2025-07-31 12:01:30.907

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry had dinner together in Montreal this week, sparking romance rumors. A communications consultant for the restaurant Le Violon confirmed the pair spent about two hours at the establishment Monday evening. Photos of the meetup, published by TMZ, show Trudeau and Perry in animated conversation. The consultant stated that the pair kept to themselves and there were no public displays of affection. The menu included a range of appetizers such as tuna, beef tartare, lobster, and asparagus, with lamb as their main course. Chef Danny Smiles greeted them, and they thanked the kitchen staff before leaving. Perry recently split from Orlando Bloom and is currently on tour. Trudeau and his ex-wife Sophie Grégoire separated in 2023. Representatives for both Trudeau and Perry have not yet commented on the dinner.

2025-07-31 12:01:30.896

Senate Democrats are employing a rarely used procedural tool to force the release of additional files from the Jeffrey Epstein case. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, demanding the release of all Epstein-related files, including audio and video, by August 15th. This action is based on a nearly 100-year-old law allowing a group of committee members to request information from the administration, even without subpoena power. The Justice Department is unlikely to comply, anticipating a protracted legal fight. While both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have called for more transparency, the Democrats' move is seen as a strategic effort to keep the issue prominent as lawmakers head into their August recess. The Democrats are prepared to go to court, viewing the controversy as a key test for President Trump. Meanwhile, in the House, a bipartisan effort is underway to subpoena the files, and House Speaker Mike Johnson is navigating internal GOP pressure to release more information, while warning against a poorly drafted resolution.

2025-07-31 06:00:37.79

Donald Trump's attempts to silence media criticism have claimed another victim: Eduardo Porter, a prominent critic of Trump's regime, recently left the Washington Post, citing Jeff Bezos's apparent fear of Trump's retaliation against his business interests. This decision follows the silencing of Stephen Colbert, whose show was canceled by Paramount after his criticism of their settlement with Trump. Paramount's subsequent sale to Skydance involved a promise to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs and establish a Trump-friendly ombudsman. This pattern of silencing extends to universities, like Columbia, which cooperated with the Trump administration to avoid losing federal research grants. The author argues that this widespread silencing of criticism represents a significant threat to American democracy, highlighting Trump's vindictiveness and abuse of power to punish those who dare to criticize him.

2025-07-31 06:00:37.78

A recent study explored the link between hearing loss and dementia, suggesting that treating hearing loss could benefit brain health. While the connection isn't fully understood, audiologist Nicholas Reed emphasizes prioritizing hearing health due to its established benefits. Hearing loss, often misconstrued as simply reduced volume, is actually a clarity issue affecting different frequencies at varying rates. It's often normalized as part of aging, but it can have downstream effects, hindering patient-provider communication. Research suggests a potential association between hearing loss and increased cognitive decline and dementia risk, with one study indicating that 32% of dementia risk in a sample group could be linked to hearing loss. However, a cause-and-effect relationship hasn't been established. Potential reasons for the association include social isolation and reduced brain stimulation from lack of auditory input. To mitigate the risk, the use of hearing aids and noise protection are recommended. Preventing hearing loss involves managing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, limiting exposure to loud noises, and adopting healthy listening habits. Regular hearing tests starting in the late 30s or 40s are advised. While hearing loss isn't always reversible, treatments like hearing aids and assistive technologies can help. Hearing aids improve quality of life and may indirectly support brain health by easing cognitive load and increasing brain stimulation. Social engagement is crucial, and support from communities is essential for managing hearing loss effectively.

2025-07-31 06:00:37.762

Amy Odell's new biography, "Gwyneth," explores the life of Gwyneth Paltrow, from her privileged upbringing as a "nepo baby" to her creation of the wellness brand Goop. Despite Paltrow's refusal to participate and attempts to fact-check the book, Odell paints a comprehensive picture of Paltrow's life and career, drawing on interviews with over 220 people. The book delves into Paltrow's relationships with famous exes like Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck, her complex relationship with her father, and her early struggles with fame. It also examines the creation and evolution of Goop, highlighting its controversial products and marketing strategies, and its impact on the wellness industry. Odell's biography explores Paltrow's ambivalent relationship with fame, her early disdain for those deemed overweight, and her role in the #MeToo movement. Ultimately, the book positions Paltrow as a complex and influential figure who helped shape modern trends and attitudes toward wellness, albeit with questionable practices and dubious claims.

2025-07-30 06:00:12.412

A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, causing widespread damage and triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific. Tsunami waves of 3-4 meters hit Russia's Kuril Islands, while Japan's Hokkaido experienced waves up to 40cm. Hawaii also sounded emergency sirens as it braced for potential destructive waves. Over 900,000 people in Japan were asked to evacuate, and a state of emergency was declared in affected areas of Russia. The earthquake, one of the strongest recorded in decades, caused injuries in Kamchatka and damaged infrastructure, including a power grid in Sakhalin. Tsunami warnings were issued for parts of Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, and other Pacific coasts. Workers were evacuated from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan as a precaution, although no abnormalities were reported. The earthquake's impact was felt across a wide area, and the situation remains ongoing.

2025-07-30 00:00:31.558

Inflate thy balloons and unsheathe thy Party Rings, for here is Chief of War (Apple TV+) to remind us of the joy of the scowling historical epic. Here too, almost, is Battle of Hastings belter King & Conqueror (BBC, August). And Spartacus: House of Ashur (Starz, this winter). Also in the period-specific pipeline are second series for Disney+’s brilliant Shogun and Amazon Prime’s terrible House of David. Historical epics, it would not be unreasonable to say, are everywhere. But which are the best and which should be catapulted, screaming, across a poorly rendered CGI battlefield? Given their abundance, some arbitrary judging criteria are clearly in order. Hence: no “fantasy” nonsense (ie Game of Thrones) and nothing set after the early 1800s, the latter on the grounds that a) there are too many of the sods and b) Julian “Downton Bloody Abbey” Fellowes has effectively tucked the era under his top hat and run off with it while honking like an overprivileged goose. Let battle commenceth… The Best Chief of War (2025) A barrel-chested wodge of Big History in which mountainous creator and co-writer Jason Momoa thunders through the based-on-true-events that led to the late 18th century unification and, ultimately, colonisation of his native Hawaii. And it’s brilliant; from its predominantly Polynesian cast to the sense of doom that swirls perpetually around the scenic foothills of Mount Momoa. It may lean a touch too heavily on extended, subtitled brawls in which there is much [grunting], but this is heartfelt storytelling; as muscular and sincere as its loinclothed protagonist. Vikings (2013-20) Startlingly brutal middle ages od(in)yssey in which mud-caked peasants duck from the flailing mace of progress/death and Norsemen with calves like bowling balls stagger across fjords, their complexions suggesting they may not be getting their five a day. There are the obligatory fireside frottageings, but this is clever stuff, with complex characters, an atmosphere of thunderously oppressive gloom and dialogue that does not make one long to inter oneself, sobbing, in a flaming longship. Shōgun (2024-) The second adaptation of James Clavell’s 1,100-page clomp through the late Sengoku period of feudal Japan, this US-produced saga leaves its beloved 1980 predecessor spluttering in its backwash, the latter’s once sacrosanct USP (Richard Chamberlain blinking expressionlessly in a kimono) unable to compete with the former’s rich, knotty script, riveting characterisation and steadfast attention to historical detail. Cue stoic samurai, scurvy-ridden sailors and preoccupied warlords in a succession of exquisitely indifferent terrains and everyone else sprinting for cover as the whole shebang is (justly) pelted with Emmys. I, Claudius (1976) Yes, the pace is slow, the sets perfunctory and the wigs apparently assembled from the contents of a vacuum cleaner. But still, 50 years on, the BBC’s adaptation of Robert Graves’ novels on the bastardry of the early Roman empire remains one of TV’s finest achievements, with an unapologetically adult script and magnificent, pillar-rattling performances from John Hurt, Siân Phillips and Derek Jacobi, the last assisted by prosthetic makeup and a false nose that could dislodge the cobwebs from a triumphal arch. Wolf Hall (2015 and 2024) An object lesson, here, in how to deliver prestige historical drama without recourse to bums or bombast. Instead, there are exquisitely layered performances (Damian Lewis, Jonathan Pryce), quiet, adult explorations of difficult, adult things (grief, ageing) and many, many candlelit silences into which Mark Rylance’s Thomas Cromwell glides, his expression, as always, that of a ferret saddened by developments in France. A monumental achievement, obviously, and in director Peter Kosminsksy and scriptwriter Peter Straughan’s hands, a near-perfect adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s three-piece masterpiece. The Worst The Borgias (2011-13) Rome, 1492, and the Vatican is besieged by filth as director/co-creator Neil Jordan takes a stiff quill to non-secular skulduggery. Cue: tumescent priests, pouting strumpets and a never-wearier Jeremy Irons as Pope Shagger VI. Here, historical integrity is something to be bent over and humped, unconvincingly, behind a net curtain. The script? Pfft. The acting? Tsk. The plot? Possibly, although it’s tricky to concentrate on the dynastic machinations of 15th century Italy when Irons in a mitre keeps shouting “WHORE”. The Cleopatras (1983) A catastrophic attempt by the BBC to replicate the success of I, Claudius by squeezing Grade II-listed hams into togas and forcing them to SHOUT at punishing length about the PTOLEMAIC DYNASTY in what appears to be an abandoned REGIONAL LEISURE CENTRE. The upshot? Tedium. Plus? Bald caps, flagrant boobery, Richard Griffiths “working” a “smoky eye”, the line “Let’s get out of Egypt!” and trembling extras gulping in horror as the plot catapults yet another flaming ball of exposition at the studio floor. Spartacus (2010-13) Manacled jocks go loincloth to loincloth in a US production comprised almost entirely of buttocks. There is, occasionally, other stuff: blood, knockers, airborne viscera, Americans in sandals decapitating other Americans while shouting “ass”, some “plot” or other involving revenge, John Hannah (as dastardly slave trader Batiatus) bellowing “BY JUPITER’S COCK!” at 30-second intervals etc. But it is mainly buttocks. Watch it on fast-forward and it’s like being shot in the face by a pump-action bum-gun. The Musketeers (2014-16) One, two, swashbuckle my shoe: abject “international co-production” tosh here from the Beeb as Alexandre Dumas’s novels are reimagined for whichever generation it is that is supposed to be interested in this sort of thing. And lo, much adolescent tomfoolery doth ensue, with PG-rated punch-ups, tiresome hunks smirking in pleather and dialogue of the “Things just got complicated!” genus. The result? Hollycloaks. Peter Capaldi does his best as Cardinal Richelieu but it would take more than thigh boots and nostril-flaring to lighten this particular load. The Tudors (2007-10) Verily, my liege, this idiot Canadian-Irish co-production does dance a merry jig upon the very concept of historical accuracy, with its Irish Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), its ripped courtiers and Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves. There is the occasional grudging nod to Actual Historical Stuff (the Reformation, wives etc). But it’s mostly just Henry banging his way around Tudor England, his bum cheeks jack-hammering with such ferocity that they are little more than a meaty blur, like a deli counter viewed from the top deck of a speeding bus in the rain. Chief of War is on Apple TV+ from 1 August.

2025-07-30 00:00:31.556

Summer travel often leads to digestive issues due to unfamiliar food, water, and hygiene. The most common problem is traveler's diarrhea, affecting 30-70% of travelers within two weeks. Constipation is another frequent issue, caused by changes in routine and diet. Other problems include changes in bowel habits, gas, bloating, and indigestion, which can worsen existing conditions like IBS. To avoid these issues, maintain a consistent diet, hydrate well, eat balanced meals, and limit alcohol and caffeine. Pack a travel health kit with essentials like fiber supplements, probiotics, and medications. Avoid raw or undercooked foods, uncooked seafood, pre-peeled fruits and vegetables, and untreated tap water and ice. Always wash your hands frequently. If you have a chronic gastrointestinal condition, consult your doctor before traveling.

2025-07-30 00:00:31.553

On Monday evening, a 27-year-old man, Shane Devon Tamura, fatally shot four people at the NFL headquarters in Manhattan before taking his own life. Tamura, who had traveled from Las Vegas, wore body armor concealed under a suit. A three-page note found on him blamed the NFL and football for his chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a debilitating brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. The shooting seriously injured another NFL employee. Tamura's note reignites the long-standing debate surrounding the NFL's handling of CTE and its potential link to the sport. CTE, a progressive disease, is difficult to diagnose and is only confirmed posthumously. The NFL has faced criticism for years for downplaying the risks of head injuries, despite forming a committee to address mild traumatic brain injury as early as 1994. The deaths of several former NFL players who suffered from CTE and exhibited violent or self-harmful behavior—including Mike Webster, Dave Duerson, Junior Seau, Aaron Hernandez, and Phillip Adams—have fueled public concern. The Boston University CTE Center has found CTE in 345 out of 376 former NFL player brains examined. The NFL's response to the CTE crisis has included rule changes, safety protocols, and a promotion of flag football, as well as a $765 million settlement with former players in 2013 (without admission of liability). Although Tamura did not play in the NFL, his high school football career may have contributed to his CTE. His note suggests he may have even self-medicated with antifreeze to cope with symptoms. The shooting serves as a tragic reminder of the ongoing controversy surrounding CTE and the NFL's role in protecting its players' health.

2025-07-29 18:00:36.125

Summer travel often leads to digestive issues due to unfamiliar food, water, hygiene, and changes in routine. The most common problem is traveler's diarrhea, affecting 30-70% of travelers, caused by contaminated food or water. Constipation is another frequent issue, often stemming from changes in routine, diet, and mobility. Other problems include changes in bowel habits, gas, bloating, indigestion, and exacerbation of existing conditions like IBS. To avoid these issues, maintain a consistent dietary routine, hydrate well, eat balanced meals, and limit alcohol and caffeine. Prepare a travel toolkit including fiber supplements, probiotics, and medications. Avoid raw or undercooked meats, seafood, pre-peeled produce, and untreated water and ice. Eat well-cooked, hot food and wash hands frequently.