Huge Covid milestone as half of UK has had first vaccine dose after 33 million jabs

The Academy Award nominations were announced early on Tuesday morning.And while there were many on the list that were expected to be there - Denzel Washington for Macbeth and Nicole Kidman for Being The Ricardos come to mind - several were left off that were surprises.Among those snubbed by the Oscars were Lady Gaga, Jared Leto and Al Pacino for House Of Gucci, Ben Affleck for his work in George Clooney's directorial effort The Tender Bar and Jennifer Hudson's role as Aretha Franklin in Respect.Scroll down for a list of nominations... No go:Lady Gaga was a force as Patrizia Reggiani in the Ridley Scott directed film House Of Gucci.

The Wendy Williams Show will reportedly be making some very big changes this year.Sherri Shepherd will become a 'permanent guest host' and take over the show in September, which will likely change the name of the chat fest, according to a Tuesday report from TMZ.This comes four months after 57-year-old Wendy took time off from her popular talk show to deal with her health issues reportedly connected to her longtime struggle with the autoimmune disorder Graves' disease. New on the scene:The Wendy Williams Show will reportedly be making some very big changes.

Kanye West had made a plea for his family to come back together just days after a war of words with estranged wife Kim Kardashian on social media.The 44-year-old rapper took to Instagram to share a gallery of snaps from Vogue magazine of his 41-year-old estranged wife with their children and the caption: 'GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER.'This comes just days after the former power couple squabbled on Instagram over their daughter North's TikTok and after the reason for the standstill in their divorce was revealed.Scroll down for video Taking a stand:Kanye West (seen in Malibu on Monday night) had made a plea for his family to come back together just days after a war of words with estranged wife Kim Kardashian on social media The 44-year-old rapper took to Instagram to share a gallery of snaps of his 41-year-old estranged wife with their children and the caption: 'GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER'As the reality star has been trying to get her married status dissolved to single for months, the artist's refusal to sign off on it is the reason the process has hit a snag according to a source for E! News on Monday.

Serena Williams is 'prepared' for retirement from tennis.The 40-year-old star has admitted she's been getting herself ready to step away from the sport 'for over a decade' after following the advice of her father Richard Williams, who is played by Will Smith in biopic King Richard.'I am prepared for that day, I've been prepared for that day for over a decade,' she told Entertainment Tonight. Time out?Serena Williams is 'prepared' for retirement from tennis.

Manori Ravindran International EditorIn a year when a festival darling like Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” was able to garner four Oscar nominations, including best picture, questions for the Berlin Film Festival jury — which includes Hamaguchi — centered on the role of film festivals in connecting both arthouse and mainstream audiences.Declaring that he “felt like a kid” at the Berlinale, where his jury will be watching 18 films in all, M. Night Shyamalan sat beaming next to Hamaguchi, who is fresh off his Oscar nomination for best director earlier this week.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe impact of COVID-19 was ingrained throughout the annual financial results of CJ ENM, the most diversified entertainment company in South Korea. Music gained ground, while film was lossmaking. Similarly, the group’s streaming business rapidly grew its top line, but its heavy investment costs kept the unit in the red.For the year to end of December 2021, CJ ENM recorded a 5% increase in sales, to KRW3.55 trillion ($2.97 billion), and a 9% increase in operating profit, at KRW297 billion ($248 million), it sais in a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Emiliano De Pablos Media giant Mediaset has acquired Italian distribution rights to Spanish writer-director Benito Zambrano’s drama “Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake,” produced and sold by Barcelona-based studio Filmax.News of the deal comes just before Filmax screens “Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake” to buyers at this year’s online European Film Market.Described as high-quality cinema for adults and predominantly female audiences, “Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake” adapts the novel of the same title by screenwriter and casting specialist Cristina Campos. It has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide.A member of  Spain’s generation of directors that broke out in the 1990s,  helping Spanish movies find far larger favor with audiences at home, Zambrano’s breakout debut, 1999’s “Alone,” won the Panorama Audience Award at Berlin.

MORE: Model and influencer Cristina 'Vita' Aranda shot dead in front of estranged footballer husbandBrittany Dawn Davis is accused of misleading customers who had eating disorders, and engaging in deceptive promises of customized nutrition plans. Brittany Dawn is being sued by the State of TexasThe Texas Attorney General’s office filed the lawsuit against Brittany Dawn Fitness LLC on 1 February and is seeking $250,000 and $1m in penalties and court fees, according to court documents published by The Dallas Morning News.READ: In memoriam: remembering famous faces we lost in 2022MORE: Katie Couric shares shock and heartbreak after sudden lossBrittany started selling online fitness packages in 2014, stating that she offered customized nutritional guidance and fitness coaching.

The 72nd Berlin Film Festival kicks off in physical form today with M. Night Shyamalan leading the main competition jury. Also notable among panelists is Oscar nominee Ryusuke Hamaguchi whose Drive My Car this week became the first Japanese movie ever nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. Hamaguchi was actually on a plane heading to Berlin when the nominations were announced, and only learned of the results upon landing.

Britain's lack of its own personal protective equipment when the Covid pandemic struck was a "tragedy", Boris Johnson has admitted.

A close aide to the Health Secretary was one of the main routes for Tory-connected firms to win NHS contracts to supply emergency Covid equipment.

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Two fully vaccinated people could meet up and it would be "incredibly safe", England's deputy chief medical officer said.

Ministers have pledged vital oxygen equipment for desperate Indians today as the country's Covid death toll passes 200,000 and it reels from a devastating surge in infections.

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People may be able to hug their loved ones again from June 21 with up to seven in 10 of adults having been found to have coronavirus antibodies, an expert said.

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock will lead a Downing Street press conference at 5pm today.

Matt Hancock could be forced to reveal names of politicians behind “VIP” Covid-19 contract bids after officials blocked them out.

coronavirus Hancock turned the tables on SNP MP Dave Doogan who asked the Health Secretary if he would match the SNP’s commitment to increase health spending by 20 per cent “to truly build back better”? First Minister Nicola Sturgeon committed the SNP to a four per cent increase in NHS spending for each of the next five years if returned to office.

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