US Supreme Court’s Social Media Clash Evokes Trump’s Use of Twitter
The US Supreme Court debated whether public officials can be sued for restricting access to their social media
2023-11-01 03:55
UK Covid Inquiry Drags PM Sunak Back Into Boris Johnson’s Mess
Rishi Sunak pitches himself as a clean break from the chaotic leadership of his two immediate predecessors as
2023-11-01 01:52
Victoria Beckham's perfumes are inspired by dance
Victoria Beckham's new line of fragrances have been inspired by her "passion for dancing".
2023-11-01 00:20
Stock market today: Wall Street drifts as it nears the finish of a 3rd straight losing month
Wall Street is drifting following mixed earnings reports from big companies
2023-10-31 23:28
Boris Johnson's former top aide is withering about UK government during COVID-19 pandemic inquiry
The former top aide to ex-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has painted a picture of widespread chaos and dysfunction in government during the coronavirus pandemic
2023-10-31 22:58
US closes investigations into problems with 2 Jeep SUVs without seeking recalls
U.S. auto safety regulators have closed two investigations into problems with Jeep SUVs without seeking recalls
2023-10-31 22:56
Anti-vaxxers spread callous conspiracy theory about Matthew Perry's death
No sooner had news broke of Matthew Perry’s untimely death than conspiracy theorists seized upon the tragedy. Early on Sunday, it emerged that the Friends icon had been found dead at his LA home on Saturday afternoon, after apparently drowning in his hot tub. According to US media, the 54-year-old had played a two-hour game of pickleball earlier in the day before sending his assistant out on an errand. When they returned, they allegedly found Perry unresponsive in the jacuzzi. Los Angeles Police Department officials have since told reporters that the cause of death isn’t likely to be determined for some time, but confirmed that there was no sign of foul play. And yet, this hasn’t stopped wannabe sleuths from offering up their own baseless hypotheses. High-profile anti-vaxxers were quick to blame Perry’s death on the coronavirus jab, including Kandiss Taylor, a Republican politician who recently compared Taylor Swift to Satan, and self-styled “crypto influencer” Matt Wallace. They made use of a 2021 ad campaign, for which the Friends star donned a t-shirt branded with the slogan: “Could I BE any more vaccinated?” In a further bid to hijack the sad news, theorists even edited Perry’s Wikipedia page to add: “It is unclear whether the drowning was due to complications from the COVID-19 vaccine.” Luckily, this amendment has since been deleted. More level-headed commentators spoke out against the unsupported suggestions, with one pointing out that sudden deaths do, sadly, happen, even in the young and healthy. Others condemned the conspiracy mongers for “adding more grief to grieving people”. Meanwhile, others asserted that Perry had been close to death many times before he’d received his coronavirus vaccinations, owing to his decades-long battle with alcohol and substance abuse. Indeed, the American-Canadian actor began his 2022 memoir ‘Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’ by addressing his issues head-on. In the opening to the book he wrote: "Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. “My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead." In a New York Times interview published in October 2022, Perry said he had been clean for 18 months and estimated that he’d “probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober." He admitted that his substance abuse started when he began drinking, aged 14, and that he later became addicted to the prescription drugs Vicodin, OxyContin, and Xanax. “I would fake back injuries. I would fake migraine headaches. I had eight doctors going at the same time,” he told The New York Times. “I would wake up and have to get 55 Vicodin that day, and figure out how to do it.” In previous interviews, he admitted to being in rehab at least 15 times and getting 14 surgeries on his stomach caused by his opioid abuse, Rolling Stone notes. Then, at the age of 49, his colon burst as a result of his drug addiction, leaving him hospitalised for five months, including two weeks in a coma. “The doctors told my family that I had a 2 percent chance to live,” the 17 Again star wrote in his memoir. “I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that’s called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.” Perry further detailed how, in late 2020, he had to pull out of filming a cameo in the Oscar-nominated satire Don’t Look Up after his heart stopped for five minutes and his ribs had to be broken to resuscitate him. In his book, Perry also opened up about his struggles while filming Friends, and recounted a confrontation he'd had with co-star Jennifer Anniston while filming. “I know you’re drinking – we can smell it,” he recalled her telling him, admitting that the plural “we” hit him “like a sledgehammer.” In the foreword to the memoir, fellow Friends legend Lisa Kudrow described Perry as “whip-smart, charming, sweet, sensitive, very reasonable, and rational.” She added: “That guy, with everything he was battling, was still there.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-10-31 22:50
A continuing decline in sales of COVID-19 products clips revenue at Pfizer
Pfizer lost more than $2 billion in the third quarter as an expected COVID-19 product sales decline clipped revenue
2023-10-31 21:53
US wages rose at a solid pace this summer, posing challenge for Fed's inflation fight
Wages and benefits grew at a slightly faster pace in the July-September quarter than the previous three months, a benefit to workers that also represents a risk to the Federal Reserve’s fight against inflation
2023-10-31 21:16
India-led alliance set to fund solar projects in Africa in a boost to the energy transition
An alliance of nations that push for more solar power worldwide are set to announce nearly $35 million for projects such as mini grids and rooftop installations, mainly in Africa, according to the group’s director general
2023-10-31 19:58
Europe's inflation eased to 2.9% in October thanks to lower fuel prices. But growth has vanished
The inflation that has been wearing on European consumers fell sharply to 2.9% in October, its lowest in more than two years as fuel prices fell and rapid interest rate hikes from the European Central Bank took hold
2023-10-31 19:47
Biden administration takes on JetBlue as its fight against industry consolidation goes to court
The Biden administration and JetBlue Airways are facing off in court over the Biden administration's effort to stop JetBlue from buying Spirit Airlines
2023-10-31 18:57