L-R: President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., Frank Del Rio, Katy Perry, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, Harry Sommer and radio host Elvis Duran; Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Norwegian Cruise Line
Katy Perry‘s a mother, an aunt and now, a “fairy godmother” — to a brand new cruise ship.
Katy spent the weekend in Reykjavik, Iceland, christening Norwegian Cruise Lines’ new vessel, the Norwegian Prima. As the official “godmother” of the ship, Katy broke a champagne bottle across its hull, and then performed hits like “Teenage Dream,” “Roar” and “Firework.”
“It was so much fun to sprinkle some fairy godmother dust on Norwegian Prima and send her on her way to sail the high seas,” Katy said in a statement. “I always appreciate a family vacation and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I was happy to wish all the vacationing guests a happy bon voyage!”
Katy posted some behind-the-scenes videos of herself “doing godmother things” on the ship. Wearing a long blue sequinned gown and high heels, she swept the deck, checked some of the uniforms and walked on a treadmill in the ship’s fitness center.
The 3100-passenger Norwegian Prima’s first voyage is to Northern Europe on September 3. She’ll then sail from Port Canaveral, FL and Galveston, TX in 2023 and 2024, respectively. She features the first three-level racetrack at sea, the fastest slides at sea and the first outdoor sculpture garden at sea.
(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department on Monday said its team tasked with identifying potential attorney-client privileged materials that were seized in the search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month has already completed its review and is in the process of addressing possible privilege disputes.
In a filing acknowledging receipt of District Judge Aileen Cannon’s order Saturday, which indicated she was leaning towards granting a request from Trump’s legal team to appoint a special master to intervene in the ongoing review of documents seized from Mar-a-Lago, the department said its filter team already “identified a limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information.”
As the department has acknowledged in previous filings, that filter team is separate from the team involved in the DOJ’s ongoing criminal investigation.
The Trump legal team, however, has asked for the appointment of a special matter to undertake a review of any materials in the search that could be covered by executive privilege, though it’s unclear how such materials would be identified or what basis there would be to exclude them from the DOJ’s ongoing investigation.
The department also notified Judge Cannon that the DOJ and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence are conducting a classification review of materials recovered from Mar-a-Lago as well as a separate intelligence community assessment of any potential risk of national security that would result in disclosure of any of the classified materials.
The DOJ says it expects to file a more detailed response to Trump’s request for a special master by end of day Tuesday, in line with the deadline set Saturday by Judge Cannon. Trump’s attorneys have previously said they were told by the DOJ that they would oppose such an appointment.
A hearing is currently set for Thursday at 1 p.m. in West Palm Beach where Judge Cannon will hear arguments from both sides on the request.
Nyong’o as Nakia in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”/Marvel Studios
Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’oposted to Instagram a throwback video of her Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman on Sunday, which was the second year anniversary of his death.
Boseman was 43 when he died on August 28, 2020, following a very private battle with colon cancer.
In the video, Boseman is shown at a movie theater in front of a throng of fans of all ages.
“Chadwick, what are you doing?” Nyong’o asks off-camera as she records Boseman with a Sharpie in hand.
“I’m signing tickets. I signed somebody’s shoes over there,” he said, to laughs.
The actor joked that he didn’t know why he was asked to scribble his name on the Jordans, as he doesn’t even play basketball.
Lupita sweetly asks why he thinks people wanted his signature so much, and Boseman replied, “I have no idea.”
“Keep it real, keep it kind,” Nyong’o captioned the video.
Among the more than 151,000 and counting who “liked” the post were Jurassic World franchise actress and filmmaker Bryce Dallas Howard and Winston Duke, Boseman’s co-star in Black Panther and other Marvel movies.
“generous man,” Duke began. “always sharing [and] helping and giving and loving… ugh… my heart … Ure missed beyond any words my brother… love love!”
He added, “Thanks Lupita for posting our treasure… man oh man!”
Letitia Wright, who played Boseman’s sister Shuri in the Marvel films, responded to Lupita’s post with a string of heart emojis.
Boseman’s character T’Challa was not recast in November’s sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; instead, as the teaser hints, his family and friends are grappling with his death in the MCU — just as their alter-egos are doing in real life.
(NEW YORK) — With the end of summer nearing, and Labor Day around the corner, U.S. health officials are preparing to roll out millions of new COVID-19 boosters as health experts grow concerned over a potential viral resurgence in the fall and winter.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected, as soon as this week, to authorize Pfizer and Moderna’s new bivalent booster shots, which target both the original Wuhan strain that emerged at the onset of the pandemic, as well as the omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, that are currently dominant globally.
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are set to meet on Thursday and Friday, and if both agencies greenlight the new shots, doses could be shipped out in the days to come and administered soon after Labor Day weekend.
Unlike the original vaccines and boosters, these new shots will not go through a lengthy clinical trial process, where thousands of Americans are dosed with the vaccines to test the safety and long-term effectiveness of the vaccines. However, federal health officials stress that these new shots will still be just as safe as the original vaccines because the underlying vaccine platform, mRNA, is the same.
“Real world evidence from the current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which have been administered to millions of individuals, show us that the vaccines are safe. As we know from prior experience, strain changes can be made without affecting safety,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf tweeted earlier this week.
“When available, new boosters are expected to help provide greater protection against the currently circulating strains. We encourage all who are eligible to consider a booster,” Califf wrote.
Because the vaccines have already been studied and administered in millions of people, and the new boosters use the same foundation but change the targeted variant, the FDA is not requiring the same process for authorization.
Health experts say that the decision not to use time-consuming clinical trials for each new shot is also a strategic move, in an effort to keep vaccines up to date with the rapidly evolving variants — a process that will likely mimic how the flu vaccine is altered each year.
Across the country, 108 million Americans — or more than half of those eligible to be boosted — have yet to receive their first booster shot, according to data from the CDC.
Although the immunity provided by COVID-19 vaccines continues to wane with time, data published by the CDC shows that COVID-19 booster doses are still offering protection against severe forms of disease and death, particularly among older Americans.
Among people ages 50 years and older, the unvaccinated had a risk of dying from COVID-19 that was 14 times higher than their fully vaccinated and double-boosted peers.
In people ages 50 years and older, vaccinated people with one booster dose had a risk of dying from COVID-19 that was three times higher than those fully vaccinated and double boosted.
More than 61 million people over the age of 50 are eligible to receive their second COVID-19 booster shot, but just a third of people have actually done so. Since second booster doses were authorized in mid-March, a total of 23.1 million Americans have received their second booster.
In May, the CDC announced that it was “strengthening” its recommendation for Americans over the age of 12, who are immunocompromised, and those over the age of 50, to receive their second booster shot.
Younger populations are also benefiting from boosters, data shows.
In June, unvaccinated people ages 12 years and older had a risk of dying from COVID-19 that was eight times higher, compared to people who were fully vaccinated and boosted with their first dose.
In June, Yes launched its “Album Series Tour 2022” with a run of concerts in the U.K. and Ireland, and now, the legendary prog-rock band has announced plans to bring the trek to the U.S. this fall.
The tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of Yes’ classic 1972 studio effort, Close to the Edge, and will feature a full performance of the album, which peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200.
The 28-date trek, which marks Yes first stateside outing since 2019, kicks off with an October 7-8 stand in Glenside, Pennsylvania and runs through a November 19 show in Westbury, New York. Tickets for the concerts will go on sale to the general public starting this Friday, September 2; check local listings and YesWorld.com for information.
The Close to the Edge shows will feature a full production with a high-def video wall that will offer a presentation including art created by longtime Yes cover artist Roger Dean.
Like the tour of the U.K. and Ireland, the U.S. trek is dedicated to longtime Yes drummer Alan White, who passed away in May. White joined Yes in June 1972, just a few days before the band launched its original tour in support of Close to the Edge, and remained with the group for the rest of his life.
Stepping in for Alan will be his good friend Jay Schellen, who has served as Yes’ second touring drummer for many years.
As previously reported, a special tribute concert for White has been scheduled for October 2 at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre. The show will feature members of Yes and Alan’s solo group White, as well as special guests. Tickets for the show are on sale now at STGPresents.org.
(NEW YORK) — NASA kicked off Monday its plan to send an unmanned space capsule into the moon’s orbit, marking the initial launch in an ambitious plan to establish a long term presence on the moon for scientific discovery and economic development.
The space capsule, called Artemis 1, will travel for roughly 40 days — reaching as close as 60 miles from the moon, and then 40,000 miles above the moon when orbiting over its dark side — before landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
After the launch was scrubbed, the next attempt will occur Sept. 2.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Aug 29, 10:20 AM EDT
VP Harris praises NASA team behind Artemis launch
Vice President Kamala Harris praised the NASA team behind the Artemis I mission after the launch had to be scrubbed Monday due to an engine problem.
Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff had been visiting the Kennedy Space Center before the launch was postponed.
The scrubbed launch was “about showing the great work that happens here,” Harris told reporters.
“These exceptional public servants, these exceptional skilled professionals who have the ability to see what is possible and what has never been done before. How exciting is that?” she said.
According to a White House official, Harris and Emhoff will continue with their visit under a revised itinerary.
“She met with astronauts at NASA Operations Support Building II and will proceed to a tour of Artemis II and Artemis III hardware as planned. The Vice President will gaggle following the tour and then depart,” the official said.
Aug 29, 9:40 AM EDT
‘We don’t launch until it’s right,’ says NASA administrator
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson defended the scrubbing of the Artemis I launch, saying the launch shouldn’t take place until the team is sure it’s ready.
“We don’t launch until it’s right,” he said during an interview on NASA TV Monday morning.
“There are certain guidelines. And I think it’s just illustrative that this is a very complicated machine, a very complicated system, and all those things have to work, and you don’t want to light the candle until it’s ready to go,” he said.
Nelson said the engineers will continue to “stress” and “test” the rocket to make sure it’s ready by the next attempt, which is Sept. 2.
Earlier in the day, Nelson had welcomed several Biden administration officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, to the Kennedy Space Center ahead of the launch.
He said the vice president has been briefed and the White House will continue to receive regular updates.
Aug 29, 8:48 AM EDT
NASA scrubs Artemis I launch
NASA announced a few minutes after Artemis I was initially scheduled to lift off that the launch has been scrubbed.
Engineers said the problem came from a liquid hydrogen line that was not chilled enough inside one of the rocket’s four core-stage engines, which needs to occur before they can be ignited.
The next attempt will occur on Sept. 2.
Aug 29, 8:31 AM EDT
Artemis launch delayed due to storms, rocket troubleshooting
Artemis I will likely not be launching at 8:33 a.m. ET as originally planned after NASA ran into several delays in its preparation to send it into space.
The process of tanking, which includes filling the rocket’s core stage with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, was delayed due to some passing storms and lightning in the area, NASA said.
Moreover, a leak was discovered in the hydrogen fuel line, which NASA quickly resolved. The leak concentration was “at an acceptable level,” NASA said.
Engineers also discovered a potential crack in the inner stage flange, which connects two of the rocket’s cylinders.
The countdown clock is currently paused at T-40 and the launch can go as late as 10:33 a.m. ET If that window passes, the next attempt at launch will be Sept. 2.
The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards took place Sunday night. Here are the rock artists who took home a Moon Person:
As was previously announced before the show, Red Hot Chili Peppers were recognized with the Global Icon Award. After an introduction from comedy duo Cheech & Chong, the band launched into renditions “Black Summer,” off their new album Unlimited Love, and the By the Way classic “Can’t Stop.”
The Peppers then gave a speech accepting the Global Icon Award, with drummer Chad Smith dedicating the honor to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Smith’s drum kit also paid tribute to Hawkins with a drawing of a hawk outlining the name Taylor.
Additionally, frontman Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea gave brief speeches, thanking their fans, bandmates, family and, in the case of Flea, “cockroaches” and “deer antlers.”
Meanwhile, RHCP’s “Black Summer” won the Best Rock prize.C
Jennifer Lopez is speaking up about her recently leaked wedding footage.
After footage from the Marry Me star performing for her husband Ben Affleck at their Georgia wedding went public, she took to Instagram to express her disappointment.
Commenting on an Instagram fan page that shared the footage, Lopez said, “This was taken without permission. Period.”
“And whoever did it took advantage of our private moment,” she continued. “I don’t know where you all are getting it from bc we had ndas [non-disclosure agreements] and asked everyone to not share anything from our wedding.”
“That is our choice to share,” the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer wrote, before adding that any moments that she chooses to share will be published to her website OnTheJLO.
“This was stolen without our consent and sold for money. Thank you for caring I love you guys,” Lopez concluded.
The fan page has since deleted the leaked footage leaving only a screenshot of the comment.
Last month, J-Lo and Ben — who were first engaged in 2002, but called off the wedding — ran off to Las Vegas and got hitched at the Little White Wedding chapel. Last Saturday, the couple tied the knot again at Affleck’s estate in Riceboro, Georgia in front of friends and family.
(NEW YORK) — All eyes will be on Serena Williams Monday when she takes the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium for her final US Open.
The tennis superstar will face 80th ranked Dana Kovinic in her final Grand Slam event. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Williams, 40, announced earlier this month that she will be retiring from tennis after 27 years in the sport. Throughout her career, she has won 23 Grand Slam titles, six of which were at the US Open.
The teaser trailer for Yellowstone‘s fifth season dropped on Sunday. “We’ll show the world who we are and what we do,” Kevin Costner is heard saying in the promotion. “All will be revealed,” is flashed on the screen in between footage of Costner’s John Dutton, reloading firearms and the Dutton family gearing up to defend their ranch land. Season 5 of Yellowstone will premiere on the Paramount Network in a two-hour event on November 13. Meanwhile, Paramount Network will launch its Yellowstone series marathon for Labor Day weekend, beginning on Friday…
MTV has canceled Floribama Shore after four seasons, according to TMZ. The first three seasons of the show, focused on eight young adults who converged on the Gulf Coast’s hottest beach town, Panama City Beach. The series headed west to Montana and Lake Havasu, Arizona for season four…
Deadline reports that Resident Evil has been canceled at Netflix after just one season. The show followed Ella Balinska‘s Jade Wesker as she fought for survival against the Umbrella Corporation in the series based on the popular horror game franchise. Additional cast members included Lance Reddick, Tamara Smart, Adeline Rudolph, Paola Nuñez, Ahad Raza Mir, Connor Gosatti and Turlough Convery…
