Actor John Lithgow defended his decision to join the upcoming HBO series based on J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books, despite backlash against the author's views on transgender issues, Fox News reported. The 80-year-old actor, who is set to play Albus Dumbledore, addressed the controversy surrounding Rowling's outspoken opposition to transgender ideology and her defense of women-only spaces.
Lithgow stated 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" regarding her contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported. The princess is mentioned hundreds of times in files released by the US Department of Justice between 2011 and 2014. This news comes as her son faces trial in Oslo on 38 charges, including rape and assault, according to the BBC. Crown Princess Mette-Marit said she regretted having any contact with Epstein at all.
Meanwhile, in Syria, Hind Kabawat, the country's only female minister for social affairs and labor in the transitional government, is pushing for change, the BBC reported. Tasked with navigating Syria's transition from war to peace, Kabawat, a former opposition leader in exile, said she would not stay in the role if she was not free to set her own strategy. "On the first day, I asked 'why are there no more women?'," Kabawat told the BBC. She also acknowledged that the government has faced challenges, including sectarian violence.
In the United States, Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Trump, will have the opportunity to demonstrate his approach to immigration enforcement in Minnesota, according to the NY Times. Homan, known for his "gruff lawman" persona, previously criticized California's sanctuary state law, vowing to increase ICE's enforcement presence in the state. "There's no sanctuary from federal law enforcement," Homan told Fox News in 2018.
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