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☆ 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.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’Even before making its way to theaters, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 film starring Chadwick Boseman — has birthed some of this fall’s biggest pop culture moments, including a Rihanna song drop. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 11. “The Inspection” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 18. “Bones and All” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 23. “Strange World” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 23.

☆ Fact Check-Photo does not show Paul Pelosi’s attacker David DePape filming the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

However, the image shows DePape filming a wedding at City Hall in San Francisco in 2013. In the photos, DePape appears to be wearing the same blue clothing as in social media posts. DePape, 42, is accused of attacking Paul, 82, with a hammer after forcing his way into the couple’s home in San Francisco on Oct. 28. The image does not show DePape filming the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts (here).

☆ Explainer: Drag queens and how they got pulled into politics
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Opponents often coordinate protests at drag events that feature or cater to children, sometimes showing up with guns. Some politicians have proposed banning children from drag events and even criminally charging parents who take their kids to one. Is drag sexual? Many drag opponents cite nudity in their objections. Threats to drag events, and story hours in particular, have increased along with the rhetoric.

☆ Joan Didion’s Life in Objects
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Anna Kodé | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

(Ms. Didion’s death was the result of complications from Parkinson’s disease.) Ms. Didion’s stylish Corvette Stingray isn’t in the sale, but the photos that made it famous are. Quintana eventually pulled through, but died in 2005 at 39, a few months before Ms. Didion’s 2005 book, “The Year of Magical Thinking,” was published. In the book, Ms. Didion wrote about the heartbreak and challenges of that era of her life: “I learned to find equal meaning in the repeated rituals of domestic life. Following Ms. Didion’s passing, Ms. Smith, an artist and singer known as the “godmother of punk,” posted a tribute on Instagram, articulating what many felt.

☆ Leslie Jordan death in car accident is tragic loss for my autistic son and other fans
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Karin Crompton | Karin Crompton Is A Writer In Southeastern Connecticut | Where She Lives With Her Son | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

For much of 2021, my 11-year-old son and I had a bedtime ritual: brush teeth, watch Leslie Jordan videos, read. Our nightly Leslie Jordan check-ins had become more than just punchlines and stories. A gay actor and comedian, Jordan would toe the line with sexual innuendo one day (have you seen his Back Door Donuts post? With all due respect to social skills therapists, a Jordan video proved much more fun than our usual lessons about tone of voice and body language. “But is he married or is he gay?” Daniel asked, and around and around we went one night.

☆ Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes, RuPaul and other celebrities react to Leslie Jordan's death
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The unexpected passing of television star and social media darling Leslie Jordan has spurred a flood of heartfelt tributes. The actor died on Monday, his talent agent Sarabeth Schedeen told CNN in a statement. Jordan’s most recognizable credit was his time on “Will & Grace” as Beverley Leslie, a role he reprised throughout the show’s run, including its recent reboot. Co-star Eric McCormack posted two tributes to Jordan on his Instagram, with one showing showing the pair performing for the cameras on the show. “Crushed to learn about the loss of @thelesliejordan, the funniest and flirtiest southern gent I’ve ever known,” McCormack wrote in the caption.

☆ Meet the Pop Icons Who Inspired a Generation of Arab Queens
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Shane O Neill | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Surfacing Meet the Pop IconsWho Inspired a Generation ofArab QueensAs children, the drag queens of Beirut didn’t have to look far for inspiration. ... / ... Click to unmute RotanaShe doesn’t particularly like Haifa’s voice, and doesn’t think she’s a good dancer either. Just this year, Feghali appeared on Lebanese TV impersonating her. ... / ... Click to unmute Télé LibanFor Diva, performing as Sabah and incorporating Arab culture into her drag represents a paradigm shift in how Beirut’s L.G.B.T.Q. The sender’s bio read, “Future Lebanese drag queen.”“This is what I want to see,” Anya said, using an expletive.

☆ Graham Norton says ‘cancel culture’ is really just accountability
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The phrase “cancel culture” has become a ubiquitous catchall that celebrities may cling to after they make a controversial or offensive statement. But Graham Norton doesn’t think that’s the correct description for what really happens when fans criticize “canceled” people. Speaking to interviewer Mariella Frostrup, Norton decried the concept of “canceling” anyone who still has a sizable platform from which to speak. “You read a lot of articles in papers by people complaining about ‘cancel culture,’” he told Frostrup. I’m reading your name in a newspaper, or you’re doing an interview about how terrible it is to be canceled.”“I think [‘cancel culture’] is the wrong word,” he continued.

☆ Fact Check-Long, unrelated video provides no evidence Sen. Rand Paul called Speaker Pelosi ‘a traitor,’ as claimed
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Senator Rand Paul did not call U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi “a traitor” in a video circulating on social media. Rand Paul UNCOVERS Nancy Pelosi's Dark Secrets In Public.” Another example with the same caption on YouTube can be seen (here). The first clip shows Paul speaking on May 17, 2022 about his objections to a bill that would provide $40 billion in aid for Ukraine. Neither clip shows Paul calling Pelosi a traitor and Reuters did not find any credible news reports on Paul calling Pelosi a “traitor”. There is no evidence that Senator Rand Paul called U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi “a traitor.”This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.

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