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Published by BANG Showbiz English Mary Lambert is engaged. The ‘She Keeps Me Warm’ singer is getting married to her long-term partner Wyatt Hermansen, something she “dreamt” of for a lifetime. She shared the news on Instagram: “I’ve dreamt of this moment my whole life. We’re gonna get married in front of god and everybody!!!!! I love you Wyatt Paige Hermansen!!!” The note was shared along with a slideshow of the pair – who have dated for three and half years – celebrating their upcoming nuptials. The 32-year-old star also spilled about how Wyatt had popped the question at a gig in Fayette in Arkansas, as well as posting a video of the moment. During the show, Wyatt put down their guitar and made their way to Mary as she was playing the piano. Along the video, Mary wrote: “Three and a half years ago, I met the handsomest, funniest, most brilliant, kind, and warm person in the entire universe. I had about 5 glasses of champagne, we split a giant pretzel [pretzel emoji], laughed a ton, and shared our bipolar diagnoses with each other.” The ‘Heart On My Sleeve’ singer hailed her engagement “a divine moment” and the “deepest act of love.” Mary – who featured on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ 2021 hit ‘Same Love’ – continued: “And now, this divine moment – so perfectly captured – feels meteoric. Watching my love get down on one knee felt like the deepest act of choosing. What an incredible honor to love Wyatt, to be their fiancé, to build a family and a home and a life and maybe several more dogs (????).” According to Mary,the Fayette show was “so special” even before the proposal as it was at an event focusing on mental health, queer issues and radical self-love at the University of Arkansas. She continued: “Performing this show in Fayetteville was already so special, and is now THE BEST EVENT IN HISTORY EVER. I can’t stop happy crying. My life is so full. What a gift, what joy, what blessing, what kindness, what hope, what love.” Wyatt is equally thrilled to be getting married. They wrote on their own Instagram: “I still cannot believe she’s going to be my wife. I am walking on air! The whole world feels brighter.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonah Hill will play Jerry Garcia in Martin Scorsese’s Grateful Dead biopic. The 37-year-old actor has been tapped to play the late rocker in Scorsese’s latest project for Apple. Jonah is set to produce the flick through his Strong Baby banner with his producing partner Matt Dines. Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann will executive produce with Jerry’s daughter Trixie Garcia, Eric Eisner and Bernie Cahill. Insiders say that with the band and their management participating in the movie, Apple will have the rights to use the group’s musical catalogue in the project. Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski are writing the script after previously working on the acclaimed ‘American Crime Story: The People vs O.J. Simpson’ while Scorsese is also set to produce. It is unknown what will be covered in the movie, but the story of the group goes back to its formation in California during the 1960s. The band were known for their eclectic style and had a loyal fanbase following them across the United States for decades. Frontman Garcia passed away in 1995, although surviving members have carried on in various incarnations. Scorsese has a long track record of producing and directing rock documentaries, including the 2017 Grateful Dead feature ‘Long Strange Trip’ – but this would mark the first time that the legendary filmmaker has travelled down the biopic route for a legendary musical act. The project will reunite Hill and Scorsese, who first collaborated on ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, and the two have been looking for something to work together on ever since. Scorsese – whose film credits include ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘Cape Fear’ – is also teaming up with Apple on ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, the Western crime drama that will star Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons. View the full article

Published by DPA “The Last Supper (Pink)” is among the works on display at a Brooklyn Museum show exploring Warhol’s deep connection to the Catholic faith. Christina Horsten/dpa Andy Warhol’s strong connection to Catholicism is the focus of a new exhibition exploring how the US pop artist’s works reflect his relationship with the Christian faith. New York’s Brooklyn Museum, staging the show, says it is the first exhibition to address this aspect of Warhol’s art, which is better known to many for its celebration of consumerist imagery and Hollywood celebrities. “Although Andy Warhol is one of the most celebrated and recognizable artists of the twentieth century, his Byzantine Catholic upbringing, and its profound impact on his life and work, remains a lesser known facet of his career,” the exhibition’s curators write. Around 100 pieces – including paintings, films, photographs and personal items – are on display in the exhibition, which opens on Friday and is scheduled to run until June 19, 2022. Among the highlights is Warhol’s pink-tinted version of Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”. Warhol was born Andrew Warhola into a Pittsburgh family that emigrated from what is now Slovakia. His Catholic mother Julia, who later moved with him to New York, had a great influence on her son’s life and work. The Brooklyn Museum, which opened in 1887, is New York’s second-largest exhibition space and houses natural science and ethnological collections, as well as design and art of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Andy Warhol in 1971: A new Brooklyn Museum show is exploring the artist’s deep connection to the Catholic faith. Lothar Parschauer/dpa “Ten Punching Bags” by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat is among the works on display at a Brooklyn Museum show exploring Warhol’s deep connection to the Catholic faith. Christina Horsten/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social policy and climate package, sending it back to the Senate where it is likely to be modified further. Here is what the latest version contains, according to the White House: FAMILY BENEFITS – Free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds – Support for childcare costs: Families that earn less than $300,000 a year would pay no more than 7% of their income on childcare – Tax credits worth up to $300 a child per month – Bolsters coverage of home-care costs for the elderly and disabled through the Medicaid health program – Expands free school meals and provides $65 a month in grocery money during summer months for 29 million low-income children who are eligible for free lunches at school CLIMATE – Rebates and credits to cut the cost of rooftop solar systems by 30% and American-made, union-made electric vehicles by $12,500 – Incentives to encourage U.S. manufacturing of clean energy technology and shift other industries to reduce carbon emissions – Creates a 300,000-strong Civilian Climate Corps to work on environmental and climate projects – Creates a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator to invest in climate-related projects, with at least 40% serving disadvantaged communities – New spending on coastal restoration, forest management and soil conservation HEALTHCARE – Enables the Medicare health plan for seniors to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs that have been on the market for at least nine years – Penalizes drug companies that increase prices faster than inflation – Caps out-of-pocket prescription drug prices at $2,000 a year and lowers insulin prices to $35 a month – Expands Medicare to cover hearing aids – Reduces Affordable Care Act premiums by an average of $600 per person a year – Expands Medicaid coverage to low-income people in the 12 states that have opted not to expand the program on their own HOUSING – Expands affordable housing, public housing and rental assistance programs – Broadens down-payment assistance to bolster home ownership – Expands lead-paint removal efforts – Supports community-led redevelopment in low-income neighborhoods – Encourages local governments to ease zoning restrictions that limit housing density EDUCATION – Increases Pell Grants for college costs – More aid for historically Black colleges and other minority-serving schools – Boosts the Labor Department’s job-training programs by 50% IMMIGRATION – $100 billion in “immigration reform,” which is additional funding beyond the $1.75 trillion – Efforts to reduce backlogs, expand legal services and improve border processing and asylum programs OTHER PROGRAMS – Expands a tax credit for low-income workers to cover those who do not have children – More money for rural projects – Supports community violence intervention TAXES – 15% minimum tax on corporate profits for companies with more than $1 billion in profits – 1% surcharge on stock buybacks – 15% minimum tax on foreign profits of U.S. corporations – 5% surtax on personal income above $10 million – additional 3% surtax on income above $25 million – close loophole to prevent wealthy from avoiding 3.8% Medicare tax – bolster the Internal Revenue Service to improve customer service and focus enforcement on wealthy tax evaders – expands a deduction for state and local taxes that primarily benefits upper-income households in high-tax states. Republicans reduced that benefit in their 2017 tax-cut package. (Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) View the full article

Published by Reuters BETHESDA, Md. (Reuters) – President Joe Biden will transfer power to Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday for the period during which he will be under anesthesia for a routine colonoscopy he will undergo as part of his annual physical, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Katharine Jackson) View the full article

Biden General Motors visit leverages the president’s love of cars to promote Hummer EVs and Electric Vehicles in general. [This post contains video, click to play] Published by Reuters By Jeff Mason and Jarrett Renshaw DETROIT (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden climbed behind the wheel of an electric Hummer SUV on Wednesday and sped off with a screeching of tires, in a test drive to tout billions of dollars in electric vehicle investment. “Anyone want to jump in the back, or on the roof?” Biden asked reporters after taking a few laps at a General Motors plant. “These suckers are something else!” The test drive, at a General Motors Co electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit, the largest city in Michigan, was part of a nationwide White House tour promoting the $1 trillion infrastructure bill Biden, a Democrat, signed into law on Monday. The law provides $7.5 billion in funding to build out the nation’s electric vehicle charging network, investments the industry says will inspire more Americans to buy electric vehicles, and manufacturers to produce them. Electric vehicle sales accounted for just 1.8% of the U.S. new vehicle market in 2020. In Detroit, Biden lavished praise on Detroit’s Big Three automakers, especially GM, for embracing EVs. “In the auto industry, Detroit’s leading the world in electric vehicles,” Biden said. He did not mention Tesla Inc, the U.S. automaker that accounts for nearly 80% of U.S. EV sales but is not unionized. “You know, up until now, China has been leading in this race,” Biden said, speaking about EV manufacturing. “That’s about to change” because of infrastructure law, he said. Biden’s approval ratings have dropped as inflation increases, and Democrats are promoting the bi-partisan bill as proof the party can deliver in a divided America. Michigan is a key political battleground state in U.S. elections. NEXT UP, THOUSANDS IN EV TAX CREDITS Biden also touted his proposed $2 trillion social safety net spending plan being debated in Washington.The bill contains up to $12,500 in tax credits for U.S.-made EVs, including a $4,500 credit for union-made vehicles. The bill is a key pillar of Biden’s domestic agenda but progressive and moderate lawmakers in his party have not yet agreed on what exactly should be in it. Biden stressed Wednesday the “Build Back Better” bill would be paid for by increasing taxes on corporations, turning to GM CEO Mary Barra to make his point that big companies are not paying as much as they should. “Guess what? They ain’t paying enough,” Biden said. “Sorry Mary.” With Americans jittery over inflation and the prospect of a shortage of goods during the holiday season, Biden said he had been assured by executives of Wal-Mart and Target that they would have plenty of items to buy despite supply-chain woes. “Their inventories are up and they’ll have all the toys, food and other items that shoppers are looking for in the holiday season. That’s going to happen,” he said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by David Shepardson; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Mary Milliken, Stephen Coates, Karishma Singh, Heather Timmons and Lincoln Feast.) Biden General Motors Hummer EV on Towleroad Tennis-WTA threatens to pull tournaments out of China over Peng More US authorizes Covid boosters for all over 18s More Majority of U.S. House votes for Biden’s $1.75 trillion bill; voting continues More Drag, Comedy and Theater Keep Gay Travelers Laughing In Key West More Moon lighting: partial lunar eclipse to be longest since 1440 More Meet The Queen Frontman Few Came To Know In Psychologically Thrilling Documentary ‘Freddie Mercury: Inside His Mind’ More Madonna Is Still ‘Hellbent’ On ‘Righting The Wrongs’ Of Britney Spears’ Conservatorship After Judge Officially Frees Singer More U.S. to allow texting to new ‘988’ suicide prevention hotline More U.S. House could vote on ‘Build Back Better’ Thursday -Pelosi More Matt Gaetz May Hire Kyle Rittenhouse As Congressional Intern, Republican Politician Thinks Accused Murderer Is ‘Not Guilty’ More Antibody protection after mild COVID-19 may not last; an estimated 100 million people have had long COVID More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tony Munroe BEIJING (Reuters) – An outcry over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai escalated on Friday as the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said it was prepared to pull its tournaments out of China over the issue, prompting an influential Chinese state media editor to criticise the organisation for using a “coercive tone”. Former doubles world number one Peng has not been seen or heard from publicly since she said on Chinese social media on Nov. 2 that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. Neither Zhang or the Chinese government have commented on her allegation. Peng’s social media post was quickly deleted and the topic has been blocked from discussion on China’s heavily censored internet. Concern among the global tennis community and beyond has grown over Peng’s safety and whereabouts since her allegation, with the WTA calling for an investigation. Some of the world’s top tennis players, including Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, as well as the German Olympic Committee, have tweeted #WhereIsPengShuai. The issue has also emerged as China prepares to host the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February amid calls from global rights groups and others for a boycott over its human rights record. The International Olympic Committee has declined to comment on Peng’s matter, saying it believed “quiet diplomacy” offered the best opportunity for a solution. Liz Throssell, a U.N. human rights spokesperson, called for proof of her whereabouts and wellbeing as well as a transparent investigation into her allegations. WTA Chief Executive Steve Simon told various U.S. media outlets on Thursday the tour would consider pulling tournaments worth tens of millions of dollars out of China. “We’re definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it,” he told CNN in an interview. “Because this is certainly, this is bigger than the business. Women need to be respected and not censored.” FOCUS OF EXPANSION Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times, responded to Simon’s comments on Friday on Twitter, saying “don’t use a coercive tone when expressing any concern to China. “Perhaps you did it out of goodwill. But you should understand China, including understanding how the system you dislike has promoted the actual rights of the 1.4 billion Chinese,” said Hu, whose newspaper is published by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily. The WTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Hu’s tweet. China has been the focus of the WTA’s most aggressive expansion over the last decade and hosted nine tournaments in the 2019 season with a total $30.4 million of prize money on offer. The season-ending WTA Finals had a prize purse of $14 million in 2019 when it was played in Shenzhen for the first time. The Finals were cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved this year to Guadalajara, Mexico, but the WTA has said it will return to Shenzhen from 2022 until 2030. Streaming platform iQiyi is the WTA’s digital rights partner in China, signing a 10-year deal reportedly worth $120 million. The deal commenced in 2017. HEAVILY CENSORED IN CHINA The hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai has so far racked up over 32 million mentions on Facebook’s Instagram and Twitter, according to hashtag analysis website BrandMentions. Both platforms are blocked in China. In contrast, the topic remains heavily censored in China’s tightly controlled cyberspace. As of Friday, searches for the WTA’s official account on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform yielded no results although its account remained available. Peng’s name on Weibo also continues to show no search results. Peng had not been seen or heard from since her post until Wednesday, when the WTA’s Simon said he had received an email purporting to be from Peng and denying the allegations of sexual assault, which he cast doubt over. A Chinese state media outlet also released the letter on Twitter. Hu, who has a uniquely high profile in China’s tightly controlled state media, weighed in on the scandal on Twitter earlier on Friday, saying he does not believe she has been the target of retribution. “As a person who is familiar with Chinese system, I don’t believe Peng Shuai has received retaliation and repression speculated by foreign media for the thing people talked about,” he said on Twitter. He did not make any similar comment on his official account on Weibo. (Reporting by Tony Munroe in Beijing and Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Additional reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Kim Coghill and Alex Richardson) View the full article

Published by AFP Covid-19 booster shots were previously available in the United States to the immune compromised, over 65s, people at high risk of severe disease and in high risk occupations Washington (AFP) – The United States authorized the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccine boosters to all people aged 18 and older on Friday, as the world’s hardest-hit country enters a new winter wave of the pandemic. Boosters were previously available to the immune compromised, over 65s, people at high risk of severe disease and people in high risk occupations. The new decision “helps to provide continued protection against Covid-19, including the serious consequences that can occur, such as hospitalization and death,” said acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock in a statement. “This emergency use authorization comes at a critical time as we enter the winter months and face increasing Covid-19 case counts and hospitalizations across the country,” added Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel. The FDA said it based its decision on strong immune response data from hundreds of people dosed with the two vaccines. Pfizer also carried out a clinical trial involving 10,000 people aged over 16 which found that the booster showed an efficacy against symptomatic infection of more than 95 percent compared to those who did not receive a booster. This study was not cited by the FDA in making its decision, but it could nevertheless indicate the Pfizer vaccine works best as a three-dose shot — or that the three-week time interval between first and second dose was never long enough to induce the best immune response. Both vaccines are available to people six months after completing their primary series. Pfizer’s vaccine is dosed at 30 micrograms, the same as the primary series, while Moderna’s is 50 micrograms, half the primary series. People who received the Johnson & Johnson one dose vaccine were already eligible for a booster two months after their first shot. The booster decision comes as cases are rapidly rising nationally, reaching 88,000 new infections per day on average as the country enters its fifth wave, according to the latest data. Misgivings – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a meeting later Friday to discuss clinical recommendations for who should now seek a vaccine. The meeting should provide greater insight into the thinking of top federal advisors, some of whom have expressed misgivings about a “booster bonanza.” The vast majority of those people becoming hospitalized or dying with Covid are unvaccinated, and thus the best way to control the winter wave would be to reach those people, rather than topping up the vaccinated, the critics say. A potential downside, they argue, is that vaccine holdouts might conclude the shots are ineffective. Another risk is a greater number of cases of vaccine-linked heart inflammation (myocarditis), especially among younger males. Both companies are conducting post authorization studies to assess the risks of myocarditis. Experts are in broad agreement that boosters alone can’t resolve the pandemic while the poorest countries, especially in Africa, remain stuck in the single digit percentages for people covered by their primary vaccination series. Last week, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus decried the fact that rich countries are administering six times more vaccine doses everyday than low-income countries are delivering primary doses. This increases the risk of new variants of concern emerging in those regions, which could eventually evade the protective action of current vaccines. View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A majority of the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act on Friday morning, as voting continued on the bill. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Washington) View the full article

Randy Roberts as Better Midler at LaTeDa in Key West. Despite the draw of a vacation spent entirely in the buff, there are plenty of good reasons to throw on a pair of shorts and hit the town in Key West. The island paradise and must-visit gay travel destination boasts lively nightlife and topnotch restaurants, but look a little closer and find a thriving artistic community highlighted by one of the queer community’s greatest strengths: humor. After a day soaking up the sunshine and a dinner date at any of Key West’s mouth-watering restaurants, nothing washes down dessert better than a show. Queer travelers looking for a gut-busting evening of entertainment have no shortage of options on the island, from live theater to drag shows and stand-up comedy. True to the spirit of the island, the Key West sense of humor is eclectic and not afraid to get naughty. When that permissive atmosphere meets the talent of the community, magic happens nearly nightly. We spoke with some of Key West’s favorite LGBTQ writers and performers about what makes the local scene so special and where to find a few laughs on your next visit. Randy Roberts captivates as Cher at LaTeDa in Key West.You Better Believe On a Thursday evening in Key West earlier this fall, a rowdy room is screaming along to a live performance of “Believe,” by Cher. There’s a married straight couple, traveling with siblings, a table packed with gay friends having a guys night out, two young nurses and more, all enthralled by what they’re witnessing. The diva’s perfect pucker, her long, raven hair, that unmistakable voice. It’s not Cher on stage, of course, but it hardly matters. Instead, the audience is en rapt by yet another performance from legendary showman, Randy Roberts. Alongside fellow celebrity impersonator Christopher Peterson, Roberts reigns over the cabaret theater of LaTeDa on Duval Street. He wows crowds with his Bette Midler, Mae West and, of course, Cher. “Cher has become a rock concert,” he tells me one morning over a post-workout smoothie beside the Island House pool. “Cher brings them in, but Randy brings them back.” He’s right. The makeup is incredible, he nails all the signature mannerisms and the actual live singing makes the chic cabaret theater feel like an arena. But that’s not what makes it such a delightful evening. Randy shines just as brightly when he drops the impersonations, whether that’s showing off his vocal chops outside the diva canon or in all the playful banter between numbers. As Bette or Cher or Randy, there’s not a moment where Roberts’ command of the stage isn’t on display. He’s particularly adept at needling a few of the straight audience members. “My show is 80-90 percent straight most nights,” he said. “They bring their kids and their grandparents and everybody.” It’s another perfect example of the island’s One Human Family ethos. Key West prides itself on its ability to invite visitors to “come as you are” and leave their inhibitions at home. It’s easy to let go when you’re in paradise, but there’s more to the island’s allure than climate. Key West drag superstar Epiphany onstage at Aqua. Key West’s Duval Street Is Dense with Drag “Drag sort of created what we see as modern Key West,” said Epiphany, a performer at Aqua on Duval Street. “People came down here in the ’70s and ’80s to escape — similar to Fire Island, they went to the farthest place they can go to be themselves.” Unlike many cities, drag isn’t relegated to a gay neighborhood. (The entire island could be considered a gayborhood.) Instead, the main drag clubs are all prominently located smack on Duval Street, one of Key West’s leading tourist destinations for shopping, dining and entertainment. Aqua is just a short walk from LaTeDa, where Randy performs. At Aqua, the gals lip sync to pop hits that delight the crowd. Between the two venues there’s also 801 Bourbon Bar, home to the 801 Girls led by the world-famous Sushi. Their proximity makes a “drag crawl” (or, let’s be honest, a drag stumble) easily achievable in an evening. Or, if you’re more of a morning person, there are drag brunches around the island. “There are drag shows for all different audiences,” Epiphany said. “It’s amazing we can live on this island that’s 2-miles-by-4-miles and have that.” Key West resident and writer Hy Conrad. Key West’s History of Humor Long before today’s queens were teetering on heels along Duval Street, Key West was a haven for all kinds of artists. Roberts is quick to rattle off writers that have lived on or have some connection to the island: Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Nancy Friday, Judy Bloom, the list goes on. “Artists in Key West have always been important,” Roberts “I don’t know if it’s the location in the world, I don’t know about the spiritual aspect of it, but they’re drawn here.” One such artist is writer Hy Conrad, best known as a writer and co-executive producer on Monk as well as work on White Collar and The Good Cop. Conrad was inspired to move to the island with his husband after visiting with comedy legend Steve Martin and being impressed with the theater community. “The last thing we wanted was to find a place that felt very middle class and ordinary and people just gave up,” Conrad said. “A place where people just make a living and not trying to get the most out of their lives.” Conrad certainly isn’t slowing down. Now, he’s getting ready for the opening of his latest play, “Quarantine for Two” at Key West’s Red Barn Theatre in February. The mystery-comedy is not only in Conrad’s wheelhouse, but he thinks it’s a great fit for the island’s sensibilities. “Key West audiences are more discerning than the usual small-town audience, but they still like the popular things,” he said. “People like musicals, they like comedies.” There’s more theater to be found at the Waterfront Playhouse, located in Mallory Square, as well as the Fringe Theater Key West, which changes locations for different productions. Both theaters have shows (musicals, comedies and more) announced for 2022. As for what makes the theater community so unique, Conrad says it all comes down to the people. “I think because it has a very community feel, there are a lot of smart people here,” Conrad said. “Rob Reiner once described Hollywood as ‘high school with money,’ and I’ve always thought Key West was like junior high with an open bar.” Key West comedian Gwen Filosa. Photo by Ralph DePalma. A Key West Comedic Perspective If anyone can speak to what makes Key West so rife for humor, it’s comedian Gwen Filosa. “Kest West can be a goldmine of material,” she said. “It can be a really wacky place.” Life on the island is just one source of inspiration for Filosa’s material, which she regularly performs at Comedy Key West. She gleefully cops to working blue (an industry term for more adult humor), and doesn’t shy away from material about her experience as a queer person. “I feel really welcomed by the crowd,” she said. “It’s a very accepting place.” That extends beyond sexuality. The same welcoming atmosphere that invites visitors to shed their inhibitions (and swimsuits) also helps unlock creative potential, generating an island full of artists. “For a small town, Key West is like an art colony,” she said. “If you live here long enough, everyone seems to become a photographer.” She’s kidding, of course. Not everyone becomes a photographer. They also become burlesque performers, chefs or any number of artistic pursuits — even comedians, like Filosa. Before coming to Key West, pursuing stand-up was just a dream for the Indiana native. By linking up with the supportive community at the burgeoning Comedy Key West, Filosa went from open mics to steadily performing at the venue weekly. Now, her credits include performances at the Key West Theater, the San Carlos Institute and the Greenwich Village Comedy Club in New York City. “Key West almost has a magical quality about opening doors,” she said. “You can be what you want to be here.” That also includes just being an appreciative audience member. Comedy Key West and the local drag bars have lots of shows every week, while tickets for theater productions at the Red Barn Theater, the Waterfront Playhouse and Fringe Theater Key West are available online. Plan your next gaycation to Key West. View the full article

Published by AFP Moon lighting: sky-watchers are preparing for the longest lunar eclipse in almost 600 years Los Angeles (AFP) – The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years, which will bathe the Moon in red, will be visible Thursday and Friday for a big slice of humanity. The celestial show will see the Moon almost completely cast in shadow as it moves behind the Earth, reddening 99 percent of its face. The spectacle will be visible for all of North America, as well as parts of South America, Polynesia, Australia and northeast Asia. Space scientists say sky-watchers in those parts who are blessed with a cloud-free view will see a slight dimming of the Moon from 0602 GMT Friday as it enters Earth’s penumbra — the outer shadow. An hour later it will appear as if someone has taken a giant bite out of the lunar disc as it starts to pass into the umbra — the full shadow. By 0845 GMT the Moon will appear red, with the most vivid coloring visible at peak eclipse 18 minutes later. The whole process then goes into reverse as the Moon slithers out of shadow and carries on its endless journey around our planet. The dramatic red is caused by a phenomenon known as “Rayleigh scattering”, where the shorter blue lightwaves from the Sun are dispersed by particles in the Earth’s atmosphere. Red lightwaves, which are longer, pass easily through these particles. “The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear,” a NASA website explains. “It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.” From the moment the eclipse proper begins — when the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow — to when it ends will take more than three hours and 28 minutes. That is the longest partial eclipse since 1440 — around the time Johannes Gutenberg invented his printing press — and won’t be beaten until the far-off future of 2669. The good news for Moonwatchers, however, is that they won’t have to wait that long for another show — there will be a longer total lunar eclipse on November 8 next year, NASA says. And even better news for anyone wanting to watch is that no special equipment is necessary, unlike for solar eclipses. Binoculars, telescopes or the naked eye will give a decent view of the spectacle — as long as the weather here on Earth plays ball. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Freddie Mercury was dramatic yet reserved, extravagant yet modest, praised yet criticized. But above all, he was a talented and enigmatic musician whose onstage persona differed greatly from who he was behind closed doors. At least that’s what his family, friends and close colleagues had to say in Radar‘s exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming REELZ documentary, Freddie Mercury: Inside His Mind. Tim Staffell, Mercury’s former bandmate in the highly successful musical group which the frontman renamed Queen, said that the name “certainly went along with [Freddie’s] notion of this kind of pompous, in-your-face presentation that would become his trademark.” The band’s new designation and direction stemmed from an idea Freddie had had in college, and its identity took shape in the form of the Tanzanian rocker himself. mega “This was a completely new chemical reaction,” the famed musician once explained of the group’s name change. “And it had to have a new meaning and a new title and everything so that we felt fresh.” He lived, breathed and died for Queen. And perhaps that’s because he knew he had more at stake, given that his bandmates all had comfortable and prestigious backup plans. “He couldn’t do anything else,” said Lesley-Ann Jones, a music journalist. “So if you take the other members of the band – __Brian [May]__, the astrophysicist, the great scientific career ahead of him; __Roger Taylor__, the trained dentist; __John Deacon__, the engineer – Freddie had nothing else! He couldn’t do anything else.” The late legend echoed the journalist’s sentiments in an earlier interview from 1985, telling a reporter that if he “didn’t do this, I wouldn’t have anything else to do.” “I can’t cook,” joked the singer. “I’m not very good at being a housewife.” His music, his fashion choices and everything the public was privy to actually propelled him to the top of the charts with one hit record after another. But hiding behind what experts believe was a carefully crafted public persona was a tumultuous secret life that few ever saw. Series psychiatrist Dr. Bob Johnson, along with those who knew the rocker best, will reveal much about the disparity between what people saw and the man Freddie Mercury – real name Farrokh Bulsara – really was. Freddie Mercury: Inside His Mind premieres Saturday, November 20 at 8 PM ET/PT on REELZ. Watch REELZ on DIRECTV 238, Dish Network 299, Verizon FiOS 692, AT&T U-verse 1799 and in HD on cable systems and streaming services nationwide. Find REELZ on your local cable or satellite provider at www.reelz.com. REELZ View the full article

Published by OK Magazine In her corner! Madonnais still fighting forBritney Spearssince the singer’s controversial conservatorship was terminated last week. On Friday, November 12, the judge on Britney’s case ruled to officially put an end to the oppressive conservatorship that has controlled her life for the past 13 years. According to Page Six, a source reveals the Queen of Pop, 63, was “in touch with Britney Spears multiple times” as the 39-year-old battled it out in court to put an end to the “abusive” arrangement. MEGA “Madonna has always had a soft spot for Britney and couldn’t sit idly by when she felt there were clear injustices going on,” the source said. BRITNEY SPEARS WOULD NOT ALLOW LYNNE SPEARS INTO HER HOME AFTER HER MOTHER FLEW FROM LOUISIANA TO LOS ANGELES TO SEE HER: REPORT The controversial conservatorship — which was put into place in 2008 — has attracted public attention in recent years after it was speculated that Britney’s father Jamie Spears, along with the rest of the conservatorship team, were abusing their power over the pop superstar. Even though the “Toxic” singer has finally been freed, her gal pal is not letting the wrongdoings of Spears’ conservators go unnoticed. “Madonna is waging the war,” the source told the outlet. “She is hellbent on righting the wrongs that Britney had to endure. She has offered to help in any way that she can and is not afraid to speak up or intervene if needed.” Madonna previously spoke out in defense of the Princess of Pop following Britney’s bombshell court testimony back in June, where she claimed that her father “should be in jail”. ZO5/Owen Beiny / WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency “Give this woman her life back,” the “Papa Don’t Preach” singer wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of herself wearing a “Britney Spears” tank top. “Slavery was abolished so long ago! Death to the greedy patriarchy that has been doing this to women for centuries. This is a violation of human rights!” she continued at the time. “Britney we coming to get you out of jail.” As OK! previously reported, Britney is apparently adamant on seeking “payback and justice” for her conservatorship while she celebrates her newly-granted freedom. “There are still a ton of unresolved questions she wants answered in a formal setting,” a source told Us Weekly earlier this week. MEGA BRITNEY SPEARS ‘THINKING ABOUT HAVING A BABY WITH HUNKY FIANCÉ SAM ASGHARI AS THE LOVEBIRDS PREPARE FOR THEIR UPCOMING WEDDING Her lawyer, Matthew Rosengart, has also insisted that Spears’ former conservators will not be getting off easy, as the attorney plans to launch a thorough investigation into the allegations that Jamie and others stole money from the singer and eavesdropped on her private conversations. In the meantime, the Crossroads actress is basking in the joy of finally being liberated as she plans her wedding with fiancé Sam Asghari. View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously on Thursday to require wireless carriers to allow texting to the new “988” U.S. National Suicide Prevention hotline that will begin use by July 2022. “For individuals in crisis, text messaging can make it easier to contact a crisis counselor by allowing for a certain level of anonymity rather than engaging in a phone conversation,” the FCC said in a statement. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said “millions of us, but especially young people and those with disabilities, are more likely to text than call when they are in crisis. The bottom line is it shouldn’t matter if you make a voice call or send a text message because we should connect people in crisis to the resources they need, no matter how they communicate.” The “988” three-digit code will direct calls to the existing suicide prevention helpline (800) 273-8255, which will also remain in service. There is a separate Veterans Crisis Line that people can reach at (800)273-8255 and will be able to reach through 988. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said U.S. suicide rates increased 33% between 1999 and 2019. Deaths by suicide declined by 5.6%, from 47,511 to 44,834, between 2019 and 2020, according to early CDC data published by the JAMA medical journal. In 2019, 12 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.4 million attempted suicide, the CDC said. The suicide prevention line consists of a national network of approximately 180 crisis centers linked by the toll-free number. In 2020, a total of 2.2 million calls were answered. The FCC noted that some major carriers, including AT&T, are making “988” available ahead of the deadline. The shift to “988” has impacted some local calling. Starting last month, wireless users in many parts of the United States had to include the area code when dialing a local number. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. House of Representatives could vote on President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion “Build Back Better” legislation on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, as long as some technical details from congressional committees are in hand. House members also were awaiting the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office’s final assessment of whether the legislation would meet the Biden administration’s promise it would not result in deficit-spending. Moderate House Democrats have been particularly interested in receiving the CBO “score” of the bill. It is unclear whether any moderates would withhold their support for the sprawling bill if the analysis finds additional tax revenues embedded in the bill would not cover the new spending. “Those votes hopefully will take place later this afternoon,” Pelosi told reporters. Before holding a vote on passing the major new investments on social programs and confronting climate change, the House would first have to advance the bill over some procedural hurdles requiring at least one vote. Republicans are expected to oppose the legislation in lock-step following months of attacking it as a wasteful “socialist” agenda that will stoke price inflation. Meanwhile, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who also has sounded alarms over inflation, gave his full-throttled support on Thursday for the bill. “This is as close to a no-brainer as I’ve seen in decades of public policy analysis,” Summers told reporters on a call hosted by the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress. He warned the $1.7 trillion legislation might be the last opportunity for some time to expand the IRS’s auditing capability and begin collecting billions of dollars of taxes not being paid by mostly high-income Americans. (Reporting by Richrd Cowan and David Morgan; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Tim Ahmann and Chris Reese) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Matt Gaetzhas his eyes on Kyle Rittenhouse while the embattled teenager is on trial for murder after fatally shooting two Black Lives Matter protestors and injuring another last year. In an interview, the disgraced Republican politician made a bold statement, saying he believes Rittenhouse would make a “pretty good congressional intern.” While speaking to Newsmax on Wednesday, Gaetz said his office might extend an offer to Rittenhouse while rooting for the shooter’s victory during the trial. “He deserves a not guilty verdict, and I sure hope he gets it because you know what, Kyle Rittenhouse would probably make a pretty good congressional intern,” Getz claimed. “We may reach out to him and see if he’d be interested in helping the country in additional ways.” MEGA Twelve jurors are currently deciding Rittenhouse’s fate after the 18-year-old was charged five felony charges, including first-degree intentional murder. Rittenhouse has pled not guilty to all charges claiming he was acting in self-defense during the chaos. The conservative representative also spilled his thoughts on self-proclaimed QAnon Shaman, who pled guilty for his role in the Capital Riot, labeling the insurrectionist as “relatively harmless” and “non-violent vegan.” The Shaman, whose real name is Jacob Chansley, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison after being found guilty of unlawfully obstructing an official proceeding. MEGA “The notion that he’s got to be in prison for 3 1/2 years to settle some sort of political score defies justice,” Gaetz added. “The American people deserve a Department of Justice that is the least political agency in Washington, and instead what we’ve got is a Department of Justice that is the most political agency in Washington.” Gaetz is currently under investigation by the DOP for allegedly hiring young women as prostitutes. The DOP is also looking into whether he had engaged in sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl before transporting her across state lines. According to sources, the department added two top prosecutors to dig deeper into their ongoing federal probe. AsRadar previously reported, the Rittenhouse could face life in prison if he’s convicted after using an AR-style semiautomatic rifle to fatally shoot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. He also fired his gun at Gaige Grosskreutz, leaving him injured, during the protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, that stemmed from Jacob Blake being shot by the police in August 2020. MEGA View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Antibody protection from mild COVID-19 may not last Nearly everyone who had a mild case of COVID-19 still has antibodies to the coronavirus a year later, but that might not protect them from new variants, a small study suggests. Among 43 Australians who dealt with mild COVID-19 early in the pandemic, 90% still had antibodies 12 months later. But only 51.2% had antibodies that showed “neutralizing activity” against the original version of the virus and only 44.2% had antibodies that could neutralize the early Alpha variant, the research team at the University of Adelaide reported on Thursday on medRxiv https://bit.ly/3oGL2k1 ahead of peer review. Neutralizing antibodies against the now dominant and highly transmissible Delta variant were seen in only 16.2%, with 11.6% against Gamma, and against Beta in only 4.6%. Those who had mild COVID-19 “are vulnerable to infection with circulating and newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants 12 months after recovery,” the researchers said. The findings “reinforce the potential benefit” of tailoring vaccine boosters to currently circulating variants, similar to how annual flu vaccines are tailored to current influenza strains, they said. 100 million have or had long COVID, study estimates More than 40% of COVID-19 survivors worldwide have had lingering after-effects of the illness, researchers from the University of Michigan estimate, based on their review of 40 earlier studies from 17 countries that looked at patients’ experiences with so-called long COVID, defined as new or persistent symptoms at four or more weeks after infection. The prevalence rises to 57% among survivors who required hospitalization, the researchers reported on Tuesday on medRxiv https://bit.ly/3FmiuTu ahead of peer review. The rate was 49% among female survivors and 37% among males, they said. The estimated long COVID rate was 49% in Asia, 44% in Europe and 30% in North America. Among the most common problems, fatigue was estimated to affect 23%, while shortness of breath, joint pain and memory problems each affected 13%. The study likely did not capture all cases of long COVID, the researchers say. “Based on a WHO (World Health Organization) estimate of 237 million worldwide COVID-19 infections, this global pooled … estimate indicates that around 100 million individuals currently experience or have previously experienced long-term health-related consequences of COVID-19.” These health effects, they warn, “can exert marked stress on the healthcare system.” Virus’ effect on blood-thinning molecules causes clots Dangerous blood clots often seen in patients with COVID-19 happen at least in part because the spike on the virus attaches itself to molecules in the blood that play key roles in preventing clotting, thereby inactivating them, new research shows. With the virus bound to them, “these molecules (heparan sulfate/heparin) can’t do their usual anticoagulant activities,” explained Jingyu Yan of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China. Blood clots associated with COVID-19 often damage the lungs and other organs and can cause heart attacks and strokes. The excessive clotting has been attributed to the high levels of inflammation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. It has not been clear until now that the virus itself also has a direct effect, Yan’s team reported in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141813021022704. Fortunately, they point out, the now common practice of giving COVID-19 patients blood-thinning drugs can “significantly reduce” the clotting caused by the virus. Click for a Reuters graphic https://tmsnrt.rs/3c7R3Bl on vaccines in development. (Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is considering not sending a diplomatic delegation to the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, to protest China’s human rights practices, five sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Governments typically send a high-ranking delegation of diplomats to opening ceremonies in a show of international support for the thousands of athletes from around the world who participate. The 2022 Winter Olympics run from Feb. 4-20. Activists and some members of Congress from both parties have been pressing the Biden administration to diplomatically boycott the event. The U.S. government accuses China of carrying out a genocide against Muslim ethnic groups in its western Xinjiang region, accusations that Beijing denies. A Biden administration official said the United States is considering whether or not to send a delegation, while planning to allow American athletes to participate. Four sources with knowledge of the administration’s thinking said there was a growing consensus within the White House that it should keep U.S. officials away from the Beijing Olympics. White House officials declined comment on the looming U.S. delegation decision. A U.S. decision not to send diplomats would be a rebuke of Chinese President Xi Jinping just days after Xi and Biden worked to ease tensions in a virtual summit, their first extensive talks since Biden took office in January. The White House has stressed the care that Biden has put into defining the relationship. After Xi referred to Biden as “an old friend” during the summit, the White House emphasized that Biden does not see Xi as such. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators in October proposed an amendment to an annual defense policy bill that would prohibit the U.S. State Department from spending federal funds to “support or facilitate” the attendance of U.S. government employees at the Games. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also called for a diplomatic boycott. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was talking to countries around the world about “how they’re thinking about participation,” but left a deadline for a decision unclear. Republicans are keeping up the pressure on Biden. “The United States must boycott the Olympics completely,” said Nikki Haley, a Republican former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. “That includes our president. Attending sends a message that America is willing to turn a blind eye as Communist China commits genocide.” (Reporting by Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk, Patricia Zengerle, Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Heather Timmons and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jesse Winter ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia (Reuters) – The death toll from massive floods and landslides that devastated parts of British Columbia is set to rise, with the Canadian province declaring a state of emergency on Wednesday and the federal government promising major help. Authorities have confirmed one death after torrential rains and mudslides destroyed roads and left several mountain towns isolated. At least three people are missing. Some 18,000 people are displaced in the Pacific Coast province, Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said. “We expect to confirm even more fatalities in the coming days,” British Columbia Premier John Horgan said, describing the calamity as a once-in-500-year event “We will bring in travel restrictions and ensure that transportation of essential goods and medical and emergency services are able to reach the communities that need them,” Horgan told a news conference, urging people not to hoard supplies. The floods and mudslides also severed access to the country’s largest port in Vancouver, disrupting already strained global supply chains. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government would help the province recover from what he called a “terrible, terrible disaster.” Ottawa is sending hundreds of air force personnel to aid the recovery and “there are thousands more on standby,” Trudeau told reporters in Washington ahead of a U.S.-Canada-Mexico summit on Thursday. Some affected towns are in remote mountain areas with limited access and freezing temperatures. In Tulameen, northeast of Vancouver, up to 400 people are trapped, many without power, said Erick Thompson, a spokesman for the area’s emergency operations. “(We) did a helicopter flight recently, dropped off food,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. In Hope, 100 miles (160 km) east of Vancouver, food was starting to run low. Pastor Jeff Kuhn said a quarter of the town’s 6,000 residents were seeking shelter. About 100 volunteers at the Dukh Nivaran Sahib Gurdwara Sikh temple in Surrey spent all night Tuesday preparing about 3,000 meals and then hired helicopters to deliver the food to Hope, said the temple’s president, Narinder Singh Walia. SECOND RECENT CALAMITY The disaster could be one of the most expensive in Canadian history. The flooding is the second weather-related calamity to hit British Columbia in the past few months. A massive in the same region as some of the devastation destroyed an entire town in late June. “These are extraordinary events not measured before, not contemplated before,” Horgan said. Canadian exporters of commodities from grain to fertilizer and oil scrambled to divert shipments away from Vancouver but found few easy alternatives. Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd and Canadian National Railway Co , the country’s two biggest rail companies, said their lines into Vancouver remained unusable on Wednesday. After a phenomenon known as an atmospheric river dumped a month’s worth of rain in two days, officials are concerned that another downpour could overwhelm a pumping station near Abbotsford, a city of 160,000 east of Vancouver, which has already been partly evacuated. Mayor Henry Braun said volunteers built a dam around the station overnight. “That will buy us some more time, but if we had another weather event like we just went through, we are in deep doo-doo (trouble),” he told reporters. Abbotsford farmers ignored an evacuation order on Tuesday and desperately tried to save animals from rising waters, in some cases tying ropes around the necks of cows and pulling them to higher ground. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said thousands of animals had died and others would have to be euthanized. Environment Canada said Abbotsford would receive more rain early next week. Rescuer Mike Danks, part of an Abbotsford evacuation team, said the situation had been very tough. “The majority of people had elderly parents with them that were unable to walk, suffered from dementia,” he told local outlet Black Press Media. (Reporting by Jesse Winter in Abbotsford, British Columbia, David Ljunggren in Ottawa, Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto and Nia William in Calgary; Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nathan Layne KENOSHA, Wis. (Reuters) – Jurors in the Wisconsin murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse will deliberate for a third day on Thursday, picking up after they reviewed a series of videos of the teenager killing two men and wounding a third during racial justice protests last year. Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with killing Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and attempted homicide in the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, during a chaotic night of protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 25, 2020. The jury of 7 women and 5 men has so far spent roughly 14 hours weighing two weeks of testimony, which included considerable evidence in support of Rittenhouse’s assertion that he used his weapon after being attacked. He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge. For the last hour on Wednesday, the jury re-watched videos in evidence, including drone footage of the Rosenbaum shooting and videos of the subsequent shootings of Huber and Grosskreutz and the attempted shooting of an unidentified male. Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, has pleaded not guilty and testified last week that he fired his weapon in self defense. He said Rosenbaum, the first person he shot that night, grabbed the barrel of his gun. Defense lawyers made a new request for a mistrial on Wednesday, saying prosecutors withheld the high-definition version of a drone video in evidence and enhanced it in order to portray Rittenhouse as a threat. Prosecutors denied the defense’s allegation. The shootings took place in Kenosha during protests – marred by arson, rioting and looting – that followed the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, who was left paralyzed from the waist down. The trial has emerged as the most closely watched case involving a civilian’s right to self-defense since George Zimmerman was acquitted in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager, in 2013. Like Zimmerman, Rittenhouse has become a polarizing figure, viewed as heroic by some conservatives who favor expansive gun rights and as a symbol of a reckless American gun culture by many on the left. (Reporting by Nathan Layne; editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Amy Tennery (Reuters) -The head of the Women’s Tennis Association on Wednesday voiced doubt over an email it received, also released by a Chinese state media outlet, in which tennis player Peng Shuai was said to deny her allegations of sexual assault. Peng, one of China’s biggest sport stars, said on social media this month that former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli coerced her into sex and that they later had an on-off consensual relationship. Her post was deleted about half an hour later and she had not since then been seen in public or made a statement, alarming the global tennis community. On Twitter on Wednesday, Chinese state media outlet CGTN released what it said was an email Peng had sent to WTA Chairman Steve Simon, who is also its CEO, in which she said the allegation of assault was untrue. Twitter is blocked in China. “The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts,” Simon said in a written statement. “I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her.” Beijing has yet to comment on Peng’s initial allegation and discussion of the topic has been blocked on China’s heavily censored internet. The statement comes as China prepares to host the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February amid calls from global rights groups and others for a boycott over its human rights record. “My answer is very simple. This is not a foreign affairs matter, and I am not aware of the situation you mentioned,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Thursday when asked about Peng’s whereabouts and whether China is concerned her case would affect its image ahead of the Olympics. The Chinese Tennis Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The email which CGTN attributes to Peng says: “I’m not missing, nor am I unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine.” Besides CGTN, the English-language arm of state broadcaster CCTV, no other Chinese media outlet as of Thursday morning in Asia had reported the letter. A representative for Peng did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Florida-based WTA and its men’s counterpart, the London-based Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), previously called on China to investigate Peng’s allegations. Current and former players, from multi-major winners Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic to Billie Jean King, have expressed support and concern for Peng, with many top women’s players taking to social media with the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai. “The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe,” Simon wrote. “I have repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communications, to no avail.” Peng, 35, was the first Chinese player to top the world rankings when she was doubles number one in 2014. She won doubles titles at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014. Zhang, now 75, was a vice premier between 2013 and 2018 and served on the Politburo Standing Committee between 2012 and 2017. “I hope @WTA continues to show what we stand for as players,” Jessica Pegula, a top-20 American player, said on Twitter. “We are extremely lucky to be able to do what we do but I hope more people, not just tennis players, shed some light on this deeply concerning situation.” (Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Additional reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel and Nick Macfie) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jane Campion will never direct a superhero movie. The 67-year-old filmmaker has slammed the genre as “noisy and ridiculous” and has vowed never to helm a superhero flick. Speaking at a screening of her movie ‘The Power of the Dog’, Jane told Variety: “I hate them. I actually hate them.” She added: “I think it’s safe to say that I will never do that. They’re so noisy and like ridiculous. Sometimes you get a good giggle, but I don’t know what the thing is with the capers, a grown man in tights. I feel like it must come from pantomime.” Jane is the latest filmmaker to risk the ire of superhero fans, as legendary director Sir Ridley Scott branded the genre as “boring as s***” in a recent interview. The ‘House of Gucci’ director told Deadline: “The best films are driven by the characters, and we’ll come to superheroes after this if you want, because I’ll crush it. I’ll f***ing crush it. They’re f***ing boring as s***. “They’re superhero movies. So, why don’t the superhero movies have better stories? Sorry. I got off the rail, but I mean, c’mon. They’re mostly saved by special effects, and that’s becoming boring for everyone who works with special effects, if you’ve got the money.” Jane has helmed ‘The Power of the Dog’ – a movie that is set in 1920s Montana and follows cattle rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) whose presides over a reign of terror towards his brother (Jesse Plemons) when he marries a young widow (Kirsten Dunst) and felt it was more than a conventional Western film. ‘The Piano’ director said: “The film is clearly a complex way of approaching masculinity. I think it’s a solid container for thinking and rethinking the men in this world. “I didn’t think of it as a Western. The story was too specific.” View the full article

Published by DPA Sufragan Bishop Rolf Steinhaeuser, currently administering the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Cologne, speaks in front of the Cologne Cathedral. Steinhaeuser acknowledged church failings in a large sex abuse scandal at a closed service in the German cathedral city on Thursday. Henning Kaiser/dpa The bishop currently administering the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Cologne acknowledged church failings in a large sex abuse scandal at a closed service in the German cathedral city on Thursday. “A large number of crimes of sexual violence were perpetrated on wards of the church by priests and other church staff,” Sufragan Bishop Rolf Steinhaeuser said during a penance service held in Cologne Cathedral. Steinhaeuser is currently deputizing for Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, who has taken a sabbatical following controversy over his decision not to publish a report on the abuse scandal. While he was unable to apologise on behalf of the perpetrators of the abuse, he did not want to make the faithful jointly liable for their actions, Steinhaeuser said. “This service does not end with forgiveness,” he stressed. “We cannot absolve ourselves. We also do not ask the victims for forgiveness, so that we can feel better,” he said, describing the service, which was not open to the public, as an acknowledgement of guilt and commemoration of the victims. A person holds a sign in front of the Cologne Cathedral at a rally by the Maria 2.0 initiative during a closed service. Sufragan Bishop Rolf Steinhaeuser, currently administering the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Cologne, acknowledged church failings in a large sex abuse scandal. Henning Kaiser/dpa View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Salma Hayek thinks Lady Gaga’s parents are “hot”. The 55-year-old actress has complimented her ‘House of Gucci’ co-star’s mother and father on their good looks. Salma told the ‘Bad Romance’ singer: “Your mom is hot.” And Gaga – whose real name is Stefani Germanotta – agreed with Salma’s observation. According to E! News, she replied: “I know, my mom is so hot!” Salma then described Gaga’s mom as “beautiful”, before he praised her dad, too. She said: “By the way, your dad is hot too.” And Gaga – who plays the part of Patrizia Reggiani in ‘House of Gucci’ – then quipped: “Don’t tell my mother!” The chart-topping pop star spent months preparing to play Patrizia in the new movie, and she recently admitted that she’ll struggle to “let go” of the character. Speaking about playing the Italian socialite – who was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband – Gaga explained: “I would say that in terms of letting the character go, I don’t know that I’d ever let her go.” The singer-turned-actress also admitted that playing the role of Patrizia took a toll on her. She said: “To say that it would be easy to play a murderer would be a lie. “I don’t believe she had the murder gene, but I do believe that she was triggered and pushed so far over the edge that she committed this murder.” The pop star suffered a similar experience after playing Ally Maine in 2018’s ‘A Star Is Born’. Gaga – who appeared in the movie alongside Bradley Cooper – said: “It took me years to shed Ali from ‘A Star Is Born’ and I think the same will be true here.” View the full article