Britney Spears‘ fight to end her 13 year conservatorship apparently began just as soon as it was enacted.
According to alleged voicemails that the pop star shared with her self-proclaimed ex-manager, Sam Lutfi, she’s been fighting since at least 2009. In the first clip shared to Lutfi’s Instagram, a voice Lutfi claims is Britney states, “I want out of this conservatorship.”
The “Toxic” singer, who shares sons Sean and Jayden with ex-husband Kevin Federline added, “I’ve been blackmailed by visitation with my babies by the conservatorship. I’m confined, restrained, and stripped of my civil rights. And I demand the state of California to review this case because I feel it’s illegal. Bye.”
In a second unverified message purported to be Britney, she checks in to make sure that the ball is rolling on ending her conservatorship, which is run by her father Jamie Spears, who she claimed “threatened me several times that he’ll take my children away.”
The pop icon then requested new representation from John Eardley and John Patterson in a third audio post that Lutfi said is from 2009.
In the fourth post, Britney again allegedly makes an impassioned plea to remove herself from the conservatorship, maintaining, “I am of sound mind and body. I do not want a conservatorship.”
She also reiterated the claim that her “civil rights are being violated” and that she’s being “held against my will.”
Lutfi expressed his frustration that none of these voicemails were taken seriously and were thrown out by judges despite being “time and phone number stamped.”
“These calls are to my phone, these calls cost me a ton of money in court, tarnished my name further but also tore my soul apart, I had no idea where to turn, no one was listening no one seemed to care,” he wrote.
Marilyn Manson has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought against him by Game of Thrones alum Esmé Bianco. In February, the actress accused him of sexual assault and sexual battery — claims Manson’s legal team previously said are “provably false.”
TMZ obtained the latest round of court documents pertaining to the shock rocker’s case. Manson, born Brian Warner, claims in the dismissal request that Bianco filed her lawsuit too late and, therefore, outside the statute of limitations.
Warner, who is also facing lawsuits from model Ashley Morgan Smithline and his former assistant, Ashley Walters, claims he is being victimized by a “coordinated attack.” The singer expressed in the documents that the women have launched a smear campaign against him and are “cynically and dishonestly seeking to monetize and exploit the #MeToo movement.”
According to the files, the 52-year-old insists Bianco took her accusations a step further, claiming she “spent months plotting, workshopping, and fine-tuning” her allegations into “twisted tales that bear no resemblance to reality.”
Earlier this year, Bianco told ABC News that Warner had physically, sexually and psychologically abused her during their three-year relationship. “I was coerced, I was defrauded, I was transported from the U.K. to the U.S., I was harbored, and then I was coerced into involuntarily servitude, which included sexual abuse and physical abuse,” she said.
Bianco’s allegations came after Warner’s ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Woodpublicly stated he had “horrifically abused [her] for years.”
A ruling has yet to be made on the rocker’s latest filing. Bianco has not yet responded to Warner’s claims.
Warner denies all wrongdoing and claims his relationships with all four women were “consensual.”
For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or if you’re unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474.
Lil Nas X set the internet abuzz again with the video for his new song “Industry Baby” — in particular for its NSFW prison shower dance sequence featuring pixelated nudity.
Now, Lil Nas is teasing an “uncensored” version of the video. For those curious enough to click, the video starts off as normal but once it gets to the shower scene the screen freezes as if it’s buffering — but the song continues.
Yep, he trolled us. Well played, Lil Nas.
The “uncensored” video has nearly four million views on YouTube, and fans were left laughing in the comments.
“If it’s one thing Lil Nas is gonna do, it’s TROLL lmaooo. we knew this was gonna be click bait and yet here we are,” one wrote.
Another added, “This is daylight robbery. He really got ad revenue and streams TWICE. Nas is a genius.”
(NEW YORK) — Rocket Lab successfully launched an experimental satellite for the United States Space Force on Thursday morning.
The California-based aerospace company returned its Electron rocket to flight from its space launch facility on New Zealand’s Mahia peninsula.
About an hour after a successful liftoff at 2 a.m. ET, the rocket deployed a small research and development satellite, called Monolith, into a 600-kilometer low-Earth orbit.
Monolith, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, will “explore and demonstrate the use of a deployable sensor, where the sensor’s mass is a substantial fraction of the total mass of the spacecraft, changing the spacecraft’s dynamic properties and testing ability to maintain spacecraft attitude control,” according to Rocket Lab.
“Analysis from the use of a deployable sensor aims to enable the use of smaller satellite buses when building future deployable sensors such as weather satellites, thereby reducing the cost, complexity, and development timelines,” the company said in a statement. “The satellite will also provide a platform to test future space protection capabilities.”
The launch was procured by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Space Test Program and the U.S. Space Force’s Rocket Systems Launch Program, both located at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. The mission was named “It’s a Little Chile Up Here” in a nod to New Mexico’s beloved green chile, according to Rocket Lab.
The U.S. Space Force is the newest and smallest branch of the American military, set up in 2019 under former President Donald Trump.
Thursday’s launch was the fourth of the year for Rocket Lab and the 21st involving Electron. It was also the first Electron launch since a failed mission on May 15, in which the rocket was supposed to deploy two Earth-observation satellites for global monitoring firm BlackSky but “experienced an anomaly shortly before stage two ignition,” Rocket Lab later said in a statement.
Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images
(TOKYO) — Each day, ABC News will give you a roundup of key Olympic moments from the day’s events in Tokyo, happening 13 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time. After a 12-month delay, the unprecedented 2020 Summer Olympics is taking place without fans or spectators and under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sunisa Lee wins gold
Sunisa Lee won the gold medal after a tremendous performance in the individual all-around competition. Lee’s teammate Simone Biles cheered her on from the stands as Lee delivered a strong floor exercise routine to seal the win.
Biles withdrew from the competition Wednesday so she could “focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement Wednesday. Biles’ replacement in the competition, Jade Carey, finished in 8th place.
Caeleb Dressel wins gold in 100m freestyle, sets Olympic record
U.S. swimmer Caeleb Dressel won his first individual gold medal after a record-setting time of 47.02 seconds in the 100m freestyle. Fellow swimmer Robert Finke took home the gold in the 800m freestyle event, increasing Team USA’s gold medal count to 13.
COVID-19 cases at Tokyo Olympics rise to 198, Tokyo sees record number of cases
There were 24 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 among people at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, including U.S. pole vaulter Sam Kendricks and two other athletes staying in the Olympic village. The total now stands at 198, according to data released by the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
The surrounding city of Tokyo reported a record high of 3,865 new cases on Wednesday, a seven-day average increase of 161.9%, according to data released by the Tokyo metropolitan government.
Heat continues to be a factor, tennis matches moved to later afternoon
The heat index hit 99 degrees on Wednesday, causing athletes, including the world’s second-ranked tennis player, Daniil Medvedev, to seek medical attention. The matches were moved from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time to avoid the hottest part of the day, the International Tennis Federation announced in a statement.
Djokovic 2 games away from Golden Slam
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, the top ranked tennis player in the world, is two games away from achieving a Golden Slam after defeating Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-0. A player would have to win all four major events and the Olympics in a calendar year, a triumph only ever attained by Germany’s Steffi Graf.
(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 611,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.1 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Just 57.6% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC on Tuesday, citing new science on the transmissibility of the delta variant, changed its mask guidance to now recommend everyone in areas with substantial or high levels of transmission — vaccinated or not — wear a face covering in public, indoor settings.
Here’s how the news is developing Thursday. All times Eastern:
Jul 29, 8:12 am
US now administering over 600,000 shots per day on average
Over 754,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines went into the arms of people across the United States on Wednesday, according to White House COVID-19 data director Cyrus Shahpar.
That figure includes 498,000 newly vaccinated individuals, Shahpar said, which is the highest daily amount reported since July 1.
The U.S. is now averaging more than 600,000 total shots administered per day, an increase of about 18% compared with last week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jul 29, 7:21 am
Daily case count hits record high in Tokyo amid Olympics
As the 2020 Summer Olympics plays out in Tokyo, the host city saw a record-breaking number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 for the third straight day.
A new all-time high of 3,865 cases were reported on Thursday, up from 3,177 on Wednesday and double the daily count a week ago, according to data from Tokyo’s metropolitan government. The Games, which were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, are being held under a regional state of emergency and stringent restrictions.
Although Japan has managed to keep its COVID-19 cases and death toll lower than many other countries, its numbers have been on the rise in recent weeks with infections soaring not just in the capital city but across the nation.
“We have never experienced the expansion of the infections of this magnitude,” Japanese chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters Tuesday.
At least 198 confirmed cases have been associated with the Tokyo Olympics. Of those, 24 were reported on Thursday and include three athletes who are staying at the Olympic Village, according to data from the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
Jul 29, 5:41 am
Dozens of cases across US linked to Christian summer camp
At least 75 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across 17 U.S. states have been linked to a Christian summer camp in North Carolina, officials said.
The outbreak is associated with campers and staff who attended The Wilds camp near Rosman in North Carolina’s Transylvania County between June 28 and July 17, according to a statement from the local public health department.
The camp, nestled on 1,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, offers sessions for children, adults and families.
Last week, a spokesperson for the camp told Ashevile ABC affiliate WLOS that they had cancelled sessions that week to work on enhancing COVID-19 protocols. Although there was no plan to cancel further sessions, the spokesperson said the camp was working to limit the number of attendees and started asking campers to get tested for COVID-19 before their sessions.
“We’ve been checking our staff, we’ve been doing screenings for everyone who comes onto the campsite and anticipating they’re coming to our campsite healthy,” the spokesperson told WLOS during a telephone interview last week. “And the anticipation is that they would leave healthy as well.”
Jul 29, 1:20 am
FDA approves shelf life extension for J&J vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration has approved another extension to the shelf life of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, from four-and-a-half months to six months, J&J said in a statement late Wednesday.
“The decision is based on data from ongoing stability assessment studies, which have demonstrated the vaccine is stable at six months when refrigerated at temperatures of 36 – 46 degrees Fahrenheit,” J&J said.
Jul 29, 12:38 am
CDC changes testing guidance for vaccinated people
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly updated its guidance on testing for vaccinated people on its website.
While the CDC had previously said vaccinated people did not have to get tested for COVID-19 after being exposed to someone with the virus, unless they had symptoms, that is no longer the case.
The government agency now recommends: “If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms.”
“You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. You should isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive,” the updated guidance states.
Jul 28, 10:20 pm
Disney World brings back indoor mask requirement for all guests
Masks once again will be required while indoors at Disney World, regardless of vaccination status, the company announced Wednesday, as Florida has quickly become a COVID-19 hotspot.
Starting Friday, face coverings will be required for all guests ages 2 and up while indoors, including upon entering and throughout all attractions.
They are also required while riding Disney transportation.
Masks are still optional in outdoor common areas, the company said.
The theme park had initially dropped its mask requirement for vaccinated guests last month.
The updated rule will also go into effect Friday at Disneyland in California.
(WASHINGTON) — The first Afghans who worked for the U.S. military and diplomatic missions are being evacuated and will arrive in the U.S. late Thursday night or early Friday morning, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that they would arrive “very, very soon,” speaking during a press conference in Kuwait. He confirmed that the U.S. and Kuwait have had diplomatic discussions about hosting another group of Afghans, including during the day’s meetings, but he did not announce an agreement to do so.
These arrivals are the first after President Joe Biden’s pledged to support Afghan interpreters, guides and other contractors who served alongside U.S. troops and diplomats — many of whom now face threats from the Taliban as the militant group gains strength amid the U.S. military withdrawal.
Biden ordered all remaining American forces out of the country by the 20th anniversary this fall of the Sept. 11th attacks, which first brought U.S. troops to Afghanistan to destroy al Qaeda’s operations in the country and topple the Taliban government that gave them sanctuary.
Afghans who worked for the U.S. mission and now face threats for that work are eligible for a special immigrant visa program for them and their families. There are approximately 20,000 Afghans who have applied, plus their family members, according to a State Department spokesperson — although it’s unclear how many of them the administration plans to evacuate.
So far, the administration has announced that some 750 Afghans who have already been approved and cleared security vetting will be brought to the U.S., along with their family members — 2,500 in total. They will be housed and provided temporary services at Fort Lee, a U.S. Army base in central Virginia, for seven to 10 days as they undergo medical exams and finish their application processing.
A second group of some 4,000 Afghan applicants, plus their family members, will also be housed overseas, possibly including at U.S. military installations, according to senior State Department officials. A U.S. official told ABC News the administration has had conversations with Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and several Central Asian countries — Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
But during his visit to Kuwait, Blinken did not announce a new agreement with the U.S. ally to house Afghans there, where there are several U.S. military installations.
Blinken confirmed for the first time that the U.S. and Kuwait are discussing the mission, including in his meetings Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it seemed they were unable to reach an agreement.
“We’re talking to a number of countries about the possibility of temporarily relocating” Afghans, Blinken told reporters. “That’s one of the issues that came up in our conversations today, but we are very much focused on making good on our obligations.”
(WASHINGTON) — The first Afghans who worked for the U.S. military and diplomatic missions are being evacuated and will arrive in the U.S. late Thursday night or early Friday morning, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that they would arrive “very, very soon,” speaking during a press conference in Kuwait. He confirmed that the U.S. and Kuwait have had diplomatic discussions about hosting another group of Afghans, including during the day’s meetings, but he did not announce an agreement to do so.
These arrivals are the first after President Joe Biden’s pledged to support Afghan interpreters, guides and other contractors who served alongside U.S. troops and diplomats — many of whom now face threats from the Taliban as the militant group gains strength amid the U.S. military withdrawal.
Biden ordered all remaining American forces out of the country by the 20th anniversary this fall of the Sept. 11th attacks, which first brought U.S. troops to Afghanistan to destroy al Qaeda’s operations in the country and topple the Taliban government that gave them sanctuary.
Afghans who worked for the U.S. mission and now face threats for that work are eligible for a special immigrant visa program for them and their families. There are approximately 20,000 Afghans who have applied, plus their family members, according to a State Department spokesperson — although it’s unclear how many of them the administration plans to evacuate.
So far, the administration has announced that some 750 Afghans who have already been approved and cleared security vetting will be brought to the U.S., along with their family members — 2,500 in total. They will be housed and provided temporary services at Fort Lee, a U.S. Army base in central Virginia, for seven to 10 days as they undergo medical exams and finish their application processing.
A second group of some 4,000 Afghan applicants, plus their family members, will also be housed overseas, possibly including at U.S. military installations, according to senior State Department officials. A U.S. official told ABC News the administration has had conversations with Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and several Central Asian countries — Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
But during his visit to Kuwait, Blinken did not announce a new agreement with the U.S. ally to house Afghans there, where there are several U.S. military installations.
Blinken confirmed for the first time that the U.S. and Kuwait are discussing the mission, including in his meetings Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it seemed they were unable to reach an agreement.
“We’re talking to a number of countries about the possibility of temporarily relocating” Afghans, Blinken told reporters. “That’s one of the issues that came up in our conversations today, but we are very much focused on making good on our obligations.”
(TOKYO) — Sunisa Lee has won gold in the gymnastics all-around at the Tokyo Olympics.
Americans have now won gold in the women’s gymnastics all-around for the last five Olympic Games, starting with Carly Patterson in 2004, Nastia Liukin in 2008, Gabby Douglas in 2012 and Simone Biles in 2016.
Lee went into the all-arounds with a medal already in her pocket, having been part of the U.S. team that won silver Tuesday.
An event initially thought to be a showcase for the all-time great, the all-around field was blown wide open with Simone Biles’ withdrawal.
Each nation is only allowed up to two athletes to compete in the individual gymnastics event. After the qualifying event this past weekend, Biles, who came in first, and Lee were set to be the Americans in the final. Biles’ withdrawal opened up a spot for Jade Carey.
Carey came in ninth in the qualifier overall — rankings that included Biles and a third Russian Olympic Committee gymnast ahead of her.
Lee, meanwhile, came in third behind Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade. The difference between Lee’s and Andrade’s scores was 0.23 points; the difference between Carey’s and Andrade’s scores was 1.13.
The Minnesota-based Lee went into the all-arounds with a medal already in her pocket, having been part of the U.S. team that won silver Tuesday.
The first Hmong American Olympian, Lee, 18, reached victory with a strong performance in her signature event, uneven bars, and a strong vault.
Rebeca Andrade of Brazil won silver, bringing home the first gymnastics medal for a Brazilian woman. Angelina Melnikova, a Russian athlete competing under the ROC, won bronze.
An event initially thought to be a showcase for the all-time great, the all-around field was blown wide open with Simone Biles’ withdrawal.
Each nation is only allowed up to two athletes to compete in the individual gymnastics event. After the qualifying event this past weekend, Biles, who came in first, and Lee were set to be the Americans in the final. Biles’ withdrawal opened up a spot for Jade Carey.
Carey ultimately finished the event in eighth place, with a powerful performance on her stronger apparatus, vault, but a fall on beam.
Carey came in ninth in the qualifier overall — rankings that included Biles and a third Russian Olympic Committee gymnast ahead of her.
Lee is a phenom on uneven bars, while Carey is strong on vault. In the qualifier, they both scored over 15 points on those respective apparatuses, accounting for two of the five above-15 scores on any apparatus from any athlete in that event.
After the individual all-around, Lee has qualified to compete in the uneven bars and balance beams event finals, and Carey has qualified for the vault and floor event finals. Carey qualified for the Olympics as an individual, not part of the team competition.
Biles had a misstep on vault at the start of the team competition and withdrew from the rest of competition. USA Gymnastics announced her withdrawal from the all-around event on Wednesday.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USAG said in a statement.
The organization added that Biles “will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week’s individual event finals.”
She was in the stands with the rest of the Team USA gymnasts cheering Lee and Carey on Thursday.
Netflix has stepped up the fight against COVID-19 by requiring actors and other so-called “Zone-A” personnel — those who interact directly with a cast — to be vaccinated for all of its productions.
Deadline reports the move comes after Hollywood unions gave producers the option to require vaccines for such personnel on a “case by case” basis, but Netflix has become the first studio to implement it.
The move was met with mixed responses on social media; WandaVision star Kat Denningreplied right away on Twitter with, “Your move, everyone else!”
While she got hundreds of retweets and many supported it, others replied with comments like “Not legal,” and another griped “Soooo get the shot or don’t have a job? Wow.”
Since production resumed in Hollywood after the pandemic shutdowns, all studios have implemented rigorous COVID-19 protocols. These include frequent testing, and dividing cast and crew into various zones in an effort to shield talent from other members of the crew and eliminate any unnecessary interaction. It also better allows productions to quickly isolate anyone who might test positive.
