Some say Colombia is, without a doubt, the most welcoming of countries a place where check in means, welcome and check out means come back soon Where modern cities will surprise you with an endless supply of urban adventures, while quaint heritage towns greet you across insanely photogenic streets and where the people our brimming with talent, innovate ideas and lots of opportunities for great business. Why not come find out for yourself visit Colombia most welcoming place on earth from the New York Times. I'm not Michael Barbara he's on paternity leave. I'm Kevin roofs. This is the daily

alas, Angelus court may soon rule on whether Britney spears should continue to live under a controversial legal arrangement that has given her father nearly total control of her life. Today, my colleague list, day on new details about how envy if that arrangement actually wants and why so? Few people knew the full story it's Wednesday September twilight. Was you ve, been our House Britney spears expert for a few years now, and you ve done a ton of amazing reporting and part of what I ve learned from you is that Britain is spears dislike very famous

person that I grew up listening to has actually serve had a very mysterious period in her life, like we just didn't hear that much from her, except these, like occasional, cryptic, instagram posts, but now it seems like we're starting to get some answers yeah. So it's been really hard to understand. What's been going on behind the scenes with Brittany. there's on one level, she's one of the biggest celebrities on the planet and she's out there, making millions of dollars performing selling perfumes appearing on television, but at the same time, life is very, very guarded because she's in something called a conservator ship and just remind us what is and ship and how did she'd end up in one seller? Conservator ship is a unique, very extreme legal arrangement,

in which someone has their decision, making powers taken away from them and instead the court allow. someone else conservator to make most of your basic life decisions for you and back in two thousand and eight NI had been going through some public struggles that were playing out and there are concerns around her mental health or potential substance use and her father applied for conservator ship over her, and so she's been in that arrangement for now, Thirteen years and her father has been essentially in charge of her life since then yeah and from the outside, section was bad. All was well and everything was ok but there were a lot of rumours and speculation that Britain, can't drive Brittany can. The phone Britney's very unhappy with the situation,

but it s really hard to actually know that on the record and prove that Britain herself didn't really ever talk about the conservator shit publicly. But a few months ago my reporting partner, Samantha Stark were connected to someone who said he really knew what was going on behind the scenes. His name was Alex, flask of who is explosive so, as a former employee at a company called Black Box security, and they were the com neither ran security for Brittany for the last thirteen years of the conservative. Airship so let's start at the beginning. We saw one the job I was super excited,

it was. It was honestly following an opportunity of a lifetime, because there is potential if we can really excited by the opportunity to learn about the security industry. He eventually dropped out of court to stay on with the company and really just master the industry, and he started as the assistant of founder at dawn. Who is the main security thy for Brittany? I do every day from raises emails to beyond I'll phone conversations in order to take notes for him. I was The only person, a black box that knew everything really we started growing within the company and managing the security guards and just taking on more and more responsibility, and through that he also started to get a really intimate glimpse into how this security apparatus worked. In Britain Life,

What is this firm like what services do they offer? What kind of other clients today have what's the deal with them? So Brittany is the only full time playing a black box at the time. And Alex says he knew nothing about what a conservator ship even was and the only stuff he knew it it came from a don? We all decreased Russia is therefore her own good, the was there to protect her from influence from her losing money that it was a way for her to have custody of her toes and in some ways Wyatt Alex observed, fell. normal and standard for security, for a celebrity security guards, would accompany Brittany in public places and help keep the paparazzi away or help keep stalkers away, but slowly he started to notice red flags and things that

to really weird to him. I remember I asked on: why is it that securities with her twenty four seven and she told me that security was part of the conservative ship? Why is it that Britain CAP, really the House, without security and without security, alerting her father and various other people about where she was going around this time, is one one of the new agents that was working there was asking me. How is it ok that were in charge of her medication, and he noticed that security would sometimes painter if giving her medication. You know I was equally means is the goal we we were given: pre packaged envelopes. We have to hand them to her, and she, leave. She has to take it. There And every time that was brought up, poor or discuss those like this is what security

should be doing because this is the plan is asking for this. The client needs was the kind asking for is Jamie and I started to realize that you know it didn't seem as if Brittany, the celebrity was the client, but instead the client ass, her father, Jamie they conservative and is that right is Jamie spears. The client in this case, technically, yes, Jamie Spheres is the kind in this sitting. Nation under the conservatory ship. He is granted control of Brittany nearly Sixty million dollar fortune even though Brittany is paying the bills for everyone in this situation, including sixteen thousand dollar A month for Jamie she's paying, her lawyer, she's paying for Jamie's lawyers spank.

Security issues paying for all these people, but her father is the one in control. so, as the years went on, Alex became more alarmed with what he was saying Brittany wanted to get an Iphone, She saw her assistance have iphones dancers team, dont even and she won an Iphone, and that was a big deal. Everybody. Was worried, and one day a don approached him and said. You know. Is there any monitoring service for an Iphone that you are aware of like what he means: physical, parental controls you know, is there? Is there any way to put parental controls on an Iphone that's one Don explained to me. The britney's can

Creation is monitored for her own security and protection. So our says that he at first asked Britain is, monitored and adopt told him. Yes, These are basically parental controls that you would have. Or Europe's minor child? I asked it about the legality of that actual. Are you allowed to that and she said yes, the court is aware of this Britain his lawyer is aware of this. This is for her safety and for her protection, so they would if Britain an Iphone in which an Icloud account would be on that phone and they would then set up a mirrored Icloud account I'm an ipad that they had control of an would then allow them to mirror everything going on on Britney's phone. You know,

all of her photos. Oliver videos, Oliver text message is her browser history, her notes on this Ipad that they could then monitor well but it would also monitor com. stations with her friends with her mom were, lawyer SAM in him in there anybody that should be off limits should be written. His lawyer and I still felt that I'm not understand something. So I think that with very shocking TAT S, because you know even if there may have been- and we don't know some court approval to make sure nothing bad with happening to Brittany on her phone. It would be very shocking if that would apply to attorney client privilege working a blog box. I saw so much I'm not a law expert, so I can-

its legality of everything, but ethically it was just one. Big mass and that was in even the most shocking thing that Alex said. What do you mean it on hard audio reading Devise pencil, Britney's bedroom. So the other really shocking. Allegation that Alex made was that they had secretly recorded audio in Britain S bedroom The dawn and one of the agents working with him came into my office and handed me, the audio recording device and a usb drive and asked me to wipe it. They seemed very nervous and said that it was really sensitive Nobody can ever know about this now why I need to delete

sitting on it, so there is no record of it, so Alex said why they explain to him what it was and what they had done, and they said that no one could ever know about this. Well, I mean that sounds incredible, terrifying, and I know that she's in this conservator ship, which gives her father a lot of rights over her life. But still is that legal form the big question. Both mirroring text message is between two parties without consent and secretly recording people's conversations in a private place, Out their knowledge or consent could be a violation of the law, but what we don't know is whether the

I was aware of, or had approved any of this. We know that nothing publicly available in the conservative ship case appeared to give them the powers to do this, but a lot of court case is sealed, so it's always possible. There were some secret afar given at some point or authority was given in a very narrow circumstance, and then it is also possible. No, they were just going Rogan. This was nothing that the court had given authority. over and when we went for comment to Jamie Spears and the security company, civically Jamie's response to us was that you know anything he did. Within the authority that the court had given him and that they had the approval of either Brittany, her court appointed lawyer or the court, and how did Alex's time blackmail

security and when I was leaving Black Box, my filter went away. You know I was very open about I disagree, how you run the business disagree. How you are ethically she's a goal. We should really talk about that, over the years Alex starts to. get more more uncomfortable with these red flags that he's noticing and would he views is crossing ethical lines and- culminates in hand becoming bolder and bolder. With his comments to adorn about how we feel about things, he calls me was offers, and you know he takes- the gun is Hollister with his club. Our puts it on the table and starts with. So you don't like the way when my business, I mean it's, not a threat, but it's a thread

I dont, denies that the incident happened, but I think for Alex. It was a big part of why he's silent for so long and why it was so difficult to go public with this information he felt really into? aided by how much power Aidan had in the industry and also just what he had seen him be capable of God. So that's so how Alex gets disillusioned with all of this. Do we know at the time how much Brittany is actually a whereof or how she felt about, basically being I'd on by her father. So we really know, and you Britain appears in public she smiling and performing in Vegas, making millions of dollars and selling perfume, and the brand is great and we see her an instagram posting in Rational means or dancing- and you know it

never really commented on the conservator ship or said anything public about it. then, in spring twenty twenty one so thing really unusual happens. Britney's quarter pointed lawyer tells the judge that Britain he would like to address the court, and so the judge set the date for June. Twenty third twenty one in which Brittany will speak to the court, There is a real chance that she's going to talk publicly about her conservator ship for the first time. we'll be right back. This episode of the daily is supported by now. What's next, a podcast cast from in Stanley that helps make sense of life. During and after the pandemic to chart what's chow changed and where we might be headed hosts

Clayton talks with everyone from restaurant owners to therapists, Tasker knots, even third graters, about the opportunity. We have now to rethink some age old assumptions and create a better world search for now. What's next, wherever listen to pot casts or Jemison, one of the producers of the daily right now there's something unique happening with labour in America, employers can workers in some People are realising they don't want to go back to the jobs they lost during the pandemic. In covering the store, our team is finding that its way more complicated than this narrative of stingy bosses are spoiled workers and getting a sense of the bigger picture involves talking to a lot of people from caterers. taxes to resort owners in Montana. We ve heard these really personal stories. I manager, picking up dishwasher shifts to keep their business running a fry cook who just can't bring themselves to return to an eighty. Our work week, we know that doing, just a few interviews isn't gonna cut it for a story like this and without New York Times subscribers

We wouldn't have the resources and staff needed to get the full scope. If subscribe already. Thank you. If you want to get behind this kind of work, and why times dot com slashed subscribe. So Liz tell me about this moment in time. when Britney Spears finally broke her sails hence about her conservator ship so June. Twenty three twenty twenty one hearing roles around and because of combat the court allows a black to listen and live to the hearing. So I was signing from my house, as were many many people and I was really nervous and excited to hear what Brittany was going to say good afternoon avenue.

thank you, and the court hearing starts, and the judge says Brittany is ready to address that Miss spears. You know I hear that you have something to say and Brittany says hello and then she launches into this very passionate twenty minute plus long speech give her silence in detail about how she feels about the conservative ship, It was very much so not the public narrative that had been presented, I'm not happy. I can't sleep, I'm so angry. It's insane and I'm depressed. I cry every day. In the reason I'm telling you this is because I dont think how the state of California can have all this written in the court documents from the time I showed up and do absolutely nothing just higher with my money. She said that she felt the conservatory share pad way too much control over her life and was really oppressive

Nile I've been in shock. I am traumatized, you know fake it till you can make it, but now I'm telling you the truth. Ok, I'm not happy. She brings up the point that she has me millions of dollars for other people under this conservator ship, I was basically directing most of the show, meaning I taught my dancers. My new choreography myself. I take every I do very seriously. There's tons of video with me add rehearsals. I wasn't good. I was great. I led a real sixteen new dancers in rehearsals, I should be in a conservative ship. If I can work in. I'd money and worked for myself and pay other people. It makes no sense the laws conservator ships are only supposed to be for people who can you know feed clue their shelter themselves Britain has been able to make millions of dollars actively performing what state allows people to own another person's money and how in threatened them in saying you can't spinning,

money unless you do what we want you to do and I'm paying them. Man, I've works. And what did she say? I don't feel like. I can have live a full life. I dont well. She talked about How she couldn't dr alone with her boyfriend in her car under that conservator shed, I am not able to see my friends that lead lives, eight minutes away from me, which are fine extreme, strange, I feel like they're making it. like I live in a free had programme. This is my whole. She also describe some very private ways in which she felt the conservator ship controlled her life. I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told down the conservative shit I'm not able to. Get married or have a baby. I had they idea inside of myself right now, so I dont get pregnant. I wanted to take the idea out so I could start trying to have another baby, but this so called tee.

Well. Let me go to the doktor to take it out because they are. They don't want me to have children anymore children. So basically, this concern. Their ship is doing me way more harm than good brimming. Also, Jim, that she wanted to have the right to pick her own, where the lawyer she'd, had for the past thirteen years was not someone who she had chosen. It was someone who the court had appointed for her shit but I haven't really had the opportunity by my own self to actually and pick the my own lawyer by myself, and I would like to be able to do that, and she said she didn't just want her father removed as conservator man, my dad and anyone in this concept should end my management, who played a key role and punishing it mean when I said no man, should be in jail. She wanted jail. I deserve to have the same rights

Anybody does by having a child a family, any of those things and more so, and that's all I wanted to say to you and thank you so much for letting me speak to you today soon after his hearing where we find monsieur how Brittany really feels about this leadership. What happens? Next, so now. You start to see major changes in the wake of Brittany. Making in June there's changes to her, purity firms? You start seeing Brittany out and about more often driving things that you know she said she had been allowed to do, but most notably, Brittany is able to hire her lawyer for the first time and this new lawyer is really aggressive towards removing Jamie Heath, miles to remove Jamie almost immediately and says that he wants to depose him and do a full investor

Jason into Jamie and the last thirteen years in the conservative ship and did that actually producing changes. Yes, a lotta changes very quickly. At First Jamie continues to say: I'm not gonna, step down. I've done nothing wrong. Brittany, slower sites back and keeps going after him. and this culminates in this real curveball that Jamie files on September seventh, in which he asked the court to consider terminating conservator ship completely and ending it? Well, that is a curve ball, and what do you think explains that so we don't know, but in court filings, Brittany slower said that Jamie was probably doing this because he felt backed into a corner and wants to avoid being investigated. Who so wish

Things stands today. So today there is a big hearing and the court is expected to decide to big things. The first is for east request to remove Jamie as conservator and the second is Jamie's requests for the judge to decide whether to terminate the conservator ship completely. Do we have any indication of how the judge my rule? That's a great crash I mean people think that there is a good chance that Jamie could be removed today,. but it's really unclear. Britney's lawyer has used this argument that he's not in Britain is best interest. Jamie continues to maintain he's only ever acted in Britain is best interest. So I know that a lot of the details of the story are truly specific to Brittany. Spears theirs

art that many mega celebrities who are in these kind of conserving airships. But there are a lot of other people in conservator ships, does what's happening in Brittany. Case mean anything to those people while before, Britney's case. Not a lot of people knew anything about conservator ships. We don't even know how many of them there are in this country estimated over a million in a way. Britney's case has really taught alot of people about what conservator ships are and really show. light on the extraordinary amount of power that a conservator gets over a conservative and just, as importantly, just how little oversight there can sometimes be once a conservator ship is established,

it's taken an enormous amount of pressure and public attention for the courts to even seriously consider removing Jamie. So if all of this can happen to Brittany Spears, what does that mean for someone who doesn't have those resources for that same Liz, how do you feel about this story after having spent so many years looking into Brittany and her conservators like? What is your take away from all this? I guess one take away. I do have that, I think about allied is how long this has gone on, and it seems as if, for a very long time, people were willing to buy into

narrative that doesn't make any sense, which is that someone could fit this standard but also be able to perform and make millions of dollars. This is two. Things cannot be true at the same time by everyone was kind of willing to, believe it, because you got to go to a good, show and see your favorite celebrity out their smiling, and it was just much easier to believe that everything was okay and I think the public as a lot more sympathetic, now or empathetic to putting themselves in her shoe and you know believing her Andorra just wanting to see her succeed. Why do you think that is like? Why is the public more sympathetic now? I think it was Brittany. Her. Self, publicly speaking and kind of shattering the public narrative that all

swell and her dad had saved her life and everything was great under the conservatory ship and she spoke in such detail and so passionately and said so many shocking things. It really woke up a lot of people I think it's sometimes easy to overlook the fact that there is a human being with rights and with digging and with respect at the centre of all of this, and I think that gets law Than the spectacle and the legal chow staying and then you know nuance of medical issues and just the nitty gritty of it all, and I think it just nice when that person is listened to,

is thank you thank you

we'll be right back at last to assume director gladiator is the true story of one woman defied a kingdom and made history. It stars Academy, award winners, Matt, Damon and benefits Lack academy, Lord Nominee, Adam driver and Jody Comber, who gives the performance critic say, will be remembered, come Oscar time, the score,

was written by Academy Award nominee Nicole Hollis Centre, as well as African Damon, their first since their best screenplay Oscar for good, well, hunting allow Stewart only in theatres October, fifteenth here's. What else you need today. It is imperative that Congress addressed the debt limit. If not, our current estimate is the Treasury will likely exhaust its stored, nearing measures by October eightieth on Tuesday Treasury secretary Janni Ellen told lawmakers that they have, until October eightieth to raise the federal government or else risk running out of money to pay the nations bills. It that point we speak Treasury would be left with very limited resources if we'd be depleted quickly, a miracle will default for the first time in history. She warned that if the debt limit isn't raised the- U S, cook default on its debt, potentially triggering a financial crisis and economic recession,

senators, the dead ceiling has been raised were suspended. Seventy eight times since nineteen sixty almost always on the bipartisan basis. My hope is that we can work together to do so again and to build stronger american economy for future generations. Democrats have been racing to extend the limit before the deadline, but Senate Republicans have blocked those attempts and are trying to force Democrats to raise the limit on their own and my task at that time was to de escalate. My message again was consistent, stay calm. Steady de escalate. We are not going to attack in general Mark Milly, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told us Senate Committee

Tuesday that there was nothing improper about his calls to chinese military officials during the chaotic final days of the trumpet demonstration in the calls which are reported in a recent book by Bob Woodward and Robert,

Costa general Milly reassure China. The United States had no plans to attack it. I know I am certain that President Tromp did not intend to attack the Chinese, and it is my directed responsibility, and it was my director responsibility by the secretary to convey that intent for the Chinese and finally, a vaccine mandate for New York State Healthcare workers that went into effect this week appears to have convinced thousands of and vaccinated health care workers to get their shots. The mandate, which was announced back in August by then governor, enter Cuomo, require that all six hundred and fifty thousand of the state's hospital and nursing home employees receive at least one dose of a covert nineteen vaccine by Monday or risk losing their jobs by Tuesday,

but the mandate had gone into effect. More than ninety two percent of the states, healthcare workers had received a shot, suggesting that President Biden plans to mandate. Vaccines for healthcare workers nationwide is likely to have a similar effect. Today's episode was produced by aircraft key Robert Jemison and Sydney Harbour with help from just child Michael Simon Johnson. It was edited by my friend law. An engineered by Chris would original music by damn power, and Marion was honour. Our theme, music is by Jim, Brandenburg and Ben lands. Work of wonder, That's it for their uncovers, see you tomorrow, as Afghanistan Fade

from the headlines. The international rescue Committee is staying in the country to prevent a full scale- humanitarian crisis, as well as working across the United States, to resettle many of the thousand of Afghans evacuated last month. Learn more about how you s, communities are coming together to welcome afghan refugees and how the Irish Sea is planning to keep health, education and financial, services running for women and children across Afghanistan. Visit rescue, dot, Org slash, help Afghanistan to find out how You can help