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Published by Reuters By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview aired on Sunday that “the pandemic is over,” even though the country continues to grapple with coronavirus infections that kill hundreds of Americans daily. “The pandemic is over,” Biden said during an interview conducted with CBS’ “60 Minutes” program on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show, an event which drew thousands of visitors. “We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lotta work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing.” The toll of the COVID-19 pandemic has diminished significantly since early in Biden’s term when more than 3,000 Americans per day were dying, as enhanced care, medications and vaccinations have become more widely available. But nearly 400 people a day continue to die from COVID-19 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biden spent more than two weeks isolated in the White House after two bouts with COVID-19, starting in July. His wife Jill contracted the virus in August. Biden has said the mild cases were a testament to the improvements in care during his presidency. Biden has asked Congress for $22.4 billion more in funding to prepare for a potential fall case surge. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English A new artificial intelligence recycling technology can sort plastics on its own. The technology – of which little is known – will reportedly use artificial intelligence to help programs to sort plastics in an effort to stop recyclable materials going to landfill sites. Dr. Xu Wang of the University of Technology Sydney School of Electrical and Data Engineering told HydrogenFuelNews.com: “The recycling process is quite complicated. If you go to the supermarket or for the daily recycling you need to know how to properly place all the recyclable (items), like bottles or others, into the right bins. You need to know the labels, know the icons.” The outlet went on to allege that bin uses a spectrum of different forms of recycling technology including robotics, machine vision and artificial intelligence. Wang added: “This machine can classify different (types) of waste including glasses, metal cans and plastics!” View the full article

Published by DPA The conversion of street lamps to LEDs in many European countries has changed the colour spectrum of night-time lighting – with possible consequences for humans and animals. Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa Both humans and animals are at increased risk of adverse health impacts due to loss of sleep from blue light emitted from the growing number of LED street lamps, research on light pollution in European countries has found. Britain-based scientists used photos taken from the International Space Station (ISS) to show that white LEDs have increased the proportion of emissions in the blue part of the light spectrum. Since blue light inhibits the release of the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleep, the widespread switch to LEDs is believed to be undermining the sleep of both animals and humans, the research team from England’s University of Exeter in Penryn wrote in the scientific journal Science Advances. “The benefits that LED technology may provide for public lighting, and particularly street lighting, have been much vaunted, with a focus on greater energy efficiency and associated reductions in energy costs and carbon emissions,” the study says. But from the researchers’ point of view, the negative environmental consequences of using white LEDs in street lighting should not be ignored. At the very least, the colour spectrum of night-time lighting should be measured regularly. “While data on spatial and temporal variation in the intensity of artificial lighting have been available at a regional and global scale, data on variation in its spectral composition have only been collected for a few locations,” the researchers write. The reason for this lies in the satellite sensors used to measure artificial lighting, which only register the intensity of the light but not its colour. Moreover, these sensors are hardly sensitive to the wavelength of blue light. The researchers therefore resorted to photos taken by astronauts from the ISS. Since 2003, about 1.25 million photos have been collected. The scientists selected photos from 2012 and 2013 showing Europe at night and compared them with photos of the same regions in the period of 2014 to 2020. Between these two periods is when LEDs (light-emitting diodes) became ready for use in street lamps. From 2014 onwards, there was an 11.1% increase in light in the green range and, more worryingly, a 24.4% increase in blue light, the researchers found. A shift in the light spectrum towards blue light occurs primarily when so-called sodium vapour lamps with orange-yellow light are replaced by white LED lamps, which emit a significantly larger proportion of blue light. The scientists observed particularly strong changes in light in Italy, Romania, Ireland and Britain, while Germany and Austria were less impacted. With regard to the effects of these changes on the biological environment, the research team names four aspects: Because blue light inhibits the release of melatonin, the biorhythm in animals, but also in humans, can become confused. Previous studies have also shown that night-time lighting has negative consequences for the movement and feeding behaviour of bats. The use of LEDs also causes even fewer stars to be visible in cities and further alters the movement of moths and other insects that approach or avoid light sources. A map of light pollution in Europe based on ISS photos. The conversion of street lamps to LEDs in many European countries has changed the colour spectrum of night-time lighting – with possible consequences for humans and animals. Sánchez de Miguel et al/dpa View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Fran Drescher has always admired Audrey Hepburn’s style. The former ‘The Nanny’ star thinks the late ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ star’s style was “very special and different” from other actresses she saw as a child. The 64-year-old actress told Interview magazine: “Well, I come from a very humble beginning and a small provincial world. But for some reason, I could see that the style of Audrey Hepburn, who I would see in movies on television, was something that I wanted to aspire to. I knew that her look was very special and different from what I was used to. When I was a little girl, my parents didn’t have a lot of money, but I rarely said I wanted anything, so when I did fall in love with something, they tried to get it for me. I saw this beautiful tweed winter coat that had a neck shawl that wrapped over the shoulder. It was very sophisticated for a little girl. It was expensive for them, but they bought it for me because when I wore that coat, I felt like Audrey Hepburn.” Fran detailed her love of learning about fashion history, especially after seeing it take shape in the 90s with brands like Moschino and Chanel. She said: “I always love going to museums that celebrate fashion—fashion exhibitions. In the ’80s, and certainly in the ’90s when The Nanny was on, I was discovering designers like Todd Oldham and Moschino, but also Chanel. Chanel was starting to get younger in its look. Karl Lagerfeld really brought a youthful energy without delineating away from the core of the brand. He didn’t reinvent the wheel, he just made it better, faster, younger, and more contemporary for the time. He was kind of doing the Chanel version of Madonna.” ‘The Beautician and the Beast’ star labelled fashion as “an expression” of our identities and feelings. Fran said: “We don’t walk around in society naked, so clothes become an expression of who we are and how we feel. It’s a reflection of our inner selves, the you you want to project to the outside world. One of power, one of sophistication, one of fun, one of youth. I always consider clothing wearable art.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Gaga was forced to cancel her final ‘Chromatica Ball’ concert midway through due to lightning strikes. The ‘Stupid Love’ hitmaker – real name Stefani Germanotta -halted her show mid-gig at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, due to extreme weather conditions. Although she was hoping the pause would only be temporary, it was ultimate decided – with about six songs to go – it could not continue. Gaga said in a teary video posted on Instagram on Sunday (18.09.2022): “We really tried to finish the show tonight in Miami but we couldn’t because even when the rain stopped there was lightning striking right down to the ground so close to us. “I know that for a long time, I’ve always wanted to be like that hardcore bad b**** but what I also want to be is responsible and loving and I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to anyone in the audience, or any member of my crew, my band, or my dancers.” In the caption of another post, she added: “I’m sorry i couldn’t finish the show it was too dangerous the lightening [sic] was being unpredictable and changing moment by moment, I love you. Look, for years some of you have called me ‘mother monster,’ in my heart I knew it was better to keep you safe.” The ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker expressed her gratitude to her 53 million followers “for believing in” her. Gaga said: “Thank you for believing in me. This was the greatest tour of my life and I will cherish this moment forever—it took a long time for me to heal, but I did. Sure, OF COURSE, I wanted to sing rain on me for you in the rain. I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive’—I guess somehow I knew this moment would happen and I am so grateful to you, my dancers, my band the whole crew everyone my family and friends. Safety first. Love you. Thank you for the flowers and the cheers and for understanding. Life matters. #thechromaticaball” The 36-year-old pop megastar told the 65,000 strong crowd in Miami after the decision was made: “I don’t want to put your life in danger.” Gaga continued: “Get home safely, God bless you and thank you for coming to the show,” before concluding the show with a bow. View the full article

Published by Fadeaway World By Orlando Silva Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticized Anthony Edwards’ anti-LGBTQ+ comments, urging the player to do something real to apologize. View the original article to see embedded media. Anthony Edwards raised many eyebrows last week when he posted an Instagram story full of homophobic comments when he spotted a group of men hanging out at night. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ young star was met with a lot of criticism for his comments, which forced him to apologize for his behavior. Even though he already apologized, the backlash hasn’t stopped and while the league is reviewing should they pun… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) – Book bans accelerated across the United States during the 2021-2022 school year, largely through the efforts of organized groups that called on public schools to remove more than 1,600 titles, the writers’ group PEN America said on Monday. There were 2,532 instances of individual book bans affecting 1,648 titles at 5,000 schools with 4 million students, according to the report. The research found 1,000 more book bans than were documented in the group’s initial report released in April. PEN America said the rapid rise came as a growing number of groups have targeted books dealing with race or LGBTQ issues. The report identified at least 50 groups active in pushing for book bans, the vast majority of which have formed since 2021. “This rapidly accelerating movement has resulted in more and more students losing access to literature that equips them to meet the challenges and complexities of democratic citizenship,” said Jonathan Friedman, lead author of the report. While proponents of book bans emphasize the importance of parental control, PEN America said the movement has gone beyond the normal give-and-take between parents and educators and morphed into a sophisticated and well-resourced campaign. One group identified by PEN America mobilized against a school district that taught about transgender identities, the report said. Another emphasizes the dangers of critical race theory, an esoteric field of study in law school or graduate school. Opponents have leveraged concerns over CRT to suppress works about the history of slavery, desegregation and the civil rights movement. More than 40% of the banned titles address lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer themes or have prominent queer characters. The most frequently banned book was “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, which was banned by 41 school districts. Race also drew the attention of censors, with 40% of the banned titles featuring prominent character of color. The most banned authors include the late Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, whose works largely deal with race, and other winners of prestigious literary awards. Other banned books touched on sexual content, rights and activism, or stories with religious minorities. Texas accounted for the most bans, with 801 in 22 districts, followed by Florida and Pennsylvania. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Diane Craft) View the full article

Published by Sports Illustrated By Michael Rosenberg One had to be told she could do anything. The other was always told she couldn’t. Now with Las Vegas, they both have their first WNBA title. Kelsey Plum dribbled the shot clock dry, then drove to the hoop, the simplest basketball act fueled by the purest of basketball motives. Last summer, the Aces retired Becky Hammon’s No. 25, and Hammon said last week, “I worked with Plum on her finishing.” Hammon was a Spurs assistant then. She says coaching the Aces “didn’t even cross my mind.” She helped Plum because it’s what coaches do. Now Plum took rock to rim; finished; did a ha… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Brad Reed A newly unearthed document reveals just how much effort the far-right Proud Boys gang puts into preparing for potentially violent encounters. The Guardian reports that the document shows “meticulous planning” for Proud Boys actions, as “it resembles the annual minutes of a society of tax accountants” more than a manifesto written for political extremists. According to the publication, the document was given by a member of the Proud Boys to extremism reporter Andy Campbell, who used it as part of research for his new book titled, “We Are Proud Boys: How a Right-Wing Street Gang Ush… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Several thousand people have taken part in an anti-LGBT demonstration in Istanbul. They called for LGBT associations to be closed down and displayed signs that read: “protect your family and your generation”, “Say no to society without gender”, and “Father + mother + baby = family”. A speaker for the event, Kursat Mican, also claimed organisers received 150,000 signatures on a petition calling for a ban on what they called LGBT “propaganda” in social media, sports, arts and Netflix. An advert for the anti-LGBT march was also shown on television after gaining the approval of the country’s broad… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters TOKYO (Reuters) – Typhoon Nanmadol bore down on Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu on Sunday with the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warning of gales and high waves. The 14th typhoon of the season, which has weakened as it approaches Kyushu, is bringing record rainfall, the JMA said, warning of the risk of overflowing rivers. Southern Kyushu could receive 400 mm (16 inches) of rain over the next 24 hours and wind gusts of up to 235 km per hour (145 miles per hour) on Sunday, while the central Tokai region could get 300 mm (12 inches) of rain, the agency forecast. The typhoon has caused damage in southern Kyushu including downing a bus stop in Miyazaki prefecture and breaking the window of a pachinko parlour in Kagoshima prefecture, according to public broadcaster NHK. Railway operators and airlines have cancelled services and convenience store chain Seven-Eleven Japan temporarily shut around 950 stores. Toyota Motor Corp said it will idle production at three factories on Monday. The storm is forecast to turn east and pass over Japan’s main island of Honshu before moving out to sea by Wednesday. Heavy rain lashed the capital Tokyo, with the Tozai subway line suspended because of flooding. (Reporting by Sam Nussey, Maki Shiraki and Ritsuko Shimizu; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and William Mallard) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ivelisse Rivera SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) -Hurricane Fiona was nearing the coast of Puerto Rico on Sunday, threatening to slam the U.S. territory with “catastrophic flooding,” a government agency said, while the island’s fragile power grid was knocked out of service. The storm was about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of the city of Ponce with maximum sustained winds near 87 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour), clearing the threshold for hurricane strength, the National Hurricane Center said in an update at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) Electricity was out across the island of 3.3 million people, LUMA Energy, operator of the island’s grid and the Puerto Rico power authority said in a statement. Earlier on Sunday, electricity had been lost to about a third of power customers. Puerto Rico’s ports have been closed and flights out of the main airport canceled. Torrential rains and mudslides were also forecast for the Dominican Republic as the storm progresses northwestward, with the Turks and Caicos Islands likely facing tropical storm conditions on Tuesday, the NHC said. “These rains will produce life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and urban flooding across Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic, along with mudslides and landslides in areas of higher terrain,” the agency said. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico on Sunday, a move that authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief and provide emergency protective measures. The rains have increased in intensity since Sunday morning, along with strong wind gusts, residents said. “It has been raining heavily since 10:00 a.m. At the moment, we still have electricity service,” said Kimberly Ortiz, who lives in Ciales, a town in the center of the island. “In Ciales, we have felt some wind gusts.” A wide swathe of Puerto Rico was forecast to see 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) of rain while parts could be hit by up to 25 inches (63.5 cm), according to the NHC. Puerto Rico’s grid remains fragile after Hurricane Maria in September 2017 caused the largest blackout in U.S. history. In that Category 5 storm, 1.5 million customers lost electricity with 80% of power lines knocked out. Authorities have opened more than 100 shelters and closed beaches and casinos, and residents were urged to seek shelter. There has been one death reported so far tied to Fiona, in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Authorities said one man as found dead on Saturday after his house was swept away by floods there. France will recognize a state of natural disaster for Guadeloupe, President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter on Sunday. (Reporting by Ivelisse Rivera in San Juan; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by Grant McCool and Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by Reuters BEIJING (Reuters) – A senior Chinese health official advised people to avoid physical contact with foreigners to prevent possible monkeypox infection after the first known case of the virus on mainland China was reported on Friday. “To prevent possible monkeypox infection and as part of our healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that 1) you do not have direct skin-to-skin contact with foreigners,” Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention posted on his official Weibo page on Saturday. Wu also called for people to avoid “skin-to-skin contact” with people who have been abroad within the past three weeks as well as all “strangers”, as he cautioned vigilance. “It is necessary and very important to strengthen the surveillance and prevention of monkeypox epidemic at the social level,” he wrote. His post was widely shared across social media over the weekend, but the comments section under his initial post were disabled on Sunday and in the early hours of Monday in Beijing. Some, who commented on forwarded or screenshot versions of his post, questioned why foreigners in China, many of whom are long-term residents and have not left recently due to COVID-19 barriers, were considered more dangerous than locals. Wu did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on this sent to his social media account on Monday. The southwestern city of Chongqing recorded a monkeypox virus infection on Friday in an individual who arrived from abroad, marking mainland China’s first known monkeypox infection amid the recent global outbreak of the virus. The transmission risk is low as the individual was put in quarantine upon arrival in Chongqing, the municipal health commission said in a statement. All close contacts were isolated and put under medical observation. Around 90 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease, which the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency. There have been more than 60,000 confirmed cases and some non-endemic countries have reported their first related deaths. (Reporting by Martin Quin Pollard; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Don’t tell the Sussexes! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly “uninvited” to Sunday’s state reception for world leaders hosted by King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles, and according to a source, they had to figure out the news for themselves. Radar learned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were likely unwelcome to the prestigious event after a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace clarified that only “working members of the royal family only” were invited. mega However, the update caused confusion as a royal source also confirmed that both Harry and Meghan had received invitations and “nobody told them they are uninvited.” “I’m told they only found out they were uninvited by reading press reports,” added a second source. The event, meant for foreign royals and political leaders, will be hosted by the King and Queen Consort, with members of the Royal family, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, greeting guests as they arrive. Among those on the guest list are Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron. mega The state reception comes the day before Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest. Her funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey in London. As Radar previously reported, Her Majesty passed away on Thursday, September 8, around 6:30 P.M. local time. “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of great sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother,” Charles wrote in a statement. “I know her loss will be deeply felt through the country, the Realms, and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” he continued. “During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.” Page Six spoke to the sources and was first to report Buckingham Palace’s confirmation that the event is for working royals only. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Praveen Menon and Anna Mehler Paperny SYDNEY/TORONTO (Reuters) – When newly elected indigenous Australian parliamentarian Lidia Thorpe took her oath to office last month, she raised her fist above her head in protest and labelled Queen Elizabeth II a “colonising queen”. “It was like kneeling to the murderer,” the Greens senator told Reuters this week. “I had to swear my allegiance to a colonising power that has caused so much harm to our people.” The death of Queen Elizabeth has led First Nations people from Canada to Australia and former colonies in the Caribbean to speak about their pain and marginalisation, as well as renewing calls for the removal of the monarchy as head of state in some countries. The accession of King Charles comes amid a rise in anti-colonialism fuelled by a growing awareness of historical atrocities and a greater recognition of indigenous culture and knowledge. “There’s rising popular consciousness around injustices around the world, what’s carried out in the name of one’s own nation for the exploitation of indigenous peoples,” said Veldon Coburn, an indigenous Anishinaabe professor at the University of Ottawa, Canada. “Almost overlapping with Queen Elizabeth’s reign, from the 1950s, you also see resistance movements emerging.” Calls are growing in some Caribbean countries for reparation payments and an apology for slavery, while Canadian indigenous leaders want the monarchy to act on a swathe of historical injustices. Australia is on a path to give Aboriginal people a formal voice on indigenous matters in parliament, but Thorpe contrasted the government’s decision to hold a day of mourning for the Queen with the historical neglect of indigenous Australians. “[It] is just another nail in the coffin in terms of how we feel and how we are treated as First Nations people,” she said. “It’s like we never existed.” The changing demographic in Commonwealth nations, and accusations of racism in the royal family following the exit of Prince Harry and Meghan, has led to more questions about the need for a distant monarch as head of state. REPUBLIC DEBATE A decision by Barbados to ditch the queen as head of state in November, 2021 was seen as a boost for the republican cause and has been echoed in other Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Bahamas. Opinion polls in Australia, New Zealand, Canada have all pointed to a growing view that they should end ties to the monarchy with the death of Elizabeth, even though this is unlikely anytime soon in countries like Canada. [L1N30K2HZ] In New Zealand, indigenous Maori account for about 17% of the country’s 5 million people. They are well represented in parliament, Maori has been made an official language and the history of British colonisation is taught in public schools. But Maori are over-represented in prisons and state care, and the community remains the country’s poorest. “If we can’t address the negativity and impacts of colonisation now, then when? Do we wait for Prince William, or Prince William’s children?” asked Maori Party, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who supports abolishing the monarchy and a New Zealand head of state. “No one taking that role, king or queen, princess or prince, is unaware of the damage of colonisation to us as indigenous peoples,” she said. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said she expects New Zealand to become a republic eventually, but certainly not soon. Australia’s centre-left Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who openly favours a republic, has tasked a minister with making this happen. But any change would require a referendum and is only expected if the government wins a second term. Albanese has said now is not the time to discuss the matter, but did note in a radio interview this week that the automatic ascension of King Charles was a chance “to reflect on the system that we have over a period of time.” In Canada, polls suggest about half of all people believe the country should end ties to the monarchy with the death of Queen Elizabeth. Indigenous people account for less than 5% of Canada’s population of about 38 million and they suffer from higher levels of poverty, unemployment and a lower life expectancy than other Canadians. But experts say removing the monarchy from the Canadian constitution would prove difficult. MESSAGE FOR THE KING Indigenous leaders in Canada who spoke with Reuters were less interested in severing ties with the monarchy than holding it to commitments it made hundreds of years ago. When now-King Charles visited Canada earlier this year, Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald asked him in person to apologise for the monarchy’s role in colonization. Archibald reiterated that call after the queen’s death. Anishinaabe lawyer Sara Mainville said she does not want to see the monarchy abolished in Canada, saying the king “has a very important and special place in reconciliation.” Kukpi7 (Chief) Judy Wilson in British Columbia said she hopes the new king will act on things his mother did not – renouncing the “Doctrine of Discovery” that justified colonizing and dispossessing indigenous people, apologising for abusive residential schools, acknowledging indigenous artifacts in British hands and calling for action on climate change. “Maybe King Charles could step up … to correct those historical wrongs that impacted indigenous people globally,” she said. “He has the world’s eyes right now. What tone is he going to send out in his reign as king?” (Reporting by Praveen Menon in Sydney and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; additional reporting by Jill Gralow; editing by Richard Pullin) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Anne Heche’s final performance was a “tour de force”. The 53-year-old actress died last month, a week after being involved in a fiery car accident, and director Elisabeth Rohm has heaped praise on the star for the great work she did on their Lifetime movie ‘Girl in Room 13’, which sheds a light on human trafficking. Elisabeth told People magazine: “It was a really positive experience working with her. These Lifetime movies move very quickly and they’re a tough schedule, but she worked really, really hard, and she always brought her A-game, always elevated the other actors, was so generous to all the other actors. “She was just a total pleasure, a hero for the film. She became a good friend and did a phenomenal job. Her performance is a tour de force, and it was really a privilege to direct her.” In the movie, Anne plays “heroic mother” Janie, whose recovering addict daughter (Larissa Dias) was kidnapped by human traffickers, prompting her to set out on a rescue mission. Elisabeth and Anne were “really proud” to examine the subject and the pair, along with Larissa participated in a PSA for a partnership between Lifetime, the Polaris Project and the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The director added: “What we really shared was a passion for the topic we were gonna tackle. “Every single day we showed up to the project with a commitment to stop violence against women and to tell a tale that was dark and horrible, but with a fighting spirit and perseverance.” Elisabeth is still “devastated” by the actress’ death and hopes she will be remembered for her “beautiful work and legacy”, rather than the tragic circumstances surrounding her passing. She said: “[Her death is still] very fresh, so we’re all missing her and very shocked and devastated. “I hope people celebrate her beautiful work and legacy. This film is a testament to her incredible passion for art and for humanity and for women and to create a mission, a movement, and to make a real difference in the world. So I couldn’t speak more highly of her.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Hillary Clinton wanted to “show a different side” to Kim Kardashian on her Apple TV+ series ‘Gutsy’. The former US Secretary of State’s new eight-part documentary sees the polarizing politician and her daughter Chelsea Clinton celebrate the “gutsy” women who have inspired them. And the ‘Kardashians’ star is one of the women featured for her influence and Hillary wanted to highlight her prison reform work. Asked why it was important to show non-celebrities as well, she told Radio Times magazine: “It really was. “But even with well-known names like Kim, we wanted to show a different side of them. “Most people might not know about Kim’s commitment to criminal justice and to people who have been incarcerated unfairly or for too long a period of time. “But we were most excited about meeting women who are not so well known [such as footballer Abby Wambach and YouTuber ContraPoints]. “We didn’t know them, or if we did, we knew that many others didn’t know.” Hillary is keen to continue raising issues for women globally and would love to do a second series. She said: “I would love to continue to highlight women’s stories and women’s lives. “I think there’s a global interest in talking about what women are facing today, the decisions that we all have to make, the challenges, from discrimination to climate to – in the USA – the reversal of Roe vs Wade by the Supreme Court. “These challenges of being a woman today and of having the right to make your own decisions, being able to make your choices as to what’s right for you, your family and your future … those are universal. “If we have a chance to keep telling those stories, I would want to do that.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Gabriela Baczynska and Gergely Szakacs BRUSSELS/BUDAPEST (Reuters) – The European Union executive recommended on Sunday suspending some 7.5 billion euros in funding for Hungary over corruption, the first such case in the 27-nation bloc under a new sanction meant to better protect the rule of law. The EU introduced the new financial sanction two years ago precisely in response to what it says amounts to the undermining of democracy in Poland and Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban subdued courts, media, NGOs and academia, as well as restricting the rights of migrants, gays and women during more than a decade in power. “It’s about breaches of the rule of law compromising the use and management of EU funds,” said EU Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn. “We cannot conclude that the EU budget is sufficiently protected.” He highlighted systemic irregularities in Hungary’s public procurement laws, insufficient safeguards against conflicts of interest, weaknesses in effective prosecution and shortcomings in other anti-graft measures. Hahn said the Commission was recommending the suspension of about a third of cohesion funds envisaged for Hungary from the bloc’s shared budget for 2021-27 worth a total of 1.1 trillion euros. The 7.5 billion euros in question amounts to 5% of the country’s estimated 2022 GDP. EU countries now have up to three months to decide on the proposal. Hahn said Hungary’s latest promise to address EU criticisms was a significant step in the right direction but must still be translated into new laws and practical actions before the bloc would be reassured. Development Minister Tibor Navracsics, in charge of negotiations with the EU, said Hungary would meet all 17 of its commitments made to the European Commission to stave off the loss of any EU funding. “Hungary did not make commitments to befuddle the Commission,” Navracsics told a news conference. “We have made commitments that we know can be implemented … therefore, we will not be facing a loss of funds.” CORRUPTION Orban’s government proposed creating a new anti-graft agency in recent weeks as Budapest came under pressure to secure money for the ailing economy and forint, the worst-performing currency in the EU’s east. Orban, who calls himself a “freedom fighter” against the world view of the liberal West, denies that Hungary – an ex-communist country of some 10 million people – is any more corrupt than others in the EU. Navracsics said Orban’s government would submit laws to parliament on Friday to establish a new independent anti-graft authority to monitor the public procurement of EU funds, with the body to be launched by the second half of November. Hungary has also pledged to implement several other anti-corruption safeguards, including tighter rules on conflicts of interest, extending the scope of financial statements and broadening the power of judges to pursue suspected corruption. Navracsics expressed hope that the Commission would be reassured by the implementation of the reforms and withdraw its proposed sanctions against Hungary by Nov. 19. The Commission is already blocking some 6 billion euros in funds envisaged for Hungary in a separate COVID economic recovery stimulus over the same corruption concerns. Reuters documented in 2018 how Orban channels EU development funds to his friends and family, a practice human rights organisations say has immensely enriched his inner circle and allowed the 59-year-old to entrench himself in power. Hungary had irregularities in nearly 4% of EU funds spending in 2015-2019, according to the bloc’s anti-fraud body OLAF, by far the worst result among the 27 EU countries. Orban has also rubbed many in the bloc up the wrong way by cultivating continued close ties with President Vladimir Putin and threatening to deny EU unity needed to impose and preserve sanctions on Russia for waging war against Ukraine. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/hungary-orban-balaton (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by David Evans) View the full article

Published by Al-Araby As thousands of revellers grooved to the sounds of Uganda’s sold-out Nyege Nyege music festival on the banks of the Nile, relieved organisers said an attempted “immorality” ban had only served to boost sales. A public outcry forced Ugandan authorities to reverse the ban – imposed over claims that the four-day extravaganza promoted sex, homosexuality and drug use – but not before news of the prohibition made international headlines. Some of the partygoers attending the festival, which brings together artists from across Africa, told AFP they had only heard about the event that ends on Sunday th… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Melanie C regrets not being more outspoken. The 48-year-old singer – who is known as Sporty Spice in the girl group – is glad to see her 13-year-old daughter Scarlet’s generation speaking out on issues affecting them and wishes she’d done the same. Speaking to heat magazine, she said: “In all areas of my life, I wish I’d been more vocal. “It’s really important to be strong, follow your instincts, and speak out. “I think people are doing that more now – I think we live in a society where things are changing, and my daughter’s generation are definitely more outspoken. “That’s where I have the most regrets.” The ‘2 Become 1’ singer admits there have been times when she’s disagreed with her bandmates – Mel B, Emma Bunton, Geri Horner and Victoria Beckham – but she insists it would be “strange” if they had the “same beliefs” about everything. Asked about feeling “silenced within the band” and asked if she’s felt “frustrated” by something her bandmates have said to the press, she said: “Even now this happens! “Often, if one Spice Girl does or says something, it reflects on all of us, which is ridiculous, because the band is about individuality. “We’re all different, we have different personalities, and different beliefs in certain areas. There’s a lot we share, obviously. “The band is about inclusivity, the LGBTQ+ community, of which we are allies, and obviously fighting for girls’ equality. “So yeah, there are certain things where do really share the same beliefs. “But then there are other things where we have very different beliefs. “I think it’s really bizarre to think we all think the same thing about everything. “You know, we are very different people.” View the full article

Published by Reuters BELGRADE (Reuters) – Police clashed with right-wing protesters on Saturday as several thousand people joined an LGBTQ march in Serbia to mark the end of EuroPride week, an event staged in a different European city each year. Police clashed with two right-wing groups trying to disrupt the march, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said, adding that 10 police officers were slightly injured, five police cars damaged and 64 protesters arrested. “I am very proud that we managed to avoid more serious incidents,” Brnabic, who herself is Serbia’s first gay prime minister, told reporters. Following protests by nationalists and religious groups, the government had banned the march last week. But faced with calls by European Union officials and human rights activists, it allowed a shortened route for the march. Those participating walked several hundred metres to the Tsmajdan stadium where a concert took place. The United States’ ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, and the European parliament’s special rapporteur for Serbia, Vladimir Bilcik, joined the march. Previous Serbian governments have banned Pride parades, drawing criticism from human rights groups and others. Some Pride marches in the early 2000s met with fierce opposition and were marred by violence. But recent Pride marches in Serbia have passed off peacefully, a change cited by EuroPride organisers as one reason Belgrade was chosen as this year’s host. Copenhagen was the host in 2021. Serbia is a candidate to join the EU, but it must first meet demands to improve the rule of law and its record on human and minority rights. (Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Christina Fincher) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrius Sytas TALLINN (Reuters) – Western sanctions are starting to hurt Russia’s ability to make advanced weaponry for the war in Ukraine, a top NATO military adviser told Reuters on Friday, although he added Russian industry could still manufacture “a lot of ammunition”. The United States, the European Union and other countries announced several packages of sanctions against Moscow after its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, which included a ban on the sale of advanced technology. “They are hampered more and more by the sanctions – because some of the components that they need for their weapons systems come from the Western industry,” Rob Bauer, a Dutch Admiral who chairs NATO’s Military Committee, said in an interview. “We now see the first serious signs of that in terms of their ability to produce, for example, the replacement of cruise missiles and more advanced weaponry,” he added. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that a loss of technology due EU sanctions was severely hurting Moscow’s ability to sustain weapons production. Both sides in the war are facing challenges because the conventional conflict has required expending military supplies at rates unseen in decades, said Bauer. “As far as we know, the Russians still have a considerable industrial base and are able to produce a lot of ammunition. And they still have a lot of ammunition”, he added, speaking ahead of a two-day meeting of NATO defence chiefs starting in Estonia later on Friday. Moscow says that what it calls a “special military operation” was necessary to prevent Ukraine from being used as a platform for Western aggression, and to defend Russian-speakers. Kyiv and its Western allies dismiss these arguments as baseless pretexts for an imperial-style war of aggression. ‘OLD FASHIONED’ RUSSIAN FIGHTING President Vladimir Putin said on Sept. 12 that Russia was holding up well in the face of Western sanctions. “The economic blitzkrieg tactics, the onslaught they were counting on, did not work,” he said on state TV while chairing a meeting on the economy. Bauer said that about 85% of Russian troops are already fighting in Ukraine, limiting Russia’s ability to enlarge its military presence as it cannot announce a general mobilization without declaring a war. “We see limited numbers of fresh troops coming in. And the one thing that we’re sure of is that the training level of those troops is not very high”, said Bauer. This month Ukraine has stunned Russia with a counter-offensive in the northeast Kharkiv region, with Ukrainian officials saying 9,000 sq km (3,400 sq miles) have been retaken, about the size of the island of Cyprus. Bauer said the advance was successful due largely to NATO-standard Ukrainian troop training since 2014 that had allowed its units to take initiative. “One of the reasons why they are so successful at the moment is that the Russians are fighting in a very old fashioned way”, he said. “Every Russian unit gets its direction from higher authorities, therefore, if something changes, they are waiting for a new order. The Ukrainians advanced so quickly that the Russians didn’t get (new orders) and had to retreat and retreat”. (Editing by William Maclean) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English King Charles III and the Prince of Wales paid a visit to the thousands of mourners queuing to see the Queen lying in waiting on Saturday (17.09.22). The new monarch and the first in line to the British throne surprised those taking hours out of their day to pay their respects to the late queen – who died aged 96 on September 8 – at Westminster Hall, with Prince William quipping that his father is “a lot quicker” than him. They were met with huge cheers as they shook hands with members of the public at Lambeth Bridge, south London. Many shouted “God Save the King”, “God Save the Prince of Wales” and “we love you William”. One queuer had come all the way from the Czech Republic, and the prince told them: “Unbelievable. She [the Queen] would never believe this, honestly. It’s amazing.” William, 40, joked at one point that his 73-year-old father was racing along the metal barriers between the royals and the public, while he held back and spoke with them. He smiled: “My father’s way quicker than me.” This morning, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s queue tracker said the queue from Southwark Park had a wait time of “at least 24 hours”. Meanwhile, the queen’s eight grandchildren (Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn) will take part in their own vigil today (17.09.22), after their parents held one last night. Charles, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward led a 15-minute vigil to their mother while wearing military dress as they stood by her coffin. King Charles – who acceded to the throne the moment his mother passed – was near the head of the coffin while his siblings were arranged on the other sides. Members of the public continued to move past the coffin in silence. Eugenie and Beatrice – who are the daughters of Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess York, – could be seen on the platform to the side of the coffin along with their cousins Zara and Peter. King Charles – who was seen to arrive at the hall a little before 7.30pm – left the event just before 8:15pm as the crowds outside cheered. Members of the public wishing to pay their respects to the monarch have been warned they need to be in the queue by 12.30am on Monday (19.09.22) in order to make it into Westminster Hall before it closes at 6.30am, just hours before the queen’s funeral is to take place at Westminster Abbey. View the full article

Published by AFP A forensics team exhumes a body in a forest on the outskirts of Izyum, eastern Ukraine on Friday Izyum (Ukraine) (AFP) – The EU presidency on Saturday called for the establishment of an international tribunal for war crimes after new mass graves were found in Ukraine. “In the 21st century, such attacks against the civilian population are unthinkable and abhorrent,” said Jan Lipavsky, foreign minister of the Czech Republic which holds the European Union’s rotating presidency. “We must not overlook it. We stand for the punishment of all war criminals,” he added in a message on Twitter. “I call for the speedy establishment of a special international tribunal that will prosecute the crime of aggression.” The appeal follows the discovery by Ukrainian authorities of around 450 graves outside the formerly Russian-occupied city of Izyum with most of the exhumed bodies showing signs of torture. “Among the bodies that were exhumed today, 99 percent showed signs of violent death,” Oleg Synegubov, head of Kharkiv regional administration, said on social media. “There are several bodies with their hands tied behind their backs, and one person is buried with a rope around his neck,” he added. “Russia leaves only death and suffering. Murderers. Torturers,” said Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Some of the remains exhumed included children and people who were likely tortured before dying, he added. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said that the graves likely provided more evidence that Russia is committing war crimes in its pro-Western neighbour, and French President Emmanuel Macron said what happened in Izyum were atrocities. “I condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed in Izyum, Ukraine, under Russian occupation,” Macron tweeted. ‘Tortured’ The Ukrainian parliament’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said there were “probably more than 1,000 Ukrainian citizens tortured and killed in the liberated territories of the Kharkiv region”. Ukraine national police chief Igor Klymenko said they had found multiple torture rooms in the town of Balakliya and elsewhere in Kharkiv since the Russians were driven out. The United Nations in Geneva has said it hopes to send a team to determine the circumstances of the deaths. The announcement of this macabre discovery has raised a new wave of indignation in the West. The discoveries came a little more than five months after the Russian army, driven out of the vicinity of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, left behind hundreds of corpses of civilians, many of whom bore the traces of torture and summary executions. “Deeply shocked’ The European Union is “deeply shocked” at the discovery by Ukrainian officials of mass graves in the recaptured city of Izyum, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday. “This inhuman behaviour by the Russian forces, in total disregard of international humanitarian law and the Geneva conventions, must stop immediately. On Thursday, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said she wanted Russian President Vladimir Putin to face the International Criminal Court over war crimes in Ukraine. In Washington, US President Joe Biden warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin against using chemical or tactical nuclear weapons in the wake of serious losses in his war in Ukraine. “Don’t. Don’t. Don’t,” Biden said, in an excerpt from an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” aired Friday evening. Biden was responding to an interviewer’s question about the possibility of Putin, whose army is incurring heavy losses in the Ukraine counteroffensive this month, resorting to chemical or tactical nuclear weapons. “You would change the face of war unlike anything since World War II,” Biden said. “They will become more of a pariah in the world, more than they have ever been,” the US leader added. ‘Pushing them back’ On the ground, Ukrainian forces have recaptured thousands of square kilometres in recent weeks thanks to a counter-offensive in the north-east and now threaten enemy positions in the south, as the fighting and bombings continue. The Russians “are angry because our army is pushing them back in its counter-offensive,” said Svitlana Shpuk, a 42-year-old worker in Kryvyi Rih, a southern town, and Zelensky’s hometown, which was flooded after a dam was destroyed by Russian missiles. The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Synegoubov, said that an 11-year-old girl was killed by missile fire in the region. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donestk in eastern Ukraine which has been partially controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014, said on social media that Ukrainian firefighters were battling a fire there and that the bombing had led to cuts in drinking water. “The occupiers are deliberately targeting infrastructure in the area to try to inflict as much damage as possible, primarily on the civilian population,” he charged. The Russian army denies targeting civilian infrastructure or residential areas. In its daily briefing in Moscow, the Kremlin said it had carried out “high-precision” strikes against Ukrainian positions in the Mykolayev and Kharkiv regions. In the relative calm of Kyiv on Saturday, hundreds of Ukrainians took part in a farewell ceremony at the Kiev national opera house for former ballet dancer and later teacher Oleksandr Shapoval, who was killed at the age of 47 in the east of the country while fighting the Russians. Shapoval was hit by mortar fire on September 12, near the town of Mayorsk in the Donetsk region. View the full article