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Published by Ultimate Classic Rock Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will appear as special guests at several shows with Pink. Pink’s Summer Carnival tour will kick off on July 24 in Toronto, where Brandi Carlile will serve as the support act. A week later, on July 31, Benatar and Giraldo will join the tour and perform at Boston’s Fenway Park. They’ll then appear on five more tour dates: Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee and Los Angeles. (Carlile will open the tour’s other dates.) Tickets will go on sale Nov. 21. You can view a complete list of concert dates down below. Pink and Carlile were on hand when Benatar and … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English BTS star Jungkook is to perform at the World Cup in Qatar. The decision to host the football tournament in the Gulf state has caused deep controversy due to Qatar’s stance on homosexuality – which is illegal in the country – but the 25-year-old K-Pop singer will be amongst the names who take to the stage during the football tournament. A tweet from the boyband’s official account read: “Proud to announce that Jungkook is part of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Soundtrack will perform at the World Cup opening ceremony. Stay tuned!” The ‘Butter’ hitmaker will join the likes of former Take That star Robbie Williams as well as Craig David and Tinie Tempah when the tournament kicks off later this month but pop singer Dua Lipa recently slammed rumours that she would be taking to the stage and vowed never to visit the country until “all human rights” are granted. She said: “There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the world cup in Qatar. I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.” FIFA has issued a plea to the 32 competing nations to “let football take the stage” at the tournament in Qatar but England manager Gareth Southgate said it is “highly unlikely” that the team will adhere to the governing body’s request. He said: “We have always spoken about issues we think should be talked about, particularly the ones we feel we can affect. Contrary to one or two observations in the last few weeks, we have spoken in the same way other nations have spoken about this tournament, the human rights challenges. We’ve been very clear on our standpoint on that. So, look I think we would like to focus primarily on the football. For every player, every coach and everybody travelling to a World Cup, this is a carnival of football. So regarding the LGBT community, we stand for inclusivity and we are very, very strong on that. We think that is important in terms of all our supporters. We understand the challenges this tournament brings within that, If it wasn’t for the strength of that community, we wouldn’t be women’s European champions. So it’s very, very important to us.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Republican Doug Mastriano conceded defeat on Sunday in his run for Pennsylvania’s governorship in a statement that contrasted with the far-right candidate’s sharp, divisive rhetoric during the race. “Josh Shapiro will be our next Governor, and I ask everyone to give him the opportunity to lead and pray that he leads well,” Mastriano said in a statement posted on his Twitter feed. In his page-long message, Mastriano also thanked his wife and followers and pledged to work on election reform for Pennsylvania from his seat in the state Senate. The retired Army colonel, who was backed by former President Donald Trump, alienated some Republicans with his defense of Trump’s false claims of a stolen presidential election in 2020 and his views on legal abortion as “a national catastrophe.” Mastriano attended Trump’s rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021 that preceded an attack on the U.S. Capitol. The governor race was called for Shapiro on November 8. Mastriano lost by more than 750,000 votes. (Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Bradley Perrett) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Matthias Inverardi and Tom Sims DUESSELDORF (Reuters) – Taylor Swift walked away with four prizes at MTV’s Europe Music Awards on Sunday, including best video for her 10-minute “All Too Well”. Double-award winners included Nicki Minaj for best song and best hip-hop, and the French DJ and record producer David Guetta won the best electronic award and best collaboration. The event, broadcast on MTV from Duesseldorf in western Germany, honoured musicians from Brazil to South Korea. It featured an appearance by Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the winner of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, which performed “Stefania” in an arena glowing with Ukraine’s national colours of blue and yellow. The U.S. pop singer Swift, wearing a dress of bejewelled mesh, won best artist, best pop, best video and best long form video. “I felt like I learned so much about how making film can be a natural extension of my storytelling,” Swift said as she accepted the long form video award. In “All Too Well”, Swift draws inspiration from 1970s Hollywood and recounts a fraying romantic relationship that disintegrates, leaving behind only a scarf and memories. “It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well”, Swift sings. Minaj’s winning song “Super Freaky Girl” incorporates the 1981 hit “Super Freak” with lyrics “I can lick it, I can ride it while you slippin’ and slidin'”. British pop star Harry Styles won in the “best live” category and the Thai-born Lalisa ‘Lisa’ Manoban won best K-pop. South Korea’s BTS, the global K-pop sensation, won the biggest fans category. The hosts for the show were British pop star Rita Ora and the film director Taika Waititi, who married this year. Ora herself won for “best look”. Duesseldorf has a musical heritage as home to the pioneering German electronic band Kraftwerk, which influenced generations of pop and dance musicians with mesmerising tracks such as “Autobahn”. The city also hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011. Screaming teens watched the stars walk down a red carpet before the event was broadcast from the PSD Bank Dome. Julian Lennon, the son of the Beatles’ John Lennon, said as he entered that he had not seen a concert in years and was looking forward to it. The rock band Muse, which won the best rock award, said it was dedicating its victory to the people of Ukraine and Iran. Kalush Orchestra’s frontman Oleh Psiuk, donning a pink hat, said before the performance that he hoped more Ukrainian bands would be present next year. (Reporting by Matthias Inverardi in Duesseldorf and Tom Sims in Frankfurt. Editing by Jane Merriman) View the full article

Published by AFP British actor Ralph Fiennes performs in 'Straight Line Crazy' at The Shed theater in New York City in October 2022 New York (AFP) – Was he a visionary or a corrupt racist with a god complex? The troubled legacy of Robert Moses, the master builder who shaped New York, comes under scrutiny this fall in a new play starring Ralph Fiennes. Robert Moses was an urban planner who, despite never holding elected office, launched building projects in the early 20th century which transformed New York and inspired cities across the United States. While his vision lives on in New York’s vast network of parks, roads and bridges, Moses’ name became synonymous with the racist undertones of “urban renewal.” The city’s ambivalence about Moses gets a fresh airing in “Straight Line Crazy,” a two-act dramatization of Moses’ decades-long tenure atop the New York power jungle. Fiennes depicts a Moses who cajoles politicians, outmaneuvers opponents, and shrugs off doubters in his insatiable quest to fulfill his ambitious vision for the city. “Our job is to lead, not to follow,” Moses tells an underling who worries about pleasing the public. “People don’t know what they want until they have it.” Corruption of power? Written by the British playwright David Hare, “Straight Line Crazy” was originally presented in London. It marks the latest effort to reckon with Moses, who amassed unparalleled authority from holding posts on as many as a dozen municipal bodies simultaneously in a career that spanned four decades. Moses was celebrated for much of his professional life for his building projects and the leading role he played in bringing the United Nations to New York and in developing the Lincoln Center. But in 1974, the journalist Robert Caro lifted the veil on the underside of Moses’ imperial-like reign in a book that won the Pulitzer Prize. He depicted him as a ruthless and corrupt dictator who held grudges, smeared opponents and hoodwinked allies while running a municipal machine of monumental proportions. Caro exposed how Moses marshaled massive public funds to favor suburban elites. Poorer, non-white communities were displaced from condemned neighborhoods and suffered from Moses’ lack of support for public transit as he promoted mammoth highway projects that championed the car. Hare has called Caro the authoritative expert on Moses, but views his subject differently. “Caro believes that… what corrupted Moses was power and that he became sort of crazed with power,” Hare said at a panel discussion at The Shed theater, where the show runs through December 18. However, Hare believes his life “was about pursuit of an idea that was too rigid.” Compared with Caro’s monster-like figure, the play humanizes Moses, while still zeroing in on significant character flaws. Dan Doctoroff, a former deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding and a board member of the Shed, said Moses’ story offers some clues for policy makers on how to tackle ambitious projects, such as the need to back up a vision with detailed plans. “He did magnificent things. He did terrible things, and the reality is you’re never going to get everything right,” Doctoroff said during the panel conversation. “But at the end of the day, his disdain for the common person tarnishes the legacy forever.” What ‘democracy couldn’t deliver’ The play, based on real events but with invented dialogue and some fictionalized characters, spotlights two moments in Moses’ career, riffing on a rise-and-fall narrative arc. In the first act, he casually flouts governance norms as he outwits Long Island gentry to push through the construction of the Jones Beach State Park in 1926. However, Moses meets his match in the second act, when grassroots opponents mobilize in 1955 to ultimately derail his plan for an expressway in lower Manhattan. A longtime aide warns of waning patience with Moses’ autocratic style and calls out his favoritism of “clean people… well-off people… white people.” But Moses says he knows that “people may not like me, but they need me.” “Now, of course, it’s suddenly fashionable to dislike me, because I’m the dirty bastard who pushed through the things democracy needed but which democracy couldn’t deliver.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nandita Bose PHNOM PENH (Reuters) -Joe Biden said on Sunday he was “incredibly pleased” with the turnout in the U.S. election after Democrats clinched control of the Senate, a major victory for the president as he looks to his next two years in office. Speaking to reporters in Cambodia ahead of an East Asia Summit, Biden said the turnout was a reflection of the quality of candidates his party was fielding, after Senator Catherine Cortez Masto was projected to win re-election in Nevada, narrowly beating Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. A Democratic victory in a Georgia runoff next month would then give the party outright majority control of a 51-49 Senate, while a Georgia defeat would still keep Democrats in charge of a 50-50 Senate, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris able to break tie votes. The additional seat would mean Democrats could spare a vote on key nominations and bills. “We’re focusing now on Georgia. We feel good about where we are. And I know I’m a cockeyed optimist. I understand that,” Biden told reporters. “Again, I’m not surprised by the turnout. I’m incredibly pleased. And I think it’s a reflection of the quality of our candidates.” Control of the House of Representatives has still not been decided. Biden acknowledged such a victory would be “a stretch” for the Democrats, but Republicans have fallen well short of predictions they would sweep to power in Washington. Biden had framed the midterm election as a test of U.S. democracy at a time when hundreds of Republican candidates embraced former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Trump has repeatedly used his appeal among hard-right conservatives to influence candidates nominated by the Republican Party for congressional, gubernatorial and local races. He has, however, been blamed for boosting candidates who were unable to appeal to a broad enough electorate, resulting in a lacklustre performance for the Republicans. The results have also signalled exhaustion with the kind of chaos fomented by the Republican former president, raising questions about the viability of his possible 2024 White House run. Laxalt, who lost in Nevada, was a former state attorney-general endorsed by Trump. Biden told reporters the elections showed the Republican Party “is going to have to decide who they are”. Some Republicans expressed discontent as they faced at least another two years in the minority. “The old party is dead. Time to bury it. Build something new,” Sen. Josh Hawley tweeted. (Reporting by Nandita Bose; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Ed Davies and William Mallard) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kylie Minogue’s family are “delighted” she’s back in Australia. The ‘Spinning Around’ singer had lived in London for several years before returning to her native land earlier this year and she admitted her parents Ron and Carole, and siblings Brendan and Dannii couldn’t be happier to have her nearby again. She told Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “They are delighted that Oz is now my base and I love being able to be close to them “Even if I’m not there all the time, it’s a state of mind. Australia has always been my home, but I have lived in so many places – mostly, of course, London.” The 54-year-old singer still misses the UK but is a regular visitor. She said: “There is so much to miss but I’ve been back for enough visits to keep any longing at bay.” As well as her successful music career, Kylie also has her own Especially For You wine range and recently launched a non-alcoholic sparkling rose, which she has been enjoying with her pals. She said: “I’ve shared a champagne glass of the nought per cent sparking rose with friends and we get that same celebratory feeling as we would with alcoholic bubbly. “I love hearing that people are enjoying the wine and making it part of their celebrations or dinners.” Kylie’s sister Dannii recently spoke of how much she and her 12-year-old son Ethan have loved having the former ‘Neighbours’ actress living nearby. She said: “It’s great [having Kylie home]. We have a lot of family time. Our grandma is turning 103 in December so it’s just really nice to have that time for Kylie to spend with her nieces and nephews. Our cousins have just had babies. “Kylie loves hanging out with my son. We love watching the movies, we go to the farm and see the animals and I like to cook for her – she loves my risotto and Kylie does these beautiful roasted tomatoes on bruschetta.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lindsay Lohan is “excited” about a potential ‘Freaky Friday’ sequel. The ‘Falling For Christmas’ actress confirmed Jamie Lee Curtis – who played her mother in the 2003 body-swap comedy – had been in touch to discuss the possibility of a follow-up to the film while she was back working on her festive comeback project. She told ‘Tonight Show’ host Jimmy Fallon: “I was on set filming at the time and Jamie Lee Curtis writes you, you just get excited and distracted immediately. “So I had to bring myself down to Earth and be like, ‘OK, I’m on set, I have to focus.’ And then she said ‘Freaky Friday 2’ and I got more excited.” She then confirmed both she and Jamie “would both be into” making a sequel. And that’s not all because Jimmy also asked Lindsay if she’d be interested in a ‘Mean Girls’ sequel. But the 36-year-old star insisted it wasn’t her decision to make as any follow-up would be “in Tina Fey’s hands”. Jamie spoke in October about her desire to make a ‘Freaky Friday’ sequel, where Lindsay would get to play a “hot grandma”. She said: “Let me be the grandma, let me be the old grandma who switches places, so then Lindsay gets to be the sexy grandma who’s still happy with Mark Harmon in all the ways you would be happy with Mark Harmon. “And simply, I would like to see Lindsay be the hot grandma, and I would like to see me try to deal with toddlers today. I wanna be a helicopter parent in today’s world, as an old lady.” She confirmed she had pitched the idea to Disney, but there has been no confirmation as to whether the project could become reality as yet. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Taylor Lautner has got married. The ‘Twilight’ actor tied the knot with 24-year-old Taylor Dome in front of around 100 guests at Epoch Estate Wines, outside of Paso Robles, California, on Friday (11.11.22) evening, exactly a year after they got engaged after three years of dating. The couple exchanged vows at the winery shortly before sunset, with photos obtained by MailOnline showing the blonde beauty wore a flowing white wedding dress with lace overlay and long train, with her blonde hair loose and topped by a veil. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old groom looked smart in a black tuxedo and bow tie, matched by his groomsmen, and the five bridesmaids wore different styles of dresses in the same olive green hue. The ‘Abduction’ star previously confirmed Taylor, who is a nurse, was going to take his surname after their marriage, despite the potential confusion. He said: “[I was] like, are you into this last name? Because we already share one name. So it’s gonna be extra complicated. “We’re literally going to be the same person.” Despite this, the actor can’t wait to tie the knot and Lautner admits that he’s a “very lucky” man. Speaking earlier this year, he said: “I knew when I first met her that I wanted to get to know her more, and I really, really could see a future with her. She’s a fantastic woman and I’m very lucky that she chose me.” The loved-up couple began dating in 2018 and they announced their engagement to the world via social media in 2021. The Hollywood star even posted some behind-the-scenes photos of the special moment on his Instagram account. Taylor – who played Jacob Black in the ‘Twilight’ film series – captioned his post: “11.11.2021. And just like that, all of my wishes came true (sic)” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley’s son begs him to stop knitting. The Olympic diver loves making woolly garments for four-year-old Robbie – who he has with husband Dustin Lance Black – but admitted his enthusiasm isn’t always shared by the little boy. He said: “I love making stuff for my son Robbie. “I’ve made him so many jumpers and cardigans. “It has got to a point where I sometimes get the needles out and he’s like, ‘Papa, no more knitting.’ “Bu he’s been asking for a hat for a while so that’s my next project.” Tom is looking forward to teaching his skills to his son and believes it’s a pursuit all children should be taught. He said: “I can’t wait to teach Robbie to knit. He does want to but as he’s only four, I don’t think he has the dexterity just yet. “I’d love to get knitting to become part of the extracurricular programme. “It’s such a good thing for kids to learn – to get them doing something with their hands, making something themselves.” The 28-year-old sportsman dreams of showing his wares professionally one day. He said: “I’m excited about the possibilities knitting and crochet can bring. “One day I’d love to have my own Fashion Week show, but mostly I want to pass on my passion for knitting, to get people back into the joys of slow fashion and making things for themselves.” But first, Tom needs to persuade Lance to give more space in their home to his hobby. He told Prima magazine: “I would love my own craft room. “I have a yarn stash in my wardrobe and I’ve kind of taken over the kitchen table, much to my husband’s dismay.” View the full article

Published by AFP Director Ryan Coogler (L), poses with 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' cast members (L-R) Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira and Winston Duke at a SiriusXM event in New York on November 7, 2022 Los Angeles (AFP) – Disney and Marvel’s highly anticipated “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” had a huge opening this weekend, taking in an estimated $180 million in North American theaters, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. That domestic opening — the 13th highest all-time, according to BoxOfficePro.com — came as the film was raking in an impressive $330 million worldwide, a major boost for Hollywood after a lackluster October. “This is a sensational opening,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “Reviews and audience scores are excellent — Wakanda should dominate moviegoing… into December.” The film pays heartfelt tribute to the star of the original “Black Panther,” Chadwick Boseman, who died from cancer in 2020 at age 43. He makes several flashback appearances as the fictional Wakanda fights against an underwater kingdom after the death of Boseman’s character, King T’Challa. Letitia Wright, as T’Challa’s sister Shuri, and Angela Bassett, as Queen Ramonda, struggle to fill the king’s shoes. Also starring are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira and Winston Duke. The original “Black Panther,” the first major black superhero movie, became a cultural phenomenon, with a $202 million opening and a best-picture Oscar nomination. Far, far behind in second place this weekend was Warner Bros.’ “Black Adam,” at $8.6 million — not even one-twentieth the “Wakanda” total. The Dwayne Johnson vehicle, a spinoff from 2019’s “Shazam!,” has now taken in $141.1 million domestically. Universal’s rom-com “Ticket to Paradise,” powered by mega-stars Julia Roberts and George Clooney, managed to defy the superhero trend to place third, taking in $6.1 million in its fourth week out. A family-friendly film, Sony’s live-action/computer animated musical comedy “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” placed fourth at $3.2 million. And Paramount’s horror movie “Smile” continued to find viewers in its seventh week out, coming in fifth. With an estimated take of $2.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, its domestic total bumped up to $102 million. Rounding out the top 10 were: “Prey for the Devil” ($2.0 million) “The Banshees of Inisherin” ($1.7 million) “One Piece Film: Red” ($1.4 million) “Till” ($618,000) “Armageddon Time” ($352,000) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Marvel Studios adventure “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” brought crowds to movie theaters around the globe over the weekend, selling an estimated $330 million in tickets and setting a November record in the United States and Canada. The sequel to 2018 Oscar-nominated blockbuster “Black Panther” racked up roughly $180 million at domestic theaters Thursday night through Sunday, distributor Walt Disney Co said. That marked the highest total ever for a film opening in November, topping the $158.1 million for 2013 film “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” Outside the domestic market, “Wakanda Forever” pulled in an estimated $150 million from Wednesday through Sunday. It ranked as the top-grossing Hollywood release in all markets. The results provided a boost to movie theaters, which have struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels of ticket sales. The domestic total ranked as the No. 13 movie debut of all time. “One of the top 15 openings of all time tells me the box office is pretty healthy when there is something audiences what to see,” said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. “Marvel time and time again offers something audiences want to see.” The original “Black Panther,” starring Chadwick Boseman as King T’Challa, broke ground as the first superhero movie with a predominantly Black cast. The film took in $1.3 billion at worldwide box offices over its run and became the only superhero movie ever nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards. Marvel had to rework “Wakanda Forever” after Boseman died of cancer in 2020 just before filming was supposed to begin. The studio decided not to cast another actor in the role of T’Challa. Instead, writer and director Ryan Coogler crafted a new film that centers around T’Challa’s younger sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), his mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and other women who step up to help lead the grieving nation. Film critics praised the sequel, saying Marvel had succeeded in paying tribute to Boseman while offering a compelling film despite the loss of the popular lead character. The movie scored an 84% positive rating from movie critics, and 95% positive from audiences, in reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website. Bock said his local theater was buzzing with a packed crowd for one of the first “Wakanda Forever” screenings. “I hadn’t seen that for months,” he said. Box office year-to-date ticket sales stand at $6.5 billion through Sunday in the domestic market, according to Comscore. That is 33% below the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The problem is a thin slate of films, Bock said. Many Hollywood studios are still dealing with COVID-induced production delays. The number of wide releases in 2022 is 37% lower than in 2017. Theaters are looking ahead to Disney’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” in December, and a larger number of films in 2023, to increase ticket sales. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tim Reid and Kanishka Singh PHOENIX (Reuters) -Democrats held onto control of the U.S. Senate while limiting projected losses in the House, handing a major victory to President Joe Biden and extinguishing hopes of the “red wave” that Republicans had expected leading into the midterm elections. Democratic leaders described the outcome – sealed late Saturday with a win for the incumbent senator in Nevada – as both a vindication of their agenda and a rebuke of Republican candidates, many of whom had parroted former president Donald Trump’s false claims about widespread election fraud. “We were on the edge of autocracy and, thank God, the American people pulled us back in this election,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference on Sunday. The better-than-expected performance gave Biden, who struggled with low approval ratings ahead of Tuesday’s elections amid persistently high inflation, a political lift ahead of what are expected to be intense talks on a range of geopolitical issues with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday in Indonesia. Republicans, however, remained close to seizing control of the House of Representatives as officials continued counting ballots, with returns still flowing in for several races, including many in liberal-leaning California. As of late on Saturday, Republicans had won 211 seats and the Democrats 205, with 218 needed for a majority. It could take several days before the outcome of enough House races is known to determine which party will control the 435-seat chamber. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 82, told ABC News and CNN that she would not make any announcements about whether she planned to remain in House leadership until after control of the chamber was decided. There had been speculation she would resign if Democrats lost the majority, especially after her husband was attacked by an intruder at their San Francisco home last month. House Republicans, should they prevail, have pledged to try to roll back Biden-led legislation to battle climate change and want to make permanent a series of 2017 tax cuts set to expire. They also have vowed investigations into Biden administration activities and probes of the president’s son, who has had business dealings with Ukraine and China. Jim Banks, a Republican congressman from Indiana, said on Sunday that he expected his party to win a slim majority in the House and serve as “the last line of defense to block the Biden agenda,” while launching investigations into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the origin of COVID and pandemic lockdowns. “That has to be a focal point of every single committee in the Congress, especially in the House under Republican control,” Banks said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday”. FOCUSING ON GEORGIA The Democrats will control the Senate, as they have for the past two years, with 50 of its 100 seats, by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris holding the tie-breaking vote. Their majority was clinched by Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who narrowly defeated Republican Adam Laxalt. “When the national pundits said I couldn’t win, I knew Nevada would prove them wrong,” Cortez Masto said in a victory speech on Sunday morning. For the Senate, attention will now shift to Georgia, where Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker face off in a runoff on Dec. 6. If Warnock were to win, the Democrats’ 51-49 majority would give them an additional edge in passing the few bills that are able to advance with a simple majority, instead of the 60 needed for most legislation. Hovering over the 2022 midterm elections all year has been Trump, who used his continued popularity among hard-right conservatives to influence the candidates the Republican Party nominated for congressional, gubernatorial and local races. With Republicans’ lackluster performance – even if they win a narrow majority in the House – Trump has been blamed for boosting candidates who were unable to appeal to a broad enough electorate. A Republican loss in Georgia could further dampen Trump’s popularity as advisers say he considers announcing this week a third run for the presidency in 2024. The outcome may increase the chances that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who routed his Democratic opponent on Tuesday, opts to challenge Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination. Democrats had portrayed Republicans as extremist, pointing to the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion and the hundreds of Republican nominees who promoted Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent. Pelosi attributed her party’s performance to Democratic candidates knowing their districts and maintaining focus on the issues voters cared about even as pundits in Washington predicted big losses and called for a change in approach. “They knew the value of a woman’s right to choose. They knew how important it was to protect our democracy. They knew the contrast between themselves and their opponents,” Pelosi told ABC. Continued control of the Senate means Democrats will still be able to approve Biden’s nominees such as federal judges. That would include appointees to the Supreme Court should any vacancies open in the next two years on the bench with a 6-3 conservative majority. (Reporting by Tim Reid in Phoenix and Kanishka Singh, Richard Cowan and Jason Lange and Joel Schectman in Washington; Writing by Kanishka Singh and Nathan Layne; Editing by William Mallard and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tim Reid (Reuters) – Republicans who back former President Donald Trump’s false claim the 2020 election was stolen were their party’s nominees for secretary of state in battleground states where if elected they stood to play a decisive role in choosing a U.S. president. Voting rights groups were focused on secretary of state races in Arizona, Nevada and Michigan, and said victory by these Republican candidates could have threatened both the integrity of the next presidential election and U.S. democracy itself: MARK FINCHEM, ARIZONA Finchem is a state legislator, has claimed membership in the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, and has parroted false conspiracy theories propagated by the QAnon movement, including that leading politicians are part of a pedophile ring. He was defeated by Democrat Adrian Fontes, Edison Research predicted late on Friday. Finchem supported the “Stop the Steal” movement that falsely claimed the 2020 election was fraudulent and attended Trump’s rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, that preceded the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Finchem says he did not go from Trump’s rally to the Capitol that day. Finchem has said he would not have certified Biden’s 2020 victory in Arizona. He supported an audit of Arizona’s election results and co-sponsored a bill that would give the state’s Republican-controlled legislature the power to overturn election results. After the 2020 election, he also called for the arrest of the state’s Democratic secretary of state, Katie Hobbs, who is running for governor in this election. KRISTINA KARAMO, MICHIGAN Edison Research projected that voters have re-elected Democrat Jocelyn Benson over Karamo. Karamo was a little-known political figure in Michigan but soared to prominence – and onto Trump’s radar – when she claimed in 2020 that she had witnessed fraud at Detroit’s absentee counting board as a poll observer. A community college professor who opposes the teaching of evolution in schools, Karamo testified before the state legislature that she had seen sacks of votes being mysteriously dropped off in the middle of the night, and that voting machines flipped votes to Biden. No evidence has ever emerged supporting those claims. JIM MARCHANT, NEVADA A former state assemblyman, Marchant opposed certification of Biden’s win in Nevada. He was a member of Nevada’s bogus alternative slate of presidential electors that sought to overturn Biden’s victory in the state. Democrat Cisco Aguilar defeated him to win the secretary of state race, Edison Research projected late on Saturday. Marchant ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 but lost. He unsuccessfully sued to have that result overturned, basing his case on unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Marchant is a member of the America First Secretary of State Coalition, a group supporting a slate of candidates supporting Trump’s baseless claims about the 2020 election. In Nevada, the secretary of state does not have the power to certify results but can set and enforce election rules. (Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Ross Colvin, Howard Goller, Jonathan Oatis and Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Rich McKay (Reuters) – Country music star and philanthropist Dolly Parton received a $100 million prize from the “Bezos Courage & Civility Award” given by Amazon.com founder, billionaire Jeff Bezos, an honor that recognizes leaders who “pursue solutions with courage and civility,” he said online. Bezos, who is also the owner of the space rocket company Blue Origin, announced the award on Friday along with his longtime partner, news anchor Lauren Sanchez. Sanchez said on Instagram that Parton is “a woman who gives with her heart and leads with love and compassion in every aspect of her work.” “We can’t wait to see all the good that you’re going to do with this $100 million award,” she said. Parton, in a video clip of the ceremony posted online, said, “Wow! Did you say $100 million?” “I think people who are in a position to help should put their money where their heart is. I will do my best to do good things with this money,” she said Parton, 76, a county, pop and gospel singer-songwriter, whose songs include, “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” and many other hits over the decades, has been a longtime philanthropist. She donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center to help develop a vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parton, who this month was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, also has founded a number charities including the Dollywood Foundation, which focuses on education as well as poverty relief. Bezos’ award was started in 2001, with prizes first going to activist Van Jones, who served as founding CEO of the REFORM Alliance and Dream Corps, and chef and humanitarian Jose Andres, who established World Central Kitchen, which provides food in the immediate aftermath of disasters. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by PopCrush A gay couple finally tied the knot after being refused by 31 churches to hold their ceremony. At first, couple Shane Yerrell and David Sparrey wanted to wait to wed. However, after experiencing a family health issue, they decided to tie the knot. They always envisioned a wedding at a church, as they are both Christians. Sparrey began the search for a wedding venue. According to MyLondon, they were denied by 31 churches, seemingly due to their sexual orientation. He spent roughly 15 hours on the phone trying to find a church that was willing. On lucky phone call number 32, the couple’s prayers … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dua Lipa will not be performing at the Qatar World Cup. The decision to host the football tournament in the Gulf state has caused deep controversy due to Qatar’s stance on homosexuality – which is illegal in the country – and even though the 27-year-old pop star was rumoured to be taking to the stage there later this month, she has explained that no such performance has ever been on the agenda. She wrote on Instagram: “There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the world cup in Qatar. I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. “ The ‘Levitating’ hitmaker went on to add that she will be “cheering” for England nonetheless but promised that she would never visit Qatar until officials have “fulfilled all human rights.” She added: “I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.” Her comments come just days after England manager Gareth Southgate explained that his team will not be afraid to talk about human rights concerns at the World Cup. FIFA has issued a plea to the 32 competing nations to “let football take the stage” at the tournament in Qatar but the Three Lions boss says it is “highly unlikely” that the team will adhere to the governing body’s request. Gareth said: “We have always spoken about issues we think should be talked about, particularly the ones we feel we can affect. Contrary to one or two observations in the last few weeks, we have spoken in the same way other nations have spoken about this tournament, the human rights challenges. We’ve been very clear on our standpoint on that. So, look I think we would like to focus primarily on the football. For every player, every coach and everybody travelling to a World Cup, this is a carnival of football. So regarding the LGBT community, we stand for inclusivity and we are very, very strong on that. We think that is important in terms of all our supporters. We understand the challenges this tournament brings within that, If it wasn’t for the strength of that community, we wouldn’t be women’s European champions. So it’s very, very important to us.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Rod Stewart turned down a gig in Qatar even though he was offered more than $1 million. The 77-year-old rock legend was offered the seven-figure sum to entertain crowds in the Middle East country – which has been chosen to host the upcoming World Cup but has drawn controversy over the decision because homosexuality is illegal there- in 2021 and rejected the lucrative gig because it “wasn’t right” to go. He told The Sunday Times: “I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1 million, to play there 15 months ago. I turned it down. It’s not right to go. And the Iranians should be out too for supplying arms. Tell you what, supporters have got to watch out, haven’t they?” The upcoming football tournament will feature performances from the likes of former Take That star Robbie Williams as well as Craig David and Tinie Tempah but pop singer Dua Lipa recently slammed rumours that she would be taking to the stage and vowed never to visit the country until “all human rights” are granted. She said: “There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the world cup in Qatar. I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.” FIFA has issued a plea to the 32 competing nations to “let football take the stage” at the tournament in Qatar but the England manager Gareth Southgate says it is “highly unlikely” that the team will adhere to the governing body’s request. He said: “We have always spoken about issues we think should be talked about, particularly the ones we feel we can affect. Contrary to one or two observations in the last few weeks, we have spoken in the same way other nations have spoken about this tournament, the human rights challenges. We’ve been very clear on our standpoint on that. So, look I think we would like to focus primarily on the football. For every player, every coach and everybody travelling to a World Cup, this is a carnival of football. So regarding the LGBT community, we stand for inclusivity and we are very, very strong on that. We think that is important in terms of all our supporters. We understand the challenges this tournament brings within that, If it wasn’t for the strength of that community, we wouldn’t be women’s European champions. So it’s very, very important to us.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Leah Remini is demanding an investigation be opened into a Los Angeles police officer who is accused of leaking confidential information to the press because he’s the same man she filed a missing person’s report with when the leader of the Church of Scientology David Miscavige‘s wife vanished 15 years ago, RadarOnline.com has learned. Remini, who’s an outspoken ex-Scientologist, called out LAPD veteran Cory Palka after she learned he has been accused of leaking private information about sexual misconduct accusations against former CBS CEO Les Moonves to the network’s executives. The King of Queens actress claimed he was in charge of the Hollywood division where she filed her missing person’s report for Shelly Miscavige in 2013. She also shared a photo of Cory proudly accepting a $20,000 check allegedly from Scientology during an LAPD charity event. Mega Bringing up the recent allegations against Cory, Remini tweeted that it “begs the question…what investigative information has he provided to Scientology over the years?” Shelly has not been seen in public since 2006. Remini recalled her shock when she discovered that Shelly was not at Tom Cruise‘s wedding to Katie Holmes, which was dubbed “the wedding of the century in Scientology.” “Shelly was always with her husband. She was his shadow, not only because she was married to him but also because she was his top aide,” Remini wrote on Thursday. “For her not to be in attendance was not only unusual but also unimaginable.” The actress said when she left the Church in 2013, her “first goal was to try and find Shelly,” so she filed a missing person’s report. Mega “Hours after I filed the missing person’s report, the case was closed, and the LAPD announced to the press that they had found Shelly,” Remini explained. “This news was released first to the press, not to me, who filed the report. I learned about all of this from the media, not from the LAPD.” She claimed that when she asked if detectives had spoken to or seen Shelly, she was told that was “classified” information. “Scientology has always done a great job at ingratiating itself with law enforcement despite being experts in obstructing justice,” she alleged, adding that the Church often “hires off-duty LAPD cops as security and donates to LAPD charities.” According to Remini, when she met with Cory about Shelly’s disappearance, “he had a letter on his desk thanking him for all his help with Scientology matters and inviting him to come and have lunch, as a guest, at the Celebrity Center.” She said she was “so alarmed by Cory’s closeness with Scientology” that she offered to double any donations the Church offered if he stopped accepting charity from the religious group. “Cory was incredibly dismissive,” she wrote. Remini also provided emails allegedly between Cory and top Scientology officials — but she said he’s not the only LAPD officer who had a “friendly” relationship with the Church. “LAPD Lieutenant Andre Dawson, the detective in charge of my missing person’s report into Shelly Miscavige, also has a cozy relationship with Scientology,” Remini stated, showing a photo of him “speaking at Scientology’s celebrity center at an event about human trafficking.” Mega Remini ended her thread by calling for an investigation “into Cory’s relationship with Scientology and the LAPD’s interactions with Scientology overall,” adding, “the LAPD must not attend Scientology events anymore or accept their funds.” She concluded by asking the age-old question: “WHERE IS SHELLY???” Remini left Scientology nearly 10 years ago and has been on a crusade to expose the Church through her show,Scientology and the Aftermath. Most recently, her name was called out in longtime Scientologist Danny Masterson‘s trial. The That 70s Show actor is fighting three charges of forcible rape. He faces 45 years in prison if convicted. Remini tweeted about the trial, leaving Masterson’s attorney to claim that her social media posts made it “difficult” for the actor to get a “fair trial.” However, as RadarOnline.com reported, the judge didn’t see it that way and assured Masterson’s lawyer that “Ms. Remini’s views don’t influence my legal rulings. I follow the case law, and so whatever she is tweeting about certainly has no bearing on the court.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By James Oliphant and Gram Slattery WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Days before he is expected to launch another White House run, Donald Trump is again at war with his own party, angrily denouncing potential rivals, airing old grievances and acting more like the insurgent who stormed to victory six years ago than a former president. The former one-term president has slapped the man seen as his main threat, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with the label “DeSanctimonious” and tried out a nickname with a racist tone for Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin as he looks to ward off any challengers for his party’s 2024 nomination. For Trump, who has long viewed himself as a wrecking ball within the party, it’s much same playbook he ran in his successful 2016 campaign and in his failed 2020 re-election bid. But it comes as a growing chorus of Republicans are blaming him for their weaker-than-expected performance in Tuesday’s congressional elections and when Trump may need to build support across the party rather than drive it away. Erstwhile Republican luminaries such as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former congressman Paul Ryan and conservative outlets such as Fox News Channel and the Wall Street Journal have criticized Trump for injecting himself into the midterms, arguing that his involvement spurred Democratic turnout and alienated independent voters. Trump in turn has blasted back, accusing the media without evidence of favoring DeSantis in a conspiracy to deny him the nomination. Trump has a history of marginalizing his opponents with derisive nicknames and rallying his supporters against them as he did in 2016 with rivals such as Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. “He frames people up and allows his supporters to knock them down,” said a Florida Republican strategist, who asked not to be identified to protect his relationship with Trump. ALLIES TRY TO SOFTEN TRUMP But in recognition that the political landscape since 2016 may have markedly changed, people around Trump are trying to persuade him to soften his image, fearing that his scorched-earth rhetoric is turning off a lot of voters who may like his policies but are starving for some normalcy, a senior adviser told Reuters. There is also an effort underway to get Trump to focus less on past grievances. “The 2016 campaign was about solving problems and offering ideas. We are trying to convince him to talk about the future. We’ll see what happens,” the adviser said. With the party splintering, some of Trump’s allies are already trying to publicly demonstrate their loyalty. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, endorsed him on Friday, though he has not yet launched a run and the first party primary is over a year away. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said on Twitter that successful Republican governors should stay in place and not try to run for president. Neither DeSantis, who was convincingly re-elected to a second term on Tuesday, nor Youngkin, a first-term governor, have announced a presidential bid, although DeSantis is reportedly strongly considering one. In a Friday post on his Truth Social network, Trump called Youngkin “Young Kin” and said, “sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?” Youngkin is not Chinese. The day earlier, Trump posted a long harangue about DeSantis that again called him Ron “DeSanctimonious” and said he owes his political fortunes to Trump. Two Florida Republicans close to DeSantis predicted the governor would be wary of responding directly, keeping his focus on the state’s recovery from Hurricane Ian and policy issues. By keeping out of the fray for now, they said, DeSantis would highlight how his governing style differs from Trump’s more combative and less policy-focused approach, they said. Trump’s early presidential announcement, set for Tuesday, may be viewed as an attempt to clear the field before the race even begins, but the sharpening criticism within the party suggests that won’t happen. Republicans had been expected to take control of the House by a wide margin but as of Friday weren’t assured of a takeover at all as votes continued to be tallied in several races. In the Senate, Trump-backed candidates in states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia stumbled and his pick in Arizona, Blake Masters, appeared to be on track to lose to Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. (Reporting by James Oliphant and Gram Slattery; additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Megyn Kelly sang Mike Pence‘s praises and called the former vice president “a classy guy” on a recent episode of her podcast, RadarOnline.com has learned. Kelly and her guests spoke about the former VP during her SiriusXM radio show, The Megyn Kelly Show, while they discussed an excerpt from Pence’s book, So Help Me God, that talked about a meeting he had with the ex-prez Donald Trump following the January 6 insurrection. The group dissected Trump’s inability to accept a loss, as they trashed him for putting his VP’s life in danger during the attack on the Capitol. mega “The thing about election denialism was like, I don’t know, like a robot malfunctioning,” Kelly said while talking about Trump pushing election fraud. “He couldn’t see it. He’s so adverse to losing and losers, he just wasn’t able to say, ‘this one got away.'” Kelly then read an excerpt from Pence’s book which detailed an alleged conversation between Pence and Trump on January 11. Pence alleged a somber Trump asked him if he was “scared” in regard to being at the Capitol on January 6. mega “Of course this is when Trump antagonized Mike Pence, his supporters were screaming hang Mike Pence, Trump had tweeted out aggressive tweets about Mike Pence,” Kelly said. “Mike Pence was in danger that way, there’s no question. And it was in part, large part, because of Donald Trump,” Kelly added. mega Kelly then read another portion of the book where Pence asked, “What if we hadn’t had the rally? What if they hadn’t gone to the Capitol? It’s too terrible to end like this.” Kelly praised Pence for not backing down on Trump’s request to not certify the election — even when the former president “sic’d the mob” on him. “Pence at this moment is a classy guy, as I think he usually is,” Kelly told her guests. Kelly joins numerous conservative talk show hosts and media that have now turned their back on the former president following disastrous midterm election results. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Tiffany Trumpis getting the show on the road for her weekend wedding after Hurricane Nicole threatened to ruin her Florida ceremony. Her father Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago estate was buzzing with action on Friday afternoon as staffers rushed to set the scene for her Saturday nuptials to billionaire Michael Boulos, RadarOnline.com can report. The 29-year-old bride-to-be is Trump’s youngest daughter. The father-daughter duo was spotted practicing walking down the aisle at the ex-president’s Palm Beach, Florida, palace while overseeing the ceremony setup. In the photos obtained by RadarOnline.com, Tiffany beamed with happiness as Trump looked stoic for his daddy duties. Despite the ceremony, and practice run, taking place on his own lawn, #45 was photographed wearing a crisp, blue suit. Mega Daily Mail got snaps of dozens of trucks parked at the estate, with double the amount of workers unloading the wedding decor. Men in red shirts were seen building a large stage on Trump’s lawn while others were spotted carrying a large table with the bride and groom’s initials. Earlier this week, Tiffany was forced to send staffers home due to Category-1 Hurricane Nicole barreling through Florida. The future Mrs. Boulos was reportedly “flipping out” as the natural disaster threatened to ruin her marriage plans. “They’ve sent staff home,” a close pal told Page Six. “Tiffany is still there. Some guests came in for the week, and they had all these things planned. It was going to be a whole over-the-top thing. They had to cancel events today and canceled a golf outing for tomorrow. Everyone is stuck inside.” The Hurricane — which left five dead — has moved on from Florida, making way for the Trumps to continue with their party plans. Mega Tiffany’s wedding will mark the first big event at Mar-a-Lago since the FBI’s August raid. As RadarOnline.com reported, Trump and his aides are being investigated for possible mishandling of classified information, obstruction, and destruction of government records. Agents seized roughly 13,000 documents during the raid, with 103 of them being classified and 18 top-secret. Some of the classified documents are said to have had intel about Iran’s missile program and U.S. intelligence work aimed at China. Trump denied the accusation, dropping his favorite line: “fake news.” The investigation isn’t the only reason Tiffany’s dad is making headlines. Mega Fellow Republicans are allegedly turning on Trump after the midterms that failed to produce the “red wave” he promised. His party is reportedly urging him to hold off on announcing his possible 2024 run for president, with the majority allegedly no longer backing him for a second term. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lea Michele had to miss a performance of ‘Funny Girl’ after sustaining a back injury. The 36-year-old actress is starring as comedienne Fanny Brice in a Broadway revival of the classic musical but had to pull out of the show on Friday (11.11.22) just two hours before curtain up and promised she will be back tomorrow. She tweeted: “Hey everyone. Unfortunately, I will be out of Funny Girl tonight. I hurt my back and my doctor is requiring me to rest tonight or else I would be there. I will be back tomorrow. Love to all.” The former ‘Glee’ star was temporarily replaced in the role – which was made famous by Barbra Streisand in the 1964 film – by understudy Julie Benko and the official team behind the production released a statement of support for their leading lady as she recovered. The statement read: “Sending all of our healing wishes to Lea Michele, who will be out of tonight’s performance. The amazing Julie Benko (@jujubee) will be on as Fanny”(sic) Lea – who played ambitious wannabe Broadway star Rachel Berry on the hit Fox TV series – recently explained that she is “having the time of her life” starring in the musical that features standards such as ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ and ‘I’m the Greatest Star.’ She said: “I’m loving living in the bubble that is the safe home and space of this theater and this cast. If I did not know and feel the support that I have from everyone, this would be very scary for me. I’m literally having the time of my life.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega The rumors about Pete Davidson seem to be true — with him finally confirming what many have believed about him for years now. According to Jay Pharoah, the comedian revealed that he is in fact packing beneath his pants, which has allowed him so much success when it comes to his dating life. mega “Hey, man, it’s Pete. There’s something in the sauce. He got something, OK. He got something inside,” Pharoah said on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show” on Thursday, November 10. “So I talk to him, I said, ‘Pete, man, what is it?’ I said … ‘What is it. What’d you do? What was it? How you do it?'” MARTHA STEWART ADMITS ROMANTIC INTEREST IN PETE DAVIDSON: ‘HE KNOWS HOW TO GET IN & GET OUT’ Pharoah, a famed impressionist, then revealed that The King of Staten Island star, 28, credited his manhood for his success. “He told me what it was. It’s his endowment. That’s what he told me it is,” the 35-year-old shared, before joking, “He was like, ‘Yeah, bro, it’s like nine inches.’ I was like, ‘What? Word. Oh snap, we twins. That’s crazy.'” And while Davidson is known for being impressive in one category, Pharoah credited the funnyman’s vulnerability and personality with the overall success he has in his personal life. “You gotta have everything in the relationship, and that’s the thin line. … Pete is just a sweet dude,” Pharoah pointed out. “He’s sweet. He’s vulnerable.” Davidson has famously dated Kate Beckinsale and was even engaged to Ariana Grande — with his most recent flame being Kim Kardashian. mega And while Davidson may have his pick of women, that doesn’t mean everything in his life is smooth sailing. OK! reported Davidson had to take a break from filming his upcoming project, Bupkis, because he had a “major meltdown” on set. After a brief break from work to “get his s**t together and focus on himself,” said a source, he was set to return to filming earlier this month. Meanwhile, the Saturday Night Live alum may also be reeling from his summer split with The Kardashians star, with whom he has been in close contact with despite going their separate ways. LONG DISTANCE DRAMA TO RUMORS OF RECONCILIATION: INSIDE PETE DAVIDSON & KIM KARDASHIAN’S DECISION TO CALL IT QUITS Though the former flames “still talk a lot,” a reconciliation isn’t in the cards — at least on Kardashian’s end. “He’s holding in there and tells her that he would jump on a plane at a moment’s notice for her,” said a source, but the reality star knows there is no chance they’ll rekindle their romance. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Luke Evans’ “first love” is music. The 43-year-old star may be best known for his acting career but he’s loved singing all his life. He said: “As a kid, I was happiest when I was singing or entertaining. “My dad had lots of records from the 1960s and 70s, so I was listening to the Drifters, Petula Clark, The Beatles, David Bowie, and the Bay City Rollers. “I remember us all singing ‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark in the car. “When I was 11 or 12, I bought my first album in Woolworths – it was Roberta Flack and the first song was ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.’ “That’s when I realised singing connected me emotionally to who I was.” But Luke didn’t expect to make a career in entertainment because of his humble upbringing in Wales. He laughed: “Not in the Valleys! We only knew of tom Jones and Shirley Bassey, so that’s not a good ration of Welsh people. “Singing was never more than a hobby growing up. My dad is a builder. My mum was a cleaner and housewife. “My family have worked in the mines and in factories. “No one had ever done anything like it before. I don’t really know how I did it with that kind of working-class upbringing.” The ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ actor’s childhood friend, Charlotte Church, is among the stars he has sang with on his new album xx and he admitted it was “lovely” for them to finally work together. He told Red magazine: “I used to save my money and spend £15 a week to go to my singing lessons. “Little did I know what the girl who used to leave just as I was entering was a young Charlotte Church. “We’ve seen each other grow up and been through a lot together but we’ve never recorded a track together. “It was lovely being able to do that.” View the full article