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Published by BANG Showbiz English Raven-Symoné is to receive the Icon Award at the upcoming Truth Awards for her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. The 36-year-old actress – who has been married to Miranda Maday since 2020 – will be honoured at the ninth annual Truth Awards on March 18 for her “persistent presence” in family entertainment in shows like ‘That’s So Raven’ and the ‘Raven’s Home’ reboot as she “raises the visibility of LGBTQ community.” In a statement, founder Sheryl Lee Ralph said: “The Truth Awards, along with our acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community, will encourage, inspire and motivate others to live their truth unapologetically. “It’s important that we focus on supporting our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ+ community as they continue to fight for equality. Our public acknowledgment and partnership make it possible for them to live out loud and openly for the world to see.” The ceremony will stream exclusively on Fox Soul next month and will feature a wealth of other famous faces as hosts, including the likes of ‘Pose’ actress Angelica Ross, talk show star and Cocktails With Queens‘ host Claudia Jordan. The former ‘Cosby Show’ star previously admitted that there was “no need” for her psychic alter ego Raven Baxter to be made into a lesbian when Disney was rebooting the series in 2016 because she and her character are two different people. She said: “There was a conversation before the series started and I was asked the question, ‘Would you like Raven Baxter to be a lesbian?’ And I said, no. I said no. The reason I said no wasn’t because I wasn’t proud of who I was, or I didn’t want to represent the LGBTQ+ community in any way. “It was because Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter. There was no reason for me to change the human that she was in order to fit the actress that played her. And Raven Baxter is a character that I was proud to play, even if she is straight, cisgender, I don’t mind. Let her have her moment View the full article

Published by AlterNet U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Thursday traveled to East Palestine, Ohio, to visit the scene of the Norfolk Southern train derailment. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Thursday traveled to East Palestine, Ohio, to visit the scene of the Norfolk Southern train derailment. The attacks in recent months against Secretary Buttigieg by Republicans and right-wing media figures have been almost relentless. Within hours of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) inspectors arrived at the scene. Also withi… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Artworks at the side of the road help drivers to think more and thereby drive slower and more carefully, researchers in Germany have found. Philipp Schulze/dpa Scientists have found that setting up sculptures alongside the road can slow drivers down, potentially making for safer and more liveable towns. Researchers placed brightly coloured works of art near two German communities and then measured the effect these had on drivers. Speeding drivers drove more slowly, they found, observing traffic activity in Amelinghausen and Ottersberg, in northern Germany. The works of art encouraged motorists to think. They attracted drivers’ attention, but did not pose a threat to road safety, the scientists say, based on an assessment of resident surveys, traffic measurements and recording drivers’ eye movements. After the first sculptures were installed in Ottersberg, the number of speeding violations – faster than 50 kilometres per hour – decreased by up to 24%. “It had an effect, but art alone doesn’t change everything,” says Rainer Höger, a professor of industrial psychology specializing in mobility at Germany’s University Lüneburg. He is now calling for sculptures to be erected in combination with further infrastructural measures to calm traffic. “As a major result of the project, it was found that artistic installations at the roadside can lower inner-city speed levels substantially in some cases, but the exact extent depends on inner-city characteristics,” says the team from Ottersberg University of Applied Sciences, TU Hamburg and Leuphana University of Lüneburg. Drivers did not slow down right away after passing the first sculptures. Given that, the scientists recommend placing art works at the approach of some towns, or near to the entrance signs, to benefit from the slowing effect. But that could be tricky in some places if there are traffic regulations that ban the placing of objects directly at roadsides outside built-up areas. “It would be worth considering whether the rigid legal requirements could be relaxed, perhaps with an exemption, to initiate a speed reduction in the approach to a town by means of appropriate art installations,” the researchers suggest. Art installations only change part of the local atmosphere, the experiment concludes. To permanently slow down speeding drivers, further changes are needed to the townscape, alongside speed limits. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Bette Midler turned down the chance to star in ‘Sister Act’ because she didn’t want to wear a nun costume. The 77-year-old star was offered the chance to feature in the 1992 comedy film as Deloris Van Cartier but rejected the movie as she was “afraid” of wearing the habit. Bette told Variety: “I turned them down. They came to me with ‘Sister Act’ and I said, ‘My fans don’t want to see me in a wimple.’ Can you believe that? How off the wall is that? How crazy is that? “(Walt Disney Studios boss) Jeffrey Katzenberg called me every day, ‘Please, please.’ I stood my ground because I was really afraid of the costume. Isn’t that amazing? I can wear anything but a nun’s habit?” The lead role ultimately went to Whoopi Goldberg and Bette praised her performance in the movie, which proved to be a big success. The actress and singer said: “Whoopi wore it all the way to the bank. So God bless her. And she was perfect for it.” Despite her distaste for the nun’s habit, Bette has been happy to wear a number of outrageous costumes during her prolific screen career. The ‘First Wives Club’ star said: “I’ve worn them all. I have been an old lady, a young lady, a witch, a mermaid, a showgirl, a stripper, a bad lounge singer. I’ve run the gamut. And I have to say, it’s been a blast.” Bette also had the chance to play the antagonist Annie Wilkes in the classic horror film ‘Misery’ but turned down the part – which was taken by Kathy Bates – as it was “too violent”. She explained: “I just couldn’t. It was too violent. “The character was so not funny, so without any qualities of redemption. She cut off his foot. Come on. Who does that?” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Guy Faulconbridge and Nandita Bose MOSCOW/WARSAW (Reuters) -China pledged to deepen cooperation with Russia on Wednesday while U.S. President Joe Biden discussed security with leaders of NATO’s eastern flank, highlighting geopolitical tensions as the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches. Within Ukraine, schools took their classes online for the rest of the week for fear of an upsurge of Russian missile attacks a year on from Moscow’s Feb. 24 all-out assault, which failed to topple the government and has long been bogged down. Making the highest level visit to Russia by a Chinese official since the countries signed a “no limits” partnership weeks before the invasion, China’s top diplomat Wang Li told President Vladimir Putin that Beijing was ready to enhance ties. A time of crisis required Russia and China “to continuously deepen our comprehensive strategic partnership”, Wang said. Putin said he was looking forward to a visit to Moscow by Chinese President Xi Jinping and a deeper partnership. Xi is expected to make a “peace speech” on Friday. Kyiv says there can be no talk of peace with Russian troops in Ukraine. “This unprovoked and criminal Russian war against Ukraine, Europe and the democratic world must end with the cleansing of the entire Ukrainian land from Russian occupation and solid guarantees of the long-term security for our state, the whole of Europe and the entire world,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Russia is due to begin military exercises with China in South Africa on Friday and has sent a frigate equipped with new generation hypersonic cruise missiles. A Russian officer said on Wednesday Russia would fire artillery, but not the missiles, whose speed makes them difficult to shoot down. Russian aggression in Ukraine has changed the security situation in Europe, Polish President Andrzej Duda told the Warsaw meeting of the Bucharest 9 countries with Biden, who said Washington was committed to defending every inch of NATO. “You are the front line of our collective defence,” Biden told the summit of countries which joined the Western military alliance after being dominated by Moscow during the Cold War. Most are among the strongest supporters of military aid to Ukraine, and officials from countries in the group have said they will seek extra resources such as air defence systems. NUCLEAR TREATY SUSPENDED Putin has responded to the lack of progress in Ukraine with veiled threats to use nuclear weapons and suspended a nuclear arms control treaty on Tuesday, accusing Washington of turning the war into a global conflict by arming Ukraine. Russia’s foreign and defence ministries said later Moscow would continue abiding by the restrictions outlined in New Start (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) on the number of nuclear warheads it could have deployed and the number of nuclear missile carriers. Russia’s lower house of parliament rubber-stamped the suspension of the treaty on Wednesday. Tension over Ukraine had already halted inspections under the treaty, which calls for the United States and Russia to let each other check their nuclear arsenals. Biden said however that by suspending the treaty, Putin had “made a mistake”. He underlined his support for Kyiv in a surprise visit to war-torn Ukraine on Monday and then rallied NATO allies in Poland, saying the invasion had tested the world but Washington and its allies had shown they would defend democracy. He rejected Russia’s assertion that Western allies were seeking to control or destroy Russia, and accused Moscow of crimes against humanity such as targeting civilians and rape. Russia denies committing war crimes or targeting civilians. NATO allies and other supporters have sent Ukraine tens of billions of dollars worth of arms and ammunition. Since the new year they have promised modern battle tanks, though they have yet to offer Western fighter jets sought by Kyiv. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned Beijing against supplying weapons to Moscow, prompting anger from China. FIGHTING Russia suffered three major battlefield reverses in Ukraine last year but still controls nearly a fifth of the country. It has launched a massive offensive in recent weeks in eastern provinces, so far making only marginal gains despite some of the heaviest losses of the war. Ukraine’s military said Bakhmut city, the focus of Russian advances in the eastern region of Donetsk, came under shelling, along with 20 other settlements in the area. The governor of the neighbouring Luhansk region said Ukraine had repelled intense Russian attacks around the town of Kreminna further north, destroying several of their tanks. “The breakthrough failed, the situation stabilized,” Serhiy Haidai said on Ukrainian television. Two civilians were wounded in a Russian missile strike on Wednesday on industrial facilities in Kharkhiv, the biggest city in eastern Ukraine, local officials said. Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports. The biggest land war in Europe since World War Two has displaced millions, left cities, towns and villages in ruins and disrupted the global economy. The U.N. rights office has recorded more than 8,000 civilians killed, a figure it describes as the “tip of the iceberg”. (Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Alan Charlish and Reuters bureaux; writing by Grant McCool and Philippa Fletcher; Editing by David Gregorio, Michael Perry, Peter Graff, William Maclean) View the full article

Published by DPA "Fat," "crazy," "ugly" and "black" are among the words being removed from books by Roald Dahl. The controversial move comes as Netflix prepares to turn the cult British author's works into video content. Jens Kalaene/dpa New editions of classic 20th century children’s books by British author Roald Dahl — such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda,” “The Witches” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — have been edited and rewritten to remove language seen as offensive or potentially insensitive to modern-day sensibilities. After comparing new editions published by Puffin to previous versions of Dahl’s classics, the British newspaper The Telegraph found that the new versions removed or rewrote passages describing characters as “fat,” “crazy,” “ugly,” and “black.” Some references to ethnicities have been removed or adjusted — “Eskimos” are now described as Inuit — and gender-neutral terms like “children” and “parents” have replaced some references to “boys and girls” and “mothers and fathers.” The Telegraph cited before-and-after examples, including from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” An older edition of the book described one character like this: “The man behind the counter looked fat and well-fed. He had big lips and fat cheeks and a very fat neck.” In the newest edition, these sentences were removed entirely. Other sentences referencing fatness were also removed, such as “The fat around his neck bulged out all around the top of his collar like a rubber ring”; “Who’s the big fat boy?”; and “Enormous, isn’t he?” Many edits are more subtle: “The fat shopkeeper shouted” became “the shopkeeper shouted,” and “the fat shopkeeper said” became “the shopkeeper said.” Some Twitter users attacked the latest updates to Dahl’s books as “woke” and pointless. “The thing that annoys me about the Roald Dahl changes is how stupid they are,” tweeted Daily Telegraph arts and entertainment editor Anita Singh. “A ban on the word ‘fat’ yet keeping in the rest of the description in which Augustus Gloop is clearly fat.” Dahl, one of the most popular children’s authors of the 20th century, died in 1990 at the age of 74, and in 2021, the streaming service Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Co., which manages the rights to the author’s characters and stories, and which had already begun reviewing Dahl’s work alongside Puffin before the Netflix sale. Dahl’s books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide, with translations in 63 languages. “We want to ensure that Roald Dahl’s wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today,” the Roald Dahl Story Co. said in a statement. “When publishing new print runs of books written years ago, it’s not unusual to review the language used alongside updating other details including a book’s cover and page layout. Our guiding principle throughout has been to maintain the storylines, characters, and the irreverence and sharp-edged spirit of the original text. Any changes made have been small and carefully considered.” Roald Dahl Story Co. spokesman Rick Behari added in an email that “the overall changes are small both in terms of actual edits which have been made and also in terms of the overall percentage of texts which has been changed.” Dahl’s work, like his life, has its unsettling moments and has long been subject to update, revision and apology by other creatives laboring to bring his art to mass audiences. In the first edition of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” published in 1964, the Oompa-Loompas helping Willy Wonka were originally described as African Pygmy people whom Wonka had “smuggled” out of Africa in crates to live and work in his factory. Facing pressure from Black actors and groups such as the NAACP after America’s Civil Rights era, the 1971 film made the Oompa-Loompas orange-skinned with green hair. In a 1973 revision of the book, Dahl recast the Oompa-Loompas as white and fantastical instead of Black and African. In 2020, the actor Anne Hathaway apologized for her depiction of Grand High Witch in Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of “The Witches” in which the character had three fingers, angering disability advocates over a negative portrayal of limb differences. The same year, Dahl’s family apologized for his history of making antisemitic remarks. View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — State lawmakers are moving forward with a Gov. Ron DeSantis-inspired push to make it easier for prominent people to sue media outlets for defamation, setting the stage for a potential First Amendment clash in the courts. The Legislature is set to take up the measure that challenges longstanding protections for the press established by the U.S Supreme Court. Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, filed an initial version of the bill on Monday, which was withdrawn and replaced with a new one with added provisions (HB 991) on Tuesday. His office did not respond to a request for comment T… Read More View the full article

Published by The Seattle Times SEATTLE — Seattle made history Tuesday as the first city in the U.S. to expressly ban caste-based discrimination after an outpouring of input from South Asian Americans. An ordinance introduced by District 4 Councilmember Kshama Sawant — Seattle’s only elected socialist and the only Indian member of the council — added caste to the list of statuses protected under Seattle’s existing anti-discrimination policies. “This bill is not technically complicated, it’s a very simple question: Should discrimination based on caste be allowed to continue in Seattle?” Sawant said Tuesday, noting that she ho… Read More View the full article

Published by IntelliNews By Denitsa Koseva in Sofia Bulgaria’s Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) ruled that the country’s current legislation does not allow courts to admit proceedings for the legal change of a person’s gender in government-issued documents for people identifying as transgender in a decision seen as a violation of international standards for human rights. The SCC based its decision on a ruling by the constitutional court made in 2021 that the concept of gender in the country’s constitution referred solely to the biologic aspect. The same ruling was used by the constitutional court against the adoption … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Eddie Vedder and Jim Parsons were among the stars who came together to remember Leslie Jordan at a benefit show. The ‘Reportin’ for Duty: A Tribute to Leslie Jordan’ event was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday night (19.02.23) to pay homage to the actor – who died in October at the age of 67 – and famous faces from the world of entertainment turned out to remember him and raise money for charity. Comedian Leanne Morgan hosted the four-hour show and she kicked off proceedings by telling the audience: “Leslie was a bow-tie-loving Southern boy whose his biggest accomplishment was being unapologetically himself and I’m sure that he’s all smiles knowing that he’s brought together the most eclectic group of people to ever grace the Opry stage.” Country star Tanya Tucker – who previously collaborated with Jordan on a gospel album – then performed ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Delta Dawn’. ‘The Big Bang Theory’ star Jim Parsons later offered a tribute to the actor, telling the audience being around Jordan was “was like being around an angel”. He added: “It also was like being around a devil. Listening to Leslie tell stories, sometimes he made me think of the cute guys I met as a young man in my first gay bars down south – and sometimes he reminded me of my grandma. Leslie transcended classification while being utterly specific and unique. He was extraordinary because he was so human.” Jim’s former TV co-star Mayim Bialik, who worked with Jordan on ‘Call Me Kat’, said of him: “I was not his boss. I was just one of the actors lucky enough to share a stage with Leslie, to watch Leslie work, to watch Leslie play… veryone wanted to be around him to soak up the light that was Leslie.” Justin Long was seen giving a video tribute in which he said the late star thought of all his fans as friends, adding: “I know this because I once… referred to people who followed him [on Instagram] as his followers, and that was the only time he ever took offence to anything I said. He quickly corrected me. He said, ‘I actually don’t consider them my followers. I consider them my friends.'” The event, filmed for a Circle Network TV special, ended with a performance by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder who performed the track ‘Maybe It’s Time’ from 2019 film ‘A Star Is Born’ with Lukas Nelson. He followed it with a rendition of Pearl Jam hit ‘Just Breathe’. The rocker said of Jordan: “I’ve been missing on him so much and in the last two days, to be around people that knew him and loved him, and we can share this story of loving him and all the ways he inspired us, it’s the best we’ve felt in a long, long time.” The event was held to raise fund for the EB Research Partnership – an organisation which supports research into a rare genetic skin disorder called epidermolysis bullosa. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) – The individual accused of fatally shooting five people inside a Colorado LGBTQ nightclub last year was due in court on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing in which a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to try the suspect for murder. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, has been held without bond at the El Paso County jail since being arrested and has been charged with 323 criminal counts stemming from the Nov. 19 rampage at Club Q in Colorado Springs. The shooting spree left five bar patrons dead and nearly two dozen others wounded by gunfire or otherwise injured. Among the charges the defendant faces are first-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and bias-motivated crimes. Clad in body armor and armed with a handgun and an AR-15-style assault rifle, Aldrich opened fire indiscriminately on club patrons, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Two men inside the bar with military training subdued Aldrich and held the suspect until police arrived, the affidavit said. One of the men pistol-whipped Aldrich as others pummeled the accused assailant, leaving the suspect with multiple injuries that required hospitalization. Prosecutors have not publicly revealed whether they have determined a motive for the shootings. Aldrich’s lawyers have asserted in court filings that their client identifies as “non-binary” in gender and prefers them/they pronouns. At a previous court hearing, a defense lawyer intimated that Aldrich may have been in the club previously, including on the night of the massacre. Even if Aldrich identifies as a member of a protected class, the defendant could still be found guilty of the hate crimes that have been charged in the case, District Attorney Michael Allen told reporters following an earlier hearing. “We’re not going to tolerate actions against community members based on their sexual identity,” Allen said. “Members of that community have been harassed, intimidated and abused for too long.” El Paso County District Judge Michael McHenry was assigned to preside over the preliminary hearing, which was scheduled to run for three days, according to the court docket. The hearing’s purpose is for prosecutors to outline their case with the intention of persuading the judge there is enough evidence to establish probable cause for the charges and proceed to trial. The Q nightclub shooting is not the defendant’s first brush with the law. Aldrich was arrested in June 2021 after threatening to detonate a bomb and harm a family member, prosecutors said. That case was dismissed after the relatives who were the alleged victims declined to testify for the prosecution. If convicted of first-degree murder, Aldrich faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Colorado no longer has capital punishment on its books, but Aldrich could face the death penalty if federal prosecutors decide to try him on federal charges that still carry a death sentence. (Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Steve Gorman and Bradley Perrett) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English J.K. Rowling “doesn’t care” if her controversial comments impact her “legacy”. The ‘Harry Potter’ author, 57, has been accused of transphobia for a series of comments but has now insisted she isn’t bothered that her legacy will be tarnished because anyone who cares about their legacy is “pompous” in her eyes. Speaking on the first episode of her new podcast ‘The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling’, she insisted: “I do not walk around my house thinking about my legacy. You know, what a pompous way to live your life walking around thinking, ‘What will my legacy be?’ Whatever, I’ll be dead. “I care about now. I care about the living.” Rowling caused outrage after she liked a tweet that referred to trans women as “men in dresses”, and faced online attacks and death threats since she bemoaned the loss of references to biological women in 2020. The writer took issue with an online article’s mention of “people who menstruate” by tweeting: “‘People who menstruate’. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” However, in the trailer for the podcast, she insists her comments were “profoundly” misunderstood, and it was never her intention to “upset anyone”. More recently, she accused Nicola Sturgeon of being a “destroyer of women’s rights” after the politician’s SNP and the Scottish Labour Party backed the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which passed through the Scottish Parliament in December and allows Scots to self-identify their legal gender. Rowling was criticised by transgender campaigners for wearing a T-shirt bearing the “destroyer” message and posted a picture of herself wearing the top online. Among those who have since hit out at the author over her remarks are ‘Harry Potter’ actors including Daniel Radcliffe, 33, and Emma Watson, 32, as well as Eddie Redmayne, 41, who featured in her ‘Fantastic Beasts’ films. The author’s latest comments on the backlash come after ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ sparked controversy by adding the first transgender ‘Harry Potter’ character. The introduction of Sirona Ryan, a barkeep at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, came amid the Rowling transgender row. Although it’s not stated in the game if Sirona is transgender, one piece of dialogue about an encounter with a goblin called Lodgok suggested as much. Sirona says: “I’ve known [Lodgok] for years. We met when I was waiting tables here as a student — well before I bought the place. “He was cordial enough, but we weren’t friends then. His mistrust of wizardkind ran deep… Hadn’t seen him in years when he came in a few months ago. But, he recognised me instantly. Which is more than I can say for some of my own classmates. Took them a second to realise I was actually a witch, not a wizard.” Warner Bros. Games has insisted Rowling is “not directly involved”, though her writing has provided the “foundation” for the title. The much-discussed role-playing title – which just broke a Twitch streaming record for the most concurrent viewers – was released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on February 10. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One follow on April 4 and Nintendo Switch players will have a while longer to wait with a date set for July 25. View the full article

Published by Raw Story A vice mayor for a small town in Virginia is receiving attention from across the nation after calling U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg a derogatory term based on his sexuality during his weekly Facebook Live show on Feb. 15. Jim Wood, the Vice Mayor of Waynesboro, Virginia, hosts the Facebook Live show from his own page every Wednesday, and the show is not connected to his political position or the City of Waynesboro. Waynesboro has a population of 22,550 people. Wood’s show, “Conservative Conversations with Friends Around the World” was covering the topic of the recent train de… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) explained in detail on Tuesday how her vision for a “national divorce” would work. On Monday, Greene’s repeated calls for a “national divorce” raised concerns that she wanted a new civil war. But on Tuesday, the lawmaker insisted she was not calling for violence. “Why the left and right should consider a national divorce, not a civil war but a legal agreement to separate our ideological and political disagreements by states while maintaining our legal union,” she wrote on Twitter. “Tragically, I think we, the left and right, have reached irreconcilable differ… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News A South Korean court on Tuesday recognized the legal rights of a same-sex couple for the first time, in a move celebrated by human rights advocates as a major victory for the country’s LGBTQ community. The country’s high court sided with So Seong-uk, 32, who sued the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) in 2021 after the agency kicked his partner, Kim Yong-min, out of his plan. Even though same-sex marriages or civil unions are not legal in South Korea, So and Kim held a ceremony in 2019 to celebrate their love and commitment to one another. They have since lived together as a married coup… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Vladimir Putin mocked the Church of England this week over its decision to explore possible gender-neutral terms for God, RadarOnline.com has learned. The Russian leader’s shocking remarks came on Tuesday morning as Putin gave a state of the union address to a room full of tired Kremlin officials. Mega According to Putin, the West is headed toward a “spiritual catastrophe” over its decision to explore gender-neutral terms for God and because the Church is allegedly changing historical facts in exchange for “woke” ideologies. “The Anglican Church is considering a gender-neutral God. May God forgive them for they know not what they do,” Putin charged on Tuesday morning during his 115-minute rant. “Millions of people in the West understand they are being led to a real spiritual catastrophe.” Mega “They distort historical facts, constantly attack our culture, the Russian Orthodox Church, and other traditional religions of our country,” he continued before citing the Church’s recent discussion to potentially allow priests to give same-sex marriages their blessing. “Look at what they do with their own peoples: the destruction of the family, cultural and national identity, perversion, and the abuse of children are declared the norm,” Putin fumed. “And priests are forced to bless same-sex marriages.” Vladimir Putin’s Top Officials FALL ASLEEP During His 115-Minute State Of The Union Address Chechen Warlord Reveals Plans To Arrange Own Private Army, Fueling Theories He’s Preparing For Russian Civil War In Putin’s Absence Vladimir Putin Places Russia’s Nuke Triad ‘On Highest Alert’ As President Joe Biden Visits Ukraine But following Putin’s nearly two-hour rant on Tuesday morning, a spokesperson for the Church of England spoke out to deny the allegations the Church is currently exploring potential gender-neutral terms to refer to God. “There are also absolutely no plans to abolish or substantially revise currently authorized liturgies and no such changes could be made without extensive legislation,” the spokesperson clarified. Mega As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Putin also spent a large portion of his 115-minute address this week attacking the West for interfering in his ongoing war against Ukraine. According to Putin, Ukraine’s Western allies are using the ongoing conflict as an opportunity to obtain “limitless power” on the global stage. Jake SullivanMega “We were doing everything possible to solve this problem peacefully, negotiating a peaceful way out of this difficult conflict, but behind our backs a very different scenario was being prepared,” Putin raged during his speech. “We are defending people’s lives, our home,” he continued to a room of Kremlin officials fighting to stay awake. “And the West is striving for an unlimited domination.” Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan called Putin’s remarks on Tuesday “absurd” and emphasized the fact that Putin himself was the one who chose to begin the war by invading Ukraine in February 2022. “This was a war of choice – Putin chose to fight it. He could have chosen not to,” Sullivan said. “And he can choose even now to end it, to go home. Nobody is attacking Russia.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jennifer Coolidge was “very nervous” at the thought of putting make up on a dead body. The 61-year-old actress was a cosmetology student before finding fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s with supporting roles in ‘American Pie’ and ‘Legally Blonde’ but was relieved to learn that the mortuary section of the course was “virtual.” She said: “I was very nervous about the mortuary makeup part, but it turned out we didn’t work on any bodies or anything — it was all sort of virtual. We never had to actually do it on a corpse. It wouldn’t be my first choice.” When it comes to doing her own makeup, the ‘White Lotus’ star explained that she likes to apply her products out of a traditional “order” and always tries to keep her face looking as “moisturised” as possible. She told PEOPLE: “I put products on out of order. I put the primer on after my makeup, because I feel like it makes me look extra dewy. I always want to look like there’s moisture on my face. I use ice cubes on my face every day because I want to look like I just walked up a flight of stairs.” What’s more, the Emmy Award-winning actress appears alongside pop superstar Jennifer Lopez in the comedy ‘Shotgun Wedding’ and admitted she was tempted to ask the ‘Jenny From the Block’ hitmaker if her eyelashes were real, but was too scared to do so in the end. She said: “[J Lo]had these lashes on that were so real looking, but they were so long. “I wanted to ask her if they were hers, but I didn’t have the guts.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega The founder of Project Veritas, James O’Keefe, was removed from his position on the company’s board and stripped of his title as CEO after a group of employees publicly condemned his leadership, RadarOnline.com has learned. O’Keefe founded the far-right activist group in 2010. Listed as a 501(c)(3) corporation, O’Keefe’s Project Veritas allegedly produced and distributed highly-edited videos from its undercover operations in an attempt to discredit mainstream media and political opponents by touting conspiracy theories. The 38-year-old former CEO was placed on paid leave before his removal while board members considered action against him for alleged workplace misconduct and mismanaging donor funds. mega According to New York Magazine via The Daily Beast, a group of Project Veritas staffers accused O’Keefe of “outright cruel” treatment to employees and wasting company funds. The latest development from the damning reporting came on Monday when O’Keefe announced that he would be leaving the company he founded 13 years ago, revealing the news in a 15-minute video. mega “Throughout my 13 years doing this my mission has evolved,” O’Keefe said in the video. “Over the last few weeks, I have felt a lot of despair and seen a lot of evil and felt overcome with various emotions.” “I take away from these the gratitude that I have for many of you, most of you…I reflected upon my appreciation for many of you, what makes this great is because we actually believe in this, we have a passion for this and we have principle,” the former CEO continued. 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 As O’Keefe’s voice cracked, he added that “the external threats and pressure inflicted upon myself has been unimaginable.” The far-right activist revealed that he was suspended “indefinitely without compensation” per a memo from Project Veritas board members. Nonetheless, O’Keefe vowed that his company’s work would carry on without him. mega “Project Veritas will never be stopped from the outside, it will only be because we stopped ourselves,” O’Keefe said as he quoted a former board member. “Prophetic as it may be, that is exactly where we find ourselves in the situation today,” the ousted CEO added. “A situation where I have been stripped of my authority as CEO and removed from the board of directors, bet you didn’t know that.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Nikki Haley fired back at Don Lemon this week following the embattled CNN host’s controversial remarks regarding the newly announced GOP presidential candidate’s age, RadarOnline.com has learned. During a town hall event just outside Des Moines, Iowa on Monday, Haley spoke about Lemon’s controversial remarks and indicated her age is a vital asset that makes her a prime candidate for next year’s presidential election. Mega The 51-year-old former South Carolina governor also spoke about how her age differentiates her from the only other GOP candidate to have announced their candidacy for the 2024 presidential election: former President Donald Trump. “Because I don’t think you have to be 80 to be in D.C.,” Haley responded when asked about the differences between her and Trump. But Haley also faced scrutiny for failing to provide any substantial policy differences between herself and her former boss and spoke highly of ex-President Trump and her time serving as his ambassador to the United Nations from January 2017 to December 2018. “President Trump is my friend. I think he was the right president at the right time,” she told the Iowa crowd on Monday evening. “I was proud to serve in his Cabinet.” Mega “All the media and everybody wants to talk about is the past,” Haley continued. “We need to leave the status quo in the past and we’ve got work to do.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Haley first came under fire last week when she called for mental capacity tests for lawmakers who are older than 75 years of age. Embattled Politician George Santos CANCELS Don Lemon Appearance, Rips CNN Host Over ‘Sexist’ Age-Shaming Scandal Whoopi Goldberg SLAMS Nikki Haley Over Calls For A ‘New Generation Of Leadership’ To Take The White House In 2024: ‘You’re Not A New Generation…You’re 51’ Off-Air Again: Embattled CNN Anchor Don Lemon Forced Into ‘Formal Training’ Over Comments About Women Two days after Haley released her campaign announcement video on Tuesday, February 14, Lemon caused a firestorm on CNN This Morningwhen he claimed the 51-year-old presidential candidate is not “in her prime.” “This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” Lemon commented, angering cohosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. “I think it’s the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime.” Mega “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime,” he continued. “Sorry, when a woman is in her prime is in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” Lemon was temporarily taken off the air following his remarks regarding Haley’s age and isn’t expected to return to CNN This Morning until completing “formal training” resulting from his controversial comments. “I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful conversation. He has agreed to participate in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn,” CNN CEO Chris Licht announced in a memo issued Monday night. “We take this situation very seriously.” Meanwhile, Whoopi Goldberg echoed Lemon’s remarks regarding Haley’s age during an episode of The View on Monday. 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 Although Goldberg did not touch upon whether Haley is in her prime or not, the talk show host slammed the newly announced presidential candidate for claiming the White House needs a “new generation of leadership.” “You’re not a new generation. You’re 51,” Goldberg, 67, said. “What are you talking about?” “It’s not a new generation. She may be younger than most of those people, but her rhetoric is the same. She’s saying the same BS,” she continued. “I love the young kid, but the only way you get younger people to run is if you’re out there talking to people saying ‘run.’ We’re not going to vote for people who don’t have our best interests at heart.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Rapper Da Brat is pregnant! The 48-year-old announced on Tuesday, February 21, that she is carrying her and wife Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart‘s child. mega Though Da Brat is pregnant with the couple’s baby, Harris-Dupart underwent the egg retrieval procedure. The expecting parents then chose an anonymous donor, described as “an eager entrepreneur” from their cryo bank, which was combined with the egg and transferred into Da Brat — who is now 18-weeks pregnant. LisaRaye McCoy’s Sister Da Brat Says Nicole Murphy ‘Absolutely’ Went After Her Husband Michael Misick Da Brat Goes to Da Big House Da Brat Surprises Her Sister LisaRaye McCoy On Set — ‘We Barely Get To See Each Other’ mega More to come… People spoke to Da Brat about her pregnancy. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Madonna has revealed her new look after swelling has “gone down” after surgery. The ‘Material Girl’ hitmaker has joked about the reaction to her appearance at the Grammy Awards earlier this month when she introduced Kim Petras and Sam Smith for their performance. Sharing a picture of herself on what appears to be a set, the 64-year-old star tweeted: “Look how cute i am now that swelling from surgery has gone down. Lol (sic)” Following the ceremony a couple of weeks ago, Madonna blasted people who criticised her appearance at the Grammys. She wrote on Instagram at the time: “It was an honor for me to Introduce Kim Petras and Sam Smith at the Grammys. “I wanted to give the last award which was Album of the year, but I thought it was more important that I present the first trans- woman performing at the Grammys — a History making moment!! And on top of that she won a Grammy!! “Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech which was about giving thanks for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim- Many people chose to only talk about Close-up photos of me Taken with a long lens camera By a press photographer that Would distort anyone’s face!! “Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny That permeates the world we live in. (sic)” She insisted she is “happy to do the traiblazing” despite criticism if it helps other women “have an easier time in the years to come”. She continued: “A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 And feels the need to punish her If she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous. “I have never apologized for any of the creative choices I have made nor the way that I look or dress and I’m not going to start. “I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that this is all a test and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come. (sic)” View the full article

Published by The Citizen Paris. A man known as “the Duesseldorf patient” has become the third person declared cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant that also treated his leukaemia, a study said on Monday. Two other cases with both HIV and cancer, patients in Berlin and London, have previously been reported as cured in scientific journals following the high-risk procedure. Now the details of the Duesseldorf patient’s cure have been revealed in the journal Nature Medicine. The 53-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was diagnosed with HIV in 2008, then three years later with acute myeloid leukae… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Lovestruck Cher has been plotting to elope with her 37-year-old boy toy Alexander “A.E.” Edwards in a quickie Las Vegas wedding — and cut her disapproving sons out of her $360 million will, RadarOnline.com has learned. The 76-year-old diva is convinced the music producer is the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with and is fuming that her son Chaz Bono, 53, and Elijah Blue Allman, 46, have not supported the relationship, sources said. MEGA “Cher is mad at them she’s ready to cut them out of her life completely,” said a source. “She’s been hell-bent on marrying this guy and is speaking to her lawyers about adjusting her will to make A.E. her sole beneficiary.” Cher and A.E. have been packing on the PDA since revealing their unlikely romance in November. By December, the Believe singer was flashing her reported $250,000 engagement ring from A.E. on Twitter! MEGA More recently, A.E. jetted Cher to Arizona for a round of Super Bowl parties, where they were seemingly attached at the hip. Sources said the ageless entertainer and her hunky young music man were planning to snub her sons and only invite her lifelong pal Paulette Howell and rapper Tyga to the Sin City nuptials. Singer Cher, 76, & Boyfriend Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards, 36, Are Engaged Despite Her Friend’s Expressing Concern: Sources ‘He’s Barely Paid For Anything’: Cher’s Inner Circle Trashes Her Fiancé Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards After Shock Engagement, Plead With Singer To Run Away Newly Engaged Cher Shows Off Diamond Ring On Date Night With Fiancé Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards Despite Concern From Friends Sources claimed the singer has clashed with Chaz and Elijah because they’ve branded A.E. as a gold-digger. “They think he’s playing her to cash in on her power and influence in the music industry,” a source said. Cher apparently unloaded over the Christmas holidays, blasting her kids for being more concerned about her money than her happiness, an insider revealed. chaz bonomega “Cher doesn’t believe her sons should be counting her cash,” said the insider. “If that’s their primary focus, they can kiss the entire pile goodbye.” Another source said Cher often covers the tab for A.E., “He’s barely paid for anything since he and Cher met in Paris last September.” mega “Cher has a lot of people worried for her right now. She’s saying it’s her business who she dates and she’ll make her own decisions, but the warning signs are there for everyone to see,” the source said. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen and Brendan O’Brien (Reuters) – A daughter of Malcolm X, the civil rights activist assassinated 58 years ago to the day on Tuesday, has filed notices that she intends to sue the FBI, the CIA, New York City police and others for his death. Ilyasah Shabazz accused various federal and New York government agencies of fraudulently concealing evidence that they “conspired to and executed their plan to assassinate Malcolm X.” “For years, our family has fought for the truth to come to light concerning his murder,” Shabazz said at a news conference at the site of her father’s assassination, now a memorial to Malcolm X. The New York Police Department said it would not comment on pending litigation. The FBI and the CIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Malcolm X rose to prominence as the national spokesman of the Nation of Islam, an African-American Muslim group that espoused Black separatism. He spent over a decade with the group before becoming disillusioned, publicly breaking with it in 1964 and moderating some of his earlier views on racial separation, angering some Nation of Islam members and drawing death threats. He was 39 years old when three men with guns shot him onstage as prepared to speak at New York’s Audubon Ballroom on Feb. 21, 1965. Shabazz, who was then 2 years old, was present with her mother and sisters. Soon after, some associates of Malcolm X said they believed various government agencies were aware of the assassination plan and allowed to it happen. Talmadge Hayer, then a member of the Nation of Islam, confessed in court to being one of the assassins. In 2021, a New York state judge threw out the convictions of two other men who wrongly spent decades in prison for the murder of Malcolm X, saying there had been a miscarriage of justice. Hayer had long said the two men were innocent and that his accomplices were other Nation of Islam members. The two men were exonerated at the request of the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which said an investigation had found that prosecutors and law enforcement agencies withheld evidence that, had it been turned over, would likely have led to the pair’s acquittal. In Shabazz’s notices of claims, which New York law requires be served on certain government agencies before a lawsuit can be filed, Shabazz said she seeks $100 million in damages. The notices were served with the agencies she intends to sue on Tuesday based on new information that only recently came to light, according to Ben Crump, her attorney, who said he intended to take depositions of government officials. “It’s not just about the trigger men, it’s about those who conspired with the trigger men to do this dastardly deed,” Crump said at the news conference. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York and Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by uPolitics.com Attorneys representing members of the far-right Proud Boys militia in their defense cases surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot have notified the court that they intend to issue a subpoena to former President Donald Trump. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four other members have been charged with sedition and orchestrating the violence that occurred on January 6 — a charge they believe should be brought against Trump. “Donald Trump called on patriots to stop the steal. We’re calling on Donald Trump to take the stand,” said Norm Pattis, an attorney for one of the defendants. The Proud Boys… Read More View the full article