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Published by Reuters By Patricia Zengerle and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, met for about four hours on Thursday with the congressional committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Thomas was seen entering the meeting room used by the House of Representatives select committee for its interviews just before 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT). She departed at about 1:45 p.m. EDT, having left the room multiple times to huddle with her lawyer. The panel’s chairperson, Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, told reporters Thomas was answering some questions and had reiterated her belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump. Her attorney, Mark Paoletta, said she had answered all of the committee’s questions. “She was happy to cooperate with the Committee to clear up the misconceptions about her activities surrounding the 2020 elections,” he said in a statement. “As she has said from the outset, Mrs. Thomas had significant concerns about fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election. And, as she told the Committee, her minimal and mainstream activity focused on ensuring that reports of fraud and irregularities were investigated. Beyond that, she played no role in any events after the 2020 election results,” Paoletta said. Thomas, who is active in conservative political circles, attended a rally Trump held shortly before thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory. At the rally, Trump gave an incendiary speech repeating his false claims that the election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud, and he urged his supporters to march to the Capitol. A committee spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The committee had been scheduled to hold a public hearing on Wednesday, but postponed it because of the threat to Florida by powerful Hurricane Ian. The postponement raised the possibility that a recording of Thomas’ statements to the panel could be included in the next public hearing. Thompson said he did not yet have a date for the rescheduled hearing, but that it would take place before the mid-term elections on Nov. 8. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Richard Cowan; Editing by Will Dunham and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) just got served divorce papers by her husband Perry Greene, who said the marriage was “irretrievably broken.” The congresswoman has also been accused of having multiple affairs that nearly caused the marriage to dissolve in 2012. The filing also claimed that the pair had been functionally separated for years. The two married in 1995 and have three children together. She reportedly had an affair with an employee of a gym in Alpharetta, Georgia about a decade ago, and one anonymous source told The Daily Mail that the affair “wasn’t a secret” … Read More View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune “Bros” can’t win, probably, but it’s enjoyable, especially in its first hour, and the second hour has enough going on, and enough elemental romantic rooting interest, to excuse some detours. As a probable first — it’s being marketed as the first major studio gay rom-com in the genially raunchy R-rated tradition of “Trainwreck,” “Bridesmaids” and “Knocked Up” — already it has spawned legions of homophobic trolls online. Since its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, it has also drawn more reasonable skeptics taking issue with its deployment of straight narrative tropes, right down to t… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Shygirl dresses “pretty causal most of the time”. The ‘Alias’ hitmaker – whose real name is Blane Muise – prefers to opt for less fussy fits such as athleisure. The 29-year-old rapper told GQ Hype: “I dress pretty casual most of the time.” Shygirl – who is queer and makes music about her sexuality – feels her sexual appetite isn’t “that deep” She said: “There’s this idea that the more people you sleep with, the less of a person you are. But it’s not that deep… I’m way better at sex than if I’d just slept with three people.” Despite being open with her mum, the ‘Uckers’ hitmaker – who has collaborated with producer Sega Bodega, Slowthai, Lady Gaga and FKA twigs – doesn’t want her grandmother to listen to her explicit lyrics. Shygirl said: “She knows about my dating life, but not the TMI stuff that my mum knows.” The AIM Award nominee feels she would have been sexualised regardless so she makes sure she’s “enjoying it”. Shygirl said: “Even if I wasn’t talking about sex, that would have happened… It’s not up to me on my own to change it, I just need to be in touch with myself and whether I’m enjoying it… because I know people listening are enjoying it.” The ‘Tasty’ hitmaker has allowed her recent choice to go to therapy and “be more open” into her work. She said: “I wanna try to be more open, experimenting with what I’m speaking about, being candid – I do feel like when you’re honest with yourself and other people, you really get an opportunity for something. This isn’t just about putting out a record for me, it’s about developing as a person… trying to be a better person.” View the full article

Published by BOOM Live By Sourit Sanyal The 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to take place in Qatar, making the peninsular Arabian country the first in the Middle East to host international football’s apex tournament. The tournament will kick off on November 20 with the host Qatar taking on Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. With 52 days left for the mega event to commence, many kit manufacturers like Nike, Adidas and Puma have started unveiling the home and away jerseys that will be worn by players during the tournament. Hummel, the Danish kit manufacturer unveiled the jersey of Denmark’s national football team a… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sam Smith wants “a reason for everything” they wear. The ‘Latch’ hitmaker – who is gender non-binary and uses they/them pronouns – mirrors their approach their music to how they look at fashion. The 30-year-old musician told the online edition of GQ: “I’ve really made sure that inside the music there’s a reason for everything. I’ve been intricate with the way I’ve made it. I want it to be the same with jewellery and all my clothes, so that when you look deeply, there’s a message behind every single part.” Sam – whose new album includes references the LGBT cultural touchstones such as the 1990 documentary ‘Paris is Burning’, drag queen Divine and Judy Garland’s rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’ – believes sparkly accessories have has “always been a huge” to them. They said: “Jewellery has always been a big part of my life. Even when I started with my first album, I had the crucifix earrings. But the dangle – wearing two earrings that dangle – was a big moment for me, because it just made me feel great.” The Academy Award winning songwriter admitted their “love: of the dramatic, citing influences like Liberace, royalty and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’. Sam said: “I love, I love, I love the drama. Not the drama as in, like, gossip or anything mean or hateful.” They added: “I like drama as in Queen Elizabeth I drama. Tudor clothes. Phantom of the Opera. Or, like, Liberace.” The ‘Stay With Me’ hitmaker also adores “anything romantic” such as their earrings, which were inspired by the Antinous, who was loved by the Roman emperor Hadrian. They added: . “Anne Boleyn got beheaded on my birthday, so I always pay my respects,” as Sam recounted their 30th birthday trip to the Tower of London back in May. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega;@courttv/youtube The world is reliving the shocking story of crazed Milwaukee mass murdererJeffrey Dahmer with Netflix’s series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Dahmer killed and dismembered at least 15 men. His last victim, 5’6″ Tracy Edwards, became the only one to escape with his life. RadarOnline.com has Edwards’ own account of the nearly fatal ordeal and escape. “I’m going to cut your heart out!” My blood turned to ice and I shuttered as I heard those chilling words from brutal mass murderer Jeffrey Dahmer. I was lying face up on his bedroom floor. He had slapped handcuffs on my left wrist, pulled my arm under my back, and pressed a 12-inch knife to the crotch of my pants. His head was against my chest as he listened to the pounding of my terror-stricken heart. COURT TV/youtube “I can hear it beating now,” he said in a quiet voice. “Soon it will be mine!” I wanted to run for my life, but I was trapped by the crazed cannibal in his real-life house of horrors. I’d seen a human head in Dahmer’s bedroom, hands hanging in his closet, and body parts in his refrigerator. And with the stench of rotten flesh in my nostrils, I knew he’d already picked out his next victim — ME! “Dear God, don’t let this butcher kill me,” I prayed. In my mind, I struggled to develop and escape plan — and tried to understand how I’d gotten into this mess. Only a few hours earlier at 5 PM on July 22, I had met a clean-cut Jeffrey Dahmer at a mall near our Milwaukee neighborhood. I’d seen him before in the neighborhood, but this time he introduced himself, saying he’d recently moved from Chicago. He showed me a hundred dollars and said we could spend it on beer and party with friends. It sounded great to me, so we went back to the neighborhood and told my friends about it. While they were getting ready, Jeff suggested we go to his place and have a couple of beers. I went with him — and it was the biggest mistake of my life! COURT TV/YOUTUBE The first thing I noticed about his apartment was an overwhelming stench. “It smells like somebody died in here!” I said. Jeff laughed. He told me there was a sewer problem. In spite of the smell, his three-room apartment was clean and neat, with a beige carpet and couch in the living room area. But the walls were various pictures of young men without shirts. I began to wonder whether Jeff might be homosexual. We sat on his couch, drank a couple of Budweisers and made small talk about Chicago. After we finished, I wanted to leave because of the smell, but Jeff quickly brought me a rum and coke. When I drank it, I started to feel groggy. Later, I figured out that the drink had been drugged. I turned my head to the right to look at a fish tank and suddenly, I felt a handcuff snap around my left wrist. Then Jeff jabbed a black knife against my chest. At first, I figured this was some kind of sick joke. But then Jeff narrowed his eyes and said in an icy voice: “Do exactly what I tell you — or I’ll kill you.” mega A chill ran up my spine. “I’ve got to get out of here NOW!” I thought as my eyes frantically searched the room. The only escape was through the front door — but it was double-locked. The doorknob had a lock that had to be twisted open. Above the knob was a sliding deadbolt. I was afraid that he could plunge his knife into me in the time it would take to open both of them. He moved the knife to my back and forced me through a small hallway to his bedroom. Then he turned on a VCR and began playing The Exorcist while he made me sit on his bed. “I want to show you something,” he said as he opened a file cabinet. I was shocked beyond words when he pulled out a human head! He started rubbing the head, staring at me, and saying: “This is how I get people to stay with me — and you’ll stay with me, too.” Over the next few hours, as he held me at knifepoint, we alternated between talking, watching the movie and him struggling to get my other arm handcuffed. Finally, he ordered me at knifepoint to lie on my back on the floor so he could listen to my rapidly beating heart. He got on top of me for about 15 mins and that’s when he told me he was going to rip out my heart — and eat it! My skin crawled with horror and a voice screamed in my head: “Tracy, get out of here! It’s now or never.” Milwaulke PD I talked him into taking me back to the living room but on the way, we stopped in the kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator to reveal a bloody mass of flesh inside. I recoiled in horror as he took me back to the couch. Keeping the knife pressed against me, he sat next to him. Then he started rocking back and forth, chanting in a singsong voice: “It’s time! It’s time.” I told myself, “Get out now, or you’re dead!” In a flash, I stood up and threw a right-handed punch to his jaw. I kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Then I dashed to the door. I opened both locks at the same time, as I prayed, “God let me out before he plunges that knife in my back.” I heard Jeff running behind me. I turned the knob, and the door swung open. Just as I was about to get out, I felt his grip on my wrist. I swung around and shoved him back with every ounce of strength I had. Within moments, I was on the street, running as fast as I could as I flagged down a police car. They arrested Dahmer, and as they took him away in manacles, I breathed a sigh of relief. But it was only after he was gone that the full impact of my ordeal hit me: I spent five hours in hell. Fifteen others had died — but I alone lived to tell about it! View the full article

Published by AlterNet By David Badash,The New Civil Rights Movement Donald Trump has bragged about how installing Supreme Court justices was one of the greatest things a President can do. By the end of his one term he had placed three far right wing jurists on the nation’s highest court.As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s health was failing, Trump apparently was looking forward to nominating yet another justice to the bench. The Washington Post, citing New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman’s new book, says Trump derisively prayed for the 87-year old liberal icon. READ MORE: ‘We Have Incredible Things’: Trump Surpris… Read More View the full article

Published by PopCrush Being the brother of a famous pop star has its perks, including, it seems, getting advice from the Queen of Pop herself: Madonna. Speaking on the Tamron Hall Show, Ariana Grande‘s older brother Frankie Grande revealed the “Material Girl” icon warned him about a previous relationship back in 2019. Frankie was in a throuple relationship with a married pair — Daniel Sinasohn and Mike Pophis — during his time on Big Brother in 2018. “I was talking to Madonna of all people — talking to the queen — and I told her about the throuple, and she literally said, ‘Well, that’s not going to end well.’ She s… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Against all odds and bad publicity, Don’t Worry Darling is currently topping the charts in the US and UK. Does this mean that controversies and tabloid chat can’t break a film? The latest twist in the Don’t Worry Darling saga – which we have covered at length here at Euronews Culture – is that Olivia Wilde’s suburban thriller is surprisingly topping the box office. Its success proves that despite all the drama surrounding the film and its chaotic press tour, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. There were fears that the film, starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, would be overshadowed by… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Newly surfaced footage shows Donald Trump ally Roger Stone ready to contest the 2020 presidential election one day before the election took place, RadarOnline.com has learned. The shocking footage was recorded by a Danish documentary film crew who had been filming Stone for nearly three years before the 2020 election. Mega According to CNN, who recently obtained portions of the footage, Stone was also calling for violence in anticipation of the election results that would ultimately name Joe Biden the new president. “F— the voting, let’s get right to the violence,” Stone reportedly said in one part of the documentary filmed on November 2, 2020. Even more surprising is the fact that the Danish filmmakers – Christoffer Guldbrandsen and Frederik Marbell – reportedly provided the January 6 House Select Committee with 8 minutes of footage after receiving a subpoena from the committee’s chairman, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, in July. Parts of the footage shared with the January 6 House Committee are expected to be shown during the committee’s upcoming hearing on Wednesday, September 28, alongside other evidence allegedly connecting Stone to domestic terrorist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Mega Other portions of the footage set to be shown during the committee’s upcoming hearing reportedly capture Stone’s plans to “claim victory” for Trump even if the election results are still “up in the air.” “I really do suspect it’ll still be up in the air. When that happens, the key thing to do is to claim victory,” Stone was reportedly filmed saying on November 1, 2020. “Possession is nine tenths of the law, no we won.” When asked about the newly uncovered footage by CNN, Stone denied any such footage exists and claimed the clips were “manipulated and selectively edited.” Stone also challenged “the accuracy and the authenticity” of the videos and suggested the filmmakers don’t have the “legal right to use them.” Mega “I challenge the accuracy and the authenticity of these videos and believe they have been manipulated and selectively edited,” Stone argued. “I also point out that the filmmakers do not have the legal right to use them.” He added, “The excerpts you provided below prove nothing, certainly they do not prove I had anything to do with the events of January 6th.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA A former higher-up in the world of Scientology claimed the church once built a soccer field for Tom Cruise to entice star athlete David Beckham into joining, RadarOnline.com has learned. The building went underway at the San Jacinto headquarters in California to make the plan come to fruition as Cruise was allegedly “doing his best to court celebrities other than those with whom he was working on films.” MEGA The ground was leveled before irrigation was installed, the turf was laid, and goals were raised, wrote Mike Rinder in his gripping new memoir, A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology about their “professional-grade soccer pitch.” Rinder, who served as a senior executive within the Church of Scientology from 1982 to 2007, said they had set their sights on David and his wife, Victoria Beckham. “A full-time caretaker was appointed from the Gold staff … It was built for one purpose only: so Tom Cruise could woo his friend David to come to Gold. It never happened,” the author alleged. In another excerpt, Rinder also wrote about the Hollywood heartthrob making a quip about wanting a “girlfriend” during a 2004 ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Scientology center in Spain, prompting execs to take action. He claimed church leader David Miscavige “took it to heart” and launched a special project for which “auditions” were held to find the Top Gun actor a suitable love match before he found his future spouse, Katie Holmes. Rinder said that once Cruise’s sister became his publicist, his statements and behavior in public became more “outlandish,” even when he was dishing about his romantic life. MEGA “He ultimately made a complete fool of himself by jumping on Oprah Winfrey‘s couch during their infamous May 23, 2005, interview when he revealed his love for Holmes,” wrote Rinder. “He was the perfect example of what a Scientology celebrity should be doing — speaking with absolute certainty, unashamed of what we believed and knew to be true, no matter how bats— crazy,” the former head of their Office of Special Affairs added. MEGA Rinder left the church in 2007 at the age of 52, claiming he has faced harassment and hacking attempts since becoming a whistleblower. “Mike Rinder is an inveterate liar who seeks to profit from his dishonesty,” a Scientology spokesperson said. “He supports himself by orchestrating the harassment of his former Church and its leader through false police reports, incendiary propaganda and fraudulent media stories.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Caleb McLaughlin has felt the “toll” of racism since rising to fame on ‘Stranger Things’. The 20-year-old actor – who has played Lucas Sinclair on the show since its first series launched on Netflix in 2016 and has appeared in all four seasons to date – has recalled the treatment he’s been forced to deal with over the years. Appearing at the ‘Heroes Comic Con’ in Brussels, Belgium over the weekend, he said: “It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid. My very first Comic-Con, some people wouldn’t stand in my line because I was Black. “Some people told me ‘Oh, I didn’t want to be in your line because you were mean to Eleven [who is played by Millie Bobby Brown].’ “ However, Caleb also noticed a difference in support on social media compared to his co-stars. He added: “Why am I the least favorite? Why [do I have] the least amount of followers? I’m on the same show as everyone else from season one.’ “ On Instagram, Caleb has 15.4 million followers which is impressed by falls behind Millie’s 58.5 million, with their fellow mainstays Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarrazzo having 27.6 million, 26.3 million and 18.7 million respectively. The actor has had the support of his parents, who made clear to him early on that he would find himself dealing with bigotry. He said: “My parents had to be like, ‘It’s a sad truth, but it’s because you’re the Black child on the show’. “And I was like ‘Wow, that’s crazy’. Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin, I’m not loved? “But that’s why with my platform I want to spread positivity and love because I do not give hate back to people that give hate to me.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sarah Jessica Parker has confirmed Aidan Shaw is returning for season two of ‘And Just Like That…’. The ‘Hocus Pocus’ actress admitted it was impossible for her to keep John Corbett reprising his ‘Sex and the City’ role as her character Carrie Bradshaw’s ex in the HBO Max reboot a secret anymore. Speaking to ‘Entertainment Tonight’, she said of the rumours: “Could be, could be. Well, you know, I can’t be like, cryptic about it anymore.” Aidan was last seen in the 2010 spin-off movie ‘Sex and the City 2’, in which he took Carrie on a dinner date and stole a kiss, despite her being married to her now-late husband Mr. Big (Chris Noth). It was reported that furniture maker Aidan is set for a “substantial, multi-episode arc” in season two. Sarah Jessica recently teased what to expect from the new series: “Season 2 is about resilience and rebound and laughter, and finding laughter more easily for people who might have experienced grief. “More of our new cast members who we love.” Returning favourites include Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) and original stars Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). Meanwhile, Samantha Jones will feature in the story of the upcoming series. Showrunner Michael Patrick King revealed in June that Kim Cattrall’s character – who was referenced via text message exchanges with Carrie – will play a part in the new episodes. Asked if the characters will still be in contact in season two, he told Variety: “Yes!” Carrie and Samantha met off-screen during the finale after Carrie scattered Mr. Big’s ashes, and Michael admitted each writer on the show “has a different version of what happened” during their reunion. He said: “It’s very funny, because every single one of the writers has a different version of what happened during that conversation. “So, I think there was some Champagne. I think there was a grownup back and forth, and a love affair that they realised that something’s more important than being afraid to heal. “I’m sure they had a great night. To me, they had a great night and things became resolved. Once Carrie let go of an old, old love, one of her current loves came back in.” Kim isn’t expected to reprise her role on screen, but she recently insisted Samantha will “live forever”. The actress has been locked in a feud with her former co-star Sarah Jessica for several years and she insisted she never considered her castmates to be her friends. She said of their relationship: “I guess it’s how you define friends. I think we were colleagues. My colleagues aren’t my friends. It was professional.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English A new gadget called the Dyson Zone combines a personal air-purifying mask with a set of noise-cancelling headphone. The wrap-around gizmo has been in development for six years and brings together a nifty way to combat pollution with a state-of-the-art entertainment system all in one package – the mask goes over the nose and mouth and uses a miniature fan to blow purified air across the face in a steady, smooth stream. It’s connected to over-ear headphones which house the fans – said to be smaller versions of Dyson’s other fan products – and it’s designed to keep the wearer safe from air pollution. The device is said to filter the air to 0.1 micron particles and capture 99 percent of those 0.1 micron particles to provide the wearer with a real breath of actual fresh air. A statement posted on the Dyson website reads: “Dyson engineering expertise enabled us to develop our first wearable device. With a 2-stage purification system capable of filtering city fumes and pollutants. So, wherever you are, you can breathe purified air … “The visor channels a continuous stream of purified air to your nose and mouth, without touching your face. For natural, comfortable breathing with no stuffiness … “ The statement added of the headphones: “We also built Dyson’s first premium audio technology – delivering immersive, high-fidelity sound, with advanced active noise cancelling to block out unwanted disturbance.” The mask was in development long before the COVID-19 outbreak ushered in the wearing of face masks across the globe so the device itself cannot be used to replace a medical grade mask. However, the company is supplying a face mask attachment which will seal the Zone and bring it line with face mask filtration standards. The Dyson Zone is expected to go on sale in late 2023. Pricing details have yet to be released. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Alan Cumming has joined the advisory council of an animal charity after a search for a missing chimpanzee ended with the beloved primate being found chained up in a basement. ‘The Good Wife’ star offered a $20,000 reward to find Tonka after working with him on 1997 family comedy ‘Buddy’ – based on the real-life story of 1920s socialite Gertrude Lintz, who raised primates as part of her family – and he was eventually discovered chained up in a property in Missouri in June before being handed over to the Save the Chimps charity in Florida. Alan has now teamed up with the charity which is caring for Tonka and even filmed a public service announcement for the organisation to raise awareness of the suffering of “showbiz chimps”. In the film, he says: “I feel a personal connection to many of the residents here … In the ’90s, I starred in a film with an infant chimp named Tonka. Back then, I didn’t know very much about the way showbiz chimps are treated.” Alan went on to say Tonka and other chimps are now “enjoying life of dignity” adding: “The most important gift these chimps have is each other … “They live to 50 or 60, it’s a lengthy and meaningful second act … there are hundreds more chimps awaiting sanctuary life.” Alan had previously teamed up with another animal rights charity PETA to help track down Tonka, speaking at the time, Alan said: “During the months we filmed together, baby Tonka and I became good friends, playing and grooming each other and just generally larking about. “It’s horrible to think he might be in a cage in a dark basement somewhere or have met some other fate, so I’m appealing to whoever knows what has become of him to please come forward and claim the reward.” After Tonka’s rescue, the actor said: “I feel so emotional about this great news. When I met Tonka … I made a true friend, and I was honoured that he thought of me as a fellow chimp.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Zac Efron wanted to challenge himself after ‘High School Musical’. The 34-year-old actor rose to fame as Troy Bolton in the Disney trilogy and revealed that he has wanted to take on acting roles that people may not have expected as his screen career has progressed, as shown in his latest film ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’. Zac told the Metro newspaper: “I’m constantly faced with two paths. The road that leads to something everybody has already seen or is expecting, or the more challenging road, which tends to be a bit more confusing and definitely the harder road to take. And inevitably I always go with that road when I can.” ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ tells the story of former Marine John ‘Chickie’ Donohue, who made a mad dash to Vietnam in 1967 with a holdall of beers to support his friends fighting in the Vietnam War and Efron was drawn in by the outlandish story. Zac said: “He was purely motivated with good intentions, to lift up his friends, and the only feedback he seemed to be getting was probably negative. “I think that everyone thought he was crazy for doing it. So I love that he just stuck to his own guns and went out there and became somebody that his friends could rely on. It was a tremendous, tremendous feat.” Efron explained that he enjoyed the blend of humour amid the backdrop of the seriousness of the Vietnam War. The ‘Gold’ actor said: “I love the seriousness of the subject matter, and I also love the balancing act of finding the humour and the moments of humanity in this crazy, crazy time in American history… it’s all sort of this moving puzzle that is really fun.” View the full article

Published by DPA Iranian women are on the front line of the protests triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Social Media/ZUMA Press/dpa Women set their headscarves on fire in public. Men beat up police officers for filming protests. It seems like the pent-up anger of hundreds of thousands of people is being unleashed on the streets of Iran. Triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody, protests have spread across the country like a wildfire. The air is filled with fear, but also hope, as the regime prepares to strike back. Shabnam, a student from Tehran, has been among those taking to the streets for days, to demand change. “I can sit at home and lament how things are, or I can do something about it,” the 25-year-old, who requested a pseudonym, tells dpa by phone. As many others in Iran and around the world, she had been shocked when hearing the news of Mahsa Amini’s death, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman detained for infringing the country’s strict dress code. “They can’t beat up, arrest and kill everyone,” says Shabnam, explaining that she feels empowered when taking to the streets with others. Nationwide, protests broke out after it emerged that Amini had died after being arrested by the moral and religious police during a family visit to Tehran because her headscarf did not fit properly and a few strands of hair were visible. Numerous critics accused the police of beating Amini, which eventually led to her death. The police have rejected this account. Taking to the streets at the onset of darkness, people shout slogans evoking the anti-government demonstrations of 2009: “We are not afraid, we are not afraid. We are all together” – those words already reverberated across the country following controversial presidential elections more than a decade ago. Some 13 years later, Iran has become a different country. Grappling with a severe economic crisis, partly due to international sanctions and inflation, many, even highly educated, young people are struggling to find work. It’s the younger generation in particular that now courageously stands up to criticize the Islamic system. For many, that doesn’t mean opposing Islam, but the rules imposed by the regime. “Who in Islam would kill a young girl because of a headscarf?” says Shabnam’s father, who works in a Tehran pharmacy. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran has had strict dress codes for women. For just as long, however, these have been ignored by women, especially in the larger cities – much to the annoyance of arch-conservative politicians. While he and his wife first worried about their children joining the protests, Shabnam’s father says, the religious couple, who took part in the 1979 revolution that helped topple the monarchy, soon realised how upset many people are. “Desperation is one reason why the regime should be afraid,” he says. Propelled to the streets in outrage over the young woman’s death, many protesters are now calling for the Islamic regime to be replaced by a secular system, where religion and the state are kept separate. Shabnam and her family wouldn’t go this far. “Turkey is also Islamic, but women there are free to choose between the veil and the miniskirt,” says the young woman. Not all protesters are after systemic change, she believes, “but an end to outmoded Islamic criteria that have been imposed on Iranian society over the last four decades.” The government under arch-conservative President Ebrahim Raisi has tried to appease the population by emphasising the official version that Amini had died after she fainted at the police station due to heart failure and then fell into a coma, as stated by police reports. But many refuse to believe the authorities, and the young woman’s case has long come to represent the discontent of many Iranians. Even some former conservative politicians have joined their ranks to demand change. As the days go by, the demonstrators are becoming more and more defiant, with women taking off the headscarves which they are obliged to wear in public by law, while others set dustbins on fire, chanting slogans like “Women, life, liberty!” or “Death to the dictator,” referring to Iran’s religious leader Ali Khamenei. It had always been considered unlikely that the regime would leave such blatant criticism unanswered. The authorities imposed a wide-ranging internet blackout to prevent the protesters from communicating with each other, with many social media outlets blocked, and state media reports that they’ve been organized by foreign agents. Meanwhile, hundreds of people have reportedly been arrested, and at least 17 people were killed during the first week of protests, according to official numbers, while local media have reported this figure to be more than double, including fatalities both among demonstrators and security forces. Despite the pressure from the population and the international community in light of the violent crackdown on the anti-government rallies, experts in Tehran doubt that the government will make concessions any time soon. The headscarf rule isn’t just any law, but part of the ideological principles of the Islamic Republic, explains a university professor. Meanwhile, supporters of the system fear a domino effect should the state move to allow women to choose their own clothing. Shabnam also doesn’t believe that the international community can, and will, do much to help, besides showing solidarity. But she’s not giving up hope that political reform and change are possible. “Now’s not the time to be afraid.” Protesters are occupying the streets of Tehran, Iran, on September 28, following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, in police custody. Social Media/ZUMA Press/dpa Activists hold a rally in Berlin to show solidarity with protesters in Iran. Kay Nietfeld/dpa Activists hold a rally in Berlin to show solidarity with protesters in Iran. Kay Nietfeld/dpa View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Shania Twain admits Harry Styles “smells so good”. The ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman’ singer teamed up with the “huggable” ‘Watermelon Sugar’ hitmaker at Coachella earlier this year, and she heaped praise on his scene and personality. Appearing on the ‘Table Manners with Jessie Lennie Ware’ podcast, she said: “He smells so good, he’s so huggable. Yes, he is. “He’s just a really genuine, nice person. And I think that’s really, I mean, obviously, he’s very talented. But people love him. “He’s likeable. And I think he earned that likability…It was a beautiful moment. It really was. I enjoyed it a lot. It was very genuine.” While the country pop legend had high praise for Harry’s odour, the same can’t be said for another former co-star of sorts after a horse answered the call of nature in the middle of a performance. She recalled: “One time this horse had the biggest poo on stage. I’m talking about a giant steamy, huge pile of poop. “So I’m thinking this is a very formal room. You know, velvet, plush velvet seating and very formal theatre, right? The horse s**** on stage. Yeah. So All I could say was, ‘S*** happens’. That’s great. “I just thought okay, now can we be done with that? Other than the odor? Let’s just move on with the song.” Meanwhile, Shania also reflected on a “memorable” dinner she enjoyed with chat show legend Oprah Winfrey, and admitted things got awkward when the subject of religion came up. She said: “”Well, I did have, I think one of my most memorable dinners was with Oprah Winfrey. I mean, she’s such a smart lady. “And, you know, it was just great to just sit and have real talks, you know, and, but as soon as we started talking about religion, it all went sour. “I’m not religious, in the sense that I’m dedicated to a religion. I’m very much more of a spiritual person. I’m much more of an inner. I’m a seeker. I would say I’m a seeker. “People always say don’t debate politics or religion and it just wasn’t debatable. There was no room for debate. And I like to debate Canadians like to debate about it, you know, debate everything. So I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. Sounds great, change subject.’ “ View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Oprah Winfrey has dropped a hint she’s planning to return to acting. The TV titan has performed in a number of movies while also juggling her career as a talk show host, notably winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in 1985 drama ‘The Color Purple’ and starring in films such as ‘The Butler’ and ‘Selma’ with her last major acting role coming four years ago in Ava DuVernay’s 2018 offering ‘A Wrinkle in Time’. Now Oprah has appeared in Variety’s The Power of Women Issue alongside moviemaker Ava and suggested a big screen return is on the cards. When asked about taking on another acting role, Oprah said: “Listen, I am living on a mount in Maui … “ Ava then chimed in, saying: “But if something perfect came along … ” prompting Oprah to add: “I actually do think something perfect is coming, and I kind of know what it is. “Let me tell you, it takes a lot to get me off the porch.” Oprah didn’t give any more details but the exchange suggested another project with Ava is on the cards after they previously worked together on ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, ‘Selma’ as well as ‘Queen Sugar’ for Oprah’s OWN TV network and 2019 TV series ‘When They See Us’ which boasted Oprah as an executive producer. During the interview Ava appeared to push her friend in the direction of another acting role, telling her: “I hope that she acts more. She is, I think, the finest actress of her category.” Oprah then joked: “That means ‘One who was a former talkshow host’.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Travis Gettys Donald Trump often asked oddly personal questions about staffers’ sexuality and made homophobic remarks about those he perceived might be gay, according to a new book. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman’s forthcoming book, “The Decider,” reveals that Trump’s obsession with appearing to be masculine drives his startling behavior, such as a meeting early in his administration with vice president Mike Pence and campaign aide Jason Miller, whom he declared certainly “likes the ladies,” according to excerpts published by The Daily Beast. “You know how sometimes someone turns o… Read More View the full article