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Published by Al-Araby Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a symbol of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday. She was 96. Buckingham Palace said she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to be by her side. The BBC played the national anthem over a portrait of the queen in full regalia. With the death of the queen, her 73-year-old son Charles automatically becomes monarch, even though the coronation might not take place for months. It is not known whether he will choose to call himself King Charles III or so… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Days after Democratic President Joe Biden gave a fiery speech attacking former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies as an extremist threat, a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Wednesday found a majority of Americans believe Trump’s movement is undermining democracy. Fifty-eight percent of respondents in the two-day poll – including one in four Republicans – said Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement is threatening America’s democratic foundations. Biden’s Sept. 1 speech marked a sharp turn for his efforts to boost Democrats in the Nov. 8 midterm elections, when Republicans aim to win control of the U.S. Congress. Speaking in Pennsylvania, a key electoral battleground, Biden urged voters to reject Trump and extremism. Republican leaders, including House of Representatives minority leader Kevin McCarthy, responded by calling Biden divisive. The poll highlights the sharply polarized state of U.S. politics. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said Biden’s speech will further divide the country, though just about half of respondents said they didn’t watch or follow the speech at all. While Trump remains popular among Republicans, his standing within the party has suffered since a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a bid to stop lawmakers from certifying Biden’s election victory. The Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 60% of Republicans don’t think Trump’s MAGA movement represents the majority of the party. Biden’s own approval ratings remain low, despite a string of recent legislative achievements. Just 39% percent of respondents said they approve of Biden’s job performance as president, a level not far above the lowest levels Trump had during his presidency. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted online in English throughout the United States, gathered responses from 1,003 adults, including 411 Democrats and 397 Republicans. It has a credibility interval – a measure of precision – of four percentage points. (Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by DPA When the BBC broadcast the first episode of the “Teletubbies” in March 1997, a new era of children’s television dawned. 25 years later Netflix is rebooting the show. Wildbrain/dpa Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po have a new friend. Among Netflix’s new preschool-centric shows announced Wednesday is a reboot of “Teletubbies,” the beloved British children’s show about four characters known for their gibberish language, their bright antennas and the TVs on their stomachs. “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” alum Tituss Burgess will narrate the show, which will premiere Nov. 14 on Netflix. “Join colorful friends Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po on wonder-filled adventures as they learn and grow in this 21st century refresh of the beloved preschool series,” reads a description from Netflix. “Each episode includes new, original ‘Tummy Tales’ songs that will have the entire family dancing along!” The “Teletubbies” reboot joins a slate of new programming aimed at Netflix’s youngest demographic. Here’s a full list of the new shows: “Spirit Rangers,” premiering Oct. 10 “Inspired by stories from Native American tribes and the majestic landscapes of national parks of America, Spirit Rangers explores the adventure and beauty of nature through the eyes of Kodi, Summer and Eddy Skycedar, Chumash/Cowlitz siblings who share a secret. This trio of kids are ‘Spirit Rangers’ who help protect the land and spirits of the national park that they call home in California. Taking on new perspectives as a grizzly bear cub, red-tailed hawk and spunky turtle, the Skycedar kids take on every challenge — from helping a lost thunderbird to waking a sleepy sun — with courage and compassion.” “Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant,” premiering Oct. 17 “Get bready for Waffles and Mochi to blast off on their tastiest adventure yet as they open their very own restaurant. As chefs, the two traveling taste-buddies serve up sweet, salty and spicy dishes inspired by the ingredients from their incr-edible explorations. The new season features familiar faces like Mrs. Obama and world-renowned chefs, home cooks, kids and celebrities from all over the globe who all share the same passion for food and fun!” “StoryBots: Answer Time,” premiering Nov. 21 “The StoryBots are back, answering tough questions and delivering so many laughs that kids won’t even realize they’re learning! From ‘how lasers work’ to ‘why people get dizzy,’ the StoryBots break down the most complex ideas into bite-size explanations that expand kids’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them.” Netflix promises “world-class art, animation, music, and celebrity guests like Danny DeVito, Chrissy Tiegen, Anne Hathaway.” “Princess Power,” premiering 2023 “Netflix’s new animated preschool series Princess Power is based on the No. 1 New York Times Bestselling book series Princesses Wear Pants by Savannah Guthrie (co-anchor of ‘Today’) and Allison Oppenheim. The show is a celebration of girl power and self-expression that follows princesses of four major fruit kingdoms: Kira Kiwi, Beatrice ‘Bea’ Blueberry, Rita Raspberry and Penelope ‘Penny’ Pineapple. These princesses embrace their differences and become stronger together to help their fellow fruitizens and make their world a better place. Princess Power’s whimsical, aspirational joy comes with a timely message: that it’s not just what you wear but what you do that makes all the difference.” “CoComelon Lane,” premiering 2023 “‘CoComelon Lane’ explores the lives of JJ and his best friends (Cody, Cece, Nina, Bella and Nico) as they experience life’s BIG moments for little kids. From the excitement of going to a friend’s house for dinner for the first time, or learning how to take care of a family pet, to the scaries that come from that first trip to a doctor’s office, JJ invites viewers (speaking directly to audiences for the first time!) to join their favorite CoComelon characters as they experience — and celebrate — life’s special milestones of growing up.” Among Netflix’s new preschool-centric shows is a reboot of “Teletubbies,” the beloved British children’s show about four characters known for their gibberish language, their bright antennas and the TVs on their stomachs. Netflix/dpa View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English David Furnish has dismissed comparisons to Yoko Ono. The 59-year-old producer infuriated his husband Sir Elton John’s long-term staff when he took over the management of the ‘Rocketman’ singer’s affairs and fired a number of employees, sparking comparisons with the activist, who was blamed for breaking up The Beatles after she married John Lennon. David is quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper’s Eden Confidential column as saying: “That was more when I took over the management role. “Inevitably, when you write a business plan, you look at the team. Do we have the right team to bring this vision to life? Because we’re moving into new media and skillsets. “I had to make some changes to the team and that’s never a popular thing to do.” Of the Yoko nickname, he added: “It wasn’t so much Elton saying it as what other people were saying. “Elton doesn’t call me that now. We have a wonderful team, everyone is sharing the vision.” David admitted he initially had reservations about taking on the task but ultimately knew he and his 75-year-old spouse – who have sons Zachary, 11, and nine-year-old Elijah together – would work well together and their relationship has proven to be a “real advantage”. He told the i newspaper: “I did have a lot of second thoughts about becoming his manager. It takes up so much of our time. But we worked well together in the past on films like Billy Elliot. I think it’s a real advantage because I have a better insight than anyone about where he’s at, at any time. “Elton is very decisive, if you provide him with the rationale and do your analysis properly, he gives you a quick Yes or No and then let’s you get on with it.” View the full article

Published by DPA A general view of a plaque reading "Cour de Justice de l'Union Europeene" in front of a building of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Harald Tittel/dpa The sexual orientation of a self-employed person in the European Union cannot be a reason to terminate a contract, even if national laws say otherwise, a top EU lawyer argued on Thursday. The opinion of an advocate general at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is meant to provide impartial guidance to the judges. Justices are not obliged to follow their opinions, though they often do. The case refers to the complaint of a Polish freelance TV editor whose short-term contract was terminated after he published a Christmas music video with his partner online promoting tolerance, the court said in a statement. The self-employed worker had been working on short-term contracts for a Polish TV station for seven years at the time of the publication when his current contract was terminated, according to the court. The Polish court dealing with the complaint asked the ECJ to clarify whether an EU law on equal treatment at work would overrule a national Polish law allowing the “refusal to conclude a contract with a self-employed worker because of the sexual orientation of that person,” the court writes. Thursday’s opinion states “that the freedom to choose a contracting party cannot be usefully relied on to justify discrimination based on sexual orientation,” adding that the applicable EU law applies “to both employment and self-employment.” Should the judges follow the top lawyer’s advice, the Polish court would be obliged to set aside national legislation and rule in accordance with the EU legislation. A date for the final ECJ ruling has not yet been set. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michael Holden and Russell Cheyne BALMORAL, Scotland (Reuters) -Britain’s royal family rushed to be with Queen Elizabeth after doctors said they were concerned about the health of the 96-year-old monarch on Thursday and said she should remain under medical supervision. The queen, Britain’s longest-reigning sovereign and the world’s oldest monarch, has been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year. “Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the palace said in a statement. “The queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.” Her eldest son and heir Prince Charles and his wife Camilla travelled to her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle, where she is staying, along with his eldest son Prince William, officials said. Her other children – Anne, Andrew and Edward – were also at the castle. A spokesperson said Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, in Britain for a number of events, would also travel to Scotland. Such a family gathering, outside of holiday events such as Christmas or Easter or major public events, is extremely rare. The BBC interrupted its normal schedule to switch to constant coverage of the queen. “My prayers, and the prayers of people across the @churchofengland and the nation, are with Her Majesty The Queen today,” Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said on Twitter. Last October, Elizabeth spent a night in hospital and she has been forced to cut back on public engagements since then. On Wednesday she cancelled a virtual meeting with senior ministers after being advised to rest by her doctors. The previous day she had been pictured appointing Liz Truss as the country’s new prime minister at Balmoral, the 15th premier of her record-breaking reign. A palace source played down speculation that the monarch had suffered a fall. RECORD-BREAKING REIGN Elizabeth has been queen of Britain and more than a dozen other countries since 1952, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and earlier this year marked her 70th year on the throne with four days of national celebrations in June. “I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come,” she said at the time. Elizabeth came to the throne after the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25. She was crowned in June the following year. The first televised coronation was a foretaste of a new world in which the lives of the royals were to become increasingly scrutinised by the media. She became monarch at a time when Britain retained much of its empire. It was emerging from the ravages of World War Two, with food rationing still in force and class and privilege still dominant in society. Winston Churchill was the first prime minister who served during her reign, Joseph Stalin was leader of the Soviet Union, the Korean War was raging. The prime minister said: “My thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time.” Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, interrupted an energy debate in parliament to say he sent his best wishes to the monarch. “Along with the rest of the country, I am deeply worried by the news from Buckingham Palace this afternoon,” opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter: “All of us are feeling profoundly concerned at reports of Her Majesty’s health. My thoughts and wishes are with the Queen and all of the Royal Family at this time.” (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Kate Holton and Janet Lawrence) View the full article

Published by Factinate There is something so raw and timeless about Frida Kahlo’s paintings that we can probably all identify with. For many Kahlo is an icon of feminism, Mexican identity, living with a disability, and political activism. Although she had some success and recognition in her life, Kahlo was most celebrated years after her death and she never got to witness her worldwide fame. What follows are painful and beautiful facts about one of the most inspiring and motivated artists in history.Newsela Frida Kahlo Facts1. Lightning Strikes TwiceFrida Kahlo spent years recovering from a childhood stricken by ill… Read More View the full article

Published by Al-Araby Seventy-six lawmakers in the Kurdistan Parliament of northern Iraq have signed a bill “banning the promotion of homosexuality”, subsequently any explicit promotion of LGBT rights or media coverage on the issue is punishable by financial fine and imprisonment. The bill was proposed by Ismail Ali Taha, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), and has been signed by 75 other Kurdish MPs from the different secular and Islamist parliamentary blocs. The majority of Iraq’s population, including the Kurdistan region, are Muslims and according to the Iraqi constitution, the Islamic Sharia law… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP People line up to speak with healthcare workers with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at intake tents where individuals are registered to receive the monkeypox vaccine Washington (AFP) – US health authorities announced Thursday they would carry out a clinical trial to test different dosing strategies of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine, amid uncertainty over its effectiveness. The trial will enroll 200 adults aged 18-50 across the country, and is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The Jynneos vaccine, manufactured by Denmark-based Bavarian Nordic, has been approved by the United States for the prevention of smallpox and monkeypox in people aged 18 and older. But while the highest-risk group, men who have sex with men, are encouraged to get the vaccine, there is no clear picture of how well it works in real world settings. The new trial isn’t designed to produce an efficacy estimate, but rather measure the immune response of different dosing levels and administration methods. “NIAID’s trial of JYNNEOS will provide important information on the immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability of alternative dosing approaches that would expand the current supply of vaccine,” said NIAID director Anthony Fauci in a statement. Among the participants, one group will be injected subcutaneously — that is, under the skin. The vaccine is based on attenuated virus that is modified so it can’t replicate, and is given in two doses 28 days apart. A second group will receive their shots intradermally, meaning between the layers of the skin. This strategy is meant to expand the availability of vaccines because it uses one-fifth of the standard dose. A third group will also receive their shots intradermally, but at half the dosing level of the second group. Scientists will test the peak immune responses and compare the side effects across the groups. President Joe Biden’s administration has bet heavily on the Jynneos vaccine to stem the spread of monkeypox, which has affected more than 20,000 people in the United States since May. But the question of how well the shot prevents infection versus minimizing disease would require further study to answer. The current global outbreak is primarily affecting gay and bisexual men. Historically, the virus has been spread via direct contact with lesions, body fluids and respiratory droplets, and sometimes through indirect contamination via surfaces such as shared bedding. But in this outbreak, there is preliminary evidence that sexual transmission may also play a role. The virus causes painful skin lesions and flu-like symptoms. Most people fully recover, but the disease can cause serious complications, including bacterial infections, brain inflammation and death. View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Brad Reed The Miami-Dade School Board this week overwhelmingly voted down a proposal to designate October as “LGBTQ History Month” amid protests from angry parents who said it would amount to “indoctrination” of children. The Miami Herald reports that the proposed measure wouldn’t have just designated October as LGBTQ History Month, but also would have taught lessons to 12th grade students about two landmark Supreme Court cases in American LGBTQ rights: Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage, and Bostock v. Clayton County, which barred employers from firing people for being… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Penny the Polar Bear and her two mothers have become the first family with same-sex parents to appear on the widely popular children's show "Peppa Pig". Channel 5/PA Media/dpa Children’s TV show “Peppa Pig” has added a lesbian couple to its cast of characters for the first time. In episode 41 of season seven, titled Families, which aired on the UK’s Channel 5 in September, Penny the polar bear introduced her two mothers. In the scene, Peppa Pig and her classmates are asked by their teacher to sketch pictures of their families to be put up on their classroom wall. Each student has their turn to introduce the family members they have drawn and describe their job and characteristics. Penny sketches a portrait of her family and draws two female polar bears wearing dresses. As she draws, she tells her classmates: “I’m Penny Polar Bear. I live with my mummy and my other mummy. One mummy is a doctor and one mummy cooks spaghetti. I love spaghetti.” Teacher Madame Gazelle responds: “Lovely, Penny.” Penny’s mothers are then shown at the end of the episode arriving with the other parents to pick up their children after school has finished. Many viewers took to social media to praise the decision to show an LGBT+ family for the first time in the cartoon show’s history. One twitter user wrote: “THIS is how young children should be taught about inclusion. We don’t need to talk to them about sexuality. Just show all types of families. They’ll understand the rest when it’s appropriate.” Another person tweeted: “An autistic character in Thomas the Tank Engine and a kid with two mums in Peppa Pig … it’s been a good day for representation!” Children’s TV show “Thomas & Friends” is introducing its first autistic character who has been created in collaboration with autistic writers and organisations. The character called Bruno the Brake Car will be voiced by nine-year-old autistic actor Elliott Garcia and will be seen in future episodes of “Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!” from September 21 at 7am. Peppa Pig first aired in 2004 on Channel 5 Milkshake and Nick Jr, and has since become available in more than 180 territories. View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune I am part of a generation — Generation Z — that has a faint recollection of 9/11, if any at all. We weren’t even teenagers during the 2008 recession. And ever since, our lives have been slammed by a series of seemingly never-ending tribulations. We grew up living in constant fear of gun violence. We worry about the state of our planet because of delayed action on climate change. We are still struggling due to the impact COVID-19 has had on social interactions and education. Yet, we have also been a generation deeply hungry for something different. Something that deviates from the traditional s… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Matthew Chapman On Wednesday, Rolling Stone reported that former President Donald Trump told White House officials that he would protect documents that he believed would expose the Russia investigation as a hoax and reveal a “Deep State” conspiracy to destroy his presidency. “The documents related to the federal investigation into Russian election meddling and alleged collusion with Trump’s campaign. At the end of his presidency, Trump and his team pushed to declassify these so-called ‘Russiagate’ documents, believing they would expose a ‘Deep State’ plot against him,” reported Adam Rawnsle… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Matthew Chapman On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that the FBI sought to interview a personal aide to former President Donald Trump as part of their investigation into events leading up to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “This week, F.B.I. agents in Florida tried to interview William S. Russell, a 31-year-old aide to Mr. Trump who served as a special assistant and the deputy director of advance in the White House and continued to work for Mr. Trump as a personal aide after he left office, one of a small group of officials who did so,” reported Adam Goldman and Maggie Haber… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Landing the world premiere of Steven Spielberg's Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Steven Spielberg will lead a host of Hollywood A-listers across the border to Toronto this week for North America’s biggest film festival, which organizers say will celebrate a breakthrough year for LGBTQ cinema. The Harry Styles-led drama “My Policeman,” about a closeted gay policeman, and Universal’s “Bros” starring Billy Eichner — the first major LGBTQ rom-com from a top Tinseltown studio — are among a starry and 200-strong feature film lineup for the festival starting Thursday. Renowned for drawing large cinephile crowds to its glitzy premieres and red carpets, the Toronto International Film Festival was hit hard by the pandemic and is seeking to return to full scale after two muted and pared-back editions. “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List” director Spielberg often skips the film festival circuit entirely with his new releases, so landing the world premiere of his deeply personal “The Fabelmans” marks a major coup for TIFF. “I think Steven Spielberg… and Universal know the power of the Toronto audience, in terms of how we respond to movies here,” festival CEO Cameron Bailey told AFP. “The knowledge and the passion for movies that we bring here — I think that made a lot of sense to bring this into a festival, and to start here in Toronto.” Based on Spielberg’s childhood in Arizona, the coming-of-age drama explores the family secrets of a young man with an early passion for filmmaking, and stars Michelle Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogen. “This is a really unique story for him… he’s really shied away, for the most part, from being directly personal in his films, unlike so many other filmmakers,” said Bailey. “But he’s gone there for the first time with ‘The Fabelmans.’ It’s powerful. If you know Spielberg’s films as an adult, to see how this artist was formed as a boy is fascinating.” The Spielberg premiere on Saturday evening is one of several celebrating the significance of cinema itself, and the collective experience of watching movies together, along with “Empire of Light” by Sam Mendes. The “American Beauty” and “1917” director will receive a career-honoring Tribute Award at a Sunday gala, before his latest movie about a romance at a beautiful old cinema in 1980s England premieres Monday. LGBTQ ‘breakthrough’ Elsewhere, stars expected to grace Toronto red carpets include Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne in “The Good Nurse,” Jennifer Lawrence in “Causeway,” Viola Davis in “The Woman King,” and Nicolas Cage in “Butcher’s Crossing.” Director Rian Johnson launches “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” a whodunit sequel in which Daniel Craig’s sleuth meets a star-studded cast including Edward Norton, Ethan Hawke and Jada Pinkett Smith. And in his first film since the 2018 best picture Oscar winner “Green Book,” Peter Farrelly brings “The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” starring Zac Efron. But few are likely to draw more screaming fans and scrambling photographers to the carpet than Styles, whose high-profile arthouse film “My Policeman” premieres Sunday. Emma Corrin and Rupert Everett also star in the film about a secretive affair between two men in 1950s England, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal. Meanwhile “Bros” marks “the first time, in my knowledge anyhow, that a major Hollywood studio has made a film that is unapologetically and proudly queer,” said Bailey. Other similarly themed films at TIFF include “The Inspection,” about a young Black man who enlists in the Marine Corps after being thrown out of his mother’s home for being gay. “There’s a breakthrough this year… you’re seeing LGBTQ stories being told in maybe places that they haven’t been before, and in a much more mainstream way,” said Bailey. “The biggest companies that make films have often been the most cautious, shall we say, when it comes to this kind of representation,” he added. “That seems to be changing.” The festival kicks off Thursday with “The Swimmers” — the true story of sisters leaving Syria to pursue a new life in Europe and the chance to swim in the 2016 Summer Olympics — and ends September 18. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Luca Guadagnino wants to make a follow-up to ‘Call Me by Your Name’. The 51-year-old director helmed the 2017 coming-of-age romance – that starred Timothee Chalamet and the disgraced Armie Hammer – and revealed that he wants to tell another story featuring Chalemet’s character Elio Perlman, although he is refusing to call it a sequel. Speaking at the Telluride Film Festival, Luca said: “A sequel is an American concept. “It’s more like the chronicles of Elio, the chronicles of this young boy becoming a man. It is something I want to do.” Luca reunites with Timothee on the new film ‘Bones and All’, which tells the story of a pair of cannibalistic lovers who travel across the United States in the 1980s, and always had other projects in mind with the ‘Dune’ star. The director said: “It’s not as if I left Timothee at the height of his booming success, and then I found him four years later. We kept close. I knew that there was not much time to wait until we worked together, but only for the right project.” Chalamet is one of the most in-demand Hollywood stars and Luca is delighted to see the actor develop after working with him at a young age. The ‘A Bigger Splash’ filmmaker said: “To see the humbleness and rigour with which he made his first steps toward stardom – this bright, feverish young man became this planetary star – made me so proud. There is a very beautiful bond between us.” Luca explained that many gory scenes did not make the final cut of ‘Bones and All’ despite the gruesome premise. He said: “We had way more. “I shot so much more, but in the editing process, my editor and I were always clear that we should never be selfish about our capacity to portray horror. “There was a lot of pain that was happening to our characters, a kind of sacred reverence. It was quite beautiful, humbling, reverential.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrew MacAskill and Humza Jilani LONDON (Reuters) – The new British Prime Minister Liz Truss has selected a cabinet where for the first time a white man will not hold one of the country’s four most important ministerial positions. Truss appointed Kwasi Kwarteng – whose parents came from Ghana in the 1960s – as Britain’s first Black finance minister while James Cleverly is the first Black foreign minister. Cleverly, whose mother hails from Sierra Leone and whose father is white, has in the past spoken about being bullied as a mixed-race child and has said the party needs to do more to attract Black voters. Suella Braverman, whose parents came to Britain from Kenya and Mauritius six decades ago, succeeds Priti Patel as the second ethnic minority home secretary, or interior minister, where she will be responsible for police and immigration. The growing diversity is in part thanks to a push by the Conservative Party in recent years to put forward a more varied set of candidates for parliament. British governments have until a few decades ago been made up of mostly white men. It took until 2002 for Britain to appoint its first ethnic minority cabinet minister when Paul Boateng was appointed chief secretary to the Treasury. Rishi Sunak, whose parents came from India, was Kwarteng’s predecessor in the finance job and the runner-up to Truss in the leadership context. “Politics has set the pace. We now treat it as normal, this diversity,” said Sunder Katwala, director of non-partisan think-tank British Future, which focuses on migration and identity. “The pace of change is extraordinary.” However, the upper ranks of business, the judiciary, the civil service and army are all still predominately white. And despite the party’s diversity campaign, only a quarter of Conservative members of parliament are women and 6% from minority backgrounds. TRACK RECORD Nevertheless, the Conservatives have the best track record of political firsts among the main political parties, including appointing the first Jewish prime minister in Benjamin Disraeli in 1868. This is despite the fact ethnic minority voters are much more likely to back the opposition Labour party and the ruling party has faced accusations of racism, misogyny and Islamophobia. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised in 2019 for describing Muslim women wearing burqas as looking like letter boxes. The Conservatives have elected all three of Britain’s female prime ministers, Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and now Truss. The first lawmaker of Asian descent, Mancherjee Bhownaggree in 1895, also came from the Conservatives. Johnson assembled the youngest and most ethnically diverse Cabinet in history when he elected prime minister in 2019. His three finance ministers included two men of South Asian origin and one of Kurdish background. The changes followed a years-long effort by former leader and Prime Minister David Cameron. When he took over in 2005, the party had just two ethnic minority members of parliament out of 196, and he set out to ensure that his party more closely resembled the modern Britain it hoped to lead. The next year, Cameron introduced a priority list of female and minority candidates to be selected, many for safe seats in the House of Commons. Truss was a beneficiary of this push. “A key part of ensuring the strength and resilience of any group, including a political party, is the avoidance of everyone thinking and acting in the same way – the avoidance of group-think,” said James Arbuthnot, a member of the party board’s committee on candidates when Cameron introduced the changes. But Kwarteng has played down the significance of his ethnicity. He has said that, although he experienced racist insults growing up in the eighties, he does not see himself as a symbol of anyone other than his constituents in Spelthorne, which borders London’s south-west suburbs. “I actually think that it’s not that much of a big deal,” he said after being appointed as the first Black Conservative front-bench minister. “I think once you’ve made the point, I don’t think it’s something that comes up that much.” (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Humza Jilani; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) View the full article

Published by DPA Aachen Bishop Helmut Dieser walks to the cathedral. Henning Kaiser/dpa One of Germany’s most progressive Catholic bishops has described homosexuality as “God’s will,” saying in an interview that he had changed his opinion on the matter. “Homosexuality is not a glitch on God’s part, but God’s will to the same extent as creation itself,” Helmut Dieser, the bishop of Aachen, told the weekly publication Christ & Welt. “Yes, my view has changed,” he added. The Catholic Church has traditionally regarded homosexuality as a sin. Today, the church claims that the disposition itself is not yet a transgression, but that homosexuality must not be acted upon. Last year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated that it was not permitted for Catholic clerics to bless homosexual partnerships. Dieser said he was aware that Rome still interpreted homosexuality as a sin, adding that the very concept was questionable. “When it comes to love, this variety of love, which is an erotic form, when the body becomes an expression of this love and the language of this love, then I think: love cannot be sin,” he said in the interview. Whether a priest in his diocese blesses homosexual couples is a personal decision of conscience. This is also the case Dieser’s Roman Catholic diocese of Aachen. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Katy Perry has been announced as a special guest for the True Colors Festival. The 37-year-old pop star will be one of the big-name performers at the upcoming festival in Tokyo, Japan, where diversity and inclusion will be the focus of the celebrations. Katy said: “What moved me to join True Colors Festival was the spirit and uniqueness of the festival’s message and the opportunity to share the stage with all these diverse artists. I’m excited to be back in Tokyo to perform at this inspiring event.” Katy and all the other artists will perform at Japan’s Tokyo Garden Theatre on the evenings of November 19 and 20. The two-hour concert will feature more than 90 singers, dancers and musicians, and fans have been told to expect a unique experience. Sydney Tan, the creative and music director of the True Colors Festival, said: “It’s been a crazy roller-coaster ride putting together this mega concert across time zones and language barriers using WhatsApp, FaceTime, Email and Zoom … and in the midst of a global pandemic to boot! But what a wonderful privilege it’s been for me and my team. To seek out and to get to know each of these artists as friends, building relationships of trust and mutual respect. “So, what can you expect at the Concert 2022? I believe you will experience incredible levels of performance in a show with the highest production values, featuring the True Colors artists performing alongside the one and only Katy Perry. “But beyond that, I believe it’ll be our privilege to get a peek into the lives of these extraordinary performers, and we hope that we’ll all come away with a sense of feeling like we are a part of ‘One World’, belonging to ‘One Family’.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Queen Latifah insists on having a ‘no death’ clause in her film contracts. The ‘End of the Road’ star has revealed that she takes a long-term approach to all of her film projects, as she insists on having a ‘no death’ clause written in her contract because she wants to leave the door open for possible sequels. The 52-year-old rapper – who starred in the 1996 crime heist movie ‘Set It Off’ – told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “I was like, ‘I don’t get to do any sequels if I keep being this good at [dying].’ So I said, ‘Look, you gotta put a no death clause in these contracts so they can’t just kill me off like this. I’m never gonna get a sequel in!'” Despite this, the rapper-turned-actress is willing to make a compromise for the right price. She quipped: “I mean, of course, for the right price, you know. She dies! That s***’s in the script, you know?” The ‘Ladies First’ hitmaker – who has won a host of awards during her career – is currently readying herself to star in the ‘Girls’ Trip’ sequel. The original movie starred the likes of Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish and Jada Pinkett Smith, and the rapper revealed that the follow-up is already “locked and loaded”. She said: “From everything I know it’s locked and loaded and ready to go. It’s just that somebody’s gotta make it happen.” ‘Girls Trip’ follows a group of four friends who go to New Orleans to attend the Essence Music Festival. At the moment, the actress is “not quite sure” where the sequel will be located – though she confirmed “it will be international”. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lea Michele broke down in tears after being cast as Fanny Brice in ‘Funny Girl’. The former ‘Glee’ star was getting brunch with her two-year-old son Ever when she learned that she’d been cast in the Broadway production. The 36-year-old actress told PEOPLE: “Funny story, I got the call from my agents that I got the part. I had no idea. “I was literally sitting out at Bubby’s with my child, feeding him buttered pasta and broccoli. And I get a call from my agents, and they said, ‘You are going to be Fanny Brice in ‘Funny Girl’. And as I looked up, I start hysterically crying, and I’m like, oh my God.” Lea still has vivid memories of Gideon Glick looking at her while she started crying. She recalled: “He saw me crying. People had been asking me [about the role], but I didn’t really know what was going to happen. “He was like, ‘Oh my God, did you just get the part?’ And I was nodding. And so he took a picture of me on the street hysterically crying, getting the part of Fanny Brice. “Gideon used to be my old roommate. And he was actually there with me when I got the call that I would be in ‘Les Miz’ as well. So it was just a very full-circle moment for me.” Meanwhile, Lea recently rubbished talk of there being any tension between herself and Beanie Feldstein, who headlined the musical when it opened earlier this year. She said: “I saw the show. I wrote her and told her what an incredible job I thought that she did. “I think that everybody just thinks everything is so drama-filled. I also think that people really love the excitement of pitting women against each other, which I think is really sad and unfortunate.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online @madonna/instagram Madonna is rumored to be in the throes of a red-hot romance with 23-year-old model Andrew Darnell, RadarOnline.com has learned. The original Material Girl, 64, was spotted cozying up to Darnell during Labor Day Weekend, days before cops crashed her music video set over noise complaints. @madonna/instagram Madonna and Darnell were seen “snuggling and cuddling” after attending Nigerian musician REMA’s concert with BMX star Nigel Sylvester at Irving Plaza in New York City on Friday. After jamming out, the trio met up with jeweler Greg Yuna to grab a bite at Mister French. Sources told Page Six they stepped on the scene around 11:30 PM and were living it up to the fullest, “dancing, and taking selfies at the table.” “They were definitely smooching. She and Andrew were being very openly affectionate all night,” an insider said about the pair, who formerly kissed for Paper magazine. Madonna’s rumored romance comes months after RadarOnline.com reported on her breakup from 28-year-old dancer Ahlamalik Williams in April following three years of the couple dating. A source told The Sun at the time, “Madonna has thrown herself into a busy social life and has been seeing her friends and family after the split.” Her PDA-filled holiday weekend continued with more excitement on Monday when she returned to work for a video shoot with Dominican rapper Tokischa. MEGA According to reports, it was put to a screeching halt that evening when the cops arrived to shut it down due to calls from multiple neighbors hearing the loud speakers. “No summonses were issued,” cops said, noting the “condition was corrected.” SteveSands/NewYorkNewswire/MEGA During her interview with Paper magazine, Madonna dished about her creative process and how she loves to embrace her “tongue-in-cheek” side while creating new tracks, adding that costume choices, lighting and other elements are also important to her. “A lot of times when I do make music in the studio, I always think about how I am going to perform it. Do you know what I mean? What’s it going to be like doing this on stage?” she pondered. “I think that’s something that a lot of artists now don’t really think about.” View the full article

Published by AFP At 41, Kim Kardashian has built a business empire in recent years, notably with her apparel and beauty brands Washington (AFP) – Reality TV star-turned-entrepreneur Kim Kardashian announced Wednesday she is branching into a new business arena with the launch of a private equity firm co-founded with a former partner at industry giant Carlyle. “I’m pleased to announce the launch of @SKKYPartners with private equity veteran Jay Sammons as co-founder and co-managing partner,” Kardashian wrote on Twitter. Kardashian said her mother, Kris Jenner, would also serve as partner. According to the new firm’s Instagram account, SKKY Partners will focus on investments in consumer and media companies in sectors including “consumer products, digital and e-commerce, consumer media, hospitality and luxury.” It is the latest of a series of business ventures for megastar Kardashian, who came to fame with the US reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” which tracked the lives of her family members in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old has steadily built her business empire in recent years — most visibly with her apparel and beauty brands — and has a net worth of $1.8 billion, according to Forbes. Jay Sammons, who in the summer left his long-time role as head of consumer, media and retail at Carlyle — one of the top private equity companies in the world — told The Wall Street Journal he approached Kardashian and her mother about launching the firm this year. Kardashian told the Journal she liked the idea of working closely with entrepreneurs to help them grow their vision. “The exciting part is to sit down with these founders and figure out what their dream is,” Kardashian told the paper, adding the firm plans to make its first investment before the end of 2022. “I want to support what that is, not change who they are in their DNA, but just support and get them to a different level.” SKKY did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Karen Freifeld (Reuters) – Steve Bannon, a onetime top strategist for former U.S. President Donald Trump and recipient of a presidential pardon, is expected to surrender to New York authorities on Thursday to face a new indictment, a person familiar with the matter said. Bannon in 2020 was accused in federal court of defrauding donors to a fund to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but that indictment was dismissed after he was pardoned in the final hours of Trump’s presidency. The new indictment is for state criminal charges that may mirror parts of the earlier federal case, though it is unclear because the indictment is still sealed, the person said. A spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office declined to comment. Bannon himself issued a statement Tuesday night, after the Washington Post first reported the new indictment. “This is nothing more than a partisan political weaponization of the criminal justice system,” Bannon said in the statement. He said Manhattan federal prosecutors did the same thing in August 2020 to try to take him out of that year’s election. “It didn’t work then; it certainly won’t work now,” Bannon said. Bannon is expected to appear in state court in Manhattan on Thursday and then be released pending trial, the person said. A president can pardon people for federal crimes but not state crimes. Bannon is not the first Trump ally to be charged in state court. In 2019, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office attempted to pursue former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort on felony charges, including mortgage fraud, that were similar to crimes for which Manafort had been convicted in federal court. But the charges were dismissed after rulings that they amounted to double jeopardy, or trying someone twice for the same conduct. Manafort was pardoned by Trump in 2020. Bannon had pleaded not guilty in the federal case, but double jeopardy may not apply because he was never tried. Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato, who were charged alongside Bannon in the federal “We Build the Wall” case, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in April. Bannon runs a popular hard-right podcast, “War Room,” where he regularly promotes pro-Trump information and hosts guests who deny that Trump lost the 2020 election. In July, Bannon was convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the select committee investigating last year’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, a verdict the panel called a “victory for the rule of law.” Bannon was a main adviser to Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential campaign, then served as his chief White House strategist during 2017 before a falling out that was later patched up. Bannon, 68, championed “America First” right-wing populism and fierce opposition to immigration that became hallmarks of Trump’s presidency. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; additional reporting by Luc Cohen; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by AFP Former US president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama unveil their official White House portraits Washington (AFP) – Former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama finally got their official White House portraits Wednesday, after four years of being snubbed by Donald Trump, in an emotional ceremony doubling as a rousing defense of American democracy. The paintings, destined to hang alongside those of generations of previous first couples in the White House, were unveiled by the Obamas themselves. Deafening cheers sounded through the packed East Room as they pulled up the plain blue cloths covering the art works. Obama, the country’s first Black president, was depicted by Robert McCurdy looking straight out, hands in pockets, his dark suit contrasting against a startlingly white background, and shadow falling over half of his face. Michelle, who was painted by Sharon Sprung, posed in a light blue gown, seated on a red sofa. Obama joked that McCurdy’s signature precision and sharp lines meant he “refused to hide any of my grey hairs,” but said the directness of the style countered the tendency where presidents “often get airbrushed,” getting “mythical status, especially after you’ve gone and people forget all the stuff they didn’t like.” The cheers kept coming during President Joe Biden’s speech kicking off the event and the volume rose further when the Obamas took the podium. Michelle Obama veered into distinctly political territory with a powerful homage to US democracy and barely disguised criticism of Trump. “Traditions like this matter,” she said, describing the portraits custom as part of the passing of the torch between successive, even opposing administrations. “We hold an inauguration to ensure a peaceful transition of power,” she said in a barbed reminder of the way Trump refused to accept his 2020 defeat by Biden, stymied the incoming government’s preparations — then failed to invite the Obamas to unveil their official portraits. Michelle Obama reduced the room to silence with her observation that growing up as a Black girl in Chicago she’d assumed “she was never supposed to be up there next to Jacqueline Kennedy” or other famous — always white — first ladies. “Too often in this country, people feel like they have to look a certain way or act a certain way to fit in,” she said. “What we are seeing is a reminder that there’s a place for everyone in this country,” where “the two of us can end up on a wall in the most famous address in the world.” “Our democracy is so much stronger than our differences,” she said. “We love you,” a man in the crowd called out, prompting more cheers. Contempt Past presidents and first ladies have typically had their portraits hung in White House halls and corridors after ceremonies hosted by successors. Democrat Obama, for example, hosted George W. Bush, a Republican, and his wife Laura Bush at portrait unveilings in 2012. However, Trump declined to invite the Obamas — amid undisguised contempt between both leaders in the wake of the Republican’s shock 2016 election win — and the tradition ground to a halt. The norm-shredding Trump even reportedly ordered portraits of Bush and his predecessor Bill Clinton to be taken down from the walls of the Grand Foyer and put in storage. But a portrait of Hillary Clinton, the former first lady whom Trump had defeated in his presidential campaign, remained visible in a lower corridor through his tempestuous 2017-2021 term. As for Trump, the Biden administration says it has no direct say on whether or when his own portrait could be hung up. It is not clear whether the ex-president, now in deep legal peril after the discovery of top-secret documents taken from the White House to his Florida estate, has even commissioned an official painting. Mutual praise Biden, who served as vice president throughout Obama’s two terms, poured praise on his former boss, recalling how they first took office in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. “We trusted him, all of you in this room. We believed in him, we counted on him. And I still do,” Biden said. Obama returned the compliments, telling Biden “I was even luckier to have a chance to spend eight years working day and night with a man who became a true partner and a true friend.” “Joe, it is now America’s good fortune to have you as president,” he said. Talking of his own rise to the top job with defeat of Trump in 2020, Biden said “nothing could have prepared me more” for the presidency than working alongside Obama. View the full article