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Published by Radar Online Mega Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle are just the latest celebrities calling on the streaming service giant Spotify to stop the spread of misinformation on its platform, despite the fact that they still have a nearly $20 million deal with the media provider. According to Daily Mail, the royal couple will not be dropping their lucrative deal with Spotify even though they believe the platform has to make changes to stop the Covid-19 pandemic misinformation running rampant on the service, particularly on podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience. Mega “Since the inception of Archewell, we have worked to address the real-time global misinformation crisis. Hundreds of people are affected by the serious harms of rampant mis- and disinformation every day,” the couple said in a statement Sunday via their charity Archewell. “Last April, our co-founders began expressing concerns to our partners at Spotify about the all too real consequences of Covid-19 misinformation on its platform. We have continued to express our concerns to Spotify to ensure changes to its platform are made to help address this public health crisis.” But even though Harry and Meghan disagree with the fact Spotify allows harmful misinformation to be spread on their platform, the two reportedly have no plans to cut their partnership with the company inked in 2020 and worth upwards of $20 million even though they’ve only produced one episode of a podcast. As Radar previously reported, Neil Young called out Spotify last week threatening to remove his music from their service if they continued to do nothing about the blatant spread of misinformation on their platform. Mega “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” the Heart of Gold singer wrote in the letter Tuesday after calling out Rogan for his “spread of misinformation.” “With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, The Joe Rogan Experience, which is hosted exclusively on Spotify, is the world’s largest podcast and has tremendous influence.” “Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform, though the company presently has no misinformation policy. I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform.” Since then, Young made good on his promise and has since had his content removed from Spotify. Other artists, such as Joni Mitchell, have also followed suit showing solidarity with Young regarding the dangers of the misinformation being shared on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Mega View the full article

Published by Reuters By William James, Kylie MacLellan and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced renewed calls to resign on Monday after a report found that alcohol-fuelled parties at his offices and residence when COVID-19 lockdown rules were in force should never have taken place. The report by senior civil servant Sue Gray into the lockdown gatherings – at a time when Britons were all but banned from social mixing to tackle the coronavirus pandemic – pointed to “serious failures of leadership” at the heart of the British government. She condemned some of the behaviour in government as being “difficult to justify”, saying “the excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time”. “Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place,” she said. “Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.” However, she said she could not offer a “meaningful report” in order not to prejudice a separate police investigation. But she disclosed that detectives were looking into rule-breaking events, including one in Johnson’s apartment above his office. Johnson’s office said Gray would be asked to update her report once the police investigation has concluded and that the update would be published. The saga has become the gravest threat to Johnson’s premiership, already under scrutiny for a series of scandals and his handling of the COVID-19 response. Opposition politicians and some members of his own Conservative Party have called on him to resign. Johnson made a statement and answered questions for almost two hours in parliament on Monday afternoon following the report’s publication to apologise again and to pledge to make changes at his office. “I want to say sorry. I get it and I will fix it,” he said in a raucous debate, when he was challenged by some Conservative lawmakers. One, Aaron Bell, fought back tears as he recounted the funeral held for his grandmother during the COVID lockdown. “She was a wonderful woman … I drove for three hours … only 10 people at the funeral. Many people who loved her had to watch online. I didn’t hug my siblings. I didn’t hug my parents,” he said. “Does the prime minister think I am a fool?” Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, accused him of blaming everyone else but himself. “There can be no doubt that the prime minister himself is now subject to criminal investigation,” Starmer told parliament. The leader of the Scottish National Party, Ian Blackford, was forced to leave the House of Commons after accusing Johnson of misleading parliament, an offence for which the prime minister would be expected to resign. EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL Gray’s report looked into what has become weeks of a steady drip of stories about events in Downing Street during the lockdown, with reports of aides stuffing a suitcase full of alcohol and dancing until the early hours. However, parts of the report were not published due to the ongoing police investigation, which could take months. The officer in charge said detectives were looking at 500 pieces of paper and more than 300 photographs. [S8N2U000S] “At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time,” Gray wrote. “Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the Government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify,” it said. Johnson’s spokesman said “steps will be taken to ensure every government department has a clear robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol in the workplace”. Gray was asked to investigate more than a dozen gatherings in Downing Street at a time when millions were kept apart from friends and relatives for months because of the restrictions. Since the police investigation was opened last week, Gray said she could only refer to four events, rather than the 16 she initially considered to make sure she did not prejudice the probe. “Unfortunately, this necessarily means that I am extremely limited in what I can say about those events and it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report setting out and analysing the extensive factual information I have been able to gather,” she wrote. UPSTAIRS APARTMENT One of the events which she was forced to leave out was a gathering on Nov. 13 in Johnson’s Downing Street apartment above government offices, and one of the most damaging allegations of a “bring your own booze” party on May 20, 2020. The prime minister’s spokesman has said Johnson does not believe he broke the law. Johnson has offered a range of answers to some of the allegations from arguing that Downing Street had always followed the rules, to not being aware of a party. The alleged parties are the latest in a series of scandals to tarnish Johnson, who has come under fire over the funding of a pricey flat refurbishment, allegedly prioritising the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan, and the awarding of COVID-19 contracts. Johnson has apologised for errors that were made, but has repeatedly rejected calls to quit. But the limited report may hand Johnson and his supporters more time to try to persuade colleagues not to trigger a confidence vote in him. It might not be easy. One Conservative lawmaker said he no longer supported him and several others were openly hostile. “The backbenchers of the Conservative Party need no reminders about how to dispose of a failing leader,” said Conservative lawmaker Bernard Jenkin. (Writing by Elizabeth Piper and William James, Editing by Michael Holden, Angus MacSwan and Bernadette Baum) View the full article

Published by DPA Long Covid patients with breathlessness may be suffering from significantly impaired gas transfer from the lungs to the bloodstream, according to new research. Fabian Strauch/dpa Researchers have discovered abnormalities in the lungs of long Covid patients who have breathlessness which cannot be detected with routine tests. The Explain study uses xenon, an odourless, colourless, tasteless and chemically non-reactive gas, to investigate possible lung damage in the patients who have not been admitted to hospital, but continue to experience the symptom. The initial results of the study suggest there is significantly impaired gas transfer from the lungs to the bloodstream in the long Covid patients despite other tests – including CT scans – coming back as normal. The study’s chief investigator, Fergus Gleeson, professor of radiology at the University of Oxford and consultant radiologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We knew from our post-hospital Covid study that xenon could detect abnormalities when the CT scan and other lung function tests are normal. “What we’ve found now is that, even though their CT scans are normal, the xenon MRI scans have detected similar abnormalities in patients with long Covid. “These patients have never been in hospital and did not have an acute severe illness when they had their Covid-19 infection. “Some of them have been experiencing their symptoms for a year after contracting Covid-19. “There are now important questions to answer. Such as, how many patients with long Covid will have abnormal scans, the significance of the abnormality we’ve detected, the cause of the abnormality, and its longer-term consequences. “Once we understand the mechanisms driving these symptoms, we will be better placed to develop more effective treatments.” In the study, the patients were required to lie in an MRI scanner and breathe in one litre of the gas that has been tweaked so that it can be seen using MRI. Because xenon, which is safe to inhale, behaves in a very similar way to oxygen, radiologists can observe how it moves from the lungs into the bloodstream. The scan takes just a few minutes and, as it does not require radiation exposure, can be repeated over time to see changes to the lungs. While the full Explain study will recruit about 400 participants, the initial pilot had 36 participants making up three groups. This included those diagnosed with long Covid who had been to long Covid clinics and who had normal CT scans, and people who had been in hospital with coronavirus and discharged more than three months ago, who had normal or nearly normal CT scans and who were not experiencing long Covid. The third group was an age and gender-matched control group who did not have long Covid symptoms and were not admitted to hospital with the virus. Dr Emily Fraser, respiratory consultant who leads the Oxford Post-Covid Assessment Clinic, said: “These are interesting results and may indicate that the changes observed within the lungs of some patients with long Covid contribute to breathlessness. “However, these are early findings and further work to understand the clinical significance is key.” Asked what people suffering from the symptom can take from the findings, she added: “I think that the message should be that we are actively researching what is driving long Covid.” But Fraser also said people should not give up on the current exercises and rehab they are working on, as this is also helpful. The method and clinical applications were developed by Professor Jim Wild and the Pulmonary, Lung and Respiratory Imaging Sheffield (Polaris) research group at the University of Sheffield. “Xenon follows the pathway of oxygen when it is taken up by the lungs and can tell us where the abnormality lies between the airways, gas exchange membranes and capillaries in the lungs,” Wild said. The study, which received Government funding, is supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The findings, which have not been peer-reviewed, were posted on the bioRxiv pre-print server. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Apple has unveiled an updated safety guide for AirTag devices. The company recently released the new portal, with the Personal User Safety Guide giving tips for people protecting themselves and their data. The devices – which can be attached to items like a wallet or keys – are used to locate lost items via Apple’s Find My service. However, there have been concerns that AirTags can – and have – been misused as trackers on people. In the Personal User Safety Guide, Apple said: “This user guide is a personal safety resource for anyone who is concerned about or experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking, or harassment. “It can help you sever digital ties with those you no longer want to be connected to and outlines the personal safety features that are built into Apple devices.” The guide itself gives “step-by-step” instructions to protect yourself while using the device. This includes a section outlining what action to take if they’re alerted to an unwanted AirTag, or if you hear or find one belonging to someone else. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The U.S. National Weather Service Miami-South Florida warned the public on Sunday that immobilised iguanas could fall out of trees due to unusual cold temperatures across the region. “Iguanas are cold-blooded. They slow down or become immobile when temps drop into the 40s (4-9 Celsius). They may fall from trees, but they are not dead,” the service said on Twitter. Temperatures in South Florida reached a low of 25 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service, and high temperatures on Sunday were expected to remain in the upper 50s to low 60s. The nation’s Northeast was walloped on Saturday by a deadly winter storm that prompted several states to declare emergencies and forced the cancellation of more than 1,400 flights. Zoologist Stacey Cohen, a reptile expert at Palm Beach Zoo in Florida, explained the iguana phenomenon to television station WPBF. “Their bodies basically start to shut down where they lose their functions and so they are up in the trees on the branches sleeping and then because it gets so cold, they lose that ability to hang on and then they do fall out of trees a lot,” Cohen said. Although most of the reptiles will likely survive this period of immobilisation, Cohen said freezing temperatures were a threat to their survival and pointed to a cold snap in 2010 that wiped out a large number of the population. “Cold is a very, very life-threatening thing for them because they are from parts of Central and South America close to the equator where it always stays very warm,” she said. Green iguanas are not native to Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They were accidentally introduced as stowaways in cargo ships and are considered an invasive species. They can weigh up to 17 pounds (7.5 kg) and measure over five feet (1.50 metres) in length. These iguanas are not the first animals to suffer the cold this winter. Hundreds of thousands of farmed fish died from thermal shock in a lagoon in northwestern Greece after a heavy snowstorm crippled the country last week. (Editing by Karishma Singh and Sandra Maler) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst has died. The 30-year-old lawyer’s family have confirmed she passed away over the weekend, though they did not confirm reports she took her own life after jumping from the 60-storey apartment building in New York where she lived on the ninth floor. Her family said in a statement on Sunday (30.01.22): “In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie. Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined. “Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host on Extra. But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague – we know her impact will live on.” The beauty queen was also a reporter for ‘Extra’ and they have sent their condolences to her family. A statement read: “Our hearts are broken. Cheslie was not just a vital part of our show, she was a beloved part of our Extra family and touched the entire staff. “Our deepest condolences to all her family and friends.” Cheslie – who was crowned Miss USA as Miss North Carolina – along with Nia Imani Franklin, Kaliegh Garris, and Zozibini Tunzi – who were Miss America, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe respesctively – became the first group of Black women to hold the titles in a single year. The attorney previously spoke of her pride in the group “breaking barriers” but admitted she was disappointed that some didn’t see the significance of their collective success. She said at the time: “People will comment on our social media and be like, ‘Why are we talking about your race? You guys are just four, amazing women’. And I’m like, ‘Yes, we are four amazing women, but there was a time when we literally could not win!’ “ View the full article

Published by Reuters By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) – The highly transmissible Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – the most common form of which is known as BA.1 – now accounts for nearly all of the coronavirus infections globally, although dramatic surges in COVID cases have already peaked in some countries. Scientists are now tracking a rise in cases caused by a close cousin known as BA.2, which is starting to outcompete BA.1 in parts of Europe and Asia. The following is what we know so far about the new subvariant: “STEALTH” SUBVARIANT Globally, BA.1 accounted for 98.8% of sequenced cases submitted to the public virus tracking database GISAID as of Jan. 25. But several countries are reporting recent increases in the subvariant known as BA.2, according to the World Health Organization. In addition to BA.1 and BA.2, the WHO lists two other subvariants under the Omicron umbrella: BA.1.1.529 and BA.3. All are closely related genetically, but each features mutations that could alter how they behave. Trevor Bedford, a computational virologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center who has been tracking the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, wrote on Twitter on Friday that BA.2 represents roughly 82% of cases in Denmark, 9% in the UK and 8% in the United States, based on his analysis of sequencing data from the GISAID database and case counts from the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford. The BA.1 version of Omicron has been somewhat easier to track than prior variants. That is because BA.1 is missing one of three target genes used in a common PCR test. Cases showing this pattern were assumed by default to be caused by BA.1. BA.2, sometimes known as a “stealth” subvariant, does not have the same missing target gene. Instead, scientists are monitoring it the same way they have prior variants, including Delta, by tracking the number of virus genomes submitted to public databases such as GISAID. As with other variants, an infection with BA.2 can be detected by coronavirus home tests kits, though they cannot indicate which variant is responsible, experts said. MORE TRANSMISSIBLE? Some early reports indicate that BA.2 may be even more infectious than the already extremely contagious BA.1, but there is no evidence so far that it is more likely to evade vaccine protection. Danish health officials estimate that BA.2 may be 1.5 times more transmissible than BA.1, based on preliminary data, though it likely does not cause more severe disease. In England, a preliminary analysis of contact tracing from Dec. 27, 2021, through Jan. 11, 2022, by the UK Health Security Agency (HSA) suggests that household transmission is higher among contacts of people infected with BA.2 (13.4%) compared with other Omicron cases (10.3%). The HSA found no evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness, according to the Jan. 28 report. A critical question is whether people who were infected in the BA.1 wave will be protected from BA.2, said Dr. Egon Ozer, an infectious disease expert at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. That has been a concern in Denmark, where some places that saw high case counts of BA.1 infections were reporting rising cases of BA.2, Ozer said. If prior BA.1 infection does not protect against BA.2, “this could be sort of a two-humped camel kind of wave,” Ozer said. “It’s too early to know if that will happen.” The good news, he said, is that vaccines and boosters still “keep people out of the hospital and keep people from dying.” (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A handful of Republicans pushed back against former President Donald Trump’s weekend offer to consider pardoning people convicted of joining the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, saying it showed he would “do it all again” if he regains the White House in 2024. “Trump uses language he knows caused the Jan. 6 violence; suggests he’d pardon the Jan. 6 defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditious conspiracy; threatens prosecutors; and admits he was attempting to overturn the election,” U.S. Representative Liz Cheney posted on Twitter on Monday. “He’d do it all again if given the chance.” Cheney is one of just two Republicans taking part in the U.S House of Representatives’ official investigation of Jan. 6. Cheney and a few other Republicans spoke out after a weekend in which former President Trump at a Saturday rally in Conroe, Texas, offered to consider pardoning people convicted of joining the attack if elected to a second term in 2024 and called for protests against prosecutors in New York and Georgia investigating him and his company. He followed up Sunday evening with a statement repeating his false claims that his vice president, Mike Pence, “could have overturned the Election” that Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. He also lambasted a bipartisan effort led by Republican Senator Susan Collins to reform the federal law that allows Congress members to dispute presidential election results. Representative Adam Kinzinger, the other Republican on the Jan. 6 committee, wrote on Twitter late on Sunday that it was “time for every Republican leader to pick a side … Trump or the Constitution, there is no middle on defending our nation anymore.” Trump’s comments on targeting prosecutors led Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis, who is investigating whether Trump tried to influence the state’s handling of the election, to ask the FBI for additional security for her office. She noted in a Sunday letter to the FBI’s Atlanta field office that her concerns were driven by Trump’s comments in Texas attacking “radical, vicious racist prosecutors” and encouraging protests in Washington, New York and Atlanta. Trump was impeached in the House but acquitted in the Senate last year on a charge of inciting the deadly Jan. 6 attack, in which thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol in the worst assault on Congress since the War of 1812. Cheney and Kinzinger voted for his impeachment, and Collins voted to convict him. Fueled by Trump’s false claims that his November 2020 election defeat was the result of fraud, the attackers sought to stop Congress from certifying Biden’s victory and threatened to hang Pence for refusing to overturn the results. More than 700 people have been charged with joining in the assault. Other Republicans on Sunday also rejected his remarks about pardons. “The folks that were part of the riots and, frankly, the assault on the U.S. Capitol, have to be held accountable. There is a rule of law,” New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu told CNN. Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, voiced his own concerns about the potential for repeated violence. “I don’t want to reinforce that defiling the Capitol was OK. I don’t want to do anything that would make this more likely in the future,” he told CBS. (Reporting by David Morgan, additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Corrects paragraphs 4 and 12 to show hearings are before U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood, not U.S. Magistrate Judge Benjamin Cheesbro) (Reuters) -U.S. prosecutors have reached plea agreements with two of the three men facing federal hate-crime charges for the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man killed after running through a mostly white neighborhood in southern Georgia. The three white men — Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan — were convicted last November in a state court in Brunswick, Georgia, of murder in the death of Arbery. The killing of Arbery, 25, sparked national outrage when cellphone video of his shooting emerged months later and the public learned that local authorities had declined to arrest his pursuers. The McMichaels’ plea agreements must be accepted by U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood at hearings set to start at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) if they are to avoid a federal trial, which had been scheduled to start next week. The attorney for Arbery’s family, Lee Merritt, said in a statement that he will oppose the deals in the hearings on Monday at the U.S. District Court in Brunswick and that Arbery’s family was “devastated.” “The DOJ has gone behind my back to offer the men who murdered my son a deal to make their time in prison easier to serve,” Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said in statement provided by Merritt. “I have been completely betrayed by the DOJ lawyers,” she said, referring to the U.S. Department of Justice. Federal prisons are perceived to be generally safer than state prisons, and Arbery’s family said the McMichaels were motivated to improving the conditions of their custody. The McMichaels were sentenced to life in prison https://www.reuters.com/world/us/three-men-be-sentenced-life-prison-ahmaud-arbery-murder-2022-01-07 without parole by a state judge on Jan. 7. Bryan was also sentenced to life in prison, but the judge ruled that he could seek parole after 30 years. State prosecutors told the court that they had evidence that “racial animus” had been behind the men’s decision to jump in their pick-up trucks and chase Arbery through their quiet, leafy neighborhood on a sunny afternoon in Feb. 23, 2020. In the end, they decided against showing any of that evidence to the jury. Arbery’s family and civil rights activists instead looked to the federal trial as vital to establishing what they said was the heart of the matter: the federal prosecutors charged the men with violating Arbery’s civil rights by attacking him because of his “race and color.” The three defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. On Sunday, federal prosecutors filed notices asking Wood to accept plea agreements with the McMichaels. No details were given but the filings said the deal would “dispose” of the pending charges against the McMichaels if accepted. No mention was made of a deal with Bryan, who is due to stand trial on Feb. 7 unless a deal is reached. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for Georgia’s Southern District said federal prosecutors would not comment before Monday’s hearings. Attorneys for the defendants did not respond to requests for comment. Arbery was running through the leafy Satilla Shores neighborhood in the afternoon when the McMichaels decided to grab their guns, jump in a pickup truck and give chase. Bryan joined the chase in his own pickup truck after it passed his driveway, and pulled out his cellphone to record Travis McMichael firing a shotgun at Arbery at close range. (Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar and Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Alistair Bell) View the full article

OMG, WATCH: Kristin Davis shares her thoughts on Che Diaz’s comedy on WWHLJason Momoa Is Reportedly Living In A $750,000 RVSara Gilbert Realized She Was Gay While Dating 'TBBT' Co-StarPro wrestler AC Mack becomes the first out gay man to win a world championshipUPenn considering lawsuit if trans swimmer Lia Thomas is barred from NCAA championships in MarchCatholic School Makes Two LGBT Teachers Resign After They Got Engaged, The Students Stage A Massive WalkoutQueer Lit Preview — LGBTQIA+ Books To Read in 2022 – The Turnaround BlogGay penguins in New York become dads – The IndependentReports that Iran has executed two men for gay sex – Lesbian and Gay NewsApple Takes Down Popular Gay Dating App Grindr In China View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kristen Bell has apologised to a fan who watched her graphic sex scene with his mother. ‘The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window’ star responded to a viewer of the new Netflix dark comedy-thriller, who was left red-faced after he watched her character Anna’s fiery romp with Rex (Benjamin Levy Aguilar). The fan named Eric took to Twitter to air his complaint and wrote: “just watched Kristen bell get absolutely RAILED with my girlfriend and my mom in the room.” And the 41-year-old actress replied: “Hahahahaha sorry dude.” He quipped back: “You need to apologize to my mom right now. (sic)” Meanwhile, Kristen and her husband Dax Shepard have told their daughters that they are “in charge” when it comes to sex. The ‘Frozen II’ star and her husband have two daughters – Lincoln, eight, and Delta, seven – together, and although they’re still young, the couple have already begun discussing sex with them to get them comfortable with the topic. Dax, 47, recently said he’s made sure his daughters know that they will control any sexual situation they find themselves in when they get older. He said: “[I told them], ‘The woman takes the man’s penis and puts it in her vagina’. Right away it’s like, you’re in charge of this and you will decide to put this in your vagina. Not the man puts his penis in your vagina. “He’s got this ridiculous protrusion, so it would seem he was in the driver’s seat but you’re going to take that and put that in, you know. And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a nice little adjustment we’re going to make.’ “ The ‘CHiPS’ star also insisted he doesn’t want his daughters to feel as though they need to have sex in order to “get approval” – but he won’t stop them from using it as a release if they choose to. He added during an episode of his ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast: “If my daughters are horny and want to have sex, that was my favourite activity! It remains my favourite activity. I’d be lying if I said I was in any way anti that activity. I am anti getting esteemed from that activity but that’s it for me.” Dax’s comments came after his wife Kristen revealed the couple often schedule sex into their calendar so that they make sure they have time to be intimate. She said: “There are some times when it’s in the calendar. You’re like, ‘I know you’re tired, but it’s been two weeks, so we really got to get to it.’” View the full article

=Joe Rogan apologizes…Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, Both Polio Survivors, Made Absolute Decisions to pull Music. Response, Apology all Squishy.Spotify policy changes in response to the huge loss of market cap, are a mess of contradictions and nonsense. –Editor Published by Reuters By Helen Coster (Reuters) – U.S. podcaster Joe Rogan has apologized and pledged more balance on his show amid a backlash against COVID-19 misinformation on the streaming service Spotify that wiped more than $2 billion off its market value last week. Spotify said it would add a content advisory to any episode with discussion of COVID to try to quell the controversy, a first step into the field of content moderation that other platforms such as Facebook have found challenging and costly. Spotify shares were up 2% in pre-market trading on Monday but still at their lowest since May 2020, after the controversy and a broader sell-off of tech stocks in January eroded more than a quarter of its value. Rogan’s show, The Joe Rogan Experience, has been the most listened-to podcast on Spotify and is central to its plan to expand beyond music and take on rivals such as Apple and Amazon for a share of the podcasting market. In a 10-minute Instagram video post https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZYQ_nDJi6G/?utm_medium=copy_link on Sunday evening, Rogan apologized to Spotify for the backlash but defended inviting contentious guests. “If I pissed you off, I’m sorry,” Rogan said. “I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people’s perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view.” Rogan is a prominent vaccine skeptic and his views on vaccines and government mandates to control the spread of the virus alienated prominent figures from singer-songwriter Neil Young to guitarist Nils Lofgren to best-selling U.S. professor and author Brené Brown. Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell also asked for her music to be taken Spotify, citing a letter from hundreds of medical professionals urging the platform to prevent Rogan spreading falsehoods on the pandemic. Spotify, which reports its quarterly earnings on Wednesday, has spent billions to build its podcast business and currently has over 3 million titles on its platform. Although it has an exclusive license to distribute the podcast, Rogan himself owns the show. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said late on Sunday that he might disagree with the views of some individuals on the platform but that it was “important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor.” Its new policies include adding an advisory to any pandemic-related podcast that will direct listeners to a COVID-19 hub containing information from medical and health experts, as well as links to authoritative sources. But the task of content moderation that it has now been dragged into is very different from removing songs with copyright violations, a job that Spotify is familiar with. The social media giant Facebook also had to give up its opposition to deciding what content people see, and has deployed thousands of content moderators as well as artificial intelligence to block hate speech and fake news on its platform. With Rogan apologizing, the current controversy might blow over, but it is unlikely to be the last that Spotify will face. (Reporting by Helen Coster in New York, Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm, Akriti Sharma, Shubham Kalia and Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Joe Rogan Apologizes Spotify on Towleroad Adam Shankman confirms Halloween release for Hocus Pocus sequel with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy More Lawmakers urge U.S. Olympic officials to defend outspoken athletes at Beijing Games More Cara Delevingne: Growing up queer was isolating More Sean Penn Ripped To Shreds After Claiming Men Who Wear Skirts Have ‘Cowardly Genes’ More Hong Kong university covers up Tiananmen crackdown memorial slogan More Prince Andrew Allegedly Plans To Look For Help From Kevin Spacey, Believes The Actor ‘Could Be A Very Compelling Asset In Front Of A Jury’ More Britney Spears Accuses Sister Jamie Lynn Of ‘Lying Through’ Her Teeth In Best Selling Memoir: ‘You Are Scum’ More Queen Elizabeth launches own line of condiments More Ellen DeGeneres Spotted On Rare Outing During Shopping Trip In Montecito As She Fights For Her Legacy Following Toxic Workplace Scandal More Trump says he would pardon Jan. 6 rioters if he runs and wins More Adele ‘pulls out of Brit Awards’ live performance More Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake ‘are very good friends’ More Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan expressed their misinformation ‘concerns’ to Spotify More Load More View the full article

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Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Lawmakers on Monday urged U.S. Olympic officials to prepare to defend American athletes from possible Chinese government retaliation should they choose to speak out about China’s rights abuses during next month’s Beijing Winter Olympics. A Chinese official told reporters in January that any behavior against the Olympic spirit, and “especially against Chinese laws and regulations” would be subject to punishment. Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative James McGovern, both Democrats, cited the remark in a public letter to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), writing that risks to freedom of expression and data privacy at the Games “demand an urgent effort” to address. “Chinese authorities have imposed exit bans on U.S. citizens, and even jailed foreign nationals, for political or specious reasons,” said the lawmakers, who lead the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The USOPC should “redouble efforts” to engage with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), fellow national Olympic committees, and the U.S. State Department to ensure that plans and procedures are in place to protect athletes should they be punished for free expression, they said. “We further request that the USOPC communicate to the public that it is taking such steps,” they said, adding that the committee should be “prepared to defend any Olympians who speak out.” Rights groups have long criticized the IOC for awarding the Games to China, citing its treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups, which the United States has deemed genocide. China denies allegations of human rights abuses. Some Western countries, worried about information security, have suggested their delegations not bring their own mobile phones to the Feb. 4-20 Olympics. Researchers have said the Beijing Organizing Committee’s MY2022 app, which all attendees must use for COVID-19 monitoring, has flaws that make it vulnerable to privacy breaches. Several countries, including the United States, Britain, and Australia, have announced diplomatic boycotts of the Games over concerns about human rights in China, though their athletes will still compete. (Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Cara Delevingne says growing up queer was “isolating and hard to navigate at times”. The 29-year-old actress-and-model – who identifies as pansexual and has previously dated St. Vincent and Ashely Benson – is thankful that her older siblings, Poppy and Chloe, 35 and 36, respectively, were supportive but she admits she needed to navigate her sexuality for herself to find her true identity. Speaking to The Sunday Times newspaper, she said: “Growing up as a queer child was isolating and hard to navigate at times. My sisters did their best to be there for me but it was something I had to go through myself to truly know who I was. I’m still on that journey and will continue to be for the rest of my life.” Cara signed with Storm Management straight out of school and admits she was naive when she first started out in the modelling industry, but she has since come to “cherish” the fashion world. She explained: “When I had my first modelling job at ten I wasn’t aware of what I was doing, or the fashion and artistry that I now understand and cherish. With any job or path there’s always a way to make some sort of change.” The ‘Carnival Row’ star also admitted she’s always had a rebellious side and wants to “question” everything. She added: “First and foremost I have always seen myself as a rebel, not as someone who wants to break rules but as someone who wants to question them. I love the word “naughty”, but only as an adult. To me naughty means someone who questions what they’re told. I think at this point I might be the naughtiest of the three of us.” The blonde beauty previously admitted she felt “suicidal” whilst struggling with her sexuality when she was a teenager. Cara spent her youth battling with internalised homophobia as she grew up thinking same-sex relationships were “disgusting”. She explained how her “old-fashioned” upbringing made her think there was something wrong with her when she developed feelings for other women, and explained she was so “ashamed” of who she was she contemplated taking her own life. She said: “I grew up in an old-fashioned household. I didn’t know anyone who was gay. I didn’t know that was a thing and actually, I think growing up I was quite not noticeably, I wasn’t knowledgeable of the fact I was homophobic. The idea of being same-sex [partners], I was disgusted by that, in myself. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I would never, that’s disgusting, ugh’. “I do correlate the massive depression and the suicidal moments of my life [to that] because I was so ashamed of ever being that. But actually, that was the part of me that I love so much and accept.” The ‘Life in a Year’ star even confessed there is “still a part” of her that “wishes” she was straight because of her “complicated” relationship with her sexuality. She added: “There is still a part of me where I’m like, ‘Oh, I wish I could just be straight.’ There is still that side to it. It is really complicated.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Sean Penn is getting put through the wringer on social media after he doubled down on his stance that men should not wear skirts. The 61-year-old actor — who is going through his third divorce — grabbed negative attention when he openly discussed how. he felt about the male gender dressing in what is considered to be traditional female clothing. “There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt,” he told The Independent. Mega Penn attempted, and failed miserably, to explain his controversial remarks, but ended up sticking his foot in his mouth even more. Sean Penn’s Estranged Wife Leila George Wants Divorce Wrapped Up Quickly, Hands Over Financial Docs According to i — a British morning newspaper — the Academy Award winner allegedly reemphasized his disdain, claiming he’s “frustrated in the world” he lives in. He also believes “there has been an absence of male behavior.” “I am in the club that believes that men in American culture have become wildly feminized. I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But, I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them,” he allegedly stated. Mega Well, the internet is not taking kindly to Penn’s comments and are ripping the actor a new one on Twitter. “Loooove when men talk about being feminine like it’s literally the worst thing you could do. Simply love it. You hear that, femmes? Totally relevant Sean Penn thinks he’s better than you because *checks notes* he wears JEANS. A thing that feminine people NEVER DO,” one person tweeted. “RuPaul could fully kick Sean Penn’s ass,” joked another. “I’m just here to tweet it’s f–k Sean Penn all day every day,” wrote someone else, adding, “no one wants his crusty dusty ass opinions.” FYI — some of the hottest males in the entertainment industry have graced the world wearing dresses and skirts. Examples include Harry Styles and Kid Cudi. Mega View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jessie Pang HONG KONG (Reuters) – A leading Hong Kong university on Saturday covered a painted slogan commemorating China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, the latest instance of a public June 4 memorial being removed in China-ruled Hong Kong. A Reuters journalist saw about a dozen construction workers wearing yellow hard hats erect grey metal construction hoardings around a “martyrs slogan” painted across the length of the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) Swire bridge. The slogan, painted in Chinese characters on the pavement, read: “The souls of the martyrs shall forever linger despite the cold-blooded massacre. The spark of democracy shall forever glow for the demise of evil.” Asked why the university, which took down a “Pillar of Shame” Tiananmen statue https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-university-fences-off-tiananmen-statue-campus-2021-12-22 in December, covered the 20-character slogan, an HKU spokesperson said by email, “The University of Hong Kong regularly conducts maintenance works at various locations and facilities, with the above site being one such project.” For over three decades, it has been a tradition for students at HKU to repaint the slogan on the bridge before the anniversary of 1989 crackdown. The fencing-off of the 20-metre (65-foot) long slogan is the latest step in Hong Kong involving memorials, people or organisations affiliated with the sensitive date and events to mark it. Rights groups and witnesses say thousands may have been killed in the Beijing crackdown on students and democracy activists. Chinese officials have given a death toll of about 300. The former British colony had long been the only place on Chinese soil where June 4 could be publicly remembered, unlike mainland China where it is a taboo topic and censored. For the past two years, however, authorities have barred an annual candlelight vigil, citing COVID-19. In December, three local universities took down sculptures commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing in which hundreds, perhaps thousands of people were killed after Chinese troops fired upon civilians. Authorities have been clamping down in Hong Kong under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 that some foreign governments, including the United States, say is being used to suppress civil society, jail democracy campaigners and silence dissent. Authorities say the law has restored order and stability after massive street protests in 2019. Several workers and security guards at the bridge site declined to comment on the work. Parts of the slogan that could not be surrounded by the nearly 2-meter (6 1/2-foot) high hoarding were overlaid with metal plates on the road. (Reporting by Jessie Pang; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by William Mallard) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Prince Andrew is allegedly looking to clear up his name from any ties that would connect him to the convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell in the upcoming trial against Virginia Giuffre. The British royal reportedly plans to ask for help from actor Kevin Spacey who was pictured with Maxwell sitting on a throne at Buckingham Palace during a private tour organized by the prince. MEGA According to The Sun, the Duke Of York claimed in legal documents Maxwell was not his close associate despite having been pictured multiple times together. He hopes Spacey can help him explain to the jurors that Maxwell was invited by the actor during the infamous tour rather than himself directly. Spacey reportedly is “high on a hit list of names” Andrew’s defense team plans to reach out for the trial. “Andrew had invited Spacey for the tour of the Palace. She came with him — not as a guest of Andrew’s,” an insider spilled. “The snaps go right to the center of the claims against Andrew, and an image of Ghislaine Maxwell in the most private space within Buckingham Palace looks very damning.” The source continued, “But if Kevin can convince a jury he was the crucial link with Ghislaine, rather than Andrew, it distances the Prince from her somewhat — that’s crucial.” The informant also shared that the prince “believes such a gifted actor and public speaker could be a very compelling asset in front of a jury.” MEGA Andrew had strenuously denied the assault allegations brought by Giuffre, who claimed she was forced to have sex with him when she was only 17 years old. Earlier this month, he was ordered to face his accuser after a judge who presided over the case rejected his attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. The source also added, “It’s a ballsy move to think about using Spacey given his own problems. But his testimony would add to Andrew’s argument that Ghislaine was not a close friend.” However, despite the reports, a spokesman for the Duke claimed, “It is categorically untrue that any help has been offered or that we have accepted any.” MEGA As Radar previously reported, Spacey was also accused of sexually assaulting young men between 1995 and 2013. He was charged with an alleged indecent assault in the US in 2018 but was later dropped along with a civil lawsuit. As a result of the allegations, the actorlost his role in the Netflix hit show House of Cards, and production removed any scenes featuring him on Ridley Scott‘s All The Money In The World. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Britney Spears will not be silenced! Following weeks of public jabs at each other, the Princess of Pop has yet again dubbed Jamie Lynn a liar and “scum” as her sister’s memoir Things I Should Have Said becomes a best seller. mega The Grammy winner shared a clip from The Real talk show — which showed the hosts collectively criticizing Jamie Lynn for profiting off of her big sister’s story — to her Instagram on Friday, January 28. BRITNEY SPEARS SPOTTED SHOPPING IN L.A. IN FIRST SIGHTING SINCE BLOWOUT SOCIAL MEDIA FEUD WITH SISTER JAMIE LYNN CAME TO A HEAD “National best seller ???? DUH …. the timing of your book was unbelievable Jamie Lynn …” Britney furiously captioned the post. “Especially knowing the whole world had no clue what was really done to me !!!!” mega “My whole family including you is saying YOU DIDN’T KNOW …. Bullsh—t !!! But what these women are saying here is pretty clear !!!!” The heated message continued. “I’m just kinda shocked that more people like these real soul sisters aren’t telling it like it is !!!” The “Toxic” singer has famously been feuding with her baby sister ever since the release of her highly anticipated book, which came only a few months after Britney saw a major court win and was freed from the legal chains of her oppressive 13-year conservatorship. SAM ASGHARI IS GETTING TIRED OF FIANCEE BRITNEY SPEARS’ ENDLESS DRAMA AS FAMILY WOES WORSEN, WORRIED IT’S ‘GOING TO DRAG ON AND ON’ “Congrats best seller … I’m not surprised at all,” Britney said, punctuating the thought with hand clapping and thumbs down emojis. “The nerve of you to sell a book now and talk sh—t but your [sic] f—king lying just like you lied about Alexa Nikolas !!!!” She added, referring to the former Zoey 101 star’s costar, who has also implied Jamie Lynn lied about her in the controversial memoir. mega The mother-of-two went on to say that she wished Jamie Lynn would agree to take a lie detector test regarding the content of the book, “so all these masses of people see you’re lying through your teeth about me !!!!” “I wish the almighty, Lord would could come down and show this whole world that you’re lying and making money off of me !!!! You are scum, Jamie Lynn,” she said, concluding the post. This passionate social media rant comes shortly after Jamie Lynn posted her own self-congratulatory announcement, “I can’t believe I’m officially a NATIONAL BEST SELLING AUTHOR!” to her Instagram earlier that day. “I have no words except how grateful I am that I was able share my story with y’all,” her message to friends and fans continued. “This has been one of the most challenging and vulnerable things I have ever done and I just honestly can’t thank y’all enough for the support and kindness.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Queen Elizabeth has launched her own line of condiments. The 95-year-old monarch is releasing her own tomato ketchup and brown sauce, made from ingredients grown on her Sandringham estate, with the ketchup described as “ideal for breakfast or any time of the day,” while the brown sauce is “packed with vinegar and spices.” They come in a 10 oz. glass bottle with a Royal Estate label. A note on the bottle states: “A real family favourite, packed full of tomato and lightly spiced, this ketchup is delightful. Vibrant and fruity, this ketchup can be enjoyed any time of the day, perfect to add flavour to a dish.” Queen Elizabeth is said to be a fan of fish and chips, with a source previously explaining: “She very occasionally treats herself to fish and chips when at Balmoral. A footman is dispatched to get it from the local town of Ballater.” And former royal chef Darren McGrady once revealed that kitchen staff would make their own versions of takeout food for the Queen and her family. He said: “It always tickled me at Balmoral, we would make our own burgers. They would shoot deer, and we would do venison burgers. There’d be gorgeous cranberry and everything stuffed into them, but we never set buns out. “The only thing you would pick up and eat with your fingers is afternoon tea.” View the full article