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Published by Reuters By James Mackenzie, Natalia Zinets and Oleksandr Kozhukhar KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a war criminal in comments the Kremlin said were “unforgivable” as it insisted the war in Ukraine was “going to plan” amid talk of compromise at peace talks. Kremlin forces kept up their bombardments of besieged cities, including intensified shelling of the capital Kyiv, and civilians waiting in line for bread and sheltering in a theatre were killed, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials Moscow has yet to capture any of Ukraine’s biggest cities following its invasion that began on Feb. 24, the largest assault on a European state since World War Two, raising fears of wider conflict in the West. Putin on Wednesday said he would discuss neutral status for Ukraine and that what he calls a “special military operation” to demilitarize the country was “going to plan”. Kyiv and allies say his actions are an unprovoked incursion, and more than 3 million Ukrainians have fled and hundreds have died. The United States announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine to fight Russia, with the new package including drones, anti-armour and anti-aircraft systems. “More will be coming as we source additional stocks of equipment that … we are ready to transfer,” Biden said, later condemning Putin. “He is a war criminal,” he told reporters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the comment was “unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric”, according to Tass news agency. Ukraine still hopes for a diplomatic solution. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said negotiations were becoming “more realistic” and Russia said proposals under discussion were “close to an agreement.” The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said Russian forces had shot dead 10 people waiting in line for bread in Chernihiv, northeast of Kyiv. Russia denied the attack and said the incident was a hoax. Emergency services said rescue workers had found the bodies of five people during searches of shell-hit buildings. In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the city council said Russian forces bombed a theatre where civilians were sheltering. The number of casualties was not known. Russia denied it had carried out an air strike against the theatre. Reuters could not independently verify the information. Maxar Technologies, a private U.S. company, distributed satellite imagery that it said was collected on March 14 and showed the word “children” in large Russian script painted on the ground outside the red-roofed Mariupol Drama Theatre. FACEBOOK POSTS REMOVED The governor of Zaporizhzhia region said Russian forces had fired artillery at a convoy of evacuees from Mariupol, wounding five people on Wednesday. Three people were killed and five wounded after shelling caused a fire at a market in eastern Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, emergency services said. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 400 staff and patients were being held hostage at a Mariupol hospital that Russian forces captured on Tuesday. Moscow denies targeting civilians. Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian shelling caused a fire and damaged private homes and a gas line in the evening after early morning barrages. Russian troops have halted at the gates of the capital after taking heavy losses. Ukraine handed over nine captured soldiers to secure the freedom of the mayor of the city of Melitopol, who was detained last week, the Interfax Ukraine news agency quoted a senior official as saying on Wednesday. And as an information battle goes on alongside fighting, Facebook on Wednesday removed official Russian posts that falsely claimed reports of Russia bombing a children’s hospital in Ukraine were a hoax. Russia has shifted its stance over the bombing that caused outrage around the world with a mix of statements that veered between aggressive denials and a call to establish clear facts. ‘DARKEST TIME’ In a speech to the U.S. Congress by video link, Zelenskiy repeated a request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something the West won’t introduce. “In the darkest time for our country, for the whole of Europe, I call on you to do more,” he said. NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels pledged more arms supplies to help Ukraine. The U.N. Security Council is due to vote on Friday on a Russian-drafted call for aid access and civilian protection, but diplomats say the measure is set to fail because it does not push for an end to the fighting or withdrawal of troops. Delegations from the two sides were meeting via video conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday as efforts continued for a diplomatic solution. The Kremlin said negotiators were discussing a status for Ukraine similar to that of Austria or Sweden, both members of the European Union that are outside the NATO military alliance. Ukraine’s chief negotiator said Kyiv was still demanding a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops, with guarantees. Zelenskiy has said Ukraine could accept international security guarantees that stopped short of its longstanding aim to join NATO. That prospect has been one of Russia’s primary concerns. “Neutral status is now being seriously discussed along, of course, with security guarantees,” Lavrov said. “There are absolutely specific formulations which in my view are close to agreement.” Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s chief negotiator, told state TV: “Ukraine is offering an Austrian or Swedish version of a neutral demilitarised state, but at the same time a state with its own army and navy.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the idea “could really be seen as a compromise”. Austria and Sweden, the biggest of six EU members outside NATO, both have small militaries that cooperate with the alliance. DAMAGE TO RUSSIA’S ECONOMY Ukrainian forces have withstood an assault by a much larger army but the humanitarian toll is rising. Ukraine said about 20,000 people had escaped besieged Mariupol in cars, but hundreds of thousands remain trapped. The economic fallout is also being felt around the world. The Biden administration has authorized additional exports of liquefied natural gas from Texas-based Cheniere Energy in a move that could help Europe deal with a worsening crunch. Meanwhile, Russia was due to pay $117 million in interest on dollar-denominated sovereign bonds but may pay in roubles instead, amounting to its first default on foreign debt since the Bolshevik revolution. Moscow said it had the money, and Washington would be to blame if it cannot pay. In his most explicit acknowledgment of the pain inflicted by Western sanctions, Putin said inflation and unemployment would rise, and structural changes to the economy would be needed. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan and Costas Pitas, Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Philippa Fletcher, Grant McCool and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Ellen DeGeneres is making sure her staff is well taken care of after her syndicated talk show ends. The 64-year-old comedian is allegedly gifting the employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show nearly $3 million in bonuses, depending on how long they’ve been apart of her team. This comes nearly one year after her career nearly tanked after she was accused of running a toxic work environment. According to Deadline, DeGeneres’ bonuses are structured like this: staff members who have worked one-four years on her show will reportedly receive an extra two weeks of pay. Those who have served 5-8 years under her wing will get three weeks of pay, and so on. Veterans of the long-standing show will be capped at 6 weeks of additional pay. The outlet also notes that 30% of DeGeneres’ staff has been with her for 10 or more years. Mega Bonuses aren’t the only thing employees are getting. Warner Bros./Telepictures allegedly sent letters to staffers informing them that the company was extending their healthcare for 6 months after the program ends. They will also enjoy a condensed work schedule as the season comes to a close. Besides bonuses, healthcare coverage, and a shorter production schedule, DeGeneres’ talk show employees will also get free workshops on how to tailor their resumes and one-year memberships to free LinkedIn Learning. While that sounds fine and dandy, not everything smelled like roses behind the scenes at The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Mega Radar spoke with an ex-staffer who said their time as an employee of the show was “emotional psychological abuse.” “It’s a relief because, I was there for multiple seasons, and I could tell a majority of the staff was very unhappy. I could tell that the allegations, of course, were transpiring; they were true,” the source told us after DeGeneres announced her show was ending. “From my perspective, a lot of what wasn’t reported was verbal harassment and emotional psychological abuse, and I know that takes a very large toll on people. I’m really happy that that’s finally coming to an end.” DeGeneres later addressed the allegations but seemed to do more harm than good. “When it started, with that stupid ‘someone couldn’t look me in the eye’ or whatever the first thing was, it’s like a crest of a wave,” she stated. “Like, ‘This isn’t going to be that big of a wave.” And then it just keeps getting bigger and bigger until it was out of control.” She doubled down on her innocence, claiming, “And I really, honestly, felt like, ‘I don’t deserve this. I don’t need this. I know who I am. I’m a good person.’ And I was sitting back going, ‘If I was someone watching this, I would think, Well, there must be some truth to it because it’s not stopping.'” The Ellen DeGeneres Show‘s last episode is set to air on May 26. View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] The Essentials A parody of “Dentist” from “Little Shop of Horrors” Target: Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert … and a few others. Most Risky Lyric: “Your privilege is whiter than Anderson Cooper” YouTube Reviews: “Another masterpiece of comedic musical scathing tell-it-like-it-is parody extravaganza!!! ” –Blathering Bear Love the line about accusing non—Nazis of being Nazis while honoring the actual Nazis. Sad and sick but true. Gazpacho indeed. ” –Harry Hart-Browne “I’m glad someone finally gave a complete definition of a Karen, and no one could’ve done a better job than Randy. I love it , and I love your videos, thank you for lifting my day, and keep it up.” –Gartheo Breeding “Watching Randy’s brilliance made it tolerable to have to see&think about these vile creatures.Thank you Randy for being our light in these dark times ” –Diana Swan Connect with Randy Rainbow: Pre-order Randy’s new MEMOIR “Playing with Myself” (Available 4/19/22) TICKETS TO SEE RANDY LIVE! (Book Tour & Pink Glasses Tour): Book Randy Rainbow on CAMEO: Buy official t-shirts and other fun merch here (new merchandise coming soon): Support Randy’s Patreon page and get lots of fun rewards: LIKE Randy on Facebook for more:… Follow @RandyRainbow on TWITTER: Follow @RandyRainbow on INSTAGRAM: Randy on TikTok!@randyrainbowofficial Randy Rainbow Qaren Gurl You’re a Karen on Towleroad Beyoncé’s Mom Tina Knowles Goes Off About Jussie Smollett’s Jail Sentence: ‘They Want To Destroy This Man’ More Netflix brings back hit Ukrainian comedy show starring Zelensky More Biden: It’s time to change U.S. culture on violence against women More Idaho Senate halts healthcare bill targeting trans youth More Jaden Smith recalls ‘beautiful’ experience on psychedelic mushrooms More Jussie Smollett moved off psych ward More Billie Lourd honoured Mother Carrie Fisher, Grandmother Debbie Reynolds at her wedding More Britney Spears wants to be ‘feared’ rather than loved More Matt Bomer in early talks to board Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic More More than 10,000 couples marry in Ukraine since start of war More State TV protester tells Russians: open your eyes to Ukraine war propaganda More Ukraine President Zelenskiy asks U.S. Congress to help ‘protect our skies’ More Megan Rapinoe Changes the Game in More Ways Than One More Load More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Jussie Smollett, who is spending 150 days in jail in addition to 30 months’ probation after he claimed that he was part of a racist and homophobic hate crime by two brothers in Chicago, has one person in his corner: Beyoncé‘s mom, Tina Knowles. On Wednesday, March 16, Knowles stuck up for the Empire actor, who was found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to the police, and he was also charged with a sixth count of felony disorderly conduct for lying to a detective in the weeks following the “attack.” Mega “No matter what opinion you have of whether or not Jussie Smollet did what he is accused of or not. The punishment does not fit the crime,” she began via Instagram. “People walk away free from killing our people everyday. How many instances of our young Black people have been murdered in the last year, and the people whom they were with are walking free! And what about the people involved in the treason at the White House? Most went unpunished!” She continued, “And then they give this man five months in Jail. Are you kidding me? This is unjust. This man is not a threat to society. This is an example of the disparities between how we are treated as opposed to our white counterparts. Black people we cannot afford to let this slide! Trust me you and your family might be next! So let’s make some noise about this and ask for probation! The judge was obviously biased and very disrespectful and they wanted to disrespect and discredit the previous District Attorney Kim Fox, who was a Black woman. Please do your research about the case and look at the crime he is accused of and look at the time given him. They want to destroy this man. BTW If you have a difference in opinion I totally understand that but keep it positive .” Mega Of course, people immediately backed up Knowles’ statement. One person wrote, “FREE JUSSIE!!!” while another added, “The punishment definitely doesn’t fit the crime, but I do believe he lied and probation & fines are enough.” A third user stated, “I so agree Mama Tina. This is terrible and I’m praying for him!! #FreeJussieSmollet.” One day earlier, Smollett’s brother Jocqui Smollet revealed that his brother is no longer in the psych ward, and he was moved to a different jail cell. “I just got to see him. I just want to give you all an update. Thank you so much for the support, for the #FreeJussie movement. It’s working. He has now been moved to a new jail cell, out of the psych ward that has a bed. Before he was sleeping on a restrained bed and now he has moved into a jail cell that actually has a bed, so thank you so much, that is really because of all the #FreeJussie that has been going on. It’s all the pressure that we’re applying on Cook County Jail,” he told his followers. Mega He added, “There is no evidence linking Jussie to this crime. There is absolutely no evidence, no emails, no letters, no phone calls, no text messages, none of that, of Jussie saying, ‘I am planning an attack on myself.’ There is none of that happening, so please continue to fact check people, to fact check the media wherever possible, and thank you so much for the folks who have sent letters to him. You have no idea how great that is to keep him going and keep him strong and keep him focused on the task at hand. He is so, so grateful for the letters. He has read all of them, and he is going to reply to every single one of them.” View the full article

Published by DPA Before becoming real-life president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky (right) acted out the role in a show that is now being picked up on streaming platforms around the world. Arte/dpa The TV comedy that launched the political career of Ukraine’s president is fast becoming a global streaming hit amid the prolonged international focus on actor-turned-president Volodymyr Zelensky, the main player resisting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “You asked and it’s back,” Netflix wrote on Wednesday, announcing the return of the 2015 satirical show “Servant of the People”, which stars Zelenksy as a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president after becoming famous on YouTube. Zelenksy, whose character is elected president after a clip in which he complains about corruption goes viral, was himself elected president in real life after the show was widely watched across Ukraine. While Netflix is launching the show for US viewers, in Europe, the French-German broadcaster Arte says it has registered an increasing interest in the TV show. “Due to the high level of public interest in the person of Volodymyr Zelensky, Arte decided to buy the series in autumn 2021,” the broadcaster told dpa. “The current developments in Ukraine have significantly increased this interest.” In the UK, broadcaster Channel 4 has snapped up the series and has been streaming it online to viewers. Distributor Eccho Rights has also sold the show to MBC in the Middle East, ANT 1 in Greece and PRO TV in Romania, according to entertainment industry news website Deadline. The show loaned its name to Zelensky’s political party, the Servant of the People party, whose pro-NATO and pro-EU policies have become the target of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The first two seasons of “Servant of the People” are also available free to watch on YouTube. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jeff Mason and Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Wednesday said it is time to change the culture and not just U.S. law to stop violence against women as he celebrated expanded protections for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. A day earlier, Biden signed a spending bill that included a renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, which also provides more resources and training programs for law enforcement, among other steps. Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner in the United States, according to a new report https://everytownresearch.org/report/guns-and-violence-against-women-americas-uniquely-lethal-intimate-partner-violence-problem/#the-nexus-of-intimate-partner-violence-and-guns that claims intimate partner violence and gun violence in the U.S. are inextricably linked. Experts say stay-at-home orders linked to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak appear to have contributed to a spike in domestic violence. “Change the culture, not just the law,” Biden said at a White House event attended by advocates, survivors of abuse and lawmakers. “It really wasn’t so long ago this country didn’t want to talk about violence against women, let alone it being a national epidemic – something government had to address. As a society, we literally looked away.” Biden said the law will now do more for survivors in rural areas and in underserved communities. For example, tribal courts will now be able to exercise jurisdiction over non-native perpetrators of sexual assault and sex trafficking, he said. As a senator, Biden helped craft the bill, which was originally signed into law in 1994. It expired under then-President Donald Trump in 2019. In 2018, the United States was named as the only Western nation among the 10 most dangerous countries for women in a Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of global experts, after the #MeToo campaign triggered a flood of complaints about sexual harassment and assault. (Reporting by Nandita Bose and Jeff Mason in Washington; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Idaho’s Senate has blocked a controversial bill that would have outlawed gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children under the age of 18. Republican leaders in the Idaho Senate halted the advancement of the bill on Tuesday, saying it undermined parental rights and amounted to government overreach, even as they affirmed their staunch opposition to any kind of trans-related medical care. “We believe in parents’ rights and that the best decisions regarding medical treatment options for children are made by parents, with the benefit of their physician’s advice and expertise,” Republican Senate leaders said in a statement https://idahocapitalsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Idaho-Senate-Republicans-Statement-on-HB-675-4.pdf released late on Tuesday. The Republican-sponsored legislation would have made it a felony for anyone to provide gender-affirming surgeries and medications like puberty-blockers by amending existing provisions on female genital mutilation. It also would have criminalized taking a child across state lines to receive that care. Idaho’s House had overwhelmingly passed the bill last week. The Senate’s action marked a victory for LGBTQ groups, medical professionals and civil liberties advocates opposing moves by conservative politicians in dozens of states to criminalize gender-affirming treatments for trans youth. Numerous medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support these treatments, calling them potentially life saving. Republican lawmakers have sought this year to pass a number of measures limiting trans healthcare, an issue that has emerged as a key front in the culture wars ahead of the November mid-term congressional elections. Last week, a Texas judge temporarily blocked the state from investigating parents who provide their transgender children with gender-affirming care. Governor Greg Abbott has called such care “child abuse.” The state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, appealed the injunction. It remains unclear whether investigations into parents are continuing while the matter rests with the courts. In Alabama, legislation seeking to criminalize anyone who provides gender-affirming healthcare to minors could be voted on in the state’s House this week. (Reporting by Maria Caspani; Editing by Tim Ahmann) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jaden Smith thought everything was “so beautiful” when he took psychedelic mushrooms. The 23-year-old actor told how he took psilocybin with a group of friends in a park and felt like he “went inside of a tree”, which “looked like a rainbow” and felt just as “alive” as he did. He said: “I was with people who I really loved dearly. We go to a park, which was the best decision that we could have ever made. Everything just becomes so beautiful. “We look at the sky and everybody starts feeling like they want to cry, but no one says anything. We were running in the park. We’re sprinting. We’re talking fast. We decided to hug a tree and felt like we actually went inside of the tree. “I saw the inner workings of the tree and it looked like a rainbow. I could tell in that moment that trees were alive, but more alive than anyone could ever think. As alive as humans are.” The ‘Karate Kid’ actor’s experience with psychedelics has influenced his latest clothing collection, ‘Trippy Summer’, and he explained how the collection has “taken advantage” of what happens when people are in an altered state. He told Mr. Porter journal: “I believe that mushrooms are going to help us expand consciousness. The collection is not just clothes to sell. “It’s loaded with spiritual experiences and mystical states. We’re just making clothes that can go along with people’s journeys.’ “When you’re in that sensitive space, the wrong shirt can ruin things. “Whether the shirt says, “Oh, f*** you, you f****** f***,’ or, ‘Go to hell and die,’ it might scare somebody… We’re taking advantage of the certain visual cues that happen when you’re on mushrooms. Things slightly move. “If you give something the feeling of motion, when you’re on mushrooms and you look at it, your brain will finish the work and put it in motion so that you’re like, “Holy f***! His pants are moving.”‘ View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jussie Smollett has been moved out of a prison psychiatric ward. The former ‘Empire’ star’s brother, Jocqui Smollett, raised concerns over the weekend about his sibling’s incarceration but he’s now thanked fans for backing his campaign for the 39-year-old actor to be transferred to a different part of Cook County Jail and urged them to continue to “apply pressure” to officials at the prison. Offering an update on social media, Jocqui said: “I just got to see him. I just want to give you all an update. Thank you so much for the support, for the #FreeJussie movement. It’s working. “He has now been moved to a new jail cell, out of the psych ward that has a bed. Before he was sleeping on a restrained bed and now he has moved into a jail cell that actually has a bed, so thank you so much, that is really because of all the #FreeJussie that has been going on. It’s all the pressure that we’re applying on Cook County Jail. “Unfortunately, the county doesn’t really move until they get bad publicity, so we just have to keep applying pressure y’all. Keep reposting with #FreeJussie, keep continuing to call Cook County Jail, checking in on him and continue saying that he should be free.” The former ‘Empire’ star was convicted last December of lying to police over a hate crime attack and last week was jailed for 150 days, as well as ordered to pay over $120,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine and placed on probation for 30 months. Jussie has denied the allegations against him, and his brother insisted it is “absolutely ridiculous” that he is in jail because there is “absolutely no evidence” to prove he orchestrated the attack on himself. He continued: “It’s absolutely ridiculous that he’s in there. This means that you could just be associated with two liars, and that is all it takes is their word to get you locked up. The state could lock you up, that should leave you terrified. “There is no evidence linking Jussie to this crime. There is absolutely no evidence, no emails, no letters, no phone calls, no text messages, none of that, of Jussie saying, ‘I am planning an attack on myself.’ “There is none of that happening, so please continue to fact check people, to fact check the media wherever possible, and thank you so much for the folks who have sent letters to him. “You have no idea how great that is to keep him going and keep him strong and keep him focused on the task at hand. He is so, so grateful for the letters. He has read all of them, and he is going to reply to every single one of them.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Billie Lourd honoured her late mother, Carrie Fisher, with her wedding outfit. The ‘Scream Queens’ actress tied the knot with Austen Rydell in an intimate beach ceremony in Mexico on 12 March and the 29-year-old star asked Rodarte’s Kate and Laura Mlleavy to design her off-the-shoulder gown because of their connections to the ‘Star Wars’ actress, who died in 2016. Billie told Vogue magazine: “I discovered Kate and Laura after they interviewed my mom for an article in 2014 and immediately fell in love. “So when I started thinking about who I wanted to design my wedding dress, they were the first people who came to mind. “I have always been a massive fan of their work and thought their elegant, ethereal, unique style was a perfect fit for my — kind of —elegant, ethereal, unique personality. “I also felt a strong connection to them because of their connection to my mom and because they are California gals just like me!” Billie’s dress was teamed with Rene Mancini heels chosen by her father, Bryan Lourd, who had spotted the footwear when out shopping because they “reminded him of the shoes my mom used to wear in the ’90s.” She added: “It was a month before the wedding, and they told him they take four months to make the shoes. He talked to Mohamad, the manager of the store, and told him when the wedding was and asked him if he could somehow rush them, and he magically made it happen! When he came to pick up the shoes, it turned out my dad’s hunch about my mom was right. Mohamad told him that my mom used to shop at their store in New York City in the ’90s. The perfect shoe turned out to literally be the perfect shoe. It was serendipity!” For her jewellery, the ‘Booksmart’ actress wore her engagement ring – a diamond that was originally in her mom’s engagement ring which Austen had reset – Carrie’s favourite blue fire opal band as her something blue, and another ring which her mother had given to one of her closest friends for something borrowed. Billie’s something old came in the form of vintage Neil Lane diamond studs given to her by her dad. Carrie’s two best friends, Gavin DeBecker and Bruce Wagner, officiated the wedding, with the service offering more nods to the bride’s mother. Billie said: “It was the most hysterically brilliant and touching officiating in the history of officiating. And in true Carrie fashion, we threw glitter in the air at the end of the ceremony. It was magical. I could not have dreamed up a more perfect wedding.” At the reception, Billie changed into another Rodarte outfit, which paid tribute to her late grandmother, Debbie Reynolds. The bride said: “It was inspired by my glam-ma Debbie Reynolds’s iconic dance outfits that she used to wear in all of her shows and is probably the most fun party outfit of all time. “I am obsessed beyond belief. I’m probably going to make it into an art piece in my house because it’s way too legendary to just hang on a hanger in a closet. I have never had more fun in any dress ever!” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears would rather be “feared” than “loved”. The 40-year-old singer has reflected on her Las Vegas residency after her most recent trip to Sin City, and she insisted now she has “a whole new perspective” on life. She wrote on Instagram: “The only thing I’ve known when I used to go to Vegas was a hour long meet and greets with 40 people every night getting the worst pics of me and then a two hour show!!!! “Let’s just say THIS TIME visiting it gave me a whole new perspective on what it means to live !!!! “Being able to go to the spa was a highlight as well … and you know what ??? Don’t ever pity me like my masseuse does …. “People do love you!” …. Huh ???? Huh ???? “I dont want to be loved … I want to be feared !!! Being loved and being nice got me taken advantage of …… so take ur pity and go f*** yourselves (sic)” Meanwhile, it was recently claimed Britney – who regained control of her affairs in November after her conservatorship was terminated – and her partner Sam Asghari are both “very career focused” at the moment. A source said: “Britney and Sam are very career focused right night, especially Sam. They are both going so hard right now and putting in a lot of work and effort into all areas of their lives, both personally and professionally. “She doesn’t want to have a partner who is just fine being quiet and sitting on the sidelines. “She is equally as motivated and career driven as he is. That’s their focus and the path they are on right now.” However, the couple – who first started dating in 2016 and became engaged when Sam popped the question in September 2021 – are also said to be planning for their upcoming wedding. The source said: “They’re definitely in wedding planning mode too and hyper focused on that, but they also are trying to elevate themselves.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Matt Bomer is reportedly in early talks to join Bradley Cooper’s biopic about Leonard Bernstein. The 47-year-old actor is set to star in and direct the upcoming Netflix movie, ‘Maestro’, which follows the life of the conductor and musical maestro behind ‘West Side Story’ and ‘Candide’. According to Deadline, the ‘White Collar’ star, 44, is yet to strike a deal with the streaming giant and the role he would take on is not known at this time. If he does board the flick – which sees Hollywood heavyweights Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg among the producers – Matt will join Bradley in the titular role and Carey Mulligan as Bernstein’s wife Felicia Montealegre. Bradley previously said: “I was struck by Carey ever since I saw her on stage many years ago and I haven’t missed a performance of hers since. “I am humbled to be working with such a mammoth talent, as well as such a kind person in Carey.” The film spans over 30 years, telling the story of the complicated marriage between the pair. They had three children together, but Felicia knew about Bernstein’s affairs with other men before and after their wedding. The children have given their seal of approval of Carey, 36, portraying their mother. Jamie Bernstein said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Carey Mulligan will play our mother in ‘Maestro’. “Carey will surely capture Felicia’s unique combination of wit, warmth, elegant beauty, and depth of emotion. We also love the way Carey conveys a kind of storybook European grace, which was something our mother embodied as well.” The script has been penned by Bradley, with the help of Josh Singer, who previously helped to pen ‘Spotlight’. The ‘A Star Is Born’ helmer earned the rights from the Bernstein Estate and has been working closely with his children, Jamie, Alexander and Nina. Previously, it was also confirmed that Jake Gyllenhaal was also set to star in another movie about the late composer titled ‘The American’, which would have been helmed by Cary Fukunaga. However, plans for the movie were eventually scrapped amid concerns Bernstein’s name wouldn’t draw a big enough audience. View the full article

Published by DPA Ukrainian couple Vladimir Ozarkov and Ulyana Kudla get married at the Church of the Most Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lviv. The couple decided to move their wedding earlier as the groom will be deployed the next day to join the fight against the Russian invasion. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Since the beginning of the war almost three weeks ago, 10,683 couples across Ukraine have tied the knot, the Justice Ministry in Kiev said. “The war in the country continues, but life does not stop.” It added that 10,767 children had been born in the country since February 24. “Our workers continue to work for you even under war conditions!” the ministry wrote in a statement addressed to Ukrainians late Tuesday. Ukrainian couple Vladimir Ozarkov and Ulyana Kudla get married at the Church of the Most Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lviv. The couple decided to move their wedding earlier as the groom will be deployed the next day to join the fight against the Russian invasion. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -A Russian woman who burst into a TV studio to denounce the Ukraine war during a live news bulletin told Reuters on Wednesday she was worried for her safety and hoped her protest would open Russians’ eyes to propaganda. In her first television interview since her extraordinary on-air protest on Channel One on Monday evening, Marina Ovsyannikova said that she had no plans to flee Russia and that she hoped she would not face criminal charges. “I believe in what I did but I now understand the scale of the problems that I’ll have to deal with, and, of course, I’m extremely concerned for my safety,” Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One, told Reuters. “I absolutely don’t feel like a hero… You know, I really want to feel that this sacrifice was not in vain, and that people will open their eyes.” She was fined 30,000 roubles ($280) on Tuesday hours after the Kremlin denounced her act of protest as “hooliganism”. Reuters has submitted a written request to the interior ministry asking for further comment on her case and whether legal proceedings are now closed. Ovsyannikova told Reuters she wanted not only to protest against the war but also to sent a message to Russians directly: “Don’t be such zombies; don’t listen to this propaganda; learn how to analyse information; learn how to find other sources of information – not just Russian state television.” (Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Mark Trevelyan) View the full article