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Published by OK Magazine mega Fitness guru Richard Simmons spoke out for the first time in years following the recent debut of an investigative documentary that explores his disappearance. “Richard is eternally grateful for the continuous outpouring of love and gratitude he has received from across the Globe,” the star’s rep, Tom Etsey, stated. “He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.” mega Simmons also spoke to fans directly via Facebook, as that same day, he posted a photo of a smiley emoji alongside the words, “Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love! Love, Richard.” Fans were more than elated to hear from the 74-year-old after years of silence. “I’m so proud of you for taking time for yourself. You’ve given so much of yourself to the world, and now it’s your time,” wrote one commenter. “Good for you. Thank you for blessing and inspiring me so richly.” “We love you and we miss you. Take care of yourself… be at peace and be healthy and happy,” added another, while one Facebook user gushed, “So blessed we got to meet you. Been praying for you and hope you are well. You are truly missed.” ‘UNDER THE WEATHER’ & IN HIDING: RICHARD SIMMONS DISAPPEARANCE IN HIS OWN WORDS mega Meanwhile, some fans questioned the authenticity of the social media post, but his manager Michael Catalano confirmed it was the real deal. “This was a personal post from Richard,” he stated. “He was moved by the reaction to the special and all the good wishes that he received. He was encouraged by the kindness.” The fitness star hasn’t made a public appearance since February 2014, sparking several theories: some believed he was being held hostage, while The National Enquirer claimed he was transitioning into a woman, which he denied. Simmons and his team have insisted on multiple occasions that his disappearance from the limelight was a choice he made on his own accord. TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons premiered on Hulu on August 22. It will start streaming for free via Tubi on August 30. Simmons’ rep spoke toThe Post, while his manager gave a statement to PEOPLE. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears marked first new single in six years topping the iTunes charts in 40 countries by exclaiming “HOLY S***!” on Twitter and posing apparently naked in a bathroom during an online video. The ‘Toxic’ singer’s single, a collaboration with Sir Elton John, 75, is ‘Hold Me Closer’ – a mix of his 1971 hit ‘Tiny Dancer’ with his 1992 song ‘The One’, along with parts of 1976’s ‘Don’t go Breaking my Heart’. Less than a day after the new song came out, Britney, 40, tweeted a video filmed in the bath in which she put on an English accent and said: “Hello, Sir Elton John, we are like number one in 40 countries.” She then used her natural American accent to yell: “HOLY S***!” before goniog back to her English impression and winking: “I’m in the tub right now, and I’m about to go have the best day ever and I hope you’re well.” She also put out a video on Twitter that saw her strutting fully clothed in monochrome with a hat, before images of her sitting apparently naked aside from a towel, with cross legs, flashed on screen. Britney captioned the clip: “Keep smiling folks … KEEP SMILING!! Psss I LOVE YOU ALL!!!” Ahead of the single being released at midnight on Thursday (25.08.22), Sir Elton, admitted he could relate to Britney being “broken” in her life. He told The Guardian: “It’s hard when you’re young. Britney was broken. I was broken when I got sober. I was in a terrible place. Now, I’ve got the experience to be able to advise people and help them because I don’t want to see any artists in a dark place.” Sir Elton also blasted the conservatorship she was under, saying: “What happened to her shouldn’t have happened to anybody.” Britney’s new husband Sam Asghari, 28, also congratulated her online, saying: “Words can’t describe how f****** proud I am!” The singer and Sam married in June after five years of dating after meeting on the set of her ‘Slumber Party’ music video. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ahmed Aboulenein and Julie Steenhuysen WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Very few people who have gotten monkeypox shots in the United States have received the second dose needed for full protection, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Friday. She told a White House briefing that nearly 97% of the shots administered were first doses, and although many people are eligible for a second dose, “very few” have been given so far. Walensky said the CDC expected to gain more insight into the trend. Vaccine scarcity may have caused delays in second shots previously but that was no longer the case, she said. More than 207,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine were given as of Aug. 23 in the 19 jurisdictions reporting data to the CDC, Walensky said. The vaccine needs to be given in two doses, four weeks apart, to be fully effective. To expand access to the vaccine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Aug. 9 authorized giving it intradermally – between the layers of the skin – which would allow providers to get five doses from a single one-dose vial. Bavarian Nordic has raised doubts about the safety of the method, citing a lack of evidence and the possible increased risk of reactions compared to injecting it into the muscle. During the briefing on Friday, officials said providers are reporting getting 4.5 to 5 doses per vial, but several experts told Reuters the figure is lower. “The vast majority of health departments that I’ve talked to in the last week are feeling fortunate if they can get four doses out of a vial, and in some cases three,” Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, said in an interview. Dr. Umar Shaw, secretary of health for Washington state, said on Thursday that many providers were getting three or four doses per vial. Walensky confirmed that some U.S. jurisdictions were reporting a downward trend in monkeypox cases and that health officials were watching this with cautious optimism. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ashraf Fahim (Reuters) – Nicole Aunapu Mann has waited nine long years for her chance to go into space. And if all goes according to plan, that wait will end on Oct. 03, when she will lead NASA’s Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station. “It has been a long journey, but it’s been so well worth it,” Mann told Reuters on Friday. Mann will be the first Native American woman in space. The first Native American man in space was John Herrington in 2002. “I feel very proud,” said Mann. “It’s important that we celebrate our diversity and really communicate that specifically to the younger generation.” Mann, a member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in Northern California, says that her upcoming mission has sparked excitement in her community. “That’s really, I think, an audience that we don’t get an opportunity to reach out to very often,” she said. With her journey into space just weeks away, Mann says she will be taking a few mementos into orbit to remind her of home, among them a ‘dreamcatcher,’ a traditional Native American protective charm. Mann, a marine colonel with a master’s in mechanical engineering, was recruited into NASA in 2013 and finished candidate training two years later. The former fighter pilot who flew U.S. combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan now heads up an international crew that includes fellow NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, Japan’s Koichi Wakata and Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina. They are set to launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and swap out Crew-4 from the ISS. The Crew-5 mission will follow the beginning of NASA’s landmark Artemis mission, set for its debut launch on Monday. The gigantic Space Launch System, topped by an unmanned Orion Crew Capsule, is the first step in the goal of returning humans to the Moon after a half-century hiatus. Mann said that she and her ISS crew will be helping to prepare for the future success of Artemis. “What we’re doing in low earth orbit not only trains the astronauts but provides the technical development and operational concepts that we’re going to need to live (with a) sustained human presence on the moon and eventually take us to Mars,” she said. “So I just hope that the whole world is watching on Monday.” (Reporting by Ashraf Fahim, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Marcelo Rochabrun LIMA (Reuters) – LGBT activists in Peru held a protest on Friday questioning how their government handled the death of a Peruvian transgender man in Indonesia earlier this month who was detained at the airport upon arriving to celebrate his honeymoon. Rodrigo Ventosilla, a Peruvian graduate student at Harvard University and transgender rights activist, died on the tourist island of Bali of “bodily failure” days after being detained for alleged cannabis possession. Peru’s foreign ministry issued a statement this week calling Ventosilla’s alleged drug possession a serious crime in Indonesia and that transphobia had not been a factor in his arrest, but did not acknowledge he had later died while in custody. “We reject and condemn the foreign ministry’s statement,” said LGBT activist Luz Manriquez at a small protest in Lima. Manriquez said the government’s statement was biased because it adopted Indonesia’s position and did not demand an investigation. “It lacks empathy because it does not recognize that a Peruvian has died in the hands of police from another country,” Manriquez added. Brenda Alvarez, a lawyer for Ventosilla’s family, told reporters on Friday the foreign ministry had agreed to apologize over the statement and launch an investigation. Peru’s foreign ministry could not be reached for comment. Alvarez added there is no date for when Ventosilla’s body will arrive in Lima. The Indonesian police told Reuters this week the case is closed and that no violence was involved in Ventosilla’s death. “Even if you are detained in another country, it is unreal and painful that (the Peruvian government) can leave you like this,” said Arturo Davila, a member of Diversidades Trans Masculinas, a trans rights organization that Ventosilla founded seven years ago in Peru. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Josie Kao) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Princess Diana poured out her woes over depression, betrayal, bulimia and her suicide attempts in a “stream of consciousness” recordings, her official biographer has recalled. Andrew Morton, 69, who wrote the book ‘Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words’ with the mum-of-two’s cooperation in 1992, said he listened with “astonishment” when she sent him a tape of her innermost feelings. He told the Daily Mail on Friday night (27.08.22) ahead of the 25th anniversary of her death aged 36 this Wednesday (31.08.22): “Turning on my tape recorder, I listened with mounting astonishment to the unmistakable voice of Princess Diana, pouring out a tale of woe in a rapid stream of consciousness. “She was talking about her unhappiness, her sense of betrayal, her suicide attempts – and two things I’d never previously heard of: an eating disorder called bulimia nervosa and a woman called Camilla.” He added about her confessions about her traumatic marriage to Prince Charles, who she divorced in 1996 mainly over his relationship with his future wife Camilla: “It was 1991. Diana was approaching 30, and the very idea that her 10-year marriage was in dire trouble seemed unthinkable. To most people, Charles and Diana were still a fairytale story.” Andrew said Diana, who died in a high-speed Paris tunnel car smash, trusted him with her story as he knew Dr James Colthurst, whom he met in 1986 when the royal opened a new CT scanner in his X-ray department at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. He added: “Afterwards, over tea and biscuits, I questioned him about Diana’s visit and soon realised he had known her for years. “Gradually, James and I became friendly, enjoying games of squash followed by large lunches and talking about everything but the princess. “As her friend, of course, James was well aware that her marriage had failed and that her husband was having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. “Diana had a nagging fear that, at any moment, her enemies in the Palace would have her classified as mentally ill and locked away. Where to turn? “It had dawned on her that unless the full story of her life was told, the public would never understand the reasons behind anything she decided to do. “She knew I was researching a book about her and she had been reasonably pleased with an earlier work of mine, mainly because it irritated Prince Charles with its detailed description of the interior of Highgrove. “One day, she asked Colthurst, ‘Does Andrew want an interview?’ I was keen to talk to her directly but this was out of the question. So I interviewed her by proxy, giving my questions to Colthurst, who then conducted six taped interviews with her at Kensington Palace.” Andrew said Diana passed him a series of letters and postcards from Camilla to Prince Charles, which he described as “passionate, loving and full of suppressed longing”. He added: “They left absolutely no doubt that Diana’s suspicions were correct.” But he stressed while she “raged” about her husband’s cheating, she hid the fact that she’d “enjoyed a long love affair with Major James Hewitt from 1986 to 1991”, as well as a brief fling in 1989 with her old friend James Gilbey. Andrew reflected: “Looking back, Diana’s audacity was breathtaking. One is left wondering if she wanted to get her side of the story published first, so she would escape blame for the failure of the marriage.” His book was banned by numerous bookstores and supermarkets, despite telling the truth about Diana’s eating disorder and battles with suicidal thoughts and anxiety. He said: “Ironically, a biography written and produced with Diana’s enthusiastic co-operation was being piously boycotted on the suspicion that it was a pack of lies. “But it soon became apparent that the book really was Diana’s true story — and the princess quickly began to receive the kind of support that always meant so much to her. Letters came flooding in, many from people who had suffered with eating disorders themselves. “She never regretted the taping sessions. And in the last five years of her life, the world witnessed the flowering of her humanitarian spirit.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Todd Chrisley won’t be shamed by anyone, even the IRS. On a recent episode ofthe “Chrisley Confessions” podcast, Todd, 53, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, 49, opened up about their life in the spotlight amid their recent fraud scandal. LINDSIE CHRISLEY ADMITS SHE FEELS ‘EMOTIONALLY’ DRAINED & ‘ALL OVER THE PLACE’ AS DAD TODD FACES JAIL TIME “If we’ve done anything by being on television, we’ve proven that we are not perfect,” the Chrisley Knows Best star shared. “We have shown the imperfections. Folks, I have no shame in that. You can’t shame me for anything that’s going on in my life or in my family, because it was my life, it was my time to live. And it was me making that decision, whether it be good, bad or indifferent.” mega Earlier this summer, both Todd and Julie were convicted on 12 counts of tax evasion, wire fraud and conspiracy. The couple is scheduled for sentencing in October. They face up to 30 years behind bars. The couple have yet to admit to their crimes — even after conviction — but they have opened up on learning from their bad decisions as they await sentencing. SAVANNAH CHRISLEY SHARES CRYPTIC INSTAGRAM POST MONTHS AFTER PARENTS’ FRAUD CONVICTION “Some of the worst decisions that we made were some of the ones that we learned the most from,” Julie said during their joint podcast. Todd added, “So, ultimately, that doesn’t mean that they were the worst decisions. Because if we learned something greatly from that bad decision that we made, then we’re better for it.” A month after being convicted, the television personality also shared the potential personal issues that might have led to him making those bad choices. “I got lost when I couldn’t tell the difference in my self-worth and my net worth,” he said. “And the bigger my net worth became, the less I focused on my self-worth because everything was being built around that net worth. Around stuff.” mega “You become a slave to the things that you thought were going to bring you peace,” he continued. “So I got lost in that and for my whole life because I think I was too ignorant — and when I use the word ignorant [I mean] I [didn’t] know that I understood how to differentiate self-worth and net worth.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Charlie Sheen is set the shell out big bucks after an ex-partner claimed he lied about not having any sexually transmitted diseases before they had unprotected sex. The Two and a Half Men star settled the 2017 lawsuit for $120,000, which he has agreed to give her in monthly installments of $10,000 over 12 months. mega The woman, a “Russian émigré” known only as Jane Doe in the bombshell court filing, stated she met Sheen in 2015 and they quickly developed an intimate relationship. Although they used protection initially, she alleged that they stopped after the actor insisted he was “fine” when she asked him if he had any STD’s or STI’s. INSIDE EXES DENISE RICHARDS & CHARLIE SHEEN’S RELATIONSHIP AFTER 18-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SAMI JOINS ONLYFANS However, after their intimate encounter, theMajor League star revealed he did, in fact, have HIV, a condition he had been aware of since 2011. The suit also alleged Sheen supplied her with pills meant to keep her from contracting the virus from him. mega Despite failing to be truthful with her about the condition, Sheen allegedly argued that he was “noble” for telling her anything at all because it was “none of her f***ing business.” JON CRYER RECOUNTS CHARLIE SHEEN’S DOWNFALL, DISHES ON TROUBLED STAR ‘GOING OFF THE RAILS’ DURING ‘TWO AND A HALF MEN’ DAYS The Young Guns actor later opened up about his diagnosis on a November 2017 episode of the Today show, admitting that he kept the news from his oldest for several years. “It hit her hard, but she recovered. She’s tough like her dad,” he recalled while detailing what it was like to tell her he was HIV positive. “I said, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but it didn’t seem like you could do anything for me and I didn’t want to burden you with all the stress.’ But she was a rock star about it.” mega One year before the lawsuit, Radar learned several of Sheen’s exes accused him of not telling him about having the virus before they entered into a sexual relationship. “One person claims that Charlie had sex with them just last week He didn’t tell them he was HIV positive,” a source spilled at the time. “And a second individual claims they had sex with Charlie three weeks ago. All of these people say they were not notified by Charlie about his HIV status and now they want settlements.” TMZ was first to report the $120,000 settlement. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Prince Harry may have inadvertently achieved one of his mother’s dreams when he left his Royal duties and moved to the United States with Meghan Markle. Prior to her tragic death, Princess Diana once longed to move to sunny Los Angeles to pursue a life of philanthropy alongside her partner, Dodi Fayed. mega “She was having fun for the first time in her life, she had matured into a level of sensuality and sexuality that all women can relate to where they feel held, trusted, considered intelligent, and there is faith in their opinions and creativities,” Diana’s former vocal coach and confidante, Stewart Pearce, said in a recent interview. “In other words, Diana felt 99.9 percent supported by Dodi.” PRINCE HARRY BEGS FRENCH INVESTIGATOR TO REVEAL DETAILS OF DIANA’S DEATH FOR HIS NEW TELL-ALL BOOK “She was really charged with a level of verve, brio, vitality and dynamic force she was excited by as one often is when one has gone through finishing a major relationship that needs to come to a close,” he added. mega The late couple reportedly talked about moving to Malibu together, noting the beloved Royal was “fascinated” by some of the conversations she had with “creative moguls” in the United States regarding incorporating film and video into her charity work. ‘IT LITERALLY ALMOST COST THE MONARCHY’: HOW THE DEATH OF PRINCESS DIANA NEARLY SPARKED A BRITISH ANTI-ROYAL ‘REVOLUTION’ Pearce explained her “excitement” for the future stemmed from the idea that she may be able to free herself “from the restraints of the protocol within the Royal Family,” much like her youngest son would do years later. mega 23 years after Diana’s horrific car accident that took both her and Dodi’s lives, Prince Harry packed his bags and moved to California with his own family to fight for a life away from the pressures of Royal duties. “Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” a statement announcing their departure read. “While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.” The Sun was first to report Pearce’s comments about Diana’s California dreams. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Phil Stewart and Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Some Republicans in Pennsylvania defended Donald Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano on Saturday after Reuters published a 2014 photo of him posing in a Confederate uniform. The previously unreported photo was released by the U.S. Army War College to Reuters under a Freedom of Information Act request. It showed Mastriano among the 2013-14 faculty for the Department of Military Strategy, Plans, and Operations, where he worked at the time. For years, the photo had hung at the college, which took it down following Reuters’ request, saying the image did not reflect its values. Mastriano, a state senator who retired from the Army in 2017, did not respond to requests for comment. Lee Snover, chair of the Republican Party in Northampton County, downplayed the significance of the photo. “It happened years ago. There was something called the Civil War and that included Confederate soldiers, so not sure what the big deal is,” Snover said. Asked whether she supported the college’s decision to take down the photo, she said, “I wouldn’t have. I don’t like liberals tearing down our history.” Sam DeMarco, head of the Allegheny County Republican Party, which includes Pittsburgh, once penned an op-ed airing his concerns about Mastriano’s electability. But he said the photo was being overblown by the candidate’s opponents. “This story is another example of why the media is viewed poorly and with distrust by many on the right,” DeMarco told Reuters. Faculty in the photo had been given the option of dressing as a historical figure, people familiar with the photo said, but most opted for regular attire. Mastriano is the only one wearing a Confederate uniform. Displays of Confederate symbols can be seen as insensitive to those who view them as painful reminders of racial oppression and the Civil War that saw 11 rebelling Confederate states fight to keep Black people enslaved. Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s attorney general who is running against Mastriano in the November ballot, said on Saturday that his opponent had voluntarily worn the uniform of traitors. “This man is dangerous and out of touch,” Shapiro told a campaign rally. “This man doesn’t respect you or our shared values of common humanity.” More than 33,000 soldiers from Pennsylvania died fighting for the Union during the Civil War, and the state was the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, the conflict’s bloodiest battle, which ended with a Union victory and inspired President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Mastriano’s district, Pennsylvania’s 33rd, includes Gettysburg. Democrat Austin Davis, a candidate for lieutenant governor and the first Black American to serve as a state representative for Pennsylvania’s 35th district, said it was “unconscionable” and “deeply hurtful” for Mastriano to wear a uniform that reflects the enslavement of Black people. “We must defeat him in November,” Davis wrote on Twitter. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by AFP Facebook has agreed to settle in a privacy lawsuit over the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a court document shows Washington (AFP) – Facebook has reached a preliminary agreement in a long-running lawsuit seeking damages from the social network for allowing third parties, including the company Cambridge Analytica, to access users’ private data. According to a document filed Friday in a San Francisco court, Facebook says it is submitting a draft “agreement in principle” and has requested a stay of proceedings for 60 days to finalize it. The social network did not indicate the amount or terms of the agreement in the class action. When asked by AFP, Facebook said late Saturday night they had “no comment to share at this time.” The deal comes as Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg and former chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, who announced her resignation in June, were due to testify in court in September as part of the scandal. In a lawsuit initiated in 2018, Facebook users accused the social network of violating privacy rules by sharing their data with third parties including the firm Cambridge Analytica, which was linked to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Cambridge Analytica — which has since shut down — had collected and exploited, without their consent, the personal data of 87 million Facebook users, to which the platform had given it access. This information was allegedly used to develop software steering US voters in favor of Trump. In 2019, federal authorities fined Facebook $5 billion for misleading its users and imposed independent oversight of its personal data management. Since the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, Facebook has removed access to its data from thousands of apps suspected of abusing it, restricted the amount of information available to developers, and made it easier for users to calibrate restrictions on personal data sharing. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jennifer Lopez claims footage from her singing at her wedding to Ben Affleck was “stolen without our consent”. The ‘On the Floor’ hitmaker tied the knot with the ‘Tender Bar’ star for the second time in Georgia last weekend and a few days later, a clip circulated on line of the 53-year-old star serenading her new husband, and she’s criticised the leaking of the clip, particularly because all their guests were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDA) as a condition of their attendance. After fan account JLoW0rld shared the clip on Instagram, she commented: “This was taken without permission. Period. Whoever did it took advantage of our private moment. I don’t know where you all are getting it from because we had NDAs and asked everyone not to share anything from our wedding. That is our choice to share. “Anything I put out private is OnTheJLo and it’s to share with my fans. Which I will do when I am ready to. This was stolen without our consent and sold for money. “Thank you for caring, I love you guys.” The owner of the fan account deleted the video “out of respect for Bennifer” and instead shared a new post featuring a screenshot of the ‘Hustlers’ actress’ comment, which Jennifer liked. The video which circulated online featured Jennifer, joined by a troupe of backing dancers, singing to Ben while he was seated in front of her on the dance floor. The lyrics for the sentimental song included: “I can feel the passion in your eyes, I’m still in love with you, You know I can’t get enough, You know I can’t get enough.” The 50-year-old actor was seen smiling throughout, and sang along when presented with the microphone. The couple originally married in Las Vegas in a low-key ceremony in July, just three months after getting engaged again for the second time. They then hosted a star-studded celebration, where they exchanged vows once again in front of 150 friends and family, at their home in Georgia last weekend. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Danny DeVito thinks he was a “better” Penguin than Colin Farrell. The 77-year-old actor portrayed the iconic villain – aka mobster Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobblepot – in 1992’s ‘Batman Returns’ opposite Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, while the ‘In Bruges’ star took on the role in ‘The Batman’, going up against Robert Pattinson in the lead role. While Danny thinks Colin is “terrific”, he believes he did a better job with the character. Undergoing a lie detector test for Vanity Fair magazine, Danny’s daughter Lucy showed him a photo of Colin and asked: “What about this Penguin?” He replied: “Oh, Colin? I love Colin. He’s a terrific guy. My Penguin was better. “Was that the truth?” After the person conducting the test confirmed: “You are telling the truth”, Danny added: “It certainly was. In my opinion. It’s my opinion. Good man, though. Colin’s a good guy.” The ‘Twins’ star was also asked who he felt the best Batman was. He pointed to Michael’s photo and said: “This is the Batman for me, yeah, Michael.” Colin is set to reprise the role again in a standalone HBO Max series, but also admitted he’d jump at the chance to return for another movie with Robert and director Matt Reeves. He said of the prospect: “Oh my god, you kidding me?! It’s so much fun, are you joking [with] me? I’ve been around the block man. That was an easy sport, I mean … it was a joy. “Matt’s up to his b*******, you know, hovering over the keyboard and just planning the story because he’s just so meticulous. “He’s so obsessive about what he does, but he’s all over [HBO Max’s] The Penguin [series] as well. I mean, he’s not gonna direct it but he’s all over the structure of the scripts and who’s gonna direct them. And so, it’s exciting.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Police in Texas arrested a woman who they said shouted racial abuse at four Indian women in a viral video, telling them to “Go back to India,” in an incident brought to the attention of federal authorities. “This incident is a hate crime in accordance with Texas laws,” police in Plano, Texas, where the incident occurred, said in a statement on Saturday. “This incident may also be a hate crime based on federal law, and we are working closely with the FBI and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division on this case.” In a video of the incident, which was shared on social media and got millions of views, the woman was seen shouting racist comments in a parking lot at a group of four women of Indian origin. “Go back to India, we don’t want you here,” she said in the video. “I hate you fucking Indians,” the woman, who identified herself as Mexican-American in the video, added. The arrest of the woman took place on Thursday. The video of the incident from Wednesday went viral on social media, particularly in India and the United States. Police said the woman, Esmeralda Upton, was arrested on one charge of “assault bodily injury” and one charge of “terroristic threats.” She was held on a total bond amount of $10,000. One of the Indian women, Rani Banerjee, said she and three of her friends had just finished dinner at a restaurant when the woman confronted them in the parking lot. “Suddenly, we heard this woman yelling at us and started coming toward us. We were shocked by the racial slurs that she used and combative attitude,” Banerjee told an ABC News affiliate. Banerjee started recording the incident with her phone. The video also appears to show Upton hitting the women. “What was so very scary is she came very close and not only verbally assaulted us but started physically assaulting us. She started hitting me,” Banerjee said. A representative of Upton could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by AFP Roland Mesnier avec la Première dame Laura Bush le 30 novembre 2006 à Washington Washington (AFP) – Roland Mesnier, the French-born longtime pastry chef at the White House whose whimsical confections served five American presidents, has died at age 78, a historical association said. The culinary master — who joined the presidential mansion’s staff in 1979 under Jimmy Carter and worked there until his 2004 retirement during George W. Bush’s presidency — died Friday “following a short illness,” the White House Historical Association said on its website. “I have such fond memories of Chef Mesnier,” former first lady Hillary Clinton said Saturday in a Twitter post that included a photograph of her and Mesnier standing next to some of his gingerbread holiday pieces. “He loved making people smile with his beautiful creations, including his famous gingerbread houses at Christmas,” she added. “He will be missed!” The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute also expressed condolences about Mesnier’s passing, noting he had served as White House executive pastry chef for 25 years. “His passion, commitment, and love for his work will always be remembered,” the foundation said. Mesnier, born in Bonnay, a small village in eastern France, died in the US state of Virginia following complications from cancer, according to The Washington Post, which quoted his son George. Born into a modest family of nine children, he had worked in large hotels in Germany, Britain and Bermuda before first lady Rosalynn Carter hired him in 1979. View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans joining Congress’s probe of the assault on the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters, accused members of his party of “hypocrisy” for defending the former president’s handling of classified documents. “The hypocrisy of folks in my party that spent years chanting ‘lock her up’ about Hillary Clinton because of some deleted emails or quote unquote wiping a server are now out there defending a man who very clearly did not take the national security of the United States to heart,” Kinzinger said during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.” On Friday, the Department of Justice released a redacted version of an affidavit that helped it win court approval for an Aug. 8 FBI search of Trump’s Florida estate. The affidavit disclosed that law enforcement was investigating possible criminal activity, including obstruction of justice, after classified documents were found there and others already were returned to Washington. Trump says he has done nothing wrong and is the victim of a political attack. Trump and many other Republicans for years castigated his 2016 campaign rival former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for having used a private email server for some official public communications, some of which contained classified information. Trump has regularly led political rallies with supporters chanting “Lock her up.” Kinzinger and Representative Liz Cheney are the two Republicans on the nine-member House special committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and Trump’s activities surrounding that day. Kinzinger, who opted not to seek re-election, said that either in upcoming hearings or in a formal committee report, there will be “more depth” revealed on Trump’s behavior during the riot. He added, “One of the more intriguing things is going to be some of the financing … a vast majority of this money was raised under ‘stop the steal’ with no intention of doing anything to stop the so-called steal.” Trump falsely claims that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election through massive fraud, an assertion that has been rejected by several court rulings, the former president’s own Justice Department and even Republican-led investigations at the state level. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by NJ.com The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association is defending the design of a new pier it plans to build in the Jersey Shore community, despite backlash from some residents who say the structure too closely resembles a Christian cross on a public beach. The religious nonprofit organization’s chief operating officer, Jamie Jackson, said the group makes “no apology for that we love the fact that it looks like a cross.” When asked if Jackson’s statement meant the beach pier was, in fact, intentionally designed to look like a Christian cross, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association President Michael Badger s… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, are reflecting on the difficulties and rewards of their first year as the father of twins. On Saturday, the country’s first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member posted a lengthy essay on his personal Medium account sharing “all the routines (and the surprises) of parenting” — from their ‘surprise’ adoption scenario to scary moments the family had to spend in the emergency room. Buttigieg, 40, posted a link to the Medium post on Twitter, writing that the couple was “reflecting on the miraculous growth that our kids — and we ourselves —… Read More View the full article

Published by The San Diego Union-Tribune SAN DIEGO — San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy was elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis on Saturday in Vatican City. Despite a long Catholic history, it marks the first time San Diego has had a cardinal and could raise the importance of the city among the faithful. McElroy, 68, was the only new cardinal from the U.S. named by Pope Francis. Now that he has his red cardinal’s hat (called a biretta) and signet ring, he can be among the group to select the next pope when the time comes. He said he should be traveling to the Vatican about four times a year but spending the rest of the time in San Dieg… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Saturday inducted 20 cardinals from around the world, choosing men who mostly agree with his vision of a more progressive and inclusive Church and influencing their choice of his eventual successor. Francis, 85, presided at a ceremony known as a consistory, telling the new cardinals to show concern for ordinary people despite the high rank that will bring them into contact with the powerful of the earth. The ceremony marked the eight time Francis has put his stamp on the Church’s future with a new intake of cardinals who will serve as his top advisors and administrators at the Vatican and around the globe. Those under 80 – 16 among the 20 newcomers – can enter a conclave to elect a new pope from among themselves after he dies or resigns. They come from Britain, South Korea, Spain, France, Nigeria, Brazil, India, the United States, East Timor, Italy, Ghana, Singapore, Paraguay, and Colombia. “A Cardinal loves the Church, always with that same spiritual fire, whether dealing with great questions or handling everyday problems, with the powerful of this world or those ordinary people who are great in God’s eyes,” Francis said. Sitting before the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis asked them to remember “poor families, migrant and homeless persons.” He read his homily in a strong voice, often going off script, even to joke about a Rome priest who was so close to his parishioners that he knew not only all their names, but also the names of their dogs. Francis, elected as pope in 2013, has now chosen 83 of the 132 cardinal electors, or about 63%. With each consistory, Francis has continued what one diplomat has called a “tilt towards Asia,” increasing the likelihood that the next pope could be from the region that is a growing economic and political powerhouse. RESIGNATION NOT AROUND THE CORNER The 85-year-old pontiff told Reuters in an interview last month that if he does resign in the future for health reasons – instead of dying in office – he has no plans to do so anytime soon. This means he could name even more cardinals as soon as next year. After reading his homily, Francis gave them each their ring and red hat, the colour of which, along with their vestments, is to remind them that they should be willing to shed their blood for the faith. Since his election as the first Latin American pope, Francis’ has often broken the mould used by his predecessors in picking cardinals. Often he has preferred men from developing nations and smaller cities, rather than from major capitals where having a cardinal used to be considered automatic. Archbishop Leonardo Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, becomes the first cardinal from the Amazon region, underscoring Francis’ concern for indigenous people and the environment. Another unexpected new cardinal elector is Archbishop Giorgio Marengo, an Italian who is the Catholic Church’s administrator in Mongolia. At 48, he is the youngest of the new cardinal electors. Mongolia has fewer than 1,500 Catholics but is strategically significant because it borders with China, where the Vatican is trying to improve the situation for Catholics. “The Holy Father cares for the Church wherever it is in the world. (We) feel that a tiny community is as important as a large community,” he told Reuters before the ceremony. One significant appointment from the richer countries is that of Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, California, who is seen as a progressive. By giving San Diego its first cardinal, Francis bypassed conservative archbishops in San Francisco and Los Angeles. McElroy has been an outspoken ally of Francis’ pastoral approach to social issues, such as protection of the environment and a more welcoming approach to gay Catholics. He also has opposed conservative U.S. clergymen who want to ban Catholic politicians, including President Joe Biden and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, from receiving communion because of their support of abortion rights. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Ros Russell) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega No brotherly love here. A heated Prince Williamwent to confront his brother Harryafter the latter “slammed the phone down on him” over allegations Meghan Marklewas bulling Palace staff members, according to a new French TV documentary about the once close brothers-turned-enemies. Radar has learned William allegedly called Harry to discuss the accusations about his bride, but the Duke of Sussex didn’t want to hear it. As a result, Harry hung up on his older brother, causing William to go into a tailspin. Mega “[William] called Harry directly, and Harry slammed the phone down,” Pierrick Geais, a royal author who wrote a book about the second in line for King, alleged on Red Line: William and Harry, the enemy brothers. “Harry didn’t want to know anything, and so William jumped in a car towards Kensington Palace, where he was going to confront Prince Harry.” The documentary will be broadcast on August 30 — the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. It will address the accusations brought against Meghan by the Sussexes’ former communications secretary, Jason Knauf in October 2018, in which he claimed the Duchess forced a few staff members to quit over her behavior and had undermined the confidence of another employee at Kensington Palace. Knauf wrote the allegations in an email to William’s then private secretarySimon Case. Mega The accusations against Meghan were brought to light in a report by The Times, just days before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey was set to air. The program by the French channel BFM TV will also drop another bombshell never before told claim — those who left their positions due to Meghan’s alleged behavior started a WhatsApp group called “The Sussex Survivors’ Club.” Meghan has always denied she bullied staff members, shooting down the accusations when they were made public. One of her reps called the allegations a “calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.” Mega “We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet,” the statement read at the time. “It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.” Following The Times’ article, Buckingham Palace launched an independent investigation into the complaints against the claims. After the probe was complete, the Palace said they had improved and updated HR policies as a result of the investigation. View the full article

Published by AFP US President Joe Biden says Republican abortion bans are 'beyond the pale' Washington (AFP) – The White House on Friday blasted the latest set of “radical” abortion restrictions in four more states run by Republicans, signaling President Joe Biden’s determination to lean on the issue ahead of tight November congressional elections. There are now full-scale abortion bans in 12 Republican-controlled states, which had prepared so-called trigger laws ready to be activated when the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision ensuring automatic rights to abortion access nationwide. “Today marks the latest attack against the fundamental rights of Americans as new abortion bans go into effect in Idaho, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “These near-total abortion bans are part of a growing effort by Republican legislators to roll back the freedoms Americans have relied on for nearly half a century. Today’s radical steps take away women’s reproductive rights and put personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians instead of women and their doctors,” she said. The Supreme Court ruling two months ago put jurisdiction over abortion access in the hands of individual state legislatures, immediately turning swaths of the country into areas where getting the procedure has become all but impossible. Jean-Pierre echoed Biden’s frequent demand for Congress to pass a new law enshrining nationwide abortion rights and urged “people across the country to make their voices heard” ahead of the November midterm elections, which will decide whether Democrats retain their narrow hold on the legislature. Republicans have fought for decades to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and finally achieved their goal in a Supreme Court that tilted sharply to conservative interpretations of the constitution after Donald Trump filled three vacancies during his one-term presidency. Polls show the court’s ruling was unpopular with a majority of Americans, however, and Democrats hope the issue will help them fend off a previously predicted sweep by Republicans in the midterms. “I think the American people realize this is just beyond the pale, it goes too far,” Biden told reporters at the White House. Meanwhile, the White House is trying to help women who want to circumvent the bans by supporting their travel to states that do allow abortions. The health department on Friday announced increased federal funding for states where the authorities want to help such women. “We have seen the gut-wrenching stories of women suffering and not getting the care they need because of newly-enacted laws that restrict abortion care,” Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said. The new federal assistance will “protect women’s access to reproductive care, including abortion,” he said. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department on Friday released a redacted version of the legal document that allowed the FBI to seize classified government records from former President Donald Trump’s Florida home, a move that could shed more light on the evidence that led to the unprecedented search. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who had approved the warrant that led to the FBI’s search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Aug. 8, had ordered the unsealing of the redacted affidavit by noon (1600 GMT) on Friday. The search in Palm Beach marked a significant escalation in one of the many federal and state investigations Trump is facing from his time in office and in private business. The Republican former president has suggested he might run for the White House again. “The government is conducting a criminal investigation concerning the improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorized spaces, as well as the unlawful concealment or removal of government records,” the 38-page affidavit began. The FBI action was part of a federal probe into whether Trump illegally removed documents when he left office in January 2021 after losing the presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, and whether he tried to obstruct the government’s investigation. The FBI carried away more than 20 boxes containing 11 sets of classified government records, some of which were labeled “top secret.” The affidavit, a document that is not usually made public unless someone is charged with a crime, is a sworn statement outlining the evidence that gave the department probable cause to seek a search warrant. Prosecutors had asked for the entire document to be sealed to protect the integrity of their ongoing investigation, prompting media companies to file a legal challenge to get it released. In his order on Thursday, Reinhart said the Justice Department had valid reasons to keep some of the document secret, including the need to protect the identities of witnesses and federal agents as well as the government’s investigation and strategy and grand jury material. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen, Mike Scarella, and Karen Freifeld; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Hold Me Closer Lyrics – Elton John & Britney Spears Hold me closer Hold me closer Hold me closer Hold me closer Saw you dancing out the ocean Running fast along the sand A spirit born of earth and water Fire flying from your hands Oh Hold me closer, tiny dancer Count the headlights on the highway Lay me down in sheets of linen You had a busy day today Oh Hold me closer Hold me closer (Hold me closer) Hold me closer Hold me closer There are caravans we follow Drunken nights in dark hotels (Baby) When chances breathe between the silence When sex and love no longer gel Oh Hold me closer, tiny dancer Count the headlights on the highway (Baby) Lay me down in sheets of linen You had a busy day today Hold me closer Hold me closer (Baby, baby) Hold me closer Hold me closer (Oh yeah) Hold me closer Hold me closer (Hold me closer, me closer) Hold me closer (Me closer, mm, yeah) Hold me closer Published by AFP Britney Spears, pictured with her husband Sam Asghari Los Angeles (AFP) – Britney Spears released her first new song in six years on Friday with the debut of “Hold Me Closer”, a duet with British music legend Elton John. The track — a dance-inflected take on John’s 1970s ballad “Tiny Dancer”, with elements of his later hit “The One” — dropped less than a year after Spears won a court battle with her father, ending a conservatorship arrangement that gave him control over much of her life. “Okie dokie… my first song in 6 years!!!!” Spears wrote on Twitter. “It’s pretty damn cool that I’m singing with one of the most classic men of our time.” The cover art features childhood images of the two pop legends, who between them have 90 years’ experience in the music business. In dusting off some of his own classics with the help of a younger artist, John is repeating a trick he pulled with last year’s hit “Cold Heart”, recorded with Dua Lipa. That track mashed up parts of several of his songs, most notably “Rocket Man”. Spears’ last release was the 2016 album “Glory”. Since then, the singer — a pop-chart colossus in the late 1990s and early 2000s — has been in the spotlight as a result of the conservatorship that controlled her life for 13 years. In November, a Los Angeles judge formally approved the process of ending the controversial arrangement, which had given her father Jamie Spears control over almost all of her personal, professional and financial dealings. The multi-award-winning John — properly Sir Elton John — is one of Britain’s most bankable stars, whose showmanship and musicality have left their mark on the performing arts. Since he first emerged in 1962, the singer — born Reginald Dwight — has been responsible for some of the most recognizable tunes in pop, including “Your Song”, “Candle in the Wind” and “I’m Still Standing.” View the full article