‘Dexter’ is returning for a prequel series focused on a young Dexter Morgan.

Showtime – which is set to be folded into Paramount+ – has green lit plans for ‘Dexter: Origins’, which will allow a version of the character in his early 20s and “at the outset of his transition into the avenging serial killer he would become”.

Set in Miami and most likely the 1980s, the spin-off show follows on from the success of 2021 sequel series ‘Dexter: New Blood’ and will see Dexter – played by Michael C. Hall in the original eight seasons and reboot – graduating college and joining Miami Metro.

There, “he meets younger versions of many of the characters we came to know in the original Dexter”.

The press release adds: “And, of course, the show will also focus on Dexter’s family, including a very-much-alive Harry and a very formidable, teenage Deb.”

In previous series, Harry and Debra have been played by James Remar and Jennifer Carpenter respectively.

Meanwhile, Showtime has also confirmed plans to explore “exploring projects based on other characters from the Dexter universe”.

One of these is a spin-off focused on a young Trinity Killer, who was originally portrayed by John Lithgow in the original show.

In a statement, longtime showrunner Clyde Phillips – who will be at the helm of the new shows – added: “I couldn’t be more excited about exploring and expanding the universe of Dexter.

“It’s a privilege to contemplate going even deeper with these complex and iconic characters — and the stories, themes and possibilities they inspire.”

Although Showtime has halted plans for a second season of ‘Dexter: New Blood’ – which would have focused on his son Harrison – in favour of the prequel, the network has insisted season two is still “in development”.

Phillips previously said: “If they were to call me and say, ‘We want to do [a second season], we want you to figure it out,’ I’m pretty busy, but I would drop everything I’m doing and jump right into it.

“I would love to do it, but it’s really up to Showtime.”

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden will on Tuesday deliver his State of the Union address three months after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, a speech that may mark the unofficial start of the 2024 presidential campaign season.

Here is what to expect.

WHEN IS THE STATE OF THE UNION?

Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address at about 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). It will be broadcast live on major U.S. broadcast television networks and online.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

The speech could deliver Biden his largest television audience of the year. An estimated 38.2 million people watched the speech on U.S. television last year, according to data provider Nielsen.

That audience will give Biden a chance to shape public perceptions of the debt limit, social spending, the Russian war in Ukraine and other topics as he plans to announce his re-election campaign in the coming weeks.

It also gives him an opportunity to shore up support among Democrats, some of whom are concerned about his age and other issues. Biden turned 80 in November and, if re-elected, would be 82 at the beginning of a second term.

WHAT IS BIDEN EXPECTED TO SAY?

He is expected to use the speech as an unofficial beginning of the 2024 presidential campaign season, laying out a set of policy priorities that may or may not find support in Congress.

He is expected to tout economic progress following the COVID-19 recession, draw sharp contrasts with the priorities of some Republican opponents and lay out “unity” agenda items that he believes should bring the two main parties together.

The speech is weeks in the making and subject to many drafts between Biden, his speechwriters and various political and policy officials in the administration.

Last year, Biden’s speech came just days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and focused heavily on explaining the U.S. response.

WHO ATTENDS THE SPEECH?

The speech is delivered during a joint session of Congress. All members of both the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-controlled House are invited. Members of Biden’s Cabinet, the armed forces and the Supreme Court also attend. Partisan outbursts can occur.

Biden was formally invited to give the address in January by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy will preside over the event and be accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the president of the Senate.

The president invites family members and other guests who sit in the First Lady’s view box from the balcony. Their presence can amplify points he is making in his speech.

Members of Congress also invite guests.

This year, guests will include the mother and stepfather of Tyre Nichols, the Black man who was fatally beaten by Memphis police officers, who were invited by Congressional Black Caucus chair Representative Steven Horsford.

Missouri Democrat Cori Bush said she has invited Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose 2014 shooting by a Ferguson police officer helped give birth to the Black Lives Matter movement.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said he invited Roya Rahmani, who served as Afghanistan’s first female ambassador to the United States, to send a signal to the women of Afghanistan that they had not been forgotten, while Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik will bring Jeffrey Smith, a county sheriff from upstate New York.

WHO ARE BIDEN’S GUESTS?

The ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Oksana Markarova, was invited by first lady Jill Biden. The White House called it a “recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked attack.”

The White House has also invited Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He was attacked by an intruder in their California home in October.

Celebrities have also made the list with Bono, lead singer of Irish band U2, invited for his work to fight HIV/AIDS and poverty.

The White House has also invited Brandon Tsay, who disarmed a gunman responsible for a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California.

Other guests include cancer survivor Darlene Gaffney; Amanda Zurawski who was not able to obtain abortion services due to Texas’s abortion ban and Doug Griffin, who lost his 20-year-old daughter to a fentanyl overdose.

WHO IS THE DESIGNATED SURVIVOR

One person who does not attend is a single member of Biden’s Cabinet who will be picked as a “designated survivor.” That individual will be housed in a secure location and is tasked with taking over the government in case of a catastrophe that impairs the president and his other successors at the Capitol.

The designated survivor for this year’s speech had not been announced as of late Monday.

WHO WILL GIVE THE REPUBLICAN RESPONSE?

Republicans have picked Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House press secretary under Donald Trump, to deliver their response. That speech is generally delivered shortly after the president finishes his.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose; Editing by Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell, Robert Birsel)

Washington (AFP) – An optimistic President Joe Biden will seek to lift the spirits of a tense nation Tuesday with a State of the Union address showcasing his efforts to fire up the US economy — and demonstrating he still has what it takes to seek reelection at the age of 80.

After two years of managing the exit from the Covid pandemic, an end to the 20-year Afghan war debacle, the Western response against Russia’s Ukraine invasion, and extreme US political tensions, Biden feels he has much to celebrate.

“I want to talk to the American people and let them know the state of affairs,” Biden said Monday. “Just have a conversation with the American people.”

On Capitol Hill, he’ll address the full Congress, nearly every senior government member, and a vast television audience, buoyed by news that the economy is recovering strongly from the pandemic, with the lowest unemployment in 50 years.

“This is a president who is incredibly optimistic,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Biden will tap into his powers of empathy — honed in a series of personal tragedies — and show his skill at “connecting with the American people,” she said Tuesday on MSNBC.

“Joe Biden is known for doing just that and he is the best messenger in the White House,” she said, “telling the stories of the last two years and, let’s not forget, the optimism.”

But the dramatic downing on Saturday of a huge Chinese balloon by a US Air Force fighter leaves the unstable relationship with the communist superpower literally looming over the Biden administration.

And there are troubles closer to home, with two new polls showing that well over half of voters do not want Biden, the oldest person ever in the presidency, to seek a second term in 2024 — and that includes members of his own Democratic party.

Biden spent the weekend at the presidential retreat Camp David, huddled with top advisors and speech writers to finesse the speech. Tweaks continued “until the last minute,” Jean-Pierre said.

Early Tuesday, the White House announced the guests of First Lady Jill Biden for the speech. These include Ukraine’s ambassador, Oksana Markarova and rock band mega star and HIV/AIDS campaigner Bono.

The most eye-catching, though may be Brandon Tsay, the  26-year-old man who disarmed the gunman in a January mass shooting in California, and RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, the parents of Tyre Nichols, a man whose death after a prolonged police beating in Memphis, Tennessee, shocked the nation.

Trouble ahead

For Biden, here’s the good news.

Inflation, which just a few months ago seemed a near-existential threat to the Biden presidency, is steadily ticking downward. Hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars are starting to flow out into programs passed under Biden to spur high-tech manufacturing and repair infrastructure.

On Friday, new figures showed joblessness hitting that half-century low. This inspired Biden to boast: “I’m happy to report that the state of the union and the state of our economy is strong.”

Even if Biden has yet to formally announce his 2024 candidacy, the speech — followed by two very campaign-like trips Wednesday and Thursday to Wisconsin and Florida — is expected to give him a big push.

However, the Chinese balloon drama — Beijing claims it was an errant weather research balloon but the US government says it was a high-tech espionage device — shows how narratives in Washington easily take dangerous new turns.

When Biden speaks, half of the Congress members in the chamber, as well as Speaker Kevin McCarthy sitting directly behind him, will be Republicans vowing to use their new, narrow House of Representatives majority to block his policies.

“The state of the union is weaker and American families are suffering because of Joe Biden,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said. “But all they’ll hear from Biden are excuses.”

Already, a major crisis is brewing over Republican refusal to extend the US debt limit, usually a rubber stamp procedure. Biden’s government warns of financial calamity, with major international implications, if Republicans stick to their guns, potentially pushing the United States into default.

Those kinds of uncertainties, as well as doubts over Biden’s ability to serve a second term that would end after his 86th birthday, may be partly to blame for pessimism in the polls. An ABC News-Washington Post Poll found that 58 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said the party should find someone else for 2024.

In his address, Biden will seek to “meet the meet people where they are, understanding that they are still indeed struggling,” Jean-Pierre said.

Miami (AFP) – Florida lawmakers on Monday introduced a bill that would allow the state to take control of the area around Walt Disney World that has until now been controlled by the entertainment giant.

The move was the latest episode in a year-long dispute between the Republican administration of Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney, after the company criticized a law banning school lessons on sexual orientation.

Disney’s special self-governing status was granted when the huge theme park was being built the 1960s. It gave Disney broad local management autonomy and exempted it from most state regulations. 

The new bill will be debated in the Florida House of Representatives this week before being sent to the Senate. 

It provides for the creation of a committee of five people, appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate, to take care of the administration of the zone once Disney’s special statute is revoked. 

DeSantis, who is widely expected to run for the White House, signed a law in April last year, and which is due to come into effect in June this year, eliminating Disney’s special status. 

Relations between DeSantis and Disney soured after Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out publicly against a law pushed by the governor prohibiting the teaching of subjects related to sexual orientation or gender identity in primary school.

Disney was initially silent about the law. But widespread criticism of the company, which employs more than 75,000 people in Florida, after it failed to publicly speak out eventually prompted Chapek to condemn it and suspend donations to state politicians. 

Disney’s theme park near Orlando is among the most visited in the world and the Disney brand remains a favorite with Americans. 

With its special status, Disney guaranteed a number of essential public services such as garbage collection or water treatment. Some elected officials fear that revoking the status will result in Disney debts of around $2 billion being transferred to local governments surrounding the park.

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ has seemingly added the first transgender ‘Harry Potter’ character.

The introduction of Sirona Ryan, a barkeep at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, comes amid the J.K. Rowling transgender row.

Although It’s not stated in the game if Sirona is transgender, one piece of dialogue about an encounter with a goblin called Lodgok suggests as much.

Sirona says: “I’ve known [Lodgok] for years. We met when I was waiting tables here as a student — well before I bought the place.

“He was cordial enough, but we weren’t friends then. His mistrust of wizardkind ran deep… Hadn’t seen him in years when he came in a few months ago. But, he recognised me instantly. Which is more than I can say for some of my own classmates. Took them a second to realise I was actually a witch, not a wizard.”

Warner Bros. Games has insisted Rowling is “not directly involved”, though her writing has provided the “foundation” for the title.

The acclaimed scribe first caused controversy when she took issue with an online article’s mention of “people who menstruate” by tweeting: “‘People who menstruate’. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

Among those who have since hit out at the author over her remarks are ‘Harry Potter’ actors including Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), as well as Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), who featured in her ‘Fantastic Beasts’ films.

The much-discussed role-playing title arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC this Friday (10.02.23).

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One follows on April 4 and Nintendo Switch players will have a while longer to wait with a date set for July 25.

By Tyler Clifford

NEW YORK (Reuters) – An independent New York City police review board has recommended that the department punish dozens of officers for excessive use of force and other alleged misconduct during protests that followed the 2020 murder of George Floyd, according to a report released on Monday.

Among the complaints, officers were found to have used batons and pepper spray on peaceful protesters in 140 instances. Dozens of allegations of abuse of authority, including officers refusing to identify themselves, concealing their badges and making false or misleading statements, were also substantiated, the report by Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) said.

More than 600, or 43%, of misconduct allegations were closed after officers could not be identified, raising a big obstacle in the board’s review, the report said.

“This report shows why the NYPD cannot continue to have a monopoly on discipline,” Molly Biklen, deputy legal director at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. “When New Yorkers took to the streets calling for racial justice in 2020, the NYPD responded with violence.”

Thousands of protesters flooded New York streets for weeks in demonstrations against police brutality days after Floyd, a Black man accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill, died when a white Minneapolis police officer pinned his neck to the ground with a knee for several minutes in May 2020. Smaller-scale protests continued into early fall.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) objected to many of the report’s findings, saying less than 15% of all allegations were substantiated. In a statement, it accused the board of exaggerating the extent of any misconduct, saying it involved less than 1% of 22,000 officers deployed during the protests.

The less that 15% substantiation rate of allegations against officers confirms “that the NYPD’s response to the protests during the summer of 2020 was largely professional, commendable, and responsive to the unique circumstances that were present at the time,” NYPD Acting Deputy Commissioner Carrie Talansky said in a statement.

Hundreds of officers were injured and the department had already implemented many of the 17 policy changes recommended by the board, NYPD said.

“Protests against police brutality bred more instances of police misconduct,” CCRB Interim Chair Arva Rice said in the report. “If this misconduct goes unaddressed, it will never be reformed.”

Of the 146 officers cited by the report, 89 of them should face internal charges, which can result in termination. The board recommended discipline, which can include the loss of vacation days, for the other 57 officers.

The board, composed of 15 members appointed by the mayor, city council and police commissioner, has the power to conduct administrative prosecutions, but the commissioner has final say over any discipline.

(Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

Trevor Noah poked fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis during the Grammy Awards on Sunday (05.02.23).

The 38-year-old star couldn’t resist mocking the prince’s intimate revelation about his icy agony – which he explained in his memoir ‘Spare’ happened during a 2011 charity walk at the North Pole – when he introduced James Corden to the stage.

He quipped: “James Corden is a 12-time Emmy winner and the host of ‘The Late Late Show.’

“He’s also living proof that a man can move from London to L.A. and not tell everyone about his frostbitten penis.”

Earlier in the evening, the former ‘Daily Show’ presenter had mingled with the A-list crowd at their tables during his opening monologue.

He joked about Harry Styles’ flamboyant fashion sense when celebrating the ‘As It Was’ hitmaker’s six nominations.

He quipped: “What can you say about this man that hasn’t been said? Incredible album. Mind-blowing tour. A 15-night run at MSG and the Forum.

“Women throw their panties at this man, then he puts them on, and he looks better in them than they do.

“Easily the world’s sexiest man. Are you kidding? There’s no competition. Sex symbol of the globe, especially now that they’ve killed off the green M+M. No competition.”

He then praised Kendrick Lamar’s album ‘Mr Morale + the Big Steppers’, describing the record as a “therapy session that earned him multiple Grammy nominations.”

He added: “All my therapy ever got me was helping me overcome my childhood trauma — useless.”

Although she wasn’t there for the beginning, Trevor also praised Beyonce, joking she had been the one to inspire his departure from ‘The Daily Show’.

He said: “Beyoncé is nominated for her album Renaissance, which by the way, was better than anything from the actual renaissance in my opinion.

“The Renaissance was just pictures of grapes and stuff. Beyoncé took it to another level. I was so inspired by the lyrics of ‘Break My Soul’ that I actually quit my job. That’s how powerful that was. I just wish Beyoncé had also written a song about the importance of having savings before you quit your job, but maybe the next one.”

But the South African comic wasn’t afraid to take a serious tone either, and ahead of the In Memoriam segment, he reflected on the importance of music in bringing people together.

He said: “It’s Black kids and white kids rejecting segregation in the 1950s, and instead, blending R B, country and even gospel into rock and roll.

“In the 1980s, a young black rapper from Queens and a Jewish white kid in his NYU dorm came together to make some of the greatest hip-hop of all time. They made a powerful new sound together because they were different.

“Music isn’t just the harmony of sound. It’s the harmony of human beings of different races, genders, religions, identities, sexual orientations … rejecting division to find moments of joy and unity and harmony, and that’s what music is all about.”

Kim Petras paid tribute to the “transgender legends” who “kicked the doors open” for her as she picked up her first Grammy Award on Sunday (05.02.23).

The 30-year-old singer and her collaborator Sam Smith scooped the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance accolade for ‘Unholy’ and the German star reflected on her history-making win as she gave an acceptance speech on behalf of them both, with the ‘Stay With Me’ hitmaker “graciously” offering the microphone to her for the full segment.

Standing next to Sam, Kim said: “Thank you so much, crazy. Sam I love you so much and this song has been an incredible journey for me. Sam has been a big supporter of me for a long time and Sam graciously wanted me to accept the award because I’m the first transgender woman to win this award.

“I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked the doors open for me so I could be here tonight. Sophie especially, my friend who passed away two years ago, who told me this would happen and always believed in me thank you so much for your inspiration. I adore you and you’re inspirational for everybody.

“”Madonna, for fighting for LGBTQ rights. Thank you so much, I don’t think I could be here without Madonna.

“My mother, my mother believed me that I Was a girl and I wouldn’t be here without her and her support.

“Everyone who believed in me to this point, I love you so much, this is a huge moment for me.

“Sam, you’re a true hero and an angel and I love you. Everyone who helped make this song, I love you so much.”

The pair scooped the accolade ahead of ABBA for ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’, Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bam Bam’, Coldplay and BTS’ collaboration ‘My Universe’, and Post Malone and Doja Cat’s ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’.

Beyonce made history when she set a new record for most Grammy Award wins on Sunday (05.02.23).

The 41-year-old singer had started the day three victories behind composer Sir Georg Solti – who secured his 31st Grammy in 1997 – but victories in the Best R+B Song, Plastic Off the Sofa’, Best Song Written for Visual Media, and Best Traditional R+B Performance categories saw her equal his haul, and she went one better when ‘Renaissance’ won Best Dance/Electronic Recording.

Beyonce – who also has the joint most Grammy nominations alongside husband Jay-Z with 88 each – said: “I’m trying not to be too emotional. I’m trying to just receive this night. I wanna thank God for protecting me.

“Thank you, God. I’d like to thank my Uncle Jonny, who’s not here but he’s here in spirit. I’d like to thank my parents — my father, my mother, for loving me and pushing me.

“I’d like to thank my beautiful husband, my beautiful three children who are at home watching. I’d like to thank the queer community for your love and for inventing the genre. God bless you. Thank you so much to the Grammys.”

Elsewhere at the ceremony, there were surprise wins in most of the major categories, with Harry Styles beating the likes of Beyonce, Adele, Kendrick Lamar and Coldplay to Record of the Year for Harry’s House, and Bonnie Raitt triumphing in Song of the Year.

The 73-year-old star was stunned by her victory.

She said: “I’m so surprised, I don’t know what to say.

“I don’t write a lot of songs but I’m so proud that you appreciate this one. I’m totally humbled.”

Lizzo won Record of the Year for ‘About Damn Time’ and after dedicating her win to the late Prince, she heaped praise on fellow nominee Beyonce.

She said: “Beyoncé, in the 5th grade I skipped school to see you perform. You changed my life. The way you made me feel, I was like, ‘I want to make people feel this way with my music.’ So thank you so much Beyonce. You clearly are the artist of our lives!”

Meanwhile, Bad Bunny opened the show with a lively performance paying tribute to his native Puerto Rico, while other notable performances included a Motown medley from Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and WanMor, who were joined by Chris Stapleton on guitar, an explosive rendition of ‘Unholy’ from Sam Smith and Kim Petras after they had won the Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance accolade, and a hip-hop tribute that spanned over 15 minutes and saw more than 30 artists take to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

In what has already been described as one of the best ever performances at the event, the likes of Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Run DMC, Queen Latifah, and Busta Rhymes celebrated the 50th anniversary of the genre.

Grammy Awards 2023 selected list of winners:

Record Of The Year:

‘About Damn Time’ — Lizzo

Album Of The Year:

‘Harry’s House’ — Harry Styles

Song Of The Year:

‘Just Like That’ — Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)

Best New Artist:

Samara Joy

Best Pop Solo Performance:

‘Easy on Me’ – Adele

Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance:

‘Unholy’ – Kim Petras and Sam Smith

Best Pop Vocal Album:

‘Harry’s House’ — Harry Styles

Best Country Album:

‘A Beautiful Time’ – Willie Nelson

Best Rap Album:

‘Mr. Morale + the Big Steppers’ – Kendrick Lamar

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album:

‘RENAISSANCE’— Beyoncé

Best Alternative Music Album:

‘Wet Leg’ — Wet Leg

Cool It Down — Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Best Rock Album:

‘Patient Number 9’ – Ozzy Osbourne

Best R B Album:

‘Black Radio III’ – Robert Glasper

By Jessie Pang

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s top court on Monday ruled that the policy of barring transgender people from changing their gender shown on ID cards unless they undergo full sex reassignment surgery violates their rights and is unconstitutional.

The Court of Final Appeal unanimously sided with appeals launched by transgender activists Henry Tse and another appellant identified as “Q” and quashed the Commissioner of Registration’s decision to refuse their applications to change their gender on their Hong Kong Identity Cards.

“The policy’s consequence is to place persons like the appellants in the dilemma of having to choose whether to suffer regular violations of their privacy rights or to undergo highly invasive and medically unnecessary surgery, infringing their right to bodily integrity,” the judges wrote in their judgment.

“Clearly this does not reflect a reasonable balance. The Policy imposes an unacceptably harsh burden on the individuals concerned.”

Both Tse and Q underwent lengthy medical and surgical treatments, including hormonal treatment and removal of breasts, but the registrar still required them to conduct a full sex reassignment surgery, which the pair argued was unnecessary, unwanted and highly invasive.

Tse welcomed the judgment as it would solve the “burning issues” he encountered due to possessing a wrong ID and he called for a gender recognition law.

“Today’s result is delayed justice, a Pyrrhic victory. This very case should never have happened,” Tse said in a statement.

“I will continue to work hard to plant the seeds for the transgender rights movement with my partners at Transgender Equality Hong Kong. I believe that one day, we shall succeed and welcome the rainbow with open arms.”

The former British colony of Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula meant to guarantee its freedoms and independent legal system for 50 years.

Many residents accuse Communist Party rulers in Beijing of creeping interference in the city’s affairs, an accusation China denies.

(Reporting by Jessie Pang; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Nick Macfie)