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Who Were the Shining Stars of the Night at the 2024 Oscars?

Who Were the Shining Stars of the Night at the 2024 Oscars?

The Oscars, arguably the most anticipated event in Hollywood, witnessed a host of winners, each leaving an indelible mark in the annals of film history. This year, the prestigious ceremony was dominated by Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb biopic, “Oppenheimer,” which walked away with the highest honor of Best Picture and six other accolades. However, the night was also filled with surprises, emotional speeches, and unexpected turns that kept the audience on their toes. We delve into the details of the big night and the individuals who took home the coveted golden statuette.

Spotlight on ‘Oppenheimer’

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” a chronicle of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the Manhattan Project, was the star of the ceremony. The film garnered a whopping seven awards, including the coveted Best Picture, making it the most awarded film of the night. Nolan also walked away with the Best Director award, marking his first Oscar win in his illustrious career.

Cillian Murphy: Best Actor

Cillian Murphy, who portrayed the titular character in “Oppenheimer,” clinched the Best Actor award. This marked Murphy’s first Oscar win and nomination, making him the first Ireland-born actor to win in this category. In his acceptance speech, Murphy dedicated the award to the peacemakers, highlighting the film’s theme of atomic destruction.

Robert Downey Jr.: Best Supporting Actor

Robert Downey Jr., who played a supporting role in “Oppenheimer,” won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Downey Jr. has had a long and successful career in Hollywood, notably playing Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He used his acceptance speech to express his gratitude for the role, stating that he needed the job more than it needed him.

‘Poor Things’ Wins Big

Yorgos Lanthimos’ dark comic fantasy “Poor Things” also made a significant splash at the Oscars, winning four awards. The film is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” set in Victorian-era Glasgow, and it stood out for its unique storytelling and stellar performances.

Emma Stone: Best Actress

Emma Stone, who portrayed the lead character Bella Baxter in “Poor Things,” took home the Best Actress award. This was Stone’s second win in the category at the Oscars, following her victory for “La La Land” in 2017. Stone used her acceptance speech to express her gratitude and dedicate the award to her daughter.

‘Poor Things’ Technical Achievements

“Poor Things” also swept the technical categories, winning for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design. These awards showcased the film’s meticulous attention to detail and its successful recreation of the Victorian era.

Musicians Take Center Stage

This year’s ceremony also recognized the vital role of music in film. Siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell won their second Best Original Song Oscar for “What Was I Made For?” from the highest-grossing film of 2023, “Barbie.” The win at the tender age of 22 made Eilish the youngest person in Academy Awards history to win two honors.

Notable Winners in Other Categories

The Best Supporting Actress award went to Da’Vine Joy Randolph for her role in “The Holdovers.” Cord Jefferson won Best Original Screenplay for “American Fiction,” and Justine Triet and Arthur Harari took home the Best Adapted Screenplay award for “Anatomy of a Fall.” “The Zone of Interest” from the United Kingdom clinched the Best International Feature Film award, marking the country’s first-ever win in this category.

Other Highlights of the Night

This years Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, had its fair share of light-hearted moments and surprises. From Kimmel’s opening monologue poking fun at the nominees to John Cena presenting an award in the nude, the night was filled with memorable moments. Another notable event was the appearance of Messi, the dog from “Anatomy of a Fall,” which caused quite a stir on social media.

SEE ALSO: The SAG Awards 2024: Who Were the Big Winners?

Google Partners with Columbia, UMich, ASU and Others to Offer Exclusive Program to Students

Google Partners with Columbia, UMich, ASU and Others to Offer Exclusive Programs to Students

Google have announced its working with Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business to offer new Industry Specializations in growing fields to complement the Google Career Certificates, which equip people with job-ready skills with no degree or experience required. Designed for individuals in continuing education programs, these specializations will equip Google Career Certificate graduates with additional skills for jobs in fields including sustainability and finance.

Over 80 percent of employers say that education more tailored to real-world career needs would improve the skills gap their business faces, and 92 percent of employers agree that a professional certificate strengthens a candidate’s application. To help address these employment gaps, the new courses are designed to teach skills in high-demand fields. The specializations include:

To ensure people are learning job-ready skills, the new courses were reviewed by companies including Deloitte and Rocket Companies. These companies are in the Google Career Certificates employer consortium, which includes over 150 employers — including Deloitte, Ford, Verizon and Google — that are committed to considering certificate graduates for relevant roles.

“Google is thrilled to offer Google Career Certificate graduates additional pathways to great jobs through our collaboration with some of the world’s leading universities,” said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “These new courses provide a unique opportunity for people to learn from experts at Google and renowned university faculty to learn the skills needed for growing industries.”

“ASU, together with Google, is reimagining how we serve learners from all backgrounds and stages in life who are looking for career advancement opportunities,” said Maria Anguiano, Executive Vice President of the Arizona  Learning Enterprise. “This career education program is driven by learner and industry needs for sustainability skills that are backed by robust academic expertise. Now, individuals don’t have to choose between learning from world-renowned scholars and gaining job skills that can be applied immediately at work. They can do both and succeed on their own terms.”

Community colleges across the U.S. are also offering the Google Career Certificates to further their workforce training offerings. This follows Google’s 2021 announcement that its certificates are free for all community colleges to add to curriculum at no cost.

Available on Coursera, the Google Career Certificates are in the high-growth fields of data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management, and user experience (UX) design. The certificates do not require a degree or experience and can be completed within 3-6 months of part-time study. There are over 100,000 graduates in the U.S. and seventy-five percent of them report a positive career impact within six months, such as a new job, higher pay, or a promotion. Fifty-five percent of graduates identify as Asian, Black, or Latino.

To learn more about the Google Career Certificates, visit grow.google/edu.

SEE ALSO: Schools vs. Smog: How Clean is the Air at Your College?

Rihanna to Headline 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Rihanna to Headline 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Singer Rihanna has been confirmed as the headline act for the halftime show at the 2023 Super Bowl.

The 34-year-old Barbadian singer, who has won nine Grammies and sold over 250 million records worldwide in her illustrious career, shared an image of her hand holding an American football on social media. The image was then re-posted the NFL and Roc Nation, her record label who are an executive producer of the half-time show.

“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” said rapper Jay-Z, founder of Roc Nation. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”

Seth Dudowsky, NFL’s head of Music, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage.

“Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”

The NFL halftime show is one of the biggest spectacles of the year with the world biggest artists invited to perform. Over the years, the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Dr Dre, 50 Cent and Mary J Blige have all headlined the show with millions of people tuning in from across the world.

She had been offered to perform in the Super Bowl halftime show in 2019 but turned the opportunity down as a means of showing solidarity with the NFL star Colin Kaepernick following his decision to kneel during the national anthem before the game.

Earlier in the year, she welcomed her first child with her boyfriend, fellow musician ASAP Rocky.

The 2023 Super Bowl will take place at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on 12th February.

SEE ALSO: Who Were the Big Winners at This Years Emmys?

Who Were the Big Winners in This Years Emmy Awards?

Who Were the Big Winners at This Years Emmys?

The White Lotus, Ted Lasso and Succession were some of the main winners at this years star-studded Emmys on Monday Night.

The award ceremony which took place at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theatre and hosted by actor Kenan Thompson, saw a wealth of high-profile actors and actresses and some of TV’s biggest stars. Winners for 25 categories were revealed from best drama to best supporting actor.

John Oliver, Zendaya, Jean Smart, Quinta Brunson, Amanda Seyfried, Julia Garner, Jerrod Carmichael, Jason Sudeikis and Michael Keaton were among the winners.

History was also made as Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae became the first Asian star to win the Emmy award for best male actor in a drama.

A full list of Emmy winners from Monday’s ceremony follows:

Outstanding drama series

  • Winner: Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Better Call Saul (AMC)
  • Euphoria (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Ozark (Netflix)
  • Severance (Apple TV+)
  • Squid Game (Netflix)
  • Stranger Things (Netflix)
  • Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Outstanding comedy series

  • Winner: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Abbott Elementary (ABC)
  • Barry (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Hacks (HBO/HBO Max)
  • The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Prime Video)
  • Only Murders In The Building (Hulu)
  • What We Do In The Shadows (FX)

Outstanding limited or anthology series

  • Winner: The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Dopesick (Hulu)
  • The Dropout (Hulu)
  • Inventing Anna (Netflix)
  • Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

Lead actor in a drama series

  • Winner: Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game (Netflix)
  • Jason Bateman – Ozark (Netflix)
  • Brian Cox – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)
  • Adam Scott – Severance (Apple TV+)
  • Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)

Lead actress in a drama series

  • Winner: Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Jodie Comer – Killing Eve (BBC America)
  • Laura Linney – Ozark (Netflix)
  • Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets (Showtime)
  • Sandra Oh – Killing Eve (BBC America)
  • Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Supporting actor in a drama series

  • Winner: Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Nicholas Braun – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
  • Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Park Hae-soo – Squid Game (Netflix)
  • John Turturro – Severance (Apple TV+)
  • Christopher Walken – Severance (Apple TV+)
  • Oh Yeong-su – Squid Game (Netflix)

Supporting actress in a drama series

  • Winner: Julia Garner – Ozark (Netflix)
  • Patricia Arquette – Severance (Apple TV+)
  • Jung Ho-yeon – Squid Game (Netflix)
  • Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets (Showtime)
  • Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul (AMC)
  • J Smith-Cameron – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Sydney Sweeney – Euphoria (HBO/HBO Max)

Lead actor in a comedy series

  • Winner: Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)
  • Bill Hader – Barry (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu)
  • Steve Martin – Only Murders In The Building (Hulu)
  • Martin Short – Only Murders In The Building (Hulu)

Lead actress in a comedy series

  • Winner: Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Prime Video)
  • Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
  • Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Elle Fanning – The Great (Hulu)
  • Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO/HBO Max)

Supporting actor in a comedy series

  • Winner: Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Anthony Carrigan – Barry (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Toheeb Jimoh – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Nick Mohammed – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Prime Video)
  • Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
  • Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Supporting actress in a comedy series

  • Winner: Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
  • Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Prime Video)
  • Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
  • Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
  • Sarah Niles – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Juno Temple – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
  • Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Lead actor in a limited series or movie

  • Winner: Michael Keaton – Dopesick (Hulu)
  • Colin Firth – The Staircase (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Andrew Garfield – Under The Banner Of Heaven (FX)
  • Oscar Isaac – Scenes From A Marriage (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Himesh Patel – Station Eleven (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Sebastian Stan – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

Lead actress in a limited series or movie

  • Winner: Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout (Hulu)
  • Toni Collette – The Staircase (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Julia Garner – Inventing Anna (Netflix)
  • Lily James – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
  • Sarah Paulson – Impeachment: American Crime Story (FX)
  • Margaret Qualley – Maid (Netflix)

Supporting actor in a limited series or movie

  • Winner: Murray Bartlett – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Jake Lacy – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Will Poulter – Dopesick (Hulu)
  • Seth Rogen – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
  • Peter Sarsgaard – Dopesick (Hulu)
  • Michael Stuhlbarg – Dopesick (Hulu)
  • Steve Zahn – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)

Supporting actress in a limited series or movie

  • Winner: Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Connie Britton – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Alexandra Daddario – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu)
  • Natasha Rothwell – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Sydney Sweeney – The White Lotus (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Mare Winningham – Dopesick (Hulu)

Outstanding variety talk series

  • Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO/HBO Max)
  • The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
  • Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)
  • The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Outstanding competition programme

  • Winner: Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls (Prime Video)
  • The Amazing Race (CBS)
  • Nailed It! (Netflix)
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
  • Top Chef (Bravo)
  • The Voice (NBC)

Outstanding documentary or non-fiction special

  • Winner: George Carlin’s American Dream (HBO/HBO Max)
  • Controlling Britney Spears (New York Times Presents) (FX)
  • Lucy And Desi (Prime Video)
  • The Tinder Swindler (Netflix)
  • We Feed People (Disney+)

Outstanding documentary or non-fiction series

  • Winner: The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)
  • The Andy Warhol Diaries (Netflix)
  • jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (Netflix)
  • 100 Foot Wave (HBO/HBO Max)
  • We Need To Talk About Cosby (Showtime)

Outstanding structured reality programme

  • Winner: Queer Eye (Netflix)
  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
  • Fixer Upper: Welcome Home (Magnolia Network)
  • Love Is Blind (Netflix)
  • Shark Tank (ABC)

Outstanding unstructured reality programme

  • Winner: Love On The Spectrum US (Netflix)
  • Below Deck Mediterranean (Bravo)
  • Cheer (Netflix)
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked (VH1)
  • Selling Sunset (Netflix)
A Royal Legacy - A Memorial on the Death of Queen Elizabeth II

A Royal Legacy – A Memorial on the Death of Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms has died at the age of 96. Her death was announced on September 8th 2022, after a brief period of illness which had raised concern for her health. She was surrounded by her family at her favourite home in Balmoral, Scotland. Her state funeral will take place on September 19th at Westminster Abbey, and her oldest son Charles, formerly the Prince of Wales, has already been invested as her successor, King Charles.

Tributes are being paid throughout the world to a monarch who will be remembered as a loyal, committed, and dedicated head of state who made it her duty to serve and represent the nation through seven decades of public service.

Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch and the second-longest of any monarch of a sovereign country. She was head of state of 15 other nations spread out across the world stretching from Fiji to Canada. Throughout those 70 years, she became a constant for many in a world which, since her coronation on June 2nd, 1953, has experienced numerous technological, industrial, economic and social changes. Her longevity on the throne will forever be admired, considering the tumultuous times she has lived through which no-one could possibly have predicted.

Early Years

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on 21st April 1926, on Bruton Street London, as the first child of Albert, Duke of York, second son of George V, and his duchess, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the prospect of her becoming the sovereign seemed unlikely.

Elizabeth and sister Margaret Rose were brought up in a loving household and were also educated at home, under the direction of their governess, Marion Crawford. From an early age, she was said to have displayed extraordinary levels of responsibility with those close around her ensuring that she was brought up as sensibly as possible. Despite not being sent to school, Elizabeth proved adept at languages and made a detailed study of constitutional history, with help from Queen Mary who was responsible for weekly museum and the educational gallery visits.

However, despite how quickly Elizabeth was growing up, her uncle, then Prince of Wales, was the golden boy of Britain and the Empire, and despite his affairs with women, his family expected him eventually to settle down with a suitable bride and father an heir. But she was nudged towards succession following the abdication of then Prince of Wales, and in 1936 her father, King George VI, was crowned King. His coronation and the years that followed gave Elizabeth a taste of what was to come for her.

And in February 1952, Elizabeth’s time would come after King George VI died in his sleep, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 6th February at Sandringham. Despite being still only in his fifties, it had been clear to see that the King was deteriorating as he was suffering from stress from the years of war as well as being gravely ill with lung cancer, which was developed through the many years of heavy smoking. Elizabeth saw her father for the final time in January at London airport before setting off for an overseas tour with Philip. Elizabeth heard of the death of the King while staying at a game lodge in Kenya and she instantly returned to London. As expected, the nation mourned his passing.

Coronation

At the age of 25, she became Queen Elizabeth II. Her coronation in June 1953 was the nation’s first televised coronation, already signifying a time of change. Despite the dull and dreary weather on that day, the mood was the complete opposite with hundreds of thousands gathered in London and millions across the nation and the commonwealth glued to their TV sets to get eyes on Queen Elizabeth II.

The nation was still experiencing post-war austerity but for many millions, the coronation was seen as a shining light and the beginning of a new age. Her reign commenced with the commonwealth tour, visiting thirteen countries, lasting from November 1953 to May 1954. This included trips to Australia and New Zealand, the first time a reigning monarch visited those nations.

One of the first major events Queen Elizabeth II was embroiled in was the Suez Crisis of 1956 which ultimately led to the resignation of then Prime Minister Anthony Eden. She was recommended to call Harold Macmillan to the palace to become the next Prime Minister and it was a similar story six years later when she was advised not to call in RA Butler to become Prime Minister, perhaps a more publicly acceptable figure, but instead Sir Alec Douglas-Home. The Conservative party did not have a process of electing a new leader during these years, so the pressure was on the shoulders of the young Queen. Following this, however, she was never put in such a position ever again.

One of her most historic state visits came in May 1965, when the Queen visited West Germany. This was the first state visit by a British monarch to Germany in over 50 years and it cemented the reconciliation between Britain and Germany after both world wars. She was warmly welcomed as it was believed that she rubber-stamped the legitimacy of West Germany as a player on the European and world stage.

Royal Family

During the late 1960s, growth in popularity of the Queen was on the agenda for Buckingham Palace. This led to the creation of Royal Family, a behind-the-scenes documentary. The aim was to portray the Royal Family in a more approachable and less formal manner. The documentary that aired on the BBC and ITV attracted in excess of 30 million viewers from Britain and featured scenes of the Royal Family watching TV, having a barbeque, and setting up the Christmas tree. Many criticised the documentary for diminishing the Royal Family’s image, but many others enjoyed the viewing.

The Silver Jubilee came in 1977, celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 25 years on the throne. The jubilee was significantly more successful than anyone had forecast. There were economic decline, elevated levels of inflation, industrial discontent, and general national uncertainty, but the Silver Jubilee united the nations to celebrate together as street parties were held across the nation.

It was not long before there were more reasons for celebration as the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer would get married. There was a sense of relief that the heir to the throne finally found himself a beautiful young bride – but in the years to come, the marriage would crumble in an unceremonious fashion.

Throughout these years, Queen Elizabeth II remained a dedicated figure and continued with her public duties. In 1986, the Queen paid a six-day state visit to China, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country, and following the events of the Gulf War, she visited the United States and became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress.

From 1992 onwards, however, came a very turbulent time for the Queen as she and the rest of the Royal Family were affected by scandal and increasingly unsympathetic Press coverage.

Divorce came for Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, the Duke of York, and his wife, Sarah, and it was the same story for Princess Anne and her marriage to Mark Phillips. Rumours of unhappiness between the Prince and Princess of Wales were also spread, and after a spectacularly undignified falling-out marked by massive media coverage, they also went their separate ways.

It did not get any better for Queen Elizabeth II after a large fire broke out at her favourite residence, Windsor Castle, in November 1992. This led to heavy scrutiny from the public over who should pay for the repairs. She went on to define 1992 as her “annus horribilis” and, in a speech in the City of London, looked to acknowledge the need for a more direct monarchy in return for media to reduce their hostility.

“No institution, city, monarchy, whatever, should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who give it their loyalty and support, not to mention those who don’t. But we are all part of the same fabric of our national society and that scrutiny can be just as effective if it is made with a measure of gentleness, good humour, and understanding.”

Buckingham Palace was on the defensive and within days announced that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles would be paying income tax on their private incomes in the future. But the biggest event to shake the monarchy was yet to come.

Death of Diana

The death of Diana Princess of Wales in a car crash accident in Paris in August 1997 truly rocked the monarchy and the nation. This led to a tide of accusations against the Royal Family, especially the Queen. Many questions were asked by the public and the media if Queen Elizabeth II cared, as for days after the death the Queen did not leave Balmoral. Additionally, there was a refusal to fly a flag on the roof of Buckingham Palace at half-mast because Queen Elizabeth was not in residence.

Queen Elizabeth II eventually paid tribute with a rare live broadcast to the nation.

“It is not easy to express a sense of loss, since the initial shock is often succeeded by a mixture of other feelings: disbelief, incomprehension, anger, and concern for those who remain,” she said. “We have all felt those emotions in these last few days. So, what I say to you now, as your queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart.”

As Queen Elizabeth II’s health began to decline as we entered the new millennium, her popularity began to grow again, particularly due to the Golden Jubilee, celebrating her 50 years on the throne. Once again, hundreds of thousands of people gathered outside Buckingham Palace the show appreciation with millions more watching on TV.

Similar celebrations occurred in the following years. Her 80th birthday in April 2006 witnessed thousands of well-wishers, in November 2007, 2,000 people attended a service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate 60 years of marriage between Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

In April 2011, there were celebrations of the wedding of her grandson William, Duke of Cambridge, to Catherine Middleton, and many thousands gathered outside Buckingham Palace once more just to get a glimpse of the Queen and the Diamond Jubilee of 2012.

Only a few months ago, millions of people were celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, and despite increasing mobility problems the Queen attended many of the planned public events. There were celebrations throughout Britain, the Commonwealth, and around the world, commemorating 70 years on the throne and 70 years of service, an achievement no other British monarch has ever managed.

Even more recently, on 6th September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II met with the newly appointed leader of the Conservative party, Liz Truss, where she asked her to form a government following the resignation of Boris Johnson. Liz Truss becomes the 15th Prime Minister she has seen in her incredible reign. The images that were released of the meeting did occasion some concern, with many observing the significant decline in the Queen’s health.

After news came that the royal doctors were concerned about her health, the nation and the world braced for the worst. That came at 6.30 pm on Thursday 8th September, when the Royal Family released a statement reading: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Mourning

She passed away died peacefully Balmoral Castle, her estate in the Scottish Highlands, with senior royals gathering to be with her during her last moments.

The nation now enters a period of mourning but also remembers how much of an incredible woman Queen Elizabeth II was. Her fortitude, grace and charm will be missed by millions across the nation and the world as everyone begins to adjust to the next in line, King Charles.

In a statement, the new King said: “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.

“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

Yet the death of Queen Elizabeth II has already prompted speculation that the role of the Royal Family in the nations and in the Commonwealth may have to change. Though a date has not yet been announced for the coronation of King Charles, but following the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II, the event will give a sense of continuity and renewal to a Royal Family which has endured troubled times, and which will have to adapt to an uncertain future.

SEE ALSO: Last Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dies Aged 91

Last Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dies Aged 91

Last Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dies Aged 91

Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and last ever Soviet Union leader, has died at the age 91 after suffering from a “difficult and protracted illness”.

Gorbachev’s office has previously stated that he was undergoing treatment at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow.

One of the most important figures in the 20th century, Gorbachev came into power in 1985 and strived to unlock the USSR as well as improve relations between themselves and the West. However, despite is best efforts, he was unable to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In the countries abroad, Gorbachev is remembered as the leader who provided freedom to millions of Soviet citizens but has also been blamed for the turmoil that followed on during the years after.

Praise

Political leaders and governmental figures from across the world have paid tribute to the former leader. In a statement, U.S. President, Joe Biden, defined Gorbachev for being “a man of remarkable vision” and praised him for the actions he took leading his nation.

“These were the acts of a rare leader – one with the imagination to see that a different future was possible and the courage to risk his entire career to achieve it. The result was a safer world and greater freedom for millions of people,” he continued.

“We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends, and to people everywhere who benefited from his belief in a better world.”

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, whom had a complicated relationship with Gorbachev, also expressed his condolences through a spokesperson and stated he would send a telegram to his family.

French President, Emmanuel Macron, described Gorbachev as “a man of peace whose choices opened a path to freedom for Russians”. While British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said he “always admired the courage and integrity he showed in bringing the cold war to a peaceful conclusion”.

António Guterres, secretary general of the United Nations, recounted Gorbachev as a “towering leader, committed multilateralist, and tireless advocate for peace”.

SEE ALSO: Trump Claims FBI Raided His Florida Home

Trump Claims FBI Raided His Florida Home

Trump Claims FBI Raided His Florida Home

Former U.S President, Donald Trump, has stated that his Florida home was raided by the FBI agents as part of legal investigations into his presidency.

Trump claimed agents had entered his home in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and broke into his safe and described their work as an “unannounced raid” that he compared to “prosecutorial misconduct.”

The search is reportedly connected to an investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and also casts more doubt into his planned potential return to the White House in 2024. It was also the first time a former U.S. president’s home has ever been searched by law enforcement.

“These are dark times for our nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said.

“After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” he continued.

The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI have yet to comment on the situation.

The raid has led to a large uproar from Republicans demanding there be an explanation on why the raid occurred. Mike Pence, Trump’s former Vice-President, wrote on Twitter: “I share the deep concern of millions of Americans over the unprecedented search of the personal residence of President Trump. No former President of the United States has ever been subject to a raid of their personal residence in American history.

“After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed.

“Yesterday’s action undermines public confidence in our system of justice and Attorney General Garland must give a full accounting to the American people as to why this action was taken and he must do so immediately.”

Allies which Trump has in Congress have affirmed that they will set up an investigation if they gain back control of the House of Representatives and Senate in November’s mid-term elections. Senior White House, Karine Jean-Pierre, informed CBS that President Joe Biden’s administration were no alerted about the FBI search on Monday.

“The president was not briefed and was not aware of it. No-one at the White House was given a heads-up,” she said.

President Biden Tests Positive for COVID

President Biden Tests Positive for COVID

U.S. President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 and is isolating at the White House.

The 79 year-old tested positive on Thursday morning with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre revealing in a statement that he is “experiencing very mild symptoms” and will continue to carry out all his duties.

“He has been in contact with members of the White House staff by phone this morning, and will participate in his planned meetings at the White House this morning via phone and Zoom from the residence.”

She also revealed in the statement that the president is taking Paxlovid, an antiviral medication.

Biden has been fully-vaccinated and has also been administered with two booster jabs.

In a video message released on social media, the president thanked people for their concern, affirming that he was “doing great” and “getting a lot of work done”.

In a letter released by the White House, Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, also described Biden’s symptoms as ‘mild’.

“Mostly rhinorrhea (or runny nose) and fatigue, with an occasional dry cough, which started yesterday evening,” O’Connor documented. He noted that he anticipates that “he will respond favorably” to Paxlovid, as “most maximally protected patients do”.

First Lady, Jill Biden, confirmed she tested negative but revealed that she has been in contact with the president.

“My husband tested positive for Covid. I talked to him just a few minutes ago. He’s doing fine, he’s feeling good,” she said. “I tested negative this morning. I am going to keep my schedule.”

Should Biden become unable to perform his duties due to illness she would be given presidential powers.

Biden was timetabled to give a speech on the subject of gun violence in Pennsylvania on Thursday. That was cancelled, and he is now expected to stay at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, for the weekend.

The virus has been on the rise again in the country with the BA.5 variant becoming the dominant strain. In total, there have been 89.7 million COVID cases and over one million deaths.

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The Significance of the U.S. Abortion Ruling

The Significance of the U.S. Abortion Ruling

On Friday 24th June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, upending the Roe v. Wade case from approximately half a decade ago. The Supreme Court did this by ruling in favor, by a 6-3 majority vote, to uphold Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks. 

In the official court opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote: “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution does not refer to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely — the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”

As a result, multiple states are now expected to introduce restrictions or ban the procedure again. This is a huge moment in U.S. history and will likely shatter the reproductive rights of American women, removing their constitutional right to privacy that protected access to abortion. 

Roe v. Wade

This was a legal case in 1973 which saw the U.S. Supreme Court rule 7-2 that governments lacked the power to prohibit abortions. The case revolved around 25-year-old Norma McCorvey (who took on the name Jane Roe in the case to protect her identity), a woman living in Texas who was pregnant with her third child but claimed that she was raped. She filed the case when pregnant to challenge the abortion laws where she was from as she was unable to access abortion care. On the other side of the argument was Henry Wade, a district attorney for Dallas County defending the laws. 

After the U.S District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in favor of McCorvey, Texas appealed and in doing so, the case was upgraded to the Supreme Court. In her lawsuit, Roe alleged that the state laws were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right to personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The Supreme Court decision was mainly due to the Fourteenth Amendment’s “right to privacy”. 

This decision led to significant changes to women’s rights regarding abortions. During the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy, women now had the right to an abortion. During the second trimester (three to six months), there was some government regulation. During the final trimester (six to nine months), states could restrict or ban abortions, but the case also cemented the idea that women could obtain an abortion even if there was a ban if doctors felt it was necessary to protect her health or save her life. 

Overturned 

Due to the decision of the Supreme Court, thirteen have already passed supposed trigger laws that will automatically prohibit abortion following their ruling. Additionally, several others are set to pass new restrictions in due course.

Reaction

Hundreds of demonstrators from both sides assembled outside the court with some anti-abortion activists joyful in celebration while there was anger and disappointment for the pro-choice supporters. The split in the reaction was also clear throughout social media with millions of people including celebrities expressing their opinions on the decision. 

Actor Seth MacFarlane said on Twitter: “Not too long ago, this would have been dystopian sci-fi. But the legacy of the 2016 election and the indelible mark of the GOP is printed here in black and white. How much farther this will go once again depends on American voters. Blame extremism or apathy, but this is America.”

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift expressed on Twitter that she’s “absolutely terrified that this is where we are — that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”

British entrepreneur Richard Branson said: “Overturning Roe v Wade is a devastating decision by the US Supreme Court. This will not reduce abortions, it will just make them unsafe. Reproductive rights are human rights. We must all stand up for choice.”

While Danny DeVito simply put: “Supreme Court my a**”

Many expressed their delight over the decision. Donald Trump said: “Today’s decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation, along with other decisions that have been announced recently, were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court. These major Victories prove that even though the Radical Left is doing everything in their power to destroy our Country, your Rights are being protected, the Country is being defended, and there is still hope and time to Save America!”

Actor Kevin Sorbo tweeted: “Life wins”. 

President Biden denounced the celebrations calling them “wrong, extreme and out of touch”.

The decision now places the United States as one of the four nations around the world since 1994 to restrict abortion. It also raises questions about the Supreme Court and has also led to concerns for other rights settled by them. 

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Elon Musk Pulls Out of $44bn Deal To Secure Twitter Ownership

Elon Musk Pulls Out of $44bn Deal To Secure Twitter Ownership

Billionaire Elon Musk has pulled out of an agreement he had reached with the board of Twitter to takeover the social media platform.

The deal that had previously been agreed was said to be worth an estimated $44bn. However, Musk has now back out because of Twitter’s failure to supply enough information on the number of spam and fake accounts.

The Tesla owner was set to take charge of the company that has heavily criticized in the past by various politicians and regulators as well as Musk himself claiming that it has not been used as a platform for “free speech”.

Musk had initially bid on the 14th April for $53.20 a share, approximately $43bn, and since then there had been extensive negotiations between the two parties.

The initial bid from Musk was rebuffed by the Twitter board but they did manage to agree a deal.

In a statement provided to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, representatives for Mr Musk said Twitter breached terms of an agreement and “appears to have made false and misleading representations”.

“Sometimes Twitter has ignored Mr Musk’s requests, sometimes it has rejected them for reasons that appear to be unjustified, and sometimes it has claimed to comply while giving Mr Musk incomplete or unusable information,” the statement continued,” the statement read.

Twitter’s chairman Bret Taylor revealed on the social media site that the company is “committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement”.

“We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery,” he continued.

The original agreement contains a $1bn (£830m) break-up fee.

According to Forbes magazine, Musk is the richest man in the world with an estimated net worth of $273.6bn. In addition to his ownership of Tesla, he has also co-founded many other major companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, Neuralink and Starlink.

When announcing the initial agreement on the platform, Musk tweeted: “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated

“I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans,” he added.

“Twitter has tremendous potential – I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it.”

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