Month: August 2022

Categories
Entertainment

Billionaire Kylie Jenner proves she is a hands-on makeup mogul as she pays a visit to the lab

Hands-on mogul! Kylie Jenner paid a visit to the lab making her de ella latest Kylie Cosmetics products

Billionaire Kylie Jenner proves she is a hands-on makeup mogul as she pays a visit to the lab whipping up her latest products

By Christine Rendon For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

She launched her wildly successful makeup range seven years ago.

And Kylie Jenner proved she is a hands-on mogul as she paid a visit to the lab making her latest products.

The billionaire, 24, threw on a white lab coat as she mixed together various ingredients inside the workroom.

Hands-on mogul! Kylie Jenner paid a visit to the lab making her de ella latest Kylie Cosmetics products

Hands-on mogul! Kylie Jenner paid a visit to the lab making her de ella latest Kylie Cosmetics products

In photos posted to her Instagram account, Kylie showed off the various makeup ingredients as she inspected the lab with a curious eye.

She prepared a mixture of powder and marveled at the sight of the concoction as she poured it into a glass sitting on a scale.

‘So cool,’ Kylie remarked as a woman explained the process to her. ‘I can do this,’ she added.

She also shared with fans a glimpse into the creation of her makeup.

An inside look! Jenner marveled at a glass of red liquid sitting on a scale

An inside look! Jenner marveled at a glass of red liquid sitting on a scale

Inspection time! She carefully checked out various parts of the lab

Inspection time! She carefully checked out various parts of the lab

One of the videos was of a mixture of red liquid, swirling about in a glass cup. She also posted photo of glitter ranging from shades fuchsia to blue.

‘In the lab creating new magic for you guys,’ Kylie captioned the post. ‘better than ever. @kyliecosmetics.’

Kylie was just 17 when she launched her wildly successful makeup company with her iconic lip kits.

‘I was 17 when I launched Kylie Cosmetics,’ she said in a video describing her company’s origin story last year. ‘It feels weird that this is my life now, looking back at it though, makeup has just been a part of my DNA.’ She also detailed her insecurities of her with her lips of her.

Mixing things up! She prepared a mixture of powder and marveled at the sight of the concoction as she poured it into a glass sitting on a scale

Mixing things up! She prepared a mixture of powder and marveled at the sight of the concoction as she poured it into a glass sitting on a scale

Sneakpeek! 'In the lab creating new magic for you guys,' Kylie captioned the post. 'better than ever. @kyliecosmetics'

Sneakpeek! ‘In the lab creating new magic for you guys,’ Kylie captioned the post. ‘better than ever. @kyliecosmetics’

All that glitters! Jenner showed off various containers full of colorful glitter

All that glitters! Jenner showed off various containers full of colorful glitter

She ultimately turned to her mother Kris Jenner for help launching her business.

‘I remember her saying, “One day can we have a little meeting?” And I said, “Yeah, you want to have a little meeting?” She was like 17, 16,’ Kris recounted. ‘And she goes, I finally figured out what I want to do with my life.’

Her dream was to enter the makeup business, and she planned on starting off with a lip kit.

‘I said “Well Kylie, you have a savings that you’ve earned from Keeping Up With The Kardashians for all these years.” I said, “You’re going to have to use your own money if you really want to do this work because that’s going to be your motivation and your drive.”‘

Ultimately, Kylie’s lip kits sold out in less than a minute when she launched them in 2015.

Kylie’s venture ultimate expanded from just lip kits to a whole range of cosmetics including eye shadows, blush, and foundation.

Makeup magic! Kylie was just 17 when she launched her wildly successful makeup company with her iconic lip kits

Makeup magic! Kylie was just 17 when she launched her wildly successful makeup company with her iconic lip kits

Something for everyone! Kylie's venture ultimate expanded from just lip kits to a whole range of cosmetics including eye shadows, blush, and foundation

Something for everyone! Kylie’s venture ultimate expanded from just lip kits to a whole range of cosmetics including eye shadows, blush, and foundation

advertisement

.

Categories
Sports

Liverpool have quietly handed influential coach new long-term contract – Liverpool FC

PARIS, FRANCE - Saturday, May 28, 2022: Liverpool's elite development coach Vitor Matos (L) and first-team development coach Pepijn Lijnders before the UEFA Champions League Final game between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid CF at the Stade de France. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Earlier this year, Jurgen Klopp was announced to have signed a new long-term contract along with his two assistants, but there was another deal agreed, too.

Back in April, Liverpool confirmed the best news possible for supporters: that Klopp had put pen to paper on a new deal that would tie him to Anfield until 2026.

It came out of the blue, with the German widely expected to depart on the expiration of his previous terms in 2024, but it was the boost fans needed, with the club in safe hands for the long term.

Along with Klopp, assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz were confirmed to have signed extensions for the same period, ensuring the core of his staff remained in place.

But it was unclear whether any other coaches had also agreed to fresh terms, with a number crucial to the club’s success in recent years.

However, Liverpool appear to have inadvertently confirmed that Vitor Matos also signed a new contract that day in April.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 8, 2021: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp (C) with first-team development coach Pepijn Lijnders (L) and elite development coach Vitor Matos (R) during the pre-match warm-up before a pre- season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Club de Bilbao at Anfield. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Matos’ official job title is elite development coach, which sees him serve as a liaison between academy and first team, but as time has gone by he has taken a more focal role in leading training sessions at Kirkby.

The Portuguese can be considered one of the most important coaches within Klopp’s staff, which explains why he was part of the group to re-sign.

In the latest serialization of Lijnders’ new book intensitythe club have confirmed that Klopp, Krawietz, Lijnders and Matos all successfully negotiated extended stays.

As Lijnders explains, contracts were officially signed the day after the first-leg win over Villarreal in the Champions League semi-finals.

“So, 2-0, half-time and in six days we would have the possibility to reach the final in Paris. The following day we would sign and announce our new 2026 deals. So this was only the start…” Lijnders wrote.

SAALFELDEN, AUSTRIA - Monday, July 25, 2022: Liverpool's first-team development coach Pepijn Lijnders (L) and elite development coach Vitor Matos arriving before a training session at during the club's pre-season training camp in Austria. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“The following morning at AXA, Jonathan [Bamber, general counsel]Julian [Ward, sporting director]Jurgen, Pete, Marc [Kosicke, agent] and Vitor were all standing inside the manager’s office.

“[FSG president] Mike Gordon spoke to us all: ‘This project has been the most incredible experience of my life. Thank you for contributing and having this important role’.

“’Thank you, Mike, for the trust’, I replied.”

Though specific details of the contracts were never confirmed by the club, it had already been widely reported that Klopp, Krawietz and Lijnders all signed until 2026, with no pay rise for the manager.

It stands to reason that Matos has also agreed to stay for another four years.

.

Categories
Australia

Prize money doubles for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, making it Australia’s richest art prize

Prize money doubles for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, making it Australia's richest art prize

The winners of Australia’s biggest and most prestigious Indigenous art awards will be announced in Darwin tonight, with each to take home a share of what’s now the richest art prize in the country.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards takes entries from across Australia and all types of visual arts, from bark paintings and traditional weavings, to digital works and sculpture.

This year the overall winner will be awarded $100,000, bringing the top gong in line with the first prize in the annual Archibald Prize.

It’s recognition that curator and Arabana, Mualgal, and Wuthathi woman Rebekah Raymond is “overjoyed” to see paid to the artists involved.

“I think [the increased prize money] really shows a commitment to celebrating these artists,” she said.

“It shows an understanding that the vibrancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art practice is at a global level, and the prize pool needs to respect and reflect that.”

A sign saying 'gallery changeover in progress, with two people carrying boxes and painting on walls behind it.
The winners will be announced at a gala event in Darwin on Friday night.

Six other winners of individual categories will take home $15,000, an amount tripled this year by long-time awards sponsor Telstra.

The combined total of $190,000 is the biggest for any art prize in Australia.

Dozens of finalists from hundreds of entries — and seven winners

The winners will be announced at a gala event in Darwin on Friday night, which coincides with the opening of the two-week Darwin Festival.

A panel of three judges have narrowed more than 200 entries down to 63 finalists, which have been installed together for the annual — free — blockbuster exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).

A woman stands in a darkly-lit gallery with out-of-focus, colorful artworks installed around here
Ms Raymond and two other judges have picked seven winners out of 63 finalists.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

‘Expanding practices, pushing boundaries’

A winner for the overall prize is chosen from among the finalists, as well as one for six categories including:

  • General Painting Award
  • Bark Painting Award
  • Works on Paper Award
  • Wadjuk Marika 3D Award
  • Multimedia Award
  • Emerging Artist Award

Now in its 38th year, the NATSIAA’s have celebrated some of the art world’s biggest names and most influential figures, from Djambawa Marawili and Betty Muffler to Vincent Namatjira and Kaylene Whiskey.

While the stories and techniques behind some of the bark paintings, weavings and carvings are ancient and traditional, Ms Raymond said it’s a mistake to think that only the younger artists are experimenting and innovating.

“There’s been amazing innovations within bark painting, especially by senior ladies [from north east Arnhem Land],” she said.

“These are contemporary works — they’re carrying on art that’s been around from time immemorial but they’re expanding practices, they’re pushing boundaries.

Artist Dhambit Munungurr sits in her wheelchair, smiling, with her hands raised in celebration.
Previous bark painting winner Dhambit Munungurr is among the senior Yirrkala ladies experimenting with new color palettes.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

On display online, People’s Choice Award up for grabs

This year’s exhibition will again be accessible online, which has been the case since the first year of the pandemic.

.

Categories
US

Dems hurtle toward critical Saturday vote on clinching domestic agenda

Dems hurtle toward critical Saturday vote on clinching domestic agenda

The vote-a-rama is “going to start later than we imagine, it’s going to run longer than we would hope and it’s going to be more painful getting out of here than any of us have any reason to expect,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.).

Coons said he didn’t expect the bill to undergo significant changes, though “Sinema will of course have some changes that she requests that reflect her priorities in her state.” He said he’s had three discussions with her so far about the bill.

The impending weekend session is a microcosm of the perpetual uncertainty hanging over the longest-running 50-50 Senate in history: Democrats need every single one of their side’s votes as the possibility of Covid-related absences hangs over the whip count, Republicans actually have some limited leverage, and the Senate’s nonpartisan rules referee maintains significant sway over their agenda.

The referee, formally known as the parliamentarian, will continue hearing arguments about whether the bill meets the chamber’s stringent rules for evading a filibuster. A ruling on prescription drugs could come as early as Friday, with the tax provisions coming after.

Democrats are seeking to ensure their legislation can enjoy the filibuster protections of the budget before making any move on the floor, according to a person familiar with the process. That timetable led Schumer to announce the expected Saturday motion to proceed to the bill.

Manchin and Sinema spoke on the Senate floor at length on Thursday afternoon, with Manchin at times becoming animated during the discussion. The West Virginian declined to comment on the conversation afterward.

His Legislation would spend $369 billion on energy and climate change, extend Obamacare subsidies through 2024, direct Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs and send an estimated $300 billion to deficit reduction. It would be funded, in part, by a 15 percent corporate minimum tax on big companies and increased IRS enforcement.

The parliamentarian still has to review the Democrats’ updated prescription drug language as well as the package’s tax provisions, including electric vehicle tax credits. Those arguments will take place on Friday, according to a Democratic aid. Sen. Raphael Warnock’s (D-Ga.) legislation to reduce the cost of insulin is being included in the prescription drug provision but is likely to be subject to a challenge from Republicans.

“Regardless of the parliamentarian’s ruling, at the end of the day, the only way this doesn’t happen is if someone on the other side raises an objection,” Warnock said. “Only politics can block this.”

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee met with the Senate’s rules arbiter on Wednesday, in part to review a proposed fee for oil and gas companies that exceed a certain level of methane emissions, according to a second Democratic aid. The bill also provides subsidies to help companies pay for technologies to prevent methane emissions.

And then there’s the changes Sinema wants, including nixing a provision that would narrow the carried interest loophole for some investment income, which would bring in $14 billion in revenues, and adding roughly $5 billion in drought resilience. Republicans are hopeful Sinema seeks further changes to the 15 percent corporate minimum tax on large corporations, which she helped negotiate last year, although that is a major part of the bill’s revenue and may prove tough to change on a tight timeline.

Asked if he is conjuring any changes to the painstakingly crafted corporate minimum tax, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said senators want the parliamentarian to review the tax legislation as written before making any subsequent changes. Sinema specifically has said she wants the parliamentarian review to occur before she weighs in on the bill.

“What we’ve been told is there’s an interest in waiting for the parliamentarian’s judgment, so that’s where we are,” Wyden said.

Between Sinema and the parliamentarian, Democrats expect some tweaks to their long-awaited bill, but don’t see major changes forthcoming—for now.

“I’m not in Sinema’s head and I don’t know how those discussions are going,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). “But it’s going to be fundamentally what it is. It’s going to address climate in a significant way, it’s going to affect drug prices. It’s going to close some tax loopholes. I hope a lot of them.”

Categories
Business

Back to the Future: Canberra filmmaker converting beloved DeLorean to EV to showcase growth of electric car industry

Ché's DeLorean sitting in the workshop

Where we’re going, we don’t need… combustion engines?

At least, that’s the thinking behind Canberra filmmaker Ché Baker’s latest project: a documentary following the conversion of his vintage DeLorean from a gas-guzzler to an electric vehicle.

“People ask me, ‘what’s the timeline for the project?’ And I say, ‘if we hit 88 miles an hour, it doesn’t matter’,” he said.

Mr Baker’s DeLorean featured prominently in his most recent film, Blue World Order, which saw a fleet of the cars race across the then dried-up Lake George, just outside Canberra.

And he said none of his pride and joy would go to waste as a result of the conversion — the engine will be donated to the Australian DeLorean community for parts.

A fleet of DeLoreans at Lake George, in the film Blue World Order
Mr Baker featured a fleet of DeLoreans in his 2017 sci-fi film Blue World Order.(Supplied)

Mr Baker said his latest documentary would highlight how a traditional petrol car could be converted to electric, as well as exploring the state of the EV industry in Australia today.

“It’s a lot more than just the technology of electric vehicles themselves, but also how is that going to affect people’s lifestyles?,” he asked.

“How’s that going to affect the way people drive? How is that going to impact on other forms of electric transport?”

Engine being removed from DeLorean
The DeLorean’s engine will be given to members of the Australian DeLorean community for parts. (Supplied: Che Baker)

Is converting my car to electric a good option?

Sure … if you have the money.

Che Baker inside his DeLorean
Che Baker inside his DeLorean in the moments leading up to its engine being removed.(ABC Canberra: Donald Sheil)

Mark Hemmingsen is the managing director of Electric Vehicles Canberra, and is providing the technical expertise and workshop space to convert Mr Baker’s DeLorean.

He said conversion was a costly and time-consuming process.

“I would budget at least $30,000 to $50,000, and I would expect that to possibly blow out,” he said.

Mark Hemmingsen replacing EV battery
Mark Hemmingsen said the conversion was an opportunity to give apprentices invaluable experience.(ABC Canberra: Donald Sheil)

“On a good year, we could probably do 12 conversions a year.

“The big problem is that we’re reliant on other local industries to do fabrication for things like battery boxes and motor mounts, and if those companies are busy as well then we’re going to be delayed a little bit by that.”

Electric conversion has gathered enormous momentum for classic car owners who want to preserve their pride and joy in a sustainable way.

For the everyday city driver, though, Mr Hemmingsen said second-hand EVs were the best option.

Mitsubishi i-Miev getting its battery replaced
Mr Hemmingsen said replacing the batteries of existing EVs was very important to keep them out of landfill.(ABC Canberra: Donald Sheil)

Mr Hemmingsen said not only was buying an EV going to be cheaper in the future, but there would also be a growing second-hand market and the ability to replace the batteries as technology evolves.

“If we’re going to prevent them going to landfill, we take the battery out, we swap it over, we’re actually replacing it with a battery that’s twice the capacity of the original battery that was in there,” he said.

EV battery being removed
The battery of this Mitsubishi i-Miev will be replaced by a new, better one. (ABC Canberra: Donald Sheil)

He said specialized conversion kits for petrol cars would likely drive down the cost in coming years, but that replacing batteries for existing electric cars for the second-hand market would likely remain the best entry-point for consumers.

Are mechanics prepared for the impending EV boom?

Probably not, according to Australian Electric Vehicles Association president Chris Jones.

“We do need to skill-up in that field… your average three-year mechanic apprentice, they won’t have that experience,” he said.

“And there are only a handful of units within TAFE programs that give those trades exposure to electric vehicle technology, it needs more work.”

Mr Hemmingsen's apprentices help replace the battery of an EV.
Mr Hemmingsen’s apprentices help replace the battery of an EV.(ABC Canberra: Donald Sheil)

Mr Hemmingsen said he was using the DeLorean conversion as an opportunity to give his apprentices invaluable practical experience, to make up for the lack of formal training in the industry.

Mr Jones said the “right to repair” debate surrounding smartphones and other appliances was also likely to gain a new battleground in the form of EVs, if battery replacements and other upgrades were made more difficult by manufacturers in the future.

Ché Baker filming Mark Hemmingsen work on his DeLorean
Ché Baker is using his DeLorean as a head-turning hook for his EV documentary.(ABC Canberra: Donald Sheil)

“They’d rather you went and bought a new car again, they’ve got all sorts of reasons for that, but mostly they’ll just make more money selling you a new car than they would by doing upgrade parts,” he said .

“In my experience, these old electric vehicles have nobody that’s interested in doing the work on them.

“We feel very confident in doing the work, and we can pick up these old vehicles that the current industry is not really interested in keeping going.”

.

Categories
Technology

Microsoft gives Xbox Series S devs more memory to improve graphics performance

Microsoft gives Xbox Series S devs more memory to improve graphics performance

Microsoft is giving Xbox Series S game developers more control over memory on the console. A new Xbox software development kit has been released to developers recently, and it frees up more memory for developers to access for Xbox Series S games and boosts performance in certain titles.

“Hundreds of additional megabytes of memory are now available to Xbox Series S developers,” says Microsoft’s Game Dev team in a video detailing the updates. “This gives developers more control over memory, which can improve graphics performance in memory-constrained conditions.”

The $299 Xbox Series S launched as a console capable of 1440p gaming at up to 120fps, but many games have only hit 1080p and without the higher frame rates of the more powerful Xbox Series X. Microsoft’s larger and more powerful Xbox Series X console ships with far more GPU power, but it also has 16GB of RAM while the smaller Xbox Series S only has 10GB. Developers have to work with around 8GB of memory on the Series S, as Microsoft reserves around 2GB for OS tasks.

Those memory constraints have been detailed by Digital Foundry, with developers reportedly feeling some pain around optimizing games for the Xbox Series S. It’s less the CPU and GPU power of the Xbox Series S, particularly as the Series S has the same CPU as the X, but more the memory situation. Microsoft’s improvements, albeit small, could help reduce some of that friction around developing games for the Xbox Series S.

Microsoft has also “addressed an issue where graphics virtual addresses were being allocated considerably slower than non-graphics virtual addresses,” which means Xbox games can now take better advantage of other recent memory enhancements that Microsoft has added to its Xbox developer tools. Fingers crossed this all means we’ll see some improvements to performance in some games running on the Xbox Series S soon.

Categories
Entertainment

“Batgirl” Directors Respond To Film’s Scrapping

Batgirl Directors Respond To Films Scrapping

Batgirl Directors Respond To Films Scrapping
sony pictures

In the wake of the surprising news of the scrapped release of “Batgirl,” the filmmakers behind the $90 million budgeted project have issued a statement.

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah served as directors on “Batgirl,” the pair taking the helm of the film following their break-out success with “Bad Boys For Life” and, more recently, a bunch of the “Ms. Marvel” series for the Disney+ service.

In a very unfortunate piece of timing, the pair were in Morocco in the midst of El Arbi’s wedding when they reportedly got confirmation of the cancellation of “Batgirl”. In a statement posted to Instagram, they say:

“We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it. As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will insha’Allah.”

Warner Bros. Discovery opted to take a tax write-down on the film rather than release it, according to sources, as the new regime pivots to refocus Warners on theatrical, rather than streaming, releases. Leslie Grace, Michael Keaton, JK Simmons and Brendan Fraser starred in the now abandoned film.

Source: THR

Categories
Sports

Holloway to debut for Wallabies against Argentina | Latest Rugby News

Holloway to debut for Wallabies against Argentina | Latest Rugby News

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has confirmed Jed Holloway will make his debut against Argentina in Mendoza.

Holloway will start at blindside flanker alongside Michael Hooper and Rob Valetini in the opening round of the Rugby Championship.

Don’t miss out! Purchase your tickets for the O’Reilly Cup and Rugby Championship

The 29-year-old has been a revelation since returning from Japan, overcoming a calf injury that kept him out of the England series.

He is joined by Rebels prop Matt Gibbon, also in line for his debut via the bench.

Gibbon slots into the side after strong showings for Australia A, with Angus Bell (toe) and Scott Sio (neck/shoulder) ruled out.

“We’ve had a strong week of preparation over here in Argentina and we are highly motivated to put on a performance that makes our supporters proud back home in Australia,” Rennie said in a statement.

“It’s an extremely special occasion for Jed, Matt and their families and it’s up to the rest of us to make sure it’s a positive memory on their Test debuts.”

The Wallabies have received further boosts with Quade Cooper (calf) and Jordan Petaia (concussion) cleared to return.

Cooper slots into the halves alongside Nic White for his first Test of 2022, sensationally ruled out of the England series opener in the warm-up.

Meanwhile, Petaia slots onto the wing, with Rennie opting for Tom Wright at fullback after strong showings against England

His Reds teammate Hunter Paisami shifts to inside center after a season-ending injury to Samu Kerevi (knee), with Len Ikitau elevated from the bench.

Darcy Swain makes his return from suspension, partnering Matt Philip in the second-row whilst Nick Frost holds out Rory Arnold for a spot on the bench.

However, Dave Porecki (concussion) will not feature, with Folau Fainga’a slated to start and Lachlan Lonergan to come off the bench.

Lonergan is joined on the bench by Taniela Tupou as Allan Alaalatoa returns to the starting side.

“Argentina will be full of confidence after their home series win over Scotland and we know we’ll need to be at our best to get a good result on Saturday afternoon,” Rennie added.

1. James Slipper (117 Tests)

2. Folau Fainga’a (28 Tests)

3. Allan Alaalatoa (55 Tests)

4. Darcy Swain (11 Tests)

5. Matt Philip (23 Tests)

6. Jed Holloway*

7. Michael Hooper (c) (121 Tests)

8. Rob Valetini (21 Tests)

9. Nick White (50 Tests)

10. Quade Cooper (75 Tests)

11. Marika Koroibete (45 Tests)

12. Hunter Paisami (17 Tests)

13. Len Ikitau (15 Tests)

14. Jordan Petaia (18 Tests)

15. Tom Wright (12 Tests)

replacements

16. Lachlan Lonergan (4 Tests)

17. Matt Gibbon*

18. Taniela Tupou (40 Tests)

19. Nick Frost (2 Tests)

20. Rob Leota (9 Tests)

21. Pete Samu (22 Tests)

22. Jake Gordon (12 Tests)

23. Reece Hodge (55 Tests)

*denotes uncapped

.

Categories
Australia

Climate bill passes lower house; Monkeypox vaccines secured; David Elliott, Matt Kean set for NSW leadership challenge; 2022 Commonwealth Games continue; NSW COVID cases grow, Victoria COVID cases grow

Climate bill passes lower house; Monkeypox vaccines secured; David Elliott, Matt Kean set for NSW leadership challenge; 2022 Commonwealth Games continue; NSW COVID cases grow, Victoria COVID cases grow

Richard Marles isn’t the only Labor frontbencher doing the half rounds this morning.

Health Minister Mark Butler was on the ABC’s RN Breakfast earlier where he was explaining why it took a while for Australia to officially announce it had acquired monkeypox vaccines.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler. Credit:alex ellinghausen

Just over 20,000 monkeypox vaccines (from a total of 450,000 secured doses) will arrive in Australia in the next few days.

“These were highly difficult to get hold of as you [can] imagine,” Butler said.

“Monkeypox has only ever really been endemic in countries in Africa. And in the last 13 weeks we’ve seen it spread to 76 other countries, particularly in North America, and the UK and Europe. But we have 58 cases here in Australia as well.

loading

“So there’s been a burst of activity by governments to get their hands on the newest third-generation vaccine, which is the one we’ve got hold of. We’re now only one of a very small list of countries that has supplies coming to us in 2022.

“We’ve been talking for weeks now with state governments about how they’d roll them out.”

The health minister added that another 100,000 or so doses will arrive in Australia over the “next couple of months”.

Categories
US

Exclusive: Trump lawyers in talks with Justice Department about January 6 criminal probe

Exclusive: Trump lawyers in talks with Justice Department about January 6 criminal probe

The talks revolve around whether Trump would be able to shield conversations he had while he was president from federal investigators.

In recent weeks, investigators have moved aggressively into Trump’s orbit, subpoenaing top former White House officials, focusing on efforts to overturn the 2020 election and executing searches of lawyers who sought to aid those efforts.

The Trump team’s discussions are with the US attorney’s office in Washington, DC, which is in charge of the investigation, and its top January 6 prosecutor Thomas Windom, the sources said. The conversations have not been previously reported.

At this stage, the conversations are focused mostly on whether any communications that witnesses from the Trump West Wing had with the former president can be kept from a federal criminal grand jury under Trump’s claims of executive privilege, the people said.

The Justice Department has been anticipating a court fight with Trump over executive privilege. The issue has arisen as grand jury subpoenas have been issued to two former White House counsel’s office officials and to former Vice President Mike Pence’s chief counsel and chief of staff.

Trump’s legal defense team has warned him that indications are possible, sources tell CNN.

Some members of Trump’s legal team have discussed his potential defense strategies on at least two occasions in recent months, according to two sources familiar with the matter, as they brace for new developments in the Justice Department probe and a separate investigation by Georgia officials into his potentially criminal meddling in the state’s 2020 election results. Rolling Stone previously reported that Trump had been briefed.

Trump has grilled his attorneys on whether they actually believe he will face formal charges, sources said. Yet the former President has expressed a heavy dose of skepticism that he will be indicted, one of the sources familiar with the matter said.

Another source close to the former President told CNN that Trump also has posed questions about a potential indictment to members of his inner circle, some of whom believe the President is concerned about the possibility of federal charges.

But one person close to Trump said he is noticeably more engaged when he is chatting with friends and advisers about the 2022 midterms and his possible presidential campaign in 2024 than he has been during briefings on legal strategy.

First on CNN: DHS to stop wiping phones without backups

This person described the former President as dismissive in conversations about his legal troubles, often repeating his “witch hunt” mantra as he claims the various probes he’s facing are plainly driven by political opponents.

A Trump spokesman said in a statement to CNN: “There is clearly a concerted effort to undermine the vital, Constitutionally-rooted Executive and Attorney-Client Privileges through partisan, political persecution.”

“How can any future President ever have private conversations with his attorneys, counselors, and other senior advisors if any such advisor is forced, either during or after the Presidency, in front of an Unselect Committee or other entity, and be forced to reveal those privileged, confidential discussions? the spokesman said. “President Trump will not be deterred by witch hunts or kangaroo courts from continuing to defend and fight for America, our Constitution, and the Truth.”

The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Mark Meadows could be a key witness

In recent months, the former President has ignored advice from some of his advisers to avoid speaking with former and current aides who have become entangled in the House select committee’s probe into January 6 and may become part of the criminal investigation, people familiar with the matter told CNN.

Trump has specifically been counseled to cut contact with his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, whose actions leading up to and on the day of the US Capitol insurrection have been deeply scrutinized by the House panel, the people said.

Two of Meadows’ former top aides, Cassidy Hutchinson and Alyssa Farah Griffin, also have been highly critical of Trump, with Hutchinson testifying about damaging details about Trump’s actions on January 6 during her public testimony before the House panel in June. Hutchinson is cooperating in the DOJ probe as well.

Some of Trump’s attorneys believe Meadows could also be in investigators’ crosshairs and are concerned he could become a fact witness if he is pushed to cooperate in the Justice Department probe, according to two people familiar with the matter.

In response, Meadows’ attorney George Terwilliger told CNN on Thursday: “All of that is idle and uninformed speculation, apparently by people who know little but talk a lot.”

Former White House attorney Ty Cobb said Meadows is “perfectly positioned to be the John Dean of this month,” referring to the former Richard Nixon aide who offered crucial public testimony during the Watergate hearings.

“The reason [Meadows] is valuable is also the reason he is in jeopardy: He was basically at Trump’s right hand throughout all these exercises and participated in key meetings and phone calls,” Cobb said.

Yet, according to a source familiar with the relationship, Trump and Meadows have spoken a number of times. Another source close to Trump described their relationship as “not the same as it once was” while they served in the White House, but insisted they still maintained a relationship, even as Trump has complained about Meadows in his recent conversations with other allies.

Meadows has been known to attend fundraisers and events at the former President’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where he also helped organize a donor retreat last April for the Conservative Partnership Institute, a group he runs with former Republican Sen. Jim De Mint.

The securing of Trump’s endorsement for US Senate candidate Ted Budd “was the last time Meadows was really around regularly. Since then, he’s never been a big part of the political operation or [Trump’s] thought process,” said a second person close to Trump.

CNN’s Pamela Brown and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.

.