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Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Holland will play Fred Astaire in an upcoming biopic. The 25-year-old actor confirmed that he will play the legendary dancer, actor and singer in an new film for Sony. Producer Amy Pascal recently suggested that she wanted Tom to play Astaire in the project – in addition to another trilogy of ‘Spider-Man’ films. At an event to promote ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, Tom told reporters: “The script came in a week ago. I haven’t read it yet; they haven’t given it to me.” Tom also revealed that he had been in contact with Amy about playing the part. He joked: “She FaceTimed me earlier. I was in the bath. And we had a lovely FaceTime, but I will be playing Fred Astaire.” Holland has a background as a performer as he began his acting career in London’s West End, where he played the title role in ‘Billy Elliot the Musical’ between 2008 and 2010. Astaire is considered to be the greatest dancer in film history as he starred in more than 30 movie musicals and is remembered for his partnership with Ginger Rogers. Tom’s movie is not the only Fred Astaire project currently in the works as Jamie Bell – who played the role of Billy Elliot in the 2000 film – will play the dancer opposite Margaret Qualley as Ginger Rogers in a new flick for Amazon Studios. Pascal recently confirmed that Sony is “getting ready to make the next Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Marvel”. She said: “This is not the last movie that we are going to make with Marvel – [this is not] the last Spider-Man movie. “We are getting ready to make the next Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Marvel, it just isn’t part of … we’re thinking of this as three films, and now we’re going to go onto the next three. This is not the last of our Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Chang-Ran Kim and Elaine Lies TOKYO (Reuters) – The United States Embassy in Tokyo on Monday warned in a tweet of incidents of suspected racial profiling of non-Japanese by Japanese police. Japan is a mostly ethnically homogeneous country where some people equate more immigrants with a rise in crime, although foreign labour is increasingly needed to make up for a declining and ageing population. “The U.S. Embassy has received reports of foreigners stopped and searched by Japanese police in suspected racial profiling incidents. Several were detained, questioned, and searched,” the tweet said. “U.S. citizens should carry proof of immigration and request consular notification if detained.” The tweet is an unusual move from the United States, a key Japanese ally. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson said the embassy had nothing further to add to the tweet, and the National Police Agency could not immediately comment. Asked about the U.S. embassy warning, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said only that police question suspicious individuals based on various factors but that those decisions are not based on a person’s ethnicity or nationality. A week ago, Japan closed its borders to all non-resident foreigners in one of the strongest global measures taken to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Naomi Kawahara, founder of advocacy group Japan for Black Lives, said racial profiling by Japanese police was nothing new, particularly for foreigners or mixed-race Japanese people of colour. “I had a friend who was questioned by police more than 30 times in the six years that he lived here,” she told Reuters of her African-American friend, who left Japan a few years ago. “Sometimes it was in front of his house, as he was about to walk his dog.” (Reporting by Chang-ran Kim, Sakura Murakami and Elaine Lies; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Freida Pinto thinks it would have been “easier” for her to be successful if she was starting her career now. The 37-year-old actress – who got her big break in Danny Boyle’s 2008 movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ – thinks there are more opportunities now for people of colour, but she isn’t upset her “journey” has been different. She reflected: “Maybe I could’ve done it differently. If I entered the industry now, with all the movies and TV shows that have opened the doors for people of colour it would be a lot easier for me. But I think not. No. The journey that I was on was exactly the journey I needed to be on.” Freida praised ‘Bridgerton’ for helping change perceptions and doesn’t think her new movie, 19th century rom-com ‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’ would have been greenlit without the Netflix drama being so successful. She told The Times’ Saturday Review: “That took a long time to get off the ground because it seemed like a novel concept, casting everyone against type. But then Bridgerton happened and suddenly everyone thought, ‘Oh yeah! You can cast a non-white in the lead role of a period project!’ And that helped ours to get green-lit.” And the actress admitted some of her early movies, such as playing a Palestinian in ‘Miral’ and an Iranian in ‘Desert Dancer’, would be deemed problematic now. She said: “That shouldn’t have been allowed then, and it wouldn’t be allowed today. But back then there wasn’t a bigger name Palestinian actress to get ‘Miral’ off the ground, and it was only my second movie, I wasn’t going to be able to change the system by saying no, and it was my bread and butter.” View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) -China will take “countermeasures” in protest against a planned U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Olympics if necessary, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Monday. The Biden administration is expected to announce on Monday that U.S. government officials will not attend the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, a source familiar with the situation said Monday, confirming earlier reports by CNN and NBC. The diplomatic boycott, which has been encouraged https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senators-propose-adding-boycott-chinas-winter-olympics-defense-bill-2021-10-28 by some members of the U.S. Congress for weeks, would not affect American athletes. U.S. President Joe Biden said last month that he was considering such a diplomatic boycott to protest China’s human rights record, including what Washington says is genocide against minority Muslims. The White House and State Department declined to comment. Those calling for a boycott are “grandstanding” and should stop “so as not to affect the dialogue and cooperation between China and the United States in important areas”, said Zhao Lijian, China’s foreign ministry spokesman. “If the U.S. insists in wilfully clinging to its course, China will take resolute countermeasures,” he said at a news conference. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Brad Heath，Trevor Hunnicutt, Hemeyra Pamuk and Gabriel Crossley; editing by Angus MacSwan, Chizu Nomiyama, Heather Timmons and Nick Macfie) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Jake Tapperis the odds on favorite to be promoted at CNN in the wake of Chris Cuomo’s firing, Radar can exclusively reveal. While Michael Smerconish, a radio host, and a registered Independent will take over the 9 pm primetime hour on CNN this week, the move is only temporary and the decision to anoint him for the week was made prior to Saturday’s decision by Jeff Zucker to ax Cuomo. “It’s Jake — by a long stretch,” a network insider told Radar. “Jake star has been on the rise for a long time. He is the logical choice, but if he takes over, it will have a cascading effect because Jake’s unlikely to be able to continue State of the Union and remain lead DC anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent. In short, this really has screwed with CNN’s programming line-up. Chris Cuomo Accused Of Sexual Misconduct By Anonymous Woman, Caused CNN To Terminate His Contract MEGA “The only saving grace is that it is the end of the year and network bosses can position 2022 as a revamped line-up.” One person who is privately angling for the position is Brian Stelter, the anchor of Reliable Sources which examines the week’s top media stories and the Chief Media Correspondent. Said the source: “The only one who thinks Brian could do 9pm is Brian himself.” Also said to be in the mix is Brian Williams, who quit NBC after 28 years despite remaking his career as an MSNBC host after losing his job as NBC’s Nightly News anchor for making false claims about a wartime story. Chris Cuomo Walks Away From Brother Andrew: A Family Ripped Apart MEGA The network source said Zucker could also pull off an unlikely succession move by promoting a female; CNN is the only network that does not have a female in its prime-time lineup. One name swirling around the corridors of the cable giant is S.E. Cupp, who hosts S.E. Cupp: Unfiltered, a political panel show, on CNN’s Saturday evening line-up. “Consider Zucker’s position, though. Can S.E. Cupp draw an audience big enough to beat Rachel Maddow at MSNBC or FOX News’ Sean Hannity. It’s unlikely. This could be the biggest decision of Zucker’s career.” Cuomo was fired after it emerged the extent of the role he played trying to mitigate the sexual harassment accusations that took down his brother, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. At the same, an allegation of sexual misconduct was levelled against the former CNN anchor by a former ABC colleague, it has been reported. MEGA View the full article

Published by Reuters By Trevor Hunnicutt and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration on Monday vowed to crack down on “criminals, kleptocrats and others” paying cash for houses to launder money as part of a broader anti-corruption drive linked to this week’s U.S. Summit for Democracy. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, speaking at the Brookings Institution think tank, pledged an “aggressive” push against suspicious all-cash home transactions, moves to beef up enforcement and intensified collaboration with allies. President Joe Biden ordered officials in June to step up the fight against corruption. Their initial proposals are outlined in a 38-page https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/United-States-Strategy-on-Countering-Corruption.pdf U.S. national security strategy on countering corruption released Monday. “Our real estate markets are at risk of becoming a safe haven for criminals, kleptocrats and others seeking to park corrupt profits,” Adeyemo said, noting that current law allows people to form companies anonymously to conduct all cash real estate deals that hide the source of funds. All-cash real estate deals, which currently account for about one-third of all U.S. home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. Despite a 2016 push https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-corruption-realestate/u-s-targets-money-laundering-in-all-cash-home-sales-in-miami-manhattan-idUSKCN0UR2LM20160113 to force title insurance companies to report the identities of all-cash homebuyers, non-profit Global Financial Integrity estimates $2.3 billion has been laundered through the U.S. real estate market over the past five years. Half of the transactions it reviewed involved “politically exposed” people at higher risk for bribery and corruption. The latest U.S. moves come after a series of leaked documents, including October’s release of the Pandora Papers https://www.reuters.com/world/pandora-papers-document-dump-allegedly-links-world-leaders-secret-wealth-2021-10-03, raised questions about ways that government officials and others discreetly move money abroad, potentially to dodge taxes or accountability for wrongdoing. The U.S. Treasury Department is crafting a new rule to close existing loopholes and require disclosures from certain types of U.S. and foreign companies to identify who is behind all-cash real estate transactions and see if those purchases are being used to shelter illegal profits. Adeyemo said Treasury would ensure the cost of compliance did not harm small businesses, and should total no more than $50 per company. The agency may also require that more investment funds, such as hedge funds and private equity vehicles, to engage in anti-money laundering efforts. And they expect to announce as soon as this week new efforts toward creating a database identifying the owners behind shell companies used to move money anonymously. Adeyemo said Treasury had sanctioned 216 targets using anti-corruption authorities, including Monday’s designation of a Democratic Republic of Congo national accused of providing funds to blacklisted Israeli investor Dan Gertler. Biden is hosting a virtual democracy summit on Thursday and Friday with 110 participants as part of an effort to confront what his administration sees as authoritarian forces led by China and Russia. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by DPA Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parkerm M), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon, l) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) are back in the “Sex and the City” sequel “And Just Like That…”. Sky/dpa It’s the era of reunions. After we just watched the cast of “Friends” meeting again 17 years since the end of the series, another group of TV icons is also back and here to stay – though their reunion hasn’t gone quite as well. Much has stayed the same in the lives of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis). They still meet in elegant New York bars wearing the world’s most expensive shoes to catch up on each other’s lives. But much has also changed for the protagonists of one of TV’s most successful series ever – “Sex and the City”. The most notable change is likely to be the sequel’s biggest flaw: Kim Cattrall, who played blunt, confident and obsessed-with-sex Samantha Jones, isn’t part of the cast anymore. Between 1998 and 2004, the lives of the four girlfriends Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha, revolving around their friendships, jobs, dates, clothes and shoes, were followed by millions worldwide. The show, which won countless Golden Globes and Emmy awards, arguably revolutionized TV by helping to change and spread the image of the self-confident career woman whose happy ending doesn’t need to involve kids and a husband – at least in the case of Samantha. Two features films followed – “Sex and the City: The Movie”, released in 2008, and “Sex and the City 2″(2010) – and further cemented the enterprise’s immense success. Fans of Carrie and her friends have long been hoping that this has not been the end – and on December 9, the wait will finally be over when the first two episodes of the sequel series “And Just Like That” will be released on several platforms. Every following Thursday, another 30-minute episode will be released, 10 in total, which can be accessed via HBO Max in the US, Sky Comedy in Britain and via Sky Ticket in Germany, for example. Director, writer and executive producer of “Sex and the City” Michael Patrick King recently told The Hollywood Reporter that “there’s interest” in further episodes – at least theoretically. Expectations among fans are huge: The sequel’s filming in New York has been followed with great interest in recent months, Airbnb recreated Carrie’s apartment for marketing purposes and teaser footage was released to rekindle interest. Besides Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte, their husbands Mr. Big (Chris Noth), Steve (David Eigenberg) and Harry (Evan Handler) are also back. Actor Willie Garson who played Carrie’s best friend Stanford in “Sex and the City” passed away in September but still features in the new series as some of the scenes were filmed before his death. Besides many other familiar faces, there are also some new kids on the block. “Even though people think this is a franchise that they’re familiar with, there’s something new in this version,” said co-producer Michael Patrick King. “This isn’t what was; it’s what’s next.” The biggest gap is certainly the absence of Kim Catrall – which has caused speculation and gossip for months. Catrall herself has so far not elaborated on her decision, but in the past the actress had repeatedly rejected participating in a “Sex and the City” sequel or a third movie citing salary disagreements. “I went past the finish line playing Samantha Jones because I loved Sex and the City,” Catrall told The Guardian in 2019. “It was a blessing in so many ways but after the second movie I’d had enough. I couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t just replace me with another actress instead of wasting time bullying. No means no.” Her former colleague Sarah Jessica Parker stressed on Instagram that personal differences weren’t the reason for the failed reunion of the four protagonists. “Samantha isn’t part of this story. But she will always be part of us, no matter where we are or what we do.” Writer Candace Bushnell, who wrote the novel the original series was based on, meanwhile continues her own “Sex and the City” journey, having long since published a sequel which she has now turned into a one-woman show called “Is There Still Sex in the City?” – starring herself. Sarah Jessica Parker (l) and Cynthia Nixon, sit on a staircase during the filming of “And Just Like That…”, the sequel to the cult series “Sex and the City” in the Upper West Side of New York City. Debra L. Rothenberg/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters By Kate Abnett BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Wildfires produced a record amount of carbon emissions in parts of Siberia, the United States and Turkey this year, as climate change fanned unusually intense blazes, the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said on Monday. Wildfires emitted 1.76 billion tonnes of carbon globally in 2021, Copernicus said. That’s equivalent to more than double Germany’s annual CO2 emissions. Some of the worst-hit hotspots recorded their highest wildfire emissions for any January-November period since Copernicus’ dataset began in 2003, including parts of Siberia’s Yakutia region, Turkey, Tunisia and the western United States. “We have seen extensive regions experience intense and prolonged wildfire activity. Drier and hotter regional conditions under a changing climate have increased the risk of flammability and fire risk of vegetation,” said senior Copernicus scientist Mark Parrington. Globally, the wildfire emissions total wasn’t the highest since 2003, but Copernicus said such emissions were likely to increase as the impacts of climate change unfold. Yakutia in northeastern Siberia produced its highest CO2 emissions from wildfires for any summer since 2003, while in western Siberia, a “huge number” of blazes churned out daily CO2 emissions far above the 2003-2021 average. In North America, fires in Canada, California and the U.S. Pacific Northwest emitted around 83 million tonnes of CO2, emitting huge smoke plumes that drifted across the Atlantic to reach Europe, Copernicus said. California’s “Dixie fire”, which ravaged nearly a million acres, was the largest recorded fire in the state’s history. In the Mediterranean, a hot and dry summer fanned intense blazes in countries including Greece and Turkey. Thousands of people in those countries were evacuated from their homes, and Copernicus said the region’s air quality deteriorated as the fires caused high levels of health-damaging particular matter. (Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by Nick Macfie) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dolly Parton rules with “love and compassion”. The 75-year-old country icon – who has an estimated net worth of $350 million – remains business savvy six decades into her career but insists that while she is a “good boss”, treading a “fine line” is key to being successful. She said: “I’m a good boss, I think. I try to rule with love and compassion. But also, there’s a fine line that says, ‘She’s not a pushover.’ I’m a fair and honest person. I like to be as friendly as I can and love the people that work with me and I like to have them love me.” But the ‘Jolene’ singer – who has launched a fragrance, owns theme park Dollywood and has a lucrative deal with Netflix – went on to claim that she knows exactly when to take charge, noting that there are those in business who “do not listen.” She said: “Some people I have to kick their a** up one side and down the other because some people will just not listen. And then you do have your creative vampires. You do have your energy vampires and you’ve got some people that just going to eat you up alive.” Dolly’s comments came as the legendary songstress – who is known for hits such as ‘9 to 5’, ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘Coat of Many Colors’ – has been chosen to grace the cover of People Magazine as one of their People of the Year, but admitted she was initially “uncomfortable” to be bestowed with the honour. She told People magazine: “I have to honestly tell you, I was a little bit sceptical of being put on the cover as one of the People of the Year. Because that’s a lot of pressure. But, yeah, it’s like, I am not all that. I’m glad that I stand for enough stuff to where I’m not the worst person in the world.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Mariah Carey says her daughter is too pampered to play her in a biopic. Monroe Cannon, 10, wants to play her mother in an upcoming project but Mariah thinks the youngster would not be able to relate to her tough childhood. According to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column, Mariah – who shares Monroe and twin brother Moroccan with former husband Nick Cannon – said: “Monroe wants to do it but honestly, it’s going to come down to the director. “To do a role of that magnitude, I don’t know where she’d draw on to find the sadness because they’ve got a pretty good life, my kids.” Mariah recently revealed that she was is working with Lee Daniels to turn her 2020 memoir ‘The Meaning of Mariah Carey’ into a series. She said: “First things first I wrote my memoir last year, ‘The Meaning of Mariah Carey’, [and] it’s only relevant to this conversation because the paperback is now out. “There was a discussion whether my little-girl picture could be on the cover and nobody wanted it, they wanted the modern day thing. “Now the paperback is finally the representation of myself that I wanted… the little girl that nobody knew or understood because [I’m] Black and biracial. “I would rather do [an adaptation]; that’s why we wrote the book first.” She joked that Daniels is “probably going to hear this and kill me,” before confirming they were working on an eight-part series. She said, “I need it to be gritty, grimy and beautiful, spectacular and real!” View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega After Jussie Smollett‘s attorneys accused Abimbola Osundairo of being the actor’s scorned ex-lover and drug dealer, they made the Nigerian’s brother, Olabinjo Osundairo, out to be a violent homophobe. These are the reasons, claim the defense team, that the Osundairos ambushed Smollett in what was described as a hate crime one frigid night in Chicago almost three years ago. On Thursday, the defense told jurors that the reason Olabinjo, specifically, attacked Smollett was because he “hated who he was.” During his testimony, however, Olabinjo told the court how he respects the LGBTQIA+ community. He said he used to work as a bouncer at a gay club and always treated the clientele well. mega The jury was then shown a photo of Olabinjo dressed up as a Trojan warrior at a Pride parade in 2015, where he said he spent the day “handing out condoms and flexing.” He told the court that, contrary to what Smollett’s team had suggested, he was never a violent homophobe. He said he had set his intentions on “getting the truth out” during the actor’s trial. And that truth, according to both Olabinjo and his brother, is that Smollett – who they met through the television show, Empire – orchestrated a plan in which he paid the men thousands of dollars to stage what he later told police was a racist and homophobic physical assault. The brothers have both said that they did not anticipate authorities would become involved and only ever wanted to help their “friend,” who had helped them with their careers and also picked up the tab whenever they’d go out together. mega During Abimbola’s earlier cross-examination, the defense introduced the topics of drugs and a possible sexual relationship. Abimbola had previously admitted to supplying Smollett with weed, cocaine and ecstasy while they both worked on Empire; however, he denied to the court that he ever sold them to the actor. “I’m not a drug dealer,” he said. “I don’t sell.” Abimbola was then asked when he and the actor began dating, prompting him to fire back, “We were never dating.” He told the court that he once went to a bathhouse with Smollett in Boystown. When the defense asked if gay pornography was playing inside the spa, Abimbola replied, “I don’t recall.” Smollett’s attorneys fired back questions like: “You don’t recall seeing gay pornography? … You don’t remember masturbating with him?” “No,” he responded. When asked if there was “sexual tension” between the two, Abimbola said he “didn’t know” if there was any on Smollett’s part. mega View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) -CNN fired news anchor Chris Cuomo, the network announced on Saturday, after “additional information” came to light during an investigation into his efforts to help his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, deal with allegations of sexual misconduct. Cuomo, who hosted CNN’s most-watched prime-time news show, had been suspended on Tuesday. He had admitted in May that he had broken some of the cable news network’s rules in advising his brother how to handle the allegations from a public relations perspective. Andrew Cuomo, 63, was forced to step down as governor in August after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. He has denied any wrongdoing. In a statement on Saturday, CNN said, “Chris Cuomo was suspended earlier this week pending further evaluation of new information that came to light about his involvement with his brother’s defense.” “We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately,” it added. The network did not provide details on the new information. In a statement on Twitter, Cuomo, 51, said he was disappointed. “This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother,” he said. In journalism it is considered a breach of ethics to use one’s position to advocate for a personal cause or to conduct investigations for personal reasons. Cuomo was initially suspended after New York Attorney General Letitia James showed text and other messages in which he sought to use his own sources in news media outlets to find out information on the case and the women involved in it. A criminal complaint charging Andrew Cuomo with a misdemeanor sex offense was filed on Oct. 29 in a New York court. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, gained national fame last year during the COVID-19 outbreak for his briefings about how New York was dealing with the outbreak, and would often appear on his brother’s show then. Chris Cuomo, who had tested positive for the coronavirus and at one point was self-isolating in his basement, had virtually participated in a briefing his brother was holding for other reporters. The two brothers’ father, the late Mario Cuomo, also served as governor of New York. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Prince William was “in a trance” when Taylor Swift got him up on stage to sing with her and Jon Bon Jovi at a charity gala. The 39-year-old royal has recalled how the ‘Shake It Off’ hitmaker, 31, managed to get him to join her and the 59-year-old rock legend to perform Bon Jovi’s hit ‘Livin’ On a Prayer’ at the Centrepoint Winter Whites Gala at Kensington Palace in 2013, and William admitted he’s still “cringing” from his all-star duet almost a decade later. Speaking on the Christmas episode of Apple Fitness+’s ‘Time to Walk’ series, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson recalled: “So, around about – it must be nearly 10 years ago now – I can’t believe I’m actually telling this story. I went to a charity fundraising gala for Centrepoint, which is a young homeless charity that I am very fond of and have supported for many years. “It’s an annual fundraiser, and I turn up, and Jon Bon Jovi and Taylor Swift are at the event, which nearly knocked me off my feet, as well. “When I sat down to watch Jon Bon Jovi do his performance, I thought, ‘That’s it. My job is done. I’ll get a dinner in a minute, and I might be able to have a chat to some people, and, you know, I’m off-duty a little bit now.’ Little did I think what was going to happen next. “I’m sat next to Taylor Swift. She’s on my left. And after Jon does his first song, there’s a pause, and she turns to me. “She puts her hand on my arm, looks me in the eye, and says, ‘Come on, William. Let’s go and sing.” William continued: “To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I’m cringing at what happened next, and I don’t understand why I gave in. “But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, ‘Come with me…’ I got up like a puppy and went, ‘Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. I’ll follow you.’ “I walked up on stage in a trance, and then sort of halfway through Jon Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ On a Prayer’ song, I wake up. “And I’m thinking to myself, ‘Am I standing on the stage singing ‘Livin’ On a Prayer’ when I don’t even know the words?’ “But the Centrepoint young guys and girls were there all loving it and cheering away. So I thought, ‘Well, if they’re enjoying it, then the night is for them. So sod it. I can’t be the doofus who’s going to ruin it for everyone.’” The Duke of Cambridge confessed there was a lot of “sweating going on” due to his stage fright. He spilled: “And so I desperately try and remember some of the words and sing as hard as I can. Beneath my black tie, there was a lot of sweating going on. “I felt like a swan, where I was trying to keep myself composed on the outside, but inside, the little legs are paddling fast.” The mental health advocate added how important it is to not take everything so “seriously”, especially with the “pressures” of social media to present a perfect existence, and he encouraged everyone to make a “fool” of themselves every now and then. He added: “Now, a lot of people might think that I’m comfortable on stage. When I do speeches and things like that, I’ve done so many now, they’re not a problem. “But I’ve not done singing. At times, when you’re taken out of your comfort zone, you’ve got to roll with it. “And I think we’ve gotten to the stage in this life where we do micromanage ourselves. “We do worry about: how do we look on social media? Who said what about me? What am I wearing? There’s so many pressures, but I think making a fool of yourself is okay. “It’s okay to not take yourself too seriously and have those moments where you let go and you just go, ‘Do you know what? I’m okay with this.’ “So, yeah, go on and have a laugh. And don’t go and watch the video of me singing. Or do go and watch it, but just laugh to yourself about how I was feeling.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English TikTok now lets users directly tip artists. The short-form video platform has officially launched its ‘Creator Next’ toolset to allow users to give back to their favourite creators directly, as well as allowing creators themselves to monetise their content. The toolset features the platform’s first tipping function, allowing artists to receive tips directly from followers while keeping the entire amount of money sent to them. In order to receive payments, creators will need to sign up to Irish-American financial company Stripe, which is where they will be able to manage their earnings. ‘Creator Next’ also includes a brand new function titled ‘Video Gifts’, which allows creators to receive tips based on engagement with their non-live videos on top of the existing ‘Live Gifts’ function which works in the same way for livestreams. To be eligible for ‘Creator Next’, creators must be 18 or olde and meet minimum follower requirements, which vary depending on their location. Creators must also have at least 1,000 video views in the last 30 days, and have at least three posts in the last 30 days. The new toolset also includes the ‘TikTok Creator Marketplace’, which is an official hub for brands and creators to collaborate, and the previously-introduced ‘Creator Fund’, which pays TikTok creators for their content dependent on various factors. ‘Creator Next’ arrives a few months after TikTok hit the one billion user mark in late September. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Siyabonga Sishi PORT EDWARD, South Africa (Reuters) – South Africans took to their beaches on Sunday to protest against plans by Royal Dutch Shell to do seimsic oil exploration they say will threaten marine wildlife such as whales, dolphins, seals and penguins on a pristine coastal stretch. A South African court on Friday struck down https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-wins-court-case-start-seismic-surveys-offshore-south-africa-2021-12-03 an application brought by environmentalists to stop the oil major exploring in the eastern seaboard’s Wild Coast, rejecting as unproven their argument that it would cause “irreparable harm” to the marine environment, especially migrating hump-back whales. The Wild Coast is home of some of the country’s most undisturbed wildlife refuges, and it’s stunning coastal wildernesses are also a major tourist draw. At least 1,000 demonstrators gathered on a beach near Port Edward, a Reuters TV correspondent saw. “It’s just absolutely horrendous that they are even considering this. Look around you?” said demonstrator Kas Wilson, indicating an unspoilt stretch of beach. “It’s unacceptable and … we will stop it.” Shell officials were not immediately available for comment, but the company said on Friday that its planned exploration has regulatory approval, and it will significantly contribute to South Africa’s energy security if resources are found. But local people fear the seismic blasting conducted over 6,000 square kilometres will kill or scare away the fish they depend on to live. “I don’t want them to operate here because if they do we won’t be able to catch fish,” said 62-year-old free dive fisherwoman Toloza Mzobe, after pulling a wild lobster from the ground. “What are we going to eat?” Environmentalists are urging Shell and other oil companies to stop prospecting for oil, arguing that the world has no chance of reaching net zero carbon by 2050 if existing oil deposits are burned, let alone if new ones are found. Earlier this year, a Dutch court ordered Shell to reduce its planet warming carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels, a decision it plans to appeal. South Africa’s environment ministry referred Reuters to a statement late last month that “the Minister responsible for environmental affairs is … not mandated to consider the application or to make a decision on the authorisation of the seismic survey.” (Writing by Tim Cocks;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -A green massage table seized from Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach estate was carried into a Manhattan federal courtroom on Friday, where British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell is on trial for her alleged role in the sex abuse of underage girls. Prosecutors have said many of Epstein’s encounters with teenagers began as massages before escalating, calling the term “massage” a “ruse” to get girls to touch Epstein. Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes for allegedly recruiting and grooming girls for Epstein to abuse. Her attorneys argue she is being scapegoated because Epstein cannot be prosecuted, after killing himself in a Manhattan jail in 2019 at age 66 while awaiting trial on sex abuse charges. Maxwell is a former Epstein girlfriend. Jeffrey Parkinson, a retired police officer involved in the 2005 search as part of an investigation into Epstein’s conduct, testified on the fifth day of Maxwell’s trial that he carried the massage table from Epstein’s estate. Prosecutor Maurene Comey also showed jurors a photo of a box labeled “Twin Torpedos” that a colleague of Parkinson’s, Michael Dawson, said contained sex toys taken from an upstairs closet. “We were looking for massage tables, we were looking for massage oils, we were looking for sex toys, we were looking for correspondence,” Dawson testified on Friday afternoon. The demonstrations came after Epstein’s former house manager, Juan Alessi, completed his own testimony. Alessi had testified on Thursday that Epstein was receiving about three massages every day by the time he left his job in 2002. He said he sometimes found sex toys while cleaning the massage room and stored them in Maxwell’s bathroom. Alessi called Maxwell the “lady of the house” at the Palm Beach property, saying she often directed him to schedule Epstein’s massages, and that he sometimes drove her on scouting missions to spas to find new therapists for Epstein. A woman who identified herself as Jane testified this week that she frequently massaged Epstein at the Palm Beach home while she was a teenager in the mid-1990s. She said Epstein often touched her sexually during their encounters, in which Maxwell sometimes participated. Epstein sometimes paid her, she added. Alessi testified that Jane’s real name was in a directory he kept of Epstein’s masseusses. He also said that before Epstein and Maxwell arrived in Florida for the weekend, the house staff was instructed to place several $100 bills in Epstein’s cars. Maxwell’s attorneys on Friday sought to challenge Jane’s recollection of the events when cross-examining Alessi. They questioned his recollection of having met Jane in 1994, when she said she was first abused at 14, pointing to an earlier statement he made that he met her years later, when she might have been of legal age. Alessi replied that he did not remember the precise year he met Jane. Maxwell’s trial is expected to resume on Monday and last into January. (Reporting by Luc Cohen; Editing by Sandra Maler and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English 50 Cent has apologised to Madonna for making fun of her racy Instagram pictures. The ‘Material Girl’ hitmaker posted a photo of herself lying under a bed wearing, with 50 Cent comparing it to the Wicked Witch lying dead under the house in the classic movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’, which led to Madge posting a throwback photo of the pair where she slammed the ‘Candy Shop’ singer for “talking smack.” Apologising for his actions, the 46-year-old rapper wrote on Twitter: “I must have hurt Madonna feelings, she went and dug up a old MTV photo from 03. Ok I’m sorry, I did not intend to hurt your feelings. I don’t benefit from this in anyway I said what I thought when i saw the picture because of where I had seen it before i hope you accept my apology.”(sic) His apology comes after Madonna noticed the jibes and publicly blasted the star, calling him out for “pretending to be her friend.” She wrote on Instagram: “Here is 50 Cent pretending to be my friend. Now you have decided to talk smack about me. I guess your new career is getting attention by trying to humiliate others on social media. The least elevated choice you could make as an artist and an adult. You’r [sic] just jealous you won’t look as good as me or have as much fun when you are my age. “ In the original tweet, 50 Cent – whose real name is Curtis Jackson – wrote: “That’s Madonna under the bed trying to do ‘Like A Virgin’ at 63. She shot out, if she don’t get her old a** up.” The ‘Like a Prayer’ singer had initially posted the photos to Instagram in early November, but they were taken down after it was alleged that her nipple was exposed, thereby violating the social media platform’s nudity policy. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Holland and Tom Balmforth WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a video call on Tuesday to deal with military tensions over Ukraine other topics. Biden wants to discuss U.S. concerns about Russia’s military buildup on the Ukraine border, a U.S. source said on Saturday, as well as strategic stability, cyber and regional issues. “We’re aware of Russia’s actions for a long time and my expectation is we’re going to have a long discussion with Putin,” Biden told reporters on Friday as he departed for a weekend trip to Camp David. “I don’t accept anybody’s red lines,” he said. The two will also talk about bilateral ties and the implementation of agreements reached at their Geneva summit in June, the Kremlin said on Saturday. “The conversation will indeed take place on Tuesday,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. “Bilateral relations, of course Ukraine and the realisation of the agreements reached in Geneva are the main (items) on the agenda,” he said. More than 94,000 Russian troops are massed near Ukraine’s borders. Ukraine Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Friday https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/large-scale-russian-offensive-possible-january-ukraine-says-2021-12-03 that Moscow may be planning a large-scale military offensive for the end of January, citing intelligence reports. Biden will reaffirm the United States’ support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the U.S. source said. The exact timing of the call was not disclosed. The White House declined to comment. The U.S. president on Friday said he and his advisers are preparing a comprehensive set of initiatives aimed at deterring Putin from an invasion. He did not give further details, but the Biden administration has discussed partnering with European allies to impose more sanctions on Russia. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin separately said that Washington was committed to ensuring that Ukraine had what it needed to protect its territory. Austin added that there was a lot of space for diplomacy and leadership to work on Ukraine. Moscow accuses Kyiv of pursuing its own military build-up. It has dismissed as inflammatory suggestions that it is preparing for an attack on its southern neighbor and has defended its right to deploy troops on its own territory as it sees fit. U.S. officials say they do not know yet what Putin’s intentions are, adding while intelligence points to preparations for a possible invasion of Ukraine, it is unclear whether a final decision to do so has been made. U.S.-Russia relations have been deteriorating for years, notably with Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, its 2015 intervention in Syria and U.S. intelligence charges of meddling in the 2016 election won by now-former President Donald Trump. But they have become more volatile in recent months. The Biden administration has asked Moscow to crack down on ransomware and cyber crime attacks emanating from Russian soil, and in November charged a Ukraine national and a Russian in one of the worst ransomware attacks against American targets. Russia has repeatedly denied carrying out or tolerating cyber attacks. The two leaders have had one face-to-face meeting since Biden took office in January, sitting down for talks in Geneva last June. They last talked by phone on July 9. Biden relishes direct talks with world leaders, seeing them as a way to lower tensions. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Stockholm earlier this week that the United States and its European allies would impose “severe costs and consequences on Russia if it takes further aggressive action against Ukraine.” (Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Krystal Hu and Juby Babu (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s new social media venture said on Saturday it had entered into agreements to raise about $1 billion from a group of unidentified investors as it prepares to float in the U.S. stock market. The capital raise, details of which were first reported by Reuters on Wednesday, underscored the former U.S. president’s ability to attract strong financial backing thanks to his personal and political brand. He is working to launch a social media app called TRUTH Social that is at least several weeks away. Digital World Acquisition Corp, the blank-check acquisition firm that will take Trump Media & Technology Group Corp public by listing it in New York, said it will provide up to $293 million to the partnership with Trump’s media venture, taking the total proceeds to about $1.25 billion. The $1 billion will be raised through a private investment in public equity (PIPE) transaction from “a diverse group of institutional investors,” Trump Media and Digital World said in a statement. They did not respond to requests to name the investors. Trump Media inked its deal with Digital World to go public in October at a valuation of $875 million, including debt. The social media venture is now valued at almost $4 billion based on the price of Digital World shares at the end of trading on Friday. Trump supporters and day traders snapped up the stock. Many Wall Street firms such as mutual funds and private equity firms snubbed the opportunity to invest in the PIPE. Among those investors who participated were hedge funds, family offices and high net-worth individuals, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Family offices manage the wealth of the very rich and their kin. Some Wall Street investors are reluctant to associate with Trump. He was banned from top social media platforms after the Jan. 6 attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol amid concerns he would inspire further violence. The Capitol attack was based on unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud in last year’s presidential election. “As our balance sheet expands, Trump Media & Technology Group will be in a stronger position to fight back against the tyranny of Big Tech,” Trump said in a statement on Saturday. The deal also faces regulatory risk. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren asked Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler last month to investigsate the planned merger for potential violations of securities laws around disclosure. The SEC has declined to comment on whether it plans any action. Trump Media and Digital World said the per-share conversion price of the convertible preferred stock PIPE transaction represents a 20% discount to Digital World’s volume-weighted average closing price for the five trading days to Dec. 1, when Reuters broke news of the capital raise. If that price averages below $56 in the 10 days after the merger with Digital World has been completed, the discount will grow to 40% with a floor of $10, the companies added. Digital World shares ended trading on Friday $44.97. Trump had 89 million followers on Twitter, 33 million on Facebook and 24.5 million on Instagram at the time he was blocked, according to a presentation on his company’s website. Investors attending the confidential investor road shows were shown a demo from the planned social media app, which looked like a Twitter feed, Reuters reported. FIRST-QUARTER ROLLOUT Since Trump was voted out of office last year, he has repeatedly dropped hints that he might seek the presidency in 2024. Special purpose acquisition companies such as Digital World had lost much of their luster with retail investors before the Trump media deal came along. Many of these investors were left with big losses after the companies that merged with SPACs failed to deliver on their ambitious financial projections. TRUTH Social is scheduled for a full rollout in the first quarter of 2022. It is the first of three stages in the Trump Media plan, followed by a subscription video-on-demand service called TMTG+ that will feature entertainment, news and podcasts, according to the news release. In a slide deck on its website, the company envisions eventually competing against Amazon.com’s AWS cloud service and Google Cloud. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Gaga thinks ‘House of Gucci’ must be “extremely painful” for the real-life Gucci family. The 35-year-old popstar stars as convict Patrizia Reggiani in the movie, who was married to head of the fashion house Maurizio Gucci and arranged for him to be shot dead in 1995. She said: “This must be extremely painful to watch. A true life story come through in what is essentially our version of what we believe to be the truth and [director] Ridley Scott’s version of the story.” The ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker went on “extend her love” to the Gucci family, as she claims she “did her best” to tell a story of survival. Speaking on NPR’s ‘Morning Edition’, she explained: ” I just – I extend my love to the family. And I did my best to make this performance about something more important than even the story itself, which is a story about women and survival.” Gaga’s comments come after the heirs of former chairman Aldo Gucci released a statement blasting the “inaccurate” way their family had been portrayed on screen. The statement read: “Although the film claims to tell the ‘true story’ of the family, the narrative is anything but accurate, depicting Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years — and other members of the Gucci family who were the protagonists of well-documented events, as hooligans, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them. Even more censurable is the baffling reconstruction of events that advocate leniency toward a woman who was definitively convicted as the instigator of Maurizio Gucci’s murder. To see her portrayed as a victim — not only in the film but also in statements by the cast — who is trying to survive in a male-dominated corporate culture, is an injustice and could not be further from the truth.” View the full article

Colton Underwood Out Everywhere. Tough Questions (and salted rims?) With Pose Actor/Logo Host Johnny Sibilly ; Ptown Advice From Gus Kenworthy; Netflix And Shade From The Bachelor Nation, And 36,000 People Missed The Dave Chappelle Thing and Signed a Petition Asking Netflix not to Platform Underwood Further. https://www.pinterest.com/michaelgoff/sites/?invite_code=4f89b901a33f4e7b84b808aed74c67db&sender=229402312177618782 Colton Underwood Out Towleroad U.S. to restart Trump-era border program forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico More Jeffrey Epstein’s House Manager Claims He Found ‘Huge’ D-uh-letto In Late Billionaire’s Massage Room, Admits To Chauffeuring Accuser From School To Private Jet When She Was Just 14 Years Old More Diverse doubts: How vaccine scepticism takes root More Two Georgia election workers sue far-right website over false fraud allegations More Kamala Harris spokeswoman quits as VP hits bumpy patch More Pro-Trump lawyers ordered to pay $175,000 for ‘frivolous’ election lawsuit More Taliban release decree saying women must consent to marriage More Cardi B joins Playboy as creative director in residence More Tom Ford finding life ‘very hard’ without husband More Kathy Griffin Is Joining Donald Trump’s Niece Mary Trump In Court To Support His Rape Accuser E. Jean Carroll More New museum in Caceres cements town’s status as Spain’s next big thing More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ted Hesson and Dave Graham (Reuters) -The Biden administration will restart a contentious Trump-era border program that forces asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S. immigration hearings, in keeping with a federal court order, U.S. and Mexican officials said on Thursday. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has struggled in his first year in office to reverse many hardline immigration policies put in place by his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, and is facing a record number of migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border. Biden ended https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-protocols/u-s-ends-program-sending-asylum-seekers-to-mexico-to-wait-for-court-hearings-idUSKBN29Q03X the Trump policy known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) soon after his inauguration in January as part of a promise to implement what he called a more humane approach to immigration. But a federal judge ruled Biden’s rescission did not follow proper procedure and in August ordered the policy’s reinstatement. The U.S. government said it had to wait for Mexico’s agreement before restarting MPP. “The United States accepted all the conditions that we set out,” said one Mexican official. The United States will take steps to address Mexico’s humanitarian concerns about the program, the U.S. and Mexican officials said, including offering COVID-19 vaccines to returning migrants and exempting more categories of people deemed vulnerable. Migrants also will be asked if they have a fear of persecution or torture in Mexico before being enrolled in the program, and have access to legal representation, U.S. officials said during a call with reporters on Thursday. Immigration advocates say MPP exposed migrants to violence and kidnappings in dangerous border cities, where people camped out as they waited for their hearings. Any migrant from the Western Hemisphere could be placed in the reworked MPP program, one of the U.S. officials said. The number of Haitians and Venezuelans caught at the U.S.-Mexico border has jumped in the past year, adding to large numbers of Mexican and Central American crossers. At the same time, the Biden administration is still trying to end the MPP program, issuing a new rescission memo in the hopes it will resolve the court’s legal concerns. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in October that the Trump program had “endemic flaws” and “unjustifiable human costs.” The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, has called for ending the program, saying it puts asylum seekers at risk and harms their due process rights. “The announced adjustments to the policy are not sufficient to address these fundamental concerns,” UNHCR representative Matthew Reynolds said in a statement. The policy was a cornerstone of Trump’s immigration crackdown. During his administration, tens of thousands of people who entered at the U.S.-Mexico land border were sent back to Mexico to wait months – sometimes years – to present their cases at U.S. immigration hearings held in makeshift courtrooms near the border. Many migrants failed to appear in court amid the long delays and dangers in Mexico. The MPP program will restart on Monday, likely with a small number of migrants at a single U.S. border crossing, one of the U.S. officials said. Returns to Mexico will eventually take place at seven border crossings in California, Arizona and Texas, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CONFUSING MIX The reinstatement of MPP adds to a confusing mix of immigration policies in place at the U.S.-Mexico border, where arrests reached a record 1.7 million in the 2021 fiscal year, which ended in September. Even as Biden tried to end MPP, his administration continued to implement a Trump-era public health order known as Title 42, which allows border authorities to rapidly expel migrants without giving them a chance to claim asylum. Nearly two-thirds of migrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border this fiscal year have been expelled under the Title 42 order. Now migrants caught at the U.S.-Mexico border will be evaluated to determine whether they can be quickly expelled under Title 42, one U.S. official said. Those who cannot be expelled will either be returned to Mexico with an MPP court date or released or detained in the United States. Exceptions will be made for migrants with health issues, the elderly and those at risk of discrimination in Mexico, particularly based on gender identity and sexual orientation, a different U.S. official said. The United States and Mexico will arrange transportation for migrants waiting in Mexican shelters so that they can attend their court hearings in the United States, another U.S. official said. But local officials in Mexico said many border shelters are already full and overwhelmed. Mexico is also struggling https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-IMMIGRATION/MEXICO/mopankddwva with makeshift migrant encampments that have popped up along the border in the past year. Migrants with cases in the Texas cities of Laredo and Brownsville will be placed in shelters farther away from the U.S.-Mexico border to avoid security risks in the Mexican border cities of Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros, the U.S. official said. The Biden administration will dedicate 22 immigration judges to hear MPP cases in an effort to ensure they are completed within 180 days, a separate U.S. official said. One Mexican official said the government expected under the revised MPP program that 10%-15% of people who cross the border will end up returning to the United States for a court hearing. (Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Dave Graham in Mexico City; Additional reporting by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco and Lizbeth Diaz in Mexico city; Editing by Mica Rosenberg, Daniel Wallis and Peter Cooney) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Talk about a dirty job. Jeffrey Epstein’s embittered Palm Beach handyman testified on Thursday of his humiliating duties cleaning and stowing the billionaire’s two-headed dildo, shuttling underage girls to and from his Palm Beach mansion, and suffering degrading micro-management under the withering gaze of gal pal Ghislaine Maxwell. SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE The house manager, Juan Patricio Alessi, 72, took the witness stand in the trial of Maxwell, a British publishing heiress, who is accused of grooming underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. Alessi, an Ecuadorian immigrant, joined the wealthy businessman’s domestic staff in 1990 at the recommendation of the mom of fashion mogulLes Wexner, who gave Epstein his start in business. He would begin at 5 AM and would be at the creepy couple’s beck and call until 9 PM. “I was in charge of running the house, cleaning, maintenance, shopping, the gardeners, the pool man,” he said. “Too many hours.” They didn’t even call him by his name, he says they called him “John.” Once Maxwell joined the household, he claims his relationship with Epstein changed. “She told me, ‘Jeffrey doesn’t like me to look at his eyes, don’t look at his eyes, look at another part of the room,” Alessi recalled. MEGA He was even given a 58-page household manual that detailed everything from how to stock the bathroom to which side of the telephone to place the phone directory. Staff was sent to a symposium in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to learn the rules of Epstein’s many mansions. “It was very degrading,” he said. “It was degrading to the staff. I wasn’t hired for that type of work.” There were rules about how to clean, how to dress, and how to shop. He was told to make sure that there were hundred-dollar bills in all the cars when he cleaned them. They were told to “anticipate the needs of Mr. Epstein, Ms. Maxwell and guests.” They were never to discuss personal problems. “Remember that you see nothing, you hear nothing and you say nothing, except to answer a question,” the manual instructed. “I was supposed to be blind, deaf and dumb regarding their life,” he told the court. Alessi recalled seeing “many, many” women coming and going from the estate, often lounging topless by the pool. On the walls of the Palm Beach mansion hung photos of Epstein with famous men, he said, like former President Donald Trump, the Pope, and Fidel Castro. Maxwell’s desk in the house had photos of topless women that had been taken by the pool. He chauffeured Epstein’s first alleged teenage victim, now a grown woman who works as an actress on a popular soap opera, from her high school. Her name has been kept confidential by the judge. He also alleged he drove her to the airport as a 14-year-old to jet off with Epstein on his private plane. Alessi says he remembered driving Virginia Roberts. She accused Epstein of forcing her to sleep with Prince Andrew when she was underage. MEGA When Roberts’ boyfriend drove her to Epstein’s estate, Maxwell would make him sit in his car, the handyman testified. Among the more thankless tasks that Alessi told of performing was cleaning up the massage room after one of the billionaire’s thrice-daily rubdowns. Several times, strewn among the towels and the oils in the massage room, Alessi said he found Epstein’s sex toys. “I remember finding a large dildo,” he told the jury. “It looked like a huge, man’s penis with two heads.” Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, the daughter of the former U.S. Attorney General James Comey, asked him what he did with the phallus after discovering it. “I put my gloves on, put it in the sink underwater, cleaned it, and put it in Ms. Maxwell’s closet,” Alessi responded. He said that there was a wicker basket in her bathroom closet with a vinyl costume and pornographic tapes. Alessi claimed he burned out of the job and after falling ill he left Epstein’s staff in 2000, returning only once more in 2004 when he broke into the mansion and stole $6,300. “I was having a lot of pressure in my marriage, I got involved with another woman and I had a lot of financial problems,” he said. He snuck in through a sliding glass door and lifted the money from a satchel in Epstein’s desk. A short time later he got a call from the businessman, saying “We need to talk.” When they met Epstein showed Alessi a surveillance photo of him in the house, but he didn’t call the cops. “The agreement was that it was going to be a loan,” he said. “He would not press charges because of the type of employee I was.” Alessi said he was good to his word and paid him back. MEGA View the full article