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Full cast announced for Romeo and Juliet with Tom Holland

The Jamie Lloyd Company has announced the full cast for its upcoming West End production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, starring Tom Holland.

Holland (Romeo) is joined by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, whose acting credits include Bad Education (BBC), Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Antigone (Mercury Theatre), as Juliet.

The cast is completed by Freema Agyeman (Nurse), Michael Balogun (Friar), Tomiwa Edun (Capulet), Mia Jerome (Montague), Daniel Quinn-Toye (Paris), Ray Sesay (Tybalt), Nima Taleghani (Benvolio) and Joshua-Alexander Williams (Mercutio), Callum Heinrich and Kody Mortimer (Camera Operators).

Romeo and Juliet, which is directed by Jamie Lloyd, opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre, on 23 May, with previews from 11 May, and runs until 3 August 2024.

Holland said today: “Beyond excited to announce our cast for Romeo and Juliet. I can’t wait to get started and I know we’ll create something really special together.”

Francesca Amewudah-Rivers added: “I’m so grateful to be making my West End debut as Juliet with The Jamie Lloyd Company. It’s a dream to be joining this team of incredible artists with Jamie at the helm. I’m excited to bring a fresh energy to this story alongside Tom, and to welcome new audiences to the theatre.”

Zoe Saldaña takes on new role in “The Absence of Eden,” directed by husband Marco Perego

Zoe Saldaña is known for starring in big sci-fi franchises like “Avatar,” Star Trek” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Now, she’s taking on a new role, playing an undocumented immigrant who flees her home in Mexico for sanctuary. The film, “The Absence of Eden,” is directed and co-written by her husband, Marco Perego.

The movie does not take a political stance, the couple says, as it showcases the polarizing issue of immigration.

“I was really proud of him, that out of all the subjects that he could be, you know, building a story around, he chose immigration and the angle of humanity, which keeps us very neutral, but also keeps us in the form of art of telling stories that are compelling about human beings, about people,” Saldaña said.

The inspiration for Perego started with a personal project in 2016. He created a sculpture about immigrant children who died traveling from Syria to Italy. Perego collected 714 pairs of shoes to represent those children and filled them with concrete. It is now in a museum in Vancouver, Canada.

“For me it was, okay, how I can talk about humanity in more of a global aspect,” he said.

Perego spent two years researching and traveling to help tell this story for “The Absence of Eden.” He traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border with his co-writer multiple times.

“My biggest goal was to be as honest as possible when I was telling the story,” he said.

Saldaña explained it wasn’t only about sitting down with people who have been compelled to cross the border.

“It’s also people who work in law enforcement that have a duty to fulfill and sometimes that conflicts with their moral code or how they’re feeling in the core about what they’re doing.”

Saldaña said they may be uncomfortable conversations, but she thinks it’s important to have all sides to properly understand the issue.

“I feel like the issue of immigration has been an ongoing issue,” she said. “I think that what’s important in my opinion is for us not to forget as Americans that this nation was founded by immigrants.”

As for working on set as husband and wife for the first time, the couple joked about a few moments they disagreed.

“When she speaks Spanish, I’m in trouble,” Perego joked.

As time progressed, Saldaña said, the two found a working rhythm.

“I feel like the more experience we have, it’ll continue to get better and better,” Saldaña said.

“The Absence of Eden” hits theaters on April 12.

Kim Kardashian sued over ‘knockoffs’ of artist’s furniture

Donald Judd Foundation said Kardashian promoted fakes in YouTube video

Foundation accused Kardashian, interior design firm of infringing trademarks

March 27 (Reuters) -The Judd Foundation, a non-profit group dedicated to the legacy of artist Donald Judd, sued reality-television star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian in California federal court on Wednesday for allegedly featuring fake versions of his furniture in a YouTube video.

The foundation’s lawsuit said that Kardashian unlawfully described “knockoff” Judd tables and chairs made by Los Angeles-based interior design firm Clements Design as genuine Judd furniture. The complaint accused Kardashian of false endorsement and Clements Design of false advertising, unfair competition and trademark and copyright infringement.

Representatives for Kardashian and Clements Design did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

Judd Foundation president Rainer Judd, the artist’s daughter, said in a statement that Judd’s furniture is an “integral part of his legacy” and that the “existence of inauthentic furniture undermines the integrity of his original work.”

Judd, who died in 1994, was a leading figure in minimalist art whose works have been featured at museums including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and London’s Tate Modern. The foundation said it sells his furniture designs “faithfully adhering to Mr. Judd’s exacting specifications.”

According to the complaint, Kardashian’s skincare company SKKN by Kim hired Clements Design to make tables and chairs in Judd’s style for its offices. Kardashian allegedly publicized the fake furniture in a 2022 YouTube video tour of the offices.

“If you guys are furniture people — because I’ve really gotten into furniture lately — these Donald Judd tables are really amazing and totally blend in with the seats,” Kardashian said in the video, according to screenshots included in the complaint. A link in the complaint led to an inaccessible private YouTube video on Wednesday.

The lawsuit said several outlets covering the video wrongly reported that the office featured Donald Judd furniture, which “predictably led consumers to believe the source of the furniture was Judd Foundation” and that Kardashian and her company were “associated with or endorsed by Mr. Judd and the Donald Judd brand.”

The foundation said that it was left with “no choice” but to sue after Clements Design and Kardashian refused to recycle the furniture, delete the video or issue corrective advertising.

The case is Judd Foundation v. Clements Design Inc, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, No. 2:24-cv-02496.

For the Judd Foundation: Megan Bannigan and David Bernstein of Debevoise & Plimpton; and Russell Selmont of Ervin Cohen & Jessup

For Clements Design and Kardashian: not yet available

Vancouver-filmed ‘Happy Gilmore’ is getting a sequel & here’s what we know so far

Many iconic films have come out of Hollywood North over the years, but Happy Gilmore is undoubtedly at the top. Filmed in Vancouver and locations across BC, the ’90s sports comedy was a huge box office success upon its release, garnering fans from across the globe. And after 28 years since its release, it looks like we’re finally getting a long-awaited sequel.

Directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, and Julie Bowen – the movie tells the story of a former hockey player taking his talents to golf to earn enough money to buy his grandmother’s house back.

In a radio interview with Christopher McDonald (AKA Shooter McGavin), the actor reveals that Sandler has apparently been working on a draft of Happy Gilmore 2, which he showed to McDonald the last time the pair ran into each other.

“I saw Adam about two weeks ago, and he says to me, ‘McDonald, you’re gonna love this,’” McDonald shares in the interview. “I said, ‘What?’ He says, ‘How about that,’ and he shows me the first draft of Happy Gilmore 2.”

This news follows the passing of acclaimed actor Carl Weathers just over a month ago, who played Chubbs in the original film. Though the sequel certainly won’t be the same without his iconic character, it will be interesting to see how production unfolds.

While we wait for more details surrounding the sequel’s production, it just so happens that all four of the golf courses used in the original movie are located in Vancouver, and they’re open to the public.

So if you’re looking to relive some of the Happy Gilmore magic, here are the Vancouver golf courses to check out:

  • Stanley Park Pitch and Putt
  • Riverway Golf Course
  • Swaneset Bay Resort and Country Club
  • Furry Creek Golf and Country Club

So there you have it, Happy Gilmore fans. Stay tuned for filming info as it comes, including potential locations in BC should the project move forward in our province once again!

Conjoined twin Abby Hensel is now married

Abby and Brittany Hensel, who documented their lives in the TLC reality series “Abby & Brittany,” have a new member of the family.

Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel first gained national attention when they appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1996.

Now the sisters have reached a major life milestone: Abby is married.

The Hensels later starred in the feel-good TLC reality series “Abby and Brittany,” which showed them driving, traveling to Europe and even riding a moped. When the show ended after one season, Abby and Brittany had just graduated from college with degrees in education.

A lot has happened in the last decade. Abby, 34, is now married. According to public records, Abby, a teacher, and Josh Bowling, a nurse and United States Army veteran, tied the knot in 2021. The sisters also shared photos of the wedding on social media. The couple live in Minnesota, where the Hensels were born and raised.

The sisters are both teaching fifth grade in Minnesota.

According to pictures and videos on Bowling’s Facebook page, the family enjoys nature hikes, ice cream and and snow tubing. Invest Habit reached out to Abby for comment but did not get an immediate response.

Abby and Brittany are dicephalus conjoined twins, and share a bloodstream and all organs below the waist. Abby controls their right arm and leg, Brittany controls the left.

When Abby and Brittany were born in 1990, their parents, Patty and Mike Hensel, decided against separation surgery, deeming it too risky. At the time, doctors said there was little chance that both would survive the operation.

“How could you pick between the two?” Mike said, during a 2001 interview with Time magazine.

Only about one in every 200,000 live births result in conjoined twins. Approximately 70% of conjoined twins are female, and most are stillborn, according to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

In the 2003 documentary “Joined for Life,” Patty Hensel said that her daughters were interested in having children one day.

“That is probably something that could work because those organs do work for them,” Patty shared.

“Yeah, we’re going to be moms,” Brittany said. “We haven’t thought about how being moms is going to work yet. But we’re just 16 — we don’t need to think about that right now.”

Puerto Rico declares health emergency over dengue

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Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency over dengue, a mosquito-borne illness that has surged throughout the Americas this year.

Health officials in Puerto Rico have identified 549 cases of dengue across the US territory of 3.2 million people, with almost half the cases concentrated in the capital of San Juan. Also known as “breakbone fever,” dengue can cause headaches, soreness, fever and rashes — and, in extreme cases, death.

“This year, cases of dengue have surpassed historical records,” Health Secretary Carlos Mellado said in a statement.

The emergency declaration has no immediate impact on travel to or from Puerto Rico, a popular holiday destination, but it will make it easier for the health department to access funding for detection and prevention, Mellado said.

There have been major outbreaks of dengue this year across large swathes of the Americas, including Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Peru. Last year, parts of Florida were put under a mosquito-borne illness alert due to dengue.

Argentina’s National Health Minister Mario Russo his counterparts from Argentina’s 24 jurisdictions on Monday to analyse the spread of the virus across national terrain.

Record numbers are being reached in the country this season, with 151,310 affected and 106 confirmed deaths – surpassing the entirety of last year’s total cases.

Bird flu virus found in milk of Kansas cattle

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TOPEKA (KSNT) – Federal health officials say they have found the bird flu virus in cattle from three states, including Kansas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a press release that an investigation is active in the states of Kansas, Texas and New Mexico. Health officials are trying to determine why older dairy cows in these states are experiencing decreased lactation and low appetite among other symptoms.

On Monday, March 25, milk samples from the sick cows were collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and another in Texas. These samples tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) which is also known as the bird flu. Testing conducted in Texas shows the sickness was introduced to the farms by wild migrating bird populations.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories have not found changes to the virus which would make it transmissible to humans. The risk to the general public is low at this time.

There is currently no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or of a greater risk to the health of consumers. Dairies must only send milk from healthy animals with the milk from those found to be infected by HPAI being diverted or destroyed. Additionally, pasteurization is proven to counter bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture warned Kansans late last year of a rise in cases nationwide of bird flu cases. A case of bird flu was identified in a backyard flock in December 2023 in Pottawatomie County, likely as the result of migrating birds as they travel across the country.

HPAI is a highly contagious viral disease that can infect chickens, turkeys, and other birds and can cause severe illness and/or sudden death in infected birds, according to the KDA. This outbreak has seen illness and mortality in a wider scope of bird species than past outbreaks, including wild and domestic waterfowl.

Kansas soldier killed in action in D-Day landings returns home

Symptoms of HPAI include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and other signs of respiratory distress; lack of energy and appetite; decreased water consumption; decreased egg production and/or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; incoordination; and diarrhea. HPAI can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing other symptoms.

If you see these symptoms in your birds, immediately contact your veterinarian. If you don’t have a regular veterinarian, contact the KDA’s Division of Animal Health office toll-free at 833-765-2006. The KDA also updates its website with areas where HPAI is detected.

Powerball jackpot climbs to $865 million, Mega Millions $1.1 billion jackpot for Tuesday drawing

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MIAMI – The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $865 million after no one won Monday night’s drawing.

The numbers drawn were: 7, 11, 19, 53, 68 and the Powerball was 23.

Since the last winner on Jan. 1, there have been 36 straight drawings without a big winner.

The top prize up for grabs Monday night was for an estimated $800 million.

The $865 million prize on the line for the next drawing Wednesday night is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, with an initial payment and then 29 annual payments. Most winners choose a cash payout, which for Wednesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $416 million.

The Powerball prize has mushroomed at a time when Mega Millions has become even bigger, with an estimated annuity payout of $1.1 billion. It has a cash value of $525.8 million. The next Mega Millions drawing will be Tuesday night.

The odds of winning either of the big prizes are not in your favor.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million and the Mega Millions is an even longer shot at 1 in 302.6 million.

On the other hand, you can’t have a shot at possibly winning if you don’t play.

Visa, Mastercard, US merchants reach $30B credit deal

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Visa, Mastercard and United States retailers reached a $30 billion credit card swipe-fee agreement over the course of five years to resolve claims for injunctive relief in the Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation.

“This settlement achieves our goal of eliminating anti-competitive restraints and providing immediate and meaningful savings to all US merchants, small and large,” co-lead counsel Robert Eisler noted.

The deal allows merchants to charge additional fees to consumers when they use Visa or Mastercard credit cards during checkout and to use pricing tactics to encourage customers to choose lower-cost cards. The settlement is pending approval by the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Vietnam, Indonesia to Strengthen Economic Partnership Through Cutting-edge Technology Mastery

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Indonesia and Vietnam have planned to strengthen strategic economic partnerships through the mastery of cutting-edge technology.

“For a long time, we have wanted to form a strategic economic partnership forum with Vietnam,” Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs Edi Prio Pambudi said on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

He conveyed the statement after a bilateral meeting with Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Minh Hang, in Nha Trang City, Vietnam.

Pambudi said that Indonesia is interested in Vietnam’s rapidly growing cutting-edge industry, such as electric cars, semiconductors, telecommunications, and digital technology, in addition to agricultural and fisheries technology.

“For this reason, it is important for Indonesia to establish partnerships (with Vietnam) through research and development, the exchange of job opportunities and training for digital talents and engineers, and the facilitation of each other to open investment doors,” he said.

Furthermore, he said he had proposed the concept of a partnership agreement through diplomatic means and hoped it could be agreed upon soon.

The agreement will become a foundation to facilitate strategic and concrete economic cooperation, such as advanced technology training for technicians and digital talents.

Indonesia and Vietnam have partnered in several forums other than ASEAN, such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

However, Pambudi said there is a need to strengthen economic integration in ASEAN.

He also asked for Vietnam’s help as a member of the Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS), which is an ASEAN sub-regional cooperation forum, to communicate with other GMS partners.

Meanwhile, Nguyen said that the potential for establishing a strategic economic partnership between Indonesia and Vietnam came at the right moment, ahead of the 70th anniversary of Indonesia-Vietnam diplomatic relations.