Sony Pictures entertainment has announced that four separate Beatles movies are in the works‚ one featuring each of the members of the famed British band. Filmmaker Sam Mendes and his Neal Street Productions will direct all four films — and they have been granted‚ for the first time ever‚ full life-story and music rights from Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney along with the families of John Lennon and George Harrison and Apple Corps Ltd.‚ Deadline reported. Mendes will reportedly tell the story of each of the famous singer’s through interconnected stories — one from each member of The Beatles‚ the outlet noted. “We went out to L.A. just before Christmas to pitch the project‚ and it’s fair to say we were met with universal enthusiasm‚” Mendes told Deadline about meeting with Sony. “The reason Sony stood out from competing offers was down to Tom [Rothman] and Elizabeth’s [Gabler’s] passion for the idea and commitment to propelling these films theatrically in an innovative and exciting way.” Sam Mendes will direct all four of the films‚ and this marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and #TheBeatles – Paul McCartney‚ Ringo Starr‚ and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film… pic.twitter.com/9SuCKKUpXR — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) February 20‚ 2024 Starr even confirmed the project was happening in a post the singer made on Tuesday on X with his two million followers. “Have you heard the news?” Ringo wrote. “Oh boy. We all support the Sam Mendes movie project. Yes‚ indeed. peace and love.” Lennon’s family shared a message on the late-singer’s social media account that read‚ “Four feature films‚ one from each band member’s perspective‚ will have global theatrical release in 2027‚” the message added. “‘I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time‚ and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies’ — Sam Mendes‚” the message continued. Lennon’s post included a link on The Beatles website to more information about the movie projects. “We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling‚ and epic cinematic experience: four films‚ told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time‚” Pippa Harris‚ Neal Street Productions partner‚ said.  “To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler‚ it was clear that they shared both our passion and ambition for this project‚ and we can’t think of a more perfect home than Sony Pictures.” “Apple Corps is delighted to collaborate with Sam [Mendes]‚ Pippa [Harris] and Julie [Pastor] to explore each Beatle’s unique story and to bring them together in a suitably captivating and innovative way‚” Apple Corps Ltd. CEO Jeff Jones said. “Sony Pictures’ enthusiastic support‚ championing the project’s scope and creative vision from the start‚ has been invaluable for all of us.”

Greece‚ the birthplace of democracy and ancient traditions‚ has defied a longstanding norm by becoming the first Christian Orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage. In a watershed event‚ the Athens parliament voted decisively in favor of a historic change‚ generating a mix of excitement and criticism across the country. Parliamentary unity in the face of public dissent In a rare show of unity‚ 176 members of the 300-seat parliament supported the bill‚ regardless of political allegiance. Despite opposition from his own party‚ Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended the measure as a critical step toward resolving a “serious inequality for our democracy.” The emotional scenes in parliament reflected the importance of the moment for the LGBTQ+ community. “We have waited years for this. It’s a historic moment. A lot of us weren’t sure it would ever come‚” expressed Stella Belia‚ a prominent LGBTQ+ activist. Debate‚ opposition‚ and political landscape The path to marriage equality in Greece was marked by heated discussions and opposition‚ both within parliament and across the country. Opponents‚ especially the prominent Orthodox church‚ criticized the change‚ while advocates praised it as a bold and long-overdue move. Weeks of popular outrage culminated in a two-day contentious parliamentary discussion. The Prime Minister’s vision and pushback Prime Minister Mitsotakis‚ a member of the liberal group of the center-right New Democracy party‚ was a strong supporter of the law‚ which would put Greece in line with 36 other nations that had already adopted marriage equality. Despite resistance from inside his party‚ Mitsotakis underlined the importance of distinguishing conservatism from antiquated attitudes that do not reflect current culture. “The reform that we are legislating today … will make the life of some of our fellow citizens that much better without – and I emphasize this – taking away anything from the lives of the many‚” said Mitsotakis. The opposition’s stance and critiques Conservatives strongly opposed the legislation‚ with former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras stating that same-sex marriage is not a human right. The far-right Spartans party‚ together with the communist KKE party and others‚ strongly opposed the law‚ pledging to overturn what they called “monstrous” legislation. Lingering criticisms and future concerns While the Act represents a great step toward equality‚ it is not without challenges. Syriza‚ the major opposition party‚ expressed dissatisfaction with the bill’s faults. The ban on surrogacy for same-sex couples and the exclusion of specific groups from assisted reproduction raised concerns‚ leaving LGBTQ+ advocacy groups disappointed. Orthodox Church threats and far-right opposition The powerful Orthodox church‚ together with far-right elements‚ were vehemently opposed to the measure. Threats of excommunication were issued‚ and far-right leaders described the bill as opening “the gates to hell and perversion.” The struggles between tradition and progress represented a greater cultural rift over this historic shift. A step forward Despite the resistance‚ Prime Minister Mitsotakis promised that restrictions to same-sex marriage will be removed starting the next day. In a moving speech‚ he addressed the LGBTQ+ community’s historical oppression while underlining the movement for visibility and equal rights. “They were‚ let’s not kid ourselves‚ the children of a lesser god‚” he said‚ addressing the struggles faced by gay individuals in the past. A progressive Greece values equality With the referendum‚ Greece proudly became the 16th EU country to implement marital equality. The momentous event‚ characterized by passionate parliamentary scenes and societal transformations‚ establishes Greece as a progressive and democratic country committed to European principles. The path to equality‚ while not without obstacles‚ is a significant step forward for the country and the LGBTQ+ community it serves.The post Greece is the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

In the realm of chocolate‚ where sweetness reigns supreme‚ a new study by Penn State researchers reveals the key to creating delightful low-sugar chocolates. Oat flour emerges as the unsung hero‚ providing a promising alternative for lowering sugar content while retaining the rich texture and flavor that chocolate lovers crave. The art of balance: reduce sugar but keep the taste Professor John Hayes‚ who is directing the research‚ highlights the delicate balance required in the hunt for healthier chocolates. Chocolate‚ which contains almost half sugar by weight‚ presents a challenge when adjusting its sugar concentration because it has a considerable impact on both texture and flavor. The study investigates the feasibility of a 25 percent decrease in added sugar‚ a significant reduction that consumers may overlook. Professor Gregory Ziegler explains the complexities‚ saying‚ “The function of sugar in chocolate is both sweetness and bulking‚ so if we take that sugar out‚ we have to put something else in that will do the job just as well‚ or consumers will notice.” A dash of innovation: differences in texture and taste  In their search for alternatives‚ the researchers tested grains‚ including rice and oats‚ as potential sugar replacements in chocolate. The emphasis was not only on lowering sugar but also on the effect on texture and flavor. The data revealed a clear winner: oat flour. Kai Kai Ma‚ a co-author of the study‚ explains‚ “Our results suggest we can cut back 25 percent of added sugar to chocolate‚ effectively reducing the total sugar by 13.5 percent‚ if we substitute oat flour.” The blind tasting odyssey Consumers were invited to participate in two blind taste tests‚ which included chocolate versions with reduced sugar and oat or rice flour additions. The 25 percent sugar decrease‚ along with oat flour‚ as well. Participants rated it similarly to the full-sugar control‚ with some even preferring it. The study emphasized the importance of texture‚ describing oat-flour chocolates as “smoother‚ softer‚ and creamier” than their rice-flour counterparts. Bringing good news to the chocolate industry The researchers envisage a revolution in the chocolate industry landscape‚ with oat flour playing a key role in creating sugar-free variations. Professor John Hayes‚ with plans to share the findings with industry professionals‚ remarks‚ “I’m a big believer in meeting consumers where they are… Instead of making people feel guilty‚ we need to meet people where they are and figure out how to make food better while still preserving the pleasure from food.” As the research lays the road for a revolution in chocolate production‚ the future looks promising for health-conscious chocolate enthusiasts. Oat flour is ready to be a game changer‚ providing a guilt-free indulgence without sacrificing the enjoyment of everyone’s favorite dessert. Source study: Journal of Food Science—Sugar reduction in chocolate compound by replacement with flours containing small insoluble starch granulesThe post Can oat flour champion low-sugar chocolates without sacrificing taste? first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'Trump will lose considerable money even if he wins'

"The last words we said to each other were 'I love you'"

'We have hacked the hackers'

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'Prop B is a 'Cop Tax' scheme‚' Supervisor Matt Dorsey argued

'Hey‚ come on‚ you f–ker‚ put me on.'

EXCLUSIVE: DOJ Fails To Meet Congressional Deadline To Hand Over Biden-Hur Interview Transcript‚ Committees Say