NEW YORK: Harvey Weinstein was indicted on rape and criminal sex act charges, furthering the first criminal case to arise from a slate of sexual misconduct allegations against the former movie mogul.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said Wednesday's indictment brings Weinstein "another step closer to accountability" for alleged attacks on two women in New York.
Weinstein's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said he would "vigorously defend" against the indictment and ask a court to dismiss it. He called the allegations "unsupported" and reiterated that Weinstein strongly denies them.
The indictment came hours after Weinstein's lawyer said the film producer would decline to testify before the grand jury because there wasn't enough time to prepare him and "political pressure" made an indictment unavoidable.
"Regardless of how compelling Mr. Weinstein's personal testimony might be, an indictment was inevitable due to the unfair political pressure being placed on Cy Vance to secure a conviction of Mr. Weinstein," the statement said.
Weinstein, 66, learned of the specific charges and the accusers' identities only after turning himself in Friday, according to his lawyers. Brafman said that with a deadline set for Wednesday afternoon for Weinstein to testify or not, prosecutors denied his request for more time.
Vance said the Weinstein camp's "recent assault on the integrity of the survivors and the legal process is predictable."
"We are confident that when the jury hears the evidence, it will reject these attacks out of hand," Vance said in a statement.
Weinstein was charged Friday with raping one woman and committing a criminal sex act by compelling oral sex from another. A grand jury continued hearing evidence in the case, as it had been doing for weeks.
Defendants have the right to testify in a grand jury's secret proceedings but often don't, for various reasons.
Freed on $1 million bail and electronic monitoring, he is due back in court July 30, though that date may now be moved up in light of the indictment.
Beyond the two women involved in the case, dozens more women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to assault in various locales.
He has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex, and Brafman said Tuesday that Weinstein was "confident he's going to clear his name" in the New York prosecution.
Brafman called the rape allegation "absurd," saying that the accuser and Weinstein had a decade-long, consensual sexual relationship that began before and continued after the alleged 2013 attack.
The woman, who hasn't been identified publicly, told investigators that Weinstein confined her in a hotel room and raped her.
The other accuser in the case, former actress Lucia Evans, has gone public with her account of Weinstein forcing her to perform oral sex at his office in 2004. The Associated Press does not identify alleged victims of sexual assaults unless they come forward publicly.
Vance, a Democrat, came under public pressure from women's groups to prosecute Weinstein after declining to do so in 2015, when an Italian model went to police to say Weinstein had groped her during a meeting.
Police set up a sting in which the woman recorded herself confronting Weinstein and him apologizing for his conduct. But Vance decided there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also a Democrat, ordered the state attorney general to investigate how Vance handled that matter.
Harvey Weinstein indicted on rape, criminal sex act charges
Harvey Weinstein indicted on rape, criminal sex act charges
- The indictment came hours after Weinstein's lawyer said the film producer would decline to testify before the grand jury because there wasn't enough time to prepare him
- Weinstein, 66, learned of the specific charges and the accusers' identities only after turning himself in, according to his lawyers
Meet Abdelrahman Mohammed: The artist behind Metro Boomin’s Egyptian concert poster
DUBAI: US record producer Metro Boomin on Tuesday performed for the first time in Egypt to a crowd of 30,000 in front of the Pyramids of Giza, with the promotional poster for the concert designed by Egyptian artist Abdelrahman Mohammed.
Mohammed’s style incorporates elements from the golden age of Arab cinema in the 1940s to 1960s, redesigned with modern pop culture themes.
Arab News spoke to the artist, who said he is “very grateful” that his work is getting recognition.
“I was approached by the producer of Metro Boomin’s concert who works for Live Nation, and she asked me if I wanted to design the official promotional poster for the concert, and I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity,” he said.
The poster features a red and black background with the pyramids and sphinx behind the artist. It was shared on Live Nation’s Instagram account.
“I used Metro’s iconic black and red colors and incorporated his style as an artist. The concert is set in front of the Pyramids of Giza so it was a no-brainer to use that as a strong visual element for the poster,” Mohammed said.
The 24-year-old works as a full-time graphic designer and has accumulated more than 74,000 followers on Instagram.
As a teenager, Mohammed began experimenting with design but lacked the proper equipment to explore his talent.
By 2018, he was able to get his hands on a computer and delve into the world of graphic design.
“I found myself drawn to designing posters with an old-school design. I draw inspiration from old-school movie posters, specifically ones from Arab cinema, because this certain style is not very common and no one really knows much about it,” said Mohammed.
Some of his most notable pieces are fan posters for the popular series “How I Met your Mother” and blockbuster movie “Dune.”
He said: “I loved the idea of mixing between the Western style of art and classic Middle Eastern style of art.”
People are drawn to the art style because it combines their culture and heritage, as well as their musical and theatrical interests, he added.
“I love when people get excited by my work and the reaction on social media has been amazing. It’s also amazing to get some form of international recognition for my work like the opportunity to design a poster for a huge rapper,” he said.
When asked, the artist could not pick his favorite work and said each is unique in its own way, but that one piece stands out to him.
“The poster I designed for ‘Fight Club’ is special to me and I have a lot of love for it,” he added.
Hard work and passion matter more than talent in creating art, he said.
“Art is something anyone can learn and continue to learn, and if you are passionate about it and truly love your work, you will find success.”
DJ Peggy Gou makes waves in the Middle East, eyes collaborations with Arab artists
ABU DHABI: South Korean DJ and singer Peggy Gou is no stranger to the Middle East. She wowed fans this week at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in the UAE, performing in celebration of the newly opened exhibition “From Kalila wa Dimna to La Fontaine: Travelling through Fables,” and revealed that she would consider collaborating with Arab artists.
She told Arab News the morning after the event: “I woke up this morning and was thinking what happened last night. It is one of those events that is so meaningful. I’ve been to Abu Dhabi twice just to see the exhibitions. It’s more than a museum to me. It is a community, where people even go to hang out. That’s how beautiful that place is.”
Gou was among the first performers to take the stage at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in front of an audience, she said.
“I know David Guetta did it once before without an audience during COVID-19 … It was my first time playing in Abu Dhabi. It was insane. It was a very, very special night, and I want to do more,” she added.
Gou incorporates Arab-inspired music into her performances, noting that “people just love it, and they love percussion.”
To the artist, music is like a feeling. “It is really hard to rationalize it,” she said. “When you love it, you just love it,” she added, expressing her admiration for Arab melodies.
“This is maybe the reason why people support my music, even though they don’t understand the language. Sometimes they just feel it, they just love it,” she explained.
“I love our music, but at the same time, I’m considering collaborating with an Arab artist because there are a lot of talented Arab musicians here,” she said. “I have many friends here who recommended me some artists, and I want to check it out.
“I never say no. I love making music with different languages.”
Gou has performed in Saudi Arabia multiple times.
“Every time I go there, it’s different. But what I can say is it’s always changing in a good way. In the very beginning, I felt like they weren’t going to understand my music,” she recalled.
But the DJ said that her last performance in AlUla was one of her favorites. “People were just shouting, screaming, and dancing as if there was no tomorrow,” she said.
Amy Schumer revisits stance on Israel’s war against Gaza in new interview
DUBAI: US comedian-actress Amy Schumer has clarified her stance on Israel’s ongoing war against Gaza after receiving backlash for her social media posts about the conflict.
Speaking to Variety, Schumer said that while she supports the Jewish people, she does not agree with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I don’t agree with anything that Netanyahu is doing, and neither do the Israelis I know,” she said. “Of course, what’s going on in Gaza is sickening, horrifying and unthinkable. And I don’t think it’s OK to hate anyone because they were born Jewish.
“It’s gotten to this place,” Schumer added, “where you can’t speak up for other Jews without people feeling like it’s a slight to the conditions in Gaza.”
Since the events of Oct. 7, Schumer has used her official Instagram page to campaign on behalf of Israel’s operation and call for the release of hostages held in Gaza.
She is also among more than 700 Hollywood figures, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Gal Gadot and Jerry Seinfeld, who have signed an open letter from the Creative Community for Peace in support of Israel.
Bella Hadid unveils debut fragrances from her new brand Orebella
- Model and runway star to launch brand with 3 perfumes
- Alcohol-free products highlight Hadid’s health concerns
DUBAI: American-Dutch-Palestinian model Bella Hadid has unveiled “skin perfumes,” the inaugural products of her new brand, Orebella.
The runway sensation turned to Instagram on Wednesday to showcase images of her fragrances, which are named “Salted Muse,” “Blooming Fire” and “Window2Soul.”
Crafted from glass and adorned with a gold cap, the bottles are offered in 10 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml.
Hadid in her caption described the fragrances as “hydrating, alcohol-free and enriched with essential oils.” She urged her followers to “shake to activate the transformative bi-phase formula.”
The “Salted Muse” perfume has “top notes” of sea salt, pink pepper and carbon dioxide extract, “heart notes” of olive tree accord, fig and lavender, and “base notes” of cedarwood, sandalwood and amber, according to reports.
The “Blooming Fire” fragrance has bergamot, cedarwood, clove leaf and cardamom, followed by Tahitian monoi and jasmine, and finishes with patchouli.
The “Window2Soul” scent has a blend of lemon, geranium and mint in its top notes, transitions to jasmine and damask rose, and concludes with a base of tonka bean.
The brand will launch on May 2.
Hadid wrote on her website: “For me, fragrance has always been at the center of my life — helping me feel in charge of who I am and my surroundings,” she said. “From my home to nostalgic memories, to my own energy and connection with others, scent has been an outlet for me. It made me feel safe in my own world.”
“Through my healing journey, I found that I was extremely sensitive to the alcohol in traditional perfumes — both physically and mentally — it became something that was more overwhelming than calming to me,” she added. “That is the main reason I wanted to find an alternative, so essential oils became an artistic and experimental process for me.”
She started growing lavender on her farm, walking through the garden every morning and learning about her family’s tradition of making homemade scents. “I realized I might have a calling in this. I found healing, joy, and love within nature’s scents,” she said.
“This is why I am so proud of Orebella. It was truly a dream and a passion, that through the universe and authentic dedication, was able to become this brand,” she wrote.
Simi, Haze Khadra thank Saudi fans after beauty masterclass
DUBAI: US Palestinian beauty moguls Simi and Haze Khadra concluded their beauty masterclass sessions in Riyadh this week, before flying to Dubai.
The masterclass sessions celebrate the Middle East launch of their eponymous label SimiHaze Beauty, with their products now available to purchase at Sephora stores in the region.
“Best day with all the amazing people in Riyadh. Thank you so much for all the love and so happy you all love everything,” the sisters posted on Instagram Stories.
The twins launched their US-born cosmetics brand in 2021 with a range of stick-on makeup designs that can be placed on the face for a bold beauty look achievable within seconds. The sticker book features an array of edgy designs inspired by their favorite DJ looks from the past, such as chrome wings, neon negative space eyeliner and holographic cat-eyes.
SimiHaze Beauty has expanded to include a range of products, including lipsticks, bronzing powders, a lifting mascara and more.
