Henry said she collapsed during training, unable to breathe. "I mean I was struggling, I was struggling to breathe." Henry said. "It's like an elephant was sitting on my chest all the time." After seeing five doctors who were unable to tell her what was wrong, she finally got a diagnosis from a pulmonologist. He told her he thought she had blood clots in her lungs. "I said, you know I started taking this birth control, is it related to this?" Henry said. "And he was like, yeah, I definitely think that you have blood clots and it's from the birth control." X-rays, followed by an ultrasound and a CAT scan, revealed that Megan's life was in danger. "[The doctor] started to tell me, you have multiple pulmonary embolisms in both lungs," said Megan. "They're sending an ambulance, they're going to come and they're going to rush you to the emergency room ... it just really took me by surprise and you know I knew it was something bad but I never imagined it would be something like that." According to her hospital discharge papers, the NuvaRing Henry was using "was probably the risk factor" for her pulmonary embolisms. Henry went from peak physical condition to using a breathing machine. She was put on blood thinners, too. Her doctors told her it's too risky to use hormonal birth control again. "Easy. Safe. That's really how it was presented -- easy, safe, low-dose hormone -- you know, and it turns out it wasn't. It wasn't that at all," she said. Even though NuvaRing has about the same risk for blood clots as newer birth control pills, Henry said she wishes she had known that the incidence of life-threatening blood clots is double with NuvaRing compared to older birth control pills. "There are other options out there for birth control that have risks, but not doubling the risks," Henry told CNN. "If I would have known that I never would have taken it." And thinking about what happened to her classmate, Erika, Henry said, "I think if I knew what I know now and, you know, if Erika had known that, a number of people, I think that they would have made a slightly different choice." NuvaRing The NuvaRing is one of the most popular birth control products on the market. A flexible ring inserted vaginally, it releases a combination of hormones. By 2010 as many as 830,000 women were using the vaginal ring as a contraceptive method, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization advancing sexual and reproductive health worldwide. At least 10.5 million women use hormonal birth control pills. The NuvaRing was approved by the FDA in 2001 and became available to women in the United States in 2002. The Dutch pharmaceutical company, Organon, developed the device and manufactured it until 2007 when the company was sold to Schering Plough Corporation, which was then acquired by Merck in 2009. According to Merck, the NuvaRing is sold in more than 50 countries, and 44 million prescriptions have been filled for women in the United States alone. The NuvaRing dispenses what's called a third-generation progestin, or synthetic hormone. When it first came on the market, the device was touted as a breakthrough -- inserted vaginally to release a "continuous low dose of hormones." It stays in for three weeks, so no bother of taking a daily birth control pill. The ring was branded in a television commercial as "a different way to do birth control" and "Oh! It's easy to use." Convenient? Absolutely. But safe? That depends on whom you ask. The Langharts had no idea the NuvaRing birth control their daughter had been using for four years had already been linked to other women's deaths, according to unconfirmed claims of problems reported to the FDA. Merck acknowledges a very small risk of blood clots but stands by its product, saying, "There is substantial evidence to support the safety and efficacy of NuvaRing." While studies have shown that the number of severe adverse events is extremely low -- fewer than 11 cases per 10,000 women who use it for a year -- the families who have lost loved ones point out that the incidence of life-threatening blood clots is double with NuvaRing than with older birth control pills. Since the mid-1990s there have been multiple studies suggesting that while third-generation progestins are generally safe, they are approximately twice as likely to cause blood clots than older, second-generation birth control pills. Merck denied CNN's request for an on-camera interview. Instead, it gave this statement: "While there is a very small risk of a blood clot when using NuvaRing or any combined hormonal contraceptive, this risk is much less than the risk of blood clots during pregnancy and the immediate post-partum period." Among 10,000 women, between five and 20 women run the risk of developing a serious blood clot during pregnancy; the risk increases to between 40 and 65 women during the 12-week postpartum period. Among 10,000 women in a year using combination hormonal contraceptives -- that includes birth control pills, the ring and the patch -- the risk of developing serious blood clots ranges between three and 12 women. NuvaRing users are on the higher end of that risk. Two studies conducted in 2011 and 2012 reveal the risk of developing a serious blood clot among NuvaRing users is 11.4 and 8.3 per 10,000 women in a year, respectively. The NuvaRing's label was updated in 2013 by the FDA with information about both studies. The Langharts, Megan Henry, and 3,800 others sued Merck. According to claims filed in federal and state courts, the lawsuits allege Organon, the original manufacturer of the NuvaRing, "failed to adequately warn consumers about a heightened risk of blood clots associated with the use of NuvaRing, even though the manufacturer was aware that NuvaRing posed greater risks than other hormonal contraceptives."In February, without admitting any wrongdoing, Merck agreed to pay $100 million in damages. But the Langharts did not settle, insisting Merck be held accountable for what the family said was Merck's failure to properly warn users of the risk. They believe what Merck is getting away with is "criminal." "I don't understand why a company in the United States would allow that kind of product on the market. It's not the way Americans do business," Rick Langhart said. "And for them to do what they do in total disregard for what's going on. It's criminal to me." Instead, to honor Erika's memory, they decided to create a nonprofit to inform women of the dangers they believe are related to the NuvaRing and the comparative risks of all forms of hormonal contraceptives. The nonprofit's name, "Informed Choice for Amerika," honors their daughter's name.

Ashley Fantz, Emanuella Grinberg and Jessica Ravitz, CNN

2016-05-18 16:07:26

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/18/health/sexual-assault-examiner-shortage/index.html

New bill aims to clear hurdles to sexual assault exams - CNN

Sexual assault survivors are being rebuffed at hospitals and forced to make hours-long trips in rural areas. New legislation wants to change that.

sanes, sexual assault nurse examiners, sexual assault examiners, health, New bill aims to clear hurdles to sexual assault exams - CNN

New bill aims to help rape victims rebuffed at hospitals

Story highlightsRape victims who go to the hospital are sometimes told there is no sexual assault nurse examiner availablePatients are often advised to travel long distances to another location for help, advocates say A federal bill would appropriate $12 million to support training for sexual assault nurse examiners (CNN)She remembers leaving the neighborhood bar at closing time and walking down the street with the guy who kept an eye on her drink while she ducked into the restroom. She remembers telling him she didn't want to have sex. She remembers the pool of blood between her legs. What happened in between to this Seattle-area teacher got lost in a haze -- the result of a drug slipped into her drink, toxicology reports would later show. But by the next morning, at home and still bleeding, she knew what she had to do. Her husband was out of town. So she drove herself to the nearest hospital, went into the emergency room and said she needed a rape exam.What followed turned Leah, 30, into a relentless activist on behalf of rape survivors.Swedish Medical Center in Ballard told Leah it didn't do rape kits and directed her to the one place in King County that could help her: Harborview, a facility 30 minutes away. Leah, still bleeding and dazed, said she didn't think she could make the drive. When hospital staff offered to send her by ambulance, she says she told them she couldn't afford that. Plus, how was she supposed to get home? Read MoreLeah's outrage is palpable still, two years after the fact and through the phone. JUST WATCHEDCity ran out of money to test rape kitsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCity ran out of money to test rape kits 04:31"They literally shrugged their shoulders at me." In a statement to TV station KING 5 last year, the emergency director explained."Like other hospitals in King County, Swedish does not have Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) onsite," the director said. "Protocol for sexual assault victims was to refer patients to Harborview for care should the patient wish to do so." Leah went on to take every other step a rape survivor must to seek justice: She said she filed a police report. She met with prosecutors. She identified her attacker in a photo.She also went to the other hospital the next day to have a rape kit collected. But Leah's experience of being turned away at the first hospital is not unique; sexual assault advocates say it represents a hurdle that could and should be erased.No federal oversight or standards A recent government report (PDF) identified major gaps in access to sexual assault examinations at hospitals nationwide, including a lack of trained sexual assault nurse examiners, or SANEs, whose job is to not only provide uninterrupted compassionate care but to collect the evidence critical to successful prosecutions. Advocates for sexual assault survivors have long reported stories of vulnerable victims being rebuffed at hospitals, forced to make hours-long trips in rural areas -- if they make the trips at all.Survivors -- and their efforts to seek criminal prosecution -- suffer as a result, they argue. The untold financial cost of rapeThe report's findings, coupled with accounts like Leah's, have spurred new legislation that aims to help survivors get access to specialized care.The Survivors' Access to Supportive Care Act, introduced in Congress on Wednesday by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington), aims to improve access to qualified examiners through various means.Echoing findings in the report, the bill addresses a fundamental deficit in health care for sexual assault survivors: no federal oversight of SANE programs and no national standards for training and certifying examiners.The bill "would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a national training and continuing education program, to be tested and incorporated by health care providers nationwide," a Murray aide said. The bill would appropriate $12 million to support a pilot grant program that would expand training and state-level surveys to evaluate needs. 'It has to change'Even if a hospital does not have trained examiners or rape kits available, advocates said, there are minimal steps emergency room staffers can take. For one, they can offer rape survivors morning-after pills and antiviral medications. Any medical professional, however, can perform a basic sexual assault exam, said Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, a sexual assault nurse examiner serving as interim chief executive officer of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. When a sexual assault victim shows up at an emergency room, the staff is obligated to see that person to rule out or address an emergency medical condition, she said.But the medical community has long recognized the benefits of specially trained medical professionals who can provide a "victim-centered" approach that includes evidence collection and caring for a patient's physical and emotional needs.The story behind the first rape kitResearch has shown that exams conducted by trained SANE nurses take less time, offer better care to victims, result in the most thorough collection of forensic evidence and, in turn, lead to greater prosecution rates, said Katherine M. Iritani, director of the U.S. Government Accountability Office's Health Care team, which released the new report.The report noted the absence of federal standards for training sexual assault examiners. Leah knows firsthand the importance of that training. Before leaving the first hospital she went to, she agreed to an emergency room exam because she was desperate for help, even if that help didn't include a rape exam. That initial exam, she believes, tainted the evidence inside her and "destroyed the crime scene." The doctor told her she was fine and failed to spot the 1½-inch laceration in her vagina that later required stitches."I'd been told by an ER doctor that nothing was wrong," Leah says. "It was incredibly humiliating, degrading and awful."She went home and showered before going in the middle of the night to the second hospital to get a rape kit exam. At that point, she says, she'd bled through nine overnight maxi-pads. Though Leah identified her attacker, he was never charged. For months, she felt so traumatized, she couldn't keep food down. She took the rest of the school year off from her job and holed up at home. But later, fueled by her experiences, driven by anger and bolstered by counseling and the ceaseless support of her feminist husband, Leah reached out to lawmakers. One of them was Murray."I am an employed, white, educated woman with no kids, with access to transportation and the internet. I don't have a criminal history, no history of drug use, and I've never been a sex worker," Leah says. "I feel incredible pressure to use my privilege to get something done because if I couldn't do it, nobody can do it. It has to change." Training and keeping nurses a challengeEmergency room doctors and nurses used to care for sexual assault survivors before SANEs came into existence in the 1990s, Pierce-Weeks said. In many communities without SANEs, ER personnel still perform those services."The difference is, ER personnel receive minimal to no training in these exams," she said. Nurses, hospital staff and patient advocates told CNN it was fairly common for hospitals to send patients to other facilities with trained examiners, especially in rural areas. Some defended the practice, saying it can be in the patient's best interest.The GAO report identified various challenges to training and retaining sexual assault examiners. Presently, 2,284 sexual assault examiners are registered with the International Association of Forensic Nurses, an incomplete number considering SANEs are not required to register with the organization. Officials in five of the six states studied in the report said the lack of classroom, clinical and continuing education training makes it difficult to maintain a supply of trained examiners. In addition, hospitals may be reluctant to cover costs for the initial 40-hour training as well as additional retraining, the report said. In rural areas, clinics may balk at paying for on-call examiners for the infrequent instances when they are needed.These factors, plus the emotional and physical demands on examiners, lead to low retention rates, the report said."It gets complicated quickly," said Iritani, the report co-author. "The major challenge states faced was having the resources to maintain a training program and keep the constant supply of trainers." Many trained examiners remain on the clock after they leave the hospital floor, especially in rural communities. They might be on call after hours and on weekends as the only trained examiner in the region. Then there's the time needed to prepare for court as well as time spent in court being grilled by defense lawyers attempting to cast doubt on their findings. All of that is time for which they may not get paid."We were told in some states that some hospitals didn't pay trained examiners to be on call," Iritani said. "It was considered an act of duty."Tough conversationsThen there's the "emotional investment" required to do the job.Angela Brady knows it well. For nine years, she worked as a sexual assault nurse examiner at St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center in Ketchum, Idaho, a mountain town two to three hours from Boise, depending on the route.For years, she was one of three SANE nurses. When the others quit, she shouldered all of the responsibility while serving as a bedside nurse and a critical care supervisor. She was on call around the clock, required to come to the hospital if a rape victim needed an exam. Dedicated to her profession for 30 years, she was willing to do that. "When victims come in," she said, "they need comfort. They need calm. They need to be heard and treated."Ghosts of rape past: Can a survivor find solace in return to the crime scene?In the hours after a rape, a sexual assault exam is crucial to yield DNA evidence that might lead to an attacker's arrest and conviction, she said. A sexual assault nurse is trained to take a patient through the traumatizing experience -- an exam can last four hours -- and listen to them."If a patient says, 'He pushed me down in the gravel,' I'm listening to them; I'm going to look for signs of that injury," Brady said. "It's about being focused as you would be focused doing any kind of investigative work."Two years ago, Brady, now 52, decided she could no longer be the only sexual assault examiner at St. Luke's. She quit and became a nurse in the hospital's emergency room. She anguished over the decision but felt it was the best move for her patients and for her career.Brady worried that because there were so few rape victims who came to the hospital in this rural area of the state, she was unable to practice her skills regularly. If she were called to testify in a criminal proceeding, could an attorney shoot holes in her credibility? "I needed to be able to go on the witness stand and feel total confidence," she said. St. Luke's spokeswoman Beth Toal confirmed that there is no sexual assault nurse examiner currently working at the facility because there are simply too few rape victims who arrive there, and that results in little training for the staff. Toal said that both adult and juvenile sexual assault victims are given the option to travel to Boise to a facility that is staffed with SANE nurses and provides specialized care. St. Luke's provides transportation, Toal said.She and Brady stressed that rape victims are never turned away from the hospital. All doctors and nurses there are trained in how to perform a sexual assault exam, they said. But the atmosphere in which those exams take place -- an emergency room -- is not ideal, Brady said. Survivors may have to sit in the waiting room for hours. They may be examined by a doctor or nurse whose gender makes them feel uncomfortable. The doctor or nurse performing the exam may be interrupted to tend to other patients with life-threatening conditions, she said. That's why victims are told when they arrive that the hospital will provide them transportation to the Boise facility."We are trying to move victims out of the emergency room and put them in an environment that is slower-paced, an environment where they won't feel like a victim again," said Brady. "I want them to have a better experience in Boise."It's not easy to explain that to victims, she said. Some can't bear the thought of traveling more than two hours to get treatment after it took them so much energy to muster the strength to go to St. Luke's. "That conversation can be tough," she said.To some, asking a victim to make that decision is unacceptable."The victims are refusing to go to Boise, which is understandable. They don't want to wait," said Tricia Swartling, CEO of The Advocates, an area victim advocacy group. "This is not a good experience. This is not a good system."'Unknown unknowns'Some prosecutors say it's not good for justice, either. Brent Eaton, the prosecuting attorney in Hancock County, Indiana, said that a lack of trained examiners in the area hinders his ability to prosecute sexual assaults.Eaton said he's heard of survivors showing up at Hancock Regional Hospital only to be told they have to drive elsewhere for an exam. As a result, he has no idea how many rape victims simply leave the hospital and choose not to report their assault."The unknown unknowns are something that really concern me," he said. "It concerns people in law enforcement."Steve Long, president and CEO of Hancock Regional Hospital, said every patient who shows up to the emergency department is provided a medical evaluation and necessary follow-up treatment.Patients can request the additional forensic exam to evaluate the sexual assault and collect evidence for prosecution, but Long believes that sending them to a regional partner that has a trained sexual assault nurse examiner is a "better alternative.""There is a difference between a forensic examination provided by a sexual assault nurse examiner-certified nurse and one completed by a non-specialized physician or nurse," he said. "SANE-certified nurses are highly educated not only in the proper collection and handling of evidence, they are also trained and experienced in victim-centered care and helping the patient through a very traumatic experience," he said in an email.Hancock Regional has never staffed sexual assault nurse examiners because "the certification requires significant ongoing hands-on experience," Long said. With eight sexual assault visits to the hospital in 2015 out of more than 24,000 emergency room visits, "our county does not have a sufficient number of cases to meet continuing certification requirements for our nurses," he said. Instead, staff members encourage patients to visit Community Hospital of Anderson, about 40 minutes from Hancock, for sexual assault exams. "We believe a better alternative for the patient is the transfer to the specialized center that focuses just on patients requiring these services," he said.Victims have to front the cost of transportation, Long said, though the hospital is working on a way to change that with input from Eaton.Murray's legislation recognizes that a one-size-fits-all approach won't work, an aide said. That's why it appropriates $2 million to fund state-level surveys to identify training and infrastructure needs. It also authorizes $10 million for a pilot grant program to expand medical forensic exam training and services to new providers like physician assistants, as well as to Federally Qualified Health Centers and Title X-funded clinics to expand access in rural areas.'An easy win'? More than two years have passed since Leah's rape. She's grown stronger with time and continues to fight for herself and others like her. She's joined task forces and spoken out, and to this day, she is still battling to get a sexual assault restraining order against her attacker.She does what she does because she feels an obligation but also because she's flat-out angry."I didn't know what anger really was before this happened to me, and I didn't know how powerful anger could be," she says. "If there was ever anything to express rage over, this is it." The fact that she played a part in inspiring new legislation is "the proudest achievement of my life," she says. This new bill may have the power to defy partisanship, she says. It's a cause any person -- man or woman, Republican or Democrat -- should get behind."It should be an easy win," Leah says. "And if it's not, the problem is worse than I think it is." Explore more CNN coverage of sexual assault: How to help survivors of sexual assaultPunished after reporting rape at Brigham Young University

Julia Hollingsworth and Swati Gupta, CNN

2021-05-06 23:43:34

news

india

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/06/india/india-modi-parliament-intl-hnk/index.html

India PM Narendra Modi presses ahead with $1.8 billion parliament renovation amid Covid-19 crisis - CNN

While hospitals plead for life-saving oxygen and Covid-19 patients die in their thousands, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing ahead with a $1.8 billion parliamentary revamp -- including a new home for the country's leader.

india, India PM Narendra Modi presses ahead with $1.8 billion parliament renovation amid Covid-19 crisis - CNN

Modi presses ahead with $1.8 billion parliament renovation even as Covid-19 ravages India

New Delhi (CNN)While hospitals plead for life-saving oxygen and Covid-19 patients die in their thousands, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing ahead with a $1.8 billion parliamentary revamp -- including a new home for the country's leader. The decision to continue with the project in the capital, New Delhi, has infuriated the public and opposition politicians, who have pointed to the apparent disconnect in pouring millions into a construction project when the country is struggling with its worst-ever public health crisis. The pricey renovation, known as the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, has been categorized as an "essential service," meaning construction is allowed to continue even when most other building projects have been halted.Construction work underway on the Central Vista redevelopment project at Rajpath on April 17, 2021 in New Delhi, India. Two citizens -- including one with Covid-19 whose mother also has the virus -- lodged a case with the Delhi High Court on Wednesday to try to halt construction, which has continued even while the capital is in lockdown.The petitioners argue the parliament buildings don't constitute an essential service and construction work could even become a Covid super-spreader event, according to special leave petition filed by lawyer Nitin Saluja. Workers are continuing to be ferried from their labor camp to the construction site, according to the document.Read MoreThe High Court offered to hear the case later this month, but petitioners took the matter to the Supreme Court, arguing the lower court had "failed to appreciate the gravity" of the situation. "Since there is a public health emergency in the matter, any delay could be detrimental to the larger public interest," Saluja wrote to the Supreme Court. Saluja said the case will most likely be heard Friday.India has reported more than 3,000 Covid-19 deaths in each of the past few days. The country accounted for a quarter of global coronavirus fatalities over the past week, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) weekly Covid-19 report. Vanity project?Even before the second wave, Central Vista had attracted controversy, with critics saying the redevelopment would come at the cost of history and heritage. But opposition has become more heated recently, with politicians slamming the plan as a vanity project. Proponents of the 86-acre (35-hectare) revamp say it is necessary as the current 100-year-old buildings are not fit for purpose."The launch of the construction of the Parliament House of India, with the idea of Indianness by Indians, is one of the most important milestones of our democratic traditions," Modi said in December at the laying of the building's foundation stone. "We the people of India will construct this new Parliament building together."Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally on April 12, 2021, in North 24 Parganas, India.An estimated 46,700 people are expected to be temporarily employed during construction, according to minutes released last week of an April expert appraisal committee meeting.That meeting estimated the expansion of the parliament building and construction of a new parliament building will be completed in November 2022, while the Prime Minister's residence is set to be finished in December 2022. The entire project is set to be completed by the end of 2026. The $1.8 billion project was given environmental approval from an expert panel of the Environment Ministry earlier this year, essentially giving the project the green light. But as coronavirus cases have soared, so too has the backlash to Modi's project. "People are dying of Covid but (Prime Minister Modi's) priority is the Central Vista project," tweeted Yashwant Sinha, the former minister of finance and external affairs. "Should we not be building hospitals instead? How much more price the nation must pay for electing a meglomaniac?" Earlier this week, opposition MP Rahul Gandhi said: "The (Prime Minister's) ego is bigger than people's lives." In a previous tweet, Gandhi said: "Central Vista - not essential. Central (Government) with a vision - essential." Community Party of India's Sitaram Yechury called the move "grotesque."The criticism has gone beyond politicians. On Twitter, some people have even drawn comparisons between Modi and Nero, the Roman emperor who, according to legend, fiddled while Rome burned.The project is just the latest mark against Modi, who has been criticized for his handling of the second wave. Even as cases skyrocketed, critics say he underplayed the risk and continued to hold mass political rallies ahead of state elections.

Junko Ogura, CNN

2021-01-22 03:31:40

sport

sport

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/asia/tokyo-olympics-coronavirus-intl-hnk/index.html

Olympics 2021: Japan and IOC determined to hold Tokyo Games despite cancellation rumors - CNN

Reports of this summer's Tokyo Olympic Games being canceled due to Covid-19 are "categorically untrue", the International Olympic Committee said in a statement to CNN on Friday.

sport, Olympics 2021: Japan and IOC determined to hold Tokyo Games despite cancellation rumors - CNN

Japan and IOC determined to hold Tokyo Olympics despite cancellation rumors

Tokyo (CNN)Reports of this summer's Tokyo Olympic Games being canceled due to Covid-19 are "categorically untrue", the International Olympic Committee said in a statement to CNN on Friday.The Japanese government also said on Friday that it is determined the Games will go ahead following an unconfirmed report that a cancellation might be imminent. On Friday, the Times of London, citing an unnamed senior member of the ruling coalition, reported that Japanese authorities had privately concluded that the Olympics could not proceed due to the ongoing pandemic. CNN has not independently verified this report, which officials have refuted"Some news reports circulating today are claiming that the government of Japan has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be canceled because of the coronavirus," said the statement from the IOC. "This is categorically untrue ... All parties involved are working together to prepare for a successful Games this summer."Read MoreIn a statement, the Tokyo 2020 organizers said that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had expressed to them his determination to hold the Games, and that meetings were ongoing to ensure that they could go ahead while implementing thorough infection countermeasures and other precautions due to the pandemic. "All our delivery partners including the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, the IOC and the IPC are fully focused on hosting the Games this summer," the statement said. "We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure Games."JUST WATCHEDOlympic prep continues in Tokyo despite rumors of cancellationReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOlympic prep continues in Tokyo despite rumors of cancellation 03:32Speaking in parliament Friday morning, Suga said the Games "will be a symbol of humanity overcoming the novel coronavirus, and a chance to showcase Japan's reconstruction from the devastating (2011) earthquake and tsunami to the world.""We are determined to work closely together with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, and the IOC to realize a safe and secure Olympics," Suga said.Other Olympic officials were also quick to deny the claims made by the Times. "Unfortunately, I need to address unfounded rumors that Tokyo Games will be canceled, rumors that only create more anxiety for the athletes in our sports," Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll told reporters Friday. "The Tokyo Games are on. The flames will be lit on the 23rd of July 2021. This has been just reconfirmed again by the Japanese Prime Minister this afternoon." In a thread on Twitter, Canadian Olympic chief David Shoemaker said his team was "unaware of any decision taken by the Japanese government as is being reported." "The Canadian Olympic Committee has confidence that the Games can be staged safely and successfully given what has been learned in sport over the last several months and the emphasis the IOC and Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee have placed on Covid-19 countermeasures," he said. "We continue in our preparation to participate at Tokyo 2020 with a focus on the health and safety of our athletes, their families, and their communities." Saturday marks six months until the postponed Games are due to begin.CNN's Aleks Klosok contributed to this report.

Isabella Gomez and Christina Zdanowicz, CNN

2018-07-01 13:34:05

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/01/health/lgbtq-skateboarding-trnd/index.html

How LGBTQ people are building communities through skateboarding - CNN

Hannah Chumley felt a hand reach out and yank on her clothes -- her bra strap, specifically.

health, How LGBTQ people are building communities through skateboarding - CNN

They felt ostracized as LGBTQ skateboarders. So they did something about it.

(CNN)Hannah Chumley felt a hand reach out and yank on her clothes -- her bra strap, specifically. It belonged to another skater who was falling from his board, and in doing so, trying to pull Chumley down onto the concrete with him. The 19-year-old managed to escape his grip, but felt shaken by the encounter. It was one in a series of aggressions she says she feels on a regular basis at the skate park, where she's been practicing tricks since she was seven years old. "Almost every time I go to the skate park, people are so shocked to see a girl that skates," she told CNN. And when male skaters find out she identifies as queer-- she turns down their advances with the simple "I have a girlfriend" -- their responses tend to become mean, sometimes even violent. Read More queer skate 2/16 💟 A post shared by ERIN WRIGHT (@erinsarts) on Feb 16, 2018 at 7:03pm PST Chumley didn't want their attitudes to stop her from doing what she loves most, but at the end of the day, she was beginning to feel unsafe at her local skate park. The college student realized that if she wanted to find an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ skaters in her city, she needed to make it happen herself.So, in January, Chumley put up a flyer for Atlanta's first Queer Skate Day and hoped her idea would resonate with other people. Before long, dozens of queer skaters of all levels started gathering on a weekly basis.Their community has grown quickly in the past six months. The Atlanta group is only one example of how LBGTQ+ skaters are rising up across the United States to break down barriers in skateboarding and build safe havens that celebrate them for who they are.They create their own safe spaces"Historically, skateboarding has always been dominated by straight white men," said Chumley. "It's so behind the times, and it needs to change."She refers to high-profile skaters like Jay Adams, who was convicted of felony assault in 1982 in the fatal beating of a gay man, and Jason Jessee, who apologized in May after old interviews in which he made homophobic slurs resurfaced online. Beautiful footage captured by @wyadebs of last queer skate at black blocks!!!! ⚫️⚪️ featuring @valent._ina @red____milk @gracechrist and @camilizard A post shared by Queer Skate Atlanta (@queerskateatl) on Apr 14, 2018 at 2:40pm PDT Sophia Mackey, who has been attending Queer Skate since March, says it's made a big difference for her to have a place dedicated to the intersection of queerness and skating.Mackey believes that both "queer culture and skate culture offer a space for free-spirited people with alternative interests."Events like Queer Skate Day, she says, are essential in making sure LGBTQ skaters "feel safe and have a good experience that's ours."Beyond skating itself, the meetup is also a way for LGBTQ people in Atlanta to bond and rally around one another."Before we had queer skate, I would go to the skate park and feel so frozen and intimidated," said Camila Izaguirre, Chumley's girlfriend and co-founder of the group. "But being there with other queer skaters makes me feel so encouraged and motivated."Their mutual support makes it easier to learn to skateLP White learned to skateboard as a preteen but lost interest over the years, partially because it was difficult to connect with other skaters. The 24-year-old from Portland, who prefers the pronouns they/them, decided to pick their board back up a little over a year ago. This time, they promised, they weren't going to put it down again.To be able to keep their word, White needed to find other like-minded people to skate with.They searched repeatedly on Facebook until coming across a group that hosts Queer Skate Night once a month at Commonwealth Skateboarding, a shop with an indoor park in Portland. We got in some new kicks from @converse_cons - we got in the black cherry Jack Purcell's and the new purple One Star CC - both pairs of shoes are $79.95 each- any shoe purchase comes with a free two hour session at our indoor park. A post shared by Commonwealth Skateboarding (@commonwealthskate) on May 3, 2018 at 3:26pm PDT "I think for me, the importance of it is that I wouldn't have kept skateboarding if it wasn't for that," White told CNN. "And I think it's the same for so many people, so many friends from (the group) who are also queer and want to get better at skating."What started as three or four people showing up to skate together last year has grown into 10 and sometimes upward of 20 at every meetup.White says the skill level ranges from experienced skaters who are sponsored by companies to beginners who attended once, fell in love with the environment and kept coming back.Being around other LGBTQ people takes the competitive edge off learning, says White. Everyone is there to lift each other up and cheer on each other's accomplishments, whether it's unlocking a complicated new trick or being able to ride 20 feet without falling off."A big part of it for me and others I've talked to is that I think when there's queer meetups or you're skating with other queer people, it doesn't feel like there's anything to prove," White told CNN. "It feels like you're just having fun and with your friends."And by establishing a place where people will feel accepted and embraced for who they are, the PDX Queer Skate Crew is opening the doors to a sport that saw its first professional skater come out as gay less than two years ago."I just think what's really important is this community-building aspect of it," White said. "I think it's important to grant access to activities to people who feel like they may not have it otherwise."They mix skating with LGBTQ art and culture In California, Miriam Klein Stahl, 48, and Tara Jepsen, 45, focus on the visual side of the queer and skate communities.Stahl lives in Berkeley and Jepsen lives in Los Angeles, but the two were brought together by their desire to heighten visibility for LGBTQ imagery within skateboarding. They partnered up last year to design skateboard decks -- the visuals featured on the boards themselves -- and apparel that highlights queer icons like poet Justin Chin and activist Audre Lorde. Their company, Pave the Way, is a "sister company" with Unity, a Bay-Area skate and art collective that holds LQBTQ meetups in cities around the world.The two groups sometimes host events together, at which Stahl and Jepsen like to distribute their designs for free."For us, we're not doing this to make money," Stahl told CNN. "We're doing because we love skateboarding and we're proud of our queer culture and want to promote both at the same time."For Pave the Way, artwork with positive depictions of LGBTQ people is an essential way of increasing acceptance and fostering safe spaces for a variety of gender and sexual identities in skateboarding. And the company's mission has been widely embraced by everyone, says Stahl. When skaters who may not identify as LGBTQ use Pave the Way's boards, it helps to reinforce an open and welcoming environment for everyone. Outtake from photo shoot with the inimitable @tammy_rae !! A post shared by Pave The Way Skateboards (@pavethewayskateboards) on May 20, 2017 at 5:55pm PDT The two women also take pride in showing that anyone can skate at any age; Jepsen started when she was 36. As they ride into their 40s, they say both their friendship and their skating has blossomed thanks to Pave the Way.But knowing that skateboarding can be an isolated sport, and knowing it hasn't always been friendly to LGBTQ people in the past, Stahl and Jepsen hope to show newcomers that it's cool to take pride in being both queer and a skater. "A lot of it is for the younger generations to feel like they don't have to go at it alone, that there's going to be community around them," Jepsen said.And it seems to be working. Stahl teaches visual arts at a high school in Berkeley. She says many of her students love the gear and "want to ride our boards." The Smithsonian American History Museum is also acquiring a Pave the Way deck for its permanent collection. They seek common ground with straight skatersMo Hayden of Grand Rapids, Michigan, picked up her first board in August 2017."I saw Unity's videos and I was like, 'that looks so cool," she said.The 23-year-old student got hooked immediately and began making art related to skating during the time she wasn't practicing. As she entered the scene, however, Hayden also wanted other women and LGBTQ people to feel comfortable showing up to parks and skating with everyone there. For her senior Visual Studies show at Grand Valley State University, she held two skate days to bring skaters in the community together.Two people came to skate, which she says she expected from hosting it an art gallery, but slowly, she is encouraging other skaters in Grand Rapids to let their guard down and be kind to one another. come out come out ... . if you're a cis dude and wanna come, think about other ways to support women/queer ppl/poc. like donate a skateboard so a kid can learn (I'm gathering loaner boards) or pay black women for their time or listen rly rly well to your mom. do those things, and then consider coming. A post shared by Morgan Hayden (@mo.hayden) on Mar 21, 2018 at 8:35pm PDT "I'm really open about being a beginner and being femme-presenting and queer," she said. "That's like an admission of vulnerability, and maybe we can all meet there."Hayden and her friends hold meetups where they all help each other with tricks. She says straight skaters often welcome them and join in on the meetups.The recent graduate stresses the importance of finding common ground instead of forming an us-versus-them narrative around mainstream skating and queer skating."It's not a separate culture," she said. "We all have to share this culture."

Andrea Lo, CNN

2017-09-11 14:12:38

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/11/asia/her-india-atita-verghese/index.html

Atita Verghese: India's first female pro skateboarder - CNN

Bangalore-born Atita Verghese is a member of the HolyStoked collective, and founded Girl Skate India, using the sport to help underprivileged girls in Asia.

asia, Atita Verghese: India's first female pro skateboarder - CNN

Atita Verghese: India's first female pro skateboarder

Story highlightsAtita Verghese is India's first female professional skateboarderShe teaches children to skate and also volunteers to build skate parksShe founded Girl Skate India, a collective that aims to inspire more women to pick up the sport (CNN)When Atita Verghese stepped on a skateboard for the first time, it wasn't her own. She'd been loaned the board from a male friend. That gesture, she says, was the most pivotal moment of her life so far, guiding her towards a ground-breaking career as India's first professional female skateboarder. "I felt like nothing existed outside of that skate park," the 23-year-old skater tells CNN. "That moment I had -- it was perfect." In 2015, she co-founded Girl Skate India, an initiative that teaches girls how to skate, promotes gender equality and brings together skateboarders in India through workshops.At the end of 2015, the group organized 12 skaters from nine countries to embark on an all-female four-city skate tour -- the first in India -- using the sport to empower underprivileged girls around the country.Read MoreIf anyone is an advert for the power of the skateboard, it's Verghese. Rebel with a cause Atita Verghese during the Girl Skate India tour in 2015.Growing up in Bangalore, Verghese had a strong female role model in her mother, Nalini.After Verghese's father passed away when she was eight years old, Nalini became the breadwinner, running a guesthouse and bringing up her two daughters alone.Rebellion against social norms was in Verghese's DNA. Before Verghese was born, her mother -- a non-Muslim -- was attacked with acid by strangers for wearing Western-style clothes, in the small village of Hassan, in southwest India, where she lived. "The only explanation was that (the perpetrators) got annoyed by what she was wearing," Verghese says. Nalini preferred shorts and skirts to saris. Women, back then, were expected to wear "modest" traditional outfits, Verghese says. "She was known mostly to be seen mostly in Western outfits that were sometimes too much for the villagers to handle, apparently," Verghese explains, adding that the attack took place in "a village that was way more closed-minded than Bangalore city."Miraculously, Nalini escaped without any scarring, but the perpetrators were never caught. "She was really lucky," says Verghese, "but her clothes were burnt."Verghese also didn't conform to her conservative society's ideas of how a girl should act.I was doing a lot of pranks ... none of the girls were doing things like that.Atita Verghese"Growing up, I played football, basketball, hockey. I swam. I also did long-jump -- all of it," she tells CNN."I didn't study or get the best grades in school. I was always getting in trouble. I was doing a lot of pranks and things. They would expect that from the boys -- none of the girls were doing things like that."Her teachers warned that she would become a failure if she continued acting this way, she says. Verghese didn't let their opinions hold her back. Welcome to the skate parkIt wasn't until 2013, when Verghese was 19, that she got on a skateboard -- a sport that has only started to gain popularity in India during the past decade. It was friend Abhishek Shakenbake who introduced her to the sport in a skate park in Bangalore, where they are both based."He would meet me (after school) with a skateboard," Verghese remembers. "I was really curious and was like, 'What is it?'" He taught her "a few of the basics."A self-taught skateboarder who picked up the sport in 2010 after a law school classmate brought him a skateboard from overseas, Abhishek, now aged 31, co-founded HolyStoked Collective in 2011. It went on to become one of the biggest skate shops in Bangalore. During a workshop, Verghese teaches kids how to skateboard."(Skating) was kind of an outlet for most of us," Abhishek tells CNN. "We didn't all have skateboards, but there were more of us coming together to skate -- so we decided to start a crew to ... find a solution for problems like (lack of) space and equipment."Back in 2010, there must have been, like, six people who were skating in India, according to our (Abhishek and his fellow skaters) research. We found maybe only two other people who were skating before us." 'I just wanted some girl power'Verghese turned out to be a quick learner. But still without her own board, she had to wait for other skaters at the park to take breaks, then ask to borrow theirs.Towards the end of 2013, Abhishek had a surplus of skateboards and was gifting them to those he thought had a serious interest in the sport -- Verghese was selected. Back then, the skatepark was a male-dominated realm, but Verghese says no one has ever asked her why she was there. It was perhaps obvious that she was in her element. Two other girls came along "for a short time" before dropping out, she says. Not content with just skateboarding for fun, Verghese started working with HolyStoked, organizing skateboarding classes for youngsters in Bangalore. But she wanted to put together events in other regions to get more people into the sport. In 2014, Lisa Jacob, a Paris-based skateboarder, traveled to India and was advised by friends in the skateboarding world to get in touch with Verghese. At the time, Verghese was in Kovalam, Kerala, building a skate park with Sebastian Indian Social Projects (SISP), a local NGO that uses skateboarding and surfing as incentives to get disadvantaged children who have dropped out of school back into the classroom. Jacob, along with Netherlands-based skateboarder Louisa Menke, joined Verghese on the project. "Lisa's been in the skateboard scene for about 20 years now, so she knows a lot of people," explains Verghese. "We were talking about what we could do to kick off the scene a little bit (in India)."In 2015, Girl Skate India -- an international collective of female skaters who engage with underprivileged youngsters through skating -- was born.In December that year, the group put on the first ever tour of female skaters across India, featuring 12 women from nine countries.Skaters on the tour included Chloé Bernard of Marseilles, France; Monica Shaw of Melbourne, Australia; Berlin-based Linda Ritterhof of Germany; and Roxana Cernicky of Liege, Belgium.The project was entirely self-funded. "Everyone took care of themselves," Verghese says.The group traveled to Kovalam, Bangalore, Goa and Hampi, where they put on skate workshops and skate yoga lessons, as well as built ramps.Verghese works with various charities, including SISP, which uses activities like skateboarding to incentivize kids to study."I learned how to use the tools and how long to wait for the concrete and the different steps that go into actually building a concrete skate park," she explains. "After that there was a whole fire spreading across the country because people just wanted to build more and more."For Verghese, forming the collective came from a desire to motivate women to pick up skateboarding -- but that was not all. "I wanted to skate with girls, honestly. It was selfish," she admits."I just needed some girl power in this part of the world, where there's hardly any of that. I wanted more girls to come skate, and spread the word so that hopefully it would get other girls interested."The beginning of a movementAfter the tour wrapped up in January 2016, Verghese, then 22 years old, had become a well-known face on the international skateboarding circuit. But it wasn't because she was taking part in competitions, of which there are "hardly any" in India, she says.I didn't know how big it was going to end up being.Atita Verghese"I guess the skate world is really small ... so if you do something that stands out, you get noticed," she says. "For me, I think this tour kicked things off faster and (gave me) a wider reach, as there were people from nine different countries on it."(People) absolutely loved what I did. I was shocked ... I didn't know how big it was going to end up being."Girl Skate India put out a short film about their work, which ended up being shown in 20 locations worldwide. "Something special was happening," she says. "I think it was important to show the rest of the community what we were doing, because otherwise they wouldn't know."Today, Verghese works with various organizations all over the world as a volunteer, including international non-profit Make Life Skate Life, which has built free skate parks in Bolivia, Jordan, Ethiopia, and Myanmar, as well as India, and Janwaar Castle, which aims to unite children and break the caste system in India through skateboarding. Verghese works on building a ramp inside a skate park.To date, she has helped build four skate parks in India, as well as one in Belgium. HolyStoked as a collective has built around 10.As her reputation has grown, she has worked as a skate stunt double in commercials and appeared in UK rock band Wild Beasts' "Alpha Female" music video. In 2016 Vans India became her sponsor; others include UK-based sports company Extreme, and US brand Stanley Tools.Although she's often referred to as India's first female professional skater, Verghese says that she's not quite on pro level outside of the country. "It's quite different when it comes to India and the rest of the world. I don't know if I would say that on an international level I'm a pro-skater, because that would mean you either get your own deck model, or your own shoe model." A growing sceneWhether she's an international pro-skater or not, the difference Verghese has made to the skateboarding scene in India is undeniable."It's great Atita is doing this, not just skating for herself, but taking it forward, trying to put it out there," Abhishek says."So many girls have been getting into skateboarding during the past couple of years. I would say a lot of them might have been inspired by seeing her, the work she's done.""In India, they need that. They need to see other girls succeed."Abhishek acknowledges that India can still be a frustrating place for women. Skateboarding, he says, can be a way "to channel this angst that you have in a positive way." "(Women in India) just need to push the boundaries and go a bit further than what is expected of them," Verghese says.Because skateboarding is such a new sport, he also feels it has given Verghese, and other women, a chance to make it their own, before society creates gender-based stereotypes around it. In India ... They need to see other girls succeed.Abhishek, founder, HolyStoked"In India, if a girl goes ahead and does something which she's not supposed to -- in terms of what social norms dictate -- automatically there's a bunch of people who get offended and (say) 'This is not our culture,'" Abhishek says."But with skateboarding, it's something new. Either way, it's not our culture," he adds. Verghese agrees it's a blank canvas. "In the US, for example, people think skateboarders are rebels. If they're in the skate park they're up to no good," she says. "These things (stereotypes), they don't really exist (in India), because the scene is really new."For her part, Verghese has used skateboarding as a chance to embrace a different female identity -- one that has allowed her to cut her hair short, have facial piercings and wear clothes that are not typically feminine.Like her mother, she is challenging female stereotypes."Yes, it strays from the typical ideal of femininity," she says of her look. "Many people were confused looking at me when I had shorter hair, (and were) unsure of my gender when they'd see me skate."

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2017-08-31 16:58:07

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/31/entertainment/chloe-bennet-hollywood-racist/index.html

Chloe Bennet on name change: 'Hollywood is racist' - CNN

Chloe Bennet knows how hard it can be as an Asian-American actor in Hollywood.

entertainment, Chloe Bennet on name change: 'Hollywood is racist' - CNN

Chloe Bennet on name change: 'Hollywood is racist'

(CNN)Chloe Bennet knows how hard it can be as an Asian-American actor in Hollywood.The "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." star clapped back on social media this week when she was questioned about changing her last name."Changing my last name doesn't change the fact that my BLOOD is half Chinese, that I lived in China, speak Mandarin or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese," she wrote. "It means I had to pay my rent, and Hollywood is racist and wouldn't cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable." Related: Beyond 'nerds' and 'ninjas,' slow progress for Asian actors in HollywoodThe comment came after Bennet, who started out in the business as "Chloe Wang," posted a statement from actor Ed Skrein in which he announced he stepped down from a role in the upcoming "Hellboy" because he felt he would be "whitewashing" a character of Asian descent.Read MoreRelated: Ed Skrein exits 'Hellboy' reboot after learning character was whitewashedBennet thanked Skrein in her caption."There is no way this decision came lightly on your part, so thank you for your bravery and genuinely impactful step forward." she wrote. "I hope this inspires other actors/film makers to do the same." DAMN, that's a man. Thank you @edskrein for standing up against hollywoods continuous insensitivity and flippant behavior towards the Asian American community. There is no way this decision came lightly on your part, so thank you for your bravery and genuinely impactful step forward. I hope this inspires other actors/film makers to do the same.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼--Also, dayum cute af AND a pioneer for social injustice?! Fellas, take note. That's how it's done. A post shared by Chloe Bennet (@chloebennet) on Aug 28, 2017 at 11:57pm PDT This is not the first time the actress has spoken out about changing her name."Oh, the first audition I went on after I changed my name, I got booked," Bennet told The Daily Beast last year. "So that's a pretty clear little snippet of how Hollywood works."

Sarah Moon and Amir Vera, CNN

2020-06-23 05:11:49

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/us/california-college-professor-anglicize-name-trnd/index.html

California college professor on leave after asking student to 'Anglicize' name - CNN

Laney College mathematics professor Matthew Hubbard asked Phuc Bui Diem Nguyen to "Anglicize" her name.

us, California college professor on leave after asking student to 'Anglicize' name - CNN

California college professor on leave after asking student to 'Anglicize' name

(CNN)A professor from Laney College in Oakland has been placed on administrative leave after asking a student to "Anglicize" her name.On the second day of class, Laney College mathematics professor Matthew Hubbard asked Phuc Bui Diem Nguyen to "Anglicize" her name because "Phuc Bui sounds like an insult in English," Hubbard told Nguyen in an email obtained by CNN. Nguyen told CNN she was shocked and felt disrespected upon receiving the email.Nguyen said the professor had never seen her before or asked her how to pronounce her name. 'Am I racist?' You may not like the answerNguyen replied back to Hubbard's email and told him his request feels "discriminatory" and warned him she would file a Title IX complaint if he did not refer to her by her birth name. He responded by saying her name in English sounds like "F*** Boy."Read MoreHubbard added, "If I lived in Vietnam and my name in your language sounded like Eat a D***, I would change it to avoid embarrassment." He also repeated his request in the reply.Laney College President Tammeil Gilkerson said in a statement on Thursday that the college was aware of the incident."We are aware of the allegations of racist and xenophobic messages from a faculty member at our college with a student about the pronunciation of their name," Laney College said. "We take these allegations seriously and immediately placed the faculty member on administrative leave pending an investigation." Hubbard declined CNN's request to offer any additional comments on the incident other than what he told The New York Times."The first email was a mistake, and I made it thinking about another student willing to Anglicize," Hubbard told The Times. "But it's a big difference with someone doing it voluntarily and asking someone to do it. The second email is very offensive, and if I had waited eight hours, I would've written something very different."Nguyen, who is a freshman at the community college, said she felt empowered not to change her name at his insistence.University provost says this professor's views are 'racist, sexist and homophobic' -- but says he won't be fired"I decided to fully embrace it and let everyone know that they should be proud of their name," Nguyen said.Through this incident, Nguyen said she was able to raise awareness of what's happening and has helped others be prouder of their culture and identity.Nguyen said she is still waiting for a sincere and professional apology from Hubbard.Nguyen's sister, Quynh, said Hubbard gave her a two-sentence apology that she felt was not professional or sincere."He wasn't being accountable for his actions," said Quynh Nguyen, who explained that her whole family is affected by it. "I was so shocked and I was so disappointed at his ignorance and at the school."

Tierney Sneed and Ariane de Vogue, CNN

2022-03-21 10:00:28

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/21/politics/what-to-expect-ketanji-brown-jackson-confirmation-hearings/index.html

Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court confirmation hearings: What to expect - CNNPolitics

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has already appeared before the Senate three times in confirmation proceedings for prior roles. But several days of hearings for her Supreme Court nomination this week will be the highest-profile -- and likely most contentious -- grilling that Jackson has faced from lawmakers.

politics, Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court confirmation hearings: What to expect - CNNPolitics

What Ketanji Brown Jackson might be grilled about in her Supreme Court confirmation hearings

(CNN)Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has already appeared before the Senate three times in confirmation proceedings for prior roles. But several days of hearings for her Supreme Court nomination this week will be the highest-profile -- and likely most contentious -- grilling that Jackson has faced from lawmakers.Democrats have signaled they will highlight the historic nature of her nomination -- if confirmed, she'll be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court -- and her qualifications, which lawmakers of both parties have described as impressive. "It's going to be an historic moment on Monday, as Judge Jackson appears before the committee," Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin said on the Senate floor last week. "Her qualifications are exceptional. In every role she's held, she has earned a reputation for thoughtfulness, evenhandedness, and collegiality."But Senate Republicans say they still have questions about Jackson's record, even as they've said they'll keep proceedings substantive and dignified.How Ketanji Brown Jackson is preparing for questions about her record on crimeJackson, a Harvard Law graduate who grew up in Miami, has served less than a year in her current role on the DC US Circuit Court of Appeals. Before that, she was a judge on DC's federal trial court for eight years. She also vice-chaired the US Sentencing Commission between 2010 and 2014. All three roles required her to sit for Senate confirmation testimony -- in hearings that featured a more low-key tone than what is expected this week. Read MoreThe two days of Jackson questioning will begin Tuesday, after a round of proceedings Monday featuring opening statements and her introduction. Here is what might come up at her hearing.'Soft on crime' framing Senate Judiciary Republicans have grilled lower court nominees on criminal justice policies that they describe as soft on crime. And in floor remarks on Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell previewed that focus on Jackson. His speech critiqued the praise she has received from supporters for how her experience as a public defender gives her "empathy" as a judge."Even amidst the national crime wave, a disproportionate share of the new judges President (Joe) Biden has nominated share this professional background that liberals say gives special empathy for criminal defendants," the Kentucky Republican said. He added that Biden "is deliberately working to make the whole federal judiciary soft on crime." Jackson may point to her personal background to counter this attack, as she has done before. With an uncle who was prosecuted for a drug offense, and several members of her family -- including her brother -- who served in law enforcement, Jackson has relationships that she says have helped her see both sides of the issue. Scrutiny of her approach to child porn offenses An extension of the "soft on crime" attack is the claim, somewhat misleadingly made by GOP Sen. Josh Hawley last week, that Jackson is soft on child pornography crimes. His claims rely on two factors: First is her sentencing record in some cases, which is within the mainstream of how many other judges approach the offenses in question; second are statements she's made about the legal issues around sex crimes, including in a 1996 law review article and in her role on the sentencing commission.Some of the sentencing commission comments Hawley highlighted were in response to the testimony of witnesses at commission hearings. A review of the hearing transcript and interviews with two experts who testified belie the claim that Jackson showed leniency toward child pornography during a daylong session that Hawley quoted from in questioning her record. Still, the Missouri Republican has stood by his criticism.Work on the US Sentencing Commission In addition to the commission work on child sex crimes, other aspects of Jackson's tenure there could come up. Before serving as vice chair, she served a two-year stint as an assistant special counsel for the commission in the mid-2000s. Republicans are poring over thousands of documents for more information on the stances she took while working for the commission. Support from groups that push Supreme Court expansion At her 2021 hearing, several Republicans asked her about the support her nomination had received from the left-wing group Demand Justice and other progressive organizations that have advocated for expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court. Jackson declined to weigh in on the idea. Her refusal to answer the question in her recent meeting with McConnell, according to his account of their discussion, has prompted criticism from the Kentucky Republican. Expect Democrats to note that Trump nominee and now Justice Amy Coney Barrett also dodged the court expansion question when she was testifying in her Supreme Court confirmation hearing. Does she have a judicial philosophy? Republicans say they weren't satisfied that Jackson did not elaborate on a specific judicial philosophy -- such as originalism or the "living Constitution" approach -- during her DC Circuit nomination hearing. They're likely to ask questions that try to suss out more about how she approaches the law.Advocacy for Guantanamo Bay prisoners As a public defender, Jackson represented a Guantanamo Bay detainee, but it's her advocacy for detainees while she worked at a private firm that Republicans are particularly skeptical of. "Most of the time you have a choice of who your clients are. And sometimes you ought to just say, just say no," Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican who sits on the Judiciary Committee, told CNN earlier this month. The advocacy came in the form of amici briefs, penned while an attorney at the firm Morrison & Foerster, supporting detainees in cases before the Supreme Court. A 5-4 ruling, with then-Justice Anthony Kennedy joining the four justices in the liberal wing at the time, in a case called Boumediene v. Bush established that Guantanamo prisoners had habeas corpus rights. Decisions in politically charged cases Jackson has twice ruled against former President Donald Trump or his administration in cases concerning the disclosure of information from his White House. The first was the 2019 opinion she penned as a district court judge in which she wrote that "Presidents are not Kings" while rejecting the Trump administration's argument that White House counsel Don McGahn was absolutely immune from a congressional subpoena. (After several twists at the DC Circuit level, the case was ultimately settled by the Biden administration). Late last year, Jackson was on the DC Circuit panel that unanimously rejected Trump's attempts to prevent the release of his White House records to the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection -- a decision the Supreme Court refused to overturn. Republicans may seek to contrast those rulings favoring disclosure with a 2015 Freedom of Information Act decision she issued shielding the emails of an aide to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Ruling against Trump administration immigration initiatives In 2019, Jackson halted a Trump administration move to expand the categories of noncitizens that may be subjected to expedited deportation procedures in a ruling that ultimately was reversed on appeal. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, brought up the case during Jackson's 2021 circuit court nomination hearing. "I have a number of immigration cases and in those cases -- like the one you mentioned -- what I am doing is, I am evaluating the ... immigration laws' very complex scheme, the facts in the particular case and the claims that are being made, the arguments of the parties," Jackson said at the time. "I am not assessing the policy." Jackson also notably dismissed Trump-era lawsuits seeking to challenge the building of a wall along the US Southern border. Pro-labor rulings against Trump-era public union policies In two separate cases -- a 2022 DC Circuit case and a 2018 district court opinion -- Jackson issued rulings mostly favorable to labor that challenged Trump-era policies targeting public unions. Service on Montrose Christian School boardThe time Jackson spent on the board of Montrose Christian School, a private Christian school in Maryland, between 2010 and 2011 was a topic of Republican questioning in her appellate confirmation hearing, where she distanced herself from the stances the school took against same-sex marriage and abortion. While asserting her commitment to the principles of religious liberty, she said at the 2021 confirmation hearing, "I have served on many boards and I don't necessarily agree with all of the statements of all the things that those boards might have in their materials."Abortion rights-related advocacy Jackson has not issued any substantive opinions on abortion rights. But as a district court judge, she halted the Trump administration's attempts to block federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Her work as a private attorney, on an amicus brief supporting a Massachusetts clinic's buffer zone law, has also attracted the ire of anti-abortion rights groups. The Supreme Court ultimately struck down the law. CNN's Alex Rogers contributed to this story.

Alex Rogers, CNN

2022-03-21 10:00:15

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politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/21/politics/ketanji-brown-jackson-confirmation-hearing-day-1/index.html

Confirmation hearings begin for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson - CNNPolitics

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, as Democrats aim to confirm the first Black woman justice and many Republicans search for a unified message to oppose her.

politics, Confirmation hearings begin for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson - CNNPolitics

Confirmation hearings begin for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson

(CNN)Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, as Democrats aim to confirm the first Black woman justice and many Republicans search for a unified message to oppose her.Democrats have touted President Joe Biden's pick as a qualified, "historic" nominee, while Republicans have criticized her record on crime and the support she holds from left-wing groups."It's going to be an historic moment on Monday, as Judge Jackson appears before the committee," Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said on the Senate floor last week. "Her qualifications are exceptional. In every role she's held, she has earned a reputation for thoughtfulness, evenhandedness and collegiality."Jackson, 51, sits on DC's federal appellate court and had been considered the front-runner for the vacancy since Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement. Jackson worked as a clerk for Breyer, a federal public defender, an attorney in private practice, a federal district court judge and a member of the US Sentencing Commission.At the hearing Monday, Jackson and the senators will make their opening statements establishing the arguments for and against her confirmation. Jackson will be introduced by Judge Thomas Griffith, formerly of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and Lisa Fairfax, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Jackson will answer questions from the members on Tuesday and Wednesday, and witnesses will testify on Thursday. Democrats hope to confirm Jackson by early April. Read MoreNo Democratic senators have signaled they will oppose Jackson, and some Republicans have expressed openness to supporting her. In the 50-50 Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris could break a tied vote and confirm Jackson to the Supreme Court.GOP senators push misleading portrayal of Ketanji Brown Jackson's record on child porn casesMany Republican senators are expected to oppose the nomination and have tried to portray Jackson as weak on crime, which Democrats have refuted since her nomination. When Biden gave a speech announcing his pick in February, he made sure to note that Jackson came from "a family of law enforcement, with her brother and uncles having served as police officers."Some Republican senators have indicated that they will press Jackson for representing detainees at Guantánamo Bay."If somebody is assigned a job to do as a young lawyer, you don't get to pick and choose your clients," Texas Sen. John Cornyn told CNN. "But if you're volunteering for it, because you're a true believer, that's a little different."Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has raised concerns about Jackson's record on sentencing in child pornography cases. Hawley said on Twitter last week that there is "an alarming pattern when it comes to Judge Jackson's treatment of sex offenders, especially those preying on children." The White House and Senate Democrats have pushed back on Hawley's attack, noting that Jackson has the support of law enforcement groups, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police, and dozens of former state attorneys general. They noted she has already been confirmed by the Senate three times.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that Jackson imposed sentences "consistent with or above" what was recommended in the "vast majority of cases involving sex crimes.""In the vast majority of cases involving child sex crimes, the sentences Judge Jackson imposed were consistent with or above what the government or US probation recommended," Psaki said last week.A CNN review of the material in question shows that Jackson has mostly followed the common judicial sentencing practices in these kinds of cases and that Hawley took some of her comments out of context by suggesting they were opinions, rather than follow-up questions to subject-matter experts.Confirmation hearings to spotlight rightward trajectory of America's highest courtThere are other matters Republicans may probe. During Jackson's confirmation hearings last year, some Senate Republicans focused on a 2019 case she heard between the House Judiciary Committee, which was looking into President Donald Trump's possible obstruction of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, and former White House counsel Don McGahn. Ongoing cases involving Trump and the powers of government could land before her on the Supreme Court, including disputes over whether Congress can access Trump's financial records and whether Trump could be held accountable by private litigants for the January 6, 2021, insurrection.Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, challenged Jackson's declaration that "presidents are not kings" and suggested she was engaged in a kind of hyperbole. And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has pushed for Jackson to publicly oppose efforts to expand the court, which activists on the left have called for since McConnell and Senate Republicans blocked President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland in 2016 and then expanded, under Trump, the high court's conservative majority from 5-4 to 6-3. Jackson's nomination to replace another liberal will not change the ideological balance of the court."This is about the institution of the Supreme Court," McConnell told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt. "But she won't respond. ... The liberal groups that are so excited about her nomination are the very ones that have been calling for packing the court or term limits on the court."Still, even those who may oppose Jackson expect the hearings this week to be less contentious than those in the Trump era, which altered the balance of the court and, in the case of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, centered on allegations of sexual assault."I expect we will see a thorough examination of her record, of her jurisprudence," Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told CNN. "What we will not see is the kind of political circus that we saw from Democrats, particularly with Justice Kavanaugh, where they engaged in personal smears. They went into the gutter.""I'm confident Republicans are not going to respond in kind," he added.Jackson may receive some votes from Republicans. Last year, she received three -- from Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska -- confirming her to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.Graham had preferred for Biden to choose Judge J. Michelle Childs from his home state and later criticized the President for picking another Ivy League-educated nominee, even though Graham himself has supported conservative judges for the Supreme Court from those elite institutions. Jackson went to a public high school in Miami before earning both her undergraduate degree and law degree at Harvard University.Murkowski has said that her previous support of Jackson to be a judge does not signal how she would vote for Jackson to be a justice. But Collins has praised Jackson's credentials and experience as "impressive." The Maine Republican said she would not make her decision until after her hearings before the Judiciary Committee.CNN's Joan Biskupic and Tierney Sneed contributed to this report.

Ariane de Vogue, CNN Supreme Court Reporter

2022-02-02 10:01:12

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politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/02/politics/ketanji-brown-jackson-profile/index.html

Ketanji Brown Jackson: The personal and legal record of the front-runner for the SCOTUS job - CNNPolitics

Editor's note: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be President Joe Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court. Click here for updates.

politics, Ketanji Brown Jackson: The personal and legal record of the front-runner for the SCOTUS job - CNNPolitics

Ketanji Brown Jackson: The personal and legal record of the Supreme Court nominee

(CNN)Editor's note: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be President Joe Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court. Click here for updates.Six days after President Joe Biden's inauguration, White House counsel Dana Remus put in a call to Ketanji Brown Jackson to see if the judge might be interested in a new job: replacing Merrick Garland on a powerful federal appeals court. The new administration was poised to prioritize judicial vacancies and planned to push through slates of nominees that would send a message about how the President viewed the courts. Stellar credentials were essential, but Biden also wanted candidates who would bring a fresh professional and demographic diversity to benches across the country dominated by White males. He sought nominees who had worked as public defenders and civil rights attorneys, for instance. Potential Biden Supreme Court pick is one of the finest judges I've seen in action Jackson -- then serving on a federal trial court in Washington, DC -- fit the bill perfectly. She had a glittering resume that included Harvard degrees and federal clerkships, but her lived experience was rooted in public service. Read MoreLooming in the future was the possibility that Justice Stephen Breyer would retire from the Supreme Court, and the federal appeals court in Washington has been a stepping stone for high court nominees. RELATED: Breyer's role on the Supreme Court and the hole he's leavingBiden had pledged to make history by naming a Black woman to the Supreme Court. Such an historic move would highlight a group of female potential nominees who have breached barriers to reach the top of the legal profession. Jackson, who is African American and a former Breyer clerk, would likely be a top contender for that seat. An appeals court post would serve to further season her and boost her profile. Asked about race during her confirmation hearing last year, Jackson responded carefully. She said that she didn't think race played a role in the kind of judge that she had been or would be, but she thought her professional background, especially as a trial court judge, would bring value. "I've experienced life in perhaps a different way than some of my colleagues because of who I am, and that might be valuable," she said. "I hope it would be valuable if I was confirmed to the circuit court." Last June, the Senate confirmed Jackson by a 53-44 vote. Now, Jackson, 51, is believed to be at the top of Biden's list of potential candidates to replace Breyer, who intends to retire at the end of the current Supreme Court term. "The bench of Black women attorneys with stellar credentials is extremely deep," said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center. But, she noted, Jackson brings more than just a distinguished judicial record. She has "an understanding of how the law affects people based on both her professional and lived experiences, and a powerful commitment to equal justice," Wydra said. Jackson has served as an assistant federal public defender, a commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, a lawyer in private practice and on two prestigious federal courts. If elevated to the high court, she would follow in the footsteps of the likes of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who took the seats of the justices they had worked for. Jackson clerked for Breyer during the 1999 term after serving as a clerk in 1997-1998 to Judge Bruce M. Selya, a federal judge in Massachusetts. RELATED: The 3 Supreme Court justices to watch after Breyer retiresAt an event in 2017 sponsored by the liberal American Constitution Society, she called working for Breyer an opportunity of a lifetime "to bear witness to the workings of his brilliant legal mind." She also joked about how the justice often biked to work and would show up in his majestic chamber wearing "full bicycle regalia." Jackson often speaks about areas of her expertise in the law, when she addresses audiences, but she also talks about diversity and work-life balance. Biden said he will put a Black woman on the Supreme Court. Here's who he may pick to replace BreyerIn a 2017 speech at the University of Georgia School of Law, she reflected on her journey as a mother and a judge, emphasizing how hard it is for mothers to serve in big law firms -- something she said she had done at times to help support her family. She noted that the hours are long and there is little control over the schedule, which is "constantly in conflict with the needs of your children and your family." She also highlighted the traps of launching a career in the law and pointed to recent studies that show that lawyers of color -- both male and female -- constitute only 8% of law firm equity partners nationwide. RELATED: Former Alabama Sen. Doug Jones to guide Biden's Supreme Court pick through nomination processGlittering resumeJackson left law firm life behind in 2010 to become a commissioner on the US Sentencing Commission, an independent agency that establishes sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts. She has said she learned to knit during her Senate confirmation process to channel her nervous energy. Rachel Barkow, now a professor of law at New York University, served with Jackson on the bipartisan commission and noted pointedly how well the members worked together despite ideological differences. Another commissioner at the time was William H. Pryor Jr., a conservative judge who sits on the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Barkow said Jackson was an "upbeat presence" who always does "what she is supposed to do, when she says she is going to do it."At the time, federal prisons were over capacity, and there was widespread bipartisan acknowledgement that federal drug sentences were too long. The seven-member body unanimously decided to lower federal drug sentences. They made the reductions retroactive, Barkow said, which meant more than 30,000 federal prisoners got lower sentences. President Barack Obama would go on to nominate Jackson to the US District Court for the District of Columbia, which she joined in 2013. For that confirmation hearing, she was introduced by a well-known Republican, Wisconsin's Paul Ryan, who would go on to become speaker of the House and who happened to be related to her by marriage. (Jackson's husband's twin brother is married to the sister of Ryan's wife.)"I know she is clearly qualified," Ryan said. "But it bears repeating just how qualified she is." "Our politics may differ, but my praise for Ketanji's intellect, for her character, for her integrity, is unequivocal," he added. At each of her judicial confirmation hearings, her husband, Patrick Jackson, a DC-based surgeon, has been pictured sitting behind her. The couple share two daughters, Talia and Leila. Her mother, a former public school science teacher and principal of a public magnet school in South Florida, and her father, a public high school teacher who was later chief counsel to the Miami-Dade County school board, also have been in attendance. One thing she did not discuss was the life sentence her uncle, Thomas Brown, Jr., received after a drug offense. In 2008, when she was in private practice and well before she became a judge, Jackson referred her uncle's file to WilmerHale, a law firm that handles numerous clemency petitions, according to a spokesperson for the firm. The firm submitted the petition on Brown's behalf on October 7, 2014, and Obama commuted his sentence on November 22, 2016. According to the firm, Jackson had "no further involvement in the matter" after making the referral. Jackson's chambers said she would decline comment on the issue. Public serviceAt her 2021 confirmation hearing for the seat on the federal appeals court, Jackson talked about her professional trajectory, peppered with stints in public service. Asked why she had chosen to go into public service earlier in her career, she said, "I remember thinking very clearly that I felt like I didn't have enough of an idea of what really happened in criminal cases, I wanted to understand the system." "I thought it would be an opportunity to help people as well, I come from a background of public service. My parents were in public service my brother was a police officer and in the military and being in the public defenders office felt very much like the opportunity to help with my skills and talents," Jackson added. She said the experience had made her a better judge because she remembered that many of her clients hadn't really understood what had happened to them in the system. As a trial judge, Jackson said, she took extra care to communicate with the defendants who came before her. "I speak to them directly," she said, because "I want them to know what is going on." A.J. Kramer worked with Jackson at the Federal Public Defender's office in DC and still keeps in touch with her. He said no current member of the Supreme Court has worked as a public defender and "seen the system from that side of the aisle". "It's not that you have more or less sympathy," Kramer said in an interview, "but that you have an idea how the system actually works." Confirmation hearing and discussion of race and being a judgeAt her most recent Senate hearing, there were no real fireworks, but instead, an air of the inevitability of her confirmation. Republicans spent more time attacking the Biden administration or Democrats in general than targeting Jackson. Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn did ask Jackson about professional diversity and race. Biden's SCOTUS front-runnersKetanji Brown Jackson: The personal and legal record of the front-runner for the SCOTUS post Michelle Childs: South Carolina judge touted for the educational diversity she'd bring to the Supreme CourtLeondra Kruger: California Supreme Court judge breaking barriers in the Golden StateHe said her experience as a trial judge would be a "very important qualification" and praised her "impressive" background. Cornyn added that it was important for the public to have confidence in the judiciary "and I think part of that confidence is knowing that people like them can serve on the bench and that we applaud that diversity." But Cornyn later said that "since our Democratic colleagues seem to be placing so much emphasis on race," he wanted to know something else. "What role does race play, Judge Jackson, in the kind of judge you have been and the kind of judge you will be?"Without skipping a beat, Jackson said, "I don't think that race plays a role in the kind of judge that I have been and that I would be in the way you asked that question." "I'm looking at the arguments, the facts and the law, I'm methodically and intentionally setting aside personal views, any other inappropriate considerations and I would think that race would be the kind of thing that would be inappropriate to inject in my evaluation of a case," she continued. "I would say that my different professional background than many of the court of appeals judges, including my district court background," she said, "would bring value." "I've experienced life in perhaps a different way than some of my colleagues because of who I am and that might be valuable -- I hope it would be valuable if I was confirmed to the circuit court, " she added. Tennessee GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn brought up early rumors about the Supreme Court. "I know you are fully aware that you are discussed regularly as a Supreme Court nominee", Blackburn said before asking what the judge thought about recent proposals -- driven by Democrats to try to dilute the conservative majority on the high court -- to add more justices to the bench. Jackson declined to comment. In follow-up written questions, she was asked whether a number of Supreme Court cases, including those that concern abortion, religious liberty and the Second Amendment, were correctly decided. She said that as a federal judge all of the Supreme Court's pronouncements would be binding and that it would be inappropriate to comment on the "merits or demerits" of particular cases. But she made exceptions, including for Brown v. Board of Education -- the landmark 1954 opinion that struck down school segregation and the "separate but equal" doctrine. She said the ruling overturned the "manifest injustice" of Plessy v. Ferguson. "The underlying premise of the Brown decision -- i.e. that 'separate but equal is inherently unequal' -- is beyond dispute and judges can express their agreement with that principle without calling into question their ability to apply the law faithfully to cases raising similar issues," Jackson said. She was also pressed on the fact that as an assistant federal public defender she represented a detainee held at Guantanamo Bay, Khi Ali Gul. She said that as an attorney she had a duty to represent her clients zealously but also was mindful of the "tragic and deplorable circumstances" that gave rise to the U.S. government's apprehension of persons secured at Gitmo. She noted that she was "keenly aware" of the threat the September 11, 2001, attacks posed on "foundational constitutional principles "and that her own brother at the time was enlisted as a U.S. Army infantryman deployed in Iraq. She also provided senators a citation for an interview she gave in 2007 to The Washington Post for a story about Justice Clarence Thomas -- the only African American currently on the high court. According to the article, she recalled sitting across from Thomas at lunch once -- the date of the encounter was not revealed -- with a quizzical expression on her face. "Jackson, who is black, said Thomas 'spoke the language,' meaning he reminded her of the black men she knew. 'But I just sat there the whole time thinking: 'I don't understand you. You sound like my parents. You sound like the people I grew up with.' But the lessons he tended to draw from the experiences of the segregated South seemed to be different than those of everybody I know,'" the article read. Republicans who ended up voting to confirm her to the DC Circuit were Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. OpinionsThrough her service on the DC district and appeals courts, Jackson has been involved in recent litigation involving former President Donald Trump and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. On the appeals court, she voted against Trump when his lawyers sought to block records related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot from going to the House select committee investigating the attack. The Supreme Court later cleared the way for the records to be released. In August, she voted to allow Biden's eviction moratorium -- put in place during the pandemic -- to remain in place. The Supreme Court later blocked it over the dissent of the court's three liberals. While on the district court, Jackson penned more than 500 opinions.In one notable case, she ruled against the Trump administration's efforts to block then-White House counsel Don McGahn from testifying as part of Congress' impeachment probe. Judge tells Trump he's not a king -- the President is not so sure"Presidents are not kings," she said in the 2019 opinion, adding that the Trump administration's assertion that it had "absolute testimonial immunity" protecting its senior level aides "is a proposition that cannot be squared with core constitutional values" and "cannot be sustained." She concluded that the "United States of America has a government of laws, not of men."In a separate case from 2018 brought by federal employee unions challenging executive orders issued by Trump, Jackson held that most but not all of the provisions in the orders conflicted with the collective bargaining rights of federal workers under federal law. Her judgment was vacated by the appeals court. In Make the Road New York v. McAleenan, Jackson ruled against the Trump administration in a case brought by the ACLU and other immigrant rights groups that were challenging the Department of Homeland Security's decision to expand the categories of non-citizens who could be subject to expedited removal procedures without being able to appear before a judge. The groups said the orders had sparked fear in immigrant communities around the county. The federal appeals court agreed that Jackson's court had the power to rule over the case, but reversed her decision, holding that DHS had the discretion to act. She also sentenced Edgar Maddison Welch to 48 months in prison in 2017 after he fired an assault rifle inside a Washington, DC, pizzeria. He claimed he was attempting to find and rescue child sex slaves that he believed were being held at the restaurant. "The extent of recklessness in this case is breathtaking. It is sheer luck that no one, including (Welch), was killed," Jackson said, adding, "I've never seen anything like the conduct we see here today." CNN's Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.

Ariane de Vogue, CNN Supreme Court Reporter

2022-03-19 13:09:34

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politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/19/politics/ketanji-brown-jackson-criticism-soft-on-crime/index.html

Ketanji Brown Jackson is ready for crime line of questioning - CNNPolitics

Like most every other nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been participating behind closed doors in so-called "moot court" sessions to prepare for her upcoming hearings, according to a source familiar.

politics, Ketanji Brown Jackson is ready for crime line of questioning - CNNPolitics

How Ketanji Brown Jackson is preparing for questions about her record on crime

(CNN)Like most every other nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been participating behind closed doors in so-called "moot court" sessions to prepare for her upcoming hearings, according to a source familiar. Under the system, allies play the role of hostile senators, launching questions or comments meant to rattle a nominee or throw her off course.At these sessions -- sometimes referred to as "murder boards" due to their intensity -- Jackson will likely be grilled on allegations Republicans have already floated: That she is soft on crime. Her supporters believe the Republican strategy during the hearings is two-fold: Raise questions about Jackson's experience as a judge, public defender, her time spent on a federal commission that ultimately slashed drug sentences, and briefs she crafted supporting detainees at Guantanamo Bay. After that, they could pivot to attack the policies of the Biden administration in general.But Jackson -- who saw a preview of some similar questions the last time she went before Congress less than a year ago -- will be prepared. Read MoreAlready, for example, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley launched a Twitter thread on Wednesday charging that Jackson's record reveals a "pattern" of letting child porn offenders off the hook for their appalling crimes, both as a judge and as a policymaker. "This goes beyond 'soft on crime,'" he charged.In its first flash of anger concerning her nomination, the White House blasted Hawley for the attacks. A White House spokesman called the tweets "toxic and weakly-presented misinformation that relies on taking cherry-picked elements of her record out of context -- and it buckles under the lightest scrutiny." Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin said Sunday that Hawley was "wrong" and "unfair in his analysis.""Judge Jackson has been scrutinized more than any person I can think of. This is her fourth time before the Senate Judiciary Committee. In three previous times, she came through with flying colors and bipartisan support, the last time as soon as just last year," the Illinois Democrat said on ABC's "This Week." A CNN review of the material in question shows that Jackson has mostly followed the common judicial sentencing practices in these kinds of cases, and that Hawley took some of her comments out of context by suggesting they were opinions, rather than follow-up questions to subject-matter experts.American Bar Association rates Biden nominee Jackson 'well qualified' to serve on Supreme CourtSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took a more constrained approach in a floor speech vowing that the hearing will be a "serious and dignified process." But the Kentucky Republican took aim at the fact that President Joe Biden has lauded Jackson for the professional diversity she brings as someone who once worked as an assistant public defender."Nobody is saying that public defenders ought to be disqualified from judicial service," McConnell allowed. But he condemned the Biden administration's "intentional quest to stuff the federal judiciary full" with nominees of this "one perspective.""Even amidst the national crime wave, a disproportionate share of the new judges President Biden has nominated share this professional background that liberals say gives special empathy for criminal defendants," he said and added that the President "is deliberately working to make the whole federal judiciary soft on crime."McConnell, who in June 2021 voted against Jackson's confirmation to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, said Sunday that he hadn't decided how was going to vote on her Supreme Court nomination. "I'm willing to listen to the testimony, that's why we have hearings," McConnell said on CBS' "Face the Nation" when asked if he was open to voting for the nominee.Jackson's supporters believe that such inquiries -- instead of derailing her confirmation -- could, instead, serve to highlight her expansive understanding of the intricacies of the criminal justice system while at the same time showcasing the fact that no other member of the current court has a similar expertise. In addition, any talk about the system could allow Jackson to explain her own family's experience straddling the system -- something that could resonate with the public.In the end, by attacking Jackson as soft on crime, Republicans could rally their base in the lead up to the midterms but do little to stop her confirmation.Personal storyAt the White House last month -- in her first public comments about the subject -- Jackson revealed that she had an uncle, Thomas Brown Jr., who got "caught up," she said, in the drug trade and received a life sentence. Brown, who has since died, was her father's brother and sources say she hardly knew him. But in 2005, when she was serving as an assistant public defender, he reached out to his niece to see if she could help him get out of prison. She concluded he had exhausted his legal appeals, but eventually forwarded his file to a friend who worked for a powerful law firm that handled clemency petitions. According to a source familiar as well as a spokesperson for the firm, Wilmer Hale, Jackson didn't have much more involvement in the case. But newly released documents portray how other members of the Brown family worked ferociously behind the scenes -- like many Americans in similar situations -- trying to get him released, arguing that he had been victim of too harsh a sentence for non-violent, low-level drug offenses. How Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson handled Trump and executive privilege cases "A life sentence would be understandable for criminals like Jack the Ripper or Charles Manson, as they were murderers," one family member wrote in a letter addressed to President Barack Obama and the Office of the Pardoning Attorney. "The most heartbreaking thing about Thomas's punishment is that anyone who knows him knows he does not deserve this," the person -- whose name was blacked out -- wrote. Carl Nichols, Brown's clemency lawyer, also argued in a letter to the Pardon Attorney in October 2014 that his client, a 75-year-old Vietnam vet in declining health, who had already served 25 years of a life sentence, should receive a commutation. Nichols noted that under Justice Department's current sentencing policy his client would have received a far shorter sentence. In a 13-page letter, Nichols said that Brown has long since paid his debt to society and should have his sentence commuted as a "fitting and humane exercise of the President's clemency power." Brown ultimately received clemency from Obama. Nichols -- no bleeding heart liberal -- who had clerked for a conservative appeals court Judge Laurence Silberman as well as the right leaning Justice Clarence Thomas, would go on to be nominated by President Donald Trump in 2018 for a seat on the US District Court for the District of Columbia. At the White House ceremony in February, Jackson -- perhaps knowing that she might be asked about her incarcerated uncle at her confirmation hearing -- clearly wanted to make an important point. She stressed that even though one family member had been sent to prison, there was another side to her family's history. "Law enforcement also runs in my family," she announced. "In addition to my brother, I had two uncles who served decades as police officers, one of whom became the police chief in my hometown of Miami, Florida," she noted. At her hearing, Democratic senators are likely at some point to refer to the fact that she has received an endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police. Assistant public defender As Democrats highlight Jackson's unique family history, Republicans may choose to shift attention to her time served as an assistant federal public defender in the District of Columbia. The issue came up less than a year ago during her confirmation hearing for a seat on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Out of the gate, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas asked her if she had "ever represented a terrorist at Guantanamo Bay."She said she had while serving as a public defender. But Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii asked questions that allowed Jackson to explain why she had chosen public service. "I remember thinking very clearly that I felt like I didn't have enough of an idea of what really happened in criminal cases, and I wanted to understand the system," Jackson said. It could be challenging for Republicans to make a dent in Jackson by portraying her as soft on crime, when she, like Nichols who had represented her uncle, was doing her job to vigorously defend her client. As she said in 2021, "as a lawyer I was focused on my client's interest, I was doing what advocates do."Record on child sex offenders She will likely also be asked about her time serving as a commissioner on the US Sentencing Commission, an independent agency that establishes sentencing policies. In his tweets Hawley seized on what he called Jackson's pattern as a commissioner and later as a federal judge suggesting she had let child porn offenders "off the hook." Hawley pointed in particular to a series of cases she handled on the bench where he said she deviated from federal sentencing guidelines when sentencing child porn offenders. A White House spokesman noted that in the overwhelming majority of her cases involving sex crimes, her sentences were "consistent or above what the government or U.S. Probation recommended." Hawley also quoted comments Jackson made as she served on the commission during a February 15, 2012, hearing on child pornography. The remarks represent a small portion of her questions and responded specifically to testimony offered by the many experts who testified. A review of the hearing transcript and interviews with two experts who testified belie the claim that Jackson showed leniency toward child pornography during the daylong session. Hawley, and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah signaled that they will demand answers during her hearing. "We need real answers," Lee tweeted. Drug sentencesRepublicans might point to the fact that a seven-member body of Sentencing Commission unanimously decided to lower federal drug sentences. But Democrats will be quick to point out that one of the commissioners was Judge William H. Pryor Jr., a conservative judge who sits on the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Another was Judge Dabney L. Friedrich whom Trump went on to nominate to United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Another was Judge Ricardo Hinojosa who, an appointee by Ronald Reagan to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Already, Republicans are going through thousands of documents from her time at the commission looking for evidence that she was soft on crime -- or that she didn't always agree with her conservative counterparts -- something that Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley alluded to during her 2021 hearings. At her 2021 hearing she emphasized that as a judge she has sentenced more than a hundred people. "When I have to sentence someone," she said, "I always explain to them 'This is why your behavior was so harmful to society that Congress thought it had to be made a crime,' and I say, 'This is why I, as the judge, believe that you have to serve these consequences for your decision to engage in criminal behavior.'" Jackson as a proxy for Biden In the end, some Republicans may choose not to attack Jackson directly, but instead use her as a proxy for Biden and build conservative momentum on issues that energize the GOP base in the run up to the midterm elections. Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee, for example, met to consider the nomination of Nina Morrison for a seat on the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Morrison has worked in the past at the Innocence Project, a group that seeks to exonerate wrongly convicted people through DNA.At times during the hearing , however, it seemed the Republicans were talking past the nominee, and instead focusing on crime in general under the Biden administration. Hawley, for example, spoke about crime rising in cities across the country. GOP Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, chose to grill Morrison about prosecutors. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas lamented "skyrocketing crime rates, skyrocketing burglary rates, and skyrocketing carjacking rates." That is a pattern that could play out in Jackson's hearings. This story has been updated with additional reaction Sunday. CNN's Chandelis Duster and Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.

Melissa Alonso, CNN

2022-03-20 16:43:55

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us

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/fayetteville-hotel-shooting-north-carolina/index.html

North Carolina: Three people were killed in a shooting at a hotel - CNN

Three people were killed and three others injured in a shooting at a Fayetteville, North Carolina, hotel Saturday.

us, North Carolina: Three people were killed in a shooting at a hotel - CNN

Three people were killed in a shooting at a North Carolina hotel

(CNN)Three people were killed and three others injured in a shooting at a Fayetteville, North Carolina, hotel Saturday.The incident took place at the Baymont Ramada, the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) said in a tweet. The hotel is located about 10 miles south of Fort Bragg.Investigators said Sunday three men were killed in the shooting and detectives determined the crime wasn't random. The FPD identified the victims as Keith Allan Dickey, 37; William Franklin Davis, 42; and Donald Dillenbeck, 49.Three "other gunshot victims are still being treated at area hospitals," FPD said Sunday. The agency initially said two people were injured in the shooting.Read MorePolice have not made any arrests yet in connection to the shooting. Officials are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact FPD or submit a tip online.

Michelle Watson, Keith Allen and Alaa Elassar, CNN

2022-03-20 16:00:06

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https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/dallas-shooting/index.html

Multiple people were wounded in an overnight shooting in Dallas - CNN

At least ten people were wounded in an overnight shooting in Dallas around midnight on Sunday, according to Dallas Police Department spokesperson Brian Martinez.

us, Multiple people were wounded in an overnight shooting in Dallas - CNN

Multiple people were wounded in an overnight shooting in Dallas

(CNN)At least ten people were wounded in an overnight shooting in Dallas early Sunday, according to Dallas Police Department spokesperson Brian Martinez.The Dallas Police Department initially said one person died in the shooting -- which occurred in the 5200 block of Botham Jean Boulevard -- but updated their statement to say that the individual survived the shooting."Preliminary information reported that one individual was taken to a local hospital where they died -- that individual is still in critical condition at this time," Martinez said in an email Sunday.An undetermined number of individuals were injured while trying to get away from the shooting scene, Martinez added.Police cautioned that information is limited and the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Raja Razek, Caroline Kucera and Andy Rose, CNN

2022-03-20 01:34:36

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us

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/19/us/arkansas-car-show-shooting/index.html

One person killed and 28 wounded in shooting at Arkansas car show - CNN

Police say they are hunting two suspects after gunfire broke out Saturday at a car show in Dumas, Arkansas, killing one person and injuring at least 28, including several children.

us, One person killed and 28 wounded in shooting at Arkansas car show - CNN

One person killed and 28 wounded -- including children -- in shooting at Arkansas car show

(CNN)Police say they are hunting two suspects after gunfire broke out Saturday at a car show in Dumas, Arkansas, killing one person and injuring at least 28, including several children.At a news conference Sunday afternoon, police identified the person killed as 23-year-old Cameron Shaffer of Jacksonville, Arkansas. There was no indication Schaffer was involved in act of shooting itself, they said."Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and also with all the families and our shooting victims as a result of this incident," Col. Bill Bryant of the Arkansas State Police told reporters.Police believe there was "no mass shooting intended," with the incident triggered by two individuals who exchanged fire around 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) Saturday at the community car show. The Dumas Police Department had one person in custody on unrelated charges, and police are searching for two additional suspects in connection with the shooting, Bryant said.Read More"It's shocking," he said. "We have a small community, a farming community in Dumas of 5,000 people and then we have an incident of multi-victims ... you don't expect that from small town Arkansas." Gov. Asa Hutchinson spoke out on Twitter Sunday, saying the incident "represents a total disregard of the value of life." "As the investigation continues, I will examine details to see if there are any steps that could have been taken to prevent this type of tragedy," Hutchinson said in the statement.Children among victims of shootingEarlier Sunday, state police said that 24 people had been wounded in the incident, while Arkansas Children's Hospital said it had treated six victims aged under 18. The hospital said the children's wounds were non-life-threatening and most of them had been released from the hospital following treatment."Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock received six patients under 18 with gun shot wounds from the incident, none fatal. Most of the patients have been treated and released," Hilary DeMillo, media relations manager for the hospital, told CNN in an email.Bryant told the news conference that five children -- aged 11, 9, 8, 23 months and 19 months -- were transported to Arkansas Children's Hospital after the incident and that police were working to verify whether a sixth child was involved. Five victims had since been released from the hospital, he said.Arkansas State Police said in an earlier news release Sunday that Special Agents from its Criminal Investigation Division had interviewed victims and witnesses overnight. Investigators secured the scene, which sits along US Highway 65 as it goes through the center of Dumas, it said.The car show was hosted by the Hood-Nic Foundation and Delta Neighborhood Empowerment Organization, a group providing educational programs and support for Dumas-area youth, according to their website. Dumas is about 80 miles southeast of Little Rock.According to Delta N.E.Y.O website, the annual Hood-Nic, (Neighborhood Picnic) of which the car show has been a part for 16 years, takes place annually over spring break weekend to raise funds for "scholarships, school supplies, and more to deserving individuals.""We are heartbroken and in shock at what took place during tonight's car show," the Hood-Nic Foundation said in a Facebook post Saturday night."The purpose of Hood-Nic has always been to bring the community together," the post said. "This senseless violence needs to end. Sending our prayers."CNN's Dakin Andone and Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report.

Raja Razek and Alaa Elassar, CNN

2022-03-20 19:21:31

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us

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/ocean-drive-miami-shooting-injured/index.html

3 people were injured in Miami Beach shooting during crowded Spring Break weekend - CNN

A shooting in Miami Beach left three people injured amid a packed Spring Break weekend.

us, 3 people were injured in Miami Beach shooting during crowded Spring Break weekend - CNN

3 people injured in Miami Beach shooting during crowded Spring Break weekend

(CNN)A shooting in Miami Beach left three people injured amid a packed Spring Break weekend.Two people were transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds after officers responded to a shooting on Ocean Drive shortly after midnight, according to Miami Beach Police Department spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez."On Sunday at 12:15 a.m., officers responded to a shooting along the 800 block of Ocean Drive," Rodriguez said. "Two victims were located with an apparent gunshot wound and were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital by Miami Beach Fire Rescue with non-life-threatening injuries."Initial information suggested a third person also sustained an injury at the same shooting scene, according to police."We later received a call from Mount Sinai Hospital indicating a male arrived with a gunshot wound, also non-life-threatening," Rodriguez said. Read More"Detectives are speaking with several individuals to determine what transpired in the moments leading up to the shooting," he added.Mitch Novick, who owns the Sherbrooke Hotel in South Beach, shot footage of the Miami Beach crowd reacting to the gunfire.In the video, gunshots can be heard as people run for safety while a large number of police officers rush towards the shooting. Novick sheltered behind a white vehicle and kept filming."You could see many officers heroically running towards the what was the sound of the gunfire," Novick told CNN. "And then they came back and surrounded, I don't know if it was a person or a vehicle, but you can see their guns drawn."Novick also shared security footage from his hotel in which people can be heard screaming amidst the sound of gunfire.

Michelle Watson and Keith Allen, CNN

2022-03-20 14:30:09

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us

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/austin-texas-shooting/index.html

A shooting in Austin's entertainment district leaves 4 people injured - CNN

An overnight shooting in downtown Austin during the final weekend of the SXSW festival stemmed from "a disturbance between two groups of people," and is not believed to have been a random act, the Austin Police Department (APD) said.

us, A shooting in Austin's entertainment district leaves 4 people injured - CNN

4 people were shot in Austin's entertainment district

(CNN)An overnight shooting in downtown Austin during the final weekend of the SXSW festival stemmed from "a disturbance between two groups of people," and is not believed to have been a random act, the Austin Police Department (APD) said.Four people suffered gunshot wounds in the shooting near Neches and 6th Streets, in Austin's entertainment district, Austin-Travis County EMS tweeted early Sunday morning. On Twitter, police described the injuries as "minor."Police were on patrol near East 6th Street's Toulouse Bar when they heard "several gunshots coming from that area," the APD said in a series of verified tweets. "During our preliminary investigation, we discovered the shooting started as a disturbance between two groups of people," the department said. "Officers believe this was not a random act and there's no danger to the public. "By mid-Sunday morning, a suspect was in custody, the APD tweeted.Read MoreNeither the suspect's name nor a motive have been released, with police citing "the ongoing investigation.""If you have any information, we are asking you call Crime Stoppers @ 512-472-TIPS," Austin police said.Sunday marks the last day of the SXSW festival, a two-week-long event bringing thousands of people to the Texas capital.

Caroline Kucera and Alaa Elassar, CNN

2022-03-20 19:44:09

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us

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/elise-malary-body-lake-michigan-transgender-activist-dead/index.html

Body of woman found in Lake Michigan identified as missing transgender rights advocate - CNN

The body of a woman found in Lake Michigan on Thursday has been identified as missing transgender rights advocate Elise Malary, officials in Illinois say.

us, Body of woman found in Lake Michigan identified as missing transgender rights advocate - CNN

Body of woman found in Lake Michigan identified as missing transgender rights advocate

(CNN)The body of a woman found in Lake Michigan on Thursday has been identified as missing transgender rights advocate Elise Malary, officials in Illinois say.The fire department recovered a woman's body from the Lake Michigan shoreline and transported her to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, according to a statement from the Evanston Police and Fire Departments.The body was "positively identified" as 31-year-old Malary on Saturday.Lindsay Doyle and Alexis Martinez post fliers for missing activist Elise Malary on March 17, 2022. Malary was reported missing by a family member on March 11, according to police. She last had contact with her family two days prior.The woman was last seen near her apartment in Evanston, and her car was found by police in a nearby parking lot Tuesday, CNN affiliate WLS reported. Read MoreWhile authorities discovered Malary's apartment had been left unlocked, police said they found nothing at her home or car to indicate foul play. No cause of death has been released yet.Malary was a recognized LGBTQ+ rights activist around the Chicago area. She was a Community Outreach Specialist at the Chicago Therapy Collective, a group dedicated to supporting mental health in the transgender community, according to her LinkedIn. Malary also spent time as a communications associate for Equality Illinois and interning for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.I'm a transgender woman in America. I shouldn't have to live in fearChicago Therapy Collective said in a statement on Facebook the group is "heartbroken" over the loss of one of their board members."The outpouring of love, care, and community response reflects the deep impact of Elise's love and advocacy on so many of us," The statement said. "We hope that you are taking tender care of one another."Malary's impact on the transgender community is being remembered by members of government as well."The loss of Elise Malary is heartbreaking. My heart goes out to all her loved ones, as well as all of Illinois' transgender community," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement on Twitter.The governor pledged to continue to "make Illinois welcoming and inclusive for everyone."Maria Hadden, Chicago alderwoman for the 49th Ward, also tweeted her condolences Saturday."I'm heartbroken to share that Elise is no longer alive and with us," Hadden said. "Our community begin to process her loss and our grief. Elise Malary will be missed terribly." Malary's cause and manner of death are pending, according to WLS. The Evanston Police Department's investigation is ongoing.

Hannah Sarisohn and Alaa Elassar, CNN

2022-03-20 19:00:35

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https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/houston-shooting-teenage-birthday-party-death/index.html

4 teenagers shot, 1 killed outside a birthday party in Houston - CNN

Four teenagers were shot and one was killed early Sunday morning after a fight broke out in a parking lot outside a 16th birthday party in Texas.

us, 4 teenagers shot, 1 killed outside a birthday party in Houston - CNN

4 teenagers shot, 1 killed outside a birthday party in Houston

(CNN)Four teenagers were shot and one was killed early Sunday morning after a fight broke out in a parking lot outside a 16th birthday party in Texas.Police responded to a Houston production studio around 12 a.m. after multiple people were involved in a dispute which escalated into gunfire among the group, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted.As many as 75 to 100 people were involved in the fighting in the parking lot when the shooting began, according to CNN affiliate KHOU. "A large number of spent shell casings were discovered in multiple areas of the parking lot," the Harris County Sheriff's Office said in a Sunday news release.One 17-year-old male was pronounced dead at an area hospital, according to Gonzalez. Two other 17-year-olds were transported to the hospital, including one who was life-flighted to Texas Children's Hospital, according to the sheriff's office. The other was treated and released, then taken into custody on an unrelated warrant, the sheriff's office said.Read MoreA 14-year-old girl was also treated for non-life-threatening injuries at an area hospital, the sheriff's office said. No suspects in the shooting have been identified and the cause of the altercation that preceded the gunfire is unknown, according to Gonzalez.

Opinion by Richard Galant, CNN

2022-03-20 12:09:06

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opinions

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/opinions/zelenskys-ode-to-freedom-opinion-column-galant/index.html

Opinion: Zelensky's message of defiance - CNN

When Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the US Congress from Kyiv Wednesday, wearing a green t-shirt and sitting next to the blue-and-yellow flag of his country, the speech was an ode to freedom -- and a plea for help to preserve it.

opinions, Opinion: Zelensky's message of defiance - CNN

Zelensky's ode to freedom

Sign up to get this weekly column as a newsletter. We're looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. (CNN)Weeks after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Leonard Bernstein led a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony near the center of the no-longer divided city. The American composer and conductor tweaked the German text of "Ode to Joy" in the final movement, replacing the original word "freude," or joy, with "freiheit," which means freedom. "Freedom, bright spark of divinity," the chorus sang. "Thy magic power reunites all that custom has divided. All men become brothers, under the sway of thy gentle wings."When Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the US Congress from Kyiv Wednesday, wearing a green t-shirt and sitting next to the blue-and-yellow flag of his country, the speech was also an ode to freedom -- and a plea for help to preserve it. "Right now the destiny of our country is being decided," Zelensky said. "The destiny of our people, whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy. Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities; it went on a brutal offensive against our values, basic human values. It threw tanks and planes against our freedom, against our right to live freely in our own country choosing our own future."Read MoreAs Frida Ghitis wrote, "When America's top Democrats and Republicans rose side by side to give Zelensky a standing ovation, we knew the Ukrainian President had made his mark. Zelensky, reminding Americans what freedom really means after the country has spent years devaluing it in petty political battles, proves there is a new seriousness in the nation.""As he has with other audiences, Zelensky tailored his message. Imagine being struck from the sky, as on 9/11, but every day, he told Americans. He spoke about Pearl Harbor, and he cited Martin Luther King. 'I have a dream ...,' he intoned, I can say, I have a need. I need to protect our sky," Ghitis noted.Teach the children"This is a world-shaking moment in history," SE Cupp observed, "one that will define a generation, one that could change our maps, and one that is already seeing horrific loss and devastation." She is making sure to show her 7-year-old son some of the news coverage of the Ukraine war. "Concepts like democracy and sovereignty, freedom and war, can be vague and abstract, but as we watch a tyrant march into a sovereign nation, threatening democracy there and everywhere else, we must show our children what is happening -- what can happen to a free people, and what it looks like when the world unites to defend democratic ideals." As Jill Filipovic pointed out, "No images have captured the hellishness of war quite as starkly as those taken in the aftermath of Russian troops bombing a maternity hospital in Mariupol. In one photo, a pregnant woman with a bloodied face is staggering out of a bombed building; in another, an ashen-faced woman lays on a stretcher, her left hand cradling her full belly. The woman in the second photo and her baby have now both died of their injuries." War takes a huge toll on everyone but can be especially cruel for women, Filipovic added. "Pregnant women in war zones are also, like everyone else, under tremendous stress -- but that level of stress can have deadly results for mother or baby. And pregnant women, and particularly those who are having complications, simply may not be able to escape when violence strikes." For more:Michael A. Newton: Russian invaders are crossing a lineJulian Zelizer: Trump's 'America First' policy is deadDean Obeidallah: Whose side is Tucker Carlson on? Roman Badanin: As a Russian journalist, this is the knock I dreadRussia's invasionWhen Vladimir Putin's forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, many people expected that Russia's military, considered the second strongest in the world, would roll over Ukraine in a matter of days. That hasn't happened. In a conversation with CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, retired US Gen. David Petraeus assessed the war so far. "There are many reasons for the Russians' abysmal performance," Petraeus said. "They're fighting against a very determined, quite capable Ukrainian force that is composed of special ops, conventional forces, territorial forces and even private citizens, all of whom are determined not to allow Russia to achieve its objectives. They are fighting for their national survival, their homeland and their way of life, and they have the home-field advantage, knowing the terrain and communities."But beyond that, the Russians are just surprisingly unprofessional. They clearly have very poor standards when it comes to performing basic tactical tasks such as achieving combined arms operations, involving armor, infantry, engineers, artillery and mortars. They are very poor at maintaining their vehicles and weapon systems and have abandoned many of them. They are also poor at resupply and logistical tasks."Looking ahead, Petraeus observed, "Clearly, they do not have enough forces to take, much less to control, Kyiv and some of the other major cities, but they do have missiles, rockets, artillery, and bombs and an apparent willingness to use them in a very indiscriminate fashion.""And so, they continue the approach they used in Chechnya, particularly with Grozny, and in Syria, particularly with Aleppo, where they depopulated the cities by indiscriminate use of bombs. And it is going to be an endurance contest between the Russians' willingness to destroy cities and the Ukrainians' ability to survive such destruction."For more:Naureen Chowdhury Fink: Putin is calling in favors from Syria and Africa. It's a dangerous moveNuclear nightmareFor decades, some of the most eloquent and informed voices warning of the dangers of nuclear weapons have been physicians, among them Dr. Ira Helfand, past president of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. This week, he and colleagues Barry Levy and Matt Bivens, wrote, "The world is shocked by the violence in Ukrainian cities besieged by Russian forces, as they suffer under indiscriminate mortar, bomb and missile attacks. But these horrors could lead to something far worse -- escalation to nuclear war. If we are going to avoid this ultimate catastrophe, we need to work urgently for the elimination of all nuclear weapons."There are about 13,000 nuclear warheads around the world. "Experts were decrying these thousands of nuclear weapons as an ongoing existential threat to humanity even before Russian President Vladimir's Putin's recent warnings that he may use Russia's nuclear weapons ... A nuclear war between Russia and NATO allies would be an unimaginable tragedy." In a nightmare scenario where 300 bombs are deployed, 75 to 100 million people would die the first day, with the vast majority of survivors dying "over the coming months from radiation sickness, infectious diseases, famine and exposure," the physicians wrote.A helping handIn April 1999, then Vice President Al Gore announced on Ellis Island that the US would take in up to 20,000 refugees from Kosovo, who were fleeing Serbian attacks, recalled Mark Hetfield, president of HIAS, which was founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine "but this time, there has been no Ellis Island announcement." He noted that Vice President Kamala Harris talked of helping Poland with the wave of refugees entering the country while President Joe Biden only spoke of taking refugees on a conditional basis: "If, in fact, they come all the way here." "Words matter, actions matter," wrote Hetfield. "When it comes to refugees and leadership, the United States is falling short on both fronts. It is getting late, but the Biden-Harris administration still has an opportunity to demonstrate American leadership by welcoming refugees -- instead of relying on Eastern Europe to shoulder that responsibility alone." Fallen journalistsBrent Renaud, a filmmaker working on a project about refugees for Time magazine's studio unit, was shot and killed by Russian soldiers outside Kyiv on Sunday, said the deputy chief of police in Irpin. Photojournalist Juan Arredondo also was injured in the shooting.Renaud became the first journalist on assignment from an American news organization to die during the conflict, according to The New York Times. The next day, Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski was killed along with Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova when the vehicle they were traveling in came under fire. Benjamin Hall, a Fox News correspondent, was injured in the shooting.In Time, Sebastian Junger remembered Renaud as "a highly-regarded freelancer who worked all over the world documenting some of the most violent and inhuman circumstances civilians are subjected to, including desperately poor areas of Chicago." "Without the work of these brave people there could be no such thing as democracy or freedom in the world -- elections would be stolen, war crimes would be denied, injustices would be hidden," Junger observed. "In a world without journalists, leaders like Vladimir Putin could claim whatever self-serving reality they wanted and remain utterly unaccountable for their crimes."Oily politicsThe cruelest irony of the Ukraine war, wrote Aaron David Miller, is that "even as President Joe Biden's administration stands up for Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression and preaches the values of democracy and freedom, it is under increasing pressure to make nice and cut deals with authoritarians."With oil prices increasing, the war has deepened concern about supplies from "three authoritarian petro-states (Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) and increased the urgency of getting to a nuclear agreement with a fourth, Iran." Biden chose to "make the fight for democracy the central element of his foreign policy -- a grand struggle with authoritarians for control in the 21st century." But even as he opposes Putin's war, Miller wrote, he has to reckon with "hard, cold interests" as he decides how to deal with autocrats who can control the flow of oil. "America's interests will continue to take precedence over values."Spring forward no more?With many Americans still adjusting to last weekend's time shift, the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act Tuesday to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Before the vote, Sens. Edward J. Markey and Marco Rubio wrote, "The effects of darker afternoons on our mental and physical health can be serious. The biannual transition of 'spring forward' and 'fall back' disrupts circadian sleeping patterns, causing confusion, sleep disturbances and even an elevated risk to heart health.""The rate of heart attacks spikes by 24% in the days following 'spring forward' in March, according to a 2014 study from the University of Michigan." They argued that there are also economic and mental health benefits from a permanent shift to DST. In the Washington Post, Dana Milbank described the Senate's passage of the bill as an accident. "There were no hearings, no discussion, no debate, and no vote," he wrote. "It just happened, because nobody objected — in large part because many senators didn't even know it was happening."Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook"Reporting by The Post's Paul Kane and BuzzFeed's Paul McLeod indicates Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), top Republican on the commerce committee, had planned to object to the 'unanimous consent' request to pass what he calls 'bad legislation,' but decided not to at the last minute because he's focused on more pressing matters, such as the war in Ukraine.""In other words, it's Vladimir Putin's fault that our clocks may change."Now it's up to the House and President Biden to decide if the bill will become law.'Turning Red'In the Pixar film "Turning Red," anytime the lead character "gets riled up, she transforms into a cuddly, gigantic red panda." As Vanessa Hua wrote, "'Turning Red' makes the struggles of this particular 13-year-old universal as she learns who she is and wants to be -- ultimately embracing her red panda exuberance.""The film is among the many movies and novels released in recent years that portray characters of Asian descent as fully human -- flawed, eccentric and dreaming of a bigger life..." Such depictions resonate at a time when hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have spiked. It has been a year since the Atlanta spa shootings, in which a White gunman killed eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent. Prosecutors are treating the case as a hate crime."We cannot let up on protesting, organizing and voting. We must continue to support victims and improve mental health services, and address systemic racism and sexism," wrote Hua. "'Turning Red' gives me hope, though, in its captivating challenge to stereotypes that can often lead people to view Asian Americans as 'other' -- the first step toward targeting them."For more: Govs. J.B. Pritzker and Phil Murphy: We can't address anti-AAPI hate without improving K-12 educationMarch madnessChristmas morning can't compare with Michael Croley's favorite time of year, the first weekend of March Madness. "Before the internet, Dad brought brackets home from his office for us to fill out -- always Xeroxed copies from the Monday edition of Lexington Herald-Leader," Croley wrote. "When I was ten, I won, and Dad brought home all the cash and handed it to me.""I love the tournament for all the reasons any sports fan loves the tournament, but as I've gotten older, I know that I love the tournament because of these memories and how it kept me close to my brother and our father. And we were already very close."Croley's older brother Tim often shared the ritual of watching the NCAA tournament with him, as they munched on wings and rooted for the University of Kentucky's Wildcats as long as they were still in it. A year ago, Croley added, "As Tim's health worsened, neither of us filled out a bracket. We watched the games and we texted. I didn't know then that I'd never fill out a bracket again. I didn't know then that I'd never spend another long day with him, watching games deep into the night, barely able to keep our eyes open but still at it because it was March, a game was in overtime and a 13-seed had a 4-seed on the ropes."I hoped against what common sense and medical science told us since he was first diagnosed with lung cancer because hope was all we had left by then."Don't missGunisha Kaur: The country where 30 farmers die each day Claire McCully: Florida and Texas can't outlaw my familyKristen Rowe-Finkbeiner: This Equal Pay Day, let's smash the maternal wallJeffrey Toobin: Iowa and New Hampshire's preposterous reign over the Democratic primaries may soon endDavid Daley: Good news from state judges on gerrymanderingAND...Bad businessName your streaming service, pick your tale of fakery and business gone wrong:Hulu: "The Dropout"Apple TV+: "WeCrashed"Showtime: "Super Pumped"Netflix: "Inventing Anna"HBOMax: "Succession"The latest episode of "The Dropout" featured actor Amanda Seyfried, who plays Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, proclaiming that her company was "a religion." The fictional Apple+ series "Severance" made it clearer than ever last week that the mysterious Lumon company is a cult while a trailer for "WeCrashed" showed its protagonist Adam Neumann of WeWork, played by Jared Leto, comparing himself to God. Looking at a few of these shows through the lens of history, Nicole Hemmer wrote that the themes they explore aren't entirely new, finding antecedents in Herman Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener," the 1955 novel "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" and films and shows including "The Office" and "Office Space."But there is a difference. Shows like "The Dropout" and "WeCrashed," Hemmer observed, "represent a damning examination of the Silicon-Valley-centered, venture-capital-funded economy. The stories are ready-made for dramatization, stories of hubris and excess that hurtle toward an inevitable crash. But they also reveal a deep anxiety about the new economy, a sense that, at the end of the day, it creates overnight billionaires but little of lasting value." Investors seem "to have no way of discerning the difference between visionary and fantastical, and ... the least scrupulous walk away with the most money, even after their ventures fail. Of course, venture capital also fuels the companies that succeed."