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Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that he opposes leniency for those who pleaded guilty to committing crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. McConnell made his remarks days after Trump said he would consider pardons for people convicted of joining the attack if elected to a second term in 2024. “I would not be in favor of shortening any of the sentences for any of the people who pleaded guilty to crimes,” the top Senate Republican said at a news conference, when asked about Trump’s remarks at a rally on Saturday in Conroe, Texas. “What we saw here on Jan. 6 was an effort to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, from one administration to another, which had never happened before in our country,” McConnell said. A frequent target for Trump’s invective, McConnell also repeated his view that an 1887 law used as the basis for Republican Trump’s attempts to overturn his November 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden should be changed. Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are moving toward possible enactment of reforms intended to prevent future attacks. Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in the worst assault on Congress since the War of 1812. They were motivated by Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him through fraud. McConnell also took issue with those claims. “The election of 2020 was decided December 14 of 2020, when the Electoral College certified the winner of the election,” he said. At least 165 of the 725 people charged with taking part in the U.S. Capitol riot have pleaded guilty, according to the Justice Department. During Saturday’s rally Trump also called for protests against prosecutors in New York and Georgia investigating him and his company. (Reporting by David Morgan and Caitlin Webber; Editing by Tim Ahmann, Scott Malone and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Julio Cesar-Chavez and Dan Fastenberg RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) – A year after George Floyd’s murder sparked the toppling of Confederate statues, the United States continues removing segregationist symbols at an unprecedented rate, according to a Southern Poverty Law Center report released on Tuesday. But the removal of 73 statues, signs and school names in 2021 goes beyond the math, said Lecia Brooks, the center’s chief of staff. Demand for the destruction of symbols such as those honoring Confederate commander Robert E. Lee shows an awakening to the harm inflicted on the American public by honoring racist figures, racial equality advocates say. “We’ve seen tremendous movement with respect to the removal of monuments and memorials dedicated to Robert E. Lee,” Brooks said, noting that more shrines honored him nationwide than any other Confederate leader. “What this tells us is that the public has become educated about these so-called Confederate leaders and are demanding they be removed from public space.” Teardowns included the removal in September of a Robert E. Lee statue from its base in Virginia’s capital city of Richmond after a year-long legal battle over the monument that was the focus of protests over racial injustice. In its report “Whose Heritage?”, the center said the May 25, 2020 murder of Floyd, a Black man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, sparked a racial reckoning and removal of symbols at 159 sites across the nation. Teardowns of Confederate symbols in both 2020 and 2021 far outpaced 2019, when just 21 of them were dismantled, the report said. Removal campaigns, often spearheaded by student groups and local officials, face hurdles in six southern states that created or passed so-called heritage bills to outlaw removal of Confederate symbols, Brooks said. In Montgomery, Alabama, the City Council in October renamed Jeff Davis Avenue, which honored Confederate states President Jefferson Davis, to Fred D. Gray Avenue in honor of the lawyer for Rosa Parks, a Black woman whose refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus helped launch the American civil rights movement. The state attorney general’s office is contesting the renaming. (Writing by Barbara Goldberg in New York; Editing by Richard Chang) View the full article

Published by AFP Smaller artists on Spotify say they'd like to leave the platform — the way Neil Young and Joni Mitchell did — but just can't Washington (AFP) – After music legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell quit Spotify over a Covid misinformation row, some lesser-known artists have said they simply couldn’t afford to leave the world’s largest music streamer — despite their concerns. The row sparked a discussion about other artists exiting the platform of more than 170 million subscribers in a stand against Spotify’s partnership with podcaster Joe Rogan, who has been accused of promoting vaccine falsehoods on his show. But the opportunity for less well-known artists to reach a large audience and potentially get paid for streams of their music means they feel obligated to stick with Spotify, even though many say the streaming giant unfairly compensates them. “For me, Spotify is kind of a necessary evil,” said Leo Sidran, musician and host of the podcast “The Third Story.” “To leave Spotify would be a decision to eliminate an enormous potential for people to find me.” The music business has always been a tough one for performers, but the decline in major record labels’ absolute power as industry gatekeepers has given rise to a new landscape that has its own pitfalls. Acts with smaller followings have to do a lot of their own promotion, which makes platforms like Spotify or other streaming programs — and their music-hungry audiences — a way to get onto listeners’ playlists. “It’s crucial to be heard,” said New York-based jazz guitarist Michael Valeanu. “I think those platforms are how people consume music these days.” Valeanu had not listened to the Rogan podcasts in question and so was undecided on the controversy at hand — but said he was willing to quit Spotify simply because he says the platform does not fairly distribute revenue among artists. For example, Valeanu said he has been paid only about $500 across platforms, largely from Spotify, for his roughly 10-year-old first album that has been streamed “thousands” of times. Going to be discovered Spotify told AFP that as of 2020, it has paid over $23 billion in royalties to rights holders — including over $5 billion in 2020 alone. Artists’ streaming payments are tied to how in-demand they are, so there will be a financial impact for popular performers such as Mitchell and Young — and for their record companies. Billboard magazine estimates Young’s decision to pull his music from Spotify will cost him personally around $754,000 annually, while the impact will be a roughly $272,000-per-year loss for Mitchell. Young’s Twitter account directed fans to head to Amazon Music to stream his tunes, providing a link and noting “all new listeners will get four months free.” “He is standing up to Spotify… (And) now he’s pointing people to Amazon Music, which actually doesn’t make any difference,” said a singer-songwriter who performs under the name Pilsner Man, noting both are streaming platforms that don’t favor less famous acts. The 29-year-old Pennsylvania-based artist said he makes less than $200 a month via Spotify, noting that losing that money by leaving the app would hurt his professional prospects — but maybe not as much as losing the exposure. “A lot of it has to do with algorithms as well — people find music on playlists,” he added. “So if you’re on (Spotify), you’re going to be discovered by people who aren’t even really looking for you.” Some artists complained that bigger acts like Young, Mitchell and others had stepped away from the platform over misinformation, not in support of criticism of streaming pay rates. Last straw While singer-songwriter India.Arie cited Rogan in her social media post announcing her departure from Spotify, she went a little further. “Paying musicians a fraction of a penny? And (Rogan) $100 million?” she wrote. “This shows the type of company they are and the company they keep.” Sidran, the musician and podcast host, said the only way he sees the current system changing is for the biggest names in music to withdraw their work — and so far, they haven’t. “(If) Adele, or Billie Eilish, or some really big contemporary pop artists were to leave, maybe it would make a difference,” he said. “But for the independent artists to leave, it doesn’t really impact Spotify, it impacts the artists.” But independent performer Miles Blackwood, a 31-year-old known as Baze Blackwood, said the Rogan episode came on top of his concerns about the pay rate, citing other platforms he thinks are more equitable. “I’m in the process of removing all my music from Spotify,” the Boston-based musician told AFP on Monday. “I think this was really more of the final straw.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Rita Moreno has said she tried to “end her life” after being “mistreated” by Marlon Brando. The 90-year-old actress – who is known for playing the role of Anita in original film version of ‘West Side Story’ – claimed that while her eight-year relationship with late Hollywood icon Marlon Brando in the 1950s was “exciting”, he was a “bad guy” towards women. She said: “Ultimately, it was exciting to be with Marlon. Oh, my God, it was exciting. He was extraordinary in many, many ways, but he was a bad guy. He was a bad guy when it came to women. I was such a different person then. I had all the makings of a doormat. “So whenever he lied, I would look at him and I’d say, ‘Marlon, look at me.’ And he’d start to grin this kind of — I don’t want to use the bad word — that poop-eating grin. I could read him like a book and that’s why he loved me, and that’s why he mistreated me in so many ways. I tried to end my life with pills in his house. That’s how I tried to do it.” Speaking to fellow actress Jessica Chastain for Variety’s ‘Actors on Actors’ series, Rita explained that she experienced confusion over wanting to kill the “trod-upon” version of herself. She added: “I didn’t understand that if I was going to kill this pathetic, sad, trod-upon Rita, the rest of Rita was also going to go with me. I really didn’t seem to understand that. But that’s what the attempt was. It was an attempt.” The Oscar-winning star – who was later married to her manager Leonard Gordon from 1965 until his death in 2010 – went on to reveal that Marlon had wanted to reunite after she had settled down. She said: “What’s interesting is that he wanted to renew. I was now married. I had a beautiful child, Fernanda. He was ready to have a go again. I didn’t want that. But he did. He lost a big part of himself, I think. The good part of him, the good Marlon that Rita loved. It was very complicated. Really, really complicated.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tommy Dorfman’s husband has filed for divorce. The ’13 Reasons Why’ star came out as transgender in July 2021, and now, her husband Peter Zurkuhlen has submitted documents, obtained by TMZ this week, to end their marriage after five years. The pair became engaged in April 2015, after meeting through a mutual friend, and tied the knot a year later. Tommy previously admitted the pair had transitioned into friends rather than lovers. She said: “I was in a nine-year relationship in which I was thought of as a more male-bodied person, with a gay man. “I love him so much, but we’ve been learning that as a trans woman, what I’m interested in is not necessarily reflected in a gay man. So we’ve had incredible conversations to redefine our relationship as friends.” Meanwhile, Tommy previously explained that her “spirit was attuned to whatever it means to be a woman”. She said: “A trans elder asked me what I see myself as when I’m older, when I’m 60, 70, 90. It was so clear, I just saw Cate Blanchett. But I really couldn’t imagine not being a mother or a grandmother. “My spirit was so attuned to whatever it means to be a woman. I’ve walked in the privilege of a male body, but [being a woman] is all I’ve known on the inside. Trans women would clock me all the time and be like, ‘Hey, girl, what’s up?’ because it’s sort of a thing you recognise.” Tommy has received positive reactions from unexpected places since coming out, including from people she grew up with that she thought she would “never see again”. She added: “There are some people that I grew up with in the South who I thought I was never going to see again. So it was nice to get text messages and calls from people I grew up going to NASCAR with or who you would expect to be incredibly conservative and not accepting. But to see me, someone they knew as a child, stepping into this space in a public way helped them wrap their heads around it.” The 29-year-old actress has been taking hormones and is already seeing the positive effects. She said in August: “I just switched my hormones, and I’ve never felt better in my life. I spent 28 years of my life suicidal and depressed and recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction. I don’t think I’ve ever been genuinely happy until this past year. I look at the Internet chronicle of photos of me since I started working, and I can see how f****** unhappy I was in every photo. It’s wild.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Russian viewers are livid with the sequel to Sex and the City, accusing HBO Max & Sarah Jessica Parker of double standards. MEGA “I took great offense to how the Russian women were insulted in the eighth episode of the “And Just Like That.” A woman is called a “Russian Prostitute”, stating that it is a common occurrence among owners of expensive real estate. Turns out later, the neighbor is a successful entrepreneur and not even Russian,” American-Russian radio star Michael Levitis tells Radar. Sarah Jessica Parker Tried To Get Out Of ‘Sex And The City,’ Claims Author Candace Bushnell Mega “As an ex-cast member of the Reality Show, The Russian Dolls, our characters caught a lot of flak for portraying Russians, Russian women in particular for being decadent, uber-fashionable and sexual. However, we have never insinuated that the Russian women do not work hard to achieve their success as business owners or professionals, or that they trade their bodies for money,” he continued. “If Sex and the City characters referred to any other ethnicity as sex workers there would be immediate outcry, calls for boycott and ultimately an apology. I refuse these double standards. On behalf of my Russian speaking mother, sister, daughter and girlfriend – all living in New York and successful in their own right – I demand that HBO apologize for insulting Russian and Russian-speaking women. ‘Livid’ Sarah Jessica Parker Comes Out Of Hiding, Looks Stressed In First Outing Since Chris Noth Sexual Assault Allegations Michael Levitis is currently a host of The Michael Levitis Show on Russian Radio FreedomFM 104.7. MEGA Using the hashtags #metoorussia and #metoorussian, Russian emigrants based in the United States launched a petition on change.org, demanding an official apology. “Rotten ‘tolerance’! They passionately defend one group, but allow themselves to offend and reduce another,” user Petrova Sonya wrote. “In a TV series which is pretending to be feminist, tolerant to all people of color and [the] LGBT community, you said that a young woman living in a good apartment must be a hooker and use national belonging, are you serious? In 2022! Think about what you said, you should apologize to Russians!” wrote Sandra. “Shame on you! You are fighting for women’s rights and freedoms all over the world and producing hurtful racist stereotypes about women in Russia at the same time,” bogoslovskaya_k, commented. HBO Max has yet to react to the scandal and the episode is still available on its streaming service. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega A man who claims Kevin Spacey made a sexual advance on him when he was only 16 has been ordered to sit for a second deposition. According to court documents obtained by Radar, a federal court judge has ordered Justin Dawes to show up to court and answer additional questions under oath. Dawes recently came forward to testify as part of actor Anthony Rapp’s lawsuit against Spacey. mega Rapp is suing the House of Cards actor for making a sexual advance on him in 1986 when he was 14. Spacey denies all allegations and accuses Rapp of making up the story to be a part of the #MeToo movement. Dawes reached out to Rapp offering to testify under oath. He was recently deposed where he claims he met Spacey in 1988. At the time he was working at a local theater in Connecticut. MEGA Dawes was 16 and Spacey was 29. Under oath, Dawes claimed the actor invited him and his friend over to watch movies at his apartment. They arrived to find the television playing gay porn. He testified that Spacey allegedly made them cocktails and tried to “make a sexual advance on him.” MEGA The accuser said Spacey put his hand on his left leg, just above the knew, for 30-445 seconds. Dawes said it was “mildly uncomfortable” but he never felt threatened. “I thought it was a kind of, you know, probing of a sexual nature to see how comfortable I was with that. I don’t remember really reacting in any way. I just kind of – just kind of froze, just sort of noticed it and continued on,” he said. MEGA Spacey demanded to know the name of the friend who was with them during the encounter but Dawes refused. The actor then filed a motion asking the court to force Dawes to name the friend. He also asked the court to throw out Dawes’ testimony and not allow it to be introduced during the trial due to his refusal to name the friend. The judge in the case sided with Spacey and has ordered Dawes to sit for a second depo, where he will have to name the friend. However, he declined the request to throw out his testimony. View the full article

Key West attracts gay travelers with its offbeat, independent spirit. Photo by Mike Freas/Florida Keys News BureauThe demand for LGBTQ+ travelers has never been higher. As global acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community continues to rise, more and more popular destinations are courting queer tourists. However, it takes much more than a coat of rainbow paint to make a gay destination. When deciding where to spend your dollars on your next gaycation, find a locale with some real queer credentials. While many vacation spots boast “LGBTQ+-friendly” accommodations and experiences, Key West delivers a tropical paradise with gay culture baked into its DNA. You can trace the island’s welcoming, independent spirit throughout its history. Cuban cigar rollers, pirates and marijuana smugglers are among the early influences on Key West’s revolutionary culture. The remote location — the Southernmost point in the United States — and idyllic climate continued to attract artists, writers, free-thinkers and queer people through today, where the island proudly declares it’s “Close to Perfect, Far from Normal.” At its peak, Key West’s fiercely weird streak led to a short-lived cessation from the Union, leading to the formation of the Conch Republic. To this day, Key West prides itself on its offbeat nature, a place for those who gleefully live life on the fringe to come party in paradise. Luminaries like Ernest Hemingway, Judy Bloom and Leonard Bernstein were drawn to the island, along with a long list of queer artists who made Key West their home or regular vacation destination. Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally and Broadway’s Jerry Herman owned homes. Queer, Pulitzer Prize-winning poets James Merill and Elizabeth Bishop also spent time living on the island. James Kirkwood, Key West resident and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of “A Chorus Line,” reportedly once described Key West as “a place for lost people who are a little tilted.” That includes legendary gay playwright Tennessee Williams, who owned a house and completed several works on the island. Key West visitors can take a deeper dive into Williams’ time in Key West at the Tennessee Williams Museum — a an easily-digestible, self-guided collection of memorabilia. With so many creatives drawn to the island, Key West’s politics and policy are much more progressive than one typically associates with Florida. Key West has been at the forefront of inclusivity, extending anti-discrimination law to transgender individuals all the way back in 2003. Key West’s Richard Heyman became the United States’ first openly-gay mayor in 1983. The island’s current mayor, Teri Johnston, is the first openly-gay woman elected mayor in Florida. Key West’s embrace of the LGBTQ+ community is easy to see even with the naked eye. The Key West AIDS Memorial is believed to be one of the first of its kind, honoring more than 1,200 people who died of complications due to AIDS. It sits at the entrance of the Edward B. Knight Pier overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and commemorates in Zimbabwean marble the names of those lost. Even the sidewalks are in on the action. There are four permanent rainbow crosswalks lining the intersection of Duval and Petronia Streets — right in the thick of the city’s gay entertainment district. There you’ll find hotspots like Bourbon Street Bar and Saloon One, as well as drag spots Aqua, 801 Bourbon Bar and, the home of the island’s resident celebrity impersonators Randy Roberts and Christopher Peterson, LaTeDa. Sushi rings in New Year Key West style — in a giant replica of a women’s red high heel. (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)Lots of places claim a gayborhood flush with nightclubs and drag bars, but Key West drag has the attention of the globe. Instead of dropping a ball on New Year’s Eve, the Key West tradition is to lower an enormous red high-heel shoe with the island’s most famous drag queen, Sushi, inside. The annual event has been broadcast as part of CNN’s yearly coverage of celebrations around the world. That’s not the only way Key West likes to party. Womenfest has been celebrating lesbians, trans women and allies for more than 20 years. While not exclusively an LGBTQ+ event, Fantasy Fest is famously the island’s wildest event, where all types of folks shed their inhibitions (and everyday clothing). Key West’s annual Pride celebration is a legendary party that even earned a spot in the Guinness book of records for showcasing a 1.25 mile rainbow banner, created by the original Pride flag designer Gilbert Baker. The 1.25 mile rainbow banner, created by Pride flag designer Gilbert Baker, on display in 2003. (Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau.)Of course, it’s no surprise the tropical climate and welcoming atmosphere convinces a lot of gay travelers to stay full-time. Some of the island’s most beloved and unique attractions are gay-owned and operated businesses, like the must-see Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Gay business owners in Key West span industries, including the world-renowned culinary scene. Take Azur, a Mediterranean-inspired spot and one of our favorite brunches on the island. Gay travelers at one of Key West’s guest houses, Island House. The thriving LGBTQ+ community has created some uniquely Key West experiences. The popularity of the clothing-optional culture in Key West makes it possible for three guest houses on the island to offer all-male, clothing-optional properties. There’s New Orleans House overlooking Duval Street, as well as Equator Resort and Island House in Old Town. Alexander’s Guest House — which is open to all genders, and caters specifically to the LGBTQ+ community and allies — has the option to go au naturale on the sundeck. Exclusively queer (and clothing-optional) experiences aren’t limited to dry land. The BluQ offers all-male, clothing-optional snorkeling and sand bar trips, as well as LGBTQ+ adults-only sunset sails open to all genders. There are so many LGBTQ+ businesses and experiences in Key West, it can be overwhelming. Check back through our previous coverage for more information, or reach out to the Key West Business Guild, which has been promoting LGBTQ+ travel and businesses on the island since 1978. Whether you end up in Key West for short time or a lifetime, it’ll certainly be a gay ol’ time. Start planning your next gaycation to Key West today. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tyler Clifford NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will not face criminal charges related to sexual harassment claims that led to his resignation last year after the last county prosecutor investigating allegations from one of several women said he had no legal basis to pursue a case. “To be clear, this decision is based solely upon an assessment of the law and whether the People can establish a legally sufficient case under controlling precedent,” Oswego County District Attorney Gregory Oakes said in a statement on Monday about accusations by Virginia Limmiatis “In no way should this decision be interpreted as casting doubt upon the character of credibility of Ms. Limmiatis, or how harmful the acts she experienced were,” Oakes said. Cuomo resigned in August after an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James concluded that he sexually harassed 11 women. The Democrat was in his third term as governor. Limmiatis, who works for an energy company, last March accused Cuomo of touching her chest inappropriately at an event in 2017. She said she feared reporting him because he was a powerful figure. The Oswego district attorney’s decision does not mean Cuomo is innocent of abusing his power, an attorney for Limmiatis said in a statement. “Not every violation of law results in a criminal prosecution,” Mariann Wang, the attorney, said. Limmiatis’ claims were included in James’ report, which said Cuomo violated the law and created a “toxic” workplace when he groped, kissed or made suggestive comments to women. Cuomo has said his accusers had misinterpreted his words, gestures and demeanor. Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, said on Monday that James’ report was a “political hit job”. “As now five DAs have verified, none of the accusations in Tish James’ fraud of a report have stood up to any level of real scrutiny,” he told Reuters. “As we’ve said since the beginning, the truth will come out.” James’ office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. James had declined to charge Cuomo after announcing the findings of her report in August. Oakes’s decision not to charge Cuomo follows similar moves by prosecutors in Manhattan, Nassau, Westchester and Albany counties. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York. Additional reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Jonathan Stempel in New York, Editing by Donna Bryson and Angus MacSwan) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Georgia prosecutor who is conducting a criminal investigation of Donald Trump has asked the FBI for a risk assessment and security protections, citing the former president’s “alarming” rhetoric about prosecutors and the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis, who is investigating whether Trump tried to influence the state’s handling of the 2020 election, told the FBI’s Atlanta field office that her concerns were driven by Trump’s comments in Texas on Saturday, when he attacked “radical, vicious racist prosecutors” and encouraged protests in Washington, New York and Atlanta. In a letter dated Sunday, Willis said her staff has already made security accommodations around the Fulton County courthouse and government offices. “Security concerns were escalated this weekend by the rhetoric of former President Trump at a public event in Conroe, Texas,” she wrote, adding that the event was “undoubtedly watched by millions.” “This rhetoric is more alarming in light of his statements” concerning pardons for those convicted of crimes in last year’s deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. Willis asked the FBI for an immediate risk assessment and protective resources including intelligence and federal agents. She said it was important the resources were in place well before a special grand jury convenes in the case on May 2. The FBI field office did not return a request for comment. The investigation by Willis, a Democrat, is the most serious probe facing Trump in Georgia after he was recorded in a phone call pressuring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to overturn the state’s election results based on unfounded claims of voter fraud. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Rob Lowe, Magic Johnson, and Governor Gavin Newsom were just a few of the big-name people who failed to adhere to the current mask mandates during the Rams-49ers playoff football game this past weekend. According to the Los Angeles Times, Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti are facing backlash after the two California leaders were caught taking pictures with celebrities at Sunday’s game without wearing masks despite the mandate they put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout their state. Mega “Hanging out at SoFi Stadium today!” tweeted Magic, 62, along with photos of Newsom, Garcetti, and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Although the celebs and politicians looked to be having the time of their lives, other people are not happy that none of the state’s leaders were wearing masks while simultaneously expecting everybody else to mask up. “So, none of the government officials wearing a mask like they ordered everyone else to,” one person posted to social media after the pictures of Johnson and Governor Newsom started spreading. “So glad my son has to wear a mask to school everyday but Gov Newsom doesn’t,” another person also added. Even California State Senator Melissa Melendez took to the social media platform to criticize Governor Newsom for what some people are calling blatant hypocrisy. Mega “Toddlers are being forced to wear masks all day long in school,” she wrote. “Maybe one day they’ll be governor or the mayor of LA and they won’t have the follow the rules they impose on others.” Despite the photographs showing Newsom without a mask, his communications director released a statement Sunday night regarding the maskless governor. “He continues to encourage all Californians to do their part to get through the pandemic and this latest surge, including wearing a mask and getting vaccinated,” Erin Mellon said on behalf of the California governor after Newsom “acknowledged that he took off his mask for a few moments during Sunday’s game.” As of this post, neither Garcetti nor Breed have responded to the current criticism regarding their failure to wear masks at SoFi Stadium. Mega View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tom Hals and Mike Spector (Reuters) – Members of the Sackler family who own Purdue Pharma LP are nearing an agreement to boost their more than $4 billion offer to resolve sprawling opioid litigation after negotiating with states that had objected to terms of the OxyContin maker’s bankruptcy reorganization, according to a court filing. Sackler family members and states objecting to terms of Purdue’s bankruptcy reorganization are “close to an agreement in principle” to contribute additional cash beyond the $4.325 billion they had pledged to settle opioid litigation, according to a mediator’s interim report filed on Monday. An agreement involving members of the Sackler family and several state attorneys general could potentially end a legal challenge that has prevented Purdue from exiting bankruptcy, and clear the way for a plan aimed at helping to abate the opioid crisis. The mediation kicked off in January among Sackler family members and several states after a U.S. district judge overturned the original settlement, which was the cornerstone of Purdue’s bankruptcy reorganization plan. The judge found the reorganization plan improperly shielded Sackler family members, who had not filed for Chapter 11 themselves, from opioid litigation. The mediator, former U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman, said any additional contribution from the Sacklers would be solely for opioid abatement. She asked that talks be extended to Feb. 7, a request that could be considered at a bankruptcy-court hearing on Tuesday. The report described marathon negotiating sessions held on Jan. 25-26 in New York that ran more than 12 hours each day and involved two unidentified state attorneys general who participated in person and another who joined by Zoom. The settlement agreement had been opposed by at least eight state attorneys general, including Bob Ferguson in Washington state and William Tong in Connecticut. Purdue, the maker of the highly addictive OxyContin opioid painkiller, filed for bankruptcy in 2019 in the face of thousands of lawsuits accusing it and the Sacklers of fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic through deceptive marketing. The opioid abuse crisis has led to nearly 500,000 overdose deaths over two decades, according to U.S. data. Sackler family members have denied wrongdoing. Purdue pleaded guilty in November 2020 to three felonies arising from its handling of OxyContin. Several members of the Sackler family testified during Purdue’s bankruptcy trial that their contribution to the settlement was conditioned on receiving “global peace” from opioid litigation. (Reporting by Mike Spector in New York; writing by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Janet Jackson‘s pleas for fans to lay off Justin Timberlake almost 18 years after the pair’s Super Bowl scandal are being ignored. In her Lifetime and A&E documentary, Janet, the titular songstress urged her supporters to finally forgive the former NSYNC frontman for that infamous halftime show wardrobe malfunction that arguably derailed her career. As darn near everyone will recall, it was at the very end of their sultry Rock Your Body performance that Justin ripped off part of Janet’s top, which briefly exposed her right breast. Both the media and the public vilified her, while his reputation remained untouched. Mega “Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion,” Jackson said of the incident. “And of course, it was an accident that should not have happened, but everyone is looking for someone to blame, and that’s got to stop.” Not only has she reconciled with Timberlake, but she says the two are even “very good friends” who will “always be very good friends.” “We spoke just a few days ago,” she explained. “He and I have moved on, and it’s time for everyone else to do the same.” Mega But Twitter wasn’t having it. “Janet Jackson: I’ve forgiven Justin Timberlake! Please leave him alone!” read one of thousands of tweets that poked fun at fans’ unwavering support. “Black Twitter: .” “Janet really told us to leave Justin Timberlake alone and that she’s in a better place and all of Black Twitter respectfully said no,” read another post. “Janet telling me to not hate Justin Timberlake no more,” tweeted someone else alongside a picture of Real Housewives of Atlanta alum NeNe Leakes turning her head away. Another person simply added, “Janet may forgive Justin Timberlake but I don’t…” “I love & respect Janet Jackson but NAW SIS we do NOT forgive Justin Timberlake!” explained another critic. “He coulda used a pinky’s worth of his privilege to defend you but hid behind you like a lil &%$#@! He needs to do way more to atone than that weak ass apology he gave years too late.” “I don’t care what Janet told Justin Timberlake! That muthaf–ka should’ve insisted to publicly say something on her behalf!” read another message. Sorry, Janet. At least you tried! Mega View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jason Lange and Alexandra Ulmer (Reuters) -Donald Trump’s fundraising slowed in late 2021 but the former leader still amassed more than $100 million in cash that could help Republicans in their bid to win congressional majorities later this year, disclosures released on Monday showed. Trump’s main fundraising committee, known as Save America, took in about $23 million between July and December of last year, down from $62 million in the first half of 2021, according to reports to the Federal Election Commission. Trump, now about one year out of office after losing the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, remains popular among Republicans as he continues to falsely state he lost the election due to fraud. The slowdown in his fundraising raised eyebrows among Republicans. “The further Trump gets away from the White House, the harder it seems to be for him to raise money,” said Dan Eberhart, a prominent Republican donor and the CEO of oilfield services company Canary, LLC. While Trump has strongly hinted he could run for president again in 2024, campaign finance rules forbid him from funding his own candidacy with money raised by Save America. But Trump is spending large sums to hold political rallies that ostensibly support Republican candidates but which feature his own speeches as the main event. “Trump very well may find a way to spend the money he raised in 2021 in support of a 2024 campaign and get away with it,” said Paul Ryan, a campaign finance specialist at Common Cause, a nonpartisan group that advocates for government reform. In the second half to 2021, Save America paid event management company Event Strategies, Inc more than $1.4 million, according to Save America’s financial disclosure. Trump has endorsed dozens of Republican candidates, including several who are mounting challenges against Republicans who voted with Democrats to impeach Trump on a charge he incited a deadly assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Save America, which ended 2021 with $105 million in cash, has contributed just $1.35 million to “like-minded causes and endorsed candidates,” according to sums released by Trump’s office. The group in July made a $1 million donation to the Conservative Partnership Institute, which currently lists Trump’s former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as a senior partner. Trump’s former campaign committee, now dubbed the Make America Great Again PAC, had $6.7 million in cash at the end of the year, with much of its outlays in the second half of the year going to legal expenses, according to a separate financial disclosure. Save America and the former campaign together spent more that $290,000 on rent, catering, meetings and lodgings at Trump properties during the period, the disclosures showed. In addition, Make America Great Again spent more than $52,000 in rental and meeting expenses at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, according to its filing. In the statement about the fundraising haul, Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich said the former leader’s movement “is set to crash across the midterms and carry forward all the way through 2024.” Democrats, who hold slim majorities in Congress, are bracing for a difficult election season as Biden’s popularity has slumped among voters worn down by the COVID-19 pandemic and its toll on the economy. (Reporting by Jason Lange and Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Whoopi Goldberg has apologised after saying the Holocaust “isn’t about race”. The 66-year-old star – who was met with fierce backlash over her comments on Monday’s episode (31.01.22) of ‘The View’ – has offered her “sincerest apologies” for the offence she caused. Appearing on the show, she said: “Let’s be truthful about it because Holocaust isn’t about race. It’s not about race. It’s not about race. It’s about man’s inhumanity to man… “These are two white groups of people! The minute you turn it into race it goes down this alley. Let’s talk about it for what it is. “It’s how people treat each other. It doesn’t matter if you’re Black or white, Jews, it’s each other.” In a statement shared on social media, Whoopi has now said she “stands corrected”. She wrote: “On today’s show, I said the Holocaust ‘is not about race, but about man’s inhumanity to man’. I should have said it is about both. “As Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti-Defamation League shared, ‘The Holocaust was about the Nazi’s systematic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race.’ I stand corrected. “The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused. “Written with my sincerest apologies, Whoopi Goldberg.” Many people took to social media to criticise Whoopi over her original comments, with David Harris – the CEO of the American Jewish Committee – urging her to “rethink” and apologise. He tweeted: “Whoopi Goldberg absurdly claims the #Holocaust ‘isn’t about race.’ Nazi Germany considered all Jews a ‘subhuman race.’ “That’s why they wanted to exterminate the entire Jewish people, including my family, & almost succeeded. Please rethink & apologize. (sic)” And Israeli writer Hen Mazzig added: “Being Jewish means watching white nationalists call for your death because you’re ‘not white’ while ladies on national TV say the Holocaust was ‘white people killing white people…y’all go fight amongst yourselves.’” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Messenger will soon send users alerts every time someone screenshots their chats. The Meta-owned messaging service is following in the footsteps of Snapchat by upping its security with the new feature for disappearing messages. In a blog post, Meta explained: “We think it’s important that you are able to use encrypted chats and feel safe, so we want to keep you informed if anyone takes screenshots of your disappearing messages.” As well as the update for end-to-end encrypted Messenger chats, Mark Zuckerberg announced they are adding GIFs, stickers, and reactions to encrypted chats. What’s more, users will be able to reply to a DM by either swiping or tapping and holding it to select Reply. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jarrett Renshaw, Richard Cowan and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) – White House officials are planning a more subtle approach to try to win pivotal U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s support for a key part of President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda, hoping that keeping matters private and avoiding public spats can help salvage the ambitious Build Back Better https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/whats-bidens-175-trillion-build-back-better-package-2021-11-05 climate and social spending bill. Biden last year won congressional passage of COVID-19 relief legislation https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-congress/democrats-push-bidens-1-9-trillion-covid-bill-through-senate-on-party-line-vote-idUSKBN2AY07M and a sweeping infrastructure improvement bill https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bidens-sweeping-infrastructure-social-spending-bills-finally-get-vote-2021-11-05 with fellow Democrat Manchin’s backing. But the West Virginia senator remains a significant roadblock toward getting some version of Biden’s $1.7 trillion Build Back Better bill – passed by the House of Representatives in November – through the Senate. With talks between Manchin and the White House expected to resume this week, Biden and his advisers are planning to rely on their revamped approach – keeping the progress of the talks more confidential and making greater use of the White House legislative team and Cabinet members, officials said. A public tussle between Biden – a long-time former senator himself – and Manchin in recent months over the bill resulted in its prospects for passage slipping even as Manchin’s public approval ratings in his home state rose and his fundraising haul grew. “I just want to make sure we find a balance and do something we can afford,” Manchin told reporters on Monday, referring to the Build Back Better legislation. Biden in December said that he and Manchin would “get something done” https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-he-manchin-are-going-get-something-done-2021-12-21 on the bill. Manchin’s vote is crucial for Biden by virtue of simple mathematics. The Senate is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, with Biden’s party controlling it only because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote. That means any measure that can pass with a simple majority must attract Manchin’s support if Republicans remain united in opposition as usual. Manchin, considered the Senate’s most conservative Democrat, previously served as governor of West Virginia, a very Republican state. He surprised Biden and presidential advisers when he announced in December he would not support the bill, later blaming White House staff https://www.reuters.com/world/us/manchin-says-white-house-staff-drove-him-reject-bidens-social-policy-plan-2021-12-20. Manchin also dealt his fellow Democrats a setback on major voting rights legislation https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-make-personal-plea-democrats-unify-pass-voting-rights-2022-01-13. The White House needs to win over a second holdout Democrat, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, as well. Manchin’s December announcement followed weeks of calls and meetings between him, Sinema and Biden – with the White House giving blow-by-blow details to an eager Washington press corps. ‘NOT GOING TO SPEAK’ This time, the White House plans not to disclose much about Biden’s conversations with lawmakers, including Manchin. “We’re just not going to speak to or confirm any conversations the president has with members of the Senate, moving forward,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week. The change appears to be a tacit admission that Manchin had sometimes been mishandled by the White House. At the same time, some Democrats in Congress and some at the White House consider Manchin an unreliable negotiating partner, saying he has agreed on certain provisions in the past only to later renege. “Senator Manchin clearly articulated his policy concerns with Build Back Better which are rooted in rising inflation, the ongoing pandemic and the geopolitical uncertainty around the world,” an aide to the senator said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A Biden administration official, also speaking on condition of anonymity about Manchin, said the White House needs to “stand in his shoes politically and be willing to understand and appreciate the variables of what it means to represent a state like West Virginia.” Republican then-President Donald Trump won West Virginia against Biden by 39 percentage points in 2020 – among his largest margins in any state – while losing nationally. Manchin, first elected to the Senate in 2010, comfortably won the Democratic primary during his 2018 re-election bid before winning the general election by 3 percentage points, showing he has little margin for error if he wants to be re-elected in 2024. He managed to raise nearly $5 million in political donations last year versus less than $1 million in 2020, Federal Election Commission records https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S0WV00090/?cycle=2022&election_full=false showed, including from Republican donors. West Virginia, a state of 1.8 million people, ranks among the lowest in the United States in various health and education categories – areas the legislation at issue would address. It would provide billions of dollars for the healthcare industry and universal pre-kindergarten education. Manchin remains open to talks on a significant spending bill and his relationship with Biden is solid, said a source familiar with the senator’s thinking, speaking on condition of anonymity. Congressional Democrats are hoping for a Build Back Better agreement before Biden’s State of Union address, set for March 1. “We are in touch with a wide range of members working to pass the president’s economic growth plan for the middle class, which you heard a number of top business executives speak in support of,” said White House spokesman Andrew Bates, referring to Biden’s meeting with CEOs last week. “Anyone purporting to share our strategy with regard to any lawmakers is not speaking for the White House.” (Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw, Andrea Shalal, Richard Cowan; Editing by Will Dunham and Heather Timmons) View the full article

Published by DPA While some estimates say coronavirus immunity can last up to eight months after an infection, several countries are formally recognizing Covid-19 recovery documents for three months only. What does the science say? Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa Numerous studies have found that people who recover from Covid-19 rarely become reinfected in the months that follow, according to a November paper in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases. And yet the US and Germany are among the countries with a more narrow view of how long immunity from a previous infection can be recognized before a vaccine is required, namely 90 days. EU states have agreed that travellers should be able to move freely within the union from February 1 without further requirements if they present valid proof of recovery in the past 180 days – six months. However EU countries are free to limit the time they recognize immunity from previous infection when it comes to activities within the country, such as visits to restaurants. So what does research tell us? According to a September study, infection with the Delta variant reduced the risk of re-infection by more than 80 per cent. Another study showed that of more than 9,000 people previously infected, only 0.7 per cent became re-infected within a year. It should be noted here that the Omicron variant, which has infected more people who have recovered from other variants, was not yet circulating at the time of much research into immunity from coronavirus infection. Immunity frome Omicron varies “Once you’ve been through an infection, you’re immune,” says German immunologist Carsten Watzl. “But immunity is very variable.” For one person, he says, it’s very strong; for another, it’s rather weak. “On average, you are slightly less protected than with two doses of BioNTech.” But, Watzl emphasizes, there are also advantages: “In those who have recovered, the antibody level declines somewhat more slowly than in those who have been vaccinated.” Antibodies, moreover, are only part of the protection the body develops. T cells could potentially even be active for life. Patients infected with Sars-Cov-1 in 2002/03 still had T cells against that type of virus 17 years later, according to The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The authors explicitly recommend that policymakers put those who have recovered on an equal footing with those who have been vaccinated. And yet, again, this judgement was made at a time when the Delta variant was dominant. Is the situation different with Omicron? Watzl does not believe the situation for people who have recovered from a coronavirus infection has decisively changed with Omicron. “It is true that studies show that many antibodies of recovered persons can no longer recognize the Omicron variant as well, and that these persons thus have hardly any protection against the infection,” says the immunologist. “But this change is equally true for vaccinated individuals. If you cut the immunity time for infected people, you actually have to do the same for vaccinated people.” Shortening it to three months, he said, is a “political decision that is not understandable based on the data.” Critics say this decision was primarily about getting more people to get vaccinated, and not a scientifically sound solution. For their part, German health officials say they reduce the time span they recognize immunity from previous infection “because the scientific evidence to date indicates that unvaccinated people have a lowered and even more time-limited protection against re-infection with the Omicron variant after a passed infection compared to the Delta variant.” Virologist Hendrik Streeck, a member of the German government’s expert council, told daily newspaper Die Welt that it is “really important to make sure that decisions are based on sound knowledge and not made arbitrarily.” In a recent guest editorial for Die Zeit newspaper, he wrote: “The growing number of people who have recovered from an infection are being neglected.” “Since the protection after an infection is comparable to that after a vaccination, the recovered status should be upgraded, and previously infected people should be put on an equal footing with vaccinated people.” While some estimates say coronavirus immunity can last up to eight months after an infection, several countries are formally recognizing Covid-19 recovery documents for three months only. What does the science say? Donal Husni/ZUMA Wire/dpa View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Adele has been holed up in her boyfriend Rich Paul‘s mansion for more than a week in an alleged desperate attempt to “save” their relationship. After the 33-year-old disappointed her fans by canceling her Las Vegas shows just 24 hours before she was set to take the stage, Adele got the hell out of Dodge and rushed to Rich’s $14 million home in Beverly Hills. She hasn’t been seen or heard from since. According to The Sun, that’s because her visit is a last-shot attempt at “fixing” her failing romance. Adele Goes Radio Silent, Singer MIA After Swift Vegas Exit As She Continues To Hide Out At Boyfriend Rich Paul’s Home Mega “Adele is staying at Rich’s house in Beverly Hills just trying to fix their relationship because things have become strained. They barely saw each other at the beginning of the month because he was away for work and she was trying to focus on the Vegas show,” a source told the outlet. As Radar reported, insiders claimed Adele couldn’t get through a rehearsal without having an emotional breakdown. “Adele’s been crying and couldn’t get through a single full rehearsal for the past month,” a source alleged. “Just constantly on the phone with Rich … loudly shouting and sobbing.” The residency was the beginning of the end. “He was upset he couldn’t be there with her when things started falling apart with the residency and it made things difficult for them both. She needed him there, but he couldn’t because he has his own busy career too,” the insider told The Sun, adding “they really like each other” but the last month has been “tough.” Many believe Adele’s relationship troubles with Rich, plus her diva-like demands coupled with her ever-changing creative vision, was the reason why she bailed on her shows last minute. Mega Adele cried COVID-19 when she tearfully told her fans the show wouldn’t go on. The Rolling In The Deep singer alleged most of her crew contracted the virus, making it “impossible to finish the show.” Of course, Radar discovered there was more to the story. Adele Vegas Show: The Real Reason She Canceled Her Residency Debut And Her Diva Demands Sources revealed she kept “changing the run of the show” and she wouldn’t stop “adding and taking things away,” forcing her crew to work “18 hours a day.” Adele also reportedly clashed with the set designer, with sources claiming the musician and her team were a “total nightmare.” With no new dates in sight and Caesars Palace already replacing her with a new act, fans fret that Adele may never return to Sin City. View the full article

How could Tom Holland Think Mark Wahlberg was hitting on him with gift of an unfamiliar massage gun and a ride back to his hotel? It’s Hollywood, baby. Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Holland thought Mark Wahlberg had given him a “self-pleasure” device. The 25-year-old actor – who is dating his ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ co-star Zendaya – was left “confused” when he met his ‘Uncharted’ co-star for the first time and he handed over a massage gun as a gift. Tom told ‘Access Hollywood’: “Essentially Mark Wahlberg was kind enough to give me a massage gun after I left his house in LA and he drove me back to my hotel. “I was confused as to what kind of massage gun this was having never seen one before … and I thought it was the type of self-pleasure. “I thought Mark Wahlberg was driving me back to my house for other reasons than just being a gentleman. I didn’t know, it’s Hollywood baby … who knows what’s going to happen.” But the 50-year-old actor insisted there was nothing sexual about his gift, he simply owns a stake in a company named Power Plate, which he believes make “the best massage guns out there”, so he wanted to introduce them to his new friend. Meanwhile, Tom recently revealed while he “will” wait to start a family, he is excited at the idea of being a parent in the future because he loves being around children. He added: “I love kids. I can’t wait to be a dad — I can wait and I will, but I can’t wait! “If I’m at a wedding or a party, I’m always at the kids’ table hanging out.” The ‘Chaos Walking’ star would even have become a teacher if he hadn’t made it as an actor. He said: “My dad’s been such a great role model for me. I think I’ve got that from him. So I think I’d be a primary school teacher or something like that [if I wasn’t acting].” Tom Holland Thought Mark Wahlberg Hit On Him on Towleroad “Legends of Tomorrow” Has First Asexual Superhero, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” Apex Story Details, “James Bond” Actor “Disappointed” With Q’s Coming Out Moment: Entertainment Roundup More iPhone users can use Face ID with a mask with next iOS update More More U.S. Black colleges and universities receive bomb threats More Da Brat and Jesseca Dupart are expecting their first child More NEW YORK TIMES BUYS VIRAL WORD GAME WORDLE More Prince Harry & Wife Meghan Markle Call On Spotify ‘To Ensure Changes’ Yet Continue $20 Million Deal With Streaming Giant More Lockdown parties report lambasts failures of UK government leadership More Lung abnormalities found in Long Covid patients with breathlessness More Apple unveils new safety tips for AirTags More Florida is so cold iguanas are falling out of trees More Miss USA Cheslie Kryst dead at 30 More Explainer-Scientists on alert over rising cases caused by Omicron cousin BA.2 More Some Republicans warn Trump’s latest Jan. 6 speech shows he would ‘do it all again’ More Load More View the full article

“Legends of Tomorrow’s” Spooner and ZariDC’s “Legends of Tomorrow” Welcomes First Asexual Superhero DC Comics’ bustling television universe, known by fans as the Arrowverse, introduced its first asexual superhero on the latest episode of The CW’s “Legends of Tomorrow.” In the episode, Spooner, a member of the time-traveling superhero squad, came out as asexual after having a rare quiet moment with fellow hero Zari. Spooner, portrayed by Lisseth Chavez, reveals that she isn’t attracted to men or women, hinting that her lack of sexual attraction could be the product of “mushroom aliens.” But Zari reassured her that asexuality is a real thing and is completely normal, addressing common misconceptions about asexuality head-on. “The third [movie] is sort of the apex of everything that we’ve been talking about in that area,” Soderbergh said. Not just taking the dancing to another level, but really getting into the relationship aspect that’s been an undercurrent in all of the films. Like Mike has a full-on relationship that’s at the center of this movie, while all this stuff is going on, and we haven’t done that before.” “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” will be released on HBO Max, though the film doesn’t have an announced release date. Asexual Superhero: Previously on Towleroad “Batgirl” Film Likely Introduces DC Comics’ First Major Trans Character To Its Cinematic Universe Brian Bell January 21, 2022 Read More Wonder Woman’s 1st Trans Amazon; ‘Battlefield’s 1st Non-Binary Specialist; ‘Superman’ Colorist Quits Offended By New Motto. Brian Bell October 26, 2021 Read More Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane? No, It’s The First Bisexual Superman Towleroad October 11, 2021 Read More World of Batman Now Even More Queer; Longtime Robin Comes Out as Questioning in DC Comics Anthology Series Brian Bell August 11, 2021 Read More Pride Month Gay Comics Roundup: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Many Others Celebrate Their LGBTQ Characters, Creators Brian Bell June 16, 2021 Read More Brazil’s Largest Newspaper Publishes Massive ‘Avengers’ Gay Kiss in Defiance of Rio Mayor Andy Towle September 9, 2019 Read More Screenshot via The CW View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English iPhone users will be able to unlock their devices while wearing face masks. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, those wanting to use Face ID while on the go have had to scramble to take their face coverings down for the feature to work. However, the new iOS 15.4 update comes bearing a new AI tool that will make it possible to unlock iPhones with a mask on by scanning only the details of a person’s eyes. The new operating system will also feature a new batch of emojis, among other bug fixes. In November, the tech giant promised to fix a problem with the iPhone 13, which saw screen repairs performed by unofficial parties cause glitches and breaks with its Face ID feature. Currently, the model contains a chip that “pairs” a screen with a specific phone and requires special software tools to “match” a new one, and third-party repair firms found that without these tools, the facial-identification security function stops working. Apple vowed to release a software update to combat the issue, after the feature was widely criticised by right-to-repair advocates, who suggested it was included to limit who could repair iPhones. The issue was first reported by iFixit, a company specialising in tools, parts and tech repair guides, who labelled the new link between screen replacements and Face ID as a “dark day for fixers, both DIY and professional”. The repair firm discovered that the new chip ensures that unless the replacement screen is “matched” to the phone’s unique serial number, FaceID does not work. Apple told news outlets a solution would be made available in a future update. View the full article