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Published by BANG Showbiz English Kristen Stewart and Dylan Meyer were “lucky” they were able to stage their engagement party amid the pandemic. The 31-year-old actress feels fortunate that they were able to have a party during the ongoing health crisis. The ‘Twilight’ star said: “We met years ago and then sort of re-met before the pandemic. And we got engaged – I guess it’s still the pandemic, so yes, I guess it’s a pandemic engagement. But it wasn’t at the height, it wasn’t full lockdown.” Kristen explained that their engagement party took place before the current Omicron wave hit the US. And the Hollywood star is “thankful” that they were able to enjoy their big moment. She said during an appearance on ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’: “We were kind of moving about the world a little more freely at the time. We did have an engagement party, which was nice and lucky and obviously not something we could have done now so I’m thankful for that.” Kristen confirmed she was engaged during an interview on ‘The Howard Stern Show’ in November. The actress revealed that Dylan’s proposal was “very cute” and that she can’t wait to tie the knot. Kristen – who previously dated her ‘Twilight’ co-star Robert Pattinson – said: “We’re marrying, we’re totally gonna do it. “I wanted to be proposed to, so I think I very distinctly carved out what I wanted and she nailed it. It was really cute, she did very well. We’re marrying, it’s happening.” Kristen also admitted that prior to the proposal, she wasn’t sure who would pop the question. She explained: “With two girls, you never know like who’s going to fulfil what weird f****** gender role thing. We don’t do that or think about it in those terms. She just grabbed that bowl and made it happen. It was f****** so cute.” View the full article

=Zack Efron Buck SlipThere is not a thing I can add to this…–Editor Published by BANG Showbiz English Zac Efron thinks his positive attitude has helped him to remain “grounded”. The 34-year-old actor – who starred in the ‘High School Musical’ franchise during his younger years – believes “staying positive no matter what” has allowed him to avoid the pitfalls of fame and success. Zac explained that his secret to staying balanced is to “stop, slow down and take time to get grounded”. He added: “It does take some time for the stress to wear off.” The Hollywood star revealed that he loves “spending time with friends and family, travel and the exploration of new places and cultures, anything that gets me outdoors”. Zac is also a huge fan of video games, admitting it’s one of the things he does in order to relax and escape his everyday stresses. He told People: “The first game I remember really loving was ‘Zelda’ on N64 and the ‘Super Smash Brothers’ on Nintendo 64. “I have been gaming with friends and family since the Super Nintendo days so it’s been a long time. I’ve never played ‘World of Warcraft’ because it looks so hard to wrap my head around!” Meanwhile, Zac previously revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio helped him to adjust to fame. The actor first met the ‘Titanic’ star in 2008, when they sat next to each other at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game, and he appreciates that Leonardo made a concerted effort to offer him some much-needed advice. He said: “I really appreciate that he took that time. He made me feel good about it, helped me a little bit. That’s the biggest hand you can extend if you’re in Hollywood, looking out for somebody younger. “So rock on, Leo. Thank you, buddy.” Zac Efron Grounded on Towleroad Biden threatens Putin with sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine More Dua Lipa Dishes On Keeping Her Relationships Private Following Apparent Split From Anwar Hadid, Insists Public Doesn’t Know What Goes On ‘Behind Closed Doors’ More Neil Young to Spotify: Either remove my music or Joe Rogan podcast More U.S. COVID peak may be over but not the pain as deaths rise More FBI warning: Think twice before scanning a QR code More Elton John positive for Covid-19, postpones Dallas shows More Janet Jackson Recalls Brother Michael Calling Her ‘Pig,’ ‘Cow’ & ‘Slut,’ Details Their Fallout And Family’s Intervention On Late Star More Kanye West Ditches Girlfriend Julia Fox, Rapper Goes Incognito In Bizarre Mask After Confirming Kim Kardashian’s 2nd Sex Tape Exists More MCU Gay Romance for Valkyrie, in ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’; Tessa Thompson Again as MCU’s First LGBTQ Character with Hemsworth, Portman More Lawmakers Say Trans Athlete Bans Are About Protecting Women’s Sports … More Analysis-‘Aggressively conservative’ Supreme Court plunges into U.S. culture wars More US LGBT community draws on AIDS experience to fight Covid More Adele Flees Las Vegas, Spotted In Slippers At Boyfriend Rich Paul’s Beverly Hills Mansion Hours After Tearfully Canceling Shows More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Holland and Dmitry Antonov WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) -Western leaders stepped up preparations for any Russian military action in Ukraine on Tuesday, with talks taking place on protecting energy supplies and President Joe Biden saying he would consider imposing direct sanctions on President Vladimir Putin. Tensions remained high after NATO said https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nato-sends-ships-jets-eastern-europe-ukraine-crisis-2022-01-24 on Monday it was putting forces on standby and reinforcing eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response to Russia’s troop build-up near its border with Ukraine. Russia, which denies planning an attack, said it was watching with “great concern”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov repeated Moscow’s line that the crisis was being driven by U.S. and NATO actions, not the Russian troop build-up. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a televised video address on Tuesday evening, urged his compatriots to stay calm and said work was underway to bring about a meeting between him and the leaders of Russia, Germany and France. “There are no rose-coloured glasses, no childish illusions, everything is not simple…. But there is hope,” he said. Biden repeated that there were no plans to send U.S. troops to Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, but said he would consider imposing direct sanctions on Putin and that there would be “enormous consequences” if Russia invaded. Reporters asked Biden if he would see himself personally sanctioning Putin if he invaded Ukraine. “Yes,” he said. “I would see that.” A U.S. plane carrying military equipment and munitions landed in Kyiv on Tuesday, the third shipment of a $200-million security package to shore up Ukraine. The U.S. Defense Department has said about 8,500 U.S. troops have been put on heightened alert and are awaiting orders to deploy to NATO’s eastern flank. Biden said on Tuesday he may move the troops in the nearer term. Western leaders say unity is paramount, though differences have emerged among European nations over how best to respond. “It is absolutely vital that… the West is united now,because it is our unity now that will be much more effective indeterring any Russian aggression,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-urges-european-allies-ready-russia-sanctions-over-ukraine-2022-01-25 told parliament, urging “our European friends” to be ready to deploy sanctions as soon as there was any incursion. He said Britain was discussing with the United States the possibility of banning Russia from the SWIFT global payments system. In Washington, senior Biden administration officials said the United States was in talks with major energy-producing countries and companies around the world over a potential diversion of supplies to Europe https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-talks-with-energy-producers-supply-europe-if-russia-invades-ukraine-2022-01-25 if Russia invades Ukraine. Speaking to reporters on a call, the officials did not name the countries or companies involved in discussions to protect supplies to Europe but said they included a broad range of suppliers, including sellers of liquefied natural gas (LNG). “We’ve been working to identify additional volumes of non- Russian natural gas from various areas of the world; from North Africa and the Middle East to Asia and the United States,” a senior administration official said, on condition of anonymity. The EU depends on Russia for around a third of its gas supplies. Any interruptions to its Russian imports would exacerbate an existing energy crisis caused by shortages. MILITARY MOVES Russia has tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine and is demanding security guarantees from the West, including a promise by NATO never to admit Ukraine. Moscow sees the former Soviet republic as a buffer between Russia and NATO countries. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in Berlin on Tuesday, said he would seek clarification over Russia’s intentions towards Ukraine in a phone call with Putin set for Friday. Macron and Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated that Moscow would pay a high price if it attacked Ukraine. Political advisers from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France are due to meet in Paris on Wednesday under the so-called ‘Normandy format’ to seek ways of ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv’s forces and pro-Russian separatists. Scholz defended Germany’s refusal to follow other Western countries in sending Kyiv lethal weapons to defend itself against a possible Russian invasion, citing historical reasons for Berlin’s caution. The tensions over Ukraine have been felt on financial markets and the price of oil in recent days. An escalated conflict between Russia and Ukraine would likely further increase energy costs for many countries, keeping headline inflation rates elevated for longer, said Gita Gopinath, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. The United States has committed more than $650 million of security assistance to Ukraine in the past year and more than $2.7 billion in total since 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. So far, NATO has about 4,000 troops in multinational battalions in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, backed by tanks, air defences and intelligence and surveillance units. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Timothy Heritage and Gareth JonesEditing by Rosalba O’Brien and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Dua Lipais keeping her relationships low-key from now on. Following her rumored public split from boyfriend Anwar Hadid, the “Levitating” songstress opened up about her approach to her relationships — which includes maintaining her privacy. In a new interview for WSJ. Magazine, the 26-year-old pop star sat down to talk about a myriad of topics, including her upcoming music, a new podcast, and of course, her relationships. MEGA After choosing not to comment specifically on her former relationship with Hadid, the Future Nostalgia artist expressed her gratitude for the part of her life and relationships that remain out of the public eye. NEWLY SINGLE ANWAR HADID APPEARS RELAXED WHILE SPENDING TIME IN LOS ANGELES WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS AFTER RUMORED DUA LIPA SPLIT: PHOTOS “Something that I’ve realized over time is how little people actually know,” she told the outlet. “I’ve made peace with the fact that people can think what they want to think, but no one really, truly knows what’s happening behind closed doors.” MEGA As OK! previously reported, Lipa is believed to have called things off with Hadid, 22, back in December 2021 after long distance seemingly became too much for the pair to balance. A source spilled at the time that the former couple — who were first linked in 2019 — had been known to be on-and-off in the past. Despite the former flames’ multiple public appearances, Lipa insisted parts of her personal life have always been kept private — and she intends to keep it that way. MEGA “My circle’s really tight, my family and my friends keep me so grounded, and it gives me some kind of comfort that not everything is out there and what would take away from your life and privacy,” she continued in the interview. ANWAR HADID CLEARS UP COVID VACCINE STANCE AFTER BACKLASH: ‘I’M NOT ANTI VAX’ Prior to news of their alleged breakup, another source claimed Lipa’s relationship with Hadid was “on the rocks” after they were both traveling so much and spending a lot of time apart. (The singer was reportedly working in London while her former beau was still in New York.) “Their relationship is going through a crisis,” the insider added at the time. Meanwhile, another source claimed the pair’s spark hasn’t completely gone out yet, as their “insane chemistry” is bound to make a comeback. “They don’t believe they’re done for good,” the source maintained. “They’re young, so things like this happen but they don’t believe that the love will go away.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tyler Clifford NEW YORK (Reuters) – Neil Young has threatened to pull his music from the Spotify streaming service in protest of its relationship with podcaster Joe Rogan, who the prolific singer-songwriter accuses of spreading misinformation about COVID-19, according to media reports on Tuesday. Young, who survived polio as a child, briefly posted a letter on his website addressed to his manager and his record label, Warner Music Group, demanding that Spotify no longer carry his music. The letter was later deleted. “I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform. … They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young wrote in the letter, according to the Wall Street Journal. “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them,” the newspaper quoted Young, 76, as writing. Rogan, 54, is the host of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the top-rated podcast on Spotify, which has exclusive rights to the program. As of Tuesday, Young’s music, including such songs as “Heart Of Gold,” “Rocking In The Free World” and “Old Man,” was still available on the service, as was Rogan’s podcast. Spotify, Warner Music Group and “The Joe Rogan Experience” did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A representative for Young could not be reached. Rogan, who began his career as a stand-up comedian, has long stirred controversy with his views on the pandemic, government mandates and vaccines to control the spread of the coronavirus. He has questioned the need for COVID-19 vaccines on his show and said he used ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug that has no proven benefit against COVID. In the letter, Young singled out one episode in which a Rogan guest was pushing debunked anti vaccination theories, the Journal reported. Young’s letter noted that Rogan’s podcast draws 11 million listeners each episode and highlighted that Spotify lacks a misinformation policy, the newspaper said. Spotify began carrying Rogan’s podcast in September as part of its efforts to transform itself into the Netflix of audio. Rogan maintains full creative control over the show. Earlier this month, 270 scientists and medical professionals signed an open letter to Spotify to take action against Rogan, accusing him of spreading falsehoods on the podcast. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by AFP Ukrainian forces are deployed against pro-Russian separatist fighters along a frontline in the country's east Washington (AFP) – The United States warned Moscow on Tuesday of damaging sanctions, including measures personally targeting Vladimir Putin, as Russian combat troops massing around Ukraine launched new exercises. Tension appeared to be only increasing, with the White House saying the risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine “remains imminent.” Warning that would prompt “enormous consequences” and even “change the world,” President Joe Biden said he would consider adding direct sanctions on Putin to a raft of measures being drawn up. “Yes. I would see that,” Biden said when asked by reporters in Washington about targeting Putin, whom opponents have long accused of holding gigantic, secret wealth. A senior US official laid out economic sanctions “with massive consequences” that go far beyond previous measures implemented in 2014 after Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimea region, warning that “the gradualism of the past is out.” New measures would include restrictions on exports of high-tech US equipment in the artificial intelligence, quantum computing and aerospace sectors, the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. “What we’re talking about are sophisticated technologies that we design and produce,” and cutting them off would hit Putin’s “strategic ambitions to industrialize his economy quite hard,” the official said. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson echoed the threat, saying sanctions would be “heavier than anything we’ve ever done.” In a bid to break the growing tension, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would talk by telephone with Putin on Friday, seeking “clarification” on Moscow’s intentions. New Russian military exercises A day after Washington said it was putting 8,500 US troops on alert for possible deployment to bolster NATO forces in Europe, the Russian military announced it was conducting new drills involving 6,000 troops near Ukraine and within the Crimea region. The drills included firing exercises with fighter jets, bombers, anti-aircraft systems and ships from the Black Sea and Caspian fleets, the defense ministry said. According to Western officials, the Kremlin has already deployed more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, with reinforcements arriving from all over Russia. “We continue to watch the accumulation of significant combat power,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. Canada announced it was following Britain and the United States in pulling families of its diplomats out of Ukraine. The United States and its EU allies accuse Russia of seeking to upend European stability by threatening invasion of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic striving to join NATO and other Western institutions. Moscow denies plans to invade the country, where in addition to seizing Crimea it backs separatist forces in the east. Russia instead blames the West for the tension and has put forward a list of demands, including a guarantee that Ukraine never join NATO and that NATO forces already in the former Soviet bloc pull back. Energy threats The senior US official said “contingency” plans were being drawn up to get Europe through the winter in case of Russia squeezing or even cutting off energy supplies. Washington and its European allies are scouring global markets for alternative energy sources, even as Europe already struggles with soaring mid-winter energy prices. The US official said that if Russia uses energy supplies to retaliate against sanctions, this would backfire. “If Russia decides to weaponize its supply of natural gas or crude oil, it wouldn’t be without consequences to the Russian economy,” a senior US official told reporters. Although the European Union sources about 40 percent of its supply from Russia, Moscow also relies heavily on sales of energy, meaning “it’s an interdependency,” the official said. Negotiating attempts Negotiations this month have failed to ease tensions, though the US and Russia have agreed to keep talking. In addition to the Macron-Putin talks later, the French government said Russian and Ukrainian officials would meet, along with French and German counterparts, in Paris on Wednesday. Washington has promised to provide written answers to Moscow’s demands this week, while already making clear that it rejects giving Russia a veto on Ukraine joining NATO. But the crisis has laid bare divisions in the West. The new government in Germany in particular has faced criticism from Kyiv over its refusal to send defensive weapons to Ukraine, as well as hesitating over one of the harshest economic sanctions under discussion — cutting Moscow from the global SWIFT payments system. Weapons arrive Ukraine’s military is heavily outgunned by Russia and Biden repeated that he has “no intention of putting American forces or NATO forces in Ukraine.” However, the United States has stepped up deliveries of weapons. A shipment arrived on Saturday and another batch was due Tuesday. At a ceremony for the latest shipment arriving in Kyiv, US charge d’affaires Kristina Kvien said “our preference is diplomacy.” But in case of attack by Russia, “the Kremlin will face fierce resistance, the losses to Russia will be heavy.” “If President Putin decides to make this reckless choice, we will provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians above and beyond what we’ve already sent,” she said. burs-sms/st View the full article

Published by Reuters By Maria Caspani and Lisa Shumaker NEW YORK (Reuters) – Even as COVID-19 cases drop and hospitalizations show signs of plateauing in hard-hit pockets of the United States, the still-rising death toll from the Omicron variant highlights the trail of loss that follows every virus surge. Coronavirus deaths hit an 11-month high on Sunday, climbing 11% in the past week when compared to the prior week, according to a Reuters analysis. COVID-19 fatalities are a lagging indicator, meaning their numbers usually rise a few weeks after new cases and hospitalizations. The Omicron death toll has now surpassed the height of deaths caused by the more severe Delta variant when the seven-day average peaked at 2,078 on Sept. 23 last year. An average of 2,200 people a day, mostly unvaccinated, are now dying due to Omicron. That is still below the peak of 3,300 lives lost a day during the surge in January 2021 as vaccines were just being rolled out. “It will be a while until we see (a) decrease in death as very sick people with COVID remain hospitalized for a long time,” said Wafaa El-Sadr, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University in New York City. As Omicron surged in December and earlier this month, hospital systems from New Jersey to New Mexico buckled under the sheer number of patients brought in by the apparently less severe but highly infectious variant, prompting the federal government to send military medical aid to six states. “More infectious variants tend to run through a population very rapidly,” said El-Sadr in an email. “Even if such new variants cause less severe disease (particularly among those vaccinated and boosted), we will likely still see increase in hospitalizations and deaths due to vulnerability of unvaccinated and unboosted.” COVID-19 hospitalizations are still setting records in some states including Arkansas and North Carolina. Nationally they are now under 147,000, compared with a peak of 152,746 on Jan. 20, the Reuters tally shows. Cases nationally are down by 12% in the last seven days compared with the prior seven, the analysis found, prompting some health officials to strike a cautiously optimist tone on the trajectory of the pandemic. “It’s certainly reached its peak in certain regions of the country,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease official, said in an interview with MSNBC on Monday. “I believe that in the next few weeks we will see – as a country – that it is all turning around.” U.S. COVID-19 data often lag a few days behind the actual state of affairs and paints an imperfect picture. Positive findings from the now ubiquitous at-home tests are not included in the official case count, while hospitalization counts often do not differentiate between patients who are receiving treatment for COVID-19 and others who test positive while in the hospital with other issues. On Monday, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that it was dangerous to assume Omicron would herald the end of COVID-19’s most acute phase, and exhorted nations to stay focused to beat the pandemic. The Omicron wave scrambled the hopes of Americans for a gradual transition into a post-pandemic reality and re-ignited tensions around masking and vaccines in schools and workplaces, exposing once again the deep political fault lines cracked open by the health crisis. On Sunday, large crowds rallied in Washington, D.C., in opposition of COVID-19 mandates, some holding signs that read “people call the shot, not the government.” Virginia’s new Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is facing a lawsuit from seven school boards seeking to stop his order that would make masks optional in school as of Monday. A spokesperson for Youngkin, vowing to fight the lawsuit, said on Monday, “We are disappointed that these school boards are ignoring parent’s rights.” (Reporting by Maria Caspani in New York and Lisa Shumaker in Chicago; additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington, Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Christine Kiernan in New York; editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by DPA When scanning a QR code, users should check carefully whether the expected website actually opens. Patrick Pleul/dpa Checking in at a test centre, downloading a restaurant menu onto your phone, looking up a website advertised on a poster: QR codes have become part of everyday life. Criminals are also taking advantage of the popularity of these black and white square codes, designed for reading with your smartphone camera. The scam works like this: A legitimate-looking QR code guides an unsuspecting person to a fake website. There, the user is asked to log into a sensitive account, such as a payment service. The scammers then gain access to your financial information, allowing them to make payments or steal cryptocurrency. That’s why US law enforcement agency FBI is calling on users to limit their trust in public QR codes, even in official settings, as they are easy to manipulate or cover with codes linking to fake websites. It is also possible that a QR code brings you to a site that downloads and installs malware on your phone, allowing cybercriminals to gain access to your device and the data on it and potentially hold it ransom for a payment. To avoid falling for a QR code scam, the FBI offers the following tips: – When scanning a code, check that the website you were expected actually opens and that it is authentic: The web address must be completely correct (no misplaced letters or errors). – If a website is asking you to log in to a service where your personal information or financial data is stored, alarm bells should be ringing if the page was accessed via a QR code. – If possible, do not make any payments on websites accessed via a QR code. Instead, it is better to manually enter the website of the platform you’re looking for. – In the case of printed QR codes, you should always make sure that nobody has pasted a different code over the original code. – If possible, don’t start app downloads and installations via QR codes, but download apps from the official stores. – Don’t install a QR code scanner app: The camera on your smartphone should already work as a scanner. If not, you can find a scanner function in your browser. View the full article

Published by AFP Elton John has postponed two concerts after contracting Covid-19 New York (AFP) – Pop megastar Elton John on Tuesday postponed two concerts in Dallas — part of what is expected to be a lengthy farewell tour — after testing positive for Covid-19. “It’s always a massive disappointment to move shows and I’m so sorry to anyone who’s been inconvenienced by this but I want to keep myself and my team safe,” said the British musician, 74, in a statement on social media. “Fortunately, I’m fully vaccinated and boosted and my symptoms are mild.” The concerts, part of John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, were scheduled for January 25 and January 26. Both John and the American Airlines Center, where the shows were to take place, said they will be rescheduled and fans should keep their tickets. John said he expected to be healthy enough to play his show on January 29 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The tour, which is anticipated to be Sir Elton’s last, has run into pandemic-era cancellations and postponements, like many other performing arts events. The pop legend also recently had a hip operation that forced him to push back several dates. Last year, John released an album entitled “The Lockdown Sessions,” which was recorded entirely under Covid-19 restrictions. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Janet Jackson does not have the fondest memories of her late brother, Michael. “There were times when Mike used to tease me and call me names – pig, horse, slut, or hog, cow,” recalls the 55-year-old kid actress-turned-pop icon in her highly-anticipated documentary, Janet, which premieres Friday on A&E and Lifetime. “He would laugh about it, and I’d laugh too,” she admits. “But then there was some­where down inside that it would hurt. When you have somebody say you’re too heavy, it affects you.” Neither Janet nor Michael – who died in 2009 at the age of 50 – had a particularly peachy childhood, but being a female child star who developed at an early age certainly had its effects on Janet. And Michael’s comments didn’t help. Mega Years after her brothers had made it big as the singing group, The Jackson 5, an 11-year-old Janet landed the role of Penny” on the 1970s sitcom, Good Times, “and that’s the beginning of having weight issues and the way I looked at myself.” “I’m an emotional eater, so when I get stressed or something is really bothering me, it comforts me,” says Jackson, who had the added factor of adolescence. “I was developing at a very young age, and I started getting a chest, and they would bind it so I would look more flat-chested.” Despite her brother’s remarks, Janet believes her weight and body issues stem from fame. Without fame, she says she “probably would have wound up not having a problem.” Having the Jackson name has been both a blessing and a curse for Janet. On the one hand, it’s helped open doors, but on the other, it’s come with “a great deal of scrutiny.” “It was frustrating for me,” she recalls of Michael’s various controversies and court battles. “We have our own separate lives, and even though he’s my brother, that has nothing to do with me. But I wanted to be there for him to support him as much as I possibly could.” Michael’s long list of legal woes began in 1993 when a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler accused the star of having touched him inappropriately. The following year, the two settled out of court for $23 million. “Michael wound up giving money to the family. He just wanted it to go away, but that looks like you’re guilty,” laments Janet, who says her own career took a hit as a result. “When that came out, Coca-Cola said, ‘No, thank you,’ Guilty by association. That’s what they call it, right?” Mega In 1995, Michael and Janet joined forces on the former’s song, Scream. The collaboration, says Janet, was far from one. “It was his song, and I was there to support him,” she explains, but “Michael shot nights, I shot days. His record company would block off his set so I couldn’t see what was going on. They didn’t want me on set. I felt like they were trying to make it very competitive between the two of us.” “That really hurt me because I felt I was there fighting the fight with him, not to battle him,” she adds. “I wanted it to feel like old times between he and I, and it didn’t. Old times had long passed.” In fact, Janet believes her relationship with Michael had taken a turn more than a decade prior and believes the pair was never able to fully recover. It was in 1982 that “it all started to change.” “I remember really loving the Thriller album, but for the first time in my life, I felt it was different between us. A shift was happening,” she recalls. “That’s the time Mike and I started going our separate ways. He just wasn’t as fun as he used to be.” Despite the family tension, Janet says she was there for Michael when the addiction started to take over his life. Her efforts, she says, were not well-received. “My family chartered a private jet, and they came for an intervention. It was a way of us getting close again, and he wasn’t having it,” she claims, adding that she even tried to goat Michael with the idea of a Jackson 5 reunion. “I said, ‘We wanted to talk about you guys going on tour again and if you guys would do that as brothers. I would be honored to open for you.'” But unfortunately, “he didn’t have much to say” and was “standoffish,” which “really upset” Janet. Mega View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Kanye West left Julia Fox behind to trailblaze through Paris alone just hours after confirming that Kim Kardashian has a second sex tape with Ray J. The 44-year-old rapper donned the most bizarre face mask yet. Slipping a thick, black cover over his entire face, Ye barely left enough room for his eyes, let alone his nose or mouth for breathing. Kim's estranged husband looked like he was struggling for air when he made his way out of the couple's hotel room sans his girlfriend of three weeks. Kanye West Compares Kim Kardashian To Jesus Christ, Confirms 2nd Sex Tape With Ray J Exists Mega Kanye's mask looked more like a cartoon character with an outline of evil-shaped eyebrows, a round nose, a scrunched mouth, and what seem to be forehead wrinkles. The paparazzi caught up with the Grammy winner during his failed attempt to slip out of the Ritz-Carlton undetected. Pairing the attention-grabbing look with a hooded heather gray sweatshirt, the Yeezy fashion designer, who takes pride in dressing Julia up like a doll, made sure none of his skin showed. Wearing faded jeans and fisherman-inspired black boots, Kanye slipped his hands into a pair of leather gloves for good measure. Holding a backpack in one hand, the rapper hurried passed the paparazzi on Tuesday. Ye whisked Julia away for her first Paris Fashion Week and has been showing her off at events over the past several days. However, this time he dodged the bullet and headed out solo. Wearing face masks is kind of Kanye's thing, which is weird in this instance since he's currently in the same city where his estranged wife was robbed at gunpoint. Mega For those that don't remember, Kim was robbed inside her apartment in 2016 during Paris Fashion Week. They stole nearly $10 million worth of jewelry, including her massive wedding ring from Kanye. 12 people were later connected and charged for the crime. That's not the only thing Gen Z might not remember about Kim. Back in 2007, she made the map when a sex tape was released of her with Ray J. Kanye confirmed on Monday that a second sex tape starring his estranged wife and the rapper exists. Mega View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tessa Thompson has suggested that the romance in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ will be different from past Marvel movies. The 38-year-old actress is set to play Valkyrie – the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) first LGBTQ character – in the upcoming movie and explained the importance of including the superhero’s sexuality in the new project. Tessa told TheWrap: “It’s totally exciting. We talk so much about representation and obviously, in terms of the LGBTQIA community, there’s still so much work to be done. But if you look at the comics in the canon, there are so many queer characters!” The ‘Creed’ actress continued: “It’s hard because Taika (Waititi) and I would’ve even liked to go further, but in the context of the movies, there’s only so much we can do. “Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of time invested in love stories in Marvel movies in general. I think that will be a little different on the new ‘Thor’, which is exciting. And getting to play a character that historically is not written for somebody that looks like me, all of that felt exciting.” The movie’s director Taika Waititi previously stressed that romance is at the heart of the new blockbuster, which will also star Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman. The 46-year-old star said: “I think it’s going to be really good. We’ve been writing the script off and on for a year and I’m just, actually this week, doing another pass on it. “It is so insane and it’s also very romantic. I’m into romances now. I want to make romance. I want to make something that I’ve never done or cared for. I would like to attack something like that.” Thor: Love and Thunder with MCU’s first lgbtq character /n Thor: Love and Thunder MCU’s First LGBTQ Character First LGBTQ Character on Towleroad Lawmakers Say Trans Athlete Bans Are About Protecting Women’s Sports … More Analysis-‘Aggressively conservative’ Supreme Court plunges into U.S. culture wars More US LGBT community draws on AIDS experience to fight Covid More Adele Flees Las Vegas, Spotted In Slippers At Boyfriend Rich Paul’s Beverly Hills Mansion Hours After Tearfully Canceling Shows More Thierry Mugler Taught Me A Man’s Influence is Measured In The Smallest Gestures More First Look Joe vs. Carole; ‘A wild ride’ Into ‘Extreme Lives’ You Only Partly Know. SNL’s Kate McKinnon and Hedwig’s John Cameron Mitchell More On Law & Order: SVU, Noah, 8, Comes Out As Bisexual, And As A Kid Who Protects Victims of Bullying To Mom, Mariska Hartigay’s, Olivia Benson. More Thousands march in Washington against Covid vaccine mandates More JoJo Siwa Celebrates One Year Since Coming Out As Gay: ‘I’ve Felt More Love Than Ever’ More Arabic Version of Perfect Strangers Brings Calls For Netflix Ban: ‘Portraying Taboos’, ‘Promoting Homosexuality’; Egyptian MP Heard ’20 Obscene Words’ More Julia Fox Is Having a Heck of a Run in The Last 2 Weeks, Hits back at Clout Chasing, Attention Claims More Lea Michele unveils son Ever to her fans in sweet birthday Instagram post to husband More U.S. Supreme Court agrees to consider limiting wetlands regulation More Load More View the full article

Published by Sports Illustrated By Julie Kliegman …Especially when the backers of the laws say they are all about protecting women’s sports. Luc Esquivel wants to beat you at golf. “I want to beat everyone,” he adds, laughing but clearly not joking. “I just love it,” he says. “I just want to get better.” Luc has played with his father, Mario, since sixth grade, and in middle school, while he still presented as a girl, he competed on the girls team. But Tennnessee state law does not allow the transgender 14-year-old freshman to try out to play with other boys at his high school in a Knoxville suburb. Now Luc and his parents… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear a case that could doom university policies considering race as a factor in student admissions is the latest sign of the conservative majority’s eagerness to put its stamp on America’s most divisive issues. The court already was due to issue rulings by the end of June in cases giving the justices a chance to curtail abortion rights and widen gun rights – major goals of U.S. conservatives. The case targeting the student admissions practices of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, taken up https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-court-hear-challenge-race-conscious-college-admissions-2022-01-24 by the court on Monday, gives the conservative justices a chance to cripple affirmative action policies long despised by the American right, with a ruling expected next year. The court has become increasingly assertive since the addition of former President Donald Trump’s third appointee, Amy Coney Barrett, in 2020 gave the nation’s top judicial body a 6-3 conservative majority. Her appointment changed the court’s dynamics by marginalizing Chief Justice John Roberts, considered an incrementalist conservative. “This particular six-justice majority seems willing to push ahead in an aggressively conservative direction on multiple fronts, without feeling the need to be moderated by concepts of judicial restraint, stare decisis or incrementalism,” said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal Washington-based Constitutional Accountability Center advocacy group. Stare decisis is the legal doctrine of respecting precedents. Based on oral arguments held last year, the court’s conservatives seem poised, in a case from Mississippi, to undermine or even overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide and, in a case from New York, expand the right to carry firearms in public. The court’s increasingly aggressive stance toward taking up new cases signals an emboldened majority accelerating its rightward shift, court watchers said. The court appears “more willing to reconsider precedent and consider broad questions when the opportunity arises,” said Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve School of Law in Ohio. Before conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s 2016 death and the subsequent addition of Trump’s appointees – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Barrett – the court had been more cautious in deciding on what types of cases to hear. It had a 5-4 conservative majority, but one of the conservatives, Justice Anthony Kennedy, sometimes sided with the liberals on contentious “culture war” issues including abortion, affirmative action and LGBT rights. That led to the court occasionally avoiding contentious cases or taking up disputes with lower stakes. It appears no longer to have such qualms. ‘POLITICAL APPEARANCE’ Four justices are needed in order for the court to take up a case. And it has at least that many who are undeterred by being perceived as political actors, said University of Denver political science professor Joshua Wilson, who specializes in conservative law and politics. “Given the political appearance of the docket that they’re putting together, it’s all the more remarkable given that they have to know how much the public is paying attention,” Wilson said. The role of Roberts, who has sought to defend the court as an institution and has avoided quick and dramatic moves, has been diminished, with the conservative bloc able to prevail in rulings even if he sides with the liberal justices. Roberts served as the court’s swing vote after Kennedy retired in 2018 and before Barrett replaced the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg two years later. “When Roberts was the median (justice), even the four justices to his right were worried about where he would end up,” said John McGinnis, a professor at Northwestern University School of Law in Illinois. The justices now seem keen to dive in – sometimes even before lower courts have fully considered cases – as they did in multiple challenges to Trump administration policies blocked by lower courts. The conservative justices also have exhibited skepticism toward the power of federal agencies, which could hem in President Joe Biden and future administrations. The court, for example, this month blocked the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccination-or-testing mandate for companies with at least 100 employees. In what might be described as part of what some conservative activists label a “war on the administrative state” – curbing federal agency authority – the justices have taken up two cases challenging the scope of landmark environmental laws aimed at reducing air and water pollution. They did so despite Biden’s administration asking them to hold off while agencies write new regulations. Ian Fein, a lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council environmental group, said the court was “incredibly aggressive” in taking up the two cases. The court has also made bold moves on religious rights. Before Kennedy retired, it was generally supportive of religious challenges. That stance has deepened since then, including rulings backing religious groups https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-courts-shadow-docket-favored-religion-trump-2021-07-28 challenging COVID-19 restrictions. The court last week heard a case from Maine https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-court-again-tackles-public-funding-religious-schools-2021-12-08 that gives it an opportunity to further expand public funding of religious entities. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham and Scott Malone) View the full article

Published by AFP David Perruzza, owner of the Washington gay bar Pitchers, stands behind signs requiring proof of patrons' Covid-19 vaccination Washington (AFP) – From the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, as fear and isolation spread, Dave Perruzza had one thought — he had seen it before. “For me, it was thinking about the AIDS epidemic all over again, how nobody took it seriously,” said Perruzza, who owns two LGBT bars in Washington, the US capital. “We were like, ‘Well, we’re going to take this seriously.'” With the Omicron variant fueling fresh restrictions around the world, some older members of the LGBT community say their shared experience of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s put them ahead of the curve throughout the pandemic. Perruzza has for months been requiring customers show Covid vaccination cards to enter his bars — popular gay spot Pitchers and neighboring lesbian venue A League of Her Own, in the Adams Morgan district of the city. He implemented his vaccine rules in July, one of the first in Washington to do so — and months before the local government began this month to do the same. “I think my age bracket is the last bracket that saw people that actually died of AIDS,” Perruzza, 43, who lost his first boyfriend to the disease, told AFP. “I’m not going to let history repeat itself.” The HIV/AIDS crisis in the United States raged for two decades after the first US case was discovered in 1981, and still claims lives today. It primarily affected gay and bisexual men, Black and Latino men and trans women. Then-president Ronald Reagan didn’t declare AIDS research a federal priority until 1985, and the first treatment was developed in 1987. By the end of 2000, at least 450,000 people had died of AIDS in the United States, according to government data. Same ‘hysteria and lies’ The pandemic has also brought back painful memories for Eric Sawyer, a founding member of the AIDS advocacy group ACT UP, who also lost his partner to the disease. “The misinformation, the hysteria, the spread of just absolute lies (and) the attempts by individuals to address it being part of the problem,” said Sawyer, who also worked with the UN’s HIV/AIDS program. “The stigma and discrimination that people who had Covid face… completely parallel the HIV response.” But some lessons may have been learned between the two health crises. “The HIV epidemic taught us that education, testing and access to prevention methodologies” can be effective, said Sawyer. HIV activists have also advocated for better distribution of supplies, as well as vaccine access for poor communities, communities of color and homeless people. Even as these activists worked to combat Covid-19, however, the pandemic took a toll on the ongoing fight against HIV. Studies by the Global Fund and UNAIDS found that the pandemic worldwide caused an 11 percent drop in prevention and treatment and a 22 percent drop in testing in 2020. UNAIDS attributed the decrease to lockdowns that forced people into isolation, shuttered health services and disrupted HIV/AIDS programs. ‘You have to care’ “Because of our community’s now-four decades of experience with HIV, we understand chemical trials, we understand antivirals,” Chris Beyrer, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told AFP. “We’re not afraid of science.” “As a community, we have a lot of solidarity,” he added, pointing out that many of those living with HIV are immunocompromised and need extra support. LGBT activists rallied early in the pandemic to organize financial aid and safe housing for HIV-positive people. They also set up Covid testing at sexual health centers and Pride events. Gay bars across the country began requiring proof of vaccination at the door, months before some US states followed suit. Almost half the states still reject any such requirements. “LGBTQ bars are different… more like community centers,” said Ed Bailey, who co-owns Washington gay bars Trade and Number 9, pointing out that gay bars have distributed HIV literature and condoms for decades. “Our bars are sometimes the only place some of the people that patronize us are able to go and be comfortable enough to be who they are,” said Bailey, 55. “That creates an entirely different level of responsibility.” “You have to care about your community.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Adele left Las Vegas immediately after canceling her Las Vegas shows for what was supposed to be her residency opening weekend. The 33-year-old songbird was photographed arriving at her boyfriend Rich Paul’s Beverly Hills, California, home in the dead of night following her tearful announcement that left several fans stuck in Sin City without a show to go to. Adele Vegas Show: The Real Reason She Canceled Her Residency Debut And Her Diva Demands Mega Adele was caught wearing slippers and an expensive $450 Louis Vuitton shawl over her hoodie, signifying that she left Vegas with her tail between her legs in a hurry. According to Daily Mail, the photos of the Go Easy On Me singer were taken outside of her sports agent beau’s residence just two hours after she pulled the plug on her Caesars Palace residency. Of course, the Grammy winner spared no expense when she high-tailed it to Rich’s. Adele was seen arriving at the Van Nuys airport on a private plane. A black Mercedes sedan was on hand to collect the singer and drive her 25 minutes to her boyfriend’s $14 million home. Upon arrival, Adele jumped out of the car and pushed the callbox, which is located outside Rich’s gate. See the photos here! Mega As Radar reported, Adele cried COVID as the main reason for postponing her shows without any replacement dates. Sobbing at times uncontrollably, the Rolling In The Deep singer told her followers that the majority of her crew came down with the virus, making it impossible to continue forward. However, we’ve since learned that wasn’t the whole story. According to insiders, the singer’s diva-like demands were almost impossible to reach from the get-go. Not only did she make last-minute changes to the show’s lineup, but she reportedly clashed with the set designer. Sources claim Adele and her team were a “total nightmare,” demanding impossible things last minute. “Apparently, Adele and her team refused to use the house equipment in The Colosseum,” Vegas journalist Scott Roeben reported. “The theatre has a massive video screen, very high tech, but Adele’s team insisted upon an entirely new system – a larger screen, essentially built a few inches in front of the existing screen,” he continued. “Such demands not only drive-up production costs but, at a time when supplies are disrupted, it’s a recipe for disaster – in this case last-minute delays or cancellations.” “I also hear from a source that Caesars had to replace the cutting-edge Meyer sound system and replace it with a different system for her.” At the time of this post, Adele has not released new dates for her shows, but as many pissed-off ticket holders point out they will be unable to afford another trip to Las Vegas. Mega View the full article

Thierry Mugler taught me a man’s influence is measured in the smallest gestures. In 2010 I worked with Mugler on a play he was directing for his muse Joey Arias. I was hired to create projections for the show. I’ve never been as nervous and starstruck as our first meeting. For gay men from the 90s, Mugler was a titan. He used lizards, insects, aliens and angels to wrap supermodels in latex and wings. During AIDS, his aesthetic was about survival, sex, and the Queer heavens. His music video for George Michael’s Too Funky was a moment for Queers in small towns: there was a world where glamour was resistance. The elevator opened into a penthouse castle in Chelsea. My life was about to change. I was a hungry twink, greeted by Warhol’s Querelle, a Moiro hanging in a room of light, a fireplace the size of my bedroom. In person Manfred (as he now preferred to be called) was intimidating and frankly, a little scary. Plastic surgery, implants and exercise had transformed his dancer body into a mountain, his face was almost creature-like. His eyes were lasers. Everyone seemed a bit scared of him… With me, he was attentive, even a little goofy. He spoke with a thick accent in strange sentences (“My apologies it smells like tuna in here, for my lunch is tuna.”) He sent late night emails, rambling with ideas and odd commas. He paid close attention to my weird experimental films, when he liked something, he patted me on the back with those enormous hands. I felt anointed. One day, walking around the stage, we brainstormed about the textures of rain, fur and eggs. He was excited, talking with his hands. His bottle of Muscle Milk flew and landed at my feet. I bent to pick it up and he waved at me sternly. “No.” An assistant hurried on stage to pick it up. The smallest of gestures. The play was canceled. I was devastated. Manfred sent a long message explaining why and encouraged me to keep working. He didn’t need to do that. Like the Gods, he returned to Mount Olympus and I never saw him again, but the mere rumor I was working with Mugler jump started my career in NYC. I put so much beauty into the world because of him. So many others did too. Thierry Manfred Mugler was a man who created galaxies, redefined the body and made it effortless, all in the wave of his hand, all in the smallest of gestures. Embed from Getty Images View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Joe vs. Carol March 3 on Peacock From the Writer/ Executive Producer of Joe vs. Carole, Etan Frankel Kate McKinnon is CAROLE BASKIN in Joe vs. Carole. Photo courtesy PeacockJohn Cameron Mitchell is JOE EXOTIC in Joe vs. Carole (Photo by: Mark Taylor/Peacock)View the full article

Noah (Ryan Buggle) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay)“Then I Said That I Was Bi” LA & Order: SVU writers were deft of touch while featuring its expected no holds-barred depiction of tough subject matter simultaneously in its introduction of a new storyline, the bullying and coming out as bisexual by a major characters’s 8 year old son. In a moment it’s hard not to be moved by how Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay’s character, responds to to walking in on her son being bullied and then to his announcement that he is bisexual. Noah, played by Ryan Buggle, presents all of it in such a way that it’s clear the team understands the significant evolution in how it is to exist and understand being an LGBTQ young person today compared even to a few decades ago. All of this would have been seen as wildly precocious even a decade ago. Today’s complexity and options are testament to both the internet as well as the multiple generations that have each pulled at, experimented with and expanded the options available since the days of “Gay is good”. The show opens with a glimpse of Noah as the victim of serious bullying. The viewer is given a glimpse of Noah in a cage with a collar on as another young boy named Hudson tells him to “bark like a dog”…just as both mothers show up and see it. Both boys insist they were “just playing.” When alone, Olivia gets Noah to say, “Hudson’s a jerk. He put his dog’s collar on me, locked me in the cage and he wanted me to eat dog food.” That got her attention but he says “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” And she has a case to work for the episode. Hudson’s a jerk. He put his dog’s collar on me, locked me in the cage and he wanted me to eat dog food.” — Noah on Law and Order, SVUAt the end, Mother and son take a walk. Olivia spoke to Hudson’s mother, though Noah said not to. She’s asked for the next play date be at their house, and yes, she did speak mom-to-mom about the dog cage episode. “Mom, I asked you not to! Hudson’s just an idiot, no one likes him anyway…He bullies everyone: It was just my turn to be his target.” She asks, “Why” Noah explains Hudson’s bullying problem, and about him picking on a kid with they/them pronouns who was being called a “fairy” “Then I said that I was bi,” Hartigay takes it in for a second. Noah goes on, “And that there’s no shame in being true to yourself.” “That’s right, Noah…That is incredibly brave,” Hartigay’s character says. “Well, it’s my truth. I just hadn’t told anybody before.” “Well thank you for telling me.” “No big deal. It’s not like I have a boyfriend or girlfriend, it’s just not fair for anybody to be left out.” She lets him say it, hugs him, says she’s proud. And life goes on. “SVU” fans weighed in on social media and for the most part seemed supportive of hot the show treated Noah’s coming out moment, “To anyone thinking that Noah is too young to know he’s bi, kids have crushes all the time. If they’re old enough to have crushes, they’re old enough to know who they’re into,” said one Twitter user. “Sexuality isn’t just about who one wants to have sex with. He’s a child. Crushes are 100% valid … He’s thinking about who he thinks is cute.” “As a leader of the LGBTQ club at my school, I loved seeing Noah come out and be so comfortable with himself. We need all kids to be like this,” said another Twitter user. “I hope #SVU at least taught some parents a lesson last night. Olivia simply saying ‘thank you for telling me,’ when Noah said he was bi was such an amazing moment. Exactly how all parents should respond to their kids confiding in them about their sexuality,” added another. Noah comes out on SVU: Previously on Towleroad On Law & Order: SVU, Noah, 8, Comes Out As Bisexual, And A Kid Who Protected A Bully’s Victim To Mom, Mariska Hartigay’s, Olivia Benson. Brian Bell January 24, 2022 Read More “Batgirl” Film Likely Introduces DC Comics’ First Major Trans Character To Its Cinematic Universe Brian Bell January 21, 2022 Read More Kristen Stewart Engaged: DC Comics Gets Police Protection; Kal Penn; Dan Levy’s ‘Big Brunch:’ Entertainment Roundup Brian Bell November 3, 2021 Read More Jonas Brothers land Netflix comedy show Towleroad October 27, 2021 Read More ‘Chucky’ is Back… This Time With Young Gay Protagonist, Jake; It’s a Horror Cult-Classic Meets Burgeoning Gay Love on USA/SYFY TV Series Brian Bell October 17, 2021 Read More Tom Hardy on ‘Venom’ As LGBTQ Icon; Takei Rips Dean Cain’s Super Bi-Panic: Co-CEO Repeats At Netflix Trans Lives Don’t Matter As Much As Ratings; Brian Bell October 16, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of NBCUniversal View the full article

Published by AFP Thousands of people gathered in the center of the US capital on January 23, 2022, to protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates Washington (AFP) – Waving signs denouncing President Joe Biden and calling for “freedom,” several thousand people demonstrated in Washington Sunday against what some described as the “tyranny” of Covid-19 vaccine mandates in the United States. Speaker after speaker — including notorious anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust — took to the microphone in front of the white marble Lincoln Memorial to decry the rules. Like other Covid restrictions aimed at reining in a disease that has infected more than 70 million people in the United States, killed more than 865,000 and brought much of daily life around the globe to a stuttering halt for two years and counting, vaccine mandates have become a deeply polarizing political issue. “Mandates and freedoms don’t mix, like oil and water,” another speaker said. “Breathe. Inhale God, exhale fear,” exhorted yet another to applause from the crowd, made up of people of all ages, including children, and largely unmasked. “I’m not anti-vaccine, but I’m anti this vaccine,” Michelle, a 61-year-old physical therapist from Virginia who declined to give her last name, told AFP. She said the messenger RNA serums developed by companies such as Pfizer and Moderna in record time were “too experimental” and “rushed.” The mRNA vaccines, given to millions of people around the world in the past year, have been proven safe and effective, as well as being hailed as potential gamechangers in modern medicine. Michelle, who paused in the interview to sing the national anthem with other demonstrators, said she has a religious exemption from taking the vaccine — but that to continue coming to work in Washington she has to get tested every week. To her regret, her son, who initially had also resisted taking the vaccine, has now relented. “He went and got it without me knowing — so much peer pressure,” she said. ‘My body, my choice’ Another demonstrator, Therese is adamantly opposed to vaccines — all vaccines. She explained that she came by bus from Michigan, in the north of the country, to protest. “Mandates are not appropriate… vaccines aren’t working, we’ve been lied to about the vaccines,” said the 61-year-old, who worked in a school cafeteria before her retirement and also refused to give her last name. “And we should not be masking our children,” she added. “I talked to a couple of psychologists who say our children are suffering and they’re depressed… It’s terrible. We need our freedom back.” Further up the steps, the speakers — including some people in white coats, presented as doctors from Texas — continue to come and go. “We are Americans and that’s what we do, we fight tyranny!” claims another. A few joggers, as if lost, walk through the crowd amid the signs proclaiming slogans such as “My body, my choice” or “God is our rock that will take down Goliath.” There are also many anti-Biden posters and a few flags bearing the name of his predecessor Donald Trump — under whom the vaccines were developed and who has taken credit for them. Isaac Six, 34, shrugged off the difficulty of being unvaccinated while in Washington, where proof of vaccination is now required to go to restaurants and other public places. “It’s OK, we’re saving money,” the 34-year-old charity worker said with a laugh. Vaccines in general “are wonderful, they have helped millions of people,” he added. But mandating these vaccines, which like all vaccines are not 100 percent effective at preventing transmission, is “completely irrational,” he argued. What worries him are policies adopted “out of fear and panic” and “by one person.” “I would like to see more of the legislative process involved, the people that we elected to represent us be the ones to actually pass legislation,” he said. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA JoJo Siwa is feeling the love. The Dancing With the Stars alum celebrated her one-year anniversary since coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community with a heartfelt post over the weekend. “In the last 365 days I’ve felt more love than ever. A year ago today I posted this picture and shared with the world that I was gay,” Siwa captioned her array of posts starting with a throwback snap of herself wearing a T-shirt that read: “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.” MEGA The 18-year-old shared with her 11.4 million Instagram followers that she often gets asked if coming out was a “scary” experience, to which she admitted: “yes of course,” noting: “Anything that’s different about you is scary, however… it’s what makes me… me. so I had no fear with sharing it with the world.” JOJO SIWA REVEALS HER SPLIT WITH KYLIE PREW HAPPENED JUST HOURS BEFORE HER DISNEY NIGHT PERFORMANCE ON ‘DWTS’ Siwa revealed she also frequently gets asked whether she worries about opening up about her sexuality to her fans since her demographic is so young. “Truthfully I feel like I was put on this earth to be a role model for kids, and letting all the kids of the world know that loving everyone for who they are no matter what is something that I will always believe in and always share,” the former Dance Moms star explained. While wrapping up her impassioned post, Siwa encouraged her followers and fans to be and love who they want. “Please never forget that no matter who you are, what you look like, who you LOVE that you are absolutely perfect,” she concluded. “thank you for showing me the most love throughout this year and throughout my entire life. I love you all.” MEGA Siwa also gushed over the milestone during her concert in Bakersfield, Calif., on Friday, January 21, where she discussed being so open about her sexuality with her young fanbase. JOJO SIWA SPOTTED AT LAKERS GAME WITH RUMORED NEW GIRLFRIEND KATIE MILLS FOLLOWING KYLIE PREW SPLIT “A lot of people said, ‘You have a really young demographic. Aren’t you afraid of telling them that you’re gay?’” she began to tell the crowd, per Daily Mail. “And I said, ‘I am definitely not afraid of telling my young demographic that loving everybody for who they are was exactly what you should do.’ I want to tell you that no matter who you are, no matter who you love, it’s OK.” The dancer first hinted she was part of the LGBTQ+ community last year when she posted a video to TikTok of herself singing along to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” One day later, the pop star posted the photo of herself wearing the “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.” T-shirt, leading fans to speculate she was coming out to the world, per Page Six. Siwa confirmed she was a member of the LGBTQ+ community two days later. MEGA Last April, Siwa clarified that she identifies as queer and pansexual, sharing: “My human is my human.” Siwa — who made DWTS history as the first performer in the U.S. to compete with a same-sex partner — revealed she was dating ex-girlfriend Kylie Prew in February 2021. The former couple made their red carpet debut seven months later before calling it quits in November. View the full article

=Arabic Version of Perfect StrangersTowleroad’s Egyptian Sources Have Seen the Version, and not calling for Netflix ban …. “It’s a very normal movie. No nudity at all. It’s just the homosexual character and the Egyptian actress took off her panties and put them in her purse. But nothing showing when she did that.” — One of Towleroad’s Egyptian sources living in the United States who saw the adaptation in the last few days, –MG Editor Published by Al-Araby CAIRO – A recently launched Arabic adaptation of the popular rom-com ‘Perfect Strangers’ on Netflix has sparked a heated debate in Egypt between supporters of artistic freedom and ultraconservatives for allegedly “promoting homosexuality” and “portraying taboos”. Egyptian MP and journalist Mostafa Bakry claimed the film “violates” social and moral values in Egypt and the Arab world, calling for a ban on the Netflix streaming platform in the country. “When I watch a film entailing more than 20 obscene words, a film that involves a father agreeing to his teenage daughter having sex with her boyf… Read More Arabic Version Pefect Strangers Netflix Ban A Rippon Married on Towleroad Julia Fox Is Having a Heck of a Run in The Last 2 Weeks, Hits back at Clout Chasing, Attention Claims More Lea Michele unveils son Ever to her fans in sweet birthday Instagram post to husband More U.S. Supreme Court agrees to consider limiting wetlands regulation More U.S. Supreme Court to hear challenge to race-conscious college admissions More Spice Girls ‘to reunite at Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding’ More Bill, Hillary Clinton Allegedly Tried To Erase Jeffrey Epstein Ties Ahead Of 2016 Presidential Election More Texas rejects hundreds of mail ballot applications under new voting limits More Election fraud belief undimmed for Trump fans, despite party hopes More Exclusive – U.S. opposes strengthening World Health Organization; China’s Influence Has Biden Backing Donor-Controlled Alternate More Christina Aguilera Defends Britney Spears Two Months After Awkward Red Carpet Snub Over Conservatorship More Adele FaceTimes Upset Fans As Consolation For Postponing Las Vegas Shows, Offers Them Drink Tokens Before Realizing They’re Underage More Julia Fox Reunites With Kanye West Claiming It’s Not The Fame & Publicity, “Honey, I’ve dated billionaires my entire adult life, let’s keep it real.” More Prince Andrew ‘could have his royal patronages restored’ More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Julia Fox has hit back at claims she is dating Kanye West for “attention”. The 31-year-old actress insisted that their relationship is real and denied accusations that she is with the 44-year-old rapper for fame and money. Speaking on her ‘Forbidden Fruits’ podcast, Julia said: “It’s funny cause I’m getting all of this attention, but I really couldn’t care. “People are like ‘Oh, you’re only in it for the fame, you’re in it for the clout, you’re in it for the money.’ Honey, I’ve dated billionaires my entire adult life, let’s keep it real. “Watch my movie, read my book. That is more thrilling to me now than eyes on me. I couldn’t care less.” Meanwhile, Julia recently declared she is the “ideal candidate” for the “position” of Kanye’s girlfriend, because she doesn’t worry about what is being written about her and isn’t trying to make everyone “love” her. She said: “People shouldn’t be defined by their darkest moment. As humans, we commit violence to each other, we police each other. We’ve created such a hostile environment, especially on the internet. That’s why I don’t read the headlines. “No [I don’t read the comments]. And that’s why I feel like I’m a really good candidate for this position, because a lot of people in my shoes would probably be reading the comments and freaking out. I’m not trying to have everybody love me, I’m just trying to connect with people that are like-minded.” When Kanye first started dating his now-estranged wife Kim Kardashian West, he famously overhauled her wardrobe, and Julia suggested he has done the same with her, but she is happy to be “surrendering” control to the rapper. Asked the widest thing Kanye has dreamed up that she’s seen come to life, Julia told Interview magazine: “My transformation. After meeting him, a couple days later, all my s***was in boxes, gone. It was so cathartic. It wasn’t like I was just packing up my old clothes, it was like I was packing up my old life. I was like making that very conscious decision to really put everything in the box. To let go of the past. “I’m really surrendering. For someone like me who’s such a control freak and always so used to taking care of myself, to just let go and be taken care of is foreign at this point in life. I’ve been the primary caretaker of everyone for so long, so it’s a new sensation, but honestly, I think I deserve it… I just feel really safe with him. It’s a redemption story.” Julia Fox on Towleroad Lea Michele unveils son Ever to her fans in sweet birthday Instagram post to husband More U.S. Supreme Court agrees to consider limiting wetlands regulation More U.S. Supreme Court to hear challenge to race-conscious college admissions More Spice Girls ‘to reunite at Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding’ More Bill, Hillary Clinton Allegedly Tried To Erase Jeffrey Epstein Ties Ahead Of 2016 Presidential Election More Texas rejects hundreds of mail ballot applications under new voting limits More Election fraud belief undimmed for Trump fans, despite party hopes More Exclusive – U.S. opposes strengthening World Health Organization; China’s Influence Has Biden Backing Donor-Controlled Alternate More Christina Aguilera Defends Britney Spears Two Months After Awkward Red Carpet Snub Over Conservatorship More Adele FaceTimes Upset Fans As Consolation For Postponing Las Vegas Shows, Offers Them Drink Tokens Before Realizing They’re Underage More Julia Fox Reunites With Kanye West Claiming It’s Not The Fame & Publicity, “Honey, I’ve dated billionaires my entire adult life, let’s keep it real.” More Prince Andrew ‘could have his royal patronages restored’ More Arizona Democratic Party formally censures Sinema More Load More View the full article