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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

Published by Raw Story According to a report from the Daily Beast, multiple members of Kanye West’s rightwing entourage have been purged or left their employment with the rapper following a series of “disastrous media appearances” where he has praised Adolph Hitler among other controversial statements. As the Beast reports, conservative demagogue Milo Yiannopoulos is now on the outs with West — also known as “Ye” — following his brief tenure as an adviser to West’s fledgling 2024 presidential campaign. In an interview with the Beast, Yiannopoulos described the chaos surrounding West, but insisted his departure was… Read More View the full article

Published by Kent Online By [email protected] (Charlotte Phillips) A stall at a Christmas market had £10k worth of stock stolen in an overnight break-in. The Gay Glass Stall, which sells handmade items, was broken into at the Dickensian Christmas Festival, in Rochester, at the weekend. Owner Val Clarke arrived to open up at about 8.30am on Sunday and said it was “immediately obvious” there had been a break-in. She said: “This was despite us being assured whilst setting up the previous morning that we didn’t need to pack it all down overnight as there was security in place. “This was made very clear, or so we … Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Another irreverent Black, queer narrative is hitting Broadway. On the heels of the Tony Award-winning musical “A Strange Loop” and the recently opened Lee Daniels-produced “Ain’t No Mo’,” The Public Theater’s production of James Ijames’ “Fat Ham” is getting transferred to the Main Stem next spring. The 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play will begin its limited 14-week engagement at the American Airlines Theatre on March 13, 2023, producers announced Monday. Award-winning director Saheem Ali will helm the production, which will include the complete original Off-Broadway cast, including … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sacha Baron Cohen revived his comedy character Borat to mock Kanye West and Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center Honors. The actor was among the famous faces at the glitzy gala in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night (04.12.22) and he took to the stage in character as part of the tribute to honourees U2 – as Borat, he didn’t hold back when he spotted US President Joe Biden in the audience with First Lady Jill Biden and pretended to mistake him for his predecessor Trump. He joked: “I am told the president of U.S. today is here. Where are you Mr. Trump? You don’t look so good. “Where has your blown a** big belly gone? And your pretty orange skin without fail. I see you have a new wife. Whoa whoa whooo wha! She is very erotic.” Cohen as Borat went on to reference his character’s home nation of Kazakhstan and mock Trump’s theories about the 2020 presidential election as he needled rapper Kanye West over his recent anti-Semitism scandal. He went on: “I must say I’m very upset about the antisemitism in the U.S. today. It’s not fair. Kazakhstan is the number one Jew crushing nation. Stop stealing our hobby. Stop the steal. Stop the steal. Your Kayne. He tried to move to Kazakhstan and even tried to change his name to Kazakhstan-ye West. But we said no. He’s too anti-semitic even for us.” Kanye was recently booted from Twitter and Instagram over a series of anti-Semitic posts. Cohen went on to pay tribute to U2 – referring to the band as “Me Too” – and giving a nod to their 2014 album ‘Songs of Innocence’ which was automatically installed in iTunes accounts without users’ consent. Cohen read a message in Kazakh and then said: “It translates to mean ‘Please remove your wretched album from my new iPhone 6.” Actor George Clooney and singer Gladys Knight were also honoured at the ceremony alongside U2, Tania Leon and Amy Grant. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Frank Ocean insists it was an “easy decision” to use lab-grown diamonds for his Homer brand. The 35-year-old rapper felt it would not have been “in step with the times” to use mined stones in his high-end jewellery range and insisted there is no difference in clarity and colour between the two types of rock. He said: “This was an easy decision. “There are few jewellers who look like me. There are few black jewellers in the space of fine jewellery, black family-owned jewellers. “More than it being a point of difference it also would not have felt in step with the times to extract diamonds from the Earth and to include mined diamonds in our supply chain. “Of course, the value of what we make is not entirely based on the materials we use, no more than this cell phone’s value is captured from adding up the cost of silicone and cobalt and glass etc. “But man-made diamonds are in fact identical to mined diamonds, they are the same arrangement of carbon. Light moves through them at half speed, same as a mined diamond and our standards for clarity and colour are equal to the best in our business except we don’t have to clear forests and send people into the earth to find ours.” The ‘Thinkin’ Bout You’ singer has opened a Homer store in Manhattan, surrounded by traditional watch and jewellery repair workshops and other specialist retailers and Frank thinks people benefit from visiting the shop, rather than just browsing online. He told The Week: “In store, you understand the scale, the weight. “We’ve noticed people coming into the store knowing exactly what they want from seeing it online but they come to see it in person anyway.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Mariah Carey is bringing her festive magic to Roblox. The ‘Hero’ hitmaker has announced a virtual concert on the Livetopia platform called ‘Mariah Carey’s Winter Wonderland’. Taking place between December 21 and 24, from 7pm ET (12am GMT) each night, Mariah will belt out hits old and new and wrap up the set with a special performance of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. If that’s not enough, the pop diva’s twins Monroe and Moroccan – whom she has with ex-husband Nick Cannon – have come up with a treasure hunt. The 52-year-old music icon said in a statement: “Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year! “This year, I wanted to do something different to ring in the holiday season. My kids and I live for Roblox, and we couldn’t be more excited to be creating this festive metaverse experience for everyone!” The ‘We Belong Together’ singer has a two-hour primetime special heading to CBS and Paramount+ on December 20. ‘Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas To All’ will feature her performance at New York’s Madison Square Gardens the week before. Meanwhile, Mariah written a children’s book called ‘The Christmas Princess’. The story centres on a a young girl named Little Mariah, and the chart-topping star has likened the character to “Pippi Longstocking or Harriet the Spy”. She told W magazine: “Little Mariah is a mixed-race girl with no money and no one to come do her hair. She’s like Pippi Longstocking or Harriet the Spy, but she’s biracial. “A lot of people who are my actual fans feel that they are ‘other’, whether they’re white, black, brown, whatever it is — you know, any race, creed, or colour. If you feel ‘other’, it’s just a different thing.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Amazon Now that Olympian Gus Kenworthy is officially retired, he has a lot of time on his hands, meaning he’s working on a bunch of projects. “I have more control of my schedule which is a learned skill. I’m not good at scheduling my days, but I’m trying to write a book. I’m so bad, though, because I put writing to the side and will do basically anything else. I’ve also been in a few different acting classes and workshops. I’ve been auditioning, and I am pursuing acting and trying to write whenever I have time,” the 31-year-old, who retired from freestyle skiing at Beijing 2022, exclusively tells OK! while talking about starring in Amazon Essentials‘ new Fall / Winter 2022 campaign in which he self-directed. @guskenworthy/instagram Kenworthy’s book will be a memoir but “less formal,” he shares. “It’s all true stories from my childhood and growing up. It kind of lends itself to the theme of coming out and my coming out journey. It’s told through a collection of personal essays, so some of them are a little more somber. There’s definitely some heartbreaking ones, but a lot of them are meant to be funny.” “My dad said the hardest part about writing is cleaning out the fridge, which is very true,” he adds. “I’ll find any chore to do. It’s been cathartic, and I definitely have talked about certain things. There are some essays I haven’t written yet that I know I have to write. I’ve been talking to people like, ‘How do I even approach this? How do I do this?’ There are things that are traumatic from my childhood that I haven’t talked about.” The athlete has dabbled in the TV world before, as he appeared in Colton Underwood‘s Netflix show, Coming Out Colton, in addition to starring in FOX’s Special Forces: The Ultimate Test, which put 16 celebrities through rigorous military-style training. “It was fun, but I want to be doing real acting stuff,” he notes. “The classes I am taking are more traditional acting classes. I’ve been auditioning for regular roles and sitcoms. Growing up my dream — other than skiing — was to be the lead of a rom-com. I think that is still what I would love to do, in addition to comedy.” @guskenworthy/instagram “My focus is on acting, and I would be excited to be back on set,” he gushes. “It would be fun to be a series regular on a comedy and get to have time to develop a character and grow with castmates. That’s definitely my goal.” Since the skier is trying different things, he may even be interested in the fashion world — especially after working with Amazon Essentials on their Fall / Winter 2022 campaign, which also stars two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Chloe Kim, family and lifestyle influencer Alyssa Fluellen and health and fitness influencer Cleopatra Lee. Amazon WATCH: GUS KENWORTHY DISHES ON MEETING CELEBRITY CRUSH SHAWN MENDES: ‘HE HAD HIS SHIRT OFF’ “What I love about Amazon is that I use it in my every day life, and there’s such an ease to it,” he shares. “You can order whatever you need from home, it arrives quickly and it’s easy to return. Everything is so seamless. This campaign was very much the same way. I was kind of in charge of my own creative vision and own styling. I got to pick out a bunch of different stuff from their Essentials line. I organized my own shoot at home and got to have total control over it. It was really fun and felt authentic to my experiences with Amazon.” He adds, “I picked out things that looked exactly like things that are already in my closet or things that I would want. There were a couple of photos that looked like a studio shot and the rest was me on the deck with my dogs wearing a rugby sweater. It felt very natural.” Kenworthy also notes that Amazon Essentials is perfect for anyone’s wardrobe, as they have “simple things that go with everything.” “It makes it super easy to pull together a cohesive look that is indicative of who you are and what you want to put out there,” he concludes. View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chinese hackers have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of U.S. COVID relief benefits since 2020, the Secret Service said on Monday. The Secret Service declined to provide any additional details but confirmed a report by NBC News that said the Chinese hacking team that is reportedly responsible is known within the security research community as APT41 or Winnti. APT41 is a prolific cybercriminal group that had conducted a mix of government-backed cyber intrusions and financially motivated data breaches, according to experts. Several members of the hacking group were indicted in 2019 and 2020 by the U.S. Justice Department for spying on over 100 companies, including software development companies, telecommunications providers, social media firms, and video game developers. “Regrettably, the Chinese Communist Party has chosen a different path of making China safe for cybercriminals so long as they attack computers outside China and steal intellectual property helpful to China,” former Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said at the time. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Christopher Bing; Editing by Sandra Maler) View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Amsterdam has launched a tourism campaign aimed at keeping “nuisance” tourists away. The “discouragement campaign” wants to keep out visitors who come to the city principally for drink, drugs and sex. It is particularly aimed at British tourists, who are considered some of the worst behaved visitors to the Dutch city. The advertising campaign comes after Amsterdam authorities introduced a series of measures to curb disruptive behaviour. Amsterdam wants ‘nuisance’ Brits to stay awayAmsterdam is hoping its new tourism campaign will change the city’s reputation as a destination primarily for drug… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s Netfix docuseries is just days away. On Monday, December 5, Netflix dropped an extended trailer for the show, which will premiere on Thursday, December 8. The second half of the episodes will premiere on Thursday, December 15. In the new clip, the 38-year-old prince spoke about his brood. “There’s a hierarchy of the family,” he said of the royals. “You know, there’s leaking, but there’s also planting of stories.” “There was a war against Meghan to suit other people’s agendas,” he continued. “It’s a dirty game.” PRINCE WILLIAM & WIFE KATE MIDDLETON ARE ALL SMILES AFTER PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN MARKLE’S BOMBSHELL NETFLIX TRAILER In a voiceover, the red-headed royal, who shares son Archie and daughter Lilibet with the former actress, 41, also said, “The pain and suffering of women marrying into this institution — this feeding frenzy.” mega PRINCE WILLIAM & WIFE KATE MIDDLETON ARE ALL SMILES AFTER PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN MARKLE’S BOMBSHELL NETFLIX TRAILER For her part, the Suits star looked visibly upset as she said, “I realized, they’re never going to protect you.” “I was terrified, I didn’t want history to repeat itself,” Prince Harry said, referring to when his mother, Princess Diana, was constantly chased by paparazzi in the ’90s. “No one knows the full truth. We know the full truth,” the Duke of Sussex said in the video. The new reality show will “explore the clandestine days of their early courtship and the challenges that led to them feeling forced to step back from their full-time roles in the institution.” “With commentary from friends and family, most of whom have never spoken publicly before about what they witnessed, and historians who discuss the state of the British Commonwealth today and the royal family’s relationship with the press, the series does more than illuminate one couple’s love story, it paints a picture of our world and how we treat each other,” the description added. Meghan previously shared her thoughts on making the series, as she wants to tell her side of the story. “It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story — a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it,” the podcast host said of director Liz Garbus. “But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens.” Volume one of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s six-episode docuseries, titled Harry & Meghan, will hit Netflix on Thursday, December 8, while volume two will premiere on Thursday, December 15. mega SHADY SIBLINGS? FANS THINK PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN MARKLE DROPPED NETFLIX TRAILER TO OVERSHADOW PRINCE WILLIAM & KATE MIDDLETON’S BOSTON TRIP For more on the royal family, tune into the critically acclaimed podcast, “The Firm: Blood Lies and Royal Succession.” Listen below. View the full article