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Published by AFP The US Capitol is seen at sunrise from Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, on January 31, 2022 Washington (AFP) – The US Senate advanced a bill Tuesday that would bring an end to the twice-yearly changing of clocks, in favor of a “new, permanent standard time” that would mean brighter winter evenings. The Sunshine Protection Act, which still needs the backing of the House of Representatives, would mean no more losing an hour in bed every spring and fewer journeys home in the dark for school children and office workers. It was introduced last year by Republican Marco Rubio — a senator from the “Sunshine State” of Florida — who said studies had shown a permanent daylight saving time (DST) could benefit the economy. “It’s really straightforward. Cutting back on the sun during the fall and winter is a drain on the American people and does little to nothing to help them,” Rubio said in a statement ahead of the vote. “It’s time we retire this tired tradition.” Rubio told colleagues on the Senate floor the United States sees an increase in heart attacks and road accidents in the week that follow the changing of the clocks. DST was first adopted by the federal government during World War I but repealed after seven months while tweaks were made. Senators agreed unanimously to do away with the current version, which lasts from March until November. The clamor has increased in recent years to make DST permanent, especially among politicians and lobbyists from the Northeast, where frigid conditions are normal in the early winter mornings. Rubio said he’d sought input from the business community and it was agreed that the change should not take place until November 2023. “This is a big, sensible step forward,” added Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a co-sponsor of the bill who had earlier appealed on Twitter for fellow legislators to “brighten the coldest months with an extra hour of afternoon sun.” The legislation won’t affect Hawaii and most of Arizona, the Navajo Nation, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, which do not spring forward in summer. View the full article

Published by Reuters UK (Reuters) – The latest on Russia’s oligarchs and their assets: ALISHER USMANOV Alisher Usmanov, 68, a metals and telecoms tycoon with an estimated $16.2 billion net worth, has been sanctioned by the United States and European Union. Seized: – A villa in Golfo del Pevero, on the island of Sardinia, worth approximately $19 million, was seized by Italian authorities. Suspended: – The $600 million Dilbar superyacht is sitting in a Hamburg shipyard with authorities saying they have no plans to deliver it to the owner. – Everton F.C. suspended its $15 million plus naming rights deal with Usmanov’… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Christina Aguilera is headlining ‘L.A Pride in the Park’. The ‘Genie in a Bottle’ hitmaker has been given the top spot at the 2022 edition of the annual multi-stage festival celebrating the LGBT community – which was paused for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic – at its “iconic new” 25,000 capacity venue Los Angeles Historic State Park on 11 June. Gerald Garth, the vice president of programmes and initiatives at charity St Christopher’s Street said: “The inaugural L.A. Pride in 1970 set the foundation for what would become an annual celebration of the Greater Los Angeles LGBTQIA+ community. Over the course of those 50 years, it has been inspiring to see neighborhoods throughout L.A. organize their own Pride celebrations. As we return to in-person events, L.A. Pride is honored to continue the tradition that we started 50 years ago, this time with the iconic Christina Aguilera in an iconic new location.” Gerald promised – despite the attacks on LGBT rights and freedoms – they “will continue being loud” at the event, which tickets will go on sale on Tuesday (15.03.22) with more performer announcements to follow. He continued: “Given the LGBTQIA+ oppression that’s horrifyingly making its way into legal reality, putting our younger community’s visibility and truth at risk, there’s an even bigger reason for us to come together across the country and tell our youths to Love Your Pride. We will continue being loud and say gay. We will continue to come together to support you. To the lawmakers who are pushing this agenda: don’t come for family.” View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) – Russia said on Tuesday it had put U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a dozen top U.S. officials on a “stop list” that bars them from entering the country. Alongside Biden, U.S. officials on the list included Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA chief William Burns, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and former secretary of state and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The ban was in response to sanctions imposed by Washington on Russian officials. The foreign ministry later added Trudeau to the list of sanctioned individuals. The measures appeared to be mainly symbolic, as the Foreign Ministry said it was maintaining official relations and if necessary would make sure that high-level contacts with the people on the list could take place. (Reporting by Sujata Rao, Editing by Mark Trevelyan) View the full article

Published by DPA Kaspersky, the Russia-based multinational behind one of the world's most widely used antivirus software suites, is no longer a safe choice, according to Germany's IT authority. Laura Ludwig/dpa Private and professional users of Kaspersky’s widely installed antivirus software should find an alternative due to the risk of Russian cyber attacks, Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) warns. The German IT authority is warning of a “considerable risk of a successful IT attack” in the context of the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Moscow-based cybersecurity company could either itself carry out offensive operations or be forced to attack certain systems against its will, the German authority said on Tuesday. Russian tech services like Kaspersky could also be spied on without their knowledge or misused as tools for attacks against their own customers, the BSI warned. The Russia-based multinational is behind one of the world’s most widely used antivirus software suites. Like similar programs from Avast, Norton and Avira, Kaspersky’s software is designed to protect users against trojans, spyware and other cyber threats. Kaspersky denied its products posed a cybersecurity risk and said the BSI’s decision was not based on a technical evaluation of its products, but made for political reasons. “Kaspersky is a private global cybersecurity company and, as a private company, does not have any ties to the Russian or any other government.” The company added that it had also moved its data processing infrastructure to Switzerland. “We will continue to assure our partners and customers in the quality and integrity of our products, and we will be working with the BSI for clarification on its decision and for the means to address its and other regulators’ concerns.” Kaspersky added that peaceful dialogue is the only possible tool to resolve conflicts. “War isn’t good for anyone.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed $644,398 in fines for 922 COVID-19 mask violators since February 2021 on commercial flights, in airports and train stations or on public transit services, the government reported on Monday, a dramatic jump in recent months. According to the government report https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104583?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_content=topic_transportation&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, all but 44 of the TSA fines were for failing to wear masks as required on airplanes or, less often, in airports. The rest covered unmasked passengers in surface transportation like transit, rail and bus. The agency said it has also issued warnings to more than 2,700 travelers after more than 7,000 reported incidents since the transit mask requirements took effect. In late October, TSA said it had proposed $85,990 in fines for 190 mask violators and issued warnings to more than 2,200. Last week, TSA said it was extending mask requirements at airports and on airplanes through April 18. Since the start of 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has investigated reports of 6,800 unruly airplane passengers including about 4,800 for not wearing masks. It has opened 450 investigations and proposed more than $5 million in fines. The TSA fines included $501,388 for 788 onboard air incidents, averaging $636. The TSA has issued 18 civil penalties for not wearing masks at airport checkpoints totaling $57,065 or $3,170 on average, and 160 others at airports totaling $57,795, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said. Another 44 have been issued for surface transportation incidents totaling $28,150. Last year, two U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives disclosed TSA had issued just $2,350 in total fines to 10 passengers through mid-September, despite thousands of reports of travelers failing to comply. TSA in November issued an information circular for aviation transportation operators detailing type of information “needed for an investigation and best practices for obtaining information, such as from witnesses to incidents,” the GAO said. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. One in four kids with COVID develop lingering problems One in four children with COVID-19 symptoms develop “long COVID,” according to data pooled from 21 earlier studies conducted in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. Among the 80,071 children with COVID-19 in the studies, 25% developed symptoms that lasted at least 4-to-12 weeks or new persistent symptoms that appeared within 12 weeks, researchers reported on Sunday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. The most frequent problems were neuropsychiatric (mood symptoms, fatigue, sleep disorders, headaches, cognitive alterations, dizziness, balance problems), cardiorespiratory (breathing difficulty, congestion, exercise intolerance, chest pain and tightness, cough, irregular heart rhythm), skin-related (excessive sweating, itchiness, hair loss) and gastrointestinal (abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea). Analyses of data pooled from many different studies with different methodologies cannot yield firm conclusions, the researchers acknowledge. What is clear, however, is that “children and adolescents have also physical and mental health consequences derived from COVID-19,” said study coauthor Sonia Villapol of Houston Methodist Research Institute in Texas. “Identifying the main signs and symptoms of pediatric long COVID can help diagnose, develop better treatments, create multidisciplinary teams for optimal clinical management, and find risk factors for prevention.” Vaccine protection in mother’s milk strongest after mRNA shots Women who wish to pass protective antibodies induced by COVID-19 vaccines to their babies via breast milk should opt for the mRNA shots from Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech, according to a study reported on Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. For the study, 124 lactating women each provided 17 milk samples over a period of 100 days. The women had received either an mRNA vaccine or a vector-based vaccine from Johnson & Johnson or AstraZeneca. Researchers measured two types of antibodies in the milk samples – IgA antibodies and IgG antibodies, both of which are thought to play important roles in protecting breastfed infants. Nearly all – 96% to 97% – of the women who received both doses of an mRNA vaccine had detectable IgA antibodies in their milk, while only 39% had antibodies in their milk after two doses of the AstraZeneca shot and 48% after the one-dose J&J vaccine. All the women who received both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccines had IgG antibodies, compared to only 28% of women who received J&J’s shot. “An mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine is the optimal choice for lactating women when they want to transfer breast milk antibodies to their infants,” the researchers concluded. Omicron is infectious on surfaces longer than original virus Omicron particles remain infectious on surfaces for longer periods than particles of the original SARS-CoV-2, according to laboratory experiments. Researchers put droplets of infectious virus from the original coronavirus version and the Omicron BA.1 variant on a variety of surfaces at room temperature. On smooth surfaces (glass, stainless steel and plastic sheet), Omicron was still infectious after seven days, whereas particles of the original SARS-CoV-2 were no longer infectious on stainless steel and plastic sheets by day 4 and on glass by day 7, the researchers reported on Thursday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. On tissue paper and printing paper, the original virus was no longer infectious at 30 minutes. Omicron was still infectious at 30 minutes, but no longer after an hour, the researchers said. For the most part, SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via respiratory droplets in the air. While infection via contact with contaminated surfaces is less common, the new study “highlights the importance of hand hygiene and cleaning on surfaces that are regularly touched by different persons,” said study coauthor Leo Poon of the University of Hong Kong. “For surfaces and settings contaminated by a COVID-19 patient, proper cleaning should be done.” (Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jim Bourg WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A convoy of trucks attempted to bring a weeks-long, cross-country protest against COVID-19 mandates into Washington, D.C., on Monday, but police blocked numerous bridges, highway exits and city streets, preventing many of the vehicles from entering the heart of the nation’s capital. It was the first time the protesters sought to enter the city since the convoy arrived in the area earlier this month. The procession started out in California in February. Before Monday, the trucks, which were joined by protesters in cars and recreational vehicles, remained on the Beltway, a 64-mile (103 km) highway that encircles the city, driving slowly to draw attention to their cause. Officials on Monday warned of traffic delays on three major interstates in the capital region due to the closures. A traffic camera mounted near the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River showed dozens of big rigs backed up on Interstate 395 near the Pentagon as police denied access. Many of the drivers were blaring their air horns as traffic snarled. While many trucks were blocked, some apparently made it into the city, according to live streams posted on social media. Leaders of the convoy, inspired by demonstrations last month that paralyzed Canada’s capital city of Ottawa, are calling for an end to all pandemic-related restrictions. The movement attracted participants from around the country who were angry about vaccination requirements for health, government and military employees. It has also drawn support from Republicans such as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. The protest against vaccine requirements and other pandemic restrictions has been undercut in recent weeks, with many U.S. cities rolling back mask mandates and other measures as infections and hospitalizations decline sharply. Before drivers made the roughly 80-mile trip to Washington on Monday morning, hundreds of vehicles gathered at the Hagerstown Speedway racetrack in Maryland. The group had planned to stage a protest on Washington’s National Mall but it withdrew its application for a permit when the National Park Service would not grant its requested dates, according to the Washington Post. A representative of the National Park Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Pete Davidson is heading to Space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. The 28-year-old comedian – who is dating Kim Kardashian – is set to follow in the footsteps of Hollywood legend William Shatner and former NFL star Michael Strahan by boarding the 20th flight as part of the New Shepard programme on March 23. A tweet on the official Blue Origin Twitter page read: “#NewShepard mission #NS20 will include Marty Allen, @NBCSNL’s Pete Davidson, @SharonHagle, Marc Hagle, @JimKitchen, and @DrGeorgeNield. Liftoff on March 23 is targeted for 8:30 am CDT / 13:30 UTC from Launch Site One.” The ‘SNL’ star and billionaire businessman Jeff – who founded Amazon in the 90s – were recently reported to have held “preliminary” talks about heading off into outer space together. A source told E! News: “They’ve been in discussions, several. Nothing is official yet and no date locked in. It’s very preliminary.” Pete and Kim, 41, visited Jeff’s mansion in January. Though it wasn’t entirely clear what they discussed during their meeting. However, it was later speculated that a trip into Space was on the cards. Another source said: “He got on really well with Jeff when they met.” Pete started dating the reality star – who he recently went Instagram official with – last year after she filed for divorce from Kanye West. And the ‘King of Staten Island’ star is said to have been wowed by the brunette beauty over recent months. A source explained: “Pete loves that Kim is such a great, hands-on mom and also a boss. She has created an empire and Pete really respects that she has been able to balance multiple successful businesses and a stressful divorce all at the same time. “He admires her class and thinks she is a supermom.” Pete – who has also dated the likes of Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale and Kaia Gerber – and Kim are said to have great “chemistry” when they’re together. The insider added: “Kim and Pete are always laughing together and are constantly in hysterics. “Pete brings out a side of Kim that she loves. She adores Pete’s sense of humour and their chemistry is on another level. Kim likes that he is so authentically himself. He’s also really sweet and always puts Kim first. They get along wonderfully and share a really special bon View the full article

Published by Reuters By Antonio Denti, Michael Martina and Andrea Shalal ROME/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday raised concerns about China’s alignment with Russia in a seven-hour meeting with Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi as Washington warned of the isolation and penalties Beijing will face if it helps Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine. The meeting took place in Rome as Washington told allies in NATO and several Asian countries that China had signaled its willingness to provide military and economic aid to Russia to support its war, two U.S. officials said. The U.S. message, sent in a diplomatic cable, also noted China was expected to deny those plans, said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s real, it’s consequential, and it’s really alarming,” the second U.S. official said, although the U.S. government offered no public evidence to back its assertions of China’s willingness to provide such aid to Russia. After talks ended, the White House issued a short statement, saying Sullivan raised a “range of issues in U.S.-China relations, with substantial discussion of Russia’s war against Ukraine.” “We have deep concerns about China’s alignment with Russia at this time, and the national security adviser was direct about those concerns and the potential implications and consequences of certain actions,” a senior administration official told reporters. Sullivan described to Yang “the unity of the United States and its allies and partners … in bringing costs on Russia for its actions,” this official added. The official described the meeting as “intense,” reflecting “the gravity of the moment,” although it had long been planned, was not timed to events in Ukraine and covered other issues including North Korea, Taiwan and tense bilateral relations. The official said the exchanges had been “candid” but led to no specific outcomes. Before the talks, U.S. officials had said Sullivan planned to warn of the isolation China could face globally if it supported Russia. Officials of the United States and other countries have sought to emphasize in recent weeks that siding with Russia could carry consequences for trade flows, development of new technologies and expose China to secondary sanctions. Chinese companies defying U.S. restrictions on exports to Russia may be cut off from American equipment and software they need to make their products, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said last week. “We have communicated very clearly to Beijing that we will not stand by…(and) we will not allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told a regular briefing in Washington. It was Sullivan’s first-known meeting with Yang since closed-door sessions in Zurich in October that sought to calm tensions after an acrimonious public exchange between the two in Alaska a year ago. AVOID CONFLICT, CHINA SAYS China’s official Xinhua news agency cited Yang as saying that Beijing was committed to promoting negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict. “China firmly opposes any words and deeds that spread false information and distort and smear China’s position,” Yang said, in an apparent oblique reference to Washington’s claims about support for Russia. China and the United States should strengthen dialogue, properly manage differences, and avoid conflict and confrontation, he said. Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution said Chinese support for Russia “would considerably narrow its path for preserving non-hostile relations with the United States and the West” and not likely alter the trajectory of the conflict. China is the world’s-largest exporter, the European Union’s largest trading partner and the top foreign supplier of goods to the United States. Any pressure on Chinese trade could have economic effects on the United States and its allies. U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday that Russia had asked China for military equipment after its invasion. Russia denied asking China for military assistance and said it has sufficient military clout to fulfill all of its aims in Ukraine. Sino-U.S. ties, already at their lowest point in decades, took a further plunge last month when leaders Xi Jinping of China and President Vladimir Putin of Russia announced an upgraded “no limits” strategic partnership just weeks before the Ukraine invasion. China, a key trading partner of Russia, has refused to call Moscow’s actions an invasion, although Xi last week did call for “maximum restraint” and express concern about the impact of Western sanctions on the global economy, amid growing signs that they limit China’s ability to buy Russian oil. Russia itself calls its moves into Ukraine a “special military operation.” The United States and its allies have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia and banned its energy imports, while providing billions of dollars of military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. (Reporting by Antonio Denti in Rome and Michael Martina, Andrea Shalal, David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland, Simon Lewis and Phil Stewart in Washington and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Heather Timmons and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English The ‘Full House’ cast are open to another reboot after Bob Saget’s death. Many of the classic sitcom’s stars – who also returned for the ‘Fuller House’ reboot – have revealed they would be open to returning for a third iteration just two months after the actor’s sad death aged 65. Speaking to the ‘Today’ show at 90s Con, Dave Coulier quipped: “Like, OK, we’ll do ‘Fullest House’. I think we would in a heartbeat.” His castmates agreed, and Andrea Barber – who was also appearing alongside Candace Cameron Bure and Scott Weinger – suggested their late friend would approve. She added: “It would be hard but I think Bob would want that.” Meanwhile, Coulier admitted while being back together at the convention over the weekend was tough for the actors, it was a cathartic experience. He explained: “It’s still hard to talk about it because he was such a huge part of our family, and he was the central figure that always brought us together.” Saget died on January 9, and his family have now been granted a permanent injuction by Ninth Judicial Circuit Judge Vincent Chiu. In a statement obtained by People, Brian Bieber – the Saget family’s attorney – explained: “The entire Saget family is grateful that the judge granted their request for an injunction to preserve Bob’s dignity, as well as their privacy rights, especially after suffering this unexpected and tragic loss. “We are pleased this issue has been resolved, and the healing process can continue to move forward. All of the prayers and well wishes continuously extended to the family are beyond appreciated.” The ‘Full House’ star was found dead in his Florida hotel room in January and his family previously said that he died from head trauma. Following his death, Kelly Rizzo, the actor’s widow, and their three daughters – Aubrey, Lara and Jennifer Saget – launched legal action against Orange County Sheriff John Mina and the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office in a bid to stop photographs or videos related to the investigation from being released. Attorneys representing the family claimed they would “suffer irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress” if the records were made public. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kelis’ husband Mike Mora has lost his battle with stomach cancer. The ‘Milkshake’ hitmaker’s spouse, who was just 37, had revealed he was diagnosed with stage four cancer in October 2021. Confirming the sad news of his death, Kelis’ management told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “Sadly, it’s true that Mike Mora has passed away. We would ask all to respect Kelis and her family’s privacy as of right now. Thank you.” The photographer began suffering the “worst pain” in his belly he’d ever had a year before his devastating diagnosis, as well as a loss of appetite and discomfort in his back, and although he left it “a bit late” to seek medical advice, he was hopeful he did so “just in time”, but a doctor gave him just 18 months to live. He wrote on Instagram: “I was told people with my disease, in this phase, didn’t make it past 18 months. It’s been exactly 12.” Mike told how after a week of undergoing tests and seeing various specialists, he was finally told he had gastric adenocarcinoma, stomach cancer, not long after he and Kelis welcomed their daughter Galilee into the world in September 2020. He continued: “I thought the whole time that I just had an ulcer. With no idea what was about to come my way. Here I was, in a hospital bed, during the middle of the pandemic. All alone.” Mike – who also had six-year-old son Shepherd with Kelis and is stepfather to her and Nas’ 12-year-old son Knight – hoped to inspire others in similar situations not to give up hope and to cherish the time they have with their loved ones. He wrote in a separate post: “I am posting this, after so much thought. not because I want people to feel bad or sorry for me and my family. I am posting this because life is full of the most unexpected situations. “I never thought this could happen to me. At just 36, with 3 kiddos, and a wife that loves me. I want to be able to help those that might experience something, maybe, hopefully. By showing that it’s possible to make it through. “I want to be able to help those that might be experiencing something like this- a life-altering disease full of questions and doubt- maybe, hopefully. By showing that it’s possible to make it through. “You always see people post about how life is too short. How you should reach out to those you love no matter where life has taken you. It is the truth. Don’t take your time here, your time with friends, family, for granted. S*** can be over just like that!(sic)” He has also thanked those who had sent him messages of support, admitting the posts were “overwhelming” and vowed to keep people updated on his battle. He wrote: “Dear friends, it has been incredibly overwhelming. Receiving all the love and words of encouragement. I am so grateful. “But overall, I think it’s making me stronger. I have tried to respond to all the messages. If I have not, please forgive me. I have never had so many messages in my life. [Love] to all. The story will continue.” View the full article

Published by DPA Higher rates of depression and anxiety have been noted in people who were bedridden at home with the coronavirus for seven days or more. Fabian Sommer/dpa Spending more than a week in bed with Covid may be linked to an increase in the risk of long term damage to mental health, new research suggests. The study found that people with coronavirus who were not admitted to hospital were more likely to experience symptoms of depression up to 16 months after diagnosis, compared to those never infected. Those who were bedridden for seven days or more had higher rates of depression and anxiety, compared to people who were diagnosed with the virus but never bedridden. Although most symptoms eased within two months after diagnosis, patients who spent a week or more in bed were more likely to experience depression and anxiety over the 16-month study period. Patients with severe Covid often experience inflammation which has previously been linked to chronic mental health effects, particularly depression. Researchers suggest why patients who spent longer in bed had depression or anxiety rates could be due to a combination of worrying about long-term health effects as well as Covid symptoms persisting. Study author Professor Unnur Anna Valdimarsdottir, of the University of Iceland, said: “Our research is among the first to explore mental health symptoms after a serious Covid-19 illness in the general population up to 16 months after diagnosis. “It suggests that mental health effects aren’t equal for all Covid-19 patients and that time spent bedridden is a key factor in determining the severity of the impacts on mental health. “As we enter the third year of the pandemic, increased clinical vigilance of adverse mental health among the proportion of patients with a severe acute disease of Covid-19 and follow-up studies beyond the first year after infections are critical to ensure timely access to care.” Until now most studies have looked only at adverse mental health impacts for up to six months after a Covid diagnosis. Much less is known about the long-term mental health impacts beyond that, particularly for patients not admitted to hospital with varying degrees of Covid severity. In the study researchers looked at the prevalence of depression, anxiety, Covid-19 related distress and poor sleep quality among people with and without a diagnosis of the disease from 0-16 months. They drew upon data from seven groups of people across Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the UK. Of the 247,249 people included, 9,979 (4%) were diagnosed with the virus between February 2020 and August 2021. Overall, people diagnosed with Covid-19 had a higher prevalence of depression and poorer sleep quality compared to individuals who were never diagnosed – 20.2% versus 11.3% experienced symptoms of depression, and 29.4% versus 23.8% experienced poor sleep quality. People diagnosed with coronavirus but never bedridden due to their illness were less likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety than those not diagnosed with it. The researchers suggest one explanation for this is that the return to normal lives is a relief for these individuals while those still not infected are still anxious about getting infected. However, over 16 months, patients who were bedridden for seven days or more were 50-60% more likely to experience higher depression and anxiety compared to people never infected during the study period, the researchers found. Co-author Ingibjorg Magnusdottir, of the University of Iceland, said: “The higher occurrence of depression and anxiety among patients with Covid-19 who spent seven days or longer bedridden could be due to a combination of worrying about long-term health effects as well as the persistence of physical long Covid symptoms well beyond the illness that limit social contact and may result in a sense of helplessness. “Equally, inflammatory responses among patients with a severe diagnosis may contribute to more persistent mental health symptoms. “In contrast, the fact that individuals with a mild Covid-19 infection can return to normal lives sooner and only experience a benign infection likely contributes to the lower risk of negative mental health effects we observed.” The findings are published in The Lancet Public Health journal. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega When Caitlyn Jenner unveiled herself to the world in a sensational June 2015 Vanity Fair gender reveal cover, the world’s most famous transgender star was assumed to have been born. The reality star and former male Olympic gold medallist was widely feted as the biggest trans star in history. Jenner has indeed become a passionate advocate for trans rights and is undoubtedly a trans icon. But in the bitter culture wars that now rage between trans activists and radical feminists, there was an earlier transexual superstar whose voice has largely been lost in the din — until now. Christine Jorgensen blazed a trail for trans people long before Caitlyn swapped her Speedos for a swimsuit. Jorgensen became America’s first celebrity trans woman after undergoing sex reassignment surgery and hormone treatment in Denmark in the early 1950s. She had formerly been a US G.I. in the Second World War and, when it was revealed that she’d changed gender in a front-page news story while she was in Europe undergoing treatment, she found instant fame on her return to the US where she began a career as an actress and singer. Like Jenner, Jorgensen rose to the heights of showbiz society. She became a friend to the stars, had flings with movie greats, and rubbed more than just shoulders with royalty. Mega Now, a fascinating lost tape uncovered by Hollywood fixer Paul Barresi shines a light on America’s first grand trans dame. Recorded on September 17, 1988, just months before she died the following year, the tape is her last recorded interview. “I’m proud to have given Christine Jorgensen her voice back and to have uncovered not only a part of showbiz history but also an important cultural relic,” says Barresi. In the tape, shared exclusively with Radar, Jorgensen, who was born George William Jr. in 1952, talks about her links to royalty and celebrity. She tells interviewer Ray Strait, an author who was Jayne Mansfield’s press secretary, about meeting actor John Wayne, who became a cancel culture bête noire in 2019 when excerpts of a 1971 Playboy interview he gave, in which he criticized the depiction of gay sex in the movie Midnight Cowboy, were tweeted. Jorgensen explained that she was dining in the DeMille restaurant at Paramount Studios having lunch when “The Duke” came in. “I had never met him. He doffed his cap, came over, put his arms around me and kissed me,” she recalls. “And that’s the one and only time I did meet him. And he came over and he kissed me. He kissed me on the lips!” Whatever Wayne’s opinions about gay cowboys were, the tape shows he was obviously not concerned about trans women. Jorgensen, however, had nothing good to say about another actor, Sean Penn, who was making headlines at the time for his divorce from Madonna following allegations of violence and abuse, which the singer later withdrew. “There are men that are absolutely terrified of being in the same room with me. I’m sure I would terrify Sean Penn,” she said. “I think he’s trying to prove his masculinity all the time. He’s not a very charming little man.” She explained that she believed some famous men felt threatened by her, naming talk show host Johnny Carson as an example. “I’ve done every talk show, practically on the face of this country, but he’s scared of me,” she explained. “Those that are secure in their own masculinity had no problem approaching me or saying, ‘Hi’. Not like the young ones today like Sean Penn, who want fame, or they’ll punch you in the mouth.” Radar Barresi uncovered the lost tape for an unnamed collector. He explains that Jorgensen’s revelation about John Wayne shows the True Grit star in a more nuanced light. He explains: “The days of being recognized for our best achievements in life are long gone. In 2019, cancel culture fanatics resurrected a decades-old interview and branded an adored Western movie star a racist and a homophobe. I wonder what those people would have to say after hearing Christine Jorgensen talk about The Duke’s inclusive greeting when he met her. “Wayne was obviously not bothered by Christine’s gender orientation. It is very easy to take something said by someone in the past out of historical context and judge them by the progressive standards of the day. But is that fair? Culture and opinions change and decades down the road we’ll all be judged to have had outdated views on something or other.” In the interview excerpts, Jorgensen also reveals she dated The King and I star Yul Brynner in the fifties when he was starring in the Broadway version of the musical. She says: “We went to 21 Club a couple of times with Gypsy Rose Lee (a famous burlesque dancer) and Julio De Diego (a famous artist) who she was married to at that time. I used to come backstage at The King and I and he’d (Brynner) would be shaving his head with an electric shaver. And a little boy, the number one son in the show, stood there with great big saucer eyes looking at me all the time, waiting for me to come, just cute as a button. And I did not know for 20 years that it was Sal Mineo (the Rebel Without a Cause actor who was later nominated for an Oscar).” Later in the interview, Jorgensen explains she was introduced to gangster Lucky Luciano, Howard Hughes, and deposed King Farouk of Egypt by Ada “Bricktop” Smith, the American dancer, performer, and jazz singer, at her nightclub in Rome. Of the king, Jorgensen recalls, “Bricktop always referred to Farouk as ‘his majesty’, but what are you gonna call a dethroned King? So, I never called him your majesty. I liked him. He had a sense of humor. Even about himself. He laughed a lot. He was very, very, nice, extremely generous.” Later, the exiled monarch sent Jorgensen a gift of a diamond and aquamarine ring and pendant set. She suspected he wanted sexual favors in return but exclaimed, “I wasn’t about to jump in the sack with King Farouk.” On her return from Europe to the US Jorgensen traveled with playwright Tennessee Williams and his muse, Italian actress Anna Magnani. They were going to make the movie The Rose Tattoo together, which Williams was writing and for which Magnani eventually won a Best Actress Oscar. Jorgensen explains, “Anna did not speak much English. She had her coach with her, but all the way across for ten days, there wasn’t much English spoken by Anna Magnani. So, I said to Tennessee at that time I said Tennessee… Tom, you have a little problem. That woman doesn’t speak English. And he said, I know, I know. She came over, she made the film and won the Academy Award. Tennessee adored Anna.” Mega In another part of the interview, Jorgensen reveals she had a romantic tryst with King Frederick IX of Denmark shortly after her gender reassignment surgery, explaining the high heels she wore at the time helped level up the height difference between them. “They were very open in Denmark,” she laughs. “They are not like the British Royal family. Queen Elizabeth doesn’t show up very much as having a sense of humor.” Jorgensen then laughs at rumors she heard that Queen Elizabeth II once took her shoes off in a private plane, looked up at one of her gay staff members and she said “will one of you queens get this queen a gin and tonic.” “I’d like to know that she has a sense of humor because invariably she shows up and she looks like her haemorrhoids are about ready to explode,” guffaws Jorgensen. The interview was recorded at Jorgensen’s home in San Clemente, California, and forms part of an eight-hour archive uncovered by Barresi in which the celebrity also discusses Mae West, Marilyn Munroe and Vivien Lee. She also talks about the time she was banned from performing in Boston by the city’s Archbishop and how mafia gangsters were fans. Jorgensen was raised in the Bronx and described herself as having been a “frail, blond, introverted little boy who ran from fistfights and rough-and-tumble games.” Following military service, she intended to travel to Sweden to undergo surgery but met an endocrinologist called Christian Hamburger in Copenhagen who was a specialist in hormone therapy. He supervised Jorgensen’s treatment and she chose her name in honor of him. In 1951 she obtained special permission from the Danish Minister of Justice to undergo a series of operations to remove her male genitalia. On her return to the US, she eventually underwent vaginoplasty when the procedure became available there. While in Europe undergoing treatment, her gender reassignment was revealed in a New York Daily News front-page story under the headline Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty. The article erroneously claimed she was the recipient of the ‘first sex change’ op. The procedure was being performed in Germany as far back as the 1920s. She was, however, a pioneer in the use of hormone replacement in association with surgery. When she returned to the States in 1953 she was an instant celebrity. Crowds of reporters and photographers were waiting as she disembarked the plane. Despite a desire for a quiet life, she realized the only way she could make a living was through public appearances and launched her singing and performing career. In 1967 she published her autobiography, which sold almost half a million copies. Jorgensen was one of the early advocates of the trans movement and throughout her life gave talks on inclusivity. She is credited with being one of the first celebrities to raise awareness of gender issues. She helped influence other trans people to change their sex on their birth certificates and to change their names. She was proud of the role she played, telling a 1988 Los Angeles Times interviewer: “I am very proud now, looking back, that I was on that street corner 36 years ago when a movement started. It was the sexual revolution that was going to start with or without me. We may not have started it, but we gave it a good swift kick in the pants.” She died of cancer in 1989, a month before her 63rd birthday. The unearthed tapes provide a timely reminder of one of the most celebrated and respected trans pioneers. View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Russian news and misinformation play the key role in misinforming the Russian population. So complete is the internet and news blockout under the new laws, support for the war against the Nazis in Ukraine (as they have told the Russian public) is almost 60% in favor of the invasion. 15-20,000 have been arrested and almost nothing reported about what has happened to the anti-war protesters in major Russian cities. With Facebook and Twitter shut down, news is relayed in private Telegram and other services, through the reviews on sites that are available but only to those who know to look and who for whatever reason choose to believe the words coming from non-traditional and impossible to verify sources. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega It might have been the greatest gift of all — but country superstar Dolly Parton doesn’t think she is good enough to be inducted into this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mega “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out,” Parton wrote on social media, to a stunned fan base. “I do hope that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will understand and be willing to consider me again — if I’m ever worthy. This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock ‘n’ roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do! My husband is a total rock ‘n’ roll freak, and has always encouraged me to do one. Mega “I wish all of the nominees good luck and thank you again for the compliment. Rock on!” Parton was among 17 Rock Hall nominees announced last month. Mega Also nominated were A Tribe Called Quest, Beck, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, Devo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Fela Kuti, Judas Priest, MC5, The New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon and Dionne Warwick. View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been denied permission to appeal at the Supreme Court against a decision to extradite him to the United States, the court said on Monday. While Assange’s extradition must still be approved by the government, Monday’s decision deals a serious blow to Assange’s effort to fight his deportation in the courts. U.S. authorities want Australian-born Assange, 50, to face trial on 18 counts relating to WikiLeaks’ release of vast troves of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables which they said had put lives in danger. In December, the High Court in London overturned a lower court’s ruling that he should not be extradited because his mental health problems meant he would be at risk of suicide, and on Monday the Supreme Court itself said it would not hear a challenge to that ruling. “The application has been refused by the Supreme Court and the reason given is that application did not raise an arguable point of law,” a Supreme Court spokesperson said. The extradition decision will now need to be ratified by interior minister Priti Patel, after which Assange can try to challenge the decision by judicial review. A judicial review involves a judge examining the legitimacy of a public body’s decision. The High Court had accepted a package of assurances given by the United States, including that Assange would not be held in a so-called “ADX” maximum security prison in Colorado and that he could be transferred to Australia to serve his sentence if convicted. Assange’s lawyers said the decision to extradite Assange based on those pledges was “highly disturbing.” “We regret that the opportunity has not been taken to consider the troubling circumstances in which Requesting States can provide caveated guarantees after the conclusion of a full evidential hearing,” Assange’s lawyers said in a statement on Monday. (Reporting by Alistair Smout and Michael Holden; editing by William James and Mark Porter) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Howard Schneider WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In what now seem the simpler days of December, when there was only a pandemic to worry about, Federal Reserve officials rallied around the view they could tame inflation with modest interest rate hikes while the economy and labor market thrived. A war in Europe has now been layered on top of the health crisis, and when U.S. central bank policymakers meet this week they will have to decide just how much damage has been done to that rosy outlook, and whether their hopes for an economic “soft landing” have been diminished or dashed altogether. The Fed is almost certain to raise its benchmark overnight interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point at the end of its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday. More important will be projections showing just how far policymakers think rates will need to rise this year and in 2023 and 2024 to tame inflation that has blasted past their expectations. The COVID inflation surge https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-FED/INFLATION/jnvwewdbwvw/ https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-FED/INFLATION/akvezawxopr/chart.png If their outlook for the federal funds rate breaches what is regarded as a neutral level of around 2.50%, it means the mood within the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has shifted, and that its members see a need to eventually curb the economy – and run a higher risk of recession – to bring rising prices into line. As of December most Fed policymakers projected that rate would only need to rise to 2.10% by the end of 2024. “There is no doubt that the FOMC will start raising rates … What everyone wants to know is what the Fed will do next?” Roberto Perli and other analysts at Piper Sandler wrote. If new projections show the target federal funds rate exceeding 2.50% in coming years, it would “signal that the majority of the FOMC is so worried about inflation that it doesn’t care risking a recession in order to bring it down quickly. Needless to say, that would be a very hawkish development.” Bumpy landing? https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-ECONOMY/RECESSIONTEMPLATE/akvezoonxpr/ https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-ECONOMY/RECESSIONTEMPLATE/egpbkoolgvq/chart.png THROWING POLICY INTO REVERSE The Fed is scheduled to release its new policy statement and updated quarterly economic projections at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) on Wednesday. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is due to hold a news conference half an hour later. As of Friday afternoon, investors expected Fed rate hikes would top out just below the neutral level, so a shift higher could trigger a shock of sorts – perhaps even leading to an “inversion” of bond yields with short-term rates exceeding longer-dated ones. It will arguably be the central bank’s most consequential moment since the spring of 2020 when officials pledged open-ended support for a pandemic-stricken economy by cutting the federal funds rate to the near-zero level and beginning massive bond purchases. Soaring unemployment was then the chief concern, and the Fed pledged to do whatever was needed to keep households and businesses financially stable through the crisis. Unemployment has now plummeted to 3.8%, low by historic standards, and households are flush with cash from pandemic-related government aid programs. Inflation, running at three times the Fed’s 2% target and a hot-button political issue, has become the main threat, not only challenging the Fed’s policymaking prowess but raising the specter of a 1970s-style predicament in which the central bank had to impose a punishing recession to get prices under control. Fed policy and inflation https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-FED/zdpxoayxxvx/ https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-FED/gdpzynrmnvw/chart.png The Fed this week will not only throw its pandemic emergency measures into reverse, it will have to guide the public through the maze of competing economic and geopolitical considerations it is juggling as it does so, and make the case for why it can avoid killing the current economic expansion. Fed rate-hike cycles often come with their own particular guidance, with words like “measured” or “gradual” sprinkled into policy statements to convey the intended pace of rate increases. Powell recently has been using less-concrete terms like “nimble” for a policy expected to include steady rate increases this year, but which may have to either be sped up or slowed in response to fast-changing events and conditions. “Neither the data nor fortune has favored the Fed” in recent weeks, wrote Tim Duy, chief U.S. economist at SGH Macro Advisors. ‘GAME CHANGER’ The list of problems facing policymakers deliberating this week has indeed become lengthy. Since the last policy meeting in late January, inflation has shown no clear sign of slowing, putting the current Fed stance further out of step with a growing economy. Longer-term inflation expectations, a particular concern for the central bank as a sign of whether it is losing public trust in its ability to contain prices, have begun to rise as well. ICE inflation expectations index https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-FED/INFLATION/jnvwebkdkvw/ https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-FED/INFLATION/akvezxjwrpr/chart.png The war in Ukraine has no clear resolution and could stoke even more inflation through increased energy costs, further disruption to supply chains, or even a reordering of global trade and governance that could mean persistently higher prices. On the flip side are signs of an easing in the pandemic that could add momentum to a strong recovery. Data released earlier this month showed a sharp rise in job growth in February that beat expectations and upward revisions for January and December. A pause in wage increases last month reduced fears that workers’ pay and prices may start to ratchet each other higher. Household savings remained high through 2021, recent Fed data showed, providing a savings buffer to help Americans absorb the costs of more expensive gas and food without reducing other areas of spending. Powell, testifying to Congress early this month, made clear his focus is on inflation and that he was ready to move interest rates higher and in larger half-percentage-point increments should the price increases not slow down. But he also acknowledged the world had gotten more complicated, in ways it may take time to understand. The war in Ukraine “is a game changer and will be with us for a very long time,” Powell told the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee on March 2. “There are events yet to come … and we don’t know what the real effect on the U.S. economy will be. We don’t know whether those effects will be quite lasting or not.” (Reporting by Howard Schneider; Editing by Dan Burns and Paul Simao) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Jussie Smollett has been sleeping without a real bed and his team claims the conditions inside the Chicago jail are “unacceptable.” Last week, the 39-year-old Empire actor was sentenced to 150 days in jail for allegedly lying to police about a fake hate crime. He denies planning his attack and shouted he was innocent as he was being taken into custody. MEGA On Sunday, Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Patrisse Cullors released a video detailing her encounter with Smollett during his first couple of days at Cook County Jail. Cullors visit Smollett over the weekend and described him as being “strong.” She said it was “unacceptable” what is happening inside. In the video, Cullors revealed Smollett hasn’t been sleeping on a bed since he arrived on Friday. The jail staff has him using a restraint bed — which is basically just a solid block without any cushion. Cullors revealed Smollett’s team has filed for his release with the appellate court. They should find out no later than Wednesday if the higher court will be taking up the matter. Cook County Jail The BLM co-founder asked for Smollett’s supporters to keep tagging #FreeJussie and to keep calling the jail to demand his release. Cullors isn’t the only one speaking out for Smollett. Over the weekend, his Empire costar Taraji P. Hensonspoke out against Smollett’s sentence claiming it was unfair. “I am not here to debate you on his innocence but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime,” Henson wrote. “Emmett Till was brutally beat and ultimately murdered because of a lie and none of the people involved with his demise spent one day in jail, even after Carolyn Bryant admitted that her claims were false. No one was hurt or killed during Jussie’s ordeal.” MEGA Samuel L. Jackson also wrote a letter to the court pleading for a soft sentence for Smollett. His wife explained they had known Smollett since he was a kid living down the street from them in New York. “We watched him grow from a kid who was always kind, full of joy and laughter, into a responsible teenager who on becoming aware of the inequities suffered by some of the people, became an energetic volunteer helping anyone who was working to alleviate these inequities,” their letter read. Smollett is currently locked up in the psych ward due in part to the statements he shouted while being taken into custody by officers. Over the weekend, the actor’s brother revealed the news in a video stating, “So Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail. What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today saying that he’s at risk of self-harm.” The family is adamant Smollett has no intention to hurt himself. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Prince George’s godmother says her role in his life is a “lovely way of loving” the late Princess Diana. Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, chose Julia Samuel to look after the spiritual welfare of their eight-year-old son and she is thankful the role provides her with a connection to her beloved friend, who died in a car accident in 1997. She told the Observer magazine: “Well, I feel lucky I was such a good friend of Princess Diana. And I really love my godson, George. And it’s a lovely way of loving her.” The grief counsellor recalled how “angry” she was in the aftermath of Diana’s death, when so many people around the world were publicly mourning her friend, but now she better understands how the tragedy impacted on people the princess had never met. She said: “I felt angry. I was angry that she died, and shocked and I couldn’t really understand it all. I mean, I understand it better now. “I understand that people felt they really knew and loved her. But I still feel sad today.” Julia praised William and his brother, Prince Harry, for speaking openly about grief and mental health, but she insisted she had no influence on their decisions to do so. She said: “I think both the princes have really turned the dial on talking about grief so honestly and also about mental health. But that was all theirs – completely off their own bats.” The ‘Every Family Has a Story’ author understands she will always be asked about her private friendships with the royal family. She said: “I feel that in some ways, my professional life is completely separate from my friendships and private life. But, of course, nothing is separate. Who I am and who I know is also part of my professional self. And so… That’s me.” View the full article