Actor John Lithgow defended his decision to join the upcoming HBO series based on J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books, despite the author's controversial views on transgender issues, Fox News reported. The 80-year-old actor, who is set to play Albus Dumbledore, addressed the criticism surrounding Rowling's outspoken opposition to transgender ideology and her defense of women-only spaces.
Lithgow insisted that he took the criticism "extremely seriously" and described Rowling's views as "ironic" given the themes of her fantasy series, according to Fox News.
In other news, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre agreed with Crown Princess Mette-Marit's admission of "poor judgement" after it emerged she had extensive contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported. The princess features hundreds of times between 2011-14 in the latest files released by the US Department of Justice relating to Epstein. This latest embarrassment for the royal family comes on the eve of her son's seven-week trial in Oslo on 38 charges including rape and assault.
Meanwhile, in Syria, Hind Kabawat, the country's minister for social affairs and labour, is pushing for change as the only female minister in the transitional government, the BBC reported. Tasked with navigating the country's jagged road from war to peace, Kabawat stated, "On the first day, I asked 'why are there no more women?'" She added that she would not stay in the role if she was not free to set her own strategy. Sectarian violence has marred the government's first months in power, with many of Syria's minority communities blaming government forces, according to the BBC.
In the United States, Tom Homan, former acting director of ICE under President Trump, will get a chance to show that focusing on jails and public safety threats is the best way to meet President Biden's enforcement priorities in Minnesota, the NY Times reported. In 2018, Homan pledged to significantly increase ICE's enforcement presence in California after then-Governor Jerry Brown signed a sanctuary state law. "Theres no sanctuary from federal law enforcement," Homan told Fox News at the time, adding, "California better hold on tight."
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