Major expanded recall on frozen shrimp sold at Whole Foods, other retailers

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(NEW YORK) — Time to take stock of what’s in your freezer after a major frozen shrimp producer issued an expanded recall on a range of products due to salmonella concerns.

Avanti Frozen Foods Pvt. Ltd, expanded a voluntarily recall that was first issued June 25, 2021 to now include “certain consignments of various sizes of frozen cooked, peeled, deveined, shrimp (with some packaged with cocktail sauce) sold in various unit sizes, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”

Avanti sells its shrimp under a range of labels. Initially, the recall included frozen shrimp from Censea, CWNO, Chicken of the Sea, Honest Catch, Hannaford, Waterfront Bistro, Open Acres, 365 (Whole Foods), and Meijer. Now it has expanded to include new brands and additional SKUs from the previous brands listed.

Click here for full details on the affected products, codes and labels from the FDA.

The affected frozen raw and cooked shrimp products were distributed nationwide from November 2020 to May 2021, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

According to the recall, there have been nine reports of salmonella-related illness to date associated with these shrimp distributions. Avanti has taken several preventive steps and initiatives to eliminate potential for future contaminations.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious illness, especially in young children, elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Although a number of product included in the recall has not been associated with any illness, according to Avanti Frozen Foods, this expansion was initiated out of an abundance of precaution after discussions with FDA and CDC.

Consumers who purchased any of the products in question are urged not to eat it and return them to the place of purchase or contact the company by phone with questions.

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Iron Maiden drops new ‘Senjutsu’ song, “Stratego”

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If your board game time needs a heavier soundtrack, then Iron Maiden is here for you.

The metal legends have dropped a new song called “Stratego,” a track off their upcoming album Senjutsu. While there aren’t specific mentions of flags, bombs or spies, the tune does include lyrics such as “Teach me the art of war” and “Spills of a crying nation upon my soul.”

You can listen to “Stratego” now via digital outlets.

Senjutsu, Iron Maiden’s 17th studio album and its first since 2015’s The Book of Souls, is due out September 3, and can be pre-ordered now. It also includes the previously released single “The Writing on the Wall.”

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Nas hits number one on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts for the tenth time with ‘King’s Disease II’

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Nas is once again the ruler of the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as his latest release, King’s Disease II, debuts at number one. This is his tenth album to top the chart, and his first in nine years to hit number one.

King’s Disease II, featuring Eminem, YG, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Charlie Wilson and Ms. Lauryn Hill, sold 56,000 units in its first week.

The Illmatic rapper hit the streets this week promoting his new music, and posted an Instagram video showing him randomly giving out free CDs and sharing fist bumps with his fans.

“This new album got me out here acting like a bootlegger in 2004,” Nas commented.

Nas is the 12th artist to have at least ten number-one albums on the chart. The Temptations lead with 17, followed by Jay-Z with 14, Future and R. Kelly with 12, and Drake has 11. Nas is tied with Aretha Franklin, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder and The Isley Brothers, all of whom claim 10 chart-topping albums.

Nas’ new music is the follow-up to King’s Disease, which won a Grammy for Best Rap Album earlier this year, his first win after 13 nominations.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Nasir Jones (@nas)

 

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Barbra Streisand makes ‘Billboard’ history with ‘Release Me 2’ debut

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Barbra Streisand has made history once again, this time with her Release Me 2 album, which debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 chart dated August 21.

The debut makes Barbra the only woman to chart a new album in the top 20, or top 40, of the Billboard albums chart in every decade from the 1960s through the 2020s.

The 79-year-old music legend made her Billboard 200 chart debut 58 years ago, when The Barbra Streisand Album bowed at No. 17 in 1963.  It later peaked at No. 9.

The only other act to have sent an album into the top 20 or top 40 in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, ’10s and ’20s is Bob Dylan, who accomplished that thanks to his Rough and Rowdy Ways collection, which peaked at No. 2 in 2020.

Streisand also extends her record for the most top-40-charting albums among women in the history of the Billboard 200 chart, which began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in 1956.  Release Me 2 brings her total of top-40-charting albums to 54, ahead of Aretha Franklin, who has 26.  Frank Sinatra tops all acts, with 58.

Release Me 2 features a collection of 10 previously unreleased Streisand recordings.  The first volume, Release Me, came out in 2012.

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FTC doubles down, hits Facebook with amended antitrust complaint

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(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Trade Commission is not backing down in its antitrust legal battle against Facebook.

The agency filed an amended complaint against the social media giant on Thursday — voting 3-2 along party lines to proceed — after a federal judge in June dismissed an initial antitrust complaint brought by the FTC.

The new complaint alleges that after Facebook failed to develop innovative mobile features for its network, the company instead opted for an “illegal buy-or-bury scheme” to maintain dominance, according to a statement from the FTC. The agency also accuses the company of “unlawfully” acquiring innovative competitors after its own failed efforts to create popular mobile features.

“Facebook lacked the business acumen and technical talent to survive the transition to mobile. After failing to compete with new innovators, Facebook illegally bought or buried them when their popularity became an existential threat,” Holly Vedova, the FTC’s Bureau of Competition acting director, said in a statement Thursday. “This conduct is no less anticompetitive than if Facebook had bribed emerging app competitors not to compete.”

“The antitrust laws were enacted to prevent precisely this type of illegal activity by monopolists,” Vedova added. “Facebook’s actions have suppressed innovation and product quality improvements. And they have degraded the social network experience, subjecting users to lower levels of privacy and data protections and more intrusive ads.”

Vedova said the FTC’s latest legal move seeks to “put an end to this illegal activity and restore competition for the benefit of Americans and honest businesses alike.”

Many of the arguments are along similar lines of the initial lawsuit, though the FTC said the new complaint includes additional data and evidence.

The new complaint in part focuses on the “transition period” when the emergence of smartphones and mobile internet use seemingly threatened Facebook’s dominance.

The agency alleges in a statement that after Facebook suffered “significant failures during this critical transition period,” the company opted instead to engage in anticompetitive behavior and buy up mobile innovators, including former rivals Instagram and WhatsApp.

The agency also takes aim at Facebook’s treatment of software developers, saying that after starting its Facebook Platform as an open space for third-party software developers, it abruptly reversed course and required developers to agree to conditions that prevented successful apps from emerging as competitors.

In response to ABC News’ request for comment, Facebook referred to a company Twitter post that said: “We are reviewing the FTC’s amended complaint and will have more to say soon.”

In response to the initial complaint, the company has previously slammed the allegations as “revisionist history,” noting that the agency had cleared the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The company has also argued that Instagram and WhatsApp have become what they are today due because Facebook further funded and developed them.

When he dismissed the initial antitrust complaint, District Judge James Boasberg stated that the agency’s complaint “is legally insufficient and must therefore be dismissed.” Boasberg said the FTC failed to provide enough facts to prove Facebook’s alleged monopolistic behavior.

Lina Khan, a vocal critic of Big Tech’s dominance, took the helm at the FTC earlier this year, leading many to speculate a crackdown on the industry could be looming. Facebook has petitioned for Khan to be recused from the antitrust investigation, but the agency on Thursday dismissed the petition. 
 

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Lil Nas X on how his gospel singer dad inspired him to pursue music

Courtesy of V Magazine

In a new cover story with VMAN, Lil Nas X reveals how his father’s musical aspirations inspired him to pursue a music career of his own.
                                               
“My dad is a gospel singer,” the 22-year-old tells the mag. “He still sings gospel but not as much. I guess [he] inspired me to say, ‘Wow, if my dad can go out there now, at almost 50 years old, and make music, what’s stopping me?’ It was definitely a part of what pushed me. I actually ended up using one of his engineers for some of my earlier music.”

With his upcoming album Montero — titled for Lil Nas’ birth name — the singer is putting himself out there more than ever before.

“The album is me inviting people into the world of me…into the world of Montero,” he says. “[This] project gave me the opportunity to bravely show different parts of myself. Parts that I may not have shown so openly previously.”

Lil Nas says he hopes people will listen to the album and learn something about themselves through learning more about him.

“I want the takeaway to be that it’s okay to be yourself, and I mean every aspect of your true self,” he says.

Lil Nas has yet to announce a release date for Montero, which features the songs “Montero (Call Me by Your Name), “Sun Goes Down” and “Industry Baby.”

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The ACM Awards will livestream on Amazon Prime in 2022

Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music/Amazon Prime Video

The Academy of Country Music Awards is forgoing broadcast television in 2022 in favor of an Amazon Prime livestream.

It’s the latest development in a dramatic series of twists and turns for the country music awards show, which most recently aired on its longtime broadcast network home of CBS in April. But following that event, the Academy parted ways with the network after failing to agree on deal-renewal terms.

Now, it’s set to become the first-ever mainstream awards show to livestream exclusively. 

“We are thrilled that the Academy of Country Music Awards are first to take this giant step toward the future of awards shows with Amazon Prime Video,” Damon Whiteside, the Academy’s CEO, says in a statement. 

The exact date and location of next year’s ACM Awards will be announced at a later time. As always, the 2022 ACMs promise to bring together country music’s top artists for a packed show full of collaborations, world-television-premiere performances and other unforgettable moments.

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Pop Evil reschedules concerts postponed due to frontman’s positive COVID-19 test

Credit: Tammy Vega

Pop Evil has announced rescheduled dates for concerts the band postponed after frontman Leigh Kakaty tested positive for COVID-19.

The affected shows ran from August 17 to August 25. The new dates are scattered through late August, September and October.

Previously purchased tickets will be valid at the rescheduled shows. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit PopEvil.com.

Pop Evil announced news of Kakaty’s positive test earlier this week. In a statement, they noted that all band and crew members were vaccinated ahead of the tour.

Kakaty and company plan to return to the road August 27 in Virginia Beach. They’ve been touring in support of the new Pop Evil album, Versatile, which dropped in May.

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Teen pays tribute to late mom with graduation photoshoot

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(GEORGIA) — A Georgia teen honored his late mother through a graduation photoshoot.

KJ Morgan’s mother Teresa Colbert died from cancer on May 19, 2019, near the end of his freshman year at Northside High School. In preparation for his graduation this May, Morgan, 17, did a photoshoot with his mom’s portrait and wore a custom stole with photos of her on it.

“When she was here, we’d always talk about how I was going to graduate and I was going to be the one crying and she was going to be the one laughing and screaming,” Morgan told “Good Morning America.”

Morgan was supposed to graduate in May 2022, he said, but his mom’s death pushed him to work harder and graduate a year early.

“She was already not here,” he said. “So I was like, ‘Why don’t you just graduate early and make it 10 times more better?'”

In order to accomplish that, Morgan said he took college classes at Central Georgia Technical College in addition to his regular high school course load.

“From January to May, I took eight classes and for the summer semester I had five classes,” he said.

Morgan’s early graduation was even more special to him he said, because he had to miss class to take care of his mom.

“I missed so many school days taking care of my mom,” he said. “So my ninth grade year, I was failing classes back to back yet I still managed to graduate a whole year early. It just put the cherry on top for me. It did it for me to know that my mom wouldn’t be disappointed in me. … I just wanted to make her proud and this was my way of making her proud.”

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WILLOW announces headlining tour dates

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WILLOW has announced a headlining U.S. tour in support of her new, pop-punk-influenced album, Lately I Feel Everything.

The trek is set to launch September 14 in Santa Ana, California, and will conclude October 19 in Atlanta. The full list of dates is listed on WILLOW’s Instagram.

WILLOW released Lately I Feel Everything in July. It features Blink-182‘s Travis Barker, who plays on the single “Transparent Soul,” and a collaboration with Avril Lavigne.

As previously reported, WILLOW will be opening for the first leg of Billie Eilish‘s U.S. tour, kicking off in February 2022.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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