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President Joe BidenNational Coming Out Day President Joe Biden commemorated National Coming Out Day by condemning the array of anti-LGBTQ legislation circulating through state governments while continuing to offer words of encouragement to the nation’s LGBTQ citizens. Biden reiterated previous supportive statements toward LGBTQ Americans in a statement Monday celebrating “the courage of LGBTQ+ people who live their lives with pride” on the 33rd celebration of National Coming Out Day. “Today and every day, I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know that you are loved and accepted just the way you are regardless of whether or not you’ve come out,” Biden said. “To LGBTQ+ people across the country, and especially those who are contemplating coming: know that you are loved for who you are, you admired for your courage and you will have a community – and a nation – to welcome you,” he added. “My administration will always have your back, and we will continue fighting for full measure of equality, dignity and respect you deserve.” The president also made reference to multiple out LGBTQ officials currently working in his administration in the statement, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine. “I am proud to lead an administration with LGBTQ+ officials serving openly at the highest levels of government – and prouder that together we have made historic progress advancing protections and equal opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community,” Biden’s statement read. “My administration has been clear that we will continue to champion dignity, equality and wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community,” he added. Biden’s words echo previous statements made by himself and members of his administration meant to bring higher visibility to the LGBTQ community and the issues it faces, including remarks made during a June speech recognizing LGBTQ Pride month. “Above all, Pride month stands for love. Being able to love yourself, love who you love and love this country enough to make it more fair and more free and more just.” “More Work To Do” As he did in June, Biden took aim at the widespread collection of anti-LGBTQ, and specifically anti-trans, legislation that a majority of state legislatures have introduced over the last calendar year. Much of those policies focus on undercutting gender-affirming medical care and participation in sports for trans individuals- particularly trans youth. Those attitudes have trickled into local political structures as well, with multiple school districts across the nation instituting bans on LGBTQ iconography on campus under the guise of policing political statements. Biden called for those bills and laws’ defeat while acknowledging that there is “more work to do.” “Despite the extraordinary progress our nation has made, our work to ensure the full promise of equality is not yet done. Anti-LGBTQ+ bills still proliferate in state legislatures. Bullying and harassment — particularly of young transgender Americans and LGBTQ+ people of color — still abounds, diminishing our national character,” Biden said. “We must continue to stand together against these acts of hate, and stand up to protect the rights, opportunities, physical safety, and mental health of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.” Biden also once again called for the passage of the Equality Act as part of that call. “From defeating discriminatory bills to passing the Equality Act, we have more work to do to ensure that every American can live free of fear, harassment and discrimination because of who they are or whom they love.” The Equality Act would add protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for individuals facing discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite multiple calls from The White House for the bill to pass, the Equality Act’s advancement has been stalled in the Senate for months after it passed in the House of Representatives earlier this year. National Coming Out Day: Previously on Towleroad Biden Recognizes National Coming Out Day, Condemns Against Anti-LGBTQ Bills and Again Calls For Passing Equality Act Brian Bell October 11, 2021 Read More Biden To Restore Boundaries, Protections for 3 National Monument Nature Reserves, Protecting 3.2 Acres Slashed by Trump Towleroad October 9, 2021 Read More President Biden Includes LGBTQI Rights In United Nations Address Calling on Member Countries to Protect ‘Universal Rights of All’ Brian Bell September 21, 2021 Read More Biden Responds to ‘Hundreds Of Anti -LGBTQ bills’ across States; White House Reviewing Trans Protections Across Nation Orion Rummler, The 19th July 1, 2021 Read More President Biden Names Jessica Stern U.S. LGBTQI+ Special Envoy, Signs Pulse National Memorial into Law Brian Bell June 25, 2021 Read More Longshot LGBTQ Pride Flag Ban Gains GOP Supporters as President Biden Acknowledges Pride Month Brian Bell June 4, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons View the full article

Published by AFP A member of the LGBTI community wearing a Superman costume at a protest in the Dominican Republic in July 2021 New York (AFP) – Superman fell for a reporter and now his son is doing the same, although this time the superhero’s love interest is a man called Jay. DC Comics announced on Monday that the new Superman, who is the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, will have a romantic relationship with a male friend. Jon Kent and budding journalist Jay Nakamura struck up a friendship in a story released in August. They will share a kiss in a story to be published next month. “Following a scene where Superman mentally and physically burns out from trying to save everyone that he can, Jay is there to care for the Man of Steel,” DC comics said in a statement. The storyline line will feature in “Son of Kal-El” issue five, due to hit shelves on November 9. DC Comics described the new Superman as “bisexual” in its press release, which is headlined “Jon Kent finds his identity.” “Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics,” said Tom Taylor, who writes the series. In the “Son of Kal-El” series Jon Kent has been fighting a number of social justice issues, including tackling widlfires and protesting the deportation of refugees. The coming out of America’s most famous superhero comes as more comic books embrace diversity. “Aquaman” introduced a Black, gay superhero earlier this summer, while the latest Robin in the Batman comics came out as bisexual in August. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Timothée Chalamet refused to react to his former co-star Armie Hammer‘s sexual assault allegations during a recent interview. The 25-year-old actor has not commented on the subject since it first made headlines earlier this year. He had previously professed his admiration for Armie after the two worked together on the movie Call Me By Your Name. mega The interviewer brought up the disturbing allegations against Armie during his interview with Time. Timothée responded gracefully but didn’t give up much. “I totally get why you’re asking that,” the Beautiful Boy actor said. “But it’s a question worthy of a larger conversation, and I don’t want to give you a partial response.” As Radar previously reported, Armie has been under scrutiny after a woman named Effie Angelova claimed he raped her. The alleged victim says theRebecca actor “violently raped” her in addition to “slamming my head against a wall” and “bruising my face” during an alleged attack in 2017. During her testimony, Effie also accused Armie of committing “other acts of violence against” her that she “did not consent,” including beating her feet with a crop and holding her hostage to the point she believes “he was going to kill” her. mega Armie had denied all the allegations claiming their interactions were “completely consensual.” Following the allegations, Hammer checked himself into a rehab facility just outside of Orlando, Florida. His estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, reportedly helped him throughout the process. Hammer allegedly called Chambers to inform her about his decision to seek treatment. The former duo seemed to be in agreement over treatment despite their ongoing custody battle over their two children, Harper, 6, and Ford, 4. Chambers filed for divorce from the actor in July 2020. mega Last month, Radar reported that despite Armie facing an investigation over the sexual assault allegations, his current girlfriend, Lisa Perejma, is still supporting him. “They are still together, she has been around the island recently and I believe she’s planning to see him when he leaves rehab, she’s been a big support for him,” an insider told The Sun. “They have a strong bond and a lot of mutual friends, she’s glad he’s getting the help he urgently needs for the sake of his children and his future.” According to the source, the actor also had extended his stay in the facility. Armie is reportedly sober and “thriving.” View the full article

We’re Here hosts Eureka, Shangela and Bob the Drag Queen. Photograph by Connie Chornuk/HBOJust in time for National Coming Out Day, HBO’s masterful docuseries We’re Here returns for a second season of trauma, triumph and, of course, tucking. Hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Shangela, Eureka and Bob the Drag Queen, the series sends the queens to small towns across America to empower the local queer community with an All Stars-worthy drag performance. It’s much more than wigs and lashes, though. The first season took an unflinching look at suicide, drug use and multiple forms of discrimination and isolation facing queer people. The tone is resolutely positive, but the show leans into nuance in a way few conventional reality-TV shows dare. Moments of intersectionality between queerness and race or income are brought to the forefront, rather than glazed over, and tidy, happy endings are never guaranteed. ‘We’re Here’ is no frivolous “yas, queen!” kiki to pop in between episodes of Untucked. … it’s a heavy watch…but the show’s signature style really keeps it all from becoming too bleak. There’s something deliciously ironic about the notion of mining for authenticity in an art form dedicated to artifice. It’s certainly not impossible — RuPaul’s Drag Race has sashayed across that tightrope to great success, but, remember, that show started as much more biting satire. Instead of weaponizing drag’s ability to skewer or stun, We’re Here focuses on drag’s role as a crucial meeting place for the queer community and its supporters. It’s less about drag as an art form and more about the powerful feeling of being at a drag show, drink in hand, wagging your finger, shrieking in unison with the crowd as a queen slams the floor. It’s not just their drag children’s empowering embrace of a character; it’s about being witnessed performing as that character. …there’s no trace of any of the cheesy reality-TV (or makeover) cliche’s from basic cable’s earlier forays into the format. Don’t be mistaken: We’re Here is no frivolous “yas, queen!” kiki to pop in between episodes of Untucked. Despite the presence of the (dependably charming and hilarious) hosts, it’s a heavy watch. (Though, don’t worry, there are plenty of lewks to gag over.) Bob, Shangela and Eureka can’t help but inject some humor into the proceedings, but it’s the show’s signature style that really keeps it all from becoming too relentlessly bleak. Peppered with high-impact, neon title cards and featuring music from queer artists and iconic favorites, there’s no trace of any of the cheesy reality-TV (or makeover) cliche’s from basic cable’s earlier forays into the format. The resulting product blends some of TV’s strongest storytelling with a compellingly cool stylistic package. We spoke to co-creators (and real life couple) Johnnie Ingram and Stephen Warren about their approach and what makes We’re Here so special. See what they had to say below, and don’t miss the second season of We’re Here tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on HBO. We’re Here co-creators Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram. Photograph by Greg Endries/HBOWhat really strikes me about ‘We’re Here’ is that it has very carefully considered tone. How did you go about establishing that early on? Johnnie Ingram: I think, personally, the tone of the show is pretty heavy if you take out all the fun sort of cards and you take out the drag show and the entrance. I equate it to queer life. Sometimes, for some people, it can be very heavy. But what is really great about queer life, if you go to the gay bar, you see a drag show and then like [claps] you get the moment of being able to brush off the day and just be able to celebrate yourself, put your hands in the air and be your authentic self. In carefully crafting this show, we really wanted to ground these are real people, they’re real lives, we want that authenticity, but the authenticity, if you watch it wall to wall, is a hard watch. What it’s like is these beats in between, and the opening and then the drag show. It’s almost like queer life; you need a beat of levity to get through all the hard stuff. Stephen Warren: All our song choices, wardrobe choices, the tone overall of what we’re trying to communicate, we are not being angry confrontational television. We are television that is led by our desire, and our showrunners’ desire, to try to show that people can connect that wouldn’t otherwise be able to connect. The show is not afraid to leave things unresolved or not deliver what might be the expected ending. What was it like accepting that not every story would be neatly wrapped up? SW: We are so careful about not pushing, ever. If we don’t get a story we expect, then we don’t get a story we expect. We’re going to tell the story of these people’s lives. That’s what our mission is. Going back to the first season, when we were really putting the whole show together in Gettysburg, all of us were hoping there would be a hug between [formerly homophobic mom] Erica and [daughter] Hailey. There was no hug, and then Eureka brilliantly is outside talking with Erica afterward with half their clothes on, and says, “You know, sometimes it’s just showing up that’s the first step.” That was a seminal moment for the show, because when that happened, it gave us the freedom to be able to, for the rest of the series, hopefully for years and years, people will not expect you’ve got to get that tight ending. We’re Here host Shangela. Photo courtesy HBO.You’ve said the three queens were your first and only choices to host, because of their talent, intelligence and most of all empathy, but what’s something special each queen uniquely brings to the show? SW: I’ll start with Shangela. Shangela brings an effervescence and a charisma and a star power that light up a room and get everyone excited, everyone excited. Whether it’s a performance, which you naturally expect, or whether it’s providing insight you wouldn’t think about. What Shangela does is she lights up a room, she just lights it up. We’re Here host Bob the Drag Queen and series co-creator Johnnie Ingram. Photograph by Greg Endries/HBOJI: And Bob, Bob is just a wonderful light that loves to listen, is thoughtful, is exactly what you see on screen. It’s Bob. Bob’s drag artistry — all of them are world class, but Bob has a really unique way of telling a story unlike the others that is incredibly special, it’s intelligent, it’s thoughtful. Bob just has access to all these amazing people, and they all love Bob so much, and you just get the best drag. They all care incredibly about their drag kids. You don’t even get the whole story how they put these looks together. Bob is just a creative, intellectual, warm soul. SW: And then Eureka, I think Eureka is probably the biggest surprise. Eureka is able to connect with an audience, a rural audience, an audience that’s not necessarily in the city. And Eureka’s grammar isn’t always perfect, and when Eureka just talks, they’ll say things that are just so wildly appropriate and insightful. It’s shocking to hear, but they say it in a way I wouldn’t say it, but only Eureka would say it. It’s so intelligent, yet it’s so relatable. The other characteristic about, particularly Eureka and Shangela but also Bob, they can all laugh at themselves. They do not take themselves too seriously. We’re Here co-creator Stephen Warren and host Eureka. Photograph by Greg Endries/HBOJI: They’ve all lived, they’ve navigated life. And it hasn’t been easy. I think they bring a rich experience to these places as they’ve already fought those battles. Yes, they’re not fairy godmothers, they’re not Oprah — even though sometimes I might see a little of that. It’s just people with life experience that have overcome so much and their ability, for someone who might be stuck in it and can’t get through it, they’re able to just sit down and say it gets better. We talk a lot about representation in front of the camera, but I’d love to hear your experience behind the camera. How does your experience enhance a project like this, as members of the LGBTQ community? SW: We have an incredibly diverse group, and it’s obviously by design. It’s many, many queer people, many women, many people of color. It’s important for us to make sure we’re doing something that is reflective of our values. JI: I think it’s important you see a reflection of who you are behind the camera as well as what you’re seeing in front of the camera. That is something we fight for, we make sure it is very well known. If there is something that someone may or may not understand, for example, if we are telling a lot of trans stories in this particular episode, we may have some people that we don’t know exactly where their education level is on the subject matter. So, we bring in resources to make sure we all understand them as human beings. We’re talking thoughtfully, using the right pronouns, and understanding why we’re using the right pronouns. Between race, sexuality, gender, we have a full spectrum behind the scenes, of course in front of the camera, as well. It’s incredibly important to us. How has working on We’re Here changed you personally? JI: We’re just so grateful to have created a platform for other people to tell their stories. Getting to know a lot of these people across the country, it’s created a family. We’re already family, because we’re part of the LGBTQ community, but it’s nice to actually see some of our family members and connect with them and expand our family. Social media and things have made it a little harder for us to feel as connected. I think sometimes it sort of forces us in silos. It’s been a real, true experience to get out of that, and get out of the chaos of opening your phone and everyone is screaming at the top of their lungs at whatever it is they’re trying to scream and actually talk to people and really, truly connect is life-changing for us, because you just get the reward of feeling human again, versus being controlled by your device. It has been incredibly life-changing. View the full article

Published by DPA “Two Children Frightened by a Nightingale” (1924) by the artist Max Ernst is among the many works in the Met exhibition “Surrealism Beyond Borders”. Christina Horsten/dpa Surrealist art from five continents is being celebrated by New York’s Metropolitan Museum with a major exhibition that shifts the focus away from the familiar European masters of the movement. Rather than teasing big-name Western artists like Dali and Magritte, the show takes a big-picture approach including surrealist works from Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, North Africa, Australia and Latin America. The movement, which “asserted the unconscious and dreams over the familiar and every day” according to the museum, emerged in Paris in the 1920s and has often been represented with European masterpieces. However this exhibition shows the exciting Surrealist movements happening elsewhere. “Surrealism is inherently dynamic and has travelled and evolved from place to place and time to time,” exhibition curator Stephanie D’Alessandro said. “Its scope is (and always has been) international and, more specifically, transnational—extending across national borders to unite ideas and people, while also remaining specific and local in its liberatory drive.” The sprawling exhibition is spread across eight galleries, with one entire gallery dedicated to the topic of “The Work of Dreams.” The exhibition features works from 45 countries and some 8 decades and is intended to “recast appreciation of this most revolutionary and globe-spanning movement,” the curators say. The “Surrealism Beyond Borders” show is scheduled to open on October 11 and run until the end of January 2022. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Alan Cumming loves “true” insults. The 56-year-old actor has revealed he considers the perfect insult to be something that’s “true as well as accurate”. Discussing the perfect diss in a Q&A for Graydon Carter’s Air Mail, Alan shared: “I like it when they’re true as well as accurate. “Like, ‘You are a disgrace’ or ‘You are unprofessional and disrespectful.’ I like when you don’t have to be mean, but are so much more hurtful because it is actually true.” “Conversely, I really don’t like when someone says something true like ‘You are a w*****’ as an insult when, of course, we all are.” Asked for his best piece of career advice, Alan replied: “Don’t f*** the talent.” Alan previously admitted that he’s already exceeded his own career expectations. The acclaimed actor – who has enjoyed success on stage and on screen – thought his options were fairly limited when he was a young performer on the Scottish theatre scene in the 1980s. He recalled: “I was told that things were not available to me because of my Scottishness. “America was never a thing. London was maybe a possibility. The idea that I would be doing what I’m doing now or have the opportunities that I have now, there was no one I knew who’d had that trajectory … those things didn’t happen to Scottish people.” Alan also doubts that his sexuality harms his career prospects. He explained: “The constant question I used to get was: ‘Do you think that coming out is bad for your career in Hollywood?’ It’s such a ridiculous question. I don’t think people in Basingstoke or Idaho are not going to go and see a movie because someone in it is gay. I really don’t think they care.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) -British police said on Monday they would be taking no further action after conducting a review of evidence relating to sex crime allegations against Queen Elizabeth’s son, Prince Andrew, and the late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein. London’s police chief, Cressida Dick, said in August that detectives would look at the allegations for a third time although they would not start an investigation, after Virginia Giuffre filed a U.S. lawsuit accusing the prince of sexual assault, which he has always denied. Cressida Dick had said at the time that “no one is above the law”. “As a matter of procedure MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) officers reviewed a document released in August 2021 as part of a U.S. civil action,” the police said in a statement on Monday. “This review has concluded and we are taking no further action.” In her civil lawsuit, Giuffre, 38, has accused Andrew of forcing her to have sex when she was underage at the London home of Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre also said Andrew, 61, abused her at Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan, and on Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The British royal, the ninth in line to the throne, has always denied those allegations or having any relationship with Giuffre. He was forced to step down from royal duties over his friendship with Epstein, who committed suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while being held on sex-trafficking charges. “It comes as no surprise that the Met Police have confirmed that, having reviewed the sex assault claims against the duke for a third time, they are taking no further action,” a source close to the prince said. “Despite pressure from the media and claims of new evidence, the Met have concluded that the claims are not sufficient to warrant any further investigation. The duke has always vigorously maintained his innocence and continues to do so.” The Sunday Times had reported this week that London police had spoken to Giuffre regarding her allegations. “The Metropolitan Police Service continues to liaise with other law enforcement agencies who lead the investigation into matters related to Jeffrey Epstein,” the police said in their statement. Last week, lawyers for Andrew, the queen’s second son, were given permission to examine a confidential 2009 agreement between Epstein and Giuffre which they hope will absolve him from all liability in the case. (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Timothy Heritage and Andrew Heavens) View the full article

Published by AFP The clean-up has shuttered long stretches of coastline to the soth of Los Angeles, in an area known for its surfing Los Angeles (AFP) – A fractured pipeline that spewed crude oil off the coast of California could have been leaking for a year, US investigators said Friday. Tens of thousands of gallons of oil are feared to have leeched into waters that are home to whales, dolphins and otters since a leak was discovered last weekend. Stretches of prime surfing coastline have been shuttered as clean-up crews raced to prevent the spoiling of beaches, and rescue animals caught up in the slick. US news outlets reported that a ship’s anchor could have been responsible for dragging the pipeline along the seabed and splitting it open. But Coast Guard officials investigating the incident said Friday the rupture might not be new, and could have happened as long as a year ago. Captain Jason Neubauer said multiple ships’ anchors may have contributed to the displacement of the pipe, and it was not initially clear when the leak began. Underwater video of the damaged pipeline shows “marine growth” around the 13-inch crack that is leaking oil — something that would not have appeared overnight. This discovery “has refocused the … timeframe of our investigation to at least several months to a year ago,” Neubauer said. A routine inspection by pipeline owner Amplify Energy which took place last October showed no damage, he said. “We’re going to be looking at every vessel movement over that pipeline and every close encroachment over the past year,” Neubauer said. That will include examining satellite images, radio broadcasts and vessel traffic patterns. The nearby container ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are among the world’s busiest. A pandemic-sparked logjam has left dozens of huge vessels at a time anchored at sea while they await a berth. Captains ordered to wait outside the port are given specific places to set anchor, but investigators will look to see if any anchors have been dropped in the wrong place. They will also look to see if a storm that tore through the area in January could have moved any of the ships. Martyn Willsher, the chief executive of Amplify Energy, said this week that underwater observations revealed that 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) of the pipeline were not where they should be. “The pipeline has essentially been pulled like a bowstring,” he told a press conference on Tuesday. “At its widest point it is 105 feet away from where it was,” he said, adding the break in the pipeline was at the apex of this bend. Willsher refused to speculate on the cause of that displacement and whether a ship’s anchor could be responsible, but said: “It is a 16-inch steel pipeline that’s a half inch thick and covered in an inch of concrete. “For it to be moved 105 feet is not common.” Officials involved in the clean up originally said well over 100,000 gallons of crude could have been spilled. But on Thursday they said the actual amount could have been around 25,000 gallons. View the full article

Published by AFP Haitian migrants queue in Tijuana, Mexico on October 6, 2021 Port-au-Prince (AFP) – Haiti has denounced what it said were “racist” remarks from former US president Donald Trump that migrants from the island nation entering the United States would put Americans at risk of contracting AIDS. “So we have hundreds of thousands of people flowing in from Haiti. Haiti has a tremendous AIDS problem,” Trump said in a Thursday interview on Fox News. “Many of those people will probably have AIDS, and they’re coming into our country and we don’t do anything about it, we let everybody come in,” he said. “It’s like a death wish for our country.” According to World Bank data, HIV prevalence in Haiti has been steadily declining for the past 15 years, and is now estimated at a rate of 1.9 percent among Haitians aged 15 to 49. The Haitian embassy in Washington condemned the “racist and baseless statement about Haitian migrants, in particular, and the Haitian population, in general, of Donald J Trump.” “These vile comments aim only to sow hatred and discord against immigrants,” the embassy said in a statement Friday. The mid-September arrival of more than 30,000 migrants, mostly Haitians, who camped out for days under a bridge on the border between Mexico and Texas, has brought US President Joe Biden’s administration under fire from Republicans. They accuse the president of having caused the surge by relaxing the hardline migration policies implemented by predecessor Trump. Over the course of less than three weeks, more than 7,500 Haitian migrants — 20 percent of them children — have been deported by US migration services, which have chartered 70 planes to the capital Port-au-Prince and to Cap-Haitien, the island’s second-largest city. After Trump’s comments, the Haitian embassy said that “civilized people… should not remain indifferent to this umpteenth denigration of the Haitian people by former President Trump.” During a private meeting in January 2018, Trump had referred to Haiti and several African nations as “shithole countries.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Kanye West never ceases to surprise his fans with his very unpredictable move as this time he was spotted getting coffee with Donald Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen in New York City. The two were seen sharing a table at Sant Ambroeus on the Upper East Side. MEGA Page Six’s informer filmed a video of the unlikely duo’s gathering on Thursday. It is still unclear what the rapper and disbarred lawyer were discussing. What’s even more confusing is Cohen is supposedly under house arrest after he was found guilty of financial fraud, tax evasion, and lying to Congress. The possible connection that Kanye and Cohen might have in common is both controversial figures have had a history with Trump. In 2018 Kanye took his admiration for the former president to another level after visiting him in the White House for a meeting. He famously ridiculed former president Goerge W. Bush as racist while defending Trump. The Donda hitmaker also announced that he had been misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder during the bizarre meeting. On the other hand, Trump’s fixer was sentenced to three years for multiple misconduct allegations in December 2018. Although, after almost a year and a half of being in prison, he was released in May 2020 due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. He had since served the remainder of his sentence under supposed house arrest, which will end this November. MEGA However, this isn’t the first time Cohen had been spotted out and about despite his supposed house arrest. In May this year, he was caught dining at the opulent French Bistro Le Bilboquet. His attorney Jeffrey K. Levine later addressed the situation claiming that Cohen had obtained “special permission from the BOP [Bureau of Prisons] and RRM [Residential Reentry Management] to eat out.” MEGA Kanye is also reportedly in the Big Apple to help his estranged wife Kim Kardashian with her hosting debut on Saturday Night Life this weekend. Insider revealed that the rapper is “quietly advising her on her performance [and] her opening monologue.” Besides his surprising meeting with Cohen, the father of four was also seen visiting an 80-acre farm in New Canaan, Connecticut, which was listed as “a humanitarian and cultural center” that specializes in “nature, arts, justice, community, and faith initiatives.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English YouTube has banned adverts on content that spread climate change misinformation. The Google-owned video platform will no longer allow advertisements on any videos that the existence of climate change, after concerns were raised by advertisers. YouTube will also stop providing monetisation to these videos, which the company says contradict the “scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change”. The policy will apply to content “referring to climate change as a hoax or a scam, claims denying that long-term trends show the global climate is warming, and claims denying that greenhouse gas emissions or human activity contribute to climate change”. Google says the policy will be enforced by “automated tools and human review”. The changes mean YouTube creators will be stopped from earning advertising revenue from content which denies climate change. The news comes after YouTube removed over 30,000 misleading COVID-19 vaccine videos earlier this year. Over the course of the pandemic the site has also taken down over 800,000 videos for wider coronavirus misinformation, such as “medically unsubstantiated” claims. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Corina Pons and Clara-Laeila Laudette MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish fashionista Blanca Lorca once swore by high heels and fitted clothes for the office, but the COVID-19 lockdown has transformed her style sense and shopping habits. After months working from her sleek Madrid flat, the 31-year-old pharmaceutical company employee is now dressing in neutral tones and slack fits for her three days a week in the office as a partial return gears up around the world. Eighteen months in loungewear while remote working during the pandemic have left professionals all over Europe hankering for fresh wardrobes as they embrace hybrid working. It is a boon for hard-hit retailers. The focus on comfort may have banished ties, dress shoes and high heels, but it has spurred a new desire for versatile clothing: smart enough for the office, but relaxed enough for kitchen table teleconferences. Personal apparel sales – including clothing, shoes and cosmetics – actually grew 8.5% in the 12 months leading to August, as increasing mobility and back-to-office mandates boosted shopping, according to official data. In Britain, over a quarter of people surveyed by workplace consultancy Office Group said they would continue dressing less formally even when back in the office, while almost a third plan to experiment with different styles, according to a Bank of America note. “After being at home for so long, you prefer comfort, but at the same time you want to be stylish enough to be able to go out,” Lorca said, wearing a light shirt and loose-cut trousers as she perused the racks in Zubi, a small boutique in Madrid. “I look for clothes that will last over time, won’t go out of fashion (and) I can use for everything.” PYJAMAS AND ZOOM Big brands are paying attention. Retailers such as Zara, Mango and H&M are highlighting “smart casual” trousers, shirts and dresses on their websites, alongside the lounge- and sportswear which lockdowns made ubiquitous. Many of the leading fashion brands have launched new collections for this unique back-to-work season, as easing restrictions and vaccination campaigns drive mobility. Department store El Corte Ingles, a household name in Spain, said demand for comfortable officewear surged over the summer, accelerating in September as clients returned to offices and business meetings. Shops successfully achieving pre-pandemic sales levels the fastest are those selling casual or hybrid workwear, according to analysts and fashion retail sources in London and Madrid, where Europe’s high vaccination rates have helped life recover. Women whose employers mandated partial returns have kept the blouse they would sometimes have worn above pyjama bottoms for Zoom calls, but now pair it with easy trousers and flat shoes, Zubi owner Elena Zubizarreta told Reuters. Over 78% of Spaniards are fully vaccinated and around 80% of all workers have returned at least part-time, according to a survey by CCOO, the country’s largest trade union. Few, however, have missed the strictures of formal dressing. Alberto Gavilan, talent director at staffing agency Addeco, said formal attire was now the exception. “Most people will prefer the business casual code, which has proved so effective and comfortable in recent months,” he said. ‘FASHION HAS CHANGED’ Over half of Spaniards who dressed formally for work pre-pandemic were enthusiastic about buying new clothes for an office return, a June survey by research company Dynata showed – the highest rate among 11 countries surveyed. The British and Japanese were the least excited, at 19% and 21% each. Spanish price comparison website Idealo.es said online searches for sport tracksuits dropped 96% from January to August as the vaccination rate increased. “Fashion has changed and after almost two years away from the workplace you feel like having new things to go back,” said communications specialist Valme Pardo, laying boldly-printed dresses, ample tailored trousers and stretchy blazers on her bed at her Madrid home. Men also crave comfort. Lucia Danero, a shopping adviser at El Corte Ingles in Madrid, has noticed a stream of customers looking for a refresh: but the men never ask to try on ties anymore. “Before, it was unthinkable for a man to go to the office with a sweatshirt … and now we’re seeing it,” she said, strolling through the aisles and pointing out the jeans businessmen now sought. ‘RELAXED CITY’ The trend is global. International brands Vince, Me+Em, Uniqlo and The White Company, as well as U.S. and UK retailers such as Nordstrom and John Lewis, are dedicating “site space to modern workwear staples, with a strong emphasis… on seasonless pieces to ensure versatility and longevity,” trend intelligence agency Stylus said in a recent report. In fact, despite workplace mobility still sagging 30% below pre-pandemic rates, apparel sales are on average 5% higher in major Western markets, Jefferies bank said in a note to clients in September. Both physical and online sales at fashion behemoth Inditex were even 9% higher in August and the first week of September than pre-pandemic. The autumn/winter season has had a strong start, executive chairman of Inditex, Pablo Isla, told a conference, before announcing the next Massimo Dutti collection would be called “Relaxed City”. Yet even as demand recovers, retailers are grappling with disruptions to global supply chains: sales at H&M grew less than expected in the third quarter, before being hampered in September by supply restrictions. “There’s an urge to get ‘dressed up’ after spending so much time at home… but we’ve gotten used to being comfortable and we want… garments such as unlined blazers and jackets, wider trousers and intricate knitwear,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M. Backstage at Madrid fashion week, designers bet on new beginnings – which seemed to include bright, non-restrictive dresses and colourful jumpers. “Heels have been left for very specific moments … But day-to-day people have gotten rid of them, to be much more comfortable,” said Spanish designer Maite Casademunt, whose “Comfy Wild” collection was dominated by dresses, smart loungewear and sports shoes. (Reporting by Clara-Laeila Laudette and Corina Pons in Madrid; Additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm, Joyce Philippe and Arriana Mclymore in New York and Rocky Swift in Tokyo; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Madonna has released Madame X merchandise. To coincide with the release of her Paramount Plus concert film documenting the Queen of Pop’s extensive 2019/2020 world tour, the ‘Vogue’ hitmaker has dropped a range of hoodies, t-shirts, and jogging shorts emblazoned with the image of her ‘X’ eyepatch-wearing alter ego, who she channelled for the album of the same name. The merch is priced from $30 to $75 and is now available via Madonna.com, and is expected to expand soon. The 63-year-old music legend previously gave the following description of her alter ego: “Madame X is a secret agent. Travelling around the world. Changing identities. Fighting for freedom. Bringing light to dark places. She is a dancer. A professor. A head of state. A housekeeper. An equestrian. A prisoner. A student. A mother. A child. A teacher. A nun. A singer. A saint. A whore. A spy in the house of love. I am Madame X.” The documentary details the ‘Like a Virgin’ singer’s battles she had with hip and knee injuries, which forced her to cancel several of her concerts on the 75-date jaunt. And the ‘Evita’ star previously suggested it might be too X-rated for some platforms and admitted she would be thrilled if it did end up on adult site OnlyFans. She told fans on Instagram: “You should definitely have had that woman get her t*** out in ‘Like A Prayer’. “I mean if nobody wants to buy this show and we end up on a porn site, it would be good. “OnlyFans – do they have a format to show a whole show? All right, well that’s something to think about. “It could make people feel a little bit uncomfortable because art is art, here to disturb the peace.” View the full article

Lee went on, ‘ People are standing up for themselves…and saying no to what is abusive, suppressive, or oppressive, and things that are not aligned with who we are.’ Published by BANG Showbiz English Precious Lee predicts that the fashion industry is set to see “more pivotal changes”. The 31-year-old curve model has insisted the fashion houses that “embrace” what is “aligned” with their customers, and hold “accountable abusive, suppressive, or oppressive” behaviour will “thrive”. She told W magazine: “We are going to see more pivotal changes in the industry because people have a sense of fire now. “The fashion industry is going to have to continue to be accountable, and interactive with the consumer. “People are standing up for themselves and saying no to what is abusive, suppressive, or oppressive, and things that are not aligned with who we are. “Because of that, I don’t think that falling back into the same patterns is possible. “It’s a whole new world, and the ones who are going to thrive are those who are going to embrace that authentically, not performatively.” Meanwhile, the catwalk beauty – who has walked the runway for the likes of Versace and Michael Kors – revealed her biggest style inspirations are her parents, who she always consults for outfit advice before attending major events. Precious laughed about the fact she used to be embarrassed by her dad wearing his Versace shirt unbuttoned, as she now “can’t be without cleavage, a red lip, animal print, and Versace.” She said: “My parents. Anytime we go anywhere, you’re guaranteed to hear people come up to them to tell them how amazing they look. My dad walks around, and people are like, ‘Whoa! Love that hat, those boots, that belt.’ With my mom, it’s, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so beautiful. Where did you get that?’ When I was a kid, I cried when my mom wore animal print or red lipstick. I cried when my dad would wear his Versace button-down open, with his gold chains and his chest hair. I would climb up and try to button his shirt, like, No, I hate it! Now, you cannot find me without cleavage, not in a red lip, animal print, and Versace. It’s hilarious.” She added: “When I get dressed for a big event, I’ll call. ‘Dad, what do you think of this?’ Or I’ll call my mom. We’re so collaborative. I trust their opinions because they never want to look like anyone else in the world, and I don’t, either.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kristen Stewart felt “disloyal” playing Princess Diana because she doesn’t have children of her own. The 31-year-old actress stars as the late royal in ‘Spencer’ – which focuses on three days at Sandringham the Christmas before the princess split from Prince Charles – and she felt her alter ego was at her most “untouchable” when she was with her sons, Princes William and Harry, and so she felt she wasn’t “authentic” enough in the role because she hasn’t experienced such a connection in her own life. She added: “She’s like this feral animal you wouldn’t dare accost… “[I regretted that] I’m not a mum yet. I need that to feel authentic. It’s the one part of playing her that I felt disloyal about.” The movie has had a mixed reaction from critics and Kristen always knew it would be a divisive subject but she ultimately felt it was worth the risk. She told the Daily Mail newspaper columnist Baz Bamigboye: “I definitely knew that the chances of ‘mucking this up’, as a Brit might say, were far greater than doing a ‘good job’. “But I thought it was worth it. I’ve been working as an actor for a long time and it’s really rare to find things that make you feel this way.” The actress had been prepared for the “daunting and exceptionally harrowing experience” of recreating one of the lowest periods in the life of Diana – who died in a car crash in 1997 – but she wasn’t ready for how much “joy” she would feel. She said: “Diana just really did have this overriding, disarming, beautiful energy. [The decisions she was making were] earth-shattering. “[But] inhabiting her made me feel taller, and made me feel I could dance. I felt her power in a f****** beautiful way.” The American star spent six months researching the role and a lot of time focusing on Diana’s “buoyant” accent. She said: “When I’m talking, I barely open my mouth, and everything comes to an end fairly abruptly.” But on occasion, if she felt “self-protective or tight or emotional” on set, Kristen lapsed back into her natural accent and would end up walking around shouting “Argh! Argh!” in order to get her voice back on track, much to the shock of the crew and her castmates. Despite her own global fame, the ‘Twilight Saga’ star insisted it’s nothing compared to what Diana experienced. She said: “I mean, her world opened up to the entire planet.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Billie Lourd says losing her mother Carrie Fisher and grandmother Debbie Reynolds within days of each other was “brutal”. The 29-year-old actress was struck by heartbreak twice in December 2016 when both her mother and grandmother passed away, and has said she still “hesitates and stutters” around the subject because she isn’t ready to process the loss. She said: “It was brutal. It was really, really brutal, and I still hesitate and stutter because it’s really hard for me.” Billie’s mother, ‘Star Wars’ legend Carrie, died on December 27 at the age of 60 after spending four days in intensive care. The following day, her mother and Billie’s grandmother Debbie – who was famed for her role in ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ – died from a stroke aged 84. And almost five years on, the ‘American Horror Story’ actress says she’s still struggling to cope with losing her closest relatives. She added: “I miss my mom every day and my grandma, but really, my mom the most. “She was the greatest, funniest person ever. She was my best f****** friend ever. There’s no one who will ever be as funny as she is. She was just – she is amazing.” Back in 2017, Billie admitted the death of Carrie and Debbie, was “impossible to deal with”. She said: “Yeah, it’s completely surreal. There’s no way to really explain it. It’s so hard to talk about. I don’t know, if I say that I’m doing good, I’m too happy. “And if I say that I’m not doing good, then I’m a mess. So it’s really hard to know what to say about it because it is just so surreal and impossible to deal with.” And at the time of Carrie and Debbie’s passing, Billie thanked fans for their support. She wrote: “Receiving all of your prayers and kind words over the past week has given me strength during a time I thought strength could not exist. “There are no words to express how much I will miss my Abadaba and my one and only Momby. Your love and support means the world to me. (sic)” View the full article

Published by AFP The White House rejected a bid by Donald Trump to withhold documents from a committee investigating the January 6 assault on Congress Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden on Friday rejected a bid by Donald Trump to withhold documents from a congressional committee investigating the January 6 assault on the US Capitol by supporters of the former president. The House Select Committee warned four former members of the Trump administration meanwhile they could be subject to charges of criminal contempt of Congress if they decline to answer subpoenas from the panel. Trump is seeking to assert executive privilege to prevent documents relating to January 6 from being handed over to the select committee by the National Archives. Executive privilege allows a president to keep certain communications confidential. Legal experts are divided on whether it applies to a former president, and Biden declined to assert it on behalf of Trump. Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the White House is “cooperating with ongoing investigations” and “has determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not warranted for the first set of documents.” Biden will “evaluate cases of privilege on a case by case basis” but he believes it is of the “utmost importance for both Congress and the American people to have a complete understanding of the events of that day to prevent them from happening again,” Psaki said. The committee investigating the Capitol attack issued a request in August for records related to the attempt by Trump supporters to block the certification by Congress of Biden’s November election victory. Among the records and documents being sought are communications from Trump, members of his family, his top aides, his lawyers and dozens of other former members of his administration. In a statement on Friday, Trump accused Democrats of using Congress to “persecute their political opponents” and released a letter to the head of the National Archives reiterating his claims of executive privilege. “This is about using the power of the government to silence ‘Trump’ and our Make America Great Again movement, the greatest such achievement of all time,” he said. “We won two elections, did far better in the second than the first, and now perhaps have to do it a third time!” ‘Contempt of Congress’ The committee has issued subpoenas to four former Trump aides: Mark Meadows, Kash Patel, Dan Scavino and Steve Bannon. Politico and The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump has told the four former advisors not to cooperate with the probe. Representative Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, said Friday that Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff, and Patel, a former White House national security advisor, were “engaging with the Select Committee.” But Bannon, a former senior political advisor to Trump, has “indicated that he will try to hide behind vague references to privileges of the former president,” Thompson said. “The Select Committee fully expects all of these witnesses to comply with our demands for both documents and deposition testimony,” he said. “We will not allow any witness to defy a lawful subpoena or attempt to run out the clock, and we will swiftly consider advancing a criminal contempt of Congress referral,” Thompson said. The committee has held one hearing so far, on July 27, when four Capitol and Washington police officers testified about defending the Senate and House of Representatives from the mob on January 6. Trump has consistently refused to acknowledge his defeat to Biden and make unfounded claims that he won the election. The real estate mogul was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House in January for inciting insurrection but was acquitted by the Senate. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nichola Groom (Reuters) -President Joe Biden will restore the boundaries of three American nature reserves, known as national monuments, that were reduced in size by former President Donald Trump to allow commercial activity, the White House said on Thursday. The restoration will protect more than 3.2 million acres (1.3 million hectares) in Southern Utah known as the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, as well as the nearly 5,000 square mile (8,000 sq km) Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New England. Environmental groups and Native American tribes cheered the news, calling it a victory for conservation over development. But it was a blow to East Coast fishing interests and Utah’s Republican governor, who expressed frustration. Trump had sought to allow ranching, drilling, mining and commercial fishing in the areas, which were established as monuments by two of his Democratic predecessors, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The reduction was part of Republican Trump’s broader agenda to loosen regulations on industry, which critics have decried as coming at the expense of the environment and wildlife. Biden, a Democrat, said when he took office that he would review Trump’s decision to reduce the monuments’ boundaries. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American U.S. Cabinet secretary, this year recommended restoring the boundaries. Under federal law, presidents have the authority to create or alter national monuments unilaterally, which makes their protection uncertain. Trump cut the size of the two Utah monuments by 2 million acres (809,372 hectares) in all at the request of the state’s Republican leadership. On Thursday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said he was disappointed by Biden’s decision to expand the boundaries. “These decisions clearly demonstrate the administration’s unwillingness to collaborate with and listen to those most impacted by their decisions,” Cox said, adding that the state would consider its legal options. Bears Ears is home to thousands of cultural and archeological sites and is considered sacred to Native American tribes in the region, while Grand Staircase-Escalante holds significant geological sites, fossils and historical objects. Protection of the marine monument means commercial fishing for red crab and American lobster will be phased out by September 2023, the White House said. Recreational fishing will be allowed. “Prohibiting hard-working commercial fishermen from sustainably harvesting while allowing owners of luxury yachts to spear fish for the same species in the same location is hypocritical and calls into question this administration’s commitment to working families over wealthy donors,” Bob Vanasse, a spokesperson for seafood lobby group Saving Seafood, said in an emailed statement. (Reporting by Nichola GroomEditing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler) National Monument on Towleroad ‘Rustin’, Biopic of Gay Civil Rights Activist Bayard Rustin, Is First Feature Film From The Obamas’ Production Company, ‘Higher Ground’ More The Osmonds to be focus of new musical More ‘Queen Of Mean’ Leona Helmsley’s Billion-Dollar Estate Battle To Be Explored In Jaw-Dropping REELZ Documentary More California makes it illegal to remove condom without consent More William Shatner is ‘terrified’ of going into space More TikTok Radicalizes Users With Algorithm. In Just 2 Hours A Basic Transphobe Can Be Served Nazi, Right-Wing Extremist Videos: SCARY STUDY More Sam Smith Sang One Song At A Vegas Wedding. Sam Smith’s Price Was $250,000. Wow. Guess Which Song? More Sarah Silverman blasts Hollywood for casting non-Jewish actors in Jewish roles More Spanish Hospital Draws Gay Health Advocates’ Ire After Listing ‘Homosexuality’ As An Illness On Gay Patient’s Medical Report More Attitude Awards 2021: Tom Daley, Elaine Paige and Steps win big More Dolly Parton reveals her celebrity Dolly crush More Load More View the full article