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☆ RuPaul opens the doors to his maximalist Beverly Hills mansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In a four-poster canopy bed — or velvet claw-foot daybed — in the Beverly Hills mansion he shares with husband Georges LeBar. The property is more than worthy of royalty, with grand airy rooms and neoclassical details dressed up in bold colors and maximalist glamour. RuPaul and LeBar bought the European-style estate in 2019, and enlisted interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard — a longtime friend — and architect Christopher Hatch McLean to work their magic. RuPaul and Georges LeBar transformed their Beverly Hills estate with the help of interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Orange is the drag icon's favorite color and appears in velvet, lacquer or painted accents through the home.

☆ Fact Check-Image of London Mayor Sadiq Khan with burqa-clad person is altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An altered image showing the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with a person wearing a black burqa has been shared with the false claim that it shows Khan arriving with a woman at the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III on May 6. The original photograph taken in June 2022 shows Khan with his wife wearing modern clothing. The original photograph shows Khan with his wife Saadiya Khan, who can be seen wearing a pant suit, not a burqa (here). Pool photographs (bit.ly/3pmyCBL) and video (here) show Sadiq Khan arriving alone at Westminster Abbey for the coronation on May 6. Image does not show London Mayor Sadiq Khan arrive with a burqa-clad person for King Charles’ coronation.

And so whenever I get one of those notifications, I know I’m going to have a good time there. kevin roose[LAUGHS]: I actually don’t think I could’ve told you what IBM stood for. kevin rooseSo I’ve thought a lot and written a lot about how and when AI actually is a threat to jobs. The third category is just the jobs that I think are going to be protected, the jobs that we won’t let AI do. But I don’t actually think the speed of it matters at all.

☆ Paul Whelan: US ambassador to Russia visits detained American
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited Paul Whelan on Thursday – her first visit to the wrongfully detained American since taking up the post in Moscow. “Today, Ambassador Tracy visited #PaulWhelan at IK17 prison in Mordovia,” the US Embassy in Moscow posted on Twitter. “Paul has been wrongfully detained in Russia for more than 4 years, and his release remains an absolute priority,” the post said. The US government was unable to secure Whelan’s release last year when they brought home two other wrongfully detained Americans: Trevor Reed in April and Brittney Griner in December. Whelan is one of two Americans still in Russia who has been designated as wrongfully detained.

☆ Drag queens and the long, vibrant history of drag in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Barbara Alper/Getty ImagesDrag has become increasingly visible in recent years through mainstream shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and popular public events such as drag brunches, drag bingo and drag queen story hours, in which drag performers read children’s books to young audiences, often at libraries. Some trans drag queens who received hormone injections were “strongly deplored by stage impersonators who (said) that the whole point of female impersonation depends on maleness,” Newton wrote. But “Drag Race” has also skewed viewers’ definition of drag – no drag kings have ever competed on the series, Testa noted, and the judges have long imposed somewhat traditional beauty standards upon contestants. Pickle reads from a book during the Drag Queen Story Hour program at a Los Angeles library in 2019. These lawmakers falsely claim that drag performers “groom” or sexualize children, of which there is also no evidence.

☆ The Enduring Appeal of Magical Mystery Musicians
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dear listeners,On Wednesday night, I witnessed something that I never expected to see: a live performance by the mysterious British vocalist and producer Jai Paul. Paul’s music — full of glitches, strangely compressed sounds and spliced-together samples — is unmistakably a product of the digital age, yet his artistic persona could not be further from the era of social-media oversharing and streaming-service savvy. He has given one known interview, in 2011. What is it that enthralls us about a musical enigma? The faster culture moves, the more we seem to revere these artists who have opted out of the musical rat race.

☆ Lizzo protests Tennessee drag ban, inviting drag queens on stage in Knoxville
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Toyin Owoseje | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lizzo made her stance on Tennessee’s anti-drag-show legislation clear by inviting drag queens onstage at her Knoxville concert. Last month, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation banning “adult cabaret” artists from performing in public and/or in the presence of children. The controversial bill listed “male or female impersonators,” which is widely interpreted to mean drag queens. In a show of defiance, Lizzo, known for her vociferous support of body-positivity and self-love, welcomed queens including Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Asia O’Hara and Kandy Muse from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” to join her performance at the Thompson-Boling Arena on Friday. “But why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most, the people who need to feel this release the most?” Lizzo told cheering fans.

☆ Tourists swarm gambling hub Macau over Lunar New Year after COVID curbs dropped
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Macau has seen a resurgence of tourists from mainland China since Jan. 8 after the special Chinese administrative region dropped all COVID-19 testing requirements for inbound travellers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Macau welcomed more than 71,000 visitors on Monday, the highest single day record since the pandemic, its government said in a statement late on Tuesday. It was lifeless during lockdown and not very good," said a man surnamed Lam, who travelled to Macau from Jiangmen in nearby Guangdong province in southern China. More than 94% of visitors to Macau over the first three days of the Lunar New Year, Jan. 21-23, came from mainland China and neighbouring special administrative region Hong Kong. Local residents said they hoped the rise in visitors would bring a permanent boost to the city's beleaguered economy.

☆ Animal sanctuary rescues 'abandoned' pet pig that once belonged to Logan Paul
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Morgan Sung | Morgan Sung Is A Trends Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A California animal sanctuary is going viral after sharing how it saved an abandoned pig that it said once belonged to YouTuber Logan Paul. “From what we’ve been told, it’s believed she was purchased originally from a breeder by an influencer,” Gentle Barn said in the video’s caption. On Feb. 26, 2020, Paul tweeted an image of him and a pig. He wrote that he “was told she was a mini pig,” and included a photo with the fully grown pig. Teacup pigs, mini pigs, nano pigs and other “breeds” marketed as pet pigs “are a myth,” according to the Best Friends Animal Society.

☆ With drag drawing fire in the U.S., RuPaul's DragCon U.K. is a family affair
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ellie Rudy | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

After a three-year pandemic hiatus, RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. — one of the world’s largest drag conferences — returned to London this past weekend. RuPaul, center, is joined by drag queens during the ribbon cutting ceremony for RuPaul's DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023. Lady Camden struts the pink carpet at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023. Maxine, 5, strikes a pose with her mom, Trish, at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023 in London. Drag performer Kitty Scott Claus at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023.

☆ Pope praises ‘gentle’ Benedict ahead of funeral
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Francis is due to preside over the late German pope’s funeral on Thursday, an event that is drawing heads of state and royalty despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and Vatican efforts to keep the first Vatican funeral for an emeritus pope in modern times low-key. In keeping with Benedict’s wishes, his remains will be placed in the crypt once occupied by the tomb of St. John Paul II in the grottos underneath the basilica. Benedict, who was elected pope in 2005 following John Paul’s death, became the first pope in six centuries years to resign when he announced in 2013 he no longer had the strength to lead the Catholic Church. After Francis was elected pope, Benedict spent his nearly decade-long retirement in a converted monastery in the Vatican Gardens. Thursday’s rite takes into account the unusual situation in which a reigning pope will preside over a funeral for a retired one, making important changes to a funeral ritual for popes that is highly codified.

☆ Drag queens take on Tennessee bill seeking to restrict their performances
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Andrew Davis | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

At 5 Points Diner & Bar in Nashville, Tenn., drag performer Veronika Electronika can often be seen strutting between brunch tables. The measure, known as Senate Bill 3, was introduced by Tennessee Republican Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson in November. Tennessee has proposed 31 anti-LGBTQ bills this year, the most of any state, according to Freedom for All Americans. “We tip our servers, we tip our bartenders, we tip our hair stylists, and we tip our drag queens,” she said. As for Veronika, she said she’s determined to rally enough opposition to scuttle Tennessee’s drag bill before it becomes state law.

As the nation's drag performers face an unprecedented wave of protests and threats directed against their events, drag icon RuPaul Charles addressed the incidents for what appears to be the first time publicly Friday. "I pray for our country, and the world really, and I still believe in the power of love." Notably, a doughnut shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was vandalized and firebombed by a Molotov cocktail in two separate incidents after it hosted a drag event in October, according to KFOR and KJRH, NBC affiliates in Oklahoma. Aside from the protests and attacks, at least eight bills seeking to restrict drag have been introduced in state legislatures this year, according to GLAAD. RuPaul during the monologue on "Saturday Night Live" in New York, on Feb. 8, 2020.

☆ What to know about a judicial privacy bill Congress is passing with a major defense package
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But the legislation is also rankling court watchdogs who contend the bill could complicate efforts to scrutinize the judicial branch for ethics issues. The bill does not displace the ethical disclosure requirements judges already face, the congressional aide noted to CNN. And it extends the threat-monitoring programs that are being offered to Article III judges to administrative judges as well. Now that the bill has been added to the National Defense Authorization Act, a massive defense package that Congress passes annually, Paul’s options for scuttling it are limited. “Because, if I am sued, someone is going to be bringing it to a federal judge.

☆ Paul Silas, 3-time NBA champion, longtime coach, dies at 79
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Silas, whose son, Stephen Silas, is coach of the Houston Rockets, was 79. “We mourn the passing of former NBA All-Star and head coach Paul Silas,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “Paul’s lasting contributions to the game are seen through the many players and coaches he inspired, including his son, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. “I coached LeBron for two years, his first two years, and LeBron was unbelievable,” Paul Silas said. “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Creighton legend Paul Silas,” Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said.

☆ Paul Silas, 3-time NBA champion player and coach, dead at 79
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Former NBA All-Star and longtime head coach Paul Silas has died at the of age 79, the league announced Sunday. “We mourn the passing of former NBA All-Star and head coach Paul Silas. Paul’s lasting contributions to the game are seen through the many players and coaches he inspired, including his son, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Sunday. “The Fertitta Family and the Rockets organization are deeply saddened by the passing of Paul Silas, father of Rockets head coach Stephen Silas,” the Rockets said in a statement Sunday.

☆ Biden chose humanity over geopolitics with Griner release
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But President Joe Biden’s decision to exchange WNBA star Brittney Griner for Viktor Bout goes beyond the exchange’s bottom line. And it prompted top Republicans to charge that he had prioritized a basketball superstar over an ex-marine who benefited from a vocal political pressure campaign on Biden. This adds another layer of complication for Biden as he seeks to get Whelan free, since it involves another government and would require German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to potentially agree to supersede his country’s own legal system. While Biden is being castigated by some political opponents in Washington for doing a bad deal, administration officials insisted that he got the best one on offer. It was a choice between bringing home one particular American, Brittney Griner, or bringing home none,” a senior administration official told reporters on Thursday.

"Grateful for the long-overdue release of Brittney Griner today from Russian custody. "Thank you to every single person that kept Brittney Griner’s name alive #WEAREBG," tweeted one of her Phoenix Mercury teammates, Brianna Turner. The Biden administration wasn't able to secure Whelan's release because the Russian government is treating his case differently than Griner's, Biden said. “While we celebrate Brittney’s release, Paul Whelan and his family continue to suffer needlessly,” Blinken said. Share this -Link copiedWho is Viktor Bout, Russian arms dealer that the U.S. exchanged for Brittney Griner?

☆ WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russian custody in a high-profile prisoner swap between the U.S. and Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Andrea Mitchell | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

WASHINGTON — WNBA star Brittney Griner is free Thursday after the Biden administration negotiated her release from a Russian penal colony in exchange for an arms dealer, according to a senior administration official. People familiar with the negotiations for his release say the Russians refused to release Whelan without getting a Russian spy in return. The entrance to the Russian penal colony IK-2 on Nov. 19, 2022, where Griner began serving her sentence. The Biden administration has faced tremendous pressure to help bring home the 6-foot-9 Houston native. Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP fileGriner’s release is the second publicly known U.S. prisoner swap with Russia since the war in Ukraine started.

☆ Brittney Griner live updates: WNBA star released from Russia in a prisoner swap for Viktor Bout
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Tom_Winter_Nbc_News.Jpg | Zoë Richards | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Biden criticized Russia for “treating Paul’s case differently” than Griner’s and said that negotiations are ongoing. Biden’s administration had sought the release of both Griner and Paul Whelan. Griner’s release also marks a stunning turn of events from last month, when she began serving a nine-year sentence at a Russian penal colony more than 200 miles east of Moscow. The Whalen family has publicly criticized the Biden administration for not doing more to secure his release. People familiar with the negotiations for his release say the Russians refused to release Whelan without getting a Russian spy in return.

☆ Paul Whelan tells CNN he is 'disappointed' that more has not been done to secure his release
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Washington CNN —Detained American Paul Whelan expressed his frustration that more has not been done to secure his release in an exclusive CNN interview hours after another detained American, Brittney Griner, was freed. It was a choice between bringing home one particular American – Brittney Griner – or bringing home none,” a US senior administration official said Thursday morning. Elizabeth Whelan said she believes the Russians wanted to deny Biden a win by releasing both of the American wrongful detainees. Elizabeth Whelan also told CNN that she does not believe her brother knows the extent of the efforts to free him, noting the family has to be careful what they tell him because they assume the Russian authorities are listening. Asked if he thought he would face repercussions for speaking to CNN, Whelan said he didn’t think so.

☆ Colorado shooting prompts top drag queens to tour with armed guards and metal detectors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Matt-Lavietes-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Matt Lavietes | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

Curtis Brown“We’re trying to smile and make people happy for the holidays, and in the back of our heads we’re thinking, ‘I hope I don’t get shot,’” said Jinkx Monsoon, winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season five and “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season seven. For months, many right-wing lawmakers, media personalities and activists have accused LGBTQ people — and drag performers in particular — of “grooming,” “indoctrinating” and “sexualizing” children. Latrice Royale, who has appeared on both “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” reasoned that the backlash is due to the greater visibility of drag brought on by the global success of the RuPaul-led competition shows, which have spinoffs in at least 16 other countries. Drag performers who have hosted events that have catered to children, such as Drag Story Hours at public libraries or family-friendly drag brunches, have particularly drawn the ire of conservative protesters. Them.”BenDeLaCreme, who appeared on the sixth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and the third season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” shared a similar sentiment.

☆ 'Jeopardy!' fans frustrated by controversial Bible clue
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“Jeopardy!” fans are confused and more than a little miffed after a controversial Final Jeopardy! But the correct answer is still a subject of debate, even among Biblical scholars. “(Romans is right if Paul didn’t write Hebrews),” he added. “Dear Jeopardy: But Paul didn’t write Hebrews!!!!!! In the middle of the confusion, He emerged as the night’s winner despite his incorrect Final Jeopardy!

☆ Filmmaker James Gray Uses Art to Recreate the Past
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Tobias Grey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

In the first scene of director James Gray’s new film “Armageddon Time,” a young boy named Paul delights his classmates by sketching a caricature of their teacher. Later that day Paul tells his grandfather that he wants to be a famous artist, then scurries upstairs to pore over his copy of H.W. Janson’s “A History of Art.”Mr. Gray’s film is largely autobiographical: Like Paul, he dreamed of becoming an artist until filmmaking stole his heart. “Armageddon Time” is set in New York on the eve of the 1980 presidential election, and Mr. Gray, 53, envisaged the film as “a kind of ghost story” because many of the characters are based on family members—parents, grandparents and elderly relatives—who are no longer alive. The plot of the film centers on Paul’s friendship with a Black schoolmate, and Mr. Gray says he wanted “to examine the fault lines of class and race” from a child’s perspective.

ST. PAUL, Minn.—This northern city is trying to bring back workers, small businesses and a sense of security after the Covid-19 pandemic, not only to its downtown streets, but to a parallel world one flight up: a 5-mile warren of glassed-in bridges and passages through private buildings called the Skyway. “We’ve got two levels—and twice as much area that we need to make sure gets revitalized,” said Joe Spencer, president of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance in the city of about 320,000, which built the Skyway to allow people to get around downtown without going outside in Minnesota’s frigid winters.

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