RadioRob

Published by Reuters By Francesco Guarascio and Michael Erman (Reuters) – The plan to roll out Merck & Co’s promising antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 risks repeating the inequities of vaccine distribution, potentially leaving the nations with the greatest need once again at the back of the line, international health groups say. For example, only about 5% of Africa’s population is immunized, creating an urgent need for therapeutics that could keep people out of hospitals. That compares with more than a 70% inoculation rate in most wealthy nations. Merck on Oct 11 applied for U.S. emergency clearance of the first pill for COVID-19 after it cut hospitalizations and deaths by 50% in a large clinical trial. The medicine, made with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, could gain authorization as soon as December. The U.S. drugmaker has taken the unusual pandemic step of licensing several generics of its antiviral molnupiravir before its branded version was even authorized for marketing. But international health officials said even that is not enough for the medicine to reach many in low- and middle-income countries in large enough numbers, while noting shortcomings and red tape among global organizations that could further slow distribution. Merck this year plans to produce 10 million treatment courses of the pill, which is taken twice a day for five days, and another 20 million next year. In addition, its licensing deals with eight Indian drugmakers will allow cheaper generic versions for 109 low- and middle-income countries including in Africa, a move international groups acknowledge is a positive concession. But as wealthy nations secure molnupiravir supply deals – the United States has already locked up 1.7 million courses with an option for 3.5 million more by January of 2023 at about $700 per course – concerns grow over who might be left out. NOT MOVING QUICKLY ENOUGH Merck said it has worked on the technology transfer needed to start generic manufacturing, in contrast to vaccine makers who continue to resist calls to waive patents or allow for generic versions to boost supplies. But a recent report prepared for the United Nations’ Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator program tasked with buying COVID-19 therapeutics for poor countries cited concerns that U.N. agencies were not moving quickly enough to secure adequate volumes of potential new treatments ahead of time, including Merck’s drug. Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a United Nations-backed public health organization, has 24 companies signed up and willing to make the drug if Merck agrees to expand the licenses. “If you’re not in the license, you’re relying on Merck, and it looks to us that that could mean a potential supply shortfall as well as overpricing,” said Peter Maybarduk of Public Citizen, who sits on the MPP governance board. He suggested that could lead to wealthy countries outbidding poor nations for the medicine. It is unclear how many generic pills will be available or when. The licensed Indian manufacturers including Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla Ltd, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs, Sun Pharmaceuticals, and Torrent Pharmaceuticals declined to provide details on production plans. In addition, manufacturing for low-income countries in many nations also requires World Health Organization (WHO) approval, a regulatory process that typically takes months. Merck said it is committed to providing timely access to its drug globally with plans for tiered pricing aligned with a country’s ability to pay. A spokesperson confirmed it is in discussions about expanding licenses for generic molnupiravir “to build sufficient global supply of quality-assured product to meet orders globally.” But middle-income countries will be hard pressed to negotiate against the richest nations, another MPP official said. The governments of Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia said they already had deals or were negotiating supply contracts with Merck. The EU is considering buying the pill after Merck applies for authorization in Europe. The eight generic manufacturers chosen by Merck all have WHO pre-qualified facilities to allow them to supply buyers like the Global Fund, according to Paul Schaper, Merck’s executive director of global public policy. They will set their pricing and decide how much they plan to manufacture. “What we are anticipating and hoping for is that they will compete with each other on pricing,” Schaper said. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio in Brussels and Michael Erman in New Jersey; Editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by DPA Prolonged time in weightlessness is now thought to lead to brain damage, in new research that poses more questions for the health risks of space travel. NASA/dpa Spending time in space can damage the brains of astronauts, according to new research that poses questions for the long-term risks of future space travel. Blood tests of space travellers indicate a slight but persistent brain injury and a faster ageing of the brain upon returning to earth, scientists at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich say in a study published in the Jama Neurology journal in October. The research came just days before “Star Trek” icon William Shatner became the latest in a growing number of non-professional astronauts to enter space. However while space tourism is set to become a luxury business for rich patrons, the warning of potential brain damage appears to apply only to longer stays in space, and not to the few minutes of weightlessness that are part of new space enterprises like Blue Origin, used by Shatner. Researchers believe one possible cause of brain damage during space travel is weightlessness, as it disturbs the flow of blood from the head, which is thought to lead to an increase in pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid over time. Studies had already indicated that longer journeys into space not only cause muscles and bones to shrink, but also have an effect on the astronaut’s brain. However it was unclear whether these processes were harmful. To find out, LMU physicians Peter zu Eulenburg and Alexander Chouker, together with colleagues in Sweden and Russia, examined the blood of five Russian space travellers who had spent five and a half months in the International Space Station (ISS). The researchers showed that several proteins characteristic of ageing and brain injuries increased significantly immediately after returning from space. This was especially true for the first week after the return. In order to keep the risks for space travellers as low as possible during long-term missions such as a trip to Mars, “more comprehensive studies with preventive measures against the increase in pressure in the head are absolutely necessary,” said LMU physician Peter zu Eulenburg. The phenomenon that longer stays in space lead to changes in the brain has long been known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (Sans), said Jens Jordan, Director of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center. However, the study does not yet clarify whether the changes in the brain also lead to physical restrictions for those affected: “A biomarker in the blood does not yet say anything about clinical ailments.” According to Jordan, the space agencies NASA and EA are working on countermeasures. Among other things, they are investigating whether a centrifuge for space travellers with artificial gravity could help. A study is also currently underway on the effectiveness of negative pressure in the lower half of the body to drain fluids. “This is one of the medical challenges of spaceflight,” Jordan said. The researchers had analysed the astronauts’ blood before and immediately after the flight, as well as one and three weeks later. Long-term studies and larger subject groups are needed to better understand the connection between the stay in space and possible neurological damage, they write in the scientific journal. View the full article

Netflix co-CEO Ted SarandosNetflix Co-CEO Still Stands By Chappelle Special As the Netflix trans employee resource group continues planning an Oct. 20 walkout in protest of the company continuing to platform the transphobic content in Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer,” a new internal email shows Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos doubling down on his stance that the special “doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm.” According to Variety, a company-wide email sent Monday from Sarandos reiterated many of the same points touched on in a leaked memo to Netflix leadership sent on Friday. Sarandos addressed many employees’ anger over the streaming platform’s decision to keep the special available but didn’t budge from his position of not removing the special despite calls from multiple LGBTQ organizations, talent and employees. Sarando defended his decision by claiming that users “enjoy shocking stand-up comedy – without it causing them to harm others.” In the film, Hardy’s Venom voices support for LGBTQ rights, from the perspective of an alien symbiote. “Well, what is interesting is that it’s just like, here he is kind of, he says in the movie, ‘We must stop this cruel treatment of aliens,’” Serkis said in an interview last month. “‘You know, we all live on this ball of rock,’ you know? And so he inadvertently becomes a kind of… he’s speaking for the other. He’s speaking for freedom of the other.” Hardy continued, “Ultimately it’s about entertaining people and giving people some joy and having something to celebrate and go out and be entertained by it.” Netflix Trans: Previously on Towleroad Tom Hardy on ‘Venom’ As LGBTQ Icon; Takei Rips Dean Cain’s Super Bi-Panic: Co-CEO Repeats At Netflix Trans Lives Don’t Matter As Much As Ratings; Brian Bell October 16, 2021 Read More Action Roundup: Gay James Bond Character; Venom’s ‘Coming Out Party;’ ‘Queer Family’ of ‘Marvel’s Eternals’ Brian Bell October 1, 2021 Read More Cassandra Peterson, Horror Icon Elvira, Comes Out, Reveals 19-Year Relationship in New Memoir Brian Bell September 22, 2021 Read More ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ is The Gay Coming-Of-Age Tale For Everyone With an Inner (and Outer) Drag Queen Brian Bell August 25, 2021 Read More Elliot Page Awarded for Prejudice-busting Work and Life On And Off Screen; Sheds Light on Dark Prejudices; Shares Unseen Prides and Joys Brian Bell August 11, 2021 Read More Billy Eichner ‘s ‘Big, Gay Divorce Comedy’ ‘Ex-Husbands’ Headed To Amazon; ‘It’s the Gay ‘War Of The Roses’ You’ve Been Waiting For!’ Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Daniel Benavides/Creative Commons View the full article

Published by Radar Online Jeffrey Epsteinwas allegedly ready to spill all about his friends Donald Trump and Bill Clinton to prosecutors in an attempt to avoid prison time. The bombshell revelations are included in Michael Wolff’s upcoming book, Too Famous: The Rich, the Powerful, the Wishful, the Damned, the Notorious. The author focused on Epstein’s final months before his death. MEGA According to the book, the accused pedophile believed he could secure a deal to drop his sex trafficking charges by giving up dirt on his high-profile buddies. Epstein thought the Justice Department under President Trump brought charges against him in an effort to pressure him to “flip and reveal the secrets of Bill Clinton,” who had been on his private jet multiple times. MEGA Another theory he had was Trump was using federal prosecutors to dig up the secrets he had about the President. He firmly believed there was a “deal to be made” even in the circumstance of his capture. The book also exposed Epstein had considered repairing his image by appearing on TV with Rachel Maddow or Gayle King. He went as far as practicing a mock interview with former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. Wolff also reported on the support Epstein received from former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who believed “the secrets are safe” as long as Epstein was still breathing. MEGA Wolff also claims the alleged sex offender was playful about his morally corrupted sexual habits. He allegedly compared himself to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft who was detained for soliciting prostitutes at massage parlors in 2019. Epstein allegedly said, “Bob gets dinner out, I get take-in.” The billionaire financier also allegedly considered paying out $3 million for a British PR firm to run a “war room” as an effort to clear his name from all allegations regarding his disgraced sexual behaviors reported by the media. Days before he allegedly hanged himself in his cell, Wolff wrote in his book claiming that Epstein made a grim joke in a note to a friend saying, “still just hanging around – no pun intended.” As Radar previously reported, Epstein was arrested in July 2019 after he landed at a New Jersey airport after flying in from Paris. The arrest was part of a joint New York Police Department and FBI investigation based on sex-trafficking charges in Florida and New York. Just weeks later, he was found dead in his cell with a witness claiming Epstein was “blue in the face” and “sprawled out on the floor” while being looked after by the prison staff. The book is scheduled to be released on October 19, 2021. MEGA Jeffrey Epstein on Towleroad U.S. Senator Manchin slams Bernie Sanders in battle over Biden spending plan More Biden says those who refuse to testify in Jan. 6 probe should be prosecuted More Gabrielle Union blasts creators of ‘Bring It On’ movie More Miley Cyrus teases new era and thanks fans for standing by her More Pope pledges to continue being a ‘pest’ in defence of the poor More Chicago Mayor, Police in Stand-off Over Public Health Mandates; 50% Of Cops Won’t Disclose Vaccine Status, Face Unpaid Leave More Texas House Votes to Ban Transgender Girls From Sports. No Sign of An Issue. Just More Red Meat For the Gaslit Base More Minneapolis Schools’ ‘Gaggle’ Software On Kids’ Devices Reports ‘Gay’, ‘LGBTQ’ Users As It Blocks Porn, Finds At-Risk of Self Harm More Hello? Adele 30 First Single Off ’30’ Dropped Last Night and Folks Seem to Approve…: WATCH VIDEO, COMMENT More U.S. congressional panel probing Jan 6 Capitol riot sets Bannon contempt vote date More ‘Hamilton’ Trans Actor Suni Reid Claims Retaliation Over Request For A Gender-Neutral Dressing Room, Insists They Were Threatened & Misgendered More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Democratic Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia slammed fellow lawmaker Bernie Sanders late Friday over his attempts to garner support for President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion-dollar spending package in the latest example of infighting among key lawmakers over the plan. Manchin tweeted out his concern over the scope of the legislation in response to an editorial from Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont, advocating for it. On Friday, West Virginia paper the Charleston Gazette-Mail published an editorial from Sanders urging support for the Democratic plan to address wealth inequity, soaring pharmaceutical costs, an increasingly expensive healthcare system and costly childcare. “Senator Sanders’ answer is to throw more money on an already overheated economy while 52 other Senators have grave concerns about this approach,” Manchin said in a statement posted https://twitter.com/Sen_JoeManchin/status/1449148907032875015?s=20 on Friday on Twitter, slamming Sanders as an “out-of-stater.” The bill is threatened by a lack of support among Senate Republicans and two Democratic moderates – Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona. Sinema has told https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senator-sinema-rejects-vote-big-biden-package-before-infrastructure-source-2021-10-14 Democrats in the House of Representatives she will not vote for the package before Congress approves a separate, bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Sinema and Manchin have balked at the Biden plan’s initial $3.5 trillion price tag for a spending measure to fund social programs and fight climate change. As a result, the president faces a difficult balancing act in trying to bring down the cost but not alienate progressive Democrats who also are essential to passing the legislation. (Reporting by Chris Prentice; Editing by Andrea Ricci) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday the U.S. Justice Department should prosecute people who defy subpoenas to testify before a congressional select committee probing the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. “I hope that the committee goes after them and holds them accountable,” Biden said, referring to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the riot. Asked whether he believed the Justice Department should prosecute, Biden told reporters, “I do, yes.” The committee plans to vote on Tuesday on adopting a contempt of Congress report against Steve Bannon, a longtime adviser to former President Donald Trump who has not complied with the committee’s subpoena. Trump urged former aides to refuse to cooperate, citing executive privilege, which legal experts in turn dispute. If the committee approves the contempt case against Bannon, it would go to a full House vote. From there, the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland would decide whether to pursue prosecution. In response to Biden’s remarks on Friday, a Justice Department spokesperson told ABC News that the department “will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law.” Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 in an unsuccessful attempt to overturn his election defeat to Biden. Four people died in the violence, more than 100 police officers were injured and four officers in the crowd that day later died of suicide. The committee has subpoenaed other officials including former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, Trump former chief of staff Mark Meadows, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and former Defense Department official Kash Patel. (Reporting by Nandita Bose; Writing by Kanishka Singh and Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Leslie Adler, Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Gabrielle Union has blasted the creators of ‘Bring It On’ for the way they wrote black characters. The 48-year-old actress enjoyed a breakthrough with her role as antagonistic head cheerleader Isis in the cult film, but now upon reflection has been left feeling “hopeless” by the way the black characters were written in comparison to white characters. She said: “All of the white characters had last names, no matter if they just had one line. And I had never considered it. I always looked at Isis like Cher or Madonna. And now you look at who wrote it and you start to think a little differently. Gabrielle went on to explain that she was determined to perform the role of Isis in a way that she felt was true to herself and her race to avoid stereotyping. She added: “Even though they gave me free reign, and I could do whatever I wanted with her, I was so committed to being the ‘ right kind of black girl cheerleader. She can be annoyed but not too angry; she can be a leader, but she better be classy.” However, Gabrielle also spoke out about how her character is seemingly viewed by fans of the movie and how when a meme involving her character went viral, she was at a loss. Speaking to Stylist Magazine, she said: “When you watch people do their impressions of Isis, she is [aggressive and confrontational] . It says everything about what you heard, not what was actually being said. No matter how a black woman speaks, what some people hear is violence , threats. It’s the demonisation of black girls and women. “Cut to last summer, and this meme comes out about movie villains, and there’s Isis. I made her the most kind and gracious leader, and she was a villain because she wanted the theft [of her cheerleading routines] to be acknowledged and for there to be consequences. And for that, she’s the villain. That’s dark. It takes you to such a hopeless place.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Miley Cyrus thanked her “loyal” fanbase for their “support” as she teased a “new era” for her career. The ‘Midnight Sky’ hitmaker posted a handwritten note to her website MileyWorld.com, and admitted there has been “intense spurts of change” in her life, which will form the inspiration for her next project. She wrote in the personal letter: “I am so thankful for your loyal support + great company on this ride of my life! There has been intense spurts of change in my life personally + professionally (which always co-exist). I am so [excited] to channel these experiences + use them as inspiration in my next body of work! I am so grateful to never go through these transitional times alone because I have [you]!” The 28-year-old pop megastar – who, in recent years, has divorced actor Liam Hemsworth and had her Malibu home destroyed in the wildfires of 2018 – also shared her recent live set from the Austin City Limits festival, which paid homage to “every era” of her career so far. She added: “The setlist represents my evolution! It honors + celebrates every era! “They are all so special to me! Mostly because you have been a part of it! Can’t wait to create the next one for/with you! I love you forever! (sic)” Miley’s last studio album was 2020’s ‘Plastic Hearts’. Meanwhile, the ‘Malibu’ singer penned a letter to her former alter-ego Hannah Montana to mark the character’s 15th anniversary in March. Miley launched her career after starring in the ‘Hannah Montana’ television series on the Disney Channel when she was a teenager, which saw her don a blonde wig as she played a dramatised version of herself who took on the titular popstar persona by night. And in a letter marking the milestone, Miley admitted there was a time in her life when she felt more connected to her alter ego than she did to herself. She wrote on social media: “Hi Hannah, It’s been a while. 15 years to be exact. Since the first time I slid those blonde bangs over my forehead in the best attempt to conceal my identity. Then slipped into a puke pink terry cloth robe with a bedazzled HM over the [heart]. I didn’t know then … that is where you would live forever. Not just in mine but millions of people around the world. Although you are considered to be an “alter ego” in reality there was a time in my life when you held more of my identity in your glovette than I did in my bare hands. (sic)” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis said on Saturday he realises some people, including within the Church, consider him to be “a pest” for defending the poor and most vulnerable, but that it won’t stop him as it is part of Christianity. “Thinking about these situations (of exclusion and inequality), I make a pest of myself with my questions. And I go on asking. And I ask everyone in the name of God,” said Francis, Latin America’s first pope. He called on pharmaceutical companies to release patents to make vaccines for COVID-19 more available to the poor, noting that only 3%-4% of the population in some countries had been vaccinated. Francis, 84, was speaking by video link to the World Meeting of Popular Movements, a grouping of grassroots organisations and social movements which bring attention to inequality in labour, land ownership, health care and other social issues in the developing world. He called on industries such as mining and lumber, “to stop destroying forests, wetlands and mountains, to stop polluting rivers and seas, to stop poisoning food and people”. Francis said rich countries and financial institutions should cancel the debts of the poorest nations. Weapons manufacturers and dealers should to stop contributing “to those awful geopolitical games which cost millions of displaced lives and millions of dead.” Technology giants should stop allowing hate speech, fake news, conspiracy theories, and political manipulation, he said, and called for a universal basic income and for countries to consider shortening the work day so more people could have jobs. “This system, with its relentless logic of profit, is escaping all human control. It is time to slow the locomotive down, an out-of-control locomotive hurtling towards the abyss. There is still time,” he said. “And so, I persist in my pestering.” He referred to criticism he has received in the past, especially from U.S. church conservatives, when he has issued similar appeals. “It saddens me that some members of the Church get annoyed when we mention these guidelines that belong to the full tradition of the Church,” he said referring to a compendium of Catholic social teaching issued by Pope John Paul II in 2004. “But the pope must not stop mentioning this teaching, even if it often annoys people, because what is at stake is not the pope but the Gospel,” he said. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Mike Harrison) View the full article

Published by AFP Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot is not backing down over a requirement for police officers to declare their Covid-19 vaccine status Chicago (AFP) – Up to half of Chicago’s police face being placed on unpaid leave after refusing to disclose their Covid-19 vaccine status, in a high-stakes game of chicken that comes as the US city grapples with a surge in violent crime. The stand-off between Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot and the head of the police union, John Catanzara, has made the city the latest flashpoint in a deeply polarized debate over vaccines and whether governments have the right to mandate them. Lightfoot has set a deadline of Friday at midnight for all workers employed by the third-largest city in the US to disclose whether or not they have taken a Covid-19 vaccine, or be tested for the virus. Those who refuse have a few days grace to explain themselves — but face being placed on unpaid leave and eventually fired. “I cannot and will not stand idly by while the rhetoric of conspiracy theorists threatens the health and safety of Chicago’s residents and first responders,” Lightfoot said in a statement. But Catanzara, head of the Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago, has called on its 13,000 members to stand firm and keep their vaccine status to themselves — and with murders and shootings on the rise, he believes he has the upper hand. “I can guarantee you that no-pay status will not last more than 30 days,” he told union members in a video, saying that it would affect half or more of the rank-and-file officers. “There’s no way they’re going to be able to sustain a police department workforce at 50 percent capacity or less for more than seven days without something budging.” ‘Pure melee’ Catanzara, anxious Chicago officials say, may have a point. The stand-off comes as the city once again leads the US in murders, with 639 homicides this year through October 13 — up 55 percent from two years ago. Shootings are also up 68 percent from two years ago, at 2,866 recorded this year until October 13, according to the Chicago Police Department. Combine that with the 1,295 carjackings through October 7 — on pace to break an all-time record — and the threat of losing much of the police force, even temporarily, has caused a deep sense of unease. City council member Anthony Napolitano, a former police officer who supports the union’s stance, has pointed out that the force is already down about 1,000 officers because of a record number of retirements and a lack of new recruits. “Criminals know this stuff, they know what’s going on,” he told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday. “You’re gonna see pure melee.” Covid takes deadly toll on police Catanzara has threatened legal action, saying the union will seek a temporary restraining order to stop officials from enforcing the mandate. But late Thursday the city of Chicago filed an injunctive complaint against him. In a statement, Lightfoot said Catanzara “has time and again deliberately misled our police officers by lying about the requirements of the policy and falsely claiming that there will be no repercussions if officers are insubordinate and refuse to follow a City and Department directive or order.” Lightfoot also pointed out that state law and the union contract both prohibit striking by Chicago police. She accused Catanzara of “encouraging an unlawful strike and work stoppage which carries the potential to undermine public safety and expose our residents to irreparable harm, particularly during an ongoing pandemic.” Catanzara did not respond to requests for comment. He is digging in even though Covid-19 was the leading cause of death of officers in 2020, and so far in 2021, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page which records law enforcement fatalities. That is despite the fact that police were among the first groups to have access to the vaccines. For Chicago police, the numbers are not abstract. One of Catanzara’s predecessors, Dean Angelo, who served as head of the union from 2014-2017, died from Covid on Tuesday. Chicago Mayor on Towleroad Texas House Votes to Ban Transgender Girls From Sports. No Sign of An Issue. Just More Red Meat For the Gaslit Base More Minneapolis Schools’ ‘Gaggle’ Software On Kids’ Devices Reports ‘Gay’, ‘LGBTQ’ Users As It Blocks Porn, Finds At-Risk of Self Harm More Hello? Adele 30 First Single Off ’30’ Dropped Last Night and Folks Seem to Approve…: WATCH VIDEO, COMMENT More U.S. congressional panel probing Jan 6 Capitol riot sets Bannon contempt vote date More ‘Hamilton’ Trans Actor Suni Reid Claims Retaliation Over Request For A Gender-Neutral Dressing Room, Insists They Were Threatened & Misgendered More Adele 30 Release Date Set. Says ‘Found My Feeling Again;’ From ‘Turmoil’ to ‘Peace’ Via ‘Sob all Night’, and ‘It’s your Saturn return… F- it’ More Horror Spawn Sequel: Jamie Lee Curtis Is Her Mother Janet Leigh in ‘Psycho’ in Origin-Story Costume At Last ‘Halloween’ Premiere More NO ONE: ‘Is Julianna Margulies Gay? ACTOR: Hints ‘Gay Experience’ While Discussing Lesbian Character; Loves the Role More Colin Kaepernick trains hard in hope of NFL return More James Gunn reveals ‘cannibalistic’ Gilligan’s Island reboot plans More Lil Nas X says Doja Cat is his ‘biggest inspiration’ More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) – The Texas House of Representatives passed a bill that bans transgender women and girls from participating in school sports after three previous attempts failed, all but assuring Republican Governor Greg Abbott will sign it into law. Texas is now poised to join seven other states that passed similar laws this year, part of a national campaign in which Republican legislators introduced such bills in 32 states. The bills are aimed at preventing transgender women and girls from competing on female sports teams. Conservatives say they are protecting fair competition, but equal rights activists have criticized the campaign as a discriminatory attack on transgender people, saying there is no evidence that trans women and girls are dominating sports. Political analysts say the campaign is meant to animate hard-core Republican supporters. “There’s no evidence that there’s a problem. This is red meat for the base,” said Robert Stein, a political science professor at Rice University in Houston. While the Texas Senate passed a companion bill, three previous House versions of the legislation stalled in the public education committee, which has a Democratic chairman. Republicans then created a new version of the bill and sent it through a select committee they control, enabling it to pass the full House late Thursday. The bill has gone back to the Senate for procedural approval and is expected to reach Abbott’s desk. Texas Republicans have passed a very conservative agenda this year, including new laws that make it more difficult to vote, all but ban abortion, and do away with the need for a permit to carry a concealed handgun. “Like a lot of other things in Texas politics right now, this is selling mainly to very ideologically driven voters in the Republican Party. These are the voters that show up for Republican primaries,” said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and West Virginia have passed similar transgender sports legislation, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has signed an executive order supporting a transgender sports ban. Some of these face legal challenges. Idaho passed a similar law last year that has been blocked by a federal court, and a federal court in July ruled that an 11-year-old West Virginia trans girl must be allowed to try out for the girls’ track and cross-country teams at her school in defiance of a similar law passed in April. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Minnesota students protestSchool software surveils students in and out of school Minneapolis Public Schools are using software to monitor student communications in and out of school, raising serious concerns over student privacy, according to the non-profit The 74 ,that has analyzed public records and just issued a report that raises serious concerns related to the use of the Gaggle software that can be used for 24-hour monitoring through school-provided tech devices, and includes Identifying and passing along student interest in keywords including “gay”, “LGBTQ” and others. “It suggests that anything you write or say or do in school — or out of school — may be found and held against you and used in ways that you had not envisioned,” Jennifer Mathis, director of policy and legal advocacy at The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, told The 74. Gaggle: Previously on Towleroad Minneapolis Schools’ ‘Gaggle’ Software On Kids’ Devices Reports ‘Gay’, ‘LGBTQ’ Users As It Blocks Porn, Finds At-Risk of Self Harm Brian Bell October 15, 2021 Read More ‘The Pride LA’ Owner Calls For Local School Board Recall Over Pronouns, ‘Woke Kids Equal Soft Kids’; Deletes Post When Exposed Brian Bell October 4, 2021 Read More ACLU Joins Indiana Gay-Straight Alliance Lawsuit Over Unequal Treatment by Schools; Same District Banned Pride Flags Few Months Ago Brian Bell September 30, 2021 Read More LGBTQ School News Roundup: Scotland Adds LGBTQ Education; Texas Students Protest Discrimination; Catholic School Rehires Out Coach; Florida School District Investigating Hate Actions Brian Bell September 24, 2021 Read More California Teacher Investigated Over Joking Students Could ‘Pledge Allegiance’ to LGBTQ Pride Flag Brian Bell August 31, 2021 Read More Kansas City Christian School Reportedly Tells Teachers to Oust Out LGBTQ Students or Find Another Job Brian Bell May 10, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Fibonacci Blue/Creative Commons View the full article

Adele 30 first single. Listen now. [This post contains video, click to play] Adele 30 first singleadele drop – Curated tweets by tlrd Adele on Towleroad U.S. congressional panel probing Jan 6 Capitol riot sets Bannon contempt vote date More ‘Hamilton’ Trans Actor Suni Reid Claims Retaliation Over Request For A Gender-Neutral Dressing Room, Insists They Were Threatened & Misgendered More Adele 30 Release Date Set. Says ‘Found My Feeling Again;’ From ‘Turmoil’ to ‘Peace’ Via ‘Sob all Night’, and ‘It’s your Saturn return… F- it’ More Horror Spawn Sequel: Jamie Lee Curtis Is Her Mother Janet Leigh in ‘Psycho’ in Origin-Story Costume At Last ‘Halloween’ Premiere More NO ONE: ‘Is Julianna Margulies Gay? ACTOR: Hints ‘Gay Experience’ While Discussing Lesbian Character; Loves the Role More Colin Kaepernick trains hard in hope of NFL return More James Gunn reveals ‘cannibalistic’ Gilligan’s Island reboot plans More Lil Nas X says Doja Cat is his ‘biggest inspiration’ More ‘Tiger King’ Star Carole Baskin Thinks Kate McKinnon Is A Dead Ringer For Her In Upcoming ‘Joe Exotic’ Miniseries More Anti-Trump Republicans to back vulnerable Democratic lawmakers in 2022 congressional races More White House ‘draft material’ on U.S. Supreme Court reforms due later Thursday More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives select committee probing the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol said on Thursday it would convene a business meeting on Tuesday to vote on adopting a contempt report against Steve Bannon, a longtime advisor to former President Donald Trump. The committee said Bannon had declined to cooperate. “The Select Committee will not tolerate defiance of our subpoenas, so we must move forward with proceedings to refer Mr. Bannon for criminal contempt,” the committee’s Democratic chairman, Representative Bennie Thompson, said in a statement. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chris Reese) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Hamilton star Suni Reid, a non-binary performer who is openly transgender, is taking aim at the beloved Broadway production, claiming their contract was not renewed in retaliation over their request for a gender-neutral dressing room. Reid — who appeared in the Broadway, Chicago and Los Angeles Hamilton productions in both ensemble and principle roles — filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint, per Deadline, with their attorneys, Lawrence M. Pearson and Lindsay M. Goldbrum, pointing out: “Publicly, Hamilton is a beacon of diversity and appears committed to causes seeking social justice and harmony.” “Behind the curtain, however, the Company’s management will force out a Black, transgender cast member simply because they stood up for themselves and advocated for a more equitable workplace, and therefore called that public image into question,” the lawyers reportedly declared in a statement. MEGA “We look forward to upholding Mx. Reid’s rights,” the statement concluded, “and hope this is a wake-up call for the theater industry about the systemic inequities that persist even at its greatest heights.” ‘TODAY’ CELEBRATES BEST OF BROADWAY—SEE THE STELLAR HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FROM ‘HAMILTON,’ ‘WICKED’ & MORE! According to the complaint, Reid sought out access to a gender-neutral dressing room at the Hollywood Pantages theatre last June by making a “legally protected request.” MEGA Reid’s attorneys noted “Hamilton suspended the renewal of Mx. Reid’s contract,” weeks after filing their request, as well as sidelined them “during rehearsals, previews, and finally opening night and beyond.”(The Award winning Broadway show began performances at the Pantages theater on August 17.) Reid — who played George Washington, Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, and Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson — retained legal counsel in July, per the outlet, and told show runners of their legal claims of discrimination and retaliation. Two months later, production informed the Broadway star that their contract wouldn’t be renewed. ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ ALUM DAVID ARCHULETA JOINS BROADWAY STARS FROM ‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN,’ ‘HAMILTON,’ MORE ON NEW ‘IN PIECES’ ALBUM The attorneys claimed Reid had been subjected to instances of discrimination and harassment by both management and their fellow cast mates. “Certain actors physically threatened Mx. Reid or intentionally and repeatedly mis-gendered them,” the complaint cited as examples of some of the incidents, per the outlet. MEGA According to Reid, these horrid interactions occurred in the dressing rooms for the male performers. The complaint acknowledged production eventually provided a gender-neutral dressing room, thanks to cast member Rory O’Malley, the performer who plays King George in Los Angeles — who “generously offered to give up his dressing room.” However, the complaint stated: “the Company still would not drop its retaliatory animus toward Mx. Reid and rescinded their contract renewal offer altogether.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine The most highly awaited album of the decade, Adele’s 30, is officially dropping November 19. The Grammy winning singer announced via her Instagram on Wednesday, October 13, that the new body of music will be released in November along with the caption, “ALBUM OF THE NEW DECADE IS COMING.” The “Hello” artist then added a photograph of her side profile and a note describing to fans what inspired the songs in this new era. MEGA “I was certainly nowhere near where I’d hoped to be when I first started it nearly 3 years ago,” Adele began the letter to her devout followers. ADELE & RICH PAUL GO INSTAGRAM OFFICIAL AFTER MONTHS OF SPECULATION “Quite the opposite actually. I rely on routine and consistency to feel safe, I always have. And yet there I was knowingly — willingly even, throwing myself into a maze of absolute mess and inner turmoil! I’ve learned a lot of blistering home truths about myself along the way. I’ve shed many layers but also wrapped myself in new ones. Discovered genuinely useful and wholesome mentalities to lead with, and I feel like I’ve finally found my feeling again. I’d go as far as to say that I’ve never felt more peaceful in my life,” the global superstar explained. All of these life experiences have culminated into this new body of work that she is now ready to share with the world as she announced, “And so I’m ready to finally put this album out.” MEGA Adele goes on to compare the music to a friend who is consistently there for you in your time of need as she detailed: “When I was writing it, it was my friend who came over with a bottle of wine and a takeaway to cheer me up. My wise friend who always gives the best advice. Not to forget the one who’s wild and says ‘It’s your Saturn return babes f—ck it, you only live once.’” ADELE BELIEVES RICH PAUL IS ‘THE MAN OF HER DREAMS’, SAYS SOURCE: ‘SHE’S DONE ACTING COY’ Everyone should get their tissues ready as she even goes on to compare the album to, “The friend who’d stay up all night and just hold my hand while I’d sob relentlessly not knowing why.” MEGA The hit maker concluded the note as she stated, “I’ve painstakingly rebuilt my house and my heart since then and this album narrates it. Home is where the heart is x.” In the upcoming album, Adele co-wrote the majority of the music with writers and producers Max Martin, Tobias Jesso Jr, Greg Kurstin, and Shellback, all of whom worked on the smash hit that was her third album ’25’. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jamie Lee Curtis honoured her late mother, Janet Leigh, at the premiere of ‘Halloween Kills’. The 62-year-old actress attended the costume party screening of her latest movie – in which she reprises her role as Laurie Strode – at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday (12.10.21) and turned heads by dressing as her mom’s ‘Psycho’ character, Marion Crane. As well as a dress and hair style that matched the character from the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic, Jamie accessorised her look with a blood-splattered shower curtain, paying homage to the movie’s famous stabbing scene. Sharing a photo of her outfit on Instagram, the actress captioned her post: “Honoring my mother in ALL her gory…I meant glory! “PREMIERE PARTY TIME! (sic)” Jamie became known as a scream queen for her roles in other horror flicks ‘Prom Night’ and ‘Terror Train’ and praised the Venice Film Festival, where ‘Halloween Kills’ had its premiere, for giving a chance to horror movies. She said: “I think the horror genre has been culled from the herd. When I was first coming up, we called them B-movies and they were dismissed as being not very good. “But the Italian audience, the critics, their cinema community and the Venice Film Festival have always supported that genre.” Jamie was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the festival but admits there is plenty that she still hopes to accomplish. She said: “It does seem weird to me because I have so much I still want to do, fingers crossed – back off, Covid! “I feel incredibly vibrant and excited about all the opportunities that have come to me and the opportunities I have manifested.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Julianna Margulies has hinted she’s had “gay experiences”. The 55-year-old actress – who married lawyer Keith Lieberthal in 2007 and previously dated Ron Eldard from 1991 to 2003 – was asked if she had any reservations portraying lesbian news reporter Laura Peterson on ‘The Morning Show’ but suggested there were “assumptions” behind the question. She said: “Who’s to say I haven’t had my own gay experiences? We’re making assumptions.” Julianna – who has 13-year-old son Kieran with her spouse – admitted she knew her casting could have sparked a backlash but she didn’t feel there should be. Speaking on the ‘Just for Variety’ podcast, she said: “I know there was some trepidation of ‘will lesbian actresses be angry?’ and I can tell you I would never, ever be angry if a lesbian played a straight woman.” The actress jumped at the chance to be a part of the programme because she knew the writers “get women”. She said: “You’ve got Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon playing these two very strong characters, and in the second season instead of bringing a man in to upset that balance they brought in a woman. Hats off to that, because the truth is women are more afraid of women. “They dress for women. We don’t dress for men. We dress for each other. We want to impress each other much more. … It made so much sense, and I thought, ‘Ah, a show that gets women. This is great.’” And Julianna was delighted with the backstory showrunner Kerry Ehrin provided for Laura, including detailing how her career was derailed 20 years prior when she was outed. She said: “It’s rare to get such a rich 20-year history of who this character was before you get to play her. That’s usually the homework I do on my own.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Colin Kaepernick is hopeful of playing in the NFL again. The 33-year-old civil rights activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback hasn’t played in the professional American football league since 2016 after speaking out against racial and social injustice, but he has been training hard in the hope a team will sign him up at some point. When asked if he is ready to return to the NFL, Colin – who became the first player to take the knee during the national anthem – said: “Absolutely. “I am still up at 5am training five, six days a week making sure I’m prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again. “That’s not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment. “The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I’m gonna be persistent here.” Colin is putting in the hours of training to ensure he will be ready if a football team come calling. He added to Ebony magazine: “And you’re gonna have to continue to deny me and do so in a public way. And you’re gonna expose yourself by that, but it won’t be because I’m not ready or not prepared. “But in that process, I’m also not gonna let you bury my future. “I’m gonna continue to do work on the acting and producing side, continue to do the work with Know Your Rights, and make sure we are having an impact. “I think that’s the beauty of us collectively – we are not one-dimensional.” Colin has since been working with his non-profit group, Know Your Rights Camp, in his fight against racial and social injustice. In June last year, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey donated $3 million to the campaign. He wrote on Twitter: “More #startsmall grants. $3mm to Colin @Kaepernick7’s @yourrightscamp to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization to elevate the next generation of change leaders. (sic)” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English James Gunn and Charlie Kaufman wanted to reboot ‘Gilligan’s Island’ as a dark, cannibalistic movie. The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ filmmaker has revealed he tried to bring back the classic 1960s sitcom – which featured a group of people stranded on a deserted island – in a more sinister way based on a script ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ writer Kaufman penned in the late 1990s. Taking part in a Twitter trend urging people to “pitch a movie in two pictures, no caption”, he shared snaps of the ‘Gilligan’s Island’ crew alongside an image showing cannibalism. He added underneath the post: “A true story: In the late 90’s screenwriting GOAT Charlie Kaufman pitched a movie version of Gilligan’s Island where the islanders, starving & desperate, started killing & eating each other. “Warner Bros wanted to do it – but Sherwood Schwartz, the creator, said no way. (sic)” He then tried to bring back the idea after the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movie in 2014, but again the pitch was met with some resistance after Schwartz’s death in three years earlier. Gunn continued: “After Guardians I tried to resurrect the idea & wanted to direct. “It seemed Warners & Charlie were interested but, this time, the estate of the late Sherwood Schwartz nixed it. “Anyway, if the Schwartz estate changes their mind, I’m here.” Meanwhile, Gunn – who was at the helm of ‘The Suicide Squad’ for DC this year and will release a third ‘Guardians’ film for Marvel in 2023 – recently teased another top secret DC Extended Universe project. When an Instagram user asked James on his recent post if he’s “developing a new DCEU project”, he responded: “Yes.” However, the director insisted there will be no reveal at DC FanDome this week, as it’s early days yet. Another suggested it could be a “Deadshot vs Bloodsport” flick, but James replied: “It’s something else but not it won’t be revealed at Fandome. It’s not ready yet. (sic)” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lil Nas X has hailed Doja Cat as his “biggest inspiration”. The 22-year-old star has taken to Twitter to heap praise on the ‘Juicy’ hitmaker, admitting that he’s been inspired by her career success and also described Doja as “hot”. Nas – who recently released his long-awaited debut album, ‘Montero’ – wrote on the micro-blogging platform: “doja cat has become my biggest inspiration. she puts so much effort into everything she does. and she’s hot. (sic)” Doja, 25, made a guest appearance on Nas’ new album. And Nas previously admitted that he loved working with the chart-topping star. He shared: “She’s a fun person, she takes things seriously but doesn’t take things seriously – you know what I mean? “She takes what she does seriously like you can tell she puts a lot of effort into everything she does.” Asked what he particularly likes about Doja, Nas added: “Her music, her videos, her personality is very colourful.” Meanwhile, Doja previously confessed that she’s become more restrained on social media since finding fame. The rapper was hugely enthusiastic about social media before she released her debut album ‘Amala’ in 2018, but Doja admits she’s become more cautious with her posts over recent years. She explained: “I used to be on Periscope a lot. I’d be live for 10 or 12 hours at a time. I’d be making beats, and they weren’t any good, but it was fun. “I would just be yelling at and roasting people, and they would be like, ‘Damn, why are you so mad?’ But then some people would think it was funny and go along with it. That was me back then, and I love going in on people, but I stopped because with a big platform, you don’t want to hurt anybody. “You have power and you’re looked at a certain way, and if you go in on people and s***, it doesn’t help you or them, and they can tear you down more than you can tear them down.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Carole Baskin is already impressed by Kate McKinnon‘s transformation for the upcoming Peacock miniseries based on Tiger King. The Saturday Night Live star is slated to play Baskin in the show which is reportedly titled Joe Exotic. The CEO of Big Cat Rescue thinks McKinnon is a dead ringer for her. She told TMZ she was stunned by the comedian’s transformation. Baskin felt that producers nailed her wardrobe. Baskin was surprised that even the accessories were spot on when McKinnon was seen sporting a necklace on-set that Baskin didn’t even wear in the Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness docuseries. MEGA KIM KARDASHIAN & KIDS SLAY IN ‘TIGER KING’-INSPIRED COSTUMES — SEE PHOTOS Baskin told the publication that McKinnon must be channeling her inner cat lady. Kyle MacLachlan will play Baskin’s current husband, Howard, in the show. She told the outlet that MacLachlan did a good job of portraying her husband but is not identical. According to Baskin, Howard doesn’t wear short-sleeve button-up shirts or a wedding ring, but she still approves of MacLachlan’s portrayal. Baskin said that she heard that the series will detail her marriage to Howard but she doesn’t know how her rivalry with Joe Exotic will play out. She has requested that real big cats are not used in the series and that CGI tigers are used instead. MEGA “Joe Exotic is a limited series based on true events following Carole Baskin (McKinnon), a big cat enthusiast, who learns that when fellow exotic animal lover Joe ‘Exotic’ Schreibvogel is breeding and using his big cats for profit, she sets out to shut down his venture, inciting a quickly escalating rivalry,” according to UCP, the studio company producing the series. “But Carole has a checkered past of her own and when the claws come out, Joe will stop at nothing to expose what he sees as her hypocrisy. The results prove dangerous.” Viewers first met Baskin and Exotic in the Netflix series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. The streaming platform will reportedly release a follow-up series, Tiger King 2, in November. Exotic is currently behind bars. He is serving a 22-year prison sentence after he was convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire for a plot to kill Baskin. AWK! JOY BEHAR THINKS CAROLE BASKIN’S MISSING HUSBAND SOULD JOIN HER ON ‘DWTS’ MEGA The Dancing With The Stars alum previously told OK! that after the Netflix docuseries aired the “thing that I’ve heard the most since Tiger King is that I’m some sort of gold-digging, murderer, murderous homewrecker.” She insisted that “none of those things were true.” Baskin has denied claims that she killed her second husband Don Lewis. View the full article