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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 18 december 2018
Top of mind: 'Justice' is Merriam-Webster's word of the year

By LEANNE ITALIE for opioid addiction, a loos-
Associated Press ening of cannabis laws, a
NEW YORK (AP) — Racial Tesla probe, the Mueller in-
justice. Obstruction of jus- vestigation into the Trump
tice. Social justice. The campaign: Justice will re-
Justice Department. Mer- main top of mind into the
riam-Webster has chosen new year.
"justice" as its 2018 word "These are stories that con-
of the year, driven by the nect to the culture and to
churning news cycle over society across races, across
months and months. classes," Sokolowski said.
The word follows "toxic," "We get this word that filters
picked by Oxford Diction- in."
aries, and "misinformation," That includes Twitter in a
plucked by Dictonary.com. big way.
Peter Sokolowski, Merriam- Often, when Trump tweets
Webster's editor at large, about the Department
told The Associated Press of Justice, he uses simply
ahead of Monday's an- "Justice." On Aug. 1, when
nouncement that "justice" he tweeted his wish for
consistently bubbled into then-Attorney General Jeff
the top 20 or 30 lookups In this Dec. 12, 2018, photo, "justice" is displayed in a Merriam-Webster dictionary in New York. Sessions to stop the Muel-
on the company's website, Associated Press ler investigation, searches
spiking at times due to spe- spiked significantly. Trump
cific events but also skat- thought around a philo- Trump's one-time fixer, Mi- It also came ahead of a referred to "obstruction of
ing close to the surface for sophical problem, or to chael Cohen, was sen- Senate vote on the "First justice," a separate entry
much of the year. seek aspirational moti- tenced to three years in pris- Step Act," a criminal justice on the Merriam-Webster
While it's one of those com- vation. Such well-known on for crimes that included reform bill with broad bipar- site, prompting a lookup in-
mon words people likely words are often among the arranging the payment of tisan support. Earlier in the crease of 900 percent over
know how to spell and use most looked up every year, hush money to conceal his year, Kim Kardashian West the same date the year be-
correctly in a sentence, So- including those that are boss' alleged sexual affairs. not once but twice paid a fore.
kolowski pointed to other slightly abstract, including He told a judge he agreed White House visit on Trump The word "justice" comes
reasons that drive search "love," he said. time and again to cover up to discuss prison and sen- from Latin, unlike a lot of
traffic. Among them is an The designation for "justice" Trump's "dirty deeds" out of tencing reform. Sentencing the more emotional words
attempt to focus a train of came soon after President "blind loyalty." for drug crimes, treatment that rose in Old English.q

Toni Braxton is in the holiday spirit with Lifetime movie

By GARY GERARD HAMIL- festive and excited. I got a
TON three-picture deal at Life-
NEW YORK (AP) — Toni time and I thought a Christ-
Braxton has been nominat- mas movie would be the
ed for Grammys again for perfect way to come out
her latest album, but these and introduce it."
days the singer is also focus- But not only is she working
ing on acting — and flexing hard in front of the camera,
her producing muscles. she's putting in sweat equi-
"I find that I really love ev- ty behind it. Braxton serves
erything about film and as an executive producer
film-making," the multiplat- on the movie. She said she
inum-singer said in a re- got "a little taste" of execu-
cent interview. "I just really tive producing over the
love movies, whether TV or years "but now that I've bit-
anything that's dealing with ten the apple, I want the
film." whole thing."
Braxton, a seven-time Braxton's first film role was
Grammy winner nominat- in 2001's "Kingdom Come."
ed for three more Gram- Since then, she's starred in
mys earlier this month for several TV movies, includ-
her latest album "Sex & Cig- ing her own biopic, 2016's
arettes," is currently starring "Toni Braxton: Un-Break My
in "Every Day Is Christmas" Heart" and "Faith Under
on Lifetime. Inspired by the This Nov. 12, 2018 photo shows actress and singer Toni Braxton in New York. The 51-year-old Fire" which premiered ear-
Charles Dickens classic, "A singer, whose 1996 album “Secrets” has gone platinum, continues to create music but is trying a lier this year.
Christmas Carol," the movie different artistic medium, acting. But longtime fans shouldn't
centers around Alexis Tay- Associated Press be worried that Toni is swap-
lor, played by Braxton, as ping her music for movies.
she gets the holiday visit on Christmas Day.) the spirit of Christmas when can't buy: her heart. Why? "Because love it so
of a lifetime. ("Every Day A self-proclaimed worka- her past, present, and fu- "I love Christmas movies," much," Braxton exclaimed.
is Christmas" is re-airing on holic who "humbugs" love, ture collide, forcing her to she said. "Holiday time "It's my favorite thing to do
Lifetime on Saturday and Alexis ends up embracing risk the one thing money makes me feel happy and — performing."q