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Published by uPolitics.com The House Ethics Committee voted unanimously to launch a probe into Rep. George Santos (R-New York) for a multitude of potential legal and ethical violations. The committee, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans, released a statement that their probe will address allegations pertaining to potentially “unlawful activity” during his 2022 congressional campaign, lying about or omitting key information on forms for new House members, conflicts of interest, and a sexual misconduct accusation. Santos is fully cooperating, according to his social media team. Santos has received heavy critici… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who infamously refused to honor a lawful subpoena from the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack requiring his testimony last year, on Friday issued a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray demanding 16 FBI agents testify before his committee or face subpoenas to do so. The letter is officially from the Judiciary Committee but was tweeted out by the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, which is also chaired by Jordan. That new subcommittee has been the subject of scrutiny and mockery over the past 24 hours after Jorda… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — The New York City Hall version of fire and brimstone rained down Friday as protesters blasted Mayor Eric Adams over his remarks dismissing the separation of church and state. Local religious leaders and community activists criticized Adams in a protest outside the mayor’s Manhattan office, insisting the city’s top elected official was way off base with his remarks dismissing the notion of a clear line of demarcation laid out by the nation’s Founding Fathers. “He said that he was a servant of God,” said Rabbi Emily Cohen. “And I wanted to assert that Mayor Adams was a servant of thos… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Do you expect me to talk? No Mr. Bond, I expect you to REDACTED. Reports indicate that Ian Fleming’s James Bond books are to be republished and rewritten to accommodate 21st century sensitivities. The spy thrillers – from 1953’s ‘Casino Royale’ to 1966’s ‘Octopussy and The Living Daylights’ – will be re-released in April to coincide with the 70th anniversary celebrations this spring, after Ian Fleming Publications Ltd commissioned a review by “sensitivity readers.” A number of racial references will be removed, as well as the omission of references to ethnicities of a number of characters. The… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story In 2011, a New York City businessman identified by Esquire Magazine as “three-time bankrupt Donald Trump” made a speech on the stage of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). It helped launch his political career. Trump returns Saturday to keynote this year’s CPAC annual event, a gathering that starts Wednesday afternoon and will bring together thousands of conservatives eager to “preserve and protect the values of life, liberty, and property.” This year’s meeting is already being ducked by many big-name right-wingers, overshadowed as it is by groping acusataions against its foun… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet The Texas Republican state lawmaker, a former pastor, who authored an anti-drag bill appeared in a video, in drag, while skipping and running to the song “Sexy Lady.” NBC News reports the editor of Living Blue in Texas, the “premier outlet for Democratic, Liberal, and Progressive news and opinion,” posted video of GOP state Rep. Nate Schatzline that shows him with three other people in costumes or drag, “skipping, running and dancing in a park while donning a black sequined dress and a red eye mask.” “At the end of the roughly 90-second video — which plays over the song ‘Sexy Lady’ by Javi Mul… Read More View the full article

Published by The Detroit News HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hours after Michigan state legislators advanced a historic bill that would bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, former Vice President Mike Pence called on religious conservatives to stand up for causes like “the sanctity of marriage” during an event at Hillsdale College. “At a time when our most cherished values and traditions seem maligned by popular culture on a daily basis, I say speak without apology about the institution of traditional marriage and above all else never give up the right to life,” Pence told the audience gathered inside the … Read More View the full article

Published by The Detroit News LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Senate voted Wednesday to ban discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, marking a legislative turning point that came after decades of debate in state government. Democrats, who took control of the chamber for first time in nearly 40 years in January, made the bill to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections for gay and transgender residents an early priority. Republicans had previously blocked similar proposals, arguing the protections infringed on religious rights. The bill passed 23-15 with three Republicans joinin… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kim Petras doesn’t think she would be where she is today without Madonna. The 30-year-old singer made history at last month’s Grammy Awards when she became the first openly trans artist to receive the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance prize for ‘Unholy’ with Sam Smith and she is thrilled the Queen of Pop – who presented the pair with their accolade – has given her support and respect because she has done so much for the LGBTQ+ community. She told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “I don’t know how good of a friend I can be to her because I’m just like, ‘Confession: Ray of Light changed my life.’ “Every time I see her, I just talk about her music and how much it means to me, but it’s just been the most incredible thing for me to get respected by Madonna, and for her to even know anything about me is just… “Madonna, for fighting for LGBTQ+ rights. I don’t think I could be here without Madonna. My mother. I grew up next to a highway in Germany, and my mother believed me that I was a girl, and I wouldn’t be here without her and her support.” The ‘Coconuts’ hitmaker went on to add that she would “die” to one day collaborate with the ‘Material Girl’ songstress and would “absolutely” love to work with her on her upcoming third studio album. She added of the possibility of a collaboration: “I would die to! I would die to have Madonna on anything, or be on anything Madonna, so yeah, absolutely.” When Madonna presented Kim and Sam with their award, she celebrated the duo’s “fearlessness”. She said: “Are you ready for a little controversy? Come on people, let’s make some noise. Y’all are going to sleep over here. “So, here’s what I’ve learned after four decades in music — if they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you’re definitely on to something. “I’m here to give thanks to all the rebels out there forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it. You guys need to know — all you troublemakers out there — you need to know that your fearlessness doesn’t go unnoticed. You are seen, you are heard; and most of all, you are appreciated. “So now, speaking of controversy, it gives me great pleasure to introduce two incredibly talented artists who have risen above the noise, the doubt, the critics; into something beautifully unholy. Here are two Grammy Award winners, Sam Smith and Kim Petras.” View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Nearly a year after being sentenced to five months in jail, only to be released on bond days later, former actor Jussie Smollett has filed his long-awaited appeal claiming his indictment by a special prosecutor was invalid due to double-jeopardy concerns and that the trial judge was biased against him. The 102-page brief filed Wednesday with the Illinois Appellate Court tread mostly familiar ground in the well-worn case against Smollett, the onetime “Empire” star who was convicted by a jury in December 2021 of paying two acquaintances to fake a racist and homophobic attack on him to … Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online @govbilllee/Instagram A GoFundMe campaign has been launched with the goal of purchasing billboards of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to splash his 1977 yearbook photo across the state, RadarOnline.com has learned. As we previously reported, Lee was confronted last week with the decades-old portrait from page 165, which showed him in women’s clothing including a dress and pearls alongside the caption “Hard Luck Woman.” MEGA The interaction took place not long before he is set to put into effect a bill that would restrict drag performances in Tennessee. “What a ridiculous question that is! Conflating something like that to sexualized entertainment in front of children, which is a very serious subject,” Lee fired back at the reporter during the event in Memphis. RadarOnline.com has learned that nearly $50,000 has since been raised to put up billboards featuring the photo next to foster care statistics in the state. @govbilllee/Instagram Matt Gaetz Cleared: DOJ Decides Not To Charge Embattled Congressman After Years-Long Sex Trafficking Investigation Senator John Fetterman Checks Into Hospital For Clinical Depression Following Health Concerns Pete Buttigieg REFUSES To Answer Questions About Ohio Train Derailment After Facing Backlash For Not Visiting State “A National Advertising agency will be designing these ads,” the bio read. “All funds received will go towards this project to help advertise a beautiful photo of Governor Bill Lee as well as the statistics for the foster care system here in Tennessee.” “The goal is to have billboards in the large cities of Tennessee on main interstates or highways. There will be video updates posted about this journey along the way on my social media platforms. @zacharyheath21,” the description noted. Press secretary Jade Byers previously issued a statement on behalf of Lee, highlighting how the bill “specifically protects children from obscene, sexualized entertainment” and “any attempt to conflate this serious issue with lighthearted school traditions is dishonest and disrespectful to Tennessee families.” MEGA The legislation that Lee will make law specifically bans “adult-oriented entertainment” that is deemed “harmful to minors” from public property and places where they might be seen by children. The law specifically mentions “go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers” and “male or female impersonators.” The bill makes the first offense a Class A misdemeanor and subsequent offenses a Class E felony. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. MEGA It has been met with both praise and criticism. It’s been claimed this law is not meant to target the LGBTQ community but rather to protect children. Critics, however, fear the rules may lead to discrimination, arguing that drag is an art form and not the same as exotic dancing. View the full article

Published by Raw Story A new study on what makes conservative brains tick suggests it may come down to a proclivity to view reality as “inherently hierarchical,” according to researchers. Initial research indicated that conservatives tend to view the world as more dangerous, but subsequent studies have failed to replicate that finding. Now, psychologists Nick Kerry and Jer Clifton at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered in their research that the “main difference between the left and right is the belief that the world is inherently hierarchical,” Clifton writes in Scientific American. “Conservatives, our w… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP US Senator Ted Cruz speaks at the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland National Harbor (United States) (AFP) – US conservatives kicked off their annual convention Thursday with an array of firebrand speakers aiming their sharpest verbal attacks at other Americans rather than foreign adversaries. Key names at the Conservative Political Action Conference devoted some floor time to the US-Chinese rivalry and the immigration crisis, but the real crowd-pleasing zingers came in the rants against the LGBT+ community and calls for the arrests of liberals. Texas Senator Ted Cruz said recently-retired scientist Anthony Fauci, the government’s point man on the Covid-19 pandemic, should be jailed over health curbs that had “ruined more lives than any bureaucrat in the history of our nation.” He accused US President Joe Biden of not giving “a damn” about a recent train derailment that sparked fears of environmental contamination in Ohio, and said the administration would have been quicker to help if the locals had been “transgender tech workers.” Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama railed against trans athletes and “all this woke” taking priority over traditional school subjects, alleging that “half the kids, when they graduate, they can’t read their diploma.” South Carolina congressman Ralph Northam accused America’s top military officer — decorated combat veteran Mark Milley — of being a “traitor.” ‘Leftists and Marxists’ No stranger to incendiary hyperbole, Pennsylvania congressman Scott Perry, who is under investigation for his role in former president Donald Trump’s attempt to subvert the 2020 election, threatened that “if it’s up to me, there’s going to be a firestorm” targeting liberals. “These leftists, these Marxists that have prevailed upon the American people and used the awesome power of the federal government to cow us into fear in our homes, they’ve got to be put on notice,” he said. “They’ve got to be quaking in fear, they’ve got to be worried, they’ve got to be losing weight because they’re not eating, because they’re worried they’re going to end up going to jail.” CPAC, which returned to its home in Maryland’s National Harbor after pandemic-era editions in Texas and Florida, is a sprawling gathering that sees itself as promoting liberty, economic prosperity and family values. Its panelists speak glowingly of president Ronald Reagan, while posters decry gun restrictions, liberal school curriculums and big government. This year’s event, which culminates in a keynote address from Trump on Saturday, will be an opportunity for delegates to vet the tycoon and other potential candidates for the 2024 presidential election. Among them is Trump’s former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who is expected to make the case Friday that the Republican Party needs a new generation of leaders, unencumbered by the taint of recent election failure. Several major players have stayed away, however, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, seen as a formidable potential challenger to Trump for the 2024 nomination, and former vice president Mike Pence. View the full article

Published by AlterNet Earlier this week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, stated that homelessness in the Big Apple is because “we took prayer out of schools.” Adams also revealed that he disagrees with the fundamental American principle of separation of church and state. “Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body. Church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies. I can’t separate my belief because I’m an elected official,” Adams proclaimed at an interfaith breakfast on Tuesday. “When I walk, I walk with God. When I talk, I talk with God. When I put po… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Donald Trump Jr. shared his outrage via Twitter Thursday after PNC bank closed the account for his media company, MXM News, complaining the “woke” corporation is prejudiced against him for his “political affiliation.” The son of former President Donald Trump tweeted, “BREAKING: Woke @PNCBank just shut down the bank account for my app @mxmnews without any explanation. The Left doesn’t think you should be able to exist, much less thrive, in society. It should be illegal to discriminate based on political affiliation!!!” Journalist Aaron Rupar shared a clip of Trump’s recent interview with Newsma… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online cbs;@josh_popper/instagram Madonna is moving on from her breakup by spending her time with a new boy toy after her split from Andrew Darnell, RadarOnline.com has learned. The Material Girl icon, 64, was spotted cozying up to 29-year-old boxing coach Josh Popper in newly revealed photos following her fizzled five-month romance with her younger model ex. @madinna/twitter In one of the snapshots, Madonna can be seen leaning on the 6’4”, 240-pound heavyweight’s shoulder and squeezing his tattooed right arm as he makes a fist, igniting rumors they are dating which neither have yet confirmed or denied. Popper appears to be in with the chart-topping music icon’s family already, having been training one of her six children at Bredwinners gym in New York City, insiders familiar with the situation revealed in a report published by Daily Mail. Fans may recognize the ripped former NFL athlete as he also recently appeared on the latest season of Bravo’s hit show Summer House. @josh_popper/instagram Madonna Splits From 23-Year-Old Boyfriend Andrew Darnell, Singer Experiencing ‘Crisis Of Confidence’ Wealthy Madonna Accused Of Turning Her Back On Once-Homeless Brother Anthony Years Before His Tragic Death Madonna Paid For Once-Homeless Brother Anthony’s Rehab Bill Before He Died Romance rumors with Popper and Madonna started to swirl amid news the singer has been going through a “crisis of confidence” in recent weeks. The singer recently spoke out against questions regarding plastic surgery, claiming the remarks about her changing appearance were fueled by “ageism” and “misogyny.” Madonna has also been mourning the death of her eldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, who died at the age of 66 last Friday. @josh_popper/instagram In the wake of her latest split, insiders claimed that 23-year-old Darnell accepted their breakup and has since found romance with someone closer to his own age. “It was only a very casual thing [with Darnell] so she’s not broken-hearted. It’s just that it has come at a bad time,” a source told Page Six about how she has been coping with the change. “She’s having a bit of a crisis of confidence and this doesn’t help. She had a lot of fun with Andrew but it was never love or anything like that.” Their relationship kicked off after her prior split from 28-year-oldAhlamalik Williams, the backup dancer with whom she was in a three-year relationship. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. @madonna/instagram Madonna is known for marching to the beat of her own drum and that includes dating younger men, having opted for suitors at least 28 years her junior since 2008. As RadarOnline.com exclusively told you first — Madonna’s highly anticipated and upcoming “greatest hits” world tour is set to be a family affair with some of her kids joining her on the stage while others will help design the production. Considering that Popper is training one of her sons, fans wonder if Madonn’s rumored new flame will tag along. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English The “wonderful family” from ‘The White Lotus’ scooped the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series honour at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Sunday (26.02.23). The HBO vacation satire picked up the accolade ahead of ‘Ozark’, ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘The Crown’ and ‘Severance’ and as the cast gathered on stage at Los Angeles’ Fairmont Century Plaza hotel, F. Murray Abraham – who played Bert Di Grasso – took the mic to offer an acceptance speech on their behalf, and paid tribute to everyone who had worked on the show. He said: “Thank you, thank you SAG-AFRTA, Than you HBO, this was the best job I ever had, not only because of this really remarkable, wonderful family of actors but because Mike and David and Mark pulled together an international company of technicians and actors. “We all lived together in the same place and ate together and worked together, so this is not only for the actors, this is for the entire company.” The veteran actor also took the time to recognise global issues. He said: “This is a wonderful time but I ‘d like to send a prayer out to the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey, and a prayer for peace in Ukraine and Russia.” Earlier in the evening, ‘The White Lotus’ star Jennifer Coolidge was tearful when she picked up the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series honour ahead of Elizabeth Debicki (‘The Crown’), Zendaya (‘Euphoria’) and ‘Ozark’ actresses Julia Garner and Laura Linney. She said: “Wow. Wow. You know… It’s been a very special year, overwhelming, ‘White Lotus’ and Mike White writing me a great part that went on for two seasons. HBO giving me the thumbs up to let me do it and I just wanna say, I want you all to know that I’m just so grateful.” She then paid tribute to her father for igniting her love of film with a day out when she was a child. Jennifer added: “What I really wanna say is I have these amazing parents and they had this incredible gift. I think It was impossible for them to lie, they just couldn’t do it, except that my father one day the school principal came to my first grade class and said I had to be called to the office. “I went and she said my father’s here and he said ‘Yeah Jenny we have to go’ and the principal said ‘Jennifer get well’. I didn’t know what that meant but we got in the car and my father said, ‘I’m never gonna tell a lie again but we’re going somewhere really cool.’ We drove to Massachusetts and it was the Charlie Chaplin film festival and I swear to god having that experience, it’s my love of film, my love of actors, all of that came from that first grade experience.” Meanwhile, Jason Bateman was pleased he had the opportunity to “say a final thank you” after he won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Marty Byrd in the final season of ‘Ozark’, taking the honour ahead of ‘Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks, Jeff Bridges for ‘The Old Man’ and ‘Severance’ star Adam Scott. He said: “Thanks you to anybody who voted for me, it gives me the chance to say a final thank you to not only the people who watched this show, but I get to say thank you to my wife Amanda, my two kids at home, they made me feel like a good dad even though I was gone for six months a year so they’re better actors than I am. “Ted Sarantos gave me all the trust I could ask for. Laura, Julia and the rest of the cast taught me so much and made the show what it is. Chris Mundy and the writing staff wrote incredible stuff we all got to enjoy, myself included. “Finally to the crew, we’re lucky enough to work on great projects because it was a great crew, it was a great family… Thank you guys, I love you all.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ was the big winner at Sunday’s (26.02.23) Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. The Daniels’ comedy-drama beat off competition from ‘Babylon’, ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, ‘The Fabelmans’ and ‘Women Talking’ to take the night’s biggest prize, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, and there were also individual wins for cast members Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan. Michelle dedicated her win in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role category to “every little girl that looks like” her. She said on stage at Los Angeles’ Fairmont Plaza: “This is not just for me, it’s for every little girl that looks like me. “We’re here because we love what we do and we’ll never stop doing this but thank you for giving me a seat at the table so many of us need this, we want to be seen, we want to be heard. I am grateful and my mom will be eternally grateful too.” Her co-stars scooped the Outstanding Performance by a Female and Male Actor in a Leading Role honours. Meanwhile, ‘The White Lotus’ also scored two wins, with Jennifer Coolidge taking home the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series accolade, and the show itself triumphing ahead of ‘Ozark’, ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘The Crown’ and ‘Severance’ to take the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series honour. Meanwhile, Jason Bateman was pleased he had the opportunity to “say a final thank you” after he won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Marty Byrd in the final season of ‘Ozark’, taking the honour ahead of ‘Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks, Jeff Bridges for ‘The Old Man’ and ‘Severance’ star Adam Scott. He said: “Thanks you to anybody who voted for me, it gives me the chance to say a final thank you to not only the people who watched this show, but I get to say thank you to my wife Amanda, my two kids at home, they made me feel like a good dad even though I was gone for six months a year so they’re better actors than I am.” Brendan Fraser’s performance in ‘The Whale’ saw him win Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. In the TV comedy categories, ‘Abbott Elementary’ won the ensemble prize, while the individual honours went to ‘The Bear’ star Jeremy Allen White and ‘Hacks’ actress Jean Smart, while ‘1883’ star Sam Elliott and ‘George and Tammy’s Jessica Chastain took home the Television Movie or Limited Series prizes. Sally Field was honoured with a lifetime achievement award. SAG Awards 2023 list of winners: The SAG Award winners will be announced on February 26, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Full list of nominees: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Sam Elliott – 1883 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Jessica Chastain – George and Tammy Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: ‘Abbott Elementary’ Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White – The Bear Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart – Hacks Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: Jason Bateman – ‘Ozark’ Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Jennifer Coolidge – ‘The White Lotus’ Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: ‘The White Lotus’ Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Jamie Lee Curtis – ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Ke Huy Quan – ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Michelle Yeoh – ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Brendan Fraser – ‘The Whale’ Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series: ‘Stranger Things’ View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Anne Glenconner had a 34-year affair with a mystery man. The 90-year-old socialite was lady-in-waiting to the late Princess Margaret – who died in 2002 at the age of 71 – and was a maid of honour at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 but admitted that even though she had “completely fallen” for Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, she ended up having an affair when the marriage became difficult. She told Fox News Digital: “[Colin] was attractive, he was funny. He was full of wonderful ideas and just made me see that my life could be different. It could be a great adventure. And I completely fell for him. He was also a great friend of Princess Margaret. He was one of the young men she went out with. And I was always rather amazed that he chose me, that he actually wanted to marry me. And a lot of the time we were very happy. I had seen him lose his temper before we got married. “He always said, ‘The minute we’re married, I won’t need to lose my temper.’ Which, of course, I believed. But he lost his temper on our honeymoon. His promise of not to lose his temper didn’t last long. “I lost my trust in men. We saw each other once a week. We had lunch and the occasional weekend. But he gave me back [my trust]. And I realized that men can be wonderful, that men could be kind, and all that. He made so much difference in my life.” The baroness – who remained married to Colin until he died in 2010 at the age of 83 following a battle with prostate cancer – claimed that the mystery man’s wife was aware of the affair but alleged that she was possibly guilty of adultery too as she insisted that being unfaithful was how marriages were kept “together” in those days as an “alternative” to divorce. She added: “She sent me a memento after he died… I think she probably had some of her own. That’s what people used to do in marriages. That’s how they kept marriages together, really. People had affairs. And yet, we carried on. It was an alternative to divorce.” View the full article

Published by DPA Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual State of the Nation Address at the Gostiny Dvor event centre. Putin has described Western arms deliveries to Ukraine as "participation in crimes" in the country. -/Kremlin/dpa Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin awarded US actor Steven Seagal, known for the 1990 US action thriller Hard to Kill, the Russian Order of Friendship. Seagal, who holds Russian citizenship, among others, is receiving the award for his “great contribution to the development of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation,” according to a Putin decree published on Monday. The 70-year-old star of numerous action films is the special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for humanitarian relations with the United States and Japan. Seagal is considered a supporter of the Russian war against Ukraine and a friend of Putin. He is also a member of the pro-Kremlin Just Russia party and repeatedly follows the line of Moscow’s state propaganda. Seagal visited the Russian side in the war zone last year, which Moscow’s state media treated as a kind of world event. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, himself a former actor, counts numerous US stars among his friends. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Adele’s rumoured engagement ring from her boyfriend Rich Paul is said to a be worth more than £500,000. The ‘Chasing Pavements’ singer, 34, is reportedly planning to get married to the sports agent, 41, this summer after two years of dating and a jewellery expert said the huge sparkler she has been spotted wearing during her Las Vegas residency features an 8 carat diamond. Gemologist Alexandra Michell from Channel 4’s ‘Posh Pawn’ told Mail Online on Monday (27.02.23): “Adele is rocking an approx 8 carats pear cut diamond on a fine platinum band and simple 4 claw setting. “The band itself is pave set with small round brilliants either side of the centre stone. A beautiful design where the pear shape stone diamond really stands out. “If this 8 cts stone is D colour and IF clarity grade, the price tag would easily top over half a million pounds.” Entertainment site Deux Moi first claimed Adele and Rich were engaged, citing a “very reliable” source. Adele, who has son Angelo, 10, with her ex-husband Simon Konecki, 48, was then seen wearing her engagement ring over the weekend during her Vegas shows. She has been spotted wearing it as early as last February, when she was seen wearing it at the BRIT Awards. Despite the couple having been reportedly engaged for a year, they have stayed private about talk they are to get married. But in December she opened up about Rich by dedicating a song to him during one of her Vegas shows in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and sang Happy Birthday to him during her set. She added: “And I love him more than life itself, so can we wish him happy birthday? His name’s Rich!” In an Elle interview in August, Adele has revealed her dream is to be a “homemaker” as she revealed she wanted marriage and children with Rich. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Paul Burrell is “a little bit scared” of undergoing an operation for cancer. The 64-year-old former butler – who used to work for, and was a confidante of, the late Princess Diana – was diagnosed with prostate cancer last summer and has now admitted that he “doesn’t know what to expect” and is unsure of how things will turn out. He told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “It’s a little bit scary. I’m apprehensive because I don’t know what to expect and I don’t know what the outcome is going to be. I’ll go for a two-hour procedure and they will inject radium into my prostate. My recovery will be for the rest of that week. And then for the next three weeks I will have to go to radiotherapy appointments – to kill it from the outside as well as the inside. Hopefully, at the end of that period I’ll be all clear.” The former ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestant – who is married to Graham Cooper and has sons Alex and Nick with him – went on to add that he often gets “emotional” over the thought of the treatment and even though is going to be a “mess” for a long period of time, he is willing to go through with it for the sake of his husband. He added: “I get so emotional because of the hormone therapy, which she said I’ll have to continue after the operation. I get so emotional because of the hormone therapy, which she said I’ll have to continue after the operation. I’m going to be a mess for a very long time. But you have to trade off certain things to get to a point of living. This isn’t about me, is it? It’s about the big picture – it’s about my hubby, Coop. “It’s about our relationship, the way forward. I had to talk about all of that.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. government watchdog will audit Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s use of government airplanes for some trips as part of a broad review dating back to 2017. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) will review 18 flights Buttigieg made on Federal Aviation Administration-operated (FAA) planes on seven total trips after a request by Republican Senator Marco Rubio. The costs of the flights for Buttigieg and staff was $41,905.20, and in six of seven trips costs to fly on FAA planes were less expensive than flying commercial, a department spokesperson confirmed to Reuters, adding it “will fully cooperate with the IG on this.” “Glad this will be reviewed independently so misleading narratives can be put to rest,” Buttigieg wrote on Twitter. “Bottom line: I mostly fly on commercial flights, in economy class. And when I do use our agency’s aircraft, it’s usually a situation where doing so saves taxpayer money.” The OIG said it will review if the Office of the Secretary complied with regulations, policies, and procedures regarding executive travel on government aircraft and will “focus on official trips taken since January 31, 2017.” Elaine Chao served as Transportation secretary from 2017 through early 2021 under President Donald Trump. The Washington Post first reported the audit. Rubio requested the review in December after Fox News reported on the flights and asked if any violations of Transportation Department policy were identified. “American taxpayers deserve assurances that their tax dollars are not wasted by the government’s highest officials,” Rubio wrote. A 1992 White House memo allows senior government officials to travel on government aircraft but with restrictions. (Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Hyunsu Yim SEOUL (Reuters) – For So Sung-uk and Kim Yong-min, who last week won a landmark Seoul court ruling on national health coverage for gay couples, the tide may finally be turning in their years-long struggle for equal recognition in South Korea for LGBT partnerships. The 32-year-old activists, together since they first met during their national service a decade ago, have regularly posted about their relationship on social media and in public forums, including a wedding ceremony in 2019 that drew some 300 attendees. “The more visible we are and the more we talk about our story, I think the more we can change people’s opinions and help other LGBTQ people like us gather up courage,” Kim said in an interview in the three-room Seoul apartment he shares with So. “I believe if more LGBTQ people show who they are, change will come faster.” The two also managed to secure national health insurance coverage for So, who works with a youth HIV support group, as a dependent based on his partnership with Kim, an employee for an organisation that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer rights. But when local media drew attention to the pair’s story and the National Health Insurance Service’s official acknowledgement that they were a couple, the authorities backtracked and revoked So’s coverage, saying the approval had been an administrative error. Thus began a two-year legal struggle as So sued the health service, initially losing in a local administrative court but prevailing when the Seoul High Court last week reversed course and affirmed his right to coverage. “I see this ruling not just as a one-off win but a sign that we are starting to win – that love has won and it will again,” So said. “Because we are not recognised as family by law in South Korea, things like guardianship or issuing real estate registration certificates on each other’s behalf are out of our reach.” Kim added that the reversal was a relief for the country’s LGBTQ community. “People have been feeling tired of not seeing much progress for a long time,” he said. In South Korea, where LGBT anti-discrimination laws face strong resistance from conservative religious groups and others, the decision was hailed by human rights group Amnesty International as a “step towards marriage equality”. Taiwan is alone among Asian governments in recognising same-sex marriages, which it legalised in 2019, although Thailand’s legislature is moving forward with bills that could lead to approval while court cases have pressed for LGBT couples’ rights in India and Japan. South Korea’s health service said in a statement it would conduct a legal review to decide whether to challenge the latest court decision before the Supreme Court. Kim and So blamed inaction by politicians for South Korea’s slow progress on LGBTQ rights, while acceptance is rising among the general public. “Despite the hatred you see online and the discrimination, many LGBTQ people are still living well and happily in this country and there are many people who support us,” So said. A survey by South Korean pollster Realmeter last year found that nearly seven in 10 respondents said an anti-discrimination law was necessary. Anti-discrimination bills have been proposed but lawmakers have failed to move forward with them. “Politicians like to hide behind social consensus,” So said. “But it is their job to make society a more equal and better place to live, not just sit back and wait for society to change.” (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Edmund Klamann) View the full article