Meghan and Harry are becoming your typical American mega-celebrities
The couple is modelling their new life together on those of the Oprahs and Ellens around them.
In Montecito, Calif., a 9.3-square-mile coastal enclave nestled between the Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific, where gray whales swim by the shoreline, avocado and citrus trees bear fruit nearly year-round and there’s nary a sidewalk in sight, multi-acre properties near the beach routinely sell for upward of $20 million. You can surf in the mornings and hike scenic foothill trails on weekend afternoons and look out for celebrities who live nearby, like Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Adam Levine and Katy Perry.
Yes, the town has ample attractions to lure Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, into buying a $14.7 million home after “stepping back” from the royal family last year. But there’s another reason the location makes sense: The couple is modeling their new life together on those of the Oprahs and Ellens around them. Through various business moves, two new jobs for Harry and a PR-savvy, revelation-packed interview with Oprah herself earlier this spring, they are reinventing themselves as multihyphenate American celebrities, the kind who dabble in content, philanthropy, technology and a tasteful dash of politics.
Essentially, they are becoming a brand — and their unique royal sparkle would make them especially well positioned to leverage that brand across many different areas. That wasn’t an option for Harry’s great-great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, when he abdicated his position as king back in 1936. But whether this new form of fame will give the Sussexes a happier and more sustainable life remains to be seen.
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The latest on Covid-19 and India's worsening crisis
Death of Covid-19 patients due to oxygen shortage is “not less than a genocide,” Indian court says
A court in India on Tuesday said that deaths of Covid-19 patients due to lack of oxygen is a “criminal act and not less than a genocide," according to a judgement posted on the court's website.
The Allahabad High Court, which has jurisdiction over India’s most populous Uttar Pradesh state, said, “Death of Covid patients just for non supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen.”
A two-justice bench of the court made the remark during a hearing related to the Covid-19 crisis in Uttar Pradesh, which is among the worst-hit states in India's deadly second wave of the pandemic.
In a strong criticism of the Uttar Pradesh government’s handling of the crisis, the state’s top court cited videos showing hoarding of oxygen cylinders and harassment of poor people begging for an oxygen cylinder.
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India Will Take Back Illegal UK Migrants For 3,000 Worker Visas A Year
The pact will provide enhanced employment opportunities for 3,000 young Indian professionals annually, in return for India agreeing to take back any of its citizens who are living illegally in the UK.
New Delhi: Britain and India on Tuesday signed an accord on migration and mobility, a foreign ministry official said, as they look to deepen economic, cultural and other ties following the UK's departure from the European Union.
The pact will provide enhanced employment opportunities for 3,000 young Indian professionals annually, in return for India agreeing to take back any of its citizens who are living illegally in the UK, foreign ministry official Sandeep Chakravorty told a news conference.
The migration pact comes after the two countries announced 1 billion pounds ($1.39 billion) of private-sector investment. Talks on a full trade deal are due to begin in the autumn.
"It is our solemn duty that Indian nationals who are undocumented, or are in distress abroad and not being given nationality or residence permits, have to be taken back," Mr Chakravorty said.
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Twitter hears from record respondents over world leader rules
Twitter Inc has received a record number of responses to a survey on how it should handle world leaders on its site, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday, an issue in the spotlight ahead of the possible return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to Facebook.
Twitter, which permanently banned Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, in March began soliciting the public for input on whether world leaders should be subject to the same rules as other users and if they break a rule, what type of action should be taken.
The company has received nearly 49,000 responses globally in 14 languages, the spokeswoman said. Its month-long survey asked questions like whether world leaders breaking Twitter's rules should face "greater or lesser" consequences then other users and whether it was ever appropriate for Twitter to permanently suspend the account of a current president or prime minister.
As our teams review and distill the data, we've been looking for key themes, new ideas, and creative thinking so we can begin to develop an update to our approach and consider next steps," the spokeswoman said. She declined to say at this time what the responses showed about users' views.
The survey also presented users with a random sample of hypothetical scenarios, asking in one survey what they thought Twitter should do if their president posted COVID-19 misinformation or if another country's candidate for the national head of agriculture tweeted that the military would destroy a group of people.
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At the age of 13: German child prodigy studies at an elite university in the USA
Shahab Gharib is only 13 years old and already a student at a renowned US university. What makes the teenager so special.
New York. According to his father, Shahab Gharib is “a perfectly ordinary 13-year-old with a gift for learning.” The boy likes to play along Playmobil, watches films or goes to a museum with his parents. However, Shahab prefers to sit at his desk and study.
Papa Bardia was this Couching Previously suspicious, the sporty man warned: “Go out, have fun, don’t sit inside all day.” In the meantime, he has come to terms with the fact that his son is a special child: After graduating from high school at the age of twelve, he went to university he is now at a model university in New York.
Already in the primary school Shahab Gharib always finished all tasks before his classmates. “That’s why I always read my way through all the libraries,” explains the 13-year-old who was born in Bruchsal in Baden-Württemberg and moved to Florida with his parents as a toddler.
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Colombia blames armed groups for deadly protest violence
Colombia’s defense minister on Monday blamed illegal armed groups for looting and vandalism during five days of street protests but would not confirm how many demonstrators had died.
The protests, which began last week, demanded the withdrawal of a tax reform proposed by the government of President Ivan Duque, who said on Sunday the legislation would be retracted.
Demonstrations resumed on Monday in the capital, Bogota, and other cities including Medellin and Cali despite the announcement, with highways also blocked in some areas of the country.
“Colombia faces particular threats from criminal organizations that are behind these violent acts,” Defense Minister Diego Molano told a news conference, adding those committing violence were not those marching peacefully.
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Fact check: Singer Lucky Ali is not dead; rumours in circulation [truth here]
Reports of ace singer Lucky Ali passing away started doing the rounds on social media and WhatsApp groups on Tuesday evening. Here's the truth.
The very first thought that comes up with the term 'fake news' is social media. From celebrity death hoaxes, false news reports to manipulative claims, social media has seen it all. In a similar latest scenario, fans went in a tizzy after death reports of prominent singer Lucky Ali started doing rounds on the internet since Tuesday evening.
The Claim
A message was circulated through WhatsApp groups that claimed that ace singer Lucky Ali has passed away. Soon after this, his fans started sharing the messages with their friends and families. Though many people believed the claim and started expressing their condolences, others claimed the news of the ace singer's death is fake.
Fact Check
Following this, the singer shared a post on his social media handle where he wrote a quote from the holy Quran. "Allah never changes the condition of a people unless they strive to change themselves," Lucky Ali wrote.
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Texas City under precautionary shelter-in-place due to chemical release
TEXAS CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- Officials in Texas City ordered residents to shelter in place after a reported chemical release at one of the nearby plants.
The city's office of emergency management said the order was issued as a precaution, adding that the Marathon Galveston Bay refinery detected hydrogen fluoride some time Tuesday afternoon. Officials also urged people to avoid the area of 14th Avenue and 34th. Under the shelter in place order, people are being told to stay indoors, turn off air conditioning units and close all windows. Officials also urge residents to monitor social media for further guidance.
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Hyundai recalls over 390K vehicles for possible engine fires
Hyundai is recalling over 390,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada for problems that can cause engine fires
DETROIT -- Hyundai is recalling more than 390,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada for two problems that can cause engine fires. In one recall, owners are being told to park their vehicles outdoors until repairs are made.
The largest recall covers more than 203,000 Santa Fe Sport SUVs from 2013 through 2015. Some are being recalled a second time. Brake fluid can leak into the anti-lock brake computer, causing an electrical short that can lead to fires. Owners should park outdoors and away from structures until the problem is fixed, according to documents posted Tuesday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Dealers will replace a fuse and replace the computer if necessary. Owners will be notified in June. The brake computer problem has caused 18 fires in the U.S., but no injuries, according to documents.
Hyundai says the recall “enhances the remedy” from one issued in September of 2020. The company says it kept investigating after the September recall and found that replacing the fuse would reduce the safety risk. "Hyundai is conducting this new recall to ensure the safety of its customers,” the company said in a statement.
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Donald Trump’s ‘social media platform’ has launched, and it’s just a blog
After months of promising his own social media network for banned posters, former President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a new section of his website that’s essentially just a WordPress blog.
The new “platform” is styled like a generic version of Twitter but hosted as a running blog of commentary from Trump. People can sign up for post alerts on the platform through their email and phone numbers and are allegedly able to like them, although that function doesn’t appear to work as of publication. Users are also allowed to share Trump’s posts on Facebook and Twitter. The Twitter sharing option doesn’t currently work, but Facebook’s does allow people to share Trump’s posts.
Facebook and Twitter did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment on whether these sharing options are permitted under Trump’s current ban. Even though the platform formally launched on Tuesday, there are posts dating back to March 24th. Trump’s latest post is a video advertising his new platform, calling it “a place to speak freely and safely, straight from the desk of Donald J. Trump.” According to Fox News, Trump will “eventually” be able to communicate with his supporters directly, although it’s not clear how that will happen. Trump’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Duggar's alleged rape victim 'not shocked' by his child porn charges
Josh Duggar’s alleged rape victim isn’t surprised the reality star was charged with two counts of child pornography possession.
Ashley Johnston, who was formerly known as porn star Danica Dillon, told DailyMailTV she was “not shocked” by the charges against Duggar.
Johnston sued Duggar, 33, in 2015, saying he raped her, choked her and ignored her requests for him to stop. She added it is “disgusting” that he had never faced any kind of repercussion for the numerous allegations against him, the Daily Mail reported.
Duggar, the star of 19 Kids and Counting, pleaded not guilty in virtual court after previously turning himself in to an Arkansas police station. Johnston told DailyMailTV she hopes Duggar is jailed for the rest of his life and can’t believe Duggar’s wife has stuck by him and had seven of his children despite Duggar admitting previously he had sexually assaulted his younger sisters.
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Judge orders release of DOJ memo justifying not prosecuting Trump
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson blasts former Attorney General William Barr's spin on the Mueller report as "disingenuous."
A federal judge has ordered the release of a key Justice Department memo supporting former Attorney William Barr’s conclusion that former President Donald Trump should not be prosecuted for obstruction of justice over episodes investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued that ruling in a withering opinion that accused Barr of being “disingenuous” when describing Mueller’s findings and found that the Justice Department was not candid with the court about the purpose and role of the 2019 memo prepared by Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel.
In response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, Justice Department attorneys argued that the memo was part of the process of advising Barr on whether Trump should be prosecuted, but Jackson said the analysis consisted of a post hoc rationalization of a decision already made.
“The review of the document reveals that the Attorney General was not then engaged in making a decision about whether the President should be charged with obstruction of justice; the fact that he would not be prosecuted was a given,” wrote Jackson, an appointee of former President Barack Obama.
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