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Le claws are out between Bosco and Camden on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Perhaps more than any other season before, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14 is giving us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. After a Snatch Game so horrendous it landed seven queens in the bottom, the surviving queens bounced back in a big way this week. Billed as “the most romantic Rusical,” Moulin Ru is actually the greatest Rusical of all time. Maybe that’s faint praise for what’s herstorically been a mixed-bag challenge, but this production stands heads and shoulder pads above the previous outings. There are a few contributing factors. For starters, the production budget feels higher than ever before. I guess the RuPaul Cinematic Universe is finally starting to turn some profits, because everything from the sets to the costume to honestly even the camera angles and transitions feel slicker than ever before. Perhaps there’s been some skill-sharing with the live Vegas revue? Plus, the music slaps, which is almost never the case in these challenges, especially when pulling from the deeper cuts of the RuPaul oeuvre. However, the spastic, proto-mashup stylings of the original Moulin Rouge is the perfect scaffolding on which a Rusical can be built. Composer Leland turns in some of his best work of the series here, and special guest director Leslie Jordan is every bit as delightful as you’d imagine. As an added bonus, both men feature in the live Rusical, which helps flesh out the story. However, what really makes Moulin Ru zing is the casting. That’s what also makes this episode so compelling: watching the queens once again clash over choice of roles. No Small Parts, But Plenty of Big Casting Drama Casting started with smiles but ended in bloodshed on RuPaul’s Drag Race. In an interesting reversal, once Ru lays out the challenge specifics and leaves the ladies to scrap over parts, it’s all the queens who have acquiesced in the past that suddenly are eager to claim their preferred role. DeJa is first out of the gate to brandish her Snatch Game win and the fact she compromised during ’60s Girl Groups week, so she wants a smaller part no one really is fighting for anyway. OK, easy enough. Then, Angeria and Jorgeous both try to lay claim to another smaller role, both reminding the rest of the queens they’ve been on their best behavior during previous scrambles for parts. Jorgeous is a bit more stubborn than Angeria, and Angie eventually relents. But those are just bit parts they’re fighting over. The real star of the show is Saltine, inspired by Nicole Kidman’s Satine from the original Baz Luhrmann film. Bosco sees herself in the sexy courtesan and needs a big comeback following the last few weeks of devastating losses. The theatrical Lady Camden wants to prove to Michelle she’s not too quiet to be noticed. Bosco and Camden dig in their heels. Tension begins to mount. Bosco isn’t just sticking to her guns; she’s aiming them right at Camden’s face. She comes out swinging, hard. She’s nasty and dismissive. As Jorgeous says, “It’s rude, honestly.” In an attempt to stop the squirming, Camden offers to flip a coin, but Bosco instead demands to make the queens vote! How very dare she! Everyone seems thrown by Bosco’s Big Teresa Giudice energy, but Camden composes herself long enough to instruct the queens to just close their eyes, and … Not so fast. Bosco would rather they keep their eyes open. She wants to see. Savage. Yes, this puts all the queens in a very awkward position, but this has been dragging on, and, obviously Bosco’s not budging. Jorgeous and DeJa vote Camden, while Angeria votes for Bosco. Realizing where this is heading, Daya jumps in to throw her support behind Bosco, forcing Willow to break the tie in Bosco’s favor. (Say what you will about Daya, but she played this perfectly.) For a lot of queens, it comes down to Camden having a better shot at the other remaining role, the bearded Mama Z. Although she’s at first disappointed with the outcome, it’s not long before Lady Camden sees the potential in the role no one wanted. Remember, Camden already gave us that unforgettable Freddie Mercury runway, plus Shakespeare in Snatch Game. (Though the less said about the latter, the better.) With the roles finally settled, rehearsals with Leslie, Leland and choreographer Miguel Zarate fly by. Every queen looks strong, even if Angeria appears the least comfortable with the dancing. When rehearsals wrap, Leslie Jordan is most concerned for … RuPaul, because this going to be a tough decision. Curtains Up for Moulin Ru Moulin Ru is one of RuPaul’s Drag Race‘s best Rusicals. That’s an understatement. From the moment the lights go up, the show is fantastic. Camden especially is crucial, weaving the numbers together with slimy style, keeping the plot moving in a uniquely unctuous (but still sexy!) way. Her performance is fully dialed-in, adding tons of subtle character choices, like facial expressions, a twirl of the mustache, a flick of the wrist. It’s so fun to watch. It’s a wonder this wasn’t a more popular choice, because she features prominently throughout the Rusical, including the show-stopping “Covergirl” number that features Leslie Jordan and Leland. This could not have worked out better for Camden, after all. In truth, everyone is pretty good. Willow gives Camden a run for her marquee money as the Green Fairy, an absinthe hallucination that delivers an increasingly frenetic number while becoming increasingly exasperated. She knocks the manic musical number out of the park, but it’s a fairly contained part of the overall Rusical. Portraying four “Ru girls” dancers, Angeria, Daya, DeJa and Jorgeous play Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent (proxies for Maya, P!nk, Lil’ Kim and Christina, respectively). Daya truly understands the assignment, giving nods to the inspiration with a baby pink ensemble, complete with top hat. DeJa makes the most of the small part by killing a rap verse, while Angeria clearly is trying to make memorable moments out of a small part. She may have fought hard to play Talent, but Jorgeous flops under the big lights. It’s not bad, but it’s not the total slay it should be. She’s still better than Bosco. That’s right, after essentially holding the show HOSTAGE until she got her way, Bosco bites it. First, she keeps the signature Bosco brow, which does not fit the character. (Michelle is also quick to point this out later.) Unlike Daya, Bosco doesn’t even attempt to acknowledge the source material, opting for her usual black hair over a curly red or blonde in the style of Kidman. Most egregious of all, the performance is just fine. Camden as Mama Z is transcendent, so recalling just how ruthless Bosco was earlier in the episode makes the whole seem even worse. DeJa Has A Hard Look In the Mirror, Mirror DeJa’s Mirror, Mirror look failed to shine on the RuPaul’s Drag Race runway. A Mirror, Mirror themed runway is a great showcase for nearly everyone. DeJa’s haphazard iridescent cage over an ill-fitting dress fails to both live up to the brief and flatter the usually expertly tailored queen. Angeria especially rocks an iconic lewk, covered in holographic, mirrored scales cascading from a tall crown to the floor of a gorgeous gown. No one is wearing anything good enough to outshine Camden’s performance, which the judges rightly assert could be just as at home in Moulin Rouge, the actual Broadway musical. Coupled with a killer runway, she’s the clear winner this week. It’s well deserved and narratively satisfying, considering how poorly Bosco treated her earlier. Bosco’s payback isn’t complete though. Not only does Camden snatch the win, but, just as Bosco forced everyone to vote earlier, now Ru wants to hear from everyone who should go home and why. How you feelin’ about an anonymous vote now, Bosco? Predictably all the gals pick Bosco to go home because she demanded the role like a spoiled, little brat and then completely dropped the ball. Bosco picks Jorgeous, claiming “track record,” and that sets Jorgeous OFF. She tells Ru Bosco should go home due to her performance in the challenge, AND because she was needlessly nasty to Camden earlier, AND, while we’re talking about track record, Bosco was in the bottom three times just last week. Stop! She’s already dead! Ru goes with the crowd, leaving Jorgeous and Bosco to duke it out in the bottom two to the Hex Hector remix of Whitney Houston’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” It’s a blast of a lip sync, of course. Both Jorgeous and Bosco are giving their absolute all. Once again, Jorgeous is unconquerable. Bosco hit a string of rough luck and made some bad choices, but it still feels like it’s too soon to say goodbye to the Seattle weirdo. BUT! Luckily, we don’t have to! Pains me as it does to address this whole silly chocolate bar thing, this is the moment. Bosco unwraps her candy to reveal the coveted gold bar! Haha! Remember when RuPaul said only fate would decide going forward? And then she called like a bunch of non-eliminations? Anyway! Bosco gets to stay, and I think, really, for real this time, no more shenanigans from here until the finish. So where does that leave the queens? Willow‘s dominance continues. She was so funny this week, and her dancing was fantastic. No one else could do what she did with the role. On the runway, she describes her look as “Elton John, Joan Jett and Evel Kneivel got into a bunch of fireworks,” and I can’t do better than that. I think Snatch Game was a fluke. This is Willow’s race to lose.There’s a lot to love about Angeria. She’s got exceptional stage presence. She looks incredible on the runway. She has a magnetic personality. She may lack some performance polish in terms of singing, dancing and acting, but classical training is not required for America’s Next Drag Superstar. Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent IS, and Angeria has those in spades.I’m hesitant to give Lady Camden all the props she certainly earned this week, because she’s yo-yo’d so much this season. Her performance in the Rusical was possibly the best of any queen ever in the challenge. Her runway was strong, but not perfect. I still question her taste, and it’ll only take one whiff of “soft spoken” on the wrong week for Michelle to zero in for the kill.I hate to admit it, but, once again, Daya managed to impress in a large group challenge. In “The Daytona Wind,” ’60s Girl Groups and Moulin Ru, Daya took small parts and made sure she filled every moment with attitude. As severe as Daya may be offstage, onstage that killer instinct pushes her to the foreground. She followed up a strong performance this week with a great runway, inspired by KISS. The spike adornments, the cape and the high-shine material took it to the requisite drag place. Good week for Daya.DeJa‘s rap knocked it out of the park, though Ross was stretching to say she was in contention for the win. She didn’t come close to making the impact Camden or Willow did in the Rusical. The judges were justified in ripping her runway. Being off-theme is one thing, but to also be sloppy is just too much.Ru love Jorgeous, and so do I. Yes, her performance in the Rusical was a little flat, but Bosco took a bigger swing, and, thus, a bigger miss. Jorgeous had the stronger runway of the two, and, unsurprisingly, the stronger lip sync (though just by a hair). It’s strange that no one brought up how Miguel Zarate told Jorgeous to make sure she blends into the group. Jorgeous could have made the argument she was holding back, per Miguel’s suggestion, so she didn’t outshine everyone else.My how the mighty have fallen. In the span of three episodes, Bosco went from beloved, kooky frontrunner to persona non-grata. I’ve been saying it’s only a matter of time until Michelle came for Bosco’s predilection for undergarments on the runway, but it could not have come at a worse time for the struggling queen. To be clear, I definitely dig Bosco’s whole thing, but she bet big and lost. She would have rightfully gone home tonight, if not for the — ugh — chocolate bar. She’s got the goods to fight her way back, but she’s starting from the bottom.What did you think of the episode? Catch up on our RuPaul’s Drag Race coverage. View the full article

What is the new COVID Omicron variant BA.2, and will it cause another wave of infections in the US? BA.2, one of three main omicron sublineages, is sweeping the world. BlackJack3D/iStock via Getty Images Plus A new omicron subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19, BA.2, is quickly becoming the predominant source of infections amid rising cases around the world. Immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti of the University of South Carolina explain what makes it different from previous variants, whether there will be another surge in the U.S. and how best to protect yourself. What is BA.2, and how is it related to omicron? BA.2 is the latest subvariant of omicron, the dominant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. While the origin of BA.2 is still unclear, it has quickly become the dominant strain in many countries, including India, Denmark and South Africa. It is continuing to spread in Europe, Asia and many parts of the world. The omicron variant, officially known as B.1.1.529, of SARS-CoV-2 has three main subvariants in its lineage: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. The earliest omicron subvariant to be detected, BA.1, was first reported in November 2021 in South Africa. While scientists believe that all the subvariants may have emerged around the same time, BA.1 was predominantly responsible for the winter surge of infections in the Northern Hemisphere in 2021. The first omicron subvariant, BA.1, is unique in the number of alterations it has compared to the original version of the virus – it has over 30 mutations in the spike protein that helps it enter cells. Spike protein mutations are of high concern to scientists and public health officials because they affect how infectious a particular variant is and whether it is able to escape the protective antibodies that the body produces after vaccination or a prior COVID-19 infection. BA.2 has eight unique mutations not found in BA.1, and lacks 13 mutations that BA.1 does have. BA.2 does, however, share around 30 mutations with BA.1. Because of its relative genetic similarity, it is considered a subvariant of omicron as opposed to a completely new variant. Why is it called a ‘stealth’ variant? Some scientists have called BA.2 a “stealth” variant because, unlike the BA.1 variant, it lacks a particular genetic signature that distinguishes it from the delta variant. While standard PCR tests are still able to detect the BA.2 variant, they might not be able to tell it apart from the delta variant. Is it more infectious and lethal than other variants? BA.2 is considered to be more transmissible but not more virulant than BA.1. This means that while BA.2 can spread faster than BA.1, it might not make people sicker. It is worth noting that while BA.1 has dominated case numbers around the world, it causes less severe disease compared to the delta variant. Recent studies from the U.K. and Denmark suggest that BA.2 may pose a similar risk of hospitalization as BA.1. Does previous infection with BA.1 provide protection against BA.2? Yes! A recent study suggested that people previously infected with the original BA.1 subvariant have robust protection against BA.2. Because BA.1 caused widespread infections across the world, it is likely that a significant percentage of the population has protective immunity against BA.2. This is why some scientists predict that BA.2 will be less likely to cause another major wave However, while the natural immunity gained after COVID-19 infection may provide strong protection against reinfection from earlier variants, it weakens against omicron. As long as the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to infect people, it will have opportunities to produce variants.How effective are vaccines against BA.2? A recent preliminary study that has not yet been peer reviewed of over 1 million individuals in Qatar suggests that two doses of either the Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines protect against symptomatic infection from BA.1 and BA.2 for several months before waning to around 10%. A booster shot, however, was able to elevate protection again close to original levels. Importantly, both vaccines were 70% to 80% effective at preventing hospitalization or death, and this effectiveness increased to over 90% after a booster dose. How worried does the US need to be about BA.2? The rise in BA.2 in certain parts of the world is most likely due to a combination of its higher transmissibility, people’s waning immunity and relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. CDC data suggests that BA.2 cases are rising steadily, making up 23% of all cases in the U.S. as of early March. Scientists are still debating whether BA.2 will cause another surge in the U.S. [Climate change, AI, vaccines, black holes and much more. Get The Conversation’s best science and health coverage.] Though there may be an uptick of BA.2 infections in the coming months, protective immunity from vaccination or previous infection provides defense against severe disease. This may make it less likely that BA.2 will cause a significant increase in hospitalization and deaths. The U.S., however, lags behind other countries when it comes to vaccination, and falls even further behind on boosters. Whether there will be another devastating surge depends on how many people are vaccinated or have been previously infected with BA.1. It’s safer to generate immunity from a vaccine, however, than from getting an infection. Getting vaccinated and boosted and taking precautions like wearing an N95 mask and social distancing are the best ways to protect yourself from BA.2 and other variants. Prakash Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina and Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Russian troops reportedly ran over their own commander because they were upset with the number of casualties their unit was facing in their ongoing war against resisting Ukrainian forces. The alleged intentional killing of the Russian colonel by his soldiers also comes as Vladimir Putin’s forces as a whole are facing heavy losses, and a substantial number of his generals are reportedly either going missing or being declared dead at the hands of Ukrainian soldiers as the Kremlin continues their vicious and violent invasion into their neighboring nation. Mega According to The Post, Colonel Medvechek of the 37th Motor Rifle Brigade was pronounced dead Friday after succumbing to fatal injuries caused when soldiers from his brigade crushed him with a tank. Although a similar incident happened Thursday, it is unknown at this time if the colonel most recently pronounced dead is Colonel Yury Medvedev, who was also run down by a tank driven by his troops before being subsequently evacuated to a hospital in Belarus for his injuries. Mega These reoccurring incidents come not only as Russia continues to face heavy losses in the war they chose to wage against Ukraine, but also as multiple reports claim the Russian forces are quickly losing morale in their fight against the nation led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “Basically, it’s a s—show here, I’ll put it that way,” one Russian soldier recently revealed to a fellow fighter in a recording that was obtained earlier in the week by Ukraine’s Security Service. The Russian soldier then reportedly went on to describe how their Ukrainian adversaries “tore apart” a fleet of Russian forces before also revealing how nearly half of his unit was suffering from frostbite on their feet because they weren’t provided proper gear to fight in Ukraine’s harsh climate. “But they don’t plan to treat them in the [field] hospital,” the soldier added, claiming that those suffering from frostbite have no way to treat the affliction. Mega In the same recently obtained phone call, the Russian soldier went on to recall a conversation another soldier had with their general in which he tried to inform the commander that their unit’s Kevlar vests lacked adequate panels to provide sufficient protection. “Comrade General, damn it, I have this situation,” the soldier recalled. “And he just says, ‘Son, be strong,’ and then he f—ed off. It’s such trash here…Our own plane dropped a bomb on us.” As Radar reported, as Russian soldiers are quickly losing morale and even allegedly going so far as to kill their own superior officers, other top generals are either being killed or captured by Ukrainian forces as Russia’s Ministry of Defense tries to fudge the numbers regarding how many casualties their forces truly have endured. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted a request by President Joe Biden’s administration to let the Navy decline to deploy SEALs and other special operations forces personnel who refused mandatory COVID-19 vaccination due to religious objections. The court put on hold part of a federal judge’s ruling stating that 26 members of the elite Navy SEALs and nine other special operations forces personnel were entitled to a religious exemption to the vaccine requirement under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, which protects the free exercise of religion, as well as a law called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. “In this case, the district court, while no doubt well-intentioned, in effect inserted itself into the Navy’s chain of command, overriding military commanders’ professional military judgments,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion. The court — which has a 6-3 conservative majority — was divided, with three conservative justices saying they would have denied the request. In a dissenting opinion, conservative Justice Samuel Alito said that the court “does a great injustice” to the Navy personnel who “appear to have been treated shabbily.” Under another part of Texas-based U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor’s ruling not affected by the Supreme Court action, the service members cannot be disciplined or discharged as a result of refusing the vaccine. Besides the SEALs, the other nine plaintiffs include specialist naval craft crewmen, divers and a bomb disposal expert. On Feb. 28, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a similar request from Biden’s administration. The administration is contesting O’Connor’s Jan. 3 decision in favor of the servicemembers, in which the judge wrote that their “loss of religious liberties outweighs any forthcoming harm to the Navy.” (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Judy Greer has said that Lily Tomlin has “very soft lips.” The 46-year-old actress shared a kiss with Lily, 82, in the 2015 comedy film ‘Grandma’ and when asked about on-screen kisses from her career, she was quick to name her smooch with the ‘Grace and Frankie’ star as the best. Speaking on ‘Watch What Happens Live’, she said: “Lily Tomlin [was the best], hello! I kissed her in a movie that I love called ‘Grandma’. Paul Weitz wrote and directed it for her and I have to say she has very soft lips!” Judy – who has also kissed the likes of Ashton Kutcher, Gerard Butler, George Clooney, Nicolas Cage and David Duchovny on screen – starred as Olivia in the movie – who was the short -term girlfriend of Lily Tomlin’s character Elle. Judy has previously described her on-screen smooch with the ‘9 to 5’ actress as “awesome” She said: “My role in’ Grandma’is very’out’in terms of dealing with women. This is great. And in terms of making out with a woman – it is awesome. Especially when the woman is Lily Tomlin!” Judy’s comments about the kiss come just months after she spoke out about ageing in the industry as she noted that her forties were turning out to be such an “interesting time” in her life. Back in January, she told PEOPLE: “I feel very lucky to be an actress in my 40s right now because there are great roles for us. There are great directors and writers out there. And so I think that we’re just getting served better material than those women were when I was in my 20s. This is such an interesting time in my life. You’re starting to really know yourself and you’re starting to really see what we thought was really important, like being busy all the time, I’m really starting to see that that’s not special.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears says ‘Euphoria’ made her “anxiety go away.” The 40-yeaar-old pop star – who regained control of her assets after a conservatorship governed by her family was terminated last November – is a fan of the hit high school drama and claimed that watching it was “like meditation.” She said: “For MENTAL AWARENESS WEEK a little while ago I watched this insane amazing show @euphoria … Good God it’s too good !!!! I’m a little behind anyways. Watching this and being entertained by these crazy plots I suddenly felt all my anxiety go away … the show was like meditation !!!!”(sic) The ‘…Baby One More Time’ hitmaker went on to tell her 40 million followers that the show – which stars the likes of Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney as students who navigate their way through high school – put a “huge grin” on her face as she urged her fans to “keep smiling.” Writing on Instagram, she added: “It put a HUGE grin on my face … and if you want to be zen … there’s sound therapy … stillness … yoga … monk retreats … but last but definitely not least, train your thoughts to think things that make you SMILE … YES you know THOSE!! YOU GOT IT ???? KEEP SMILING!” It comes just a day after the ‘Toxic’ singer had taken to the social media platform to claim that she wasn’t allowed to “drive herself” at times during her 13-year-long conservatorship. She wrote: “I used to not be able to drive myself even with 8 different guards driving me daily !!!! Each one a different speed and I’m the one that had to adjust to THEIR TIMING IN MY F****** CAR … not to mention … the four months I wasn’t able to drive at all or walk out the f****** door by myself !!!!”(sic) View the full article

Published by Reuters NASSAU (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince William has said he supports and respects any decision Caribbean nations make about their future, as Belize, the Bahamas and Jamaica consider cutting their ties with the British monarchy. At the end of a tour with his wife Kate that has been marked by protests about the legacy of the British Empire, William, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, acknowledged the relationship between the three Caribbean states and the Crown was changing. “Next year, I know you are all looking forward to celebrating 50 years of independence – your Golden Anniversary,” he said in a speech in the Bahamas capital Nassau. “And with Jamaica celebrating 60 years of independence this year, and Belize celebrating 40 years of independence last year, I want to say this: We support with pride and respect your decisions about your future. Relationships evolve. Friendship endures.” His speech is the clearest indication the royal family would back the three nations ditching the queen as their head of state, echoing the decision taken by Barbados last November. Usually, Buckingham Palace says such matters are for the local people and politicians to decide. During her 70 years on the throne – a landmark that the tour was to designed to mark – Elizabeth has watched as former British colonies have cut their ties, but she remains queen of 15 realms, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. However, the tour by William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, has thrown a spotlight on the waning support for the monarchy in the Caribbean. During the trip there have been protests and calls for reparations payments by Britain and an apology for slavery. Meanwhile the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told William directly at a meeting on Wednesday that his country wanted to be “independent”. Some British media have also criticised public relations mistakes which have seen the royals shaking hands with Jamaican children through wire fences and other appearances, described as “tone-deaf” blunders by the Daily Mirror tabloid because it said they appeared to be a throwback to colonial times. The tribulations of the tour have reflected wider questions about the role and future of the royals back in Britain following the scandal of a U.S. sex abuse lawsuit involving the queen’s second son Prince Andrew – settled last month – and criticism of the institution from William’s younger brother, Prince Harry. (Writing by Michael Holden; Editing by Frances Kerry) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Million Dollar Listing star Josh Flagg is dating again only a few weeks after announcing his divorce from Bobby Boyd following nearly five years of marriage. The real estate mogul shared the happy news of his unexpected romance on Friday, March 25. mega “After Bobby and I split, I did start to see somebody,” Flagg explained in an interview with People. “I was not looking to date anybody because I was married,” he continued, noting they “never went on a date until after Bobby and I left our marriage.” Although he didn’t elaborate on exactly who his new mystery man is, he did confess he was a friend he’s known for a long time, and that he was also “in real estate.” ‘MILLION DOLLAR LISTING’ STAR JOSH FLAGG DROPS $9 MILLION ON L.A. MANSION AMID BOBBY BOYD DIVORCE “We were friends for a while. It just happened organically. I like him very much, and he’s a very nice guy,” the celebrity real estate broker added. mega As OK! previously reported, Flagg took to Instagram to announce the end of his marriage on Friday, March 4. OK! EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: JOSH FLAGG PRANKS JOSH ALTMAN WITH MYSTERY PACKAGE IN MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LOS ANGELES CLIP “Bobby and I are divorcing,” he wrote to friends and fans via social media. “This might sound abrupt but I felt I should be transparent from the top rather than bury the headline.” “It was not a lack of love but rather the two of us growing in different directions and wanting very different things for ourselves,” Flagg went on, assuring fans he cares “deeply” about his ex and that their split happened with respect for each other as they part ways to go on separate paths in life. @joshflagg1/Instagram Part of that new journey for Flagg was purchasing a brand new home! The reality television personality shelled out a whopping $9.2 million on a sprawling Beverly Hills mansion located on North Bedford Drive. The property boasts seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a three-car garage and a total of 7,100 square feet of living space. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jarrett Renshaw and Karol Badohal WARSAW (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” in a fiery speech pushing the world’s democracies to unite to support Ukraine, though the White House later said Biden was not calling for regime change in Moscow. “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” Biden told a crowd in Warsaw after condemning Putin’s month-long war in Ukraine as an assault on global freedom and security. The comments sharply escalated conflict between Moscow and the West over its invasion of Ukraine. But a White House official said the remarks did not represent a shift in Washington’s policy that it is not seeking regime change in Russia. Still, they came on a day of escalating rhetoric as Biden also described branded Putin a “butcher” during a meeting with refugees who have fled the war in Ukraine to the Polish capital. “The President’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region,” the White House official said. “He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.” On Saturday, Biden said the West was united against Russia’s invasion but also added that NATO was a defensive security alliance which never sought Russia’s demise. Biden’s speech was delivered at Warsaw’s Royal Castle before hundreds of Polish elected officials, students and U.S. embassy staff, many holding U.S., Polish and Ukrainian flags. “The West is now stronger, more united than it has ever been,” Biden said. Calling the fight against Vladimir Putin a “new battle for freedom,” Biden said Putin’s desire for “absolute power” was a strategic failure for Russia and a direct challenge to a European peace that has largely prevailed since World War Two. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Karol Badohal in Warsaw and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington, Additional reporting by Natalia Zinets in Lviv, Nandita Bose in Washington, Humeyra Pamuk, Alan Charlish, Justyna Pawlak and Joanna Plucinska in Warsaw and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Writing by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons, Grant McCool, Frances Kerry, Timothy Heritage, Andrea Ricci and Nick Zieminski) View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Republican lawmakers in Utah on Friday voted to override Gov. Spencer Cox’s veto on a bill banning transgender student-athletes from competing in sports aligned with their gender identity. House Bill 11 passed both chambers of the Utah legislature in the last hours of the 2022 legislative session, on March 4, after a last-minute amendment that left LGBTQ rights activists “blindsided” and “devastated.” But Cox, a Republican, later vetoed the legislation, citing high suicide rates among transgender youth. During a special session Friday afternoon, however, Republican lawmakers met the two-thirds… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Cheers, queers! Netflix’s new reality dating show “The Ultimatum” has been renewed for a second season, nearly two weeks before its premiere. And this time, it will feature an all-queer cast, the streaming service confirmed Thursday. The show, produced by the same people behind the massively popular “Love is Blind,” Kinetic Content and creator Chris Coelen, is taking true love to the test — in a twisted, risky, “Temptation Island” kind of way. “The Ultimatum” will follow six couples who are on the verge of marriage. However, while one partner is ready to commit, the other is not so sure. That’… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA J.K. Rowlingis taking a stand against Vladimir Putin. During a call with officials on Friday, March 25, Putin tried arguing that he has a lot in common with the Harry Potter author — a claim that didn’t seem to sit well with her. He attempted to use Rowling’s previous scandals as an example of Western “cancel culture,” which he likened to the Western nations that he believes are just “trying to cancel” Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine. But the novelist wasn’t too pleased about Putin’s comparison, prompting her to take to Twitter to call out his far-out claims. MEGA “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics,” she wrote in a Tweet on Friday, adding the hashtag “#IStandWithUkraine.” CYNTHIA NIXON SLAMS J.K. ROWLING’S ANTI-TRANS REMARKS: ‘IT’S REALLY BAFFLING’ She also included a reposted article from BBC News to reference Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned Putin critic. In his initial statement on Friday, Putin claimed that Western nations — which have lodged numerous sanctions against the invading nation — “are now trying to cancel our country. I’m talking about the progressive discrimination of everything to do with Russia.” as Radar reported. He also went on to liken cancel culture to Nazis burning books in the 1930s. MEGA When he mentioned Rowling, Putin explained that the West “canceled Joanne Rowling recently — the children’s author, her books are published all over the world — just because she didn’t satisfy the demands of gender rights.” As we know, the Fantastic Beasts writer faced major backlash after making offensive transphobic comments in the past. In response to an article that used the phrase “People who menstruate,” Rowling tweeted: “People who menstruate. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpound? Woomd?,” causing an uproar among the LGBTQ+ community. MEGA VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ELDEST DAUGHTER’S MARRIAGE IS CRUMBLING AMID RUSSIAN INVASION OVER UKRAINE But despite her controversial history, Rowling doesn’t think her comments in the past should be considered on the same scale as Russia’s deadly invasion of Ukraine. She followed up her Tweet on Friday with a series of messages about the emergency Ukrainian appeal set up by her charity Lumos, vowing to personally match all donations up to 1 million euros. View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Sean Hayes, the star of “Will & Grace” and a co-host with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett of the podcast “SmartLess,” is now appearing in the hit play “Good Night, Oscar” at the Goodman Theatre. Hayes, who grew up in Glen Ellyn and started his career at the Pheasant Run resort in St. Charles, plays the actor, musician and raconteur Oscar Levant, here seen as a controversial guest on “The Tonight Show” with Jack Paar. Hayes spoke in a rehearsal room at the Goodman Theatre. The following interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Q: You started your career playing piano in Chic… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Parker Posey has joined the cast of ‘The Parenting’. The 53-year-old actress will star alongside Brian Cox, Edie Falco, Lisa Kudrow, and Dean Norris in the new comedy movie, which centres on a young gay couple who host a meeting of their parents during a weekend in the country. Parker will play the manager of the country house, while Brian, Edie, Lisa and Dean will star as the parents. The Craig Johnson-directed project will also feature up-and-coming stars Nik Dodani and Brandon Flynn, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movie has been written by Kent Sublette and will begin shooting in Massachusetts in March. Chris Bender and Jake Weiner of Good Fear Content are producing the comedy, which is intended for HBO Max. Meanwhile, Parker previously claimed that changes within the film industry have stunted her career. The ‘Cafe Society’ star is known for her work in independent movies, rather than big-budget Hollywood films, and she confessed that acting work has become increasingly hard to come by in recent years. She reflected: “I’ve never really got any of the jobs that I had to really jump through hoops for. “That’s been disappointing. It’s just a numbers thing now, too. What’s that expression? ‘You’re only as great as the last film you did.’ It’s still kind of true. And none of my independent movies made money, so it became like, ‘Why hire her?’ “Except for Wes Craven, I guess, or something like ‘Josie and the Pussycats’. That was when they were like, ‘Ooh, let’s get a character actor in there who’s kind of dark.'” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic Senator Joe Manchin on Friday said he would vote to confirm U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, with the support from the influential moderate signaling that she will have the votes to overcome widespread Republican opposition. Manchin’s announcement is further evidence that Democrats are united on supporting President Joe Biden’s nominee to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. With a simple majority needed for confirmation and the Senate divided 50-50 between the parties, Jackson would get the job even if no Republicans vote for her. “After meeting with her, considering her record, and closely monitoring her testimony and questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I have determined I intend to vote for her nomination to serve on the Supreme Court,” Manchin said in a statement. “Her wide array of experiences in varying sectors of our judicial system have provided Judge Jackson a unique perspective that will serve her well on our nation’s highest court,” he added. Biden in February nominated Jackson to replace liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, who intends to retire at the end of June. The committee is likely to vote on April 4 on sending her nomination to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote. Jackson faced two days of hostile questioning from Republicans during her confirmation hearing earlier this week, with several accusing her of being lenient in her previous role as a federal trial court judge in sentencing child pornography offenders. Sentencing experts said her approach was similar to most federal judges. (Reporting by Lawrence HurleyEditing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Gleb Garanich and Natalia Zinets BUCHA/LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) – Moscow signaled on Friday it was scaling back its ambitions in Ukraine to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed separatists as Ukrainian forces went on the offensive, recapturing territory on the outskirts of the capital Kyiv. In the first big sign that Western sanctions on Russia were impacting investment from China, sources told Reuters state-run Sinopec Group, Asia’s biggest oil refiner, had suspended talks on a petrochemical investment and a venture to market Russian gas. In the month since they launched their invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops have failed to capture any major city. An assault that Western countries believe was aimed at swiftly toppling President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s government was halted at the gates of Kyiv. The Russians instead have been bombarding and encircling cities, laying waste to residential areas and driving around a quarter of Ukraine’s 44 million people from their homes. U.S. President Joe Biden was visiting Poland for a first-hand look at the refugee crisis. Poland has taken in more than half of the 3.7 million Ukrainians who have fled abroad. Battlelines near Kyiv have been frozen for weeks with two main Russian armoured columns stuck northwest and east of the capital. A British intelligence report on Friday described a Ukrainian counter-offensive that had pushed Russians back in the east. “Ukrainian counter-attacks, and Russian forces falling back on overextended supply lines, has allowed Ukraine to reoccupy towns and defensive positions up to 35 km east of Kyiv,” the report said. Britain has provided Ukraine with weapons and military training. In an announcement that appeared to indicate that Moscow may be switching to more limited goals, the Russian Defence Ministry said the first phase of its operation was mostly complete, and it would now focus on “liberating” two eastern regions claimed by Russian-backed separatists. Volodymyr Borysenko, mayor of Boryspol, an eastern suburb where Kyiv’s main airport is located, said 20,000 civilians had evacuated the area, answering a call to clear out so Ukrainian troops could counter-attack. Ukrainian forces recaptured a nearby village the previous day and would have pushed on but halted to avoid putting civilians in danger, he said. On the other main front outside Kyiv, to the capital’s northwest, Ukrainian forces have been trying to encircle Russian troops in the suburbs of Irpin, Bucha and Hostomel, reduced to ruins by heavy fighting over the past few weeks. In Bucha, 25 km (15 miles) northwest of Kyiv, a small group of Ukrainian troops armed with anti-tank missiles was digging foxholes. Andriy told Reuters he had enlisted to defend the town as soon as the invasion began. “I told my wife to grab the children and to hide in the basement, and I went to the drafting station and joined my unit straight away,” he said. “My wife and children were under occupation for two weeks, but then they managed to escape through a humanitarian corridor.” BURIED IN FLOWERBED Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” to disarm its neighbour. Kyiv and its Western allies call it an unprovoked war of aggression and say Russia’s true aim was to overthrow the government of what President Vladimir Putin regards as an illegitimate state. Unable to capture cities, Russia has resorted to pounding them with artillery and air strikes. Worst hit has been the eastern port of Mariupol, a city of 400,000 under siege since the war’s early days. It is the biggest Ukrainian-held city in the territory Russia demands be ceded to the separatists. Tens of thousands of people are still believed to be trapped inside with no access to food, power or heat, while the city around them has been reduced to ruins. In a district captured by the Russians, one woman waiting in line to receive food supplies told Reuters her diabetic husband had slipped into a coma and died. He was buried in a flowerbed. “We are planning on leaving but it’s very difficult at the moment,” the woman, who gave her name as Alexandra, said. “I can’t leave my husband in a flowerbed.” Mariupol’s city council for the first time gave an estimated death toll for the bombing of the main theatre on March 16, saying witnesses now said 300 people had been killed among many hundreds sheltering in the basement. Russia denies blame. The United Nations said it was looking into reports of mass graves inside Mariupol, including one with at least 200 corpses. The cities of Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy in the east have also endured devastating bombardments. Chernihiv was effectively surrounded by Russian forces, its governor said. In Kharkiv, officials said six people had been killed by the shelling of an aid distribution site at a supermarket. Video posted on the internet showed a blast striking a car park where scores of people were queuing. People fled in terror after the explosion. Reuters was able to confirm it was filmed outside a supermarket in Kharkiv. CHINESE INVESTMENT SUSPENDED Western economic sanctions on Russia have isolated it from global trade to a degree never before visited on such a large economy. China is the biggest power not to have condemned the Russian invasion and Washington has been putting pressure on Beijing to rebuff Moscow. The Reuters report that Sinopec had suspended discussions about investments potentially worth $500 million was the first concrete sign that sanctions are interfering with trade between Moscow and Beijing. Beijing has repeatedly voiced opposition to the sanctions, insisting it will maintain normal trade links. But behind the scenes, the government is wary of Chinese companies running afoul of sanctions, and pressing them to tread carefully. “Companies will rigidly follow Beijing’s foreign policy in this crisis,” said an executive at a Chinese state oil company. The West has ruled out intervening on the ground or answering Ukraine’s plea for a no-fly zone but has supported Kyiv with hundreds of anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. (Reporting by a Reuters journalist in Mariupol, Natalia Zinets in Lviv and Reuters bureaus worldwide; Writing by Peter Graff, Editing by Angus MacSwan) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms last week, was discharged from the hospital on Friday morning, the Supreme Court said. The 73-year-old conservative justice was admitted to a Washington hospital with an infection last Friday and treated with intravenous antibiotics, the court said. (Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Chris Gallagher) View the full article