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Published by AFP Facebook was among social media platforms hit by an outage San Francisco (AFP) – Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms were hit by a massive outage Monday, impacting potentially tens of millions of users as the social media giant faces fallout over its effect on teens and misinformation. Tracker Downdetector was showing outages in heavily populated areas like Washington and Paris, with problems being reported from around 1545 GMT. “We’re aware that some people are having trouble accessing our apps and products,” Facebook spokesman Andy Stone said on Twitter. Users trying to access Facebook in affected areas were greeted with the message: “Something went wrong. We’re working on it and we’ll get it fixed as soon as we can.” The outage comes a day after a whistleblower went on US television to reveal her identity after she leaked a trove of documents to authorities alleging the company knew its products were fueling hate and harming children’s mental health. Frances Haugen, a 37-year-old data scientist from Iowa, has worked for companies including Google and Pinterest — but said in an interview with CBS news show “60 Minutes” that Facebook was “substantially worse” than anything she had seen before. The world’s largest social media platform has been embroiled in a firestorm brought about by Haugen, with US lawmakers and The Wall Street Journal raising sharp criticism of the network. ‘Make body dissatisfaction worse’ “I think that finally now policymakers, maybe the White House, other leaders can look at someone like Frances Haugen and say… ‘It’s now incumbent upon us, Facebook will not fix itself,'” said Nora Benavidez, a Facebook accountability expert. Facebook’s vice president of policy and global affairs Nick Clegg vehemently pushed back at the assertion its platforms are “toxic” for teens, days after a tense, hours-long congressional hearing in which US lawmakers grilled the company over its impact on the mental health of young users. Haugen, the whistleblower, is herself set to testify Tuesday on Capitol Hill over Facebook and Instagram’s impact on young people. Senators put the social media giant’s Antigone Davis through the wringer last week over damning reports that Facebook’s own research warned of potential harm. Davis told lawmakers that a survey of teens on 12 serious issues like anxiety, sadness and eating disorders showed that Instagram was generally helpful to them. Yet, Senator Richard Blumenthal read aloud excerpts from company documents he said were leaked to lawmakers by a Facebook whistleblower that directly contradicted her. “Substantial evidence suggests that experiences on Instagram and Facebook make body dissatisfaction worse,” he said, adding the finding was not a disgruntled worker’s complaint but company research. The enterprise has been under relentless pressure to guard against being a platform where misinformation, hate and child-harming content can spread. Legislators have struggled to pass new rules that would update online protections in decades-old laws crafted long before social media even existed. View the full article

Published by AFP US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at the White House at the start of a crucial week with the US debt limit and Biden's spending plans up in the air Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden went on the offensive Monday with a speech attacking Republicans over a looming threat of US debt default, while pressuring his Democratic Party to enact his stalled multi-trillion-dollar domestic spending agenda. Back from a rare weekend relaxing at home in Delaware, Biden plunged into the most consequential period of his presidency so far. On one side, he faces Republican determination to cripple his momentum and recapture control of Congress in next year’s midterm legislative elections. On the other, Biden is struggling with infighting between Democrats over his infrastructure and social spending bills. With the speech calling out Republicans and a trip to Michigan on Tuesday to promote his domestic spending plans, the 78-year-old political veteran hopes to regain the initiative. While Biden’s legacy may ultimately depend on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package and a potentially $2 trillion or more social spending package, the entire US and global economies face the imminent threat of a possible debt default. Biden on Monday called Republican opponents “reckless and dangerous” for refusing to join Democrats in raising the debt limit. Republican obstruction could push “our economy over a cliff,” Biden said in a White House speech, warning he cannot “guarantee” that a resolution will be found in time. “If I could, I would,” he said. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns that from October 18, the United States will not have the funds to meet its obligations to creditors if Congress does not relax the legal debt ceiling. Congress has done this dozens of times over the decades since setting borrowing limits, and the votes are usually bipartisan and drama-free. This year, reflecting the extraordinary acrimony, Republicans are refusing to vote for lifting the ceiling and indicate they will even block Democrats from passing a simple vote by themselves along party lines. Instead, Senate Republicans are attempting to force Democrats to use a complex maneuver called reconciliation to take sole responsibility for the debt hike. Democrats so far are refusing, accusing the Republicans of taking the nation’s financial standing hostage. The standoff means that Democrats, who control the Senate by only one vote, find themselves bogged down in trying to manage the debt crisis while also trying to overcome internal differences over Biden’s spending packages. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said a debt ceiling lift should be voted through “by the end of the week, period.” “We do not have the luxury of waiting until October 18th, as it is our responsibility to re-assure the world that the United States meets our obligations in a timely fashion,” he said. How much is enough? Meanwhile, Biden is needing every bit of his experience from nearly four decades in the Senate and eight years as vice president under Barack Obama to try and come up with a formula that will unite the left and more conservative wings of his party. His trip Tuesday to a trade union training facility in Howell, Michigan, will seek to highlight the White House’s argument that the big spending plans are popular with voters and that Democrats would be committing colossal self-harm if their squabbling results in the entire legislative agenda collapsing. On Thursday, Biden is also set to fly to Chicago to talk about the Covid pandemic — underlining his argument that the country needs effective government at a time of national crisis. Moderates in the House and most crucially in the ultra-tight Senate are refusing to go along with the progressive wing’s hoped-for $3.5 trillion price tag on social spending. Progressives are rejecting a counter-offer of $1.5 trillion. Biden is now pushing for something in the $2 trillion range. However both camps are playing hardball, with progressives refusing to back even the $1 trillion infrastructure component unless their bigger social spending goals are first guaranteed. On Sunday, Schumer said the goal was “to get both bills done in the next month,” adding yet another deadline to a tense autumn season for Biden’s team. View the full article

Published by Reuters PARIS (Reuters) -The French Catholic Church has had an estimated 3,000 paedophiles in its ranks over the past 70 years, the head of an independent commission investigating the sex abuse scandal said in an interview published on Sunday. The scandal in the French Church is the latest to hit the Roman Catholic Church, which has been rocked by sexual abuse scandals around the world, often involving children, over the past 20 years. The French commission is due to publish its findings on Tuesday, marking the culmination of 2-1/2 years of work, probing allegations of abuse going back to the 1950s. “We have estimated the number (of paedophiles) as standing at 3,000, out of 115,000 priests and religious officials, going back to the 1950s,” commission head Jean-Marc Sauve told the Journal du Dimanche paper. A spokesperson representing the French Catholic Bishops’ Conference declined to comment on Sauve’s remarks. A Vatican spokesperson said it would wait for the full report to be published before deciding on whether to comment. In June, Pope Francis said the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse crisis was a worldwide “catastrophe”. The French Catholic Church posted a prayer on its official Twitter account on Sunday, on behalf of victims, and added it would also hold a prayer on Oct. 5 – the day of the publication of the report. “Dear Lord – we entrust to you all those who have been victims of violence and sexual attacks in the Church. We pray that we will always be able to count on your support and help during these ordeals,” it wrote on its Twitter account. STEPS TO WIPE OUT ABUSE Since his election in 2013, Francis has taken a series of steps aimed at wiping out sexual abuse of minors by clerics. In 2019, the pope issued a landmark decree making bishops directly accountable for sexual abuse or covering it up, requiring clerics to report any cases to Church superiors and allowing anyone to complain directly to the Vatican if needed. This year, he issued the most extensive revision to Catholic Church law in four decades, insisting that bishops take action against clerics who abuse minors and vulnerable adults. Critics have said he has not done enough. The French Church, which has seen dwindling numbers of faithful in recent years, said in March it would propose financial compensation to those who were victims of abuse. Last month, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cologne decided to take a “spiritual time-out” from his duties after committing grave errors in a crisis over clerical sexual abuse. A report published last year in Britain said the Catholic Church received more than 900 complaints involving over 3,000 instances of child sex abuse in England and Wales between 1970 and 2015, and that there have been more than 100 reported allegations a year since 2016. (Reporting by Gilles Guillaume and Philip Pullella;Editing by Frances Kerry) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Paresh Dave (Reuters) – A senior manager on Google’s global security team crudely joked about a company security guard in text messages, part of a pattern of workplace harassment against the gay, Black employee, according to a lawsuit filed by the employee this week. David Brown, who according to the lawsuit is jointly employed by the Alphabet Inc unit and security company Allied Universal, is seeking unspecified monetary damages for alleged physical and emotional harassment at Google’s Los Angeles offices based on his sexual orientation and race, which it says took place between 2014 and last year. Google and Allied Universal did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Many major companies including Google last year stepped up efforts to create more inclusive worksites after social protests calling attention to racism. Some workers at Google, including over 2,000 who signed an open letter on the issue in April, have said the company does not sufficiently hold perpetrators accountable. Brown’s supervisor accounted for much of the alleged problematic behavior, including “grabbing him on the buttocks, kicking him in the groin, throwing him through a window head first and brutally grabbing his nipples,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in a state court in Los Angeles. The supervisor, Henry Linares, was fired for other reasons this year, according to the filing. A LinkedIn profile indicates he left Google and Allied Universal in July. He did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Google’s senior manager for global community operations, Rus Rossini, “participated in the discrimination and sexual harassment and took no corrective action,” the lawsuit further alleges. During a chat last year about items missing from Google’s offices, which were quiet due to the pandemic, Rossini messaged the supervisor, “Strip searches for all,” according to the lawsuit and a screenshot of the exchange seen by Reuters. After the supervisor responded that, “David is going to love that,” Rossini followed, “Tell David to bend over.” The supervisor, who shared the screenshot with Brown, responded, “hahah I’ll tell him you said Hellooo.” Rossini did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He remains employed at Google, according to a LinkedIn profile. Brown’s attorney V. James DeSimone said Rossini should have addressed the abuse, especially after Brown “turned those screenshots to human resources, implicating Rossini in the harassment.” (Reporting by Paresh Dave, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien) View the full article

Published by AFP White flags marking US Covid-19 deaths — a toll which has surpassed 700,000 — are seen on the National Mall near the White House as part of a September 2021 project Washington (AFP) – US fatalities from Covid-19 surpassed 700,000 on Friday, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University, a toll roughly equivalent to the population of the nation’s capital Washington. The grim threshold comes with an average of well over 1,000 dying each day, in a country where 55.7 percent of the population is now fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After a heavily criticized early response to the pandemic, the United States organized an effective vaccine roll-out — only to see a significant portion of Americans still refusing to get the shots. The United States finds itself having notched the most fatalities in the world, far exceeding other frontrunners such as Brazil and India, and facing a resurgence in cases due to the prominence of the highly contagious Delta variant. While the latest global coronavirus wave peaked in late August, the virus continues to spread rapidly, particularly in the United States. The vaccination campaign launched by US authorities in December — which had reached a peak in April, with sometimes more than four million injections per day — has meanwhile slowed considerably. Coronavirus misinformation has been rampant in the country, and masking remains a political issue, dividing many Americans. Some Republican governors, such as those in Texas and Florida, have sought to ban mandatory masking in their states, citing individual freedoms. The Democratic state of California on the other hand announced on Friday that Covid vaccinations will be compulsory for all students. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of white flags fluttered on the grass on the National Mall, not far from the White House, as somber reminders of those who have died of Covid in the United States. Nearly 4.8 million people worldwide have died since the outbreak began in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally from official sources. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Akriti Sharma (Reuters) -Former U.S. President Donald Trump asked a federal judge in Florida on Friday to ask Twitter to restore his account, which the company removed in January citing a risk of incitement of violence. Trump filed a request for preliminary injunction against Twitter in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, arguing the social media company was “coerced” by members of the U.S. Congress to suspend his account. Twitter and several other social media platforms banned Trump from their services after a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in a deadly riot on Jan. 6. That assault followed a speech by Trump in which he reiterated false claims that his election loss in November was because of widespread fraud, an assertion rejected by multiple courts and state election officials. Twitter “exercises a degree of power and control over political discourse in this country that is immeasurable, historically unprecedented, and profoundly dangerous to open democratic debate,” Trump’s lawyers said in the filing. The filing was reported earlier by Bloomberg. Twitter declined to comment on the filing when contacted by Reuters. At the time of removing Trump’s account permanently, Twitter said https://bit.ly/3FdtfID his tweets had violated the platform’s policy barring “glorification of violence”. The company said at the time that Trump’s tweets that led to the removal were “highly likely” to encourage people to replicate what happened in the Capitol riots. Before he was blocked, Trump had more than 88 million followers on Twitter and used it as his social media megaphone. In the court filing, Trump argued Twitter allowed the Taliban to tweet regularly about their military victories across Afghanistan, but censored him during his presidency by labeling his tweets as “misleading information” or indicating they violated the company’s rules against “glorifying violence”. In July Trump sued https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-is-suing-facebook-twitter-google-claiming-bias-2021-07-07 Twitter, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google, as well as their chief executives, alleging they unlawfully silence conservative viewpoints. (Reporting by Akriti Sharma and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard and Frances Kerry) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Julia Harte (Reuters) – Women’s rights advocates will join 660 marches planned around the United States on Saturday to protest against recent efforts to restrict abortion access, including a new Texas law that bans abortions after about six weeks. In Washington, D.C., protesters will march to the U.S. Supreme Court two days before the court reconvenes for a session https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2GR3F4 in which the justices will consider a Mississippi case that could enable them to overturn abortion rights established in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case. In a 5-4 decision on Sept. 1, the justices denied a request from abortion and women’s health providers to block enforcement of the near-total ban in Texas, the strictest such law in the country. “This is kind of a break-glass moment for folks all across the country,” said Rachel O’Leary Carmona, executive director of Women’s March, the main organizer of Saturday’s demonstrations. “Many of us grew up with the idea that abortion would be legal and accessible for all of us, and seeing that at very real risk has been a moment of awakening,” she said. Carmona said the number of marches scheduled for Saturday is second only to the group’s first protest, which mobilized millions of people around the world to rally against former President Donald Trump the day after his inauguration in 2017. Saturday’s marches will take place from coast to coast, including in cities across Texas, a flashpoint in the nation’s battle over abortion rights. The state’s so-called “heartbeat” law, which went into effect on Sept. 1, bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected in the embryo, usually around six weeks. That is before most women know they are pregnant and earlier than 85% to 90% of all abortions are carried out, experts say. Texas also lets ordinary citizens enforce the ban, rewarding them at least $10,000 if they successfully sue anyone who helped provide an illegal abortion. In the month since the law was enacted, hundreds of women in Texas have driven to other states for abortions, while others have sought abortion-inducing pills by mail or visited “crisis pregnancy centers” that encourage women not to get abortions. Abortion clinics are struggling to survive https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-abortion-clinics-struggle-survive-under-restrictive-law-2021-09-30 as patient visits decline and some staff quit. Abortion rights advocates and the U.S. Justice Department have challenged the law in state and federal courts, arguing that it violates Roe v. Wade. A federal judge in Austin on Friday heard the Justice Department’s request https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-urge-halt-strict-texas-abortion-law-2021-10-01 to block the law temporarily while its constitutionality is challenged. (Reporting by Julia Harte; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Donald Trump’s daughter was reportedly not very well-received in the White House. Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner served as senior advisers to the ex-President during his one-term tenure as commander-in-chief. Although the duo had the full support of Donald, staffers didn’t have much respect for them. MEGA “We had all come to call Jared and Ivanka ‘the interns’ because they represented in our minds obnoxious, entitled know-it-alls,” ex-aide Stephanie Grisham wrote in her explosive tell-all, I’ll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in The White House, reported PEOPLE. IVANKA TRUMP AND JARED KUSHNER REPORTEDLY DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM DONALD TRUMP TO ‘REHABILITATE THEIR IMAGE’ The former Press Secretary wrote in detail about the night Ivanka’s dad addressed the nation from the Oval Office on March, 11, 2020, at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic — a speech she deemed a “total clusterf**k.” “An address to the nation is serious stuff, and whenever possible you need plenty of time to prepare properly — unless, of course, you were in the Trump White House, where everything was like a clown car on fire running at full speed into a warehouse full of fireworks,” Grisham explained. She noted that during a meeting of the coronavirus task force including Donald, VP Mike Pence, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx and others, it was Ivanka who was adamant about the speech being televised. MEGA “The women’s rights / small-business / crisis communications / and now Covid expert, just kept repeating, ‘There should be an address from the Oval,’” Grisham recalled. “Finally, Ivanka turned to her most powerful ally besides her father. ‘Jared, don’t you agree?’” ‘IVANKA IS DONALD IN A SUIT’: THE EX-PRESIDENT ‘WOULD CHOOSE’ HIS DAUGHTER OVER WIFE MELANIA, FORMER AIDE CLAIMS When pressed for more detail about the specifics of the speech, Grisham said the 39-year-old mother-of-three, Kushner or former communications director Hope Hicks offered no real answers. “One of my other biggest personal regrets is that I didn’t have the courage to speak out against Jared, Ivanka and Hope about the potential dangers of addressing the nation without any Covid response strategy in place, and what a disservice it could be to the country and the president,” Grisham added. Ivanka isn’t the only target in the explosive upcoming memoir due out next week. Grisham takes aim at Donald, claiming he wanted to “promote” a young female staffer he took an “unusual interest” in. MEGA She also alleged Melania slept through Donald’s 2020 election night defeat to President Joe Biden, 78, and was more interested in partaking in a photo shoot than condemning the rioters that swarmed D.C. on January 6. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Just before midnight on Sept. 1, the debate over whether the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority will dramatically change life in America took on a new ferocity when the justices let a near-total ban on abortion in Texas take effect. The intense scrutiny of the court will only increase when the justices – six conservatives and three liberals – open their new nine-month term on Monday. They have taken up cases that could enable them to overturn abortion rights https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/mississippi-asks-us-supreme-court-overturn-abortion-rights-landmark-2021-07-22 established in a landmark ruling 48 years ago and also expand gun rights https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-hear-major-case-carrying-handguns-public-2021-04-26 – two cherished goals of American conservatives. In addition, there are cases scheduled that could expand religious rights, building on several rulings in recent years. These contentious cases come at a time when opinion surveys show that public approval of the court is waning even as a commission named by President Joe Biden https://www.reuters.com/business/legal/bidens-supreme-court-commission-meet-abortion-debate-reignites-2021-05-19 explores recommending changes such expanding the number of justices or imposing term limits in place of their lifetime appointments. Some justices have given speeches rebutting criticism of the court and questions about its legitimacy as a nonpolitical institution. Its junior-most member Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative confirmed by Senate Republicans only days before the 2020 presidential election, said this month the court “is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks.” “There’s no doubt that the court’s legitimacy is under threat right now,” lawyer Kannon Shanmugam, who frequently argues cases at the court, said at an event organized by the conservative Federalist Society. “The level of rhetoric and criticism of the court is higher than I can certainly remember at any point in my career.” The court’s late-night 5-4 decision not to block the Republican-backed Texas law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy put abortion-rights advocates including Biden on high alert. The justices now have a chance to go even further. They will hear a case on Dec. 1 in which Mississippi is defending https://www.reuters.com/world/us/mississippi-asks-us-supreme-court-overturn-abortion-rights-landmark-2021-07-22 its law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Mississippi’s Republican attorney general is asking the court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide and ended an era when some states banned it. In another blockbuster case, the justices could make it easier for people to obtain permits to carry handguns outside the home, a major expansion of firearms rights. They will consider on Nov. 3 https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-hear-major-case-carrying-handguns-public-2021-04-26 whether to invalidate a New York state regulation that lets people obtain a concealed-carry permit only if they can show they need a gun for self-defense. CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS Former President Donald Trump was able to appoint three conservative justices including Barrett who tilted the court further rightward, with the help of maneuvering by a key fellow Republican, Senator Mitch McConnell. The Democratic-led Congress has held two hearings in recent months on how the court has increasingly decided major issues, including the Texas abortion one, with late-night emergency decisions using its “shadow docket” https://www.reuters.com/article/legal-us-usa-court-shadow-video/the-shadow-docket-how-the-u-s-supreme-court-quietly-dispatches-key-rulings-idUSKBN2BF16Q process that lacks customary public oral arguments. “The Supreme Court has now shown that it’s willing to allow even facially unconstitutional laws to take effect when the law is aligned with certain ideological preferences,” Democrat Dick Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chairman, said on Wednesday. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito in a speech on Thursday https://www.reuters.com/world/us/alito-decries-sinister-portrayal-us-supreme-court-shadow-docket-2021-09-30 objected to criticism that portrays the court’s members as a “dangerous cabal that resorts to sneaky and improper methods.” “This portrayal feeds unprecedented efforts to intimidate the court or damage it as an independent institution,” Alito said. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas last month said judges are “asking for trouble” if they wade into political issues. Thomas has previously said Roe v. Wade should be overturned, as many conservatives have sought. Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer noted in a May speech https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-justice-breyer-touts-compromise-democracy-adherence-precedent-2021-05-28 that the court’s legitimacy relies in part on avoiding major upheavals in the law when people have come to rely on existing precedents. “The law might not be perfect but if you’re changing it all the time people won’t know what to do, and the more you change it the more people will ask to have it changed,” Breyer said. Abortion rights advocates have cited the fact that Roe v. Wade has been in place for almost a half century as one reason not to overturn it. Breyer, at 83 the court’s oldest member, himself is the focus of attention. Some liberal activists have urged him to retire so Biden can appoint a younger liberal who could serve for decades. Breyer has said he has not decided when he will retire. George Mason University law professor Jenn Mascott, a former Thomas law clerk, said the justices should not be swayed by public opinion. “What the justices have said they want to do is decide each case on the rule the law,” Mascott said. “I don’t think they should be thinking that the perception would be that they are too partisan one way or another.” (This story corrects Justice Breyer’s age to 83, not 82) (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham and Scott Malone) View the full article

Ben Whishaw as QJames Bond Gets a Good Gay The existence of gay James Bond characters throughout the super spy’s film and book series has been fraught with queerbaiting and homophobic tropes, but Daniel Craig’s final spin as 007 looks to break that trend. The latest Bond film “No Time to Die” includes a scene that appears to signal that Bond’s gadget and gizmo developer Q, portrayed by out gay actor Ben Whishaw, is gay, marking a first for the series. Nearly all other portrayals of LGBTQ or queer-coded characters in Bond-related media have had a villainous twinge, and none of Bond’s major allies have been depicted as LGBTQ. The closest the series came previously to doing so was in creator Ian Fleming’s novel “Goldfinger” where Pussy Galore ultimately helped Bond after originally siding with the baddies. Galore’s portrayal as a lesbian, or coded lesbian in the case of the film adaptation, is rife with problematic ideas about queer female identity. The book portrays Galore as becoming a lesbian after experiencing sexual abuse from a man and the film shows her essentially converting to being a straight woman due to James Bond’s superior boning ability (gross). Making Q gay represents a huge first for the franchise, but the scene itself, like other blockbuster films that have bragged about LGBTQ inclusion, is drawing criticism for playing coy with addressing Q’s identity. The scene, A dinner date interrupted by Bond and Moneypenny’s world-saving quest, only points to Q’s gayness by having Winshaw refer to a “he” who he expecting for the romantic evening. The scene feels like another in a line of scenes that could easily be edited for markets that aren’t kind to media portrayals of LGBTQ people. But it also represents a positive step as the series slowly creeps toward better diversity and inclusion. Winshaw himself has advocated for a gay James Bond as Craig exits the franchise, telling Attitude, “I really believe that we should be working towards a world where anyone can play anything and it would be really thrilling if it didn’t matter about someone’s sexuality to take on a role like this.” Venom Comes Out? “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” is set to hit theaters this weekend with its Spider-Man universe symbiote battle royale, but the film apparently packs some version of a “coming out” scene in between the clash. In an interview with Uproxx, director Andy Serkis detailed that Venom, the alien symbiote that lives within Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock, will have a “coming out party” in a scene where the duo go to a rave that Serkis described as being based on an LGBTQ festival. In the scene, venom gives an impromptu speech to the crowd supporting LGBTQ rights in the only way a cantankerous alien would. “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,'” said Serkis. “‘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.” Serkis also stated that the much of the film focuses on the “love affair” between Venom and Brock. “Absolutely they do love each other,” he added. “That’s the kind of the center of the movie is that love affair, that central love affair.” Marvel’s Eternals And Queer Family “Marvel’s Eternals” is poised to offer LGBTQ audiences its most tangible bit of representation yet in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film will feature the franchise’s first out LGBTQ superhero in the form of Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos, but it purportedly goes deeper than surface-level portrayals Disney properties have included and celebrated amid criticism. Phastos has a husband and children in the film, meaning the film will be the rare blockbuster that depicts an LGBTQ family. Actor Haaz Sleiman, who portrays Phastos’ husband in the film, expressed excitement at being part of what actually feels like a landmark moment for mainstream cinema. “I feel lucky, and I’m grateful,” Sleiman told Out Magazine. “I got to humanize an LGBTQ+ family and show how beautiful they are … I think queer families, personally, are way healthier than regular families, in my opinion. We stay together and there’s so much love.” Sleiman has helmed multiple roles since coming out in 2017 that have served similar purposes. He won a 2021 GLAAD Media Award for his role in an episode of “Little America” titled “The Son” where he portrayed a queer Syrian man seeking asylum in the United States. Sleiman is bullish on the continued expansion of how media portrays LGBTQ individuals. “We’re evolving,” he said. “The most exciting thing is the stories that are being told in television and film about LGBTQ people … A lot of shows are being more thoughtful about portraying queer people in a more fuller way, not so one-dimensional or very stereotyped.” Gay James Bond: Previously on Towleroad 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 LGBTQ Hollywood Roundup: Bragman Establishes Coming Out Fund; Indya Moore Calls Out Met Gala; Dan Levy Signs Netflix Deal; JoJo Siwa Frustrated With Nickelodeon Brian Bell September 17, 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 Hollywood Skin Doc–and Home Flipper–Alex Khadavi Threatens to Kill Gay Couple In Homophobic Screed Caught on A Lobby Cam; Acquired by TMZ: WATCH Brian Bell July 22, 2021 Read More A ‘Pose’ Is Not Enough. Hollywood Writers Guild’s LGBTQ Group Calls Out Discrimination On and Off Screen In Open Letter Brian Bell June 14, 2021 Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lil Nas X is still “very much in love” with his ex-boyfriend. The ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ hitmaker has now confirmed his mystery former partner was Yai Ariza, who appears in his ‘That’s What I Want’ music video, and though he recently declared himself single, he’s admitted it’s possible they will get back together eventually. Speaking to SiriusXM’s Hits 1 LA hosts Tony Fly and Symon, he said: “We were dating, and we are still in very good terms. You know, we may date again I’m sure. “I love him, he is amazing. I wanted to kind of focus on my music right now.” The 22-year-old star described his former partner as “the best person” he has “ever” dated. He added: “I am still very much in love, I’m like trying to manage…If it’s meant, it will happen in the future, life is long.” As well as getting close to Nas in the ‘That’s What I Want’ music video, Yai was also a dancer in the singer’s ‘Industry Baby’ music video and made out with him during his performance of ‘Montero’ at the 2021 BET Awards. The ‘Old Town Road’ hitmaker confirmed earlier this week his relationship had ended. He said: “I was seeing someone. Um, I kind of decided I didn’t want to anymore… “I don’t want to ruin anybody’s perception of [‘That’s What I Want’], but I don’t think I want any guy right now. “Maybe I’m floating around right now. I just want to work on music and every now and then, you know, maybe I’ll kiss a guy, every blue moon, you know.” Just a month ago, Nas gushed about how “effortless” his romance with his boyfriend was. He said: “I feel like this is one of the best [relationships] yet. I’m really happy about it, and it all just feels natural. It’s effortless.” And Nas had previously suggested that his boyfriend could be “the one”. He said: “I’ve had some good boyfriends and some bad ones. A lot of them were emotionally unavailable or had a lot of insecurity and whatnot. “I’ve found someone special now. I think this is the one. I can’t explain it – it’s just a feeling.” View the full article

Pepsi and Shirley, Wham backup singers, think the late George Michael has been sending them messages of support for their new book. The duo – whose full names are Pepsi Demacque-Crockett and Shirlie Kemp – have reflected on their time as Wham! backing singers in their new autobiography, ‘ Pepsi & Shirlie: It’s All in Black and White’… Pepsi and Shirlie in Wham’s Young Guns Published by BANG Showbiz English Pepsi and Shirley think the late George Michael has been sending them messages of support for their new book. The duo – whose full names are Pepsi Demacque-Crockett and Shirlie Kemp – have reflected on their time as Wham! backing singers in their new autobiography, ‘ Pepsi & Shirlie: It’s All in Black and White’, and they believe the ‘Careless Whisper’ hitmaker would have wanted the tome to do well. Pepsi said: “I’m quite emotional actually. I’ve been walking into the hotel foyer and every time one of George’s songs comes on. I think he’s got his fairy dust on our book, wishing us well.” Shirlie had known George – who died in December 2016 – and fellow Wham! singer Andrew Ridgeley since their school days and she paid tribute to her friend for his “empathy and wit”. She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I knew George as a friend way before Wham!, way before fame. “He was adorable and his sense of humour, he could laugh at himself. It was his empathy and his wit. “To be that compassionate but that hilarious was a beautiful combination.” The ‘Heartache’ hitmakers – who performed as a duo after Wham! disbanded – are “really proud” of their pop hey days. Shirlie said: “When you meet Wham! or Pepsi and Shirlie fans, you think, ‘Wow, I was actually part of that.” Pepsi added: “I feel really proud of the fact I can look back on so many fond memories. It’s tainted with sadness, but that’s life.” But they admitted it was “really hard work” and they often shunned invites to parties in favour of going straight home after gigs. Pepsi said: “It’s really hard work, coming off stage you’re all sweaty. It seems very glamorous on the outside, cameras going, waving to the fans but Shirlie would be like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’ve got to have a shower, put make-up on, what are we going to wear?’ “We’d look at each other and go, ‘No, I think we’ll go back to the room’.” One of Pepsi and Shirlie Hit Songs on their own Wham Backup Singers on Towleroad Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner Called ‘Interns’ By White House Staffers Who Felt They Were ‘Entitled Know-It-Alls’: Ex-Aide More In Political Crosshairs, U.S. Supreme Court Will Look at Cases That Include Abortion, Guns, and So-called ‘Religious Rights’ More Action Roundup: Gay James Bond Character; Venom’s ‘Coming Out Party;’ ‘Queer Family’ of ‘Marvel’s Eternals’ More Lil Nas X won’t rule out reuniting with ex-boyfriend More Most U.S. deaths from police violence unrecorded in main database- study More Lady Gaga Fashion is limitless. Her Personal Style ‘A Jazz Singer’; The New Gaga Jazz Album With Tony Bennett Drops LISTEN: Full Album & Live Show More Discussing The Origins of Lizzo Twerking, Her New TED talk, Mainstream Butts and African Origins of Twerking More Dolly Parton Hits the Humble, Generous High Notes: ‘Honored And Flattered’ Lil Nas X Covers ‘Jolene,’ Says It’s ‘Really, Really Good’ More OKCupid’s Full, Inclusive ‘Every Single Person’ Campaign Is Literally Attacked. Dating App: ‘If We’re Pissing Off People … You Can Go Elsewhere’ More ACLU Joins Indiana Gay-Straight Alliance Lawsuit Over Unequal Treatment by Schools; Same District Banned Pride Flags Few Months Ago More New Bishop named in Brooklyn after predecessor retired amid sex abuse scandal More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – More than half of all U.S. deaths involving police violence from 1980-2018 were not listed as such in the government’s main database, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and published in The Lancet. The U.S. National Vital Statistics System recorded police violence as playing a role in 13,700 deaths over that period, the study’s authors said. By examining three non-governmental, open-source databases, they estimated the true total was around 30,800. The databases they examined were Fatal Encounters, Mapping Police Violence, and The Counted. The burden of fatal police violence is an urgent public health crisis in the United States, said the study published on Thursday in The Lancet, a major British medical journal. Deaths at the hands of the police disproportionately impact people of certain races and ethnicities, pointing to systemic racism in policing, it added. Protests broke out last year in the United States following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes, and other incidents in which police killed Black men and women. “Proven public health intervention strategies are needed to address these systematic biases. State-level estimates allow for appropriate targeting of these strategies to address police violence and improve its reporting,” the study said. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Graff) View the full article

Gaga Fashion. Gaga Jazz Lady Gaga says fashion is “limitless” like jazz music. The Oscar-winner, 35, wowed in two show-stopping gowns designed by her sister, Natali Germanotta, for her global live-streamed concert for Westfield on Thursday (Full concert and album in player below) Published by BANG Showbiz English LISTEN Lady Gaga says fashion is “limitless” like jazz music. The Oscar-winner, 35, wowed in two show-stopping gowns designed by her sister, Natali Germanotta, for her global live-streamed concert for Westfield on Thursday (30.09.21). The ‘Stupid Love’ hitmaker performed songs from her new duets album with jazz icon Tony Bennett, ‘Love For Sale’, and oozed old Hollywood glamour in a head-turning feathery beaded number, before a quick change into an elegant black velvet dress. And the ‘Born This Way’ hitmaker has recalled how her 29-year-old fashion designer sibling created gowns that are “authentic” to who she “truly is”. Gaga is famous for her outrageous ensembles over the years, from the iconic meat dress to the chicken outfit, but the ‘A Star is Born’ star says her true personal style is that of a jazz singer. Gaga said: “In terms of fashion, I would say that there’s nothing that is a limit because when it comes to jazz music, jazz music is limitless. In terms of the figures of chords, the way that music is structured, it’s the most liberated music of all music to me. And I am inspired mostly by family and my sister made the costumes that I wear during the show tonight and she has watched me be a jazz singer since I was in my early pre-teen years when I was an 11 and 12 year old so she knows how to make something for me that feels authentic to who I truly am. I guess what I would say is, when we think about clothing in terms of jazz, we think about authenticity, we don’t think about an idea. And while during the ’20s there was jazz, jazz lived far beyond the ’20s, like right now in 2021. And we think this is jazz too.” Millions of fans both online and across Westfield’s global network of flagship destinations, including fans at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City, were treated to a preview of the much-anticipated jazz album, ahead of its official release to the public today (01.10.21). For those who missed the performance, it is available to watch at www.youtube.com/c/WestfieldLive until 14 October. [This post contains video, click to play] Lady Gaga Fashion Towleroad Lil Nas X won’t rule out reuniting with ex-boyfriend More Discussing The Origins of Lizzo Twerking, Her New TED talk, Mainstream Butts and African Origins of Twerking More Dolly Parton Hits the Humble, Generous High Notes: ‘Honored And Flattered’ Lil Nas X Covers ‘Jolene,’ Says It’s ‘Really, Really Good’ More OKCupid’s Full, Inclusive ‘Every Single Person’ Campaign Is Literally Attacked. Dating App: ‘If We’re Pissing Off People … You Can Go Elsewhere’ More ACLU Joins Indiana Gay-Straight Alliance Lawsuit Over Unequal Treatment by Schools; Same District Banned Pride Flags Few Months Ago More New Bishop named in Brooklyn after predecessor retired amid sex abuse scandal More Lil Nas X is single More Cher says Britney Spears can start a ‘new life’ after conservatorship battle More Sir Ridley Scott reveals plans for Gladiator sequel More Donald Trump Fires Corey Lewandowski From Team AGAIN After He’s Accused Of ‘Stalking’ & Touching Butt Of Female Republican Donor Amid Alleged Kristi Noem Affair More Watchdog faults FBI for ‘widespread’ errors handling surveillance warrants More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lizzo credits twerking for helping her to love her butt. The ‘Good as Hell’ hitmaker admitted her backside used to be her “least favourite” part of her body, but she admitted her opinion has changed dramatically in recent years, largely thanks to the raunchy dance move. In a new TED Talk, she said: “I used to think that only asses like J.Lo’s or Beyoncé’s could be famous. I always felt like my body type wasn’t the right one or the desirable one growing up, because I grew up in an era where having a big ass wasn’t mainstream… “My a** has been the topic of conversation. My a** has been in magazines. Rihanna gave my a** a standing ovation. … How did this happen? Twerking! Through the movement of twerking, I discovered my a** is my greatest asset.” In the talk, Lizzo reflected on the history of twerking, explaining how it evolved from West African dance styles to become a staple of Black club culture in the 1980s, before hitting the mainstream thanks to Miley Cyrus’ controversial MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) performance in 2013. From that point, Lizzo felt twerking has been adopted by pop culture and “misunderstood and taken out of context”. She said: ““I wish that a Black woman could have popularized twerking in the mainstream. Everything that Black people create, from fashion to music to the way we talk, is co-opted, appropriated and taken by pop culture.” However, the 31-year-old star insisted she wasn’t “trying to gatekeep”. But she added: “But I’m definitely trying to let you know who built the damn gate.” And Lizzo vowed to use her platform to continute to highlight the origins of the dance style. She said: “I twerk for fat, Black women because being fat and Black is a beautiful thing. “Black women invented twerking and twerking is part of the revolution. We’ve been doing it, we going to keep doing it, because we have and always will be the blueprint.” View the full article

Dolly Parton hits it big even when entirely lifting another. Dolly Parton Hits High Notes on Towleroad OKCupid’s Full, Inclusive ‘Every Single Person’ Campaign Is Literally Attacked. Dating App: ‘If We’re Pissing Off People … You Can Go Elsewhere’ More ACLU Joins Indiana Gay-Straight Alliance Lawsuit Over Unequal Treatment by Schools; Same District Banned Pride Flags Few Months Ago More New Bishop named in Brooklyn after predecessor retired amid sex abuse scandal More Lil Nas X is single More Cher says Britney Spears can start a ‘new life’ after conservatorship battle More Sir Ridley Scott reveals plans for Gladiator sequel More Donald Trump Fires Corey Lewandowski From Team AGAIN After He’s Accused Of ‘Stalking’ & Touching Butt Of Female Republican Donor Amid Alleged Kristi Noem Affair More Watchdog faults FBI for ‘widespread’ errors handling surveillance warrants More Activists clash with police outside youth climate summit in Milan More While Britney Spears rejoices, her father’s attorney calls conservator suspension ‘wrong’ More Stormy Daniels Said Donald’s ‘Little Don’ Looks Like A ‘Mushroom’. Trump Pushes Back At Bizarre Air Force 1 Staff Meeting (She Undercounted?) New Book Spills. More Load More View the full article

OKCupidOKCupid’s “Every Single Person” Dating site OKCupid refused to back down from the inclusive message of its recent “Every Single Person” promotional campaign after OKCupid LGBTQ-inclusive ads on the New York City subway were torn down by passengers in a viral video. OKCupid launched the “Every Single Person” campaign earlier this year as a way of highlighting the dating app’s commitment to inclusivity and continuing shift to highlight the continued evolution in gender and relationship definitions. The campaign heavily focuses on LGBTQ identities, including an increased focus on non-binary individuals, and spotlights non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships. “‘Every Single Person,’ embraces all singles everywhere, no matter whom you’re interested in, what you’re looking for, or what matters to you,” the company said in a blog post announcing the campaign in July. “Our Every Single Person campaign reflects the beauty and complexity of that. Everyone deserves the love they seek – every single person.” Speaking to The Advocate, Hobley said OKCupid is happy to put itself “in a line of fire a little bit” in order to support its users. “When you’re hitting a nerve, that’s OK … The most important thing though is that we’re supporting all of our daters,” she said. “If we’re pissing off people that don’t want to celebrate diversity or to celebrate all kinds of love, then that’s OK. You can go elsewhere. We’re totally fine with that.” The dating app’s response has garnered celebrity support as well, including famed gay actor George Takei. Takei posted a tweet from Hobley on his Instagram account stating “In light of the recent homophobic rant sparked by our ad campaign celebrating all kinds of love, OKCupid is making an even bigger commitment to be inclusive. So thanks for the craziness. Also, put on a mask. You owe the MTA $50.” OKCupid LGBTQ: Previously on Towleroad OKCupid’s Full, Inclusive ‘Every Single Person’ Campaign Is Literally Attacked. Dating App: ‘If We’re Pissing Off People … You Can Go Elsewhere’ Brian Bell September 30, 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 Cook at Applebee’s Complaint When Told to Ignore A Toxic Mix of Workplace Slurs and Confederate Paraphernalia Spurs Federal Lawsuit Brian Bell August 13, 2021 Read More Virginia Tech Pride Flags Torn Down, Confederate Flags Put Up in Place in Act of ‘Intimidation’ Brian Bell August 12, 2021 Read More Lil Nas X Scared Commenting on Homophobia in Rap; More Confident, Authentic Because ‘People Pleasers …never become legends’ Towleroad August 12, 2021 Read More AIDS Groups Release Open Letter to DaBaby; Denver Cancels Festival He Was to Headline; IHeartRadio, Austin City Limits Also Drop; WednesDababy Update Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More Image courtesy of OKCupid View the full article

Gay-Straight AllianceUnfair Treatment The Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has teamed up with an Indiana Gay-Straight Alliance to file a lawsuit alleging that it has been unfairly barred from operating on-campus in a similar fashion as other “non-curricular” clubs. The suit, filed last week in U.S. District Court, claims that the Pendleton Heights Gay-Straight Alliance (PHGSA) has been prohibited from advertising itself on the campus of Pendleton Heights High School in Pendleton, IN. The ban includes posting flyers on school bulletin boards and running ads on the school’s radio station. The filing also alleges that the club has been barred from conducting fundraising activities on school grounds. All of the privileges currently being denied to the PHGSA are readily available to other student groups and clubs at the school regardless of their respective focuses’ relation to the school’s curriculum. The PHGSA reformed this year after a period of inactivity. The claim states that these prohibitions have “severely hindered” the PHGSA’s ability to attract students who may be in need of its “beneficial function to be a place of shelter, support and education, not just for gay, lesbian, transgender and non-binary students, but for all Pendleton Heights High School students.” “This group aims to create an environment that provides support to students, during a time that otherwise might be increasingly difficult for LGBTQ students,” said ACLU of Indiana advocacy strategist Kit Malone in a statement. “The differential treatment aimed at Pendleton Heights Gay-Straight Alliance by administrators is unwarranted and these students must be treated in the same manner that all other student groups are treated.” Past Issues The complaint come months after students and parents questioned a policy from the South Madison Community Schools board that told teachers to remove Pride flags from their classrooms. According to the Indianapolis Star, school board president Bill Hutton equated Pride flags and other pro-LGBTQ paraphernalia to the imagery of white supremacy, saying that allowing the display of Pride flags would mean the board would have to allow other groups the same privilege. Students present also complained about school officials’ unfair treatment of the PHGSA in its previous incarnation. The anti-Pride flag policy remains intact. “Unoffical” Club Both the school and school district are named as defendants in the lawsuit, but the filing focuses heavily on the actions of an unnamed Pendleton Heights High School principal. The suit claims that the principal recognized the PHGSA as a “non-curricular” club but not an “official” club despite it having a faculty sponsor and it meeting the U.S. Supreme Court’s definition of a “non-curricular” club that is guaranteed the same privileges as “curricular” clubs. Deeming the PHGSA as an “unofficial” club allows for the restrictions imposed by the principal, which the filing claims has caused “irreparable harm” to the PHGSA. The ACLU of Indiana believes this infringes on the Equal Access Act, which bars secondary schools that receive federal funding from preventing “non-curricular” clubs from accessing resources available to other student groups. “Students at Pendleton Heights High School may participate in non-curricular clubs recognized by the school,” said ACLU of Indiana legal director Ken Falk. “By creating additional hurdles for Pendleton Heights Gay-Straight Alliance such as censoring the group’s promotions and prohibiting fundraising, the school is infringing on these students’ rights.” The suit also claims that the principal’s, and therefore the school and school district’s, actions violate the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The plaintiffs are requesting that the court “allow the Pendleton Heights Gay-Straight Alliance to have the same access to school facilities and avenues of communication, including fundraising opportunities, provided to curricular and official clubs.” South Madison Community Schools Superintendent Mark Hall declined to comment on the situation when asked by the Indianapolis Star, saying that he was yet to receive the filing. Indiana Gay: Previously on Towleroad 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 London’s Highgate School to Allow Skirts For Boys In School Uniform Adam Rhodes May 17, 2017 Read More Pittsburgh Schools Unanimously Approve Transgender Nondiscrimination Policy: VIDEO Michael Fitzgerald June 24, 2016 Read More Photo courtesy of Quinn Dombrowski/Creative Commons View the full article

Published by AFP Pope Francis in September 2015 with retiring Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio (C), who was cleared in a Vatican sex abuse investigation New York (AFP) – The Vatican on Wednesday announced a new bishop for the Diocese of Brooklyn, after the retirement of long-serving Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, who was cleared in a sex abuse investigation. The 77-year-old DiMarzio had been the subject of a high-profile Vatican probe after two men accused him of abusing them fifty years ago when he was a priest in New Jersey. Earlier this month, the Vatican cleared DiMarzio in the investigation, saying the accusations against him do not “have the semblance of truth.” The lawyer for the two men dismissed the Vatican probe as biased and said they will pursue civil lawsuits against the priest. DiMarzio, whose resignation was earlier accepted by Pope Francis, will be succeeded by Bishop Robert Brennan, 59, a native of New York City, who has served as the Bishop of Columbus, Ohio since 2019, according to US media reports. “Today I welcome Bishop Robert Brennan appointed as the eighth Bishop of Brooklyn,” DiMarzio said on Twitter. “I have known Bishop Brennan for years and have great confidence in his ability to lead the diocese.” Several states in northeastern United States have been rocked by sexual abuse scandals in recent years. The drama is illustrated by the 2015 Oscar-winning film “Spotlight,” which documents how journalists with the Boston Globe newspaper uncovered sexual abuse committed by dozens of Boston priests. According to BishopAccountability.org, an advocacy organization, between 1950 and 2016, the Catholic Church in the US received complaints from more than 18,500 alleged victims claiming abuse by more than 6,700 clergy members. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lil Nas X is single again. The ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ singer has confirmed he’s no longer dating his mystery boyfriend because he “didn’t want to” see him anymore, though he declined to share any further details. During an appearance on Sirius XM’s ‘Andy Cohen Live’, the presenter asked Nas about his relationship and if he could share any details. However, his guest replied: “I was seeing someone. Um, I kind of decided I didn’t want to anymore.” Andy said: “All right. OK. Well, I have to, I have to, uh, assume that there are thousands of people applying for the job of a Lil Nas X’s boyfriend.” But the 22-year-old star insisted he isn’t looking for a relationship at the moment because he wants to focus on his career. He replied: “There are definitely a couple of people for sure. A couple of people out there…I don’t want to ruin anybody’s perception of [‘That’s What I Want’], but I don’t think I want any guy right now. “Maybe I’m floating around right now. I just want to work on music and every now and then, you know, maybe I’ll kiss a guy, every blue moon, you know.” Just a month ago, Nas gushed about how “effortless” his romance with his mystery boyfriend, who he met in May, was. He said: “I feel like this is one of the best [relationships] yet. I’m really happy about it, and it all just feels natural. It’s effortless.” The ‘Old Town Road’ hitmaker had previously suggested that his boyfriend could be “the one”. He said: “I’ve had some good boyfriends and some bad ones. A lot of them were emotionally unavailable or had a lot of insecurity and whatnot. “I’ve found someone special now. I think this is the one. I can’t explain it – it’s just a feeling.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Cher thinks Britney Spears can embark on “a new life” after a judge suspended her dad’s position as conservator of her estate. The 75-year-old pop icon has taken to Twitter to express her joy and relief at the news, which came after a judge concluded that Jamie Spears’ position in charge of his daughter’s affairs had become “untenable”. Cher wrote on the micro-blogging platform: “Thank God [sparkles emoji] I’ve Talked & [prayer emoji] ‘d About This 4 YEARS [clapping emoji] . IM MORE THAN THRILLED 4 HER [cake emoji] BLESS OUR SUPER [star emoji] #FREEBRITNEY (sic)” The ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ hitmaker now believes Britney can begin a new chapter in her life, having been under a conservatorship since 2008. Cher tweeted: “[prayer emoji] THIS WILL [bee emoji] THE START [footprints emoji] OF A NEW LIFE,BRIT [kissing emoji] Me (sic)” Bette Midler has also expressed her support for the chart-topping pop star. The 75-year-old singer observed that Britney has spent the last 13 years “in the wilderness”. She tweeted: “#BritneySpears is free. Congratulations to everyone who helped bring this about, especially Britney, who, after 13 years in the wilderness, never gave up until she was finally heard. (sic)” Elsewhere, La Toya Jackson has also offered her congratulations to Britney after the court ruling. She wrote on the micro-blogging site: “A huge congratulations to Britney Spears!!! #FreeBritney #freedom #BritneySpears (sic)” Dionne Warwick posted a similar message, observing that Britney can now “breathe” and enjoy her life after being under a conservatorship for so many years. She wrote online: “This is wonderful news. She can now breathe. Congratulations, Britney. Enjoy your life!” Britney’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, hailed the ruling as a “monumental” moment for the 39-year-old singer. He added: “This is a substantial step toward her freedom. “It’s been a lot of hard work. It’s been intense. I’m proud. Britney’s proud.” The attorney also credited the Free Britney movement for being “instrumental” in moving the ‘Circus’ singer’s case along, including having him come in to replace her court-appointed attorney, Sam Ingham, in July. He added: “And to the extent that it allowed my firm to carry the ball across the finish line, I thank them as well.” Mathew’s next step is to file a petition outlining plans to terminate the conservatorship completely, and he’s optimistic Britney – who hasn’t had control of her own affairs since 2008 – has got a “great future ahead of her.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Ridley Scott will begin working on the ‘Gladiator’ sequel after shooting ‘Kitbag’. The 83-year-old director is currently focused on his new Joaquin Phoenix-led project about Napoleon Bonapart, but Ridley subsequently intends to start work on the long-awaited sequel to ‘Gladiator’, his award-winning historical drama. He told Empire: “I’m already having [the next] ‘Gladiator’ written now. So when I’ve done Napoleon, ‘Gladiator’ will be ready to go.” ‘Kitbag’ is expected to be released in 2023, meaning that the ‘Gladiator’ sequel might not hit cinema screens until 2024 at the earliest. Ridley has been tentatively working on the concept for years, but Russell Crowe – who starred in the original movie – will not be returning for the sequel, as his character met his demise in the 2000 hit. Russell, 57, won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Maximus Decimus Meridius in the acclaimed historical drama. And the Hollywood star previously admitted that he feels incredibly proud of the film’s enduring legacy, explaining that it has achieved something rare in the film industry. He said last year: “The standout thing with this film, and 20 years later I can say with confidence that somewhere in the world, today, tonight, that movie will be played on prime-time. And it’s 20 years since it came out. Not every movie lasts in that way.” Ridley also regards the movie as one of his career highlights. The acclaimed filmmaker – whose credits also include ‘Alien’ and ‘Black Hawk Down’ – shared: “I think ‘Gladiator’ would have to go up near the top one, two or three, and after nearly 30 movies, that’s crazy.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Donald Trump has once again fired Corey Lewandowski after he was accused of inappropriately touching and “stalking” a female donor — AND amid rumors he had an affair with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. The alleged incident went down over the weekend in Vegas when Trashelle Odom came forward alleging Corey touched her butt and legs and “stalked” her at a charity event. Odom also claimed Corey repeatedly talked about his genitals, “described his sexual performance,” and reportedly showed her his hotel room key. Taking to their Twitter, a spokesperson announced Trump was replacing Corey. MEGA “Pam Bondi, the very talented and honorable frmr AG of FL, has our complete faith and confidence in taking over MAGA Action. Corey Lewandowski will be going on to other endeavors and we very much want to thank him for his service,” the statement read. While Trump made a swift move following the allegations, it’s worth noting this is the second time he’s dismissed Corey from his team. Corey’s lawyers denied Odom’s claims. His firing also comes in the wake of his rumored affair with Noem. Multiple sources told conservative site American Greatness, the married father of four was having a sexual relationship with the rising Republican star, something Noem venomously shot down. MEGA “These rumors are total garbage and a disgusting lie,” she tweeted on Wednesday, before expressing her love for her husband and children. “These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can’t achieve anything without a man’s help. I love Bryon. I’m proud of the God-fearing family we’ve raised together. Now I’m getting back to work.” Noem has been married since 1992. She has three children. As for Corey, who is currently unemployed, he married Alison Lewandowski in 2005. When it comes to Corey’s employment history with Trump, it’s complicated. He was fired as Trump’s campaign manager in 2016, but offered a job in the former president’s administration in 2017. Corey rejected that job offer, allegedly telling his buddies that the position was “beneath him.” MEGA View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department’s internal watchdog on Thursday said he had uncovered “widespread non-compliance” with the FBI’s domestic surveillance program, dealing the bureau another setback and raising questions about the accuracy of the information underpinning its wiretap warrants. Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s findings mark the latest problem uncovered since 2019, when his office first discovered https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia/mistakes-but-no-political-bias-in-fbi-probe-of-trump-campaign-watchdog-idUSKBN1YD11L the FBI had made numerous errors in its warrant applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court as part of the early probe into contacts between President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. Horowitz’s report on Thursday entailed an audit of the FBI’s so-called “Woods Procedures” – rules the bureau follows to ensure FISA applications to the court are “scrupulously accurate.” “A failure to adhere to the Woods Procedures … could easily lead to errors that do impact probable cause — and therefore potentially call into question the legal basis for the government’s use of highly intrusive FISA warrants,” Horowitz said. In a statement, National Security Division Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark Lesko said the FBI “has already implemented numerous reforms” and that the department is committed to “meet the highest standards of accuracy.” In 2019, the inspector general revealed the FBI had severely botched applications to continue monitoring the communications of Carter Page, a former adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign. The errors prompted a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge to issue a rare public ruling https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-fbi/u-s-judge-blasts-fbi-over-handling-of-wiretap-applications-of-ex-trump-campaign-adviser-idUSKBN1YL2FX ordering the FBI to detail how it would correct its policies and procedures. Horowitz’s findings led Special Counsel John Durham to later file charges against FBI Attorney Kevin Clinesmith for falsifying a document used in a FISA application to monitor Page. Clinesmith pleaded guilty https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-clinesmith/ex-fbi-lawyer-pleads-guilty-to-doctoring-email-in-russia-probe-of-trump-campaign-idUSKCN25F16S in August 2020. The ACLU, which has long expressed concerns about the FISA process, said in a statement on Thursday that Horowitz’s report shows “yet more evidence that FISA surveillance is in need of reform.” The FBI’s efforts since the Page debacle “have not gone nearly far enough,” ACLU attorney Ashley Gorski said. Thursday’s audit is an extension of an earlier report from Horowitz from March 2020 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-justice-fbi-surveillance/justice-department-cites-more-flaws-in-fbi-handling-of-surveillance-warrants-idUSKBN21I29U in which he found 209 errors in 29 applications. Since then, he said his office had uncovered an additional 200 errors or lack of supporting documents in those applications – and he accused the FBI and the National Security Division of displaying “a tolerance for error.” Jason Jones, the FBI’s general counsel, disagreed with that assertion in his response. He said the FBI has implemented reforms and that its “commitment to emphasize the importance of scrupulous accuracy will continue unabated.” (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by DPA Police clash with Extinction Rebellion activists who blocked traffic in front of MiCo, the Milan Convention Center in the Fiera area, where the Pre-COP 26 Summit on climate change begins today. Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa Environmental activists clashed with police in Milan on Thursday on the sidelines of a youth climate summit. Delegates to the Youth4Climate summit discussed the climate crisis with politicians including Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Meanwhile dozens of activists held a demonstration in front of the conference centre. A video of the protest showed demonstrators clashing with the police, who used batons against the crowd. Others activists blocked traffic by lying down in the streets until they were removed by police officers. Some of the protesters briefly entered the conference centre to protest ahead of Draghi’s speech. The event, organized jointly by the Italian and British governments, was intended as preparation for the COP26 climate change conference, which is due to take place in Glasgow later this year. Draghi reiterated that the world must show more commitment in the fight against climate change. Responding to criticism by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who recently lambasted politicians for their “blah, blah, blah” rather than meaningful action, Draghi said: “Sometimes it takes that blah blah to convince everyone.” Big goals can only be achieved together, he said, adding that he was optimistic that leaders were “absolutely convinced that this is time to act, to act quickly”. Later Draghi met with Thunberg and other climate activists in private for a face-to-face discussion. Police clash with Extinction Rebellion activists who blocked traffic in front of MiCo, the Milan Convention Center in the Fiera area, where the Pre-COP 26 Summit on climate change begins today. Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa View the full article