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Published by BANG Showbiz English Pamela Anderson says starring in ‘Chicago’ on Broadway is a “pretty hard” workout. The former ‘Baywatch’ actress – who is mother to model Dylan, 24, and Brandon, 25, with ex-husband Tommy Lee – is now starring as Roxie Hart in the classic musical, and she’s revealed how she keeps in shape for the energetic dance routines. Asked what her fitness regime is, the 54-year-old star replied: “I get regular massage, body work. I love Pilates. I’m working out pretty hard on Broadway right now. My walks in the park and some stretching is enough for me to keep up my stamina.” When she is in need of some self-care, the former Playboy bunny heads to her favourite facialist in the Big Apple. She told E! Online: “While we push our limits out of our comfort zone, self-care is important. I’m lucky. I go to Klara Beauty Lab anytime I’m in New York. She’s the best. She takes great care of me. Her facials are custom- always different- nurturing, rejuvenating, cleansing.” The blonde bombshell also opened up about her mantras on life and is a firm believer beauty comes from “within”. She said: “I believe all beauty comes from within. Happiness is the best beauty trick. Being brave is sexy. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Fighting for freedom starts with one’s own freedom. It is a condition when fighting for others freedom. It is a political statement to be happy, to be alive. Life is a privilege not to be taken lightly.” Pamela’s son Dylan recently congratulated his mother on her stellar opening night. He wrote: “Mother killed it.” And the ex-glamour model’s oldest son Brandon shared a snap of his world-famous mother as she posed for photos with fans at the stage door and signed autographs. Pamela previously spoke about how her role in ‘Chicago’ – which tells the story of two women who end up in jail accused of murder and become tabloid sensations – could be the beginning of a “new career” in theatre as she thanked her sons for their support. She said: “This is the beginning of the rest of my career — maybe. It is a real big deal but I’m leaning on my support system and my kids.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn is in hot water with his own constituents after it was revealed the young politician spent upwards of $5,000 in what he claims was “legislative planning food and beverage” while at a luxurious North Carolina hotel over the summer. In a surprising development that has left North Carolina citizens outraged, the 26-year-old representative reportedly spent $2,950 on August 9 while residing at Skylaranna – an opulent getaway resort in Cawthorn’s hometown of Hendersonville. Mega That is the bombshell revelation from a recent Washington Examiner report that obtained the North Carolina representative’s expense reports and analyzed the amount of money spent using funds from Cawthorn’s Members’ Representational Allowance, an allowance authorized to Cawthorn for what should only be used for official and representational duties. Making the Examiner’s report even more stirring is the fact that Cawthorn billed taxpayers in his district upwards of $2,000 that very same week for “food and beverages” from establishments like Chick-fil-A, Bojangles chicken, Joey’s NY Bagels, as well as a number of non-detailed payments to the politician’s government credit card. The grand total for the “legislative planning food and beverage” expenses added up to just under $5,000, causing many of citizens Cawthorn represents to question what exactly was going on that week in August and if the expenses were professional – as Cawthorn claims – or actually personal and picked up by the taxpayers. Furthermore, in just another shocking development to the story, while Cawthorn was spending thousands of dollars in taxpayer money he also took the time to write a tweet complaining about the Democrats and how they “love wasting” our “hard-earned tax dollars.” Mega “Democratic politicians certainly love wasting your hard-earned tax dollars while forcing your businesses to shut down,” he tweeted while reportedly relaxing at the luxurious North Carolina resort. Following the backlash for the recently analyzed expense report from early August, a spokesperson speaking on behalf of Cawthorn released a statement reiterating the claim that the expenses were used for a “district retreat.” “Our district retreat occurred on those dates; those expenses were for the district and D.C. staff on the retreat,” Cawthorn’s spokesperson, Luke Ball, told the outlet. “Nearly every office on Capitol Hill has a district retreat and a budget specifically designated for one.” This is just the latest controversy surrounding Cawthorn who, just weeks ago, was forced to backtrack on claims he made suggesting that he was once invited to an orgy at a fellow congressman’s home. Mega “The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington…being kind of a young guy in Washington where the average age is probably 60 or 70, I look at all these people – a lot of them who I’ve looked up to throughout my life…then all of a sudden you get invited to like, ‘well hey we’re going to have kind of a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come,’ like, what did you just ask me to come to?” Cawthorn claimed last month. “And then you realize they’re asking you to come to an orgy,” he added, before admitting he had exaggerated his claims after mounting backlash from House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and other members of Congress. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kaley Cuoco reveals Sharon Stone “b**** slapped” her three times during ‘The Flight Attendant’ filming. The 36-year-old actress has recalled working with the 64-year-old star on her series, and Sharon – who plays her mother on the show – improvised a slap during an intense scene. Appearing on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’, Kaley said: “Before we started the scene, she sat me down and said, Hey how do you feel about me touching you in this scene?’ “I said, ‘Whatever you want to do, you are Sharon Stone.’ “ The ‘Big Bang Theory’ actress explained that they did the scene, and Sharon said her line as planned before grabbing her co-star’s face. She added: “Then she whacks me… It was real. First of all, the reaction was about as real as you could get. “I had snot coming out and I’m crying, and literally shaking and ‘Cut’. No one moves. No one makes a sound. “No one knows if Kaley is happy, did she tell Sharon to slap her?” Sharon apologised and told the actress she loved her, insisting the slap “just felt right for the scene”. Kaley quipped: “I just got b**** slapped.” Producers then came over and suggested telling Sharon they got everything in the first take, but Kaley suggested they just went again. She explained: “I said ‘Listen, I’m going to bet that woman is not slapping me again’. Do not tell Sharon Stone not to slap me. She is not going to do it again. “We do another take. I’m crying. She comes up to me and she wails on me again and they get another incredibly real reaction because I just got slapped a second time. “She comes back and she’s like ‘I’m sorry it just felt right for the take.’ “ Her team joined her outside while she was holding her face and suggested saying something, but Kaley was adamant Sharon wouldn’t slap her “a third time”, joking that “there’s no way”. She found herself pulling back during the third take, and added: “‘Just get in there Kaley, she is not going to slap you again’. Get in there, she slaps me again. Three times I got slapped… “Now I need to ice. It was insane but one of the best stories I have ever had.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The Biden administration will no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation, after a federal judge in Florida ruled that the directive was unlawful, overturning a key White House effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Airlines welcomed the move on Monday by saying they would no longer require masks: ALASKA AIRLINES “Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years — you couldn’t fly without one. But, as of today, masks are optional in airports and onboard aircraft, effective immediately.” “While we are glad this means many of us get to see your smiling faces, we understand some might have mixed feelings. Please remember to be kind to one another and that wearing a mask while traveling is still an option.” AMERICAN AIRLINES “Face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights. “Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements.” DELTA AIR LINES “Effective immediately, masks are optional for all airport employees, crew members and customers inside U.S. airports and onboard aircraft.” “We are relieved to see the U.S. mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as COVID-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus. Thank you for your support in complying with the federal mask mandate and keeping each other, and our customers, safe during the pandemic.” UNITED AIRLINES “Effective immediately, masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country’s mask requirements) or at U.S. airports. “While this means that our employees are no longer required to wear a mask – and no longer have to enforce a mask requirement for most of the flying public – they will be able to wear masks if they choose to do so, as the CDC continues to strongly recommend wearing a mask on public transit.” JETBLUE “Mask wearing will now be optional on JetBlue. While no longer required, customers and crewmembers are welcome to continue wearing masks in our terminals and on board our aircraft.” SOUTHWEST AIRLINES “Southwest employees and customers will be able to choose whether they would like to wear a mask, and we encourage individuals to make the best decision to support their personal wellbeing.” ALLEGIANT TRAVEL CO “Allegiant will no longer enforce the federal mask mandate. Should the guidance change, we will adjust our policy accordingly. Passengers and employees still have the option to wear masks in airports and on aircraft if they so choose.” HAWAIIAN HOLDINGS INC “Effective immediately, face masks are optional for our guests and employees onboard Hawaiian Airlines flights.” SPIRIT AIRLINES “Face coverings are now optional for Spirit Team Members & Guests onboard our flights following the federal court ruling and TSA guidance.” [https://bit.ly/3xDZAXp] FRONTIER GROUP HOLDINGS INC “Masks are now optional on domestic flights, however, certain airports or countries may still require masks,” [https://bit.ly/3OmQF2D] AIRLINES FOR AMERICA (INDUSTRY TRADE GROUP) “The high level of immunity and widespread vaccine accessibility in the U.S. coupled with the hospital-grade cabin air on aircraft provide a strong, science-based foundation for passengers to travel with confidence as restrictions are lifted on our nation’s airlines.” “We look forward to welcoming millions of travelers back to the skies this summer to reunite with loved ones, attend conferences or to take a vacation.” (Compiled by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago, David Shepardson and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles, Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Edited by Heather Timmons, Stephen Coates, Bernard Orr and Anil D’Silva) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Russia launched its long-awaited all-out assault on east Ukraine, unleashing thousands of troops in what Ukraine described as the Battle of the Donbas, a campaign to seize two provinces and salvage a battlefield victory. FIGHTING * Ukraine’s defence ministry said the aim of Russia’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine was to seize all of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, establish a land link between those territories and Crimea, and destroy Ukraine’s armed forces. * An aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine will fail because Moscow’s forces lack the strength to break through Ukrainian defences. * A senior U.S. official said the latest offensive was the prelude to a much larger assault. * Russia’s defence ministry said it had opened a corridor for Ukrainian forces who wanted to lay down their arms and safely leave the Azovstal steel works in the besieged city of Mariupol. * Russian forces seized Kreminna, a city of over 18,000 people in eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces withdrew, the regional governor said. * Russia handed over 60 soldiers and 16 civilians to Ukraine in the fifth such exchange of prisoners of war, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said. * At least three people were killed and 16 wounded in Russian shelling of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, the regional governor said. DIPLOMACY * U.S. President Joe Biden held a nearly-90-minute video call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the leaders of France, Germany, Britain, Poland, Japan and Italy. * “There was broad consensus on the need to step up pressure on the Kremlin, including by adopting further sanctions, and to increase Moscow’s international isolation,” the Italian government said. * German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the allies were cooperating to provide more financial and military support to Ukraine, including long-range artillery and anti-tank and air defence weapons. * Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters it was hard to say when the next direct peace talks would be possible as Russia was now “seriously betting” on its offensive in eastern Ukraine. * U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a four-day humanitarian pause over the Orthodox Easter to allow civilians to leave areas of conflict and humanitarian aid to reach hard-hit areas. ECONOMY * Russia’s invasion has damaged or destroyed up to 30% of Ukraine’s infrastructure at a cost of $100 billion, a Ukrainian minister said, adding reconstruction could be achieved in two years using frozen Russian assets to help finance it. * World Bank President David Malpass will host a meeting on Thursday with Ukraine’s prime minister and finance minister to discuss further financial assistance. He said Ukraine’s debt burden had to be “reduced substantially” because of the pressures from Russia’s invasion. * Russia flagged a likely further cut in interest rates and more budget spending to help the economy adapt to biting Western sanctions as it heads for its deepest contraction since 1994. QUOTES “Of course there are morons who draw ‘Z’, but 10% of any country are morons. 90% of Russians are AGAINST this war! … Dear ‘collective West’ please give Mr Putin a clear exit to save his face and stop this massacre” – wealthy Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov “What has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cost? A crisis on top of a crisis, with devastating human costs and a massive setback for the global economy,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina told a food security panel. (Editing by Kevin Liffey) View the full article

Published by Miami Herald TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he has expanded the Legislature’s special session on redistricting this week to cut to the core of his latest political enemy and announced he wants lawmakers to repeal the law that allows the Walt Disney World Resort to operate as a self-governing body. “I am announcing today that we are expanding the call of what they are going to be considering this week,’’ DeSantis said at a news conference in The Villages. “Yes, they will be considering the congressional map, but they also will be considering termination of all special districts that… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA Going strong! Hugh Jackman‘s wife of 26 years, Deborra-Lee Furness, squashed longtime rumors that her husband is gay, even laughing off the speculation about his sexuality. “I mean, hello guys — if he was gay, he could be gay!” Furness, 66, said on the Not an Overnight Success podcast. LRNYC / MEGA The actress pointed out that Hugh could get whoever he wanted and would know “he didn’t have to hide in the closet anymore,” she continued. “And he’d be dating Brad Pitt, or whatever. Not that Brad’s gay, but you know what I’m saying!” “It’s so silly, and then people perpetuate silly things and it’s boring,” the Australia-born star added. The Wolverine actor, 53, has often celebrated his relationship with Deborra, calling it “destiny” for them to end up together after crossing paths nearly three decades ago. Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA “Every single day is filled with so much laughter, joy and backgammon!!!! Deb, you light up my life. I love you with all my heart!” he gushed alongside a photo of them cozying up at the beach together while ringing in their 26th wedding anniversary this April. Deborra and Hugh met on the set of the Australian TV series Correlli back in 1995 and quickly hit it off. They tied the knot in 1996 and went on to welcome two children together: Oscar, 21, and Ava, 16. The mom of two said it has been awkward to see each other in sex scenes over the years, but they both know how to keep it strictly business. RCF / MEGA “It’s so weird — I suppose because I’ve done it so many times before, it’s not really romantic,” she said of herself, revealing it’s not as steamy as one may think. “You’ve got the light in your face, you’ve got to hit a mark and so, it’s not really sexy.” The same goes for Hugh when his character is getting handsy on the big screen. “When I’m sitting in the theater watching — especially if I’m with the kids — I feel a little uncomfortable,” she admitted. “Also, a lot of the time, I’m very good friends with the actress he’s making out with as we’re making a film, we all get to know each other.” View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden’s administration plans to rescind a rule devised under his predecessor Donald Trump that was intended to make it easier for healthcare providers including doctors and nurses to avoid performing abortions or other medical services on religious or moral grounds, Politico reported on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2018 unveiled what it called the “conscience rule,” but it never took effect due to litigation. States including California and New York and abortion providers filed suit to challenge it, leading a federal court to block the measure in 2019. The rule enabled the federal government to punish hospitals, clinics, universities and other healthcare providers that stopped healthcare workers from doing what their “conscience” dictated and refusing to carry out certain procedures. Trump’s HHS said the rule fulfilled his “promise to promote and protect the fundamental and unalienable rights of conscience and religious liberty.” Religious conservatives were a key constituency for Trump. Politico, quoting sources familiar with the matter, reported that HHS could act to rescind the rule as soon as the end of this month. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Some states and municipalities argued that the rule could undermine their ability to provide effective healthcare and upend their efforts to accommodate workers’ beliefs. Critics also have said the rule could deprive gay, transgender and other patients of needed healthcare because some providers, citing religious beliefs, might deem them less worthy of treatment. Biden, a Democrat, promised during his 2020 election campaign to reverse many of the measures restricting reproductive rights introduced or backed by Trump, a Republican. Republican-governed states have passed a series of laws in recent years restricting abortion rights. The U.S. Supreme Court is due to rule by the end of June in a case from Mississippi that gives its conservative majority a chance to overturn its landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion nationwide. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House announced on Tuesday that it has finalized regulations guiding environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects like highways and pipelines that would consider their climate impacts and other factors. The White House Council for Environmental Quality has now officially restored key provisions of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations that had been in place before the Trump administration overhauled the rules last year for the first time in decades. The change will require federal agencies to consider the “direct,” “indirect,” and “cumulative” impacts of proposed projects or actions, including a full evaluation of climate change impacts and assessment of the impact of releasing additional pollution in communities that are already choked by polluted air or dirty water. “Restoring these basic community safeguards will provide regulatory certainty, reduce conflict, and help ensure that projects get built right the first time,” said CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory. In addition to requiring an analysis of climate impacts, the final rule empowers federal agencies to consider alternative designs or approaches for a company’s proposed projects and allows agencies to adopt reviews that are more stringent than CEQ’s regulations. The council also announced on Tuesday that it plans to propose a “phase 2” NEPA rulemaking in the coming months that will improve the efficiency of the review processes. Former President Donald Trump in 2020 revamped NEPA in an effort to fast-track major projects like the now-cancelled Keystone XL oil pipeline that he said got caught up in red tape and interfered with his focus on U.S. “energy dominance.” His NEPA overhaul allowed federal agencies to exclude the climate impact of a project, allowing major fossil fuel projects to sail through the approval process and avoid legal challenges. Over the last few years, however, federal courts had ruled that NEPA required the federal government to consider a project’s carbon footprint in decisions relating to leasing public lands for drilling or building pipelines. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Bernadette Baum) View the full article

Published by AFP In his new series, Fox News host Tucker Carlson (pictured March 2019) worries about 'the total collapse of testosterone levels in American men' Washington (AFP) – Tucker Carlson, star Fox News anchor and bow-tied darling of the American right, has become a laughingstock among Twitter users for his new series on masculinity, which according to him is under growing threat. In the trailer for “The End of Men,” Carlson worries about “the total collapse of testosterone levels in American men,” which he says is “a huge story that no one covers.” The short clip, set to the grandiose theme music from “2001: A Space Odyssey,” shows muscular young white men wrestling shirtless, milking a cow, preparing a barbecue, doing push-ups and drinking what appears to be raw eggs. Others chop wood or carry tractor tires, always bare-chested. In the midst of these images appears a naked man, arms outstretched, standing high on a rock at sunset in front of a small machine that is emitting an orange light on his crotch. The voiceover, meanwhile, talks about “men who are tough, men who are resourceful, men who are strong enough to survive.” The excerpt has triggered an avalanche of mockery on social networks, with many users commenting on what they call the “homoeroticism” of the footage, in stark contrast to the professed traditional family values widely propounded on Fox News. “You could literally just change the voiceover and make this an ad for Grindr,” the gay hook-up site, commented one Democratic activist. In another teaser clip, Carlson talks to a sports coach from Ohio who is the promoter of “red light therapy,” a practice that, he says, includes “testicle tanning.” Without explicitly defending this practice, which has not been endorsed by medical professionals, Carlson insists on the need to “seek a solution” to the drop in testosterone levels. View the full article