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Published by Reuters By Jeff Mason WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will take on a potential 2024 presidential rival, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis, in a November campaign event for the Democratic candidate for governor, Charlie Crist. The White House said on Sunday that Biden will travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Nov. 1 to attend a reception for Crist, a former governor and member of Congress who is trailing in polls behind the popular Republican incumbent. Biden and DeSantis have publicly played nice with each other in recent weeks in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. During a joint appearance on a trip to survey storm damage in Florida, Biden said the two leaders had worked “hand-in-glove.” But the differences between them are stark. And both men could potentially be rivals in 2024 if Biden runs for re-election, which he has indicated he intends to do, and if DeSantis runs for the Republican nomination and succeeds in beating back former President Donald Trump, who is mulling a comeback bid. DeSantis is popular in the Republican Party and has clashed with Biden on multiple policy issues including COVID-19 vaccines, immigration, and abortion rights. The president’s embrace of Crist and his attempt to boost him in the late stages of the campaign could be a sign that Democrats have not given up on hopes of toppling DeSantis in his home state. It could also reflect an effort to let Biden make a more muscular argument against a man who is a likely presidential hopeful. Biden just completed a western travel swing in which he sought to boost Democrat Tina Kotek, who is running in a tight race for governor in Oregon. Control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate is at stake in the November midterm elections, but state elections and governors’ races are also being closely watched for their potential policy impacts on abortion and voting rights. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Elon Musk has a “theory” that Grimes “isn’t real”. The 51-year-old billionaire has dated the ‘Genesis’ singer on and off since 2018 and has two children, son X Æ A-12, two, and 10-month-old daughter Exa with the pop star – whose real name is Claire Boucher – but he said to have told people that he believes he has created a “simulation” to serve as his “perfect companion”. Vanity Fair journalist Devin Gordon claims Grimes shared the theory with him herself. He explained: “She told me repeatedly that Musk has this theory of her that she’s not real. “That she’s a simulation who was created by him and exists in his cerebral cortex as sort of the perfect companion to him.” Even more bizarrely, Grimes agrees with the notion. Devin added on new documentary series ‘The Elon Musk Show’: “Which sounds a little crazy and maybe even a little creepy, except, she agrees with it. She said she does feel like this simulation which was perfectly created for him.” According to the reporter, the on/off couple initially bonded over a “scary” thought experiment and share very similar tastes. He said: “They both made a similar nerdy joke about a scary AI theory of the future called Roko’s Basilisk, which I don’t really even get. And her interests are all the same as his and her music is very technologically oriented.” Grimes and Elon announced last September they had “semi-separated” but the singer later admitted there was “no real word” to describe their relationship. She previously said: “I would probably refer to him as my boyfriend, but we’re very fluid. We live in separate houses. We’re best friends. “We see each other all the time…. We just have our own thing going on, and I don’t expect other people to understand it.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (This Oct. 13 story has been corrected to changes last percentage in paragraph 4 from 39% to 38%.) By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – Most patients with COVID-19 who have lingering symptoms at 12 months are likely to still have symptoms at 18 months, new data suggest. The findings are drawn from a large study of 33,281 people in Scotland who tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of the results are in line with those from earlier, smaller studies. Among a subset of 197 survivors of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections who completed surveys at 12 months and 18 months, most reported lingering symptoms at both time points, researchers reported in Nature Communications. Rates of no recovery at 12 months were 11% with 51% partial recovery and 39% complete recovery. Rates at 18 months were 11% no recovery, 51% partial and 38% complete. Asymptomatic infections were not associated with long COVID. But among the 31,486 people with symptomatic infections, nearly half reported incomplete recovery at six to 18 months. A total of 3,744 participants with symptomatic infections completed questionnaires twice over the following year. At six months, 8% reported no recovery, 47% reported partial recovery, and 45% reported complete recovery. Those rates had barely changed at 12 months, with 8% reporting no recovery, 46% partial recovery and 46% complete recovery. One in 20 patients with a symptomatic infection reported no recovery at the most recent follow-up, researchers said. “Our study is important because it adds to our understanding of long COVID in the general population, not just in those people who need to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19,” study leader Jill Pell of the University of Glasgow said in a statement. Long COVID was more likely in patients who had been hospitalized and in those who were older, female, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and with pre-existing health conditions. The most common lingering symptoms included breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations, and confusion and “brain fog.” Vaccination before infection appeared to protect against some long-term symptoms, the researchers also found. The researchers also surveyed nearly 63,000 individuals with only negative COVID tests, to distinguish between health problems that are due to COVID-19 and health problems that would be expected in the general population. (Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Caroline Humer and David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Meaghan Ellis Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is facing scrutiny for his latest attempt to criticize Democrats. Although he claimed “The Left is beyond parody,” his attack fell flat when he was slammed for sharing a fake article that was photoshopped with reporter Abby Ohlheiser’s old byline. Blogger Parker Molloy has taken to Twitter with a series of fiery arguments laying out the case against Cruz and offering the Republican lawmaker a timeline for Ohlheiser, who is currently with The Washington Post — not The Atlantic. “So, someone created a fake story, slapped [Abby Ohlheiser]’s byline on it ev… Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com The show will in fact go on at Cedar Grove High School after school officials backtracked on a plan to cancel a student production of the “The Prom,” a musical about a lesbian student who wants to bring her girlfriend to her school prom. The Essex County school district faced a backlash from students, parents, alumni and the LGBTQ community after word spread on social media that officials tentatively canceled the production this week due to community concerns about “inappropriate” content in the award-winning Broadway musical. However, the district’s superintendent said Friday the school will … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Darren Hayes says his father was the first person to insult him for being gay. The 50-year-old pop star – who has been married to Richard Cullen since 2013 and was previously married to Colby Taylor – explained that his childhood was “traumatising” because his father was a “violent alcoholic” who would beat his mum and “insult him” about his homosexuality. He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “My experience was so traumatising. I had a father who was a violent alcoholic and he used to beat my mum and I was a really sensitive little kid. He was the first person to call me a gay slur and he called me the F word.The former Savage Garden star went on to explain that his maternal grandmother had taken her own life and yet his own mother – who grew up “dirt poor” and lived in a tent – continues to be a “source of love” and is the reason he was able to pursue a career in show business. He said: “And my mother’s mother – my grandma – committed suicide at the age of 49. And yet my mother is a source of love. She is so positive and so loving and everything I know about forgiveness and kindness comes from her. “But she grew up in a tent. Her dad was the kindest man. They were dirt poor, he worked repairing railways so they were called The Railway Children, living in temporary tents on the side of rail tracks with dirt floors. They had nothing yet they felt rich. And she’s always instilled that feeling in me and that’s always been my outlook in life. “That’s how I was able to come from the family I’ve come from and just watch a Madonna video and think ‘Oh I’m just gonna do that!’ I wouldn’t wish that on someone but it is like the creation of a diamond. “A diamond is created through extreme pressure and what it can create is one of the most beautiful and one of the strongest, toughest elements on earth. Some of my favourite people, like Madonna, came from a tragic moment of heartache and if you’re able to maintain a loving heart despite what happens to you – and we’ve all had stuff happen to us. “ Darren’s new album ‘Homosexual’ is out now. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Cher has listed her Malibu mansion for $85 million. The 76-year-old singer could make more than $82 million profit on the plush pad if her home sells for its asking price after she forked out just $2.95 million on the property in 1989. Potential purchasers who like to relax and ensure they are safe in their own abode might be pleased to note the ‘I Got You Babe’ singer’s seven-bedroom mansion comes complete with a meditation room, as well as a panic room. Cher’s house also appears to be the perfect place for those partial to a hairpiece, because it features a climate-controlled room for the music legend’s iconic wigs. Fitness fanatics may also want to have a walk, or a light jog, around the ‘Believe’ hitmaker’s house, because it boasts a tennis court, infinity pool, plus and indoor-outdoor gym. It’s not the first time Cher has attempted to offload the property, which took five years to build. In 2009, she set a $45 million asking price on her home – which also has picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean – but the ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ singer may not have any regrets about not selling now, because she could be set to make nearly double that this time around. What’s more, the house has a gatehouse, which tends to be used as a guesthouse, and a theatre, where the star may well have watched her turn in the likes of ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ or 1990 movie ‘Mermaids’. In March, Cher offered her home to Ukrainian refugees following Russia’s invasion of the country. She tweeted: “I Would Like to Sponsor Ukrainian Families in My Home. “They Would Be Safe Cared For. “MANY PEOPLE IN MY POSITION NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE. “IF I WAS ALONE OR WITH MY CHILDREN, WE WERE TRAUMATIZED, I WOULD HOPE SOMEONE LIKE ME TO TAKE CARE OF US. (sic)” View the full article

Published by AFP Google says Donald Trump's Truth Social app for Android devices has been tweaked to effectively get rid of abusive and violence-inducing posts, as a condition of being allowed into the Play Store San Francisco (AFP) – Google on Wednesday said it has allowed Donald Trump’s Truth Social app in its Play Store for Android devices — after receiving assurances the app would meet the platform’s standards for moderating harmful content. The app — which Trump launched after being barred from Twitter over the 2021 Capitol riot — had been kept out of Google’s store over its lack of moderation tools, including for violent threats. Google said Truth Social has since been updated to comply with its policies barring objectionable posts, and has built in effective systems for reporting and removing unwanted content as well as blocking abusers. “Apps may be distributed on Google Play provided they comply with our developer guidelines, including the requirement to effectively moderate user-generated content and remove objectionable posts such as those that incite violence,” a Google spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry. Developers can make Android apps available elsewhere on the internet, but the Play Store is a main source of content for users. A Truth Social app for Android devices is available on the social network’s website and other venues that may not have Google’s content moderation rules, according to the Alphabet-owned tech titan. “It’s been a pleasure to work with Google, and we’re glad they helped us to finally bring Truth Social to all Americans, regardless of what device they use,” Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) chief executive said in a released statement. TMTG early this month announced today that a Truth Social app was freshly available for people in the United States who use Samsung smartphones, which are powered by customized Android software and have their own app shop. Samsung’s share of the US smartphone market is about 30 percent, according to industry analysis firm Counterpoint. A version of Truth Social tailored for Apple mobile devices is available at the App Store, which also enforces rules about content moderation. Trump take on Twitter Google said in August that it had notified Truth Social that its app violated Play policies and required “effective systems for moderating user-generated content” in order to be offered on the platform. The online giant said at the time that Trump’s app broke rules barring content that incites physical threats and violence, but was working on addressing those issues. Truth Social was conceived as Trump’s answer to Twitter — from which he was ejected in January 2021, days after a mob of his supporters refusing to accept his election defeat to Joe Biden stormed the US Capitol. Billionaire Elon Musk, who has made a $44-billion deal to buy Twitter, has said he would likely allow the former US leader back on the platform. After trying to walk away, Musk now says the troubled deal is back on and could close by the end of this month. Meanwhile, a merger between TMTG and a blank check company named Digital World Acquisition Corp — intended to bring in fresh funding for the Trump platform — has yet to take place. Digital World shares were up more than seven percent to just over $17 in after-market trades in the wake of the Play Store news. QAnon Excluded from major social networks, Trump has regained only a fraction of his followers on Truth Social. Trump has 4.18 followers at Truth Social, compared to the 88.8 million he had on Twitter and the 35.4 million he had on Facebook before being booted for encouraging real-world violence such as the deadly attack on the US Capitol. Truth Social has become an online haven for QAnon fans to share conspiracy theories such as prominent members of the Democratic Party being involved with satanists or pedophiles. Misinformation watchdog NewsGuard has reported finding scores of Truth Social accounts sharing QAnon content, with Trump among those resharing posts. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Harry Styles leads the list of nominees for the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs). The 28-year-old pop star – who shot to stardom as part of One Direction – has received seven nominations in total, including Best Song, Best Video, Best Artist, Best Live, Best Pop, Best UK and Ireland Act, and Biggest Fans. Taylor Swift has received six nominations in total, including one for Best Longform Video, which is a brand new category at the EMAs. Taylor, 32, will also compete with Harry for the Best Video, Best Artist, Best Pop, and Biggest Fans gongs. Elsewhere, Nicki Minaj and Rosalia have both been nominated for five awards each, including for the coveted Best Artist accolade. Rap star Kendrick Lamar has been nominated in the Best Video, Best Live, Best Hip Hop, and Video For Good categories, while Ed Sheeran is competing for the Best Live, Best Pop and Video For Good gongs. BLACKPINK, the South Korean girl group, also feature prominently on the list of nominees. The chart-topping group will compete for the Best K-Pop gong along with the likes of BTS, ITZY, LISA, SEVENTEEN and TWICE. BLACKPINK have also been nominated in the Biggest Fans, Best Metaverse Performance, and Best Video categories. The upcoming ceremony – which is being staged at the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany, on November 13 – will feature a number of first-time nominees, including the likes of Stephen Sanchez, Dove Cameron, Doechii, Baby Keem, Mae Muller, Shenseea, Summer Walker, and Wet Leg. The event – which is being hosted in Germany for the sixth time – will broadcast on MTV in more than 170 countries around the world, and fans can now vote for their favourite artists via www.mtvema.com. Complete list of nominees: Best Song: Bad Bunny – ‘Me Porto Bonito’ Harry Styles – ‘As It Was’ Jack Harlow – ‘First Class’ Lizzo – ‘About Damn Time’ Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ ROSALIA – ‘DESPECHA’ Best Video: BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ Doja Cat – ‘Woman’ Harry Styles – ‘As It Was’ Kendrick Lamar – ‘The Heart Part 5’ Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ Taylor Swift – ‘All Too Well’ Best Artist: Adele Beyonce Harry Styles Nicki Minaj ROSALIA Taylor Swift Best Collaboration: Bad Bunny, Chencho Corleone – ‘Me Porto Bonito’ David Guetta and Bebe Rexha – ‘I’m Good (Blue)’ DJ Khaled ft. Drake and Lil Baby – ‘STAYING ALIVE’ Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa – ‘Sweetest Pie’ Post Malone ft. Doja Cat – ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’ Shakira ft. Rauw Alejandro – ‘Te Felicito’ Tiesto and Ava Max – ‘The Motto’ Best Live: Coldplay Ed Sheeran Harry Styles Kendrick Lamar Lady Gaga The Weeknd Best Pop: Billie Eilish Doja Cat Ed Sheeran Harry Styles Lizzo Taylor Swift Best New: Baby Keem Dove Cameron GAYLE SEVENTEEN Stephen Sanchez Tems Best K-pop: BLACKPINK BTS ITZY LISA SEVENTEEN TWICE Best Latin: Anitta Bad Bunny Becky G J Balvin ROSALIA Shakira Best Electronic: Calvin Harris David Guetta DJ Snake Marshmello Swedish House Mafia Tiesto Best Hip Hop: Drake Future Jack Harlow Kendrick Lamar Lil Baby Megan Thee Stallion Nicki Minaj Best Rock: Foo Fighters Liam Gallagher Maneskin Muse Red Hot Chili Peppers The Killers Best Alternative: Gorillaz Imagine Dragons Panic! At The Disco Tame Impala Twenty One Pilots YUNGBLUD Best RnB: Chloe Giveon H.E.R. Khalid Summer Walker SZA Best Longform Video: Foo Fighters – ‘Studio 666’ ROSALIA – ‘MOTOMAMI’ Stormzy – ‘Mel Made Me Do It’ Taylor Hawkins Tribute concert, London’s Wembley Stadium Taylor Swift – ‘All Too Well’ Video For Good: Ed Sheeran – ‘2step (feat. Lil Baby)’ Kendrick Lamar – ‘The Heart Part 5’ Latto – ‘P****’ Lizzo – ‘About Damn Time’ Sam Smith – ‘Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)’ Stromae – ‘Fils de joie’ Biggest Fans: BLACKPINK BTS Harry Styles Lady Gaga Nicki Minaj Taylor Swift Best Push: Nessa Barrett SEVENTEEN Mae Muller GAYLE Shenseea Omar Apollo Wet Leg Muni Long Doechii Saucy Santana Stephen Sanchez JVKE Best Metaverse Performance: BLACKPINK – ‘The Virtual’ | PUBG BTS | Minecraft Charli XCX | Roblox Justin Bieber – ‘An Interactive Virtual Experience’ | Wave Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox View the full article

Published by The Philadelphia Inquirer PHILADELPHIA — Doug Mastriano, John Fetterman, and Mehmet Oz have all drawn the national spotlight this year. But Josh Shapiro is quietly running the strongest campaign — and potentially building the biggest future. With a relentless and largely by-the-book effort, Shapiro, the Democratic attorney general, has built a double-digit lead over Mastriano in the governor’s race, according to all major recent public polls. If that holds up, and he wins big, it would be an eye-catching swing-state victory that could vault him to national prominence. Some people are already forecasting that Shapiro, 4… Read More View the full article

Published by The Street By Veronika Bondarenko The 13,200-square-foot Malibu mansion was finished for Cher in 1999. Before Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek and her wall of different-colored wigs, there was Cher — the 76-year-old singer earned her diva status both for her six-decade singing career and a number of iconic hair moments. Cher is known for extravagance in all aspects of her life and the homes she owns are no exception. Her 13,200-square-foot Malibu mansion has a separate climate-controlled room used to store over 100 of the singer’s wigs. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, Cher just placed this ho… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Bratislava on Friday to commemorate the victims of a shooting at a gay bar earlier this week and to take a stand against hatred of sexual minorities. Dano Veselský/TASR/dpa Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Bratislava on Friday to commemorate the victims of a shooting at a gay bar earlier this week and to take a stand against hatred of sexual minorities. Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova and Prime Minister Eduard Heger attended the gathering. Caputova gave an emotional speech, apologizing to the victims. “Forgive me, I am sorry that our society failed to protect its neighbours,” she said. A man killed two men and seriously injured a waitress near a popular gay pub in Bratislava’s city centre on Wednesday. He later posted a series of hate messages and a form of manifesto containing homophobic and right-wing extremist content on social media before killing himself. The media blamed the act on internet incitement and derogatory comments by politicians about sexual minorities in Slovakia, a highly conservative nation, where most people are Catholic. The protesters laid flowers at the scene of the crime and gathered at Slovak National Uprising Square. Many cheered at Caputova’s speech as she said: “I am sorry that they still feel unwanted as members of the LGBTI community in Slovakia. They belong to us and are valuable to our society.” LGBTI refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex community. Caputova called on the population to unite against the hatred that had made the act possible. Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Bratislava on Friday to commemorate the victims of a shooting at a gay bar earlier this week and to take a stand against hatred of sexual minorities. Dano Veselský/TASR/dpa Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Bratislava on Friday to commemorate the victims of a shooting at a gay bar earlier this week and to take a stand against hatred of sexual minorities. Dano Veselský/TASR/dpa View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Ray Hartmann Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI) made a small splash Tuesday with her announcement that she was leaving the Democratic Party because “it’s now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers, driven by cowardly wokeness.” She had the cowardly part right. The Democrats should long ago have condemned and distanced themselves from Gabbard, an opportunist who has fought against Democratic values her almost of her adult life. The closest Democrats came to disowning Gabbard came after her February speech to the far-right 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPACP… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Four emerging LGBTQ filmmakers, who were selected as the first-ever recipients of NewFest’s New Voices Filmmakers Grant, will showcase their work at this year’s New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival. The initiative, a partnership of NewFest with Netflix in support of emerging LGBTQ talent, distributed a total of $100,000 in funds among the recipients, as well as one year of mentorship. The selected filmmakers will now have the opportunity to screen their work in one of the world’s largest queer film festivals. The program aims to “continue making sure that filmmakers who have historically b… Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com DEAR ANNIE: I read your column daily. I live in the Deep South. When I was 23, I finally accepted my sexual orientation and began a relationship with a friend four years older than me. He and I began a decades-long loving relationship that culminated in our legal marriage. We had strong support from some but strong resistance from others. The fact that we had to work and pray so hard to protect our bond (there were really no significant support groups such as mainline churches or large family support; even doctors initially were a challenge) made the relationship paramount. It was not always e… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) – England’s National Health Service has drafted new guidelines for treating transgender youth that would call for local authorities to be alerted in some cases where young people have obtained puberty blockers and hormone therapies on the private market, according to a copy of the guidelines reviewed by Reuters. The guidelines are part of a wide-ranging review of treatment for young transgender people seeking NHS care. The current approach, which can include medical interventions, has been criticised by some practitioners who said it rushed people onto medica… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Gary Lineker is hoping two gay Premier League players will choose to come out during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The striker-turned-pundit has revealed he knows who players who have been ‘”very close” to going public with their sexuality and he says it would send a powerful message if they took a stand against laws in Qatar where homosexuality is illegal and can be punished with jail time. Gary told The Mirror: “It would be great if one or two of them came out during the World Cup. It would be amazing. I know for a fact that some have been very close and contemplated it. There’s a couple I know, but obviously it’s not for me to say who they are.” The ‘Match of The Day’ host was asked why the players hadn’t yet chosen to come out publicly, and he replied: “Fear. Fear of the unknown, I imagine. Perhaps they are worried about what their teammates might think, although they probably already know. “I mean, it seems insane that it should even be a thing.” He went on to cite possible abuse from crowds as a reason why they might be fearful about going public, but added: “You’re always going to get a few idiots. But it’s easy for me to say because I’m not in that position.” Jake Daniels who plays for Championship side Blackpool is the most high profile player in the UK to come out so far after going public with his sexuality in May and Gary said he hopes the positive response might encourage others to follow his lead. He also insisted any top flight player who came out could go on to become a “huge” star. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicks off on November 20. View the full article

Published by Football Tribe Asia Adelaide United midfielder Josh Cavallo sent out harsh criticisms towards Spain legends Iker Casillas and Carlos Puyol over the former’s actions on Twitter, where Casillas tweeted out “I’m gay” before subsequently deleting it, with the former Real Madrid goalkeeper claiming that his account was “hacked.” Cavallo, who made headlines last year for being the very first openly gay professional footballer in the world, slammed Casillas for being “beyond disrespectful” and joking about coming out following the Spain and Real Madrid legend tweeting out “I hope that you respect me: I’m gay” last Sunda… Read More View the full article

Published by City AM By Adam Bloodworth Who knew a play about The Great Depression could, and frankly, should, be this funny? We laugh or we cry, goes the old adage, and Pearl Cleage’s 1995 play is an uneven but often joyfully comic celebration of some of the vulnerable, brash and foolhardy characters who lived through it. We meet Angel who dreams of moving abroad with her friend Guy, an out gay man who’s applying for work with a top designer in Paris. Across the hallway are Sam and Delia, who plan on opening an family planning clinic for young women. All are progressives pushing for change in an era where surviva… Read More View the full article

Published by Al-Araby An elderly woman brings a beautiful caftan to the shop of Halim and Mina in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. It’s a stunning piece of craftsmanship she was gifted at the birth of her eldest child but the decades have taken their toll on a small section of the stitching. The camera closes in on the garment’s gorgeous golden detail as Halim wistfully tells the woman that the classical sewing technique that might restore her sartorial heirloom has been lost to the past. Still, Halim will mend what he can to save the caftan for future generations. “Using the handmade construction of the eponymous … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ariana DeBose has slammed the “haterade” around her Oscar win. The 31-year-old actress made history when she became the first queer woman of colour to take home the Best Supporting Actress accolade for her work on ‘West Side Story’ earlier this year and she’s slammed insinuations she received the honour for something other than her talent. She said: “There have been insinuations that I was given an Oscar because I’m queer and because I am an Afro-Latina. And that’s haterade. That’s just haterade. And I know that.” Ariana insisted she wouldn’t have got the award if her work hadn’t been “exceptional” and she has done enough to “earn” her “seat at the table”. She continued in an interview with America’s ELLE magazine for their Women in Hollywood issue: “We wouldn’t have had conversations around my identity, or any of the labels associated with my name, if my work had not first been exceptional. And I’ve always said, I don’t believe I should be handed anything. I want to earn my seat at the table. “I don’t believe in everybody getting gold stars just because you tried. I want the gold star because I busted my balls to be where I am, and I’ve done the work, and I trained, and I took the private lessons, and I humbled myself. “I fell on my face multiple times in the 10 years it took me to get to where I am. Hell, I took a voice lesson yesterday. Yesterday.” Ariana, who was only the second Latina to win an Oscar for acting, admitted she is still “processing” the significance of her win. She said: “I’m still processing what it all means. I watched the Oscars for many, many years as a kid, and I never thought I would be standing where Halle Berry or Whoopi Goldberg stood.” The ‘Prom’ actress claimed she missed out on auditions earlier in her career because people would “buy” her in Latina roles. She said: “When I was starting out, there wasn’t a true celebration of the diaspora… “In Hollywood, it was always, for a very good reason, Eva Longoria, JLo, or Sofia Vergara. There was no space for me to be considered Latina. “And in fact, I was told by some casting directors that no one would buy it, so I couldn’t audition. “But that was the beginning. Now we can open up so many doors and show people what we really look like and how diverse we really are, and all the other things that we have to offer. And that there’s not just one way of being anything.” View the full article