Singer Lisa Gentile is fourth woman to accuse Chris Noth of sexual assault

Gentile said the Sex and the City actor threatened to ruin her career if she ever came forward about the alleged assault

A fourth woman has come forward to accuse Chris Noth of sexual assault, days after the actor best known for his character Mr Big on Sex and the City was fired from the CBS TV drama The Equalizer.

Singer-songwriter Lisa Gentile gave an account on Thursday that Noth had forcibly kissed and groped her in her New York apartment after she met him at Da Marino, a restaurant in midtown Manhattan where another of Noth’s accusers has said she was assaulted by the actor.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/dec/23/chris-noth-lisa-gentile-sexual-assault

Cat burglar: New Zealand pet steals bong, bag of white powder and lacy underwear

Keith the cat is known locally for making off with everything from live eels to tradesmen’s boots

A New Zealand cat with a reputation as a talented thief has taken his habit to new lows by bringing home drugs and a pair of lacy black knickers, according to his owners.

Keith’s crime wave started three years ago, when he began stealing bras from nearby clothes lines and bringing home live eels from the local Heathcote river in Christchurch.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/23/cat-burglar-new-zealand-pet-steals-bong-bag-of-white-powder-and-lacy-underwear

WHO boss: western countries’ Covid booster drives likely to prolong pandemic

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says there will be enough vaccines for world’s adults – if they are not hoarded

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The world will have enough doses of Covid vaccines early next year to inoculate all of the global adult population – if western countries do not hoard those vaccines to use in blanket booster programmes, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday there would be sufficient vaccine supplies in global circulation in the first quarter of 2022.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/22/who-boss-covid-booster-drives-likely-prolong-pandemic

Covid news live: Omicron carries lower hospitalisation risk, studies suggest; China locks down city of 13 million

Data from the UK and South Africa suggest Omicron carries a reduced risk of hospitalisation and severe disease; Xi’an, China, is under strict lockdown following 52 new infections

• Covid booster drives likely to prolong pandemic, WHO boss says
• Data appears to support claims Omicron is less severe in South Africa
• WHO’s Europe chief says ‘another storm coming’ as Omicron takes hold
• AstraZeneca aims to produce Omicron-targeted vaccine with Oxford
• Risk of hospital stay 40% lower with Omicron than Delta – UK data
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Over in Canada, Quebec’s premier has just announced that beginning the day after Christmas, gatherings inside homes will be limited to six people or two family bubbles.

Restaurants are already operating at half capacity and need to close their doors at 10pm. Now they will also have to limit groups at tables to six people or two families from 26 December.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/dec/23/covid-news-live-omicron-carries-lower-hospitalisation-risk-studies-suggest-china-locks-down-city-of-13-million

James Franco admits sleeping with students and says he had sex addiction

Actor gives first extended comments about accusations that came nearly four years ago

James Franco has acknowledged sleeping with students of an acting school he previously ran, saying he struggled with a sex addiction and has been working to improve his behavior in recent years.

In excerpts from The Jess Cagle Podcast made public on Wednesday, Franco, 43, said that while teaching, he “did sleep with students, and that was wrong”. He said he had not started the school to lure women for sexual purposes.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/22/james-franco-interview-sexual-misconduct-allegations

‘Nothing’s been good enough’: Biden addresses US Covid testing shortage before holidays

President tells ABC that country is in better position than last Christmas but is struggling with testing

Pressed about US testing shortages amid the omicron surge, Biden conceded in an interview that “nothing’s been good enough”.

In an interview with ABC’s David Muir on Wednesday, the president signaled that the country was in a better shape now than last Christmas but said he wished he had ordered free at-home tests earlier than this week. A surging demand for tests, driven by the new variant and the winter holidays, has led to long lines and shortages around the country.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/22/joe-biden-covid-testing-us-pandemic-response

Number of new Covid cases in UK passes 100,000 for first time

Total of 106,122 new cases recorded on single day as Omicron variant continues to advance

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Daily cases of Covid-19 have passed 100,000 as the Omicron variant sweeps across the UK, according to government figures – the highest number recorded since the pandemic began.

More than 106,122 new infections were reported in the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday, up from 90,629 on Tuesday, dashing hopes that cases could be beginning to plateau. The unprecedented figure will only intensify concerns about the likely impact of the Omicron variant on hospitalisations in the new year.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/22/number-of-new-covid-cases-in-uk-passes-100000-for-first-time