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Jason Momoa to write, star and produce historical Hawaiian limited-series ‘Chief of War’ for Apple TV+

Jason Momoa will write, executive produce and star in a new limited series at Apple TV+ titled ‘Chief of War.’
Chief of War will explore the unification of colonization of Hawaii from an indigenous point of view. Momoa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

Momoa will be marking the first time he has written for television, and will be penning the script along with Thomas Pa’a Sibbett.  Momoa and Sibbett are executive producing with Francis Lawrence, Peter Lawrence, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Erik Holmberg and Doug Jung.  Jung will also serve as showrunner.

Momoa currently stars in post-apocalyptic drama series ‘See’ for Apple TV+, which has been renewed for a third season.

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Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker get married in surprise Las Vegas ceremony

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were secretly married in Las Vegas at the One Love Wedding Chapel, shortly after they attended the 2022 Grammys Awards ceremony together. The ceremony took place at 1:45 a.m. on Monday and lasted about 30 minutes, according to Marty Frierson, the owner of the One Love Wedding Chapel. Kardashian and Barker came dressed in the same clothes they wore to the awards ceremony.

Kardashian, 42, and Barker, 46, were engaged in October 2021. The proposal occurred in Montecito, Calif., at Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel, which is said to be one of the couple’s “favorite” spots. The couple has also been open about their desire to have children together. Kardashian shares children Mason, 11, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 7 with ex Scott Disick. Barker shares son Landon, 18, and daughter Alabama, 15, with ex-wife Shanna Moakler, and has also remains close to 23-year-old stepdaughter Atiana, whom Moakler shares with boxer Oscar De La Hoya.

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Voting for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson ends in 11-11 deadlock

The vote to advance the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court ended in deadlock on Monday, setting up a procedural vote on the Senate floor. The Senate judiciary committee voted 11-11 on whether to advance Jackson’s nomination to succeed retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the high court with all of the Democrats on the panel voting in favor of President Joe Biden’s selection, while all 11 Republicans opposed.

Following the vote, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer moved to discharge the nomination of Jackson and send it to a vote by the full Senate, which will require 51 votes. In order for the measure to pass the evenly split Senate, the vote would have to receive the support of all Democrats in the chamber and at least one Republican.  Jackson’s confirmation is expected to receive the support of every Democrat in the full Senate.  Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine last week said that she will vote to confirm Jackson, and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who has often sided with Republicans on various issues, has also said he’ll vote to confirm Jackson.

If confirmed, Jackson would assume her seat on the Supreme Court when Breyer retires after its current term ends in June. She is the first Black woman ever nominated for the high court.

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Eggs surging in price after deadly bird flu affects U.S. poultry industry

The U.S. poultry industry is battling a surge of the contagious bird flu which has already killed millions of chickens and turkeys this year.  With Easter just weeks away, the supply of eggs has vastly dwindled, causing increased prices for consumers.

According to a report released Monday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 22.8 million birds have been affected by the bird flu.  Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza are sweeping through 24 states, including Wyoming, Maine and in particular, Iowa. Counties in Iowa which produce over 1 billion eggs annually have declared disaster in light of the outbreak. About 5.3 million birds in Iowa’s Buena Vista County have caught avian flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bird flu isn’t known to cause major health concerns in humans. The CDC announced in March that the current strains lack the changes seen in previous strains that put humans at greater risk for infection and severe illness.

Officials at the state level are urging owners of commercial and backyard flocks to keep their birds indoors. The bird flu’s deadly impacts are hurting the poultry industry and the seasonal demand for the Easter and Passover holidays.

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‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series ‘House of the Dragon’ sets premiere date this summer

House of the Dragon, HBO’s much-anticipated prequel series to their hit ‘Game of Thrones,’ has will premiere on Sunday, August 21.  The network shared the news on social media, as well as first-look photos for the prequel series. The new show is based on George R.R. Martin’s 2018 book Fire and Blood, a companion to the A Song of Ice and Fire series that inspired Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Thrones, focusing on the story of the rise and fall of House Targaryen, the ruling house into which Emilia Clarke’s Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen was eventually born.  The series stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen; Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child; Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the king’s younger brother and heir to the throne; Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, a sea adventurer and Lord of House Velaryon; Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, the “Hand of the King”; Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Otto’s daughter; and Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, an ally to Prince Daemon.

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Kanye West drops out of Coachella 2022

Kanye West is no long performing at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, pulling out of his double weekend headlining performances two weeks before the event. West was booked for Sundays April 17th and 24th with a special appearance by Travis Scott, who will also no longer be performing.

There’s no word on why West, who legally changed his name to Ye recently, canceled the appearance. Neither Coachella producers Goldenvoice nor West’s team have commented publicly on the matter. The Weeknd may replace West.

A new headlining act is expected to be announced soon; Coachella runs April 15-17 and April 22-24. Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Swedish House Mafia, 88Rising’s Head In The Clouds Forever and more are performing both weekends.

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64th Annual Grammy Awards: See the full list of 2022 winners

The 64th annual Grammy Awards were held on Sunday, hosted by Trevor Noah and airing live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS.

Among the night’s big winners were Jon Batiste, who took home Album of the Year for We Are. Olivia Rodrigo took home Best Pop Vocal Album for Sour, and also won Best New Artist.  Silk Sonic, comprised of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, won Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Leave the Door Open.

Doja Cat and SZA won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their hit song “Kiss Me More,” while Jazmine Sullivan won Best R&B Album for Heaux Tales and Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s “Family Ties” won Best Rap Performance. Chris Stapleton also won Best Country album for Starting Over. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed viewers at home in a pre-recorded video, where he spoke about Russia invading his country and the ongoing conflict, saying in part: “Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded. In hospitals. Even to those who can’t heart them. But the music will break through anyway. We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. Our land, we are fighting Russia, which brings horrible silence with its bombs. The dead silence. Fill the silence with your music! Fill it today. To tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. Support us in any way you can. Any, but not silence, and peace will come.”

Respects were paid to the late Taylor Hawkins, drummer of the Foo Fighters, who died on March 25. Foo Fighters were supposed to perform during the show, but canceled because of Hawkins’ recent death. A video was shown highlighting Hawkins’ career before the Grammys launched into its annual In Memorial segment, which paid homage to all of those in the music industry who have died over the past year, including Dusty Hill of ZZ Top, DMX, Biz Markie, Stephen Sondheim and more.

For the Full List of the 2022 Grammy Awards Winners, see below.

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11 people injured and one killed in shooting at Saturday night concert in southern Dallas

Dallas Police have confirmed that at least 11 people were shot and one person was killed in a Saturday night shooting during a trail ride and concert in southern Dallas.

Police said they responded to a shooting call at 5050 Cleveland Road in southern Dallas at approximately 12:13 a.m. on Sunday, and upon arriving at the scene, found a 26-year-old man identified as Kealon Dejuane Gilmore lying near a stage with a gunshot wound to his head. Police said Gilmore was pronounced dead at the scene, and described Gilmore’s death as a homicide.  An additional 11 victims of the shooting — including three juveniles — were transported to an area hospital by either ambulance or private vehicle. One of those victims was in critical condition as of late Sunday morning, while the remaining victims were in stable condition.

As many as 2,000 people were in attendance at the open-air event, which was billed as the Second Annual Epic Easter Bike Out & Field Party. The event was to be headlined by Memphis rapper Big Boogie, but according to a post on the performer’s Instagram page, the shooting occurred before he arrived at the venue.  According to witnesses, the situation arose from a fight that broke out on the scene, and some also believed that there were multiple shooters. Police confirmed that their preliminary investigation determined one unknown individual at the event fired a gun into the air, followed by another unknown individual firing a gun in the direction of the crowds.

Police said their investigation into the shooting, its motive and the circumstances surrounding Gilmore’s death are still under investigation.  As of press time, no arrests relating to the shooting have yet been made.

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At least 12 hurt, six dead in shooting in Sacramento, California

Police confirmed in a statement that six people died and at least 12 others were injured from a shooting in downtown Sacramento, Calif., early Sunday morning. As of press time, no suspects are in custody, and it wasn’t known whether the victims were targeted.  Officials didn’t identify victims but said they were in their 20s and 30s.

The incident occurred just after 2 a.m. on Sunday. At least one firearm was recovered from the scene, and several areas downtown were closed. Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester told reporters: “We are asking for the public’s help. If anyone saw anything, has video or can provide any information to the police department, we are asking for their assistance.”

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg tweeted:  “Words can’t express my shock & sadness this morning  The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend. We await more information about exactly what transpired in this tragic incident.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement: “What we do know at this point is that another mass casualty shooting has occurred, leaving families with lost loved ones, multiple individuals injured and a community in grief. The scourge of gun violence continues to be a crisis in our country, and we must resolve to bring an end to this carnage.”

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‘Morbius’ wins at the domestic box office with $39.1 Million opening weekend

Sony’s latest superhero blockbuster ‘Morbius’ was at the top of the domestic box office with ticket sales of $39.1 million. The Jared Leto-led film earned another $44.9 million at the international box office, bringing its global tally to $84 million.

The Lost City, starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum (and last weekend’s box office winner over The Batman), took second place with $14.8 million, bringing its domestic total to $54.5 million.

The Batman, the latest big-screen tale of the Dark Knight, was in third place with $10.8 million. The Batman has now earned $349 million at the domestic box office and has reached $710.5 million worldwide.

Rounding out the top five were Uncharted and Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie, movies that brought in $3.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

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