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Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a web designer’s free speech claim that she cannot be forced under a Colorado anti-discrimination law to produce websites for same-sex marriages, a practice she opposes on religious grounds. The justices took up evangelical Christian Denver-area business owner Lorie Smith’s appeal of a lower court ruling rejecting her bid for an exemption from a Colorado law barring discrimination based upon sexual orientation and certain other factors. The case follows the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in favor of a Christian Denver-area baker who refused on religious grounds to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. Smith’s case gives the justices an opportunity to answer a question that has been raised in other disputes including the baker case but never definitively resolved: can people refuse service to customers in violation of public accommodation laws based on the idea that fulfilling a creative act such as designing a website or baking a cake is a form of free speech under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. The justices are set to hear oral arguments and decide the case in the Supreme Court’s next term, which begins in October and ends in June 2023. The court declined to take up a separate question concerning whether Smith has a religious rights claim, also under the First Amendment. Smith had asked the court to overturn its important 1990 ruling that limited the ability of people to cite their religious beliefs in seeking exemptions from laws that apply to everyone. Smith runs a web design business called 303 Creative that she wants to operate in accordance with her Christian faith. She believes that marriage should be limited to opposite-sex couples, a view shared by many conservative Christians. Before adding wedding websites to the services she offered customers, Smith sued the state’s civil rights commission and other officials in 2016 because of her concern she would be punished under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. The law bars anyone from refusing “goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations” to anyone based among other things on sexual orientation, age, race, gender and religion. About 20 other states have similar laws. Smith’s lawyers at the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom have said that any state action punishing her for refusing to design websites for gay weddings violates her right to religious expression and her free speech rights. Colorado officials have said they never investigated Smith’s company and saw no evidence that anyone ever actually asked her to design a website for a same-sex wedding. Lower courts backed the state, including the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a July 2021 ruling. The Supreme Court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, has become increasingly supportive of religious rights and related free speech claims in recent years even as it has backed LGBT rights in other cases. The court legalized gay marriage nationwide in 2015 and in 2020 expanded protections for LGBT workers under federal law. The Supreme Court has struggled to resolve cases in which conservative religious opposition to LGBT rights has clashed with situations in which LGBT people are seeking to exercise their own rights. The justices in 2021 issued an important decision in a religious rights case involving a Catholic Church-affiliated organization that sued after the city of Philadelphia refused to place children for foster care with the agency because it barred same-sex couples from applying to be foster parents. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-rules-catholic-group-lgbt-rights-dispute-2021-06-17 in favor of Catholic Social Services but left some legal questions unresolved. The Colorado website case is a similar dispute to the one that prompted the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling on narrow legal grounds siding with a baker named Jack Phillips. The court said in that case that the state civil rights commission that imposed sanctions on Phillips was motivated by anti-religious bias but did not make any broader pronouncements. Similar legal fights have been waged in other states involving other small business owners including a wedding photographer and a calligrapher. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Real Housewives of Miami star Alexia Echevarria never ceases to drop word bombs in the most matter-of-fact ways. Viewers of the rebooted reality show – which debuted late last year on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock – were shocked when the 54-year-old OG spoke openly about the rumors that had long plagued her 12-year marriage to her late ex-husband, Herman Echevarria. The “Cuban Barbie” and well-known businessman decided to go their separate ways in 2015. Their divorce was finalized in 2016. Herman died later that year, in a sense freeing Alexia to explore this idea that the man who had worshiped the ground she walked on and helped raise her two sons could have possibly lived his life as a closeted gay man. Mega In fact, it was during the currently airing season of RHOM that Alexia decided to seek out Herman’s alleged “lover,” who she was told even attended his funeral. Though the man refused to appear on camera, Alexia told her co-stars that the two spoke for hours over the phone. It was a conversation, she said, that gave her closure but also made her sad. Later on – at a Pride event honoring Alexia for her work in the LGBTQIA+ community – she dedicated her award to both Herman and her late father, who she revealed she had learned later on in life was also a closeted man. However, during a recent interview, the reality star said she wanted to clarify that she believes both men were bisexual, not gay. “I want to say that they were bisexual,” she said on the Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast. “Yeah, I mean, that’s what their history shows, that they were bisexual. And I do believe in bisexuality, so yeah.” Yontef asked Echevarria why she felt she had the authority to out two people who were not alive to tell their own stories. It’s a question previously posed by RHOM alum Lea Black, who flat-out trashed the move. “There has to be more awareness and openness. If people would be more open with their hearts and with their minds then we wouldn’t live in this world that we do,” she explained. “Obviously, everybody’s going to have an opinion, but it is my story because all these things affected me. So it is my story.” Mega On the show, Alexia told her co-stars that Herman’s alleged boyfriend told her that the late businessman had no intention of ever being honest with her or anyone about his sexual orientation. “I had to say my story because A.) there was always rumors. The girls brought it up in Season 3. It didn’t really happen like that, but it was rumored,” explained Alexia. “And B.) after he passed away, when the person’s no longer here, everybody starts talking.” “But in my community, in the Cuban-American community here in Miami, a lot of people knew,” she revealed. “And it’s still a taboo [topic]. People want to act like, ‘oh it’s so cool’ or ‘we’re so open,’ and they’re all a bunch of liars.” “But my heart has always been that I’ve always wanted to be an advocate,” she added, “and I’ve always wanted to help in any way.” Echevarria also explained why she chose to open up about her late father, who – prior to Season 4 – was rarely mentioned. “When I was being honored at Wynwood Pride, it made me think of my dad,” she said. “So it’s like, this is reality TV. You don’t know what you’re going to say. How are you going to act? So it is my story, you know? And I feel like people should be more open and more sensitive and compassionate … because I feel like it was very therapeutic and healing for me.” She recalled feeling instant relief that was soon followed by immense pride. “I grew up being ashamed, or you know, having my family protect me from knowing that my father was bisexual because they thought it was a bad thing,” she said. “Because if they thought it was a good thing, why didn’t they tell me? Why didn’t they tell me?” Mega Alexia said she knew the rumors about Herman would come up again when the show got a second wind, and she wanted to make sure it wasn’t done in an “ugly” or nasty” way. “You know how these shows are – if you don’t say your story and your narrative, somebody else will,” she told David, pointing to an outburst made by her co-star, Adriana de Moura, who announced at a cast dinner that she’d heard a rumor that Herman died while having sex with his alleged lover. “Look what Adriana said in the middle of the sushi dinner, what she had heard at the funeral,” said Alexia. “I can control what comes out of my mouth, but I can’t control what’s going to come out of yours. So I’m happy that I got to share it the way that it really is, the way that I really feel it, the way that I really wanted it, because it wasn’t to badmouth him or to make fun of this or anything like that. It came from love, and it came from a good place. … I needed to speak about this, and it’s something that was important to me. So that’s why I shared it.” Mega The only thing Alexia regrets is not being given the opportunity to tell Herman she loved him for exactly who he was. “We were separated, but you know, I wanted him to trust, like I wanted him to know that it was OK. Like, ‘I still admire and respect and love you. This is never going to change our relationship,'” she told David. “And I never had the moment to do that. You know what I mean? I wish I would’ve had that moment because I know he thinks he was all alone, like with nobody’s support. So I’m just unhappy about that. But I got to have that moment with this boyfriend.” As for why she thinks Herman’s alleged lover felt comfortable discussing the topic with her, she remarked, “I think it might be a cultural thing, or like, you know, he’s a young guy. Herman was older.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Take Two? An insider says not so fast! While Sarah Jessica Parkerand her castmates are eager for a second season of And Just Like That, it may not happen due to a mess behind the scenes. Though talks are underway to renew the Sex and the City sequel, which reunites Parker, Cynthia Nixonand Kristin Davis, “there are a ton of issues to resolve first,” the insider dishes. The biggest, of course, is whether Kim Cattrall, 65 — who sat out the reboot due to her nasty public feud with Parker, 56 — will finally bury the hatchet and reprise her role as Samantha this time around. MEGA; CRAIG BLANKENHORN / HBO MAX Parker recently dashed hopes of Cattrall’s return when she bluntly told an interviewer that she does not want her back, “but privately, she admits that the fans miss her,” spills the insider. KIM CATTRALL HAS ZERO INTEREST IN WATCHING ‘SEX AND THE CITY’ REBOOT ‘AND JUST LIKE THAT…’, ACTRESS FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST “And plot-wise, the show’s clearly left the door open for Samantha to come back.” But cutting a deal with Cattrall and the cast is going to be tough, warns the insider: “Everybody will be pushing for a raise for a season 2. Sarah has closed complicated deals in the past, but this is a big mountain to climb.” mega As OK! reported, Parker refused to address Cattrall directly by name during her appearance on Watch What Happens Live on Monday, February 14. When asked about her former castmate’s absence, Parker replied: “The actress that played the role is no longer playing that role.” ‘SEX AND THE CITY’ STAR CHRIS NOTH ‘FEELS LIKE HIS LIFE IS OVER’ AMID MULTIPLE HORRIFYING SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS Cattrall’s choice to not reprise her role was rumored to have been due to the actresses’ estranged relationship, although the How I Met Your Mother star has also not directly addressed her reason for sitting out of the reboot. The 65-year-old is “still bitter about the way Sarah treated her,” and is “convinced it was all due to jealousy,” an insider squealed. The Sex and the City reboot has been a hot topic for more than one reason, as Chris Noth (a.k.a. Mr. Big) was slammed with multiple sexual assault accusations after the reboot aired. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Early 2000s internet sensation SouljaBoy took to Instagram to put Kanye West on blast. The rapper mocked West for crying over Pete Davidson being with his wife asking “what are you gonna do?” Mega “Kanye WAKE UP, Skete got your b—- n—-” SouljaBoy said in a live stream on his Instagram before taking a puff from a joint. The Crank That rapper asked West on stream “what are you gonna do? Is you gonna keep postin memes of Marvel vs Capcom?” He broke out into a fit of laughter proud of that one. “That’s what you get,” SouljaBoy brings up previous beef with Ye telling the rapper directly “n—- tried to play me, do you know what the f— I am? I’m big Drako. Now you’re running around Hollywood crying like a b—-.” Soulja continues to mock Kanye fake crying in the stream. “‘whaaah whaaah help me!’ F— YOU KANYE!” Mega SouljaBoy asked a question of Ye many have been wondering. “Are you gonna lay the smackdown? What are you talkin about?” West has been on the war path in the news recently throwing out several threats to the SNL comedian. The Yeezus rapper even went as far as to include one of his threats in his most recent songs City of God. In it West yells that “a hundred goons” were gonna pull up to Saturday Night Live. West’s beef with Davidson started after the comedian was seen constantly with the rapper’s estranged wife Kim Kardashian. The socialite filed for divorce from the rapper hoping to move on with her life, but West wasn’t having any of that. Since then, West has relentlessly posted memes and rants on all of his social medias. He also brought Kardashian look-a-likes to parties to get his ex’s attention. The rapper even went as far as to cut Kid Cudi from his next album Donda 2 after learning of his friendship with Davidson. Mega West was subsequently banned from the weekend variety show after appearing on the show seven times. His most recent girlfriend Julia Fox split from the rapper after constant public pleas to reunite with his wife. West doesn’t seem to care what bridges he burns to get what he believes is rightfully his. Many have spoken out worried about the rapper’s mental health. SouljaBoy doesn’t appear to be part of that group. The fellow rapper appears to just be stirring the pot waiting to see what happens. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Just days after Jeffrey Epstein‘s alleged pimp was found hanging in his prison cell — similar to Epstein’s own mysterious death — Ghislaine Maxwell‘s brother, Ian Maxwell, has voiced his concerns over his sister’s wellbeing in prison. Mega Ghislaine’s brother says he fears for his sister’s safety after hearing of 75-year-old Jean-Luc Brunel‘s sudden death. Brunel was found in his prison cell in La Sante, Paris hanging by the neck in an alleged suicide while guards were not around. This was very similar to the way Epstein was found dead — which was also immediately rules a suicide. “It’s really shocking,” Ian told the New York Post. “Another death by hanging in a high-security prison. My reaction is one of total shock and bewilderment.” Ian has spoken out about his sister’s treatment being incarcerated saying, “Despite the psychiatrist advising to the contrary, she was deemed a suicide risk and they are continuing to wake her up every 15 minutes in the night. It’s a complete violation of prisoner rights and human rights.” Mega The brother of the sex trafficker finds it “ironic” that Ghislaine was subjected to suicide watch as soon as she was arrested but Epstein and Brunel were not. Before his death, Epstein specifically told his prison’s therapist that he was not suicidal and was worried he was going to be assassinated. The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn is not allowing what happened to Epstein or Brunel to happen to Ghislaine. Brunel’s hanging came just days after Prince Andrew agreed to settle Virginia Roberts Giuffre‘s lawsuit which included Brunel by name. Roberts had accused the prince of sex abuse after meeting her through Epstein, Brunel and Maxwell. The death caused a resurgence of conspiracy theories revolving around the case with some believing that Epstein and Brunel were killed because they were going to spill the beans on social and political elites around the world. Mega Epstein and Ghislaine had been known to be friends with high ups in power from the Clintons, the Trumps and even the royal family through Prince Andrew. Ghislaine was found guilty of sex trafficking minors back in December of last year. She is now serving 65 years in federal prison. View the full article

HIV attacks human cell Notes and Quotes from Interview with Carlos Del Rio of Emory University in Atlanta. He’s the co-director, the Emory Center for AIDS Research. –Excited by the pure research. –What’s unique in this case is the the specific mutation in the transplant where the virus attaches that makes those with it resistant to HIV. The mutation is found in just 1 in 100 people of northern European descent, rare. Not seen in African Americans nor Hispanics. –This woman is described as ‘mixed race’, with the implication being that a cure based on mutation would not just work for one race and 40% of Americans living with HIV are of color. –With effective, antiretroviral therapy, you can get somebody with HIV to live essentially a normal life. People with HIV who receive antiretroviral therapy and have the viral suppressed, don’t transmit to others. –“The goal is to decrease the number of new infections globally to under 500,000. We’re not there and we could certainly be there.” — To get to 500,000: “identify the people who are at high risk of developing HIV of acquiring HIV, and getting them on, pre-exposable access” — “…diagnose people shortly after they’re infected linking them to care, getting them in therapy and keeping them, on antiretroviral therapy and suppress for the rest of their lives. So when they age it is healthy aging and they die with HIV, but not of HIV.” Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Jeffrey Epstein‘s late alleged pimp, Jean-Luc Brunel, had apparently tried numerous times to take his own life. As Radar reported, the dead body of the 76-year-old business partner of the late accused pedophile – who was believed to have trafficked and sexually abused over 1,000 underage girls and young women – was found hanging in the early hours of Saturday morning in a prison in La Santé in Paris, France. The circumstances surrounding Brunel’s death are eerily similar to those of Epstein’s; both men were found hanging in their jail cells while awaiting their respective trials, and both men were said to have attempted suicide earlier. Mega Arrested and jailed in late 2020, Brunel tried to kill himself on numerous occasions during his 14-month stay behind bars, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, who spoke to The Miami Herald on condition of anonymity. One of Brunel’s attorneys, Mathias Chichportich, confirmed the claim, telling the newspaper that his client had a history of “several suicide attempts.” And yet, he was not under active suicide watch, known in France as “emergency protection,” at the time of his death. Typically, inmates who are at risk of killing themselves are placed in special cells with rounded corners. They are often given paper clothes to wear and tearable bedsheets to sleep on. Instead, Brunel was housed in the prison’s “vulnerable people area,” nicknamed the “VIP quarters,” for inmates who are considered vulnerable to violence. In these areas, guards generally check on prisoners four to six times per night. Mega “I can confirm that Mr. Brunel was discovered at 1:30 a.m. last night dead in his cell. He was alone in the cell. According to the first findings, it is a suicide by hanging. An investigation in search of the causes of death is however opened,” said a spokesperson for the Paris public prosecutor’s office, according to The New York Post. Like with Epstein’s death, it’s been reported that no cameras captured Brunel’s alleged suicide at the otherwise high-security facility, which is also one of the toughest in France. Epstein’s August 2019 death in New York, which was also mysteriously not recorded, was ruled a prison suicide by hanging. “It almost seems like the entire ring of people who were doing this that their conscience is getting the better of them now that they are being held accountable for their actions,” said an attorney who represented several of Epstein’s victims. “Of course, the alternative conspiracy theory is that it’s like someone is trying to clean up shop.” Mega Brunel and Epstein once collaborated in forming a modeling agency in Miami, Florida, that many models have said was a pretext for luring unsuspecting victims into Epstein’s orbit. Brunel’s death comes days after Prince Andrew settled a sexual assault lawsuit with his accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, and two months after Epstein’s madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted. Brunel was under investigation for sex trafficking and rape at the time of his death. Just like Epstein’s victims, Brunel’s feel robbed of justice. View the full article

=George Floyd Original Booking Press Release Feels like a good time to re-read the George Floyd press release before the video… Police put lies out to the media including: –“He was ordered to sept from his car. After he got out he physically resisted officers.” –“Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.” — “At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident” Standard operating procedure for police covering abuse and excessive force as described 2 months ago in excellent Pro Publica piece about “covering charges” –editor Original release from Police on day of George Floyd murder. Has been removed from their site, but available at the Internet Archive Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen ST. PAUL, Minn. (Reuters) -Pinning George Floyd face down on a Minneapolis road in a May 2020 arrest seemed reasonable in the moment, Thomas Lane, one of three former Minneapolis police officers on trial for violating the handcuffed Black man’s civil rights, testified on Monday. Lane was the third of the three defendants to take the stand in his own defense at the federal trial in the U.S. District Court in St. Paul, charged with denying Floyd’s right to receive medical aid once in police custody. Answering questions from his lawyer Earl Gray, Lane told the jury how he had called over the radio for an ambulance to come after seeing Floyd’s mouth was bleeding after he struggled against Lane and another officer trying to get him in the back of a police car. He became emotional as he recalled helping Floyd onto a stretcher and saw Floyd’s face several minutes after he fallen unresponsive beneath Lane and two other officers. “He didn’t look good,” Lane said, his voice beginning to waver. His co-defendants Tou Thao, 36, and J. Alexander Kueng, 28, took the stand last week to say they deferred to the authority of Derek Chauvin, the most senior officer at the scene. Lane, who was on Floyd’s ankles, and Kueng, who was on Floyd’s thighs, were rookies only a few days out of training. Cellphone video of Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes while Floyd begged for his life triggered huge protests against racism and police brutality. Chauvin was convicted in a separate state trial last year of murdering Floyd and sentenced to 22-1/2 years in prison, and in December he pleaded guilty to the federal charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights. Prosecutors have said the officers have a duty of care to anyone in their custody, and the three men breached their training and common sense in not doing more to help Floyd. Lane, 38, can be heard on body-worn camera videos asking his colleagues if they should roll the prone Floyd onto his side, something officers are trained to do to avoid positional asphyxia. Chauvin, 45, rebuffs the suggestion, and continues to kneel on Floyd’s neck as Floyd falls motionless while bystanders scream at the officers to check his pulse. “OK, I suppose so,” Lane recalled responding. “It just seemed reasonable at the time. This guy is out of control.” He said he believed the ambulance would be “here any minute.” He said he was unable to see Floyd’s face for the entire nine-minute restrain. Lane got in the back of the ambulance and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Floyd under a parademic’s isntruction. Prosecutors have previously called medical experts who said Floyd would almost certainly had lived if rolled on his side once he had been restrained. Thao and Kueng face an additional count of violating Floyd’s rights in their role of police officers by failing to intervene to stop Chauvin’s use of excessive force. Both have said they assumed Chauvin knew what was he was doing from his nearly two decades on the force and did not realize the force was excessive. Minneapolis Police Department fired all four officers. “I found out I was terminated the next day in a Subway parking lot,” Lane said, referring to the chain of sandwich stores. “I read a news article. That’s how I found out I got fired.” (Reporting by Jonathan AllenEditing by Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Aidan Lewis CAIRO (Reuters) – Tackling climate change is a security threat that requires accelerated action even as international attention is focussed on Russia and Ukraine, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said on Monday during a visit to Cairo. Egypt will host the COP27 climate conference in November and Kerry said the task for this year was to bring more countries, including Russia and China, on board to set ambitious climate goals, as well as implementing pledges made at COP26 in Glasgow. Kerry, a former secretary of state, said the crisis between Russia and Ukraine made him concerned over issues such as the principles of international law and respect for borders. “But I am concerned in terms of the climate efforts that a war is the last thing you need with respect to a united effort to try to deal with the climate challenge,” Kerry told Reuters. “Obviously we hope that we can compartmentalise, but it’s just made that much more difficult without any question.” After meeting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who will chair COP27, Kerry told reporters that climate change was a “national, international security threat to all of us.” Egypt and the United States have created a working group to set priorities for COP27 and to support Egypt’s energy transition, Shoukry and Kerry said. Egypt has set a goal of generating 42% of its power from renewables by 2030, though experts have suggested the target could be more ambitious. The government is preparing a new strategy for 2050. Kerry cited work to help provide finance and technology to Indonesia, and to support China in accelerating its reduction of coal consumption, as examples of a push to secure new commitments ahead of COP27. But he also said the energy transition had not reached the speed required. “We’re not moving fast enough, not enough is happening.” Asked about the risk that companies “greenwash” their activities with net-zero announcements, Kerry said rules agreed in Glasgow to ensure transparency would help, as would satellites tracking carbon and methane emissions. “We have accountability that we’ve really never had before, and we have to make sure we’re applying it,” he said. (Additional reporting by Sherif Fahmy; Editing by Janet Lawrence) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jane Lynch thinks it’s “harder to work your way up as a woman” in comedy. The 61-year-old actress – who stars in the hit TV series ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ – believes that female comedians need to be “exceptional” in order to make a meaningful impression. Speaking about the series – which is set in the 1950s and 60s, and follows a housewife who becomes a stand-up star – Jane explained: “In order to break through, you had to have material that spoke to men because the club owners were men, the TV producers, the late-night hosts.” Jane acknowledges that the landscape has massively improved for female comics. But she thinks they still face big challenges, compared to their male counterparts. The actress – who previously played Sue Sylvester in ‘Glee’ – told the Guardian newspaper: “Any time you look at a comedy club, the headliners are guys. Every once in a while, they might throw a woman in there. “It’s harder to work your way up as a woman and, like anything else where you’re trying to break a mould, you have to be exceptional.” Many of Jane’s past roles were originally written for men. But the actress actually relishes playing so many stern, authoritarian figures. She said: “I’m obsessed with that random exercise of power, power for power’s sake.” Jane used to think she was a “depressed child”. But after watching some home movies of herself, she now has completely different impression. She explained: “Always dancing to the camera; air guitar. I was a real free spirit and I loved to perform. And then, of course, high school happens, and maybe even before that when you start to realise: ‘Oh my God, I may be gay but I don’t even have a word for it.’” View the full article

Published by Al-Araby In another attack against artistic freedom, a lawyer filed this week an official complaint in Egypt, calling on the government to strip a director of his Egyptian citizenship for making a Germany-produced film) that portrays a gay couple. “The Egyptian people will not accept this type of films,” lawyer Ayman Mahfouz told Egyptian ETC satellite TV channel, accusing filmmaker Mohamad Shawky Hassan of “promoting homosexuality”. Directed and written by Hassan, ‘Bashtaalak Sa’at (I, sometimes, miss you)’ was screened during the Forum of the 72nd round of the Berlin International Film Festival. It i… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Britney Spears is continuing to speak out after her 13-year conservatorship was terminated in November 2021. Britney took to Instagram on Wednesday, February 16, to reveal she received a letter from U.S. lawmakers, Democrats Charlie Crist of Florida and Eric Swalwell of California, inviting her to meet with them at Congress and share her story. The Princess of Pop admitted she was flattered when she first got the letter a few months ago, but she was not “nearly at the healing stage I’m in now” at the time. MEGA STRONGER THAN YESTERDAY! A DEFINITIVE TIMELINE OF EVENTS THAT LED TO BRITNEY SPEARS’ CONTROVERSIAL CONSERVATORSHIP: PHOTOS “I’m grateful that my story was even ACKNOWLEDGED!!!” she went on. “Because of the letter, I felt heard and like I mattered for the first time in my life !!!” “In a world where your own family goes against you, it’s actually hard to find people that get it and show empathy !!!!” she added. “Again, I’m not here to be a victim although I’m the first to admit I’m pretty messed up by it all.” MEGA Britney said she wants to help other people who are vulnerable to be brave. “I wish I would have been … I was so scared and nothing is worse than your own family doing what they did to me,” she admitted. “I’m lucky to have a small circle of adorable friends who I can count on … In the mean time thank you to Congress for inviting me to the White House,” she concluded. ‘I JUST WANT TO HELP’: CHRISTIAN SIRIANO, SARAH JESSICA PARKER, BETTE MIDLER REACT TO BRITNEY SPEARS’ CONSERVATORSHIP AFTER DOCUMENTARY MAKES WAVES MEGA In the letter, the Congressmen applauded the singer and her attorney Mathew Rosengart for their “historic victories.” They said they were “elated” when her father, Jamie Spears, was suspended from the conservatorship in September before it was terminated two months later. “There is no doubt that your story will empower countless others outside the millions that are already inspired by your and your art,” the letter read. “Please know that you have absolutely no obligation to do anything more but fight for yourself, but if you are willing, we would appreciate learning more about the emotional and financial turmoil you faced within the conservatorship system.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Jeffrey Epstein‘s alleged pimp Jean-Luc Brunel was reportedly found hung in his prison cell in La Sante, Paris. Prison guards found Brunel’s body during a nighttime check-in of inmates. This comes three years after Epstein died in prison under similar circumstances. Mega The French modelling agent, who reportedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for Epstein, died today in what is currently ruled as prison suicide. His death comes days after Prince Andrew settled Virginia Robert’s lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they allegedly met through Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Brunel was arrested by French authorities after Roberts accused the 76-year-old of procuring more than a thousand women and girls for Epstein to sleep with. The alleged pimp was also awaiting trial for several charges for sexually abusing minors himself. Conspiracy theories swirled around Epstein’s death under similar circumstances. Both sides of the political aisles thought the billionaire’s death was suspicious as prison therapy records showed that Epstein was allegedly NOT suicidal. The conspiracies were also fueled by the fact that prison video cameras at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correction Center – where Epstein was being held – were not running at the time of his death. Prince Andrew’s Ex-Lover Lady Victoria Hervey Says Jeffrey Epstein & Bill Clinton ‘Were Like Brothers,’ Despite Former President’s Claim He Wasn’t Close With Convicted Sex Offender Mega Homayra Sellier, the founder and president of the France based Innocence in Danger which has led the charge in uncovering the Epstein scandal released a statement claiming, “I never heard someone being hung in a prison in France especially since he was in a VIP cell. I think Brunel was going to talk because we were expecting the courts to announce a date for the trial. Things here were accelerating now because of the deal cut by Prince Andrew (with Virginia).” “I don’t believe Brunel hung himself – and if he did – he was helped just like Epstein was helped!” Sellier explained. “We could hope for a thorough investigation for both deaths – but I don’t think that will ever happen.” Brunel was indicted in December of 2020 after two days of nonstop interviews by French special police from an anti-pedophilia unit. He was arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport where Brunel was trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal. The accused sexual predator told detectives he was “going on holiday” — but police worried Brunel was trying to reach refuge in another country to avoid his charges. Mega Several other parties in relation to Epstein’s alleged sex empire are still awaiting trial. Most notability Epstein’s ex-girlfriend Maxwell, who also allegedly dated Prince Andrew, is hoping for a judge to approve for a retrial for her conviction of grooming and trafficking underage girls. Ghislaine Maxwell: Prosecutors Offer To Drop Perjury Charges If Sex Trafficking Conviction Is Denied A Retrial View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Kanye West could face some serious battery charges now that police have the evidence they need. The rapper allegedly attacked a fan outside of his hotel in Los Angeles Thursday, January 13. Now the police have finished their initial investigation and charges are about to fly. Mega Sources say “cops have nearly completed their investigation into the case and will soon ship their findings off to the L.A. City Attorney’s Office, who will decide on whether to file any criminal charges against Kanye.” Officers arrived on the scene at 3 a.m. near Soho Warehouse, a members-only club and hotel. Police initially reported it as misdemeanor battery clarifying that there were no serious injuries. The artist now known as Ye allegedly got into an argument with a man who asked for an autograph outside the club. West allegedly pushed and hit the man who fell to the ground after the rapper’s supposed attack. Mega A video from TMZ shows the man laid out on the street as Kanye yelled at his guards and security. It was also reported that the man broke his nose as a result of the confrontation. Now that the initial investigation is done, Los Angeles City Attorney must now decide whether or not to file charges against the rapper, call involved parties in for an informal hearing to go over their findings, or just reject the case all together. If the parties were to meet up with authorities they could come to an agreement with certain conditions to make this whole situation go away. West’s camp have yet to speak out about the potential charges against the Heartless rapper. Mega If charges are made against the Grammy winner, this wouldn’t be the only time in recent days he’s have to stand before a judge. Ye rushed to court earlier this week to object to his wife, Kim Kardashian, wanting to become legally single for the rest of the duration of their divorce. With news about the investigation concluding, West might have more pressing matters to deal with than his split from the socialite. Kanye West & Kim Kardashian’s Prenup Keeps Property Separate, Rapper’s Objection To Divorce Plans BS (radaronline.com) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Federal agencies are investigating the crash of a helicopter with three passengers into the Atlantic Ocean close to swimmers and sun bathers in Miami Beach, Florida, on Saturday. A Robinson R44 helicopter plunged into the ocean close to a crowded beach at 1:20 p.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The agency is investigating the cause of the crash with the National Transportation Safety Board. The Miami Beach police and fire departments responded to the scene and said on Twitter that two of the passengers were transported to a local hospital “in stable condition.” Video footage of the crash showed the helicopter diving into an area that was full of swimmers. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Paris Jackson “doesn’t write happy songs.” The 23-year-old singer – who is the only daughter of late superstar Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe, and sister to Prince, 25 and Bigi, 19 – revealed that she stays away from writing “happy” songs and most songs end up being about her death. She said: “I don’t write happy songs When I do try to write a song, it usually ends up being a song about me dying.” Speaking to the crowd at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen while promoting her new EP ‘The Lost’ , Paris went on to tell the audience how her song ‘Yellowbird’ was inspired by a break up. According to TMZ, she said: “We broke up two years ago on Valentine’s Day. and then I wrote this song, so I hope you like it. I know he won’t!” It comes soon after the ‘let down’ hitmaker – whose father Michael suffered a fatal cardiac arrest brought on by a drugs overdose aged 50 back in 2009 – admitted that she would “not be opposed” to the idea of collaborating with her superstar aunt Janet Jackson, who is known for hits such as ‘That’s the Way Love Goes’ and ‘Love Will Never Do Without You.’ Back in January 2022, she said: “We haven’t talked about it, but I’m not opposed to it! I love collaborating with all kinds of artists. The genre doesn’t really turn me off, doesn’t matter what genre it is. I can’t say that I see myself doing trap music anytime in the near future, but I’m open to everything.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Scherer and Carlos Osorio OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canadian police on Saturday used pepper spray and stun grenades, and made dozens of arrests as they cleared demonstrators from the street in front of parliament, where they have been camping for more than three weeks to protest against pandemic restrictions. A total of 170 arrests have been made in two days, Ottawa’s interim police chief, Steve Bell, told reporters. Police by afternoon had dispersed the main portion of the blockade in front of parliament and the prime minister’s office. After nightfall, police sent a message on Twitter to demonstrators saying: “Get out of the cold and cease further unlawful activity” or risk arrest. City crews were now engaged in cleaning up and towing away remaining vehicles, Bell told a news conference. But other pockets around the city had yet to be cleared, and there was a risk that demonstrators might change location, he said. “We are aware of protesters leaving the parliamentary precinct moving to surrounding neighborhoods. We are not going anywhere until you have your streets back,” Bell said, addressing Ottawa citizens. Using bullhorns, police warned the crowd to disperse or face arrest. For a second day, police also urged protesters to remove young children from the area. “This is dangerous and is putting young children at risk,” Bell said. Protest organizers for the so-called Freedom Convoy said they had asked trucks to withdraw because of what they called heavy-handed police tactics, and many trucks did exit the downtown core on Saturday. Fifty-three vehicles have been towed, police said. Officers smashed vehicle windows to arrest people locked inside. Some of those arrested on Saturday wore body armor and had smoke grenades and other fireworks in their bags and vehicles, police said. Police confirmed the use of stun grenades and pepper spray. Protesters threw smoke canisters, but no tear gas has been used, police said. As part of the ongoing protests, several border blockades had been put in place in recent weeks, but all had reopened until Saturday, when demonstrators again closed the Pacific Coast Highway border crossing south of Vancouver. Many of the main organizers in Ottawa have been taken into custody, and some have reportedly left. On Saturday, organizers said on Twitter they were “shocked at the abuses of power by the law enforcement in Ottawa” and so had “asked our truckers to move from Parliament Hill to avoid further brutality.” The protest organizers said protesters had been “horse-trampled” on Friday, which police deny. “We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd. Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We’re unaware of any injuries,” police said on Twitter. The protesters initially wanted an end to cross-border COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truck drivers, but the blockade has gradually turned into a demonstration against the government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “This is our final stand. … When it ends, it ends and it’s in God’s hands,” said Jeremy Glass, a protester from Shelburne, Ontario. Trudeau on Monday invoked emergency powers to give his government wider authority to stop the protests. He authorized banks and financial institutions to temporarily freeze the accounts of those suspected of supporting the blockades, without obtaining a court order. “An ongoing effort to blockade that port of entry (south of Vancouver) really shows why the Emergencies Act continues to be a necessity,” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Saturday. Financial services providers have used the emergency powers to freeze at least 76 accounts with a total of C$3.2 million ($2.5 million), Mendicino told reporters earlier in the day. The federal government said on Saturday it would provide up to C$20 million to Ottawa businesses that have suffered losses due to the blockades. Debate in parliament over the emergency powers resumed on Saturday, and a final vote is scheduled for Monday. Trudeau’s Liberals and opposition New Democrats have indicated their support, which should ensure its passage. Protesters, who have been filmed by police, will be held accountable, Bell said. “If you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges. … This investigation will go on for months to come.” ($1 = 1.2749 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Steve Scherer and Carlos Osorio in Ottawa, Additional reporting by Kyaw Soe Oo, Blair Gable and Shannon Stapleton in Ottawa, and Jennifer Gauthier in Surrey, B.C. Editing by Sandra Maler, Matthew Lewis and Richard Chang) View the full article

Published by AFP The once-taboo party drug ketamine is growing as an at-home treatment against depression, but some experts worry it's happening too fast Washington (AFP) – Americans are paying to get a star of the psychedelic medicine movement –- ketamine -– shipped to them for at-home mental health treatments that are being called both a breakthrough and a gamble. A pandemic-spurred easing of prescription rules helped fuel a jump in telemedicine offerings of ketamine, an anesthetic that was once a taboo party drug but has become a buzzed-about tool against depression. Yet long-term, large-scale studies of ketamine’s medical impact are limited, leaving some experts concerned that an unregulated online boom could result in mishaps or a regulatory crackdown. “This has to be rolled out slowly,” said Boris Heifets, a Stanford University assistant professor of anesthesiology. “The risk is that we are scaling the fix but not the solution, which is a much more integrated approach to mental health.” Ketamine has been available in the United States since the 1970s as an anesthetic called a “dissociative” because of the hallucinogenic effects that have helped make it a rave culture drug. It’s legal for US doctors to prescribe, while some other psychedelics getting renewed attention for mental health uses like LSD or MDMA (also called ecstasy) are classified as having no medical utility and a high risk for abuse. In this context, recent years have seen an uptick in clinics offering in-person intravenous ketamine treatments for depression, anxiety or chronic pain, though regulations and practices vary across American states. Ketamine ‘babysitter’ Then came the pandemic, which resulted in US authorities allowing doctors to remotely prescribe drugs like ketamine that previously required an in-person visit. An increasing number of companies, some already doing in-clinic treatments, began offering to evaluate clients online and to send the drugs for home use to approved candidates. Nue Life, which launched about a year ago, is one of those firms. Its CEO Juan Pablo Cappello estimated it has served over 3,000 ketamine patients so far. “If you actually drill down on the sort of potentials for abuse here, you realize of course they exist, but we’re creating a standard of care to make that quite unlikely,” he told AFP. For example, he noted clients are instructed to have an adult “babysitter” watch over them for the roughly 90 minutes the drug experience lasts, and he reasoned that people simply looking for ketamine could get it cheaper on the street. Clients of the service, which costs $1,250 for a package providing six ketamine experiences, are encouraged but not obligated to couple it with therapy, Cappello said. “The at-home telemedicine model, I would argue, is actually safer and more effective for patients,” allowing more patients “to actually take advantage of these therapies,” he added. Heifets, the Stanford researcher, noted that making ketamine more available carries risks — including the chances that authorities would tighten access if an at-home treatment resulted in some sort of tragedy. ‘Change your life’ US regulators in 2019 approved a type of ketamine specifically for adults with treatment-resistant depression, though with stringent rules like requiring patients to be monitored by a health care provider for at least two hours after their dose. Americans have “a hair trigger for problem-solving through litigation,” Heifets noted of the potential for lawsuits if things go wrong. He was part of a team that analyzed the real-world effectiveness of intravenous ketamine therapy — which can involve higher doses than the at-home services –- and reported most patients improved, though about eight percent said depressive symptoms worsened after treatment. “We have very, very little evidence for our understanding of how effective ketamine is for depression at scale,” he added. Yet for people like 36-year-old New Yorker Philip Markle, who underwent an at-home treatment with a company called Mindbloom, ketamine is a profoundly useful tool. Over his long battle with depression, the performer and comedian has tried medication, psychedelics like LSD, and talk therapy since the age of 12, but found something unique in ketamine. Rather than the short-lived sense of change other treatments provided, ketamine imparted a sense of clarity and of helpful self-acceptance -– not the heavy effects he’d experienced with other psychedelics. “It felt like if any drug could be administered through the mail, and you could do a psychedelic that could change your life, on your own, this would be the one,” he told AFP. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jordan Stephens wants to “ban” billionaires. The Rizzle Kicks singer – who is in a relationship with Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall – insisted such a high level of wealth is “unnecessary” and people would question their “obsession” if it related to accumulating something other than money. Discussing what he’d do if he ruled the world, Jordan said: “I’d ban billionaires. Some people have too much money. Genuinely. It’s unnecessary. “Do you know there are reasons to believe that the desire for accumulation is not actually an instinctive one? It appears to be mutation. An obsessive need to accumulate. “If you replaced money with something else, that accumulation would instantly appear unhealthy. “Look at this man who has two billion packets of crisps. Is he ok? Why has that woman got three billion leaflets?” And Jordan called to “re-engage our sense of community” and ensure wealth is distributed more evenly. He told Reader’s Digest magazine: “Jokes aside, let’s re-engage our sense of community. “Maintain the level of responsibility that would naturally arise with accumulation. “We live in a world of empty apartments and unhouses people. That’s not right. That’s all I know.” The 30-year-old star is worried about “modern values” and called for more “balance” and fairness. He said: “I worry about our modern values. We appear to be the only species that believes in unfair battle. “Bring back duelling. Bring back sorting out issues through competition that can end respectfully. No ganging up. No foul play. “Restore honour in surrendering and the acceptance of loss. “There’s grace in defeat but only if there’s fairness to begin with. “We need to feel part of something bigger than ourselves. Understand what we’re part of bigger stories. “And find peace in that realisation. “I think everybody has a part to play on this earth. There should not be a single soul on the planet that feels disorientated. We need to restore some balance.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dame Joanna Lumley thinks Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall will be “everything our country wants” when Prince Charles is crowned king. The ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ actress thinks Queen Elizabeth’s recent announcement that she would like her daughter-in-law to be known as Queen Consort when her spouse takes the throne was great news because the duchess is such a “wonderful person”. Joanna gushed to Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “When I first met Camilla, she was friendly, very funny and extremely good company. “This was many years ago, at a mall lunch party given by Jilly Cooper and I remembered liking her at once. “Since then, I have got to know her better and now I simply think she is a wonderful person – brave, kind and loyal and the best fun to be with. “She has no airs and graces, as soon as you’re with her, you’re made to feel you could be friends for life. She is on our side, interested in everyone. “As Queen Consort, I know she will be everything our country wants – a strong support for our new King Charles. “We all want that day to be far in the future, but when it comes, we shall all be in safe and loving hands with Camilla as Queen.” And Dame Joan Collins, who is an ambassador for the Princes Trust, thinks the duchess will provide an “encouraging and positive presence” for Charles when he’s king. She said: “Camilla has been a sterling support for Prince Chares and behind the throne it will be wonderful to have such an encouraging and positive presence for our future King. “Camilla will be an asset to the continuity of the throne.” In her message marking her Platinum Jubilee earlier this month, the queen said it was her “sincere wish” Camilla would be known as the Queen Consort, instead of the first-ever Princess Consort as had previously been intended. She said: “I would like to express my thanks to you all for your support. “I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me. And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lin-Manuel Miranda has promised the live-action ‘Little Mermaid’ will still feature the classic songs from the original animated movie. The 42-year-old star is working with composer Alan Menken on some new tracks for the upcoming film but he has reassured fans they won’t take the place of the likes of ‘Under the Sea’ and ‘Part of Your World’. He told Variety’s ‘Awards Circuit’ podcast: “We wrote three or four original tunes, replacing none of the ones you like. All of those are in. “There’s no bigger Little Mermaid fan than me. “But we found a couple of opportunities for some other music that I can’t wait to see. I’m in the dark as anyone else, honestly.” Of the new songs, the ‘Hamilton’ creator revealed one comes when Halle Bailey’s Ariel gives up her voice to become a human. He said: “[Director] Rob [Marshall] found a creative way to hear from Ariel, even though she is sans voice for a little while. We wrote some music [for] her time on land. She experiences a lot of firsts, as someone with legs for the first time, so we got to lean into all of that musically.” But Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula won’t have anything new to sing, though Lin wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Daveed Diggs showing off his rapping skills as Sebastian. Lin has enjoyed collaborating with veteran composer Alan on the project. He said: “Alan will tell you if he does not like something. “He’s a very like heart and opinion on sleeve guy. … He’s scoring it as well, along with the songs, just as he did with the original. “I won’t see a rough cut for another month or couple of months, but the fact that he’s excited has me excited.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Holland didn’t want people to see his chest hair in ‘Uncharted’. The 25-year-old actor joked he hoped he was well groomed for filming because he was embarrassed about audiences seeing him without his shirt on in the new action movie After being asked by host Kent ‘Smallzy’ Small if he was nervous about having his body blown up on an IMAX screen, Tom said on ‘Smallzy’s Celebrity Small Talk’ podcast: “I hoped I shaved my nipples on those days because I have the most embarrassing chest hair.” Tom shared that joining the film’s cast – which also includes Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas and Sophia Taylor Ali – was “an easy decision” for him as had gotten to know the character while playing the video game. He said: “It was an easy decision. The initial script that I read was fantastic. The character was someone that I really enjoyed playing in the video games, so someone I was excited to bring to life on the big screen.” Along with this, the ‘Spiderman: No Way Home’ star also relished the opportunity for a “new challenge” after the Marvel franchise dropped its most recent installment in December. Tom – who is in a relationship with ‘Euphoria’ star Zendaya – said: “Also I was excited for a new challenge. You know, this film has been incredibly difficult to make for all sorts of reasons, but equally has been as rewarding, so it was an easy decision.” The British actor thinks it is “funny” that he’s asked if he’s ever been tested for COVID-19 every time he gets swabbed because routine screening has become such a big part of making a movie. He said: “It’s so funny, every time, I get tested now, the person’s like, ‘Have you been tested before?’ Where do yo think I’ve been, what do you think I do?” Tom assured that some tests “tickle more than others do” and that there was a testing clinician they nicknamed “deep throat Debbie” on set. View the full article