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Leaked testimony from Haiti suspects says plan was to arrest, not kill president
A group of Colombians and Haitian Americans suspected of assassinating Haitian President Jovenel Moise told investigators they were there to arrest him, not kill him, the Miami Herald and a person familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Moise was shot dead early on Wednesday at his Port-au-Prince home by what Haitian authorities say was a unit of assassins made up of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans, plunging the troubled Caribbean nation into deeper turmoil. The murder and uncertainty about who hatched the plot is the latest in a succession of blows to hit the struggling country, which has appealed for international help. Washington has so far rebuffed Haiti’s request for troops, though a senior U.S. official said on Sunday that Washington was sending a technical team to assess th...
UNICEF to supply AU states 220 million coronavirus vaccines
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has signed an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV to supply up to 220 million doses of the J&J single-dose vaccine to all 55 member-states of the African Union (AU) by the end of 2022. Some 35 million doses are to be delivered by the end of this year, UNICEF stated in a statement issued on Thursday in New York. The agreement, between UNICEF and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, will help implement the Advance Purchase Commitment (APC) signed between the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) and Janssen last March. That agreement secured an option to order another 180 million doses, bringing the maximum access up to a total of 400 million doses by the end of 2022. The AU established AVAT in November 2020 to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to the African continen...
The Chainsmokers to Perform at Charity Concert for 20-Year 9/11 Commemoration
In remembrance of the horrific September 11th attacks 20 years ago, a commemorative charity concert has been planned in New York. The one-night event, titled the “Never Forget Concert,” is scheduled for August 21st at the Jones Beach Theater. The show boasts a star-studded lineup featuring The Chainsmokers, Wyclef Jean, Journey, Steve Miller Band, and Ann Wilson of the legendary rock band Heart, among others. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit that builds mortgage-free smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. The organization will donate tickets to 9/11 first responders, military personnel, and Gold Star families. Flyer for the “Never Forget Concert” with Wyclef Jean, The Chainsmokers, Jou...
R. Kelly Transferred From Chicago Prison To New York Ahead Of Trial
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Cook County Department of Corrections / Cook County Department of Corrections Imprisoned R&B singer R. Kelly has been transferred from a Chicago facility to a detention center in Brooklyn, N.Y. ahead of his sex crimes trial there. Kelly is now being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) and he’ll face trial starting this summer. According to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, Kelly 54, has been held at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center for almost two years, adding that Kelly’s stay at the MCC has been replete with some issues that include him being attacked by an inmate among other concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Kellly will face racketeering charges in New York, and this request was known for quite some time, this ...
Gareth Emery to Host New Curated Music Festival, Metropolis
Trance and progressive house music star Gareth Emery seems to always be at work on something new, be it music, live performances, funny videos, or cryptocurrency-based ventures. Now, the famed producer and DJ has announced a brand new curated music festival called Metropolis. Metropolis is a two-stage festival featuring some of trance music’s most recognizable names. Along with Emery, fellow trance titans Andrew Rayel, Cosmic Gate, Tritonal, HALIENE, and Ruben De Ronde will be playing sets across both stages. The main stage will play host to the more festival-oriented side of things, while the second room will feature deep sets from each artist. Emery expressed his excitement at the two-set system: “All of our guests very much enjoy the deeper side of dance music, and we’...
New York’s Avant Gardner Revokes Vaccine Mandate for Event Attendance
Two weeks ago, Brooklyn-based electronic music venue Avant Gardner shared an announcement requiring attendees to be vaccinated for all upcoming shows. However, in response to the state of New York’s rescinding of COVID-19 restrictions, Avant Gardner has revoked its vaccine mandate. Earlier this week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted sweeping state ordinances on social distancing requirements, capacity limits, health screenings, and cleaning protocols. The Governor’s statement followed a milestone that 70% of New York’s adult population had received at least one dose of the vaccine. Now, the onus is on private businesses to enact or drop COVID-19 safety policies for patrons. From the get-go, Avant Gardner made it clear that its vaccine mandate was made necessary due to local mand...
Madeon Announces First Post-Pandemic Headline Shows at New York City’s Terminal 5
Just one day after teasing the return of his stunning “Good Faith Live” production, Madeon poured gasoline on the fire with a massive show announcement. The electronic music virtuoso has announced his first headlining shows since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will go down at New York City’s fabled Terminal 5 venue. He is set for dual performances—dubbed “Good Faith Forever”—on September 23rd and 24th, 2021. Madeon has captivated with his kaleidoscopic “Good Faith Live” production, which was conceptualized to breathe life into his Grammy-nominated sophomore album Good Faith. With its intricate rigging and polychromatic laser blitz, the subversive setup is one of the most coveted destinations for dance music fans. Flyer for Madeon’s...
New York Has Plans to Host a Massive Post-COVID “Comeback” Concert in Central Park
New York was hit especially hard during by the COVID-19 pandemic. At one point, The New York Times even called the city an “epicenter” of the virus. Now, the state seems to be looking through rose-colored glasses after Mayor Bill de Blasio shared his plans for a post-pandemic metropolis. According to a report from the New York Post, City Hall is partnering with legendary music exec Clive Davis for a “massive” concert at one of New York’s most iconic landmarks, the Central Park’s Great Lawn. “We decided to do something classic, iconic, a massive concert in Central Park,” de Blasio said during a press briefing on Monday, June 7th. “It will celebrate the summer of New York City, the comeback, and it will emphatically make the point there i...
R. Kelly’s Lawyers In Racketeering Trial Request To Stop Representing Him Because Duh
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Cook County Department of Corrections / Cook County Department of Corrections Robert Kelly is dripping in wack juice and can’t get it off. So much so his lawyers want to withdraw from his New York racketeering case. ABC 7 Chicago is reporting that the disgraced crooner’s legal team is asking to be removed from his trial in The Big Apple. According to the court filings, Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard want to be excused from representing R’uh. They formally submitted a letter to a judge to justify their plea. “Our reasons for withdrawal are significant and it is impossible, in our belief, for us to be able to continue to properly represent Mr. Kelly under the current circumstances,” the document read. Mr. Greenberg explained their position in a stateme...
New York’s Teksupport and Avant Gardner Announce Summer Shows With Mandatory Vaccine Policy
While U.S. states like Florida and Texas have roared back to life with full-capacity music festivals, club nights, and headline shows, New York—an electronic music haven—has been wary on its road back to nightlife. However, that will soon change with this week’s major event announcements from Teksupport, an influential Brooklyn-based house and techno organizer, and Avant Gardner, New York’s premier electronic music venue. Avant Gardner recently announced that the venue will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to attend shows within their sprawling, 80,000-square foot concert complex which houses three separate event spaces: The Great Hall, The Kings Hall, and The Brooklyn Mirage. “Under the current New York State regulations regarding businesses that congregate patrons and operat...
Gunman kills at least 8 in mass shooting at California rail yard
At least eight people were killed when a transit employee opened fire at his co-workers at a light rail yard in San Jose, California, on Wednesday morning, the county sheriff’s office said, in the latest in a string of mass shootings this spring. The gunman, who like the victims was an employee of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), was also dead, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Deputy Russell Davis said at a news conference. He did not say how the gunman died or whether police officers fired their weapons at the scene. The name and age of the suspect were also not disclosed. The first emergency calls reporting the shooting at the VTA light rail yard near the city’s main airport came through shortly after 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time (1330 GMT). A bomb squad was searching the yar...
New York Venues Receive Green Light to Open at Capacity—But Must Ask for Proof of Vaccination
In a wide-ranging speech from the stage at Radio City Music Hall, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo explained that within the next month venues will begin operating at full capacity provided they request proof of vaccination from attendees. IQ reports that on June 19th, Radio City will open at full capacity and attendees will be required to present a vaccine passport—likely New York’s Excelsior Pass—in order to enter the venue. Cuomo explained his view that attendance scalability is predicated upon the amount of tickets allocated to vaccinated patrons. “I encourage [private venues] to have a high percentage available for vaccinated people,” he said. “Radio City is going to be 100%, I encourage that, because that’s an incentive for people to get vaccina...
