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Published by BANG Showbiz English Paris Hilton has promised a “very exciting announcement” about some new music on the way. The 41-year-old star has confirmed she’s “back in the studio” working on some new material and she’ll be ready to reveal more on December 31. She told E! News: “I am back in the studio. I have a very exciting announcement that’s gonna be happening on New Year’s Eve, but I can’t say yet. But it’s a very iconic song.” While Paris didn’t give any more clues on her next move in the music world, she did open up about her upcoming book ‘Paris: The Memoir’, which is set to be released on March 14, 2023. She added: “I have been writing my book for over a year now and a lot went into it. “Just having to think about so many things that happened in my life and it really revealed so much because I’ve always been someone who likes to keep a lot in but in this book I felt it was such an important story for people to hear and people can relate to, and help people as well.” Meanwhile, Paris – who married her husband Carter Reum in November 2021 – also reflected on Britney Spears and Sam Asghari’s wedding in June. She said: “I love Britney so much… We had the best time at that wedding. It was literally one of the most iconic rooms ever, with all of the girls together.” At the reception, Paris posed for a photo with Britney, Madonna, Donatella Versace and Selena Gomez. Despite the star studded affair, Paris admitted the nuptials were “intimate”, and the guests in attendance loved getting to see Britney enjoy her special day. She explained: “It was very small and intimate, but it just made it so special to see our princess walking down the aisle and dancing the night away after.” View the full article

Published by New York Daily News New York City’s oldest gay bar earned landmark recognition Tuesday after a 10-year campaign to honor the Greenwich Village location. The venerable Julius’ Bar, one of Manhattan’s oldest continuously operating taverns, received the new status exactly one decade after the Village Preservation organization took up the cause for the circa 1825 building at 159 W. 10th St. “Julius’ finally has the landmark status it deserves,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation. “This is a huge step forward in recognizing our city’s history as a refuge and home to the nation’s largest LGB… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Raymond Green Vance was among the five people who were killed when a gunman attacked an LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs Los Angeles (AFP) – The suspect in a mass shooting that left five people dead at an LGBTQ club in the US state of Colorado was charged Tuesday with 305 criminal counts, including murder. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, has been in custody since the rampage last month in Club Q in Colorado Springs that also left at least 18 people wounded. The suspect, who court-appointed lawyers have said identifies as non-binary, appeared handcuffed and shackled in court on Tuesday to face the litany of charges. They include 10 counts of first-degree murder — two for each fatality, one of murder with intent, and one of murder with extreme indifference. Both charges carry a maximum life sentence without the possibility of parole. It is not uncommon in the United States for prosecutors to levy multiple charges for the same crime. So-called “charge stacking” increases the likelihood of conviction in cases where a jury finds the circumstances do not exactly fit one of the charges, and would therefore find the defendant not guilty. Aldrich, who did not speak during Tuesday’s appearance, also faces 86 counts of attempted first-degree murder, as well as dozens of bias-motivated crimes — the name for hate crimes in Colorado — and dozens more of assault. District Attorney Michael Allen told reporters that the sheer number of charges is an indicator of how seriously authorities are taking the attack. “Obviously when you file 305 counts in a case, that tells the public, this community, this state and this nation that we are taking this case as seriously as we possibly can and we are going to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law,” Allen said. The suspect, who is bearded and heavy-set, wore jail-issue clothes in court and appeared to have recovered from injuries apparently sustained when patrons of Club Q subdued him to end the shooting. Military veteran Richard Fierro, who was visiting the club with his wife, told reporters he had snatched the attacker’s pistol and used it as a cudgel to hit him. The November 20 mass shooting was the latest in America’s seemingly endless gun violence crisis and shattered the peace of Colorado Springs’ LGBTQ community, as customers and staff at the well-known club were gunned down on a night of revelry. Matthew Haynes, one of the owners of Club Q, said the fact that hate crime charges had been laid demonstrated that it was a targeted attack. “The tragedy at Club Q shows that words matter and that words have real-world consequences,” Haynes said, according to the Denver Post. “We continue to call out those who spread disgusting rhetoric and encourage violence against the LGBTQ community, to end this behavior immediately before more people get hurt.” Reporting since the attack has revealed a chaotic life for the alleged attacker, with a childhood marked by instability, and parents who suffered from substance abuse problems. A two-day preliminary hearing was set for February 22. A full jury trial may not happen until some time in 2024, the district attorney said. View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Kirstie Alley revealed her unwavering love for John Travolta in the years before her death, RadarOnline.com can confirm, revealing how she resisted the urge to act on her romantic feelings. The longtime friends, who worked together on the three Look Who’s Talking films, shared a special bond that both of them have raved over. News Licensing- / MEGA Alley was married to Parker Stevenson from 1983 to 1997 while Travolta tied the knot with Kelly Preston in 1991, keeping the pair’s connection strictly platonic. “John would agree it was mutual that we sort of fell in love with each other,” Alley said, admitting during an appearance on British podcast The Dan Wootton Interview that not taking their relationship any further was “one of the hardest things” she’s ever done. “I was madly in love with him — we were fun and funny together,” the star confessed, noting she refused to cheat on her husband. “I consider what I did even worse because I actually let myself fall in love with [Travolta] and stay in love with him for a long time.” Alley went on to shut down rumors the Saturday Night Fever icon is gay while revealing what made her stop pining over Travolta, noting it was Preston confronting her for “flirting with my husband.” “And that was sort of when I had to make a decision and that was pretty much the end of that,” said the For Richer or Poorer star, adding that it ultimately worked out for the best. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA “John and I would have devoured each other because John and I are so alike. It would be like two blazing stars that just fizzled out,” she explained. Travolta has since paid his respects to Alley following news of her death at 71 after a battle with cancer, writing via his Instagram caption: “Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.” STB / MEGA In recent years, the Pulp Fiction heartthrob lost many women near and dear to his heart including his beloved wife, who died of cancer at 57 in July 2020. This year, his cherished Grease costarOlivia Newton-John died in August at 73. While the heartfelt messages in honor of Alley continue pouring in, her ex-husband also shared a tribute. “I am so grateful for our years together, and for the two incredibly beautiful children and now grandchildren that we have,” the Baywatch alum wrote. “You will be missed. With love, Parker.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story California Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener announced in a press release Tuesday that received threats at his San Francisco home, KRON4 reports. “Early this morning, I was informed by the San Francisco Standard and the police that someone had issued a bomb threat against me, listing my specific home address and also threatening to shoot up my Capitol office,” Wiener stated. “The email said ‘we will f—— kill you’ and called me a pedophile and groomer.” Officers who arrived on the scene did not find any explosives. Wiener was a target of a bomb threat earlier this year. In a separate incident, a man… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Karen Freifeld (Reuters) – Former President Donald Trump’s namesake company was found guilty on Tuesday of scheming to defraud tax authorities. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, said the verdict would be appealed. Here are some of the way in which prosecutors said the company and executives cheated on their taxes. – The Trump Organization gave executives free, cheap and reduced-rent apartments that were not reported as income. – Bonuses were paid as if executives were independent contractors, not salaried employees. – Trump himself signed bonus checks from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, the Trump International Golf Club in Florida, and other Trump entities that could benefit from the deductions. Trump was not charged in the case and has called it politically motivated. – The Trump Organization leased luxury cars for executives and their wives. – The company paid for beds, TVs, carpeting and furniture for the Florida home of Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, and for utilities, cable and parking garage fees in Manhattan. – Trump himself paid the private school tuition for his chief financial officer’s grandchildren. – Checks were made out to an employee in the mailroom to cash and were booked as “Holiday Entertainment” but given to the CFO for personal tips. – Tax statements were issued that did not disclose executives’ Manhattan living quarters so they did not pay city taxes. – The personal expenses were not added to employees’ taxable income. But some expenses were subtracted from salaries and bonuses, leaving the executives with less taxable income and the company with less payroll taxes. – The scheme was a way to limit raises, while giving executives more money. – CFO Weisselberg estimated that $100,000 worth of personal expenses he received was worth double that to him – $200,000 – in salary. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s real estate company was convicted on Tuesday of carrying out a 15-year-long criminal scheme to defraud tax authorities, adding to the legal woes facing the former U.S. president as he campaigns for the office again in 2024. The Trump Organization – which operates hotels, golf courses, and other real estate around the world – faces up to $1.6 million in fines following the guilty verdicts by a jury on all charges the company faced. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, told reporters the company would appeal. The exact amount of the fines will be determined by the judge overseeing the trial in New York State court. The jury deliberated for a total of about 12 hours. Following the verdict, the judge set a sentencing date of Jan. 13. The company had pleaded not guilty. Trump himself was not charged in the case. While the fine is not expected to be material for a company of the Trump Organization’s size, the conviction could complicate its ability to do business by spooking lenders and partners. The case centered on charges that the company paid personal expenses like free rent and car leases for top executives including former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg without reporting the income, and paid them bonuses as if they were independent contractors. “The smorgasbord of benefits is designed to keep its top executives happy and loyal,” prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told jurors during his closing argument on Friday. SEPARATE LAWSUIT The Trump Organization separately faces a fraud lawsuit brought by New York state Attorney General Letitia James. Trump himself is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice over his handling of sensitive government documents after he left office in January 2021 and attempts to overturn the November 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Weisselberg, 75, testified as the government’s star witness as part of a plea deal with prosecutors that will allow him to spend no more than five months in jail. The Trump Organization argued that Weisselberg carried out the scheme to benefit himself. He is on paid leave from the company and testified that he received more than $1 million in salary and bonus payments this year. “The question here is not whether as a byproduct the company saved some money,” Susan Necheles, a defense lawyer, said in her closing argument on Thursday. “(Weisselberg’s) intent was to benefit himself, not the company.” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Nov. 19. that his family got “no economic gain from the acts done by the executive.” Republican Trump, who on Nov. 15 announced his third campaign for the presidency, has called the probe a politically motivated “witch hunt.” Both Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his predecessor who brought the charges, Cyrus Vance, are Democrats. Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty in August to concealing $1.76 million in income from tax authorities, testified that Trump himself signed the Christmas bonus checks and personally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in private school tuition for Weisselberg’s grandchildren. He also said Trump’s two sons – who took over the company’s operations in 2017 after Trump became president – gave him a raise after they knew about his tax dodge scheme. “The whole narrative that Donald Trump was blissfully ignorant is just not real,” Steinglass said. The Trump Organization also sought to argue that Donald Bender, an outside accountant, should have caught and blown the whistle on Weisselberg’s fraud. The company called Bender as its main witness, but his testimony appeared to backfire when he said he trusted that the information Weisselberg gave him was accurate and that he was under no obligation to investigate further. (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military has no hard data to back up claims by top Republicans in Congress that the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate is hurting recruiting, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday. “I’ve not seen any hard data that directly links the COVID mandate to an affect on our recruiting,” Austin told a news conference. Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who is vying to become speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and other Republicans are pushing the Biden administration to lift the American military’s mandate requiring troops to be vaccinated against COVID, arguing it hurts recruiting. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega For years, former ScientologistLeah Remini was on a crusade to take down the religion, publically slamming the church and spilling secrets about its famous members — and it never sat well with late actressKirstie Alley, who was a longtime follower of the religious group, RadarOnline.com can reveal. “Kirstie’s one of the toughest defenders of Scientology and has taken Leah’s betrayal of the church very personally,” an insider explained in 2020, just two years before Alley’s surprising death. The ladies were once close friends, they revealed, but after Leah left the religion in 2013 — and began making jaw-dropping claims about the church and its leader, David Miscavige — the Cheers alum felt she had no option but to cut ties with Leah and speak out about their nasty feud. Mega Kirstie didn’t hold back. “I think the most repulsive thing a person can do is attack another person’s faith,” she said in the past, taking a jab at the former King of Queen‘s star. “So when you decide to blanket statement ‘Scientology is evil’ you are my enemy. I just won’t have people in my life that are [like] that. I just think it’s really wrong.” While her words may have seemed harsh — Kirstie publicly called Leah a “bigot” — those who knew the Look Who’s Talking actress best weren’t shocked. “Kirstie’s never been one to hold back, and she refuses to let anyone shame her or other members of the church,” the insider warned years ago, adding she wasn’t afraid of a fight. Mega “That’s why she’s known as Scientology’s unofficial bulldog and the mama bear of the religion,” they continued. “She’ll always stand behind it.” Kirstie and Leah most recently came to public blows in February, sharing a heated exchange on social media after Alley tweeted she’d “pray” over the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. “She has no comment on these crimes against humanity? But she’s going to pray? Scientology, her ‘religion,’ says Christ is a pedophile and a lie. Scientologists aren’t allowed to believe in anything else other than Scientology. So who is she praying to?” Leah unloaded, but Kirstie hit back. Mega “I don’t care what the punk a– t—t say. I believe in the power of prayer,” she responded. “I will continue to pray for the people of Ukraine. Putin is a c—t and a coward and I’ll pray his own soldiers refuse to do his dirty work. PS, I pray to the same God you do. So get over your nasty selves.” As RadarOnline.com reported, Kirstie died unexpectedly after a secret battle with cancer. Her children announced the upsetting news on Monday, revealing she had recently been diagnosed — but they didn’t specify which kind of cancer she had been fighting. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Michael Jackson was the most influential entertainer of the 20th century! Top critics, scholars, showbiz insiders — and the Guinness Book of World Records — believe MJ shaped the future of music, dance, film and fashion with his genius and talent. During his too-short life, Michael produced 13 no. 1 tunes. since his death, his recordings are still red-hot and he’s sold more than 750 Million albums worldwide! But Michael’s cultural impact runs much deeper. acclaimed jazz choreographer Ginger Cox insists the Moonwalker’s fluid grace inspired generations of dancers, and the instructor of new York’s Broadway Dance center proclaims Jackson is the “reason many people started dancing. his influence is truly extraordinary.” mega Jackson’s dance moves were “like quick- silver in motion,” says Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, who worked with Michael on the “Bad” video. “I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on one hand and of the music on the other,” he said. Certainly, he shaped how we hear and saw music. MJ’s groundbreaking “Thriller,” “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” single-handedly created the music video. Critics say many of the film techniques developed during the filming are being used in mainstream TV today, and the white glove also had a huge hand in the styles we currently wear. The metallic military cues, peg-leg pants, white socks and fedoras seen on the catwalk were inspired by Jackson, whose sense of style is still being mimicked by hot young stars including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Usher and Justin Timberlake! PRINCE JACKSON RECALLS TRAUMATIC FIRST TIME HE WATCHED ‘THRILLER’ VIDEO WITH DAD MICHAEL JACKSON mega ‘MICKEY’ SINGER TONI BASIL CREDITS MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH TO RESIDENCY REHEARSALS, INSISTS ‘IT WAS KILLING HIM AND IT DID KILL HIM’ One noted critic said, “The king of Pop reigns supreme because of his exceptional talent and because he simply did what no one had done before.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Margot Robbie has pushed to bring Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s romance to the big screen. The ‘Suicide Squad’ actress feels ready to reprise her role as Harley and would love to see a relationship explored with another iconic DC character. She told ComicBook: “No, I’ve had enough of a break. I’m ready to do her again. “I did ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’ back-to-back, so that was a lot of Harley all in a one-year period, but that was a while ago now. I’m always ready for more Harley.” Regarding Harley’s romance with Ivy, she added: “I have been pushing for that for years. I cannot tell you how hard I’ve been pushing for that. I want it too. “Honestly, when I pictured, I always picture like Poison Ivy in the comics. I don’t really actually picture an actress doing it, but I agree, that would be so good.” Robbie also weighed in on Lady Gaga taking on the Harley role for ‘The Joker’ sequel ‘Jolie a Deux’, and she backed the ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker to deliver in a different movie universe. She told MTV News: “It makes me so happy because I said from the very beginning that all I want is for Harley Quinn to be one of those characters, the way Macbeth or Batman, always gets passed from great actor to great actor. “It’s kind of like someone gets to do their Batman, or someone gets to do their Macbeth. I feel like, in not so many cases, are they female characters — Queen Elizabeth I, but beyond that, which I got to have a crack out as well, which I was honored to do. “I was like, ‘Wow! Cate Blanchett did Queen Elizabeth I. Now I get to.’ It’s such an honor to have built a foundation strong enough that Harley can now be one of those characters that other actors get to have a go at playing. “And I think she’ll do something incredible with it.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The man who shot and wounded Lady Gaga’s dog walker during the theft of two of the singer’s French bulldogs in Hollywood last year pleaded no contest to attempted murder on Monday and was immediately sentenced to 21 years in prison. As part of the no-contest plea – the legal equivalent to a guilty plea in California – James Howard Jackson also admitted in court to inflicting great bodily injury on the man he shot in the chest, Ryan Fischer, who survived the attack. “The plea agreement holds Mr. Jackson accountable for perpetrating a cold-hearted, violent act and provides justice for our victim,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in announcing the settlement of the case. Several other charges Jackson faced were dismissed in the plea deal, according to the Los Angeles City News Service (CNS). Fischer attended Monday’s court hearing and, according to CNS, made a statement blasting the defendant, saying the shooting had forever altered his life. Jackson was one of five suspects – four of them identified by authorities as known street gang members – arrested in connection with the shooting of Gaga’s dog walker and the abduction of her two pets on Feb. 24, 2021. The two purloined bulldogs, named Koji and Gustav, were dropped off unharmed at a police station and turned over to the musician’s representatives two days after they were snatched at gunpoint by two strangers in a car. A third bulldog owned by Gaga that was out walking with Fischer at the time escaped and was later found safe by police. Police at the time said evidence suggested the suspects singled out the three dogs because of the high value placed on the breed, but they were not believed to have known the identity of the owner before the robbery. Gaga, who was filming a movie in Rome when her pets were taken, had issued a public plea on social media for an “act of kindness” to bring them home, and offered a $500,000 reward. The woman who came forward to report finding the dogs and turn them over to police, Jennifer McBride, was later charged with being an accessory after the fact. Her case remained pending on Monday, the D.A.’s office said. Another co-defendant, Harold White, pleaded no contest on Monday to a weapons charge and will be sentenced next year, prosecutors said. Two others, Jaylin White and Lafayette Whaley, each previously pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery, receiving sentences of four years and six years in prison, respectively. (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Fadeaway World By Aikansh Chaudhary Former NBA star Dennis Rodman told music star Madonna that he didn’t like her music during their first meeting. Dennis Rodman was one of the biggest icons in the 1990s. He was hugely popular among fans for his amazing ability to grab rebounds and for being a valiant defender. But apart from being a phenomenal athlete, Rodman was equally famous for his activities off the court. There are a plethora of stories about Dennis Rodman not caring a bit about what people thought of him. The former Chicago Bulls star went through several changes ever since he was a little kid. But t… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News The Food and Drug Administration is on the cusp of changing rules so that more gay and bisexual men can donate blood like anyone else. It’s about time. Rules in place since 2015, which replaced a longstanding outright ban imposed in the 1980s to frustrate the spread of HIV during the AIDS epidemic, made all gay and bisexual men abstain from sex for a year before being eligible to give blood. That was reduced to three months during the COVID-19 pandemic, when blood bank reserves fell to dangerously low levels. But those shortages persist. Earlier this year, the American Red Cross for the first … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tyler Clifford and Brendan O’Brien (Reuters) – Three men accused of aiding a 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer were found guilty on Wednesday of taking part in a conspiracy that prosecutors ascribed to hostility over restrictions she imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A jury found Joseph Morrison, 28, his father-in-law Pete Musico, 44, and Paul Bellar, 23, guilty of gang membership, firearm violations and providing material support for terrorism. They could each face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 15. The three were among more than a dozen men arrested in October 2020 and charged with state or federal crimes related to the conspiracy. The group planned to break into Whitmer’s vacation home, kidnap her and take her at gunpoint to stand “trial” on treason charges, prosecutors said. Seven of the accused, including Morrison, Musico and Bellar, have now been convicted by a jury or pleaded guilty to playing roles in the conspiracy. After the verdicts, Whitmer, a Democrat who is up for re-election in November, said she was not disheartened by the evidence presented in the case, which highlighted the growth of U.S. political militancy in recent years. “No threat, no plot, no rhetoric will break my belief in the goodness and decency of our people,” she said in a tweet. “And these verdicts are further proof that violence and threats have no place in our politics.” The verdict, after two weeks of testimony in Jackson County Circuit Court, was a victory for state prosecutors who argued that the men on trial assisted two others who in August were found guilty in federal court of orchestrating the kidnapping conspiracy. Defense attorneys argued their client did not know of a plan to kidnap the governor and that their actions were protected by the First and Second Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. After the verdict, the defense attorneys – all of them public defenders – said they were disappointed and had advised their clients to appeal. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the verdicts. In the earlier trial, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. were found guilty of plotting to abduct Whitmer from her vacation home. Their convictions followed a first trial earlier this year that ended in a hung jury, while two other defendants were acquitted during those proceedings. The conspirators hoped that an abduction would lead to a violent uprising and instigate a civil war, prosecutors said. Morrison and Musico were accused of hosting tactical training sessions on their property in a remote part of Michigan. Bellar was accused of providing plans for tactical maneuvers, coded language for covert communication and ammunition. All three were members of a militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen, prosecutors said. In September, a federal judge reduced the sentence of another accused conspirator, Ty Garbin, who pleaded guilty to participating in the plot after his testimony helped convict Fox and Croft. Kaleb Franks, who also pleaded guilty to playing a role in the scheme, was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this month after serving as a key witness in the case against Fox and Croft. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York and Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Alistair Bell, Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by AlterNet Newsmax host Greg Kelly defended former President Donald Trump’s demand for the “termination” of the United States Constitution and proclaimed that he is personally victimized by drag queens reading to kids in a segment on Monday’s edition of his nightly right-wing talk show. “So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the … Read More View the full article

Published by Kaiser Health News Behind Florida’s decision to block clinical services for transgender adolescents is a talking point — repeated by the state’s governor and top medical authorities — that most cases of gender incongruence fade over time. The Florida Board of Medicine voted Nov. 4 to approve a rule that barred physicians from performing surgical procedures on minors to alter “primary or secondary sexual characteristics” and from prescribing them medication to suppress puberty and hormones. The rule included an exception for patients who were already receiving those treatments. Two days later, Florida’s Republica… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Russia’s first queer museum has closed its doors, after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed the law that significantly expands restrictions on activities seen as promoting LGBTQ rights in the country. Pyotr Voskresensky, an LGBT activist and historian from St. Petersburg’s, opened the museum devoted to LGBTQ culture on 27 November. The museum included three dozens objects, including sculptures, tableware and books, which help tell the repressed story of the LGBTQ community in Russia. Now following the recently approved anti-LGBTQ laws, Voskresensly’s museum is deemed illegal. “I … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kylie Minogue is launching a new Australian pinot noir and chardonnay through her Wines label. The 54-year-old star – who moved back home to Melbourne earlier this year – is making moves in the Victoria wine market as she continues to expand her alcohol brand. She told the Herald Sun newspaper: “Once we had launched the rosé, which was a success, the next conversation was we needed an Australian wine. “I need to be travelling the world with some Australian representation.” The ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ hitmaker admitted she will “always” be happy to find an excuse to visit Yarra Valley. She added: “I’m an hour or so from where I grew up. I love that [this wine is] in Victoria. I’m really proud of that.” Kylie’s two new wines are being produced by De Bortoli Yarra Valley winemaker Steve Webber and Leanne De Bortoli, and they will be unveiled next year. The star’s wine brand was launched in 2020 with her rose, and has gone onto feature a range of bottles, including a prosecco rose and a zero alcohol option. Meanwhile, last month it was reported the singer is in talks for a £100 million Las Vegas residency. According to The Sun newspaper, Kylie is ready to sign up for a 12 week run at in Sin City, with Planet Hollywood and Caesar’s Palace – currently hosting Adele’s Vegas stint – apparently making offers. An insider said: “While Kylie may not have a huge profile Stateside, she is an absolutely massive draw for the Brits. “She has a cult gay following especially, and it’s felt she will easily draw in the pink pound. Kylie visited a few venues in the summer, and numerous meetings have since been held. “It’s a no brainer for Kylie – easy money, and no touring. Everyone involved is hugely excited about the prospect.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Moira Warburton, Julia Harte and Joseph Ax WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Passage of a bill protecting federal recognition of same-sex marriages that has the support of both LGBT advocates and religious groups, has been delayed in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill was initially expected to be debated and passed by the full House on Tuesday. It is now expected to be attached to an unrelated defense bill that is still under discussion by House and Senate negotiators. Lawmakers are weighing attaching a few such unrelated measures to the defense bill as Democrats rush to pass as many bills as possible before Republicans take majority control of the House on Jan. 3. The bill, which passed the U.S. Senate last week, was designed as a backstop to the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, known as Obergefell v. Hodges. The legislation would allow the federal government to continue recognizing same-sex and interracial marriages in states where they were legally performed, should the court strike down Obergefell, a concern raised after the court ended the nationwide right to abortion in June. A bipartisan amendment added in November affirmed that the bill would not subvert existing religious freedoms, helping quell initial opposition by conservatives. The bill, which was spearheaded by a group of Democratic and Republican senators, gained the backing of several national religious groups. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, an American Baptist reverend and president of Interfaith Alliance, said the support for the bill from religious groups showed that many had undergone a “remarkable transformation” in the way they perceive same-sex marriage. He attributed the shift partly to the fact that such marriages had ceased to be unusual in the United States since the Supreme Court legalized them. “The sky didn’t fall because same-sex marriage began happening,” said Raushenbush, who is in a same-sex marriage himself. “The specter of same-sex couples getting married no longer feels scary because it’s quite commonplace.” The amendment’s support from various religious groups that are theologically opposed to same-sex marriage reflects the fact that attitudes have changed, said Tim Schultz, the president of the 1st Amendment Partnership, which advocates for religious liberty. “Fighting a permanent culture war over gay rights is not in their interest as religious organizations,” he said. “They believe that seeking common ground is in the interest of religious freedom, the common good and how they portray their faith to the world.” Other religious groups, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, strongly opposed the legislation even after the religious freedom protections were added. “The ability of (Baptist) organizations to follow their consciences as they carry out their work has already been a source of conflict,” Brent Leatherwood, president of the convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said. “Those waters will only be further muddied by [the law].” Several conservative senators pushed back against this characterization of the bill, which ultimately received support from a dozen Republicans. The legislation “offers far more in the way of religious liberty protections than currently under Obergefell, which leaves all such decisions up to the courts,” Republican Senator Todd Young wrote in a newspaper opinion piece declaring his support for the bill last week. The vote comes the day after the Supreme Court appeared ready to rule that a Christian Web designer has the right to refuse to provide services for same-sex marriages, in arguments challenging a Colorado law banning discrimination. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Washington, Julia Hart and Joseph Ax in New YorkEditing by Scott Malone, Matthew Lewis and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Raw Story The Supreme Court heard a case this week on a Colorado web designer who denied service to an LGBTQ couple getting married. Colorado, unlike many states, has its own anti-discrimination law, which prevents a denial of service “based on disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, or ancestry.” The web designer case is arguing that her First Amendment rights supersede the Colorado law because as a designer, she is using her own expression through her artistic interpretation. Thus, forcing her to do a same-sex marria… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ananda Teresia and Kate Lamb JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia’s parliament approved a new criminal code on Tuesday that bans sex outside marriage with a punishment of up to one year in jail, despite worries the laws may scare away tourists from its tropical shores and harm investment. The new code, which will apply to Indonesians and foreigners alike, also prohibit cohabitation between unmarried couples. It will also ban insulting the president or state institutions, spreading views counter to the state ideology, and staging protests without notification. The laws were passed with support from all political parties. However, the code will not come into effect for three years to allow for implementing regulations to be drafted. Currently, Indonesia bans adultery but not premarital sex. Maulana Yusran, deputy chief of Indonesia’s tourism industry board, said the new code was “totally counter-productive” at a time when the economy and tourism were starting to recover from the pandemic. “We deeply regret the government have closed their eyes. We have already expressed our concern to the ministry of tourism about how harmful this law is,” he said. Foreign arrivals in the holiday destination of Bali are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels of six million by 2025, the tourism association has said previously, as the island recovers from the impacts of COVID-19. Indonesia is also trying to attract more so-called “digital nomads” to its tropical shores by offering a more flexible visa. Speaking at an investment summit, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Kim said the news could result in less foreign investment, tourism and travel to the Southeast Asian nation. “Criminalising the personal decisions of individuals would loom large within the decision matrix of many companies determining whether to invest in Indonesia,” he said. Albert Aries, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s justice ministry, said the new laws regulating morality were limited by who could report them, such as a parent, spouse or child of suspected offenders. “The aim is to protect the institution of marriage and Indonesian values, while at the same time being able to protect the privacy of the community and also negate the rights of the public or other third parties to report this matter or ‘playing judge’ on behalf of morality,” he said. These laws are part of a raft of legal changes that critics say undermine civil liberties in the world’s third-largest democracy. Other laws include bans on black magic. ‘A DEATH FOR INDONESIA’S DEMOCRACY’ Editorials in national newspapers decried the new laws, with daily newspaper Koran Tempo saying the code has “authoritarian” tones, while the Jakarta Post said it had “grave concerns” about their application. Decades in the making, legislators hailed the passage of the criminal code as much needed overhaul of a colonial vestige. “The old code belongs to Dutch heritage … and is no longer relevant now,” Bambang Wuryanto, head of the parliamentary commission in charge of revising the code told lawmakers. Opponents of the bill have highlighted articles they say will curb free speech and represent a “huge setback” in ensuring the retention of democratic freedoms after the fall of authoritarian leader Suharto in 1998. “This is not only a setback but a death for Indonesia’s democracy,” said Citra Referandum, a lawyer from Indonesia’s Legal Aid Institute. “The process has not been democratic at all.” Responding to the criticism, Indonesia’s Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly told parliament: “It’s not easy for a multicultural and multi-ethnic country to make a criminal code that can accommodate all interests.” Legal experts say that an article in the code on customary law could reinforce discriminatory and sharia-inspired bylaws at a local level, and pose a particular threat to LGBT people. “Regulations that are not in accordance with human rights principles will occur in conservative areas,” said Bivitri Susanti, from the Indonesia Jentera School of Law, referring to existing bylaws in some regions that impose curfews on women, or target what are described as “deviant” sexualities. The new laws will also include more lenient sentences for those charged with corruption. The morality charges have been partially watered down from an earlier version of the bill so that they can only reported by limited parties, such as a spouse, parent or child. The government had planned to pass a revision of the country’s colonial-era criminal code in 2019 but nationwide protests halted its passage. Lawmakers have since diluted down some of the provisions with President Joko Widodo urging parliament to pass the bill this year, before the country’s political climate heats up ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for early 2024. The public response to the new code has been muted so far, with only small protests held in the capital on Monday on Tuesday. (Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Writing by Kate Lamb;Editing by Ed Davies and Raju Gopalakrishnan) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) – The suspect accused of killing five people inside a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub last month before patrons stopped the attack was formally charged on Tuesday with murder, hate crimes and assault. The suspect, Anderson Lee Aldrich, appeared for a hearing in El Paso District Court where the charges against the 22-year-old were read. Aldrich has been held without bond since the Nov. 19 rampage at Club Q in Colorado Springs. In addition to the five people killed, 22 others suffered gunshot wounds or other injuries. Aldrich, wearing yellow jail clothing and sitting at a table with defense attorneys, did not speak during the hearing. Aldrich did not enter a plea to the 305 charges that were filed. Aldrich, who was clad in body armor, stormed the club armed with a rifle and handgun and opened fire indiscriminately, police and witnesses said. Those killed were identified as Kelly Loving, 40; Daniel Aston, 28; Derrick Rump, 38; Ashley Paugh, 34; and Raymond Green Vance, 22. Two men with military backgrounds subdued Aldrich until police arrived. A former Army major and decorated Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, Richard Fierro, told reporters that he disarmed Aldrich and pistol-whipped the suspect into submission. In a booking photo and during an earlier court appearance, Aldrich appeared battered, apparently because of a beating by the bar’s patrons. On Tuesday, Aldrich’s face and neck did not appear to be bruised. The other man credited with subduing Aldrich, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas James, said in a written statement that he just wanted “to save the family I found.” Although authorities have not publicly identified a motive, the Colorado shooting was reminiscent of the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 people before police shot him dead. If convicted of first-degree murder, Aldrich faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. Colorado no longer has a death-penalty statute. However, Aldrich could face a death sentence in federal court if prosecutors decide to bring charges under the U.S. code, which still has capital punishment on its books for certain crimes. Lawyers assigned to represent Aldrich from the Colorado public defender’s office have said in court filings that their client identifies as nonbinary and prefers “they” and “them” pronouns. District Attorney Michael Allen said after Aldrich’s initial court appearance on Nov. 23 that the suspect’s gender identity would have no bearing on how the case would be prosecuted. On Tuesday, Allen told reporters he thought evidence supported bias motivated charges. “We’re not going to tolerate actions against community members based on their sexual identity,” Allen told reporters after the hearing. “Members of that community have been harassed, intimidated and abused for too long.” Prosecutors were set to present evidence at the next hearing, scheduled for Feb. 22-24. Aldrich was previously arrested in June 2021 in Colorado Springs after the suspect had threatened to detonate a bomb and harm their mother with multiple weapons, according to a news release from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. (Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Steve Gorman, Robert Birsel and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by The Boot Dolly Parton has long been a hit on TikTok — “#dolly” currently has over 5 billion views — but now, she’s official. The singer now has an account on the popular social media app. Parton made a big entrance when she launched her profile, posting a video montage of her performances and appearances through the years set to the iconic opening bars of her hit song, “9 to 5.” “I have arrived!” she writes in the caption of the post, along with the hashtags “#heyitsdolly” and “#dollytok”. @dollyparton I have arrived! #heyitsdolly #dollytok ♬ 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton A series of subsequent posts share mor… Read More View the full article