The world is abuzz with activity, and it can be hard to keep up with it all, so here are some top stories from the past week in a short and sweet package.
Speaking of, Sabrina Capenter released her sixth studio album last week, Short n’ Sweet, to generally positive reviews on August 23. Its singles topped the Billboard charts, and as of now two tracks from the album still sit in the top ten. Carpenter is set to begin a sold out North American Tour to promote the release in September.
The World Health Organization has declared mpox (formally known as “monkeypox”) a global health emergency. An ongoing outbreak in Central Africa has drawn concern as the disease is presenting itself in a deadlier strain than was seen in the brief public health emergency in the United States back in 2022. Despite this, however, the WHO stresses that the world is not in for another COVID-19 situation, and vaccination campaigns for mpox are being prepared in African countries to start soon.
On Wednesday, August 28, Tim Burton’s highly anticipated comedy-horror Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opened at the Venice International Film Festival. The film will release in theaters in the U.S. on September 6, and audiences hope to experience a new yet nostalgic take on the original 1988 classic. Michael Keaton will reprise his role as the titular bio-exorcist, alongside returning stars Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara.
The film will also feature performances from modern horror mainstay actors Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is projected to make $65-80 million in the United States and Canada on its opening weekend.
In other horror news, the trailer for the third installment in the popular grindhouse franchise Terrifier was released on Wednesday. The monstrous “Art the Clown” is making his third appearance on the silver screen this year, further cementing him in the pantheon of infamous horror villains. Establishing a Christmas theme for the movie, Terrifier 3 promises an even more vulgar, bloody, and intense experience than the previous two installments. For more information on the Terrifer franchise, read the review of Terrifier 2 here on Smoke Signals. Terrifier 3 is set to release in the United States on October 11, 2024.
On August 18th, Polish cyclist Katarzyna Niewiadoma claimed first place in the Tour de France Femmes, beating the defending champion, Demi Vollering from the Netherlands. The race was a great success, and was hailed by the public as well as the people involved as such.
India has been swept by ongoing doctors’ protests following the rape and murder of trainee doctor Moumita Debanth inside R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal. The incident has sparked outrage as student unions and doctors alike joined in the demands for justice in the growing conversation about violence against women and doctors in India.
Strikes and protests continue all across india. On Wednesday, a 12-hour strike in West Bengal affected rail and road transport around Kolkata, where R. G. Kar is located.
To end off this recap on a more positive note, the Paralympic Games in Paris, France, had their opening ceremony Wednesday evening, setting the final leg of Parisian summer sporting into motion. The ceremony took place at the beautiful Place de la Concorde and Le Champs Elysees.
The Paralympic flag was carried onstage by John McFall, a Paralympic silver medalist who was the first astronaut with a disability in the European Space Agency. Shortly thereafter, the flame was brought up by Florent Manaudou, French flagbearer at the Olympics this year. With fireworks and ballet music, the Games begun with a flare befitting only Paris, France.
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