50 Cent explains casting Eminem as White Boy Rick at Detroit premiere of Starz's 'BMF'
click to enlarge Kahn Santori DavisonBMF creator Randy Huggins, left, joined by rapper 50 Center at the show's Detroit premiere. Detroit native Randy Huggins led a special screening of the first episode of his new Starz’s series BMF Sunday night at Royal Oak’s Emagine Theatre. click to enlarge Kahn Santori DavisonBMF had its Detroit premiere at Royal Oak's Emagine Theatre. The event was full of fun insights as 50 Cent told the story of how it was decided that rapper Eminem would portray the famed Richard Wershe Jr., aka "White Boy Rick." "When Randy brought it up it was random," 50 Cent said.
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 13:41 UTC
Let’s reform not ruin the WTO, EU trade chief urges U.S
Consigning the WTO to “benign neglect”, Dombrovskis said, would be to lose one of the most important tools to advance open and fair trade. Washington continues the policy of former president Donald Trump of blocking appointments to the WTO’s appellate body, meaning it cannot effectively intervene to settle global trade disputes. The WTO could not address these challenges in its current form, the commissioner said, insisting the reform process needed to start at the WTO’s ministerial conference on Nov. 30-Dec. 3. The EU stood ready, Dombrovskis said, to work with the United States to reach agreements on fishery subsidies, health, agriculture and sustainability and to start a serious discussion on institutional reform. “I believe that with strong engagement and joint leadership, we can really reinvigorate the WTO.”(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by David Evans)
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 12:45 UTC
Indiana school sued for allegedly discriminating against Gay-Straight Alliance
Last week, the ACLU of Indiana filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of members of a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), claiming that their high school is violating the students’ First and Fourth Amendment rights. “By creating additional hurdles for Pendleton Heights Gay-Straight Alliance such as censoring the group’s promotions and prohibiting fundraising, the school is infringing on these students’ rights,” said Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana legal director, in the release. The Indianapolis Star reported that this is not the first time LGBTQ students have claimed they were being treated unfairly. This summer, a group of Pendleton Heights students and parents appealed to the school board after teachers were told to remove pride flags from their classrooms. Many argued that pride flags are not political speech.
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 12:22 UTC
Billy Eichner’s rom-com Bros will have an all-LGBTQ cast
However, many have arguedhave argued that straight actors’ performances in queer roles can be offensive or inauthentic. Yet in Billy Eichner’s upcoming rom-com Bros, every main character — including the straight ones — will be played by an LGBTQ actor, proving that queer actors are capable of more than playing quirky GBFs. I could not possibly be more excited to tell you the ENTIRE main cast for my rom-com BROS will be ALL openly LGBTQ+ actors!! “Yes, even in all the straight roles! “In a perfect world, gay actors can play gay roles and gay actors can play straight roles, and straight actors can play straight roles and play gay roles, and we’re all mixing and matching because part of the fun and the challenge of being an actor or an actress is to play someone who you’re not,” he said.
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 12:11 UTC
Far-right pastor says "demonic spirit" is causing more children to be gay
A far-right pastor and conspiracy theorist has claimed that more Christian children are identifying as gay because of a “demonic spirit that comes after our seed.”Televangelist and mega-church pastor Kent Christmas, who helped spread the lie that Donald Trump won the 2020 election, made the claim during a recent sermon in front of thousands of followers. “We’re not gonna tell ’em they’re going to hell, we’re not gonna tell ’em they’re scum. “We’re going to put them on our platform to sing that our God is an awesome God. Related: Minnesota becomes 21st state to ban conversion therapyResearch has found that conversion therapy more than doubles the risk of suicidal ideation among gay and bisexual adults, while transgender people subjected to conversion therapy as children are four times more likely to attempt suicide. Christmas then falsely claimed that Trump won re-election in 2020 “by about 80 million votes.” (Trump lost by more than seven million votes to President Joe Biden.)
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 11:48 UTC
Dutch PM Rutte under increased security due to threats -media
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Netherlands has sharply boosted security around Prime Minister Mark Rutte after police received signals of a possible attack by criminals linked to the drug trade, a Dutch newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Although gun violence in the Netherlands is rare, killings and violence linked to the drug trade have become common in recent years, as underworld figures compete for territory. Dutch national security authorities declined to comment on the report. The former lawyer of the star witness had been killed in a similar fashion in front of his Amsterdam home in 2019. Other threats to politicians are not uncommon in the Netherlands.
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 11:15 UTC
Utah school district bans 'politically charged' Pride flag from classrooms
A school district in Utah has banned Pride flags from classrooms, claiming that they are as “politically charged” as “Make America Great Again” flags. Davis School District also banned the display of Black Lives Matter flags in order to remain “neutral,” district spokesman Chris Williams told the Salt Lake Tribune. “These people who want to remove the flag, they don’t understand what it means to us,” Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education at the Utah Pride Center, told the Tribune. “That flag represents love and acceptance.”In a statement, the ACLU of Utah said, “Whether or not a school district has the legal ability to ban inclusive and supportive symbols from classrooms, it is bad policy for them to do so. We urge school administrators and teachers to adopt policies that make all students feel safe and included.”Related: Georgia student assaulted, dragged across floor for wearing LGBTQ Pride flagDavis School District’s decision contrasts with others in the state.
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 10:52 UTC
VIDEO: Dover-Sherborn's Reese Wiemeyer through the years
VIDEO: Dover-Sherborn's Reese Wiemeyer through the yearsReese Wiemeyer was born with cerebral palsy. He has difficulty controlling his whole body but that doesn't stop the Dover-Sherborn senior from doing what he loves most: watching and writing about sports.
Source:MetroXpress
September 27, 2021 10:30 UTC
Soccer-Arsenal trounce Tottenham as resurgence continues
Goals by Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka crowned a majestic first-half display by a youthful Arsenal who were sharper and hungrier than a listless Tottenham. Arsenal, who were bottom after three games, are now in 10th place with nine points, ahead of Tottenham on goals scored. Tottenham have won only once in their last 29 league games away to Arsenal, but the nature of Sunday’s first-half capitulation will be a worry for their supporters. Too many of their players under-performed and their confidence looks shredded as they conceded three or more goals in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since 2003. Saka glided all too easily past Sergio Reguilon on the right before delivering a low cross for Smith Rowe to stroke a first-time shot past keeper Hugo Lloris.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 17:26 UTC
Erdogan says Turkey plans to buy more Russian defense systems
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey still intended to buy a second batch of S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, a move that could deepen a rift with NATO ally Washington and trigger new U.S. sanctions. Washington says the S-400s pose a threat to its F-35 fighter jets and to NATO’s broader defense systems. Turkey says it was unable to procure air defense systems from any NATO ally on satisfactory terms. “In the future, nobody will be able to interfere in terms of what kind of defense systems we acquire, from which country at what level,” Erdogan said in an interview that aired on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. Talks continued between Russia and Turkey about the delivery of a second batch, which Washington has repeatedly said would almost certainly trigger new sanctions.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 15:33 UTC
New York may tap National Guard to replace unvaccinated healthcare workers
(Reuters) – New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering employing the National Guard and out-of-state medical workers to fill hospital staffing shortages with tens of thousands of workers possibly losing their jobs for not meeting a Monday deadline for mandated COVID-19 vaccination. Hochul said the state was also looking at using National Guard officers with medical training to keep hospitals and other medical facilities adequately staffed. Some 16% of the state’s 450,000 hospital staff, or roughly 72,000 workers, have not been fully vaccinated, the governor’s office said. Hochul attended the Sunday service at a large church in New York City to ask Christians to help promote vaccines. It was not immediately clear how pending legal cases concerning religious exemptions would apply to the state’s plan to move ahead and terminate unvaccinated healthcare workers.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 14:48 UTC
Report: Cowboys OL La’el Collins tried to bribe tester
Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins is serving a five-game suspension in part for attempting to bribe one of the league’s testers, ESPN is reporting. According to ESPN’s report, the NFL Players Association actually negotiated Collins’ suspension down to two games, but Collins appealed the suspension and an arbitrator instead ruled to reinstate the five-game penalty. The Cowboys will face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night while Collins misses his second game. A second missed test occurred while he was attending an uncle’s funeral, with permission from the team. Unless he wins the appeal, Collins won’t be allowed to return to the active roster until Oct. 18, the day after the Cowboys’ Week 6 game at New England.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 14:37 UTC
Pelosi sets Thursday vote on infrastructure, eyes smaller social spending bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday set a vote on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill for Thursday and voiced confidence it would pass. She added it was “self-evident” that the larger spending bill might shrink in size. Earlier on Sunday, Pelosi said she would not bring the infrastructure bill to a vote until she was sure it would pass, but expressed confidence about its prospects. Some progressive lawmakers insist the $1 trillion infrastructure bill be held back until the bigger measure is ready. The House Budget Committee advanced the larger bill on Saturday, reporting the legislation with a favorable recommendation.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 13:52 UTC
Iceland will have a male-majority parliament after all, election recount shows
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Iceland looked to have elected a woman-majority parliament but a recount of votes on Sunday showed there will still be more men than women in the chamber, state broadcaster RUV reported. Thirty women were elected to the 63-seat parliament in Saturday’s election, up from 24 in the previous vote. Earlier results before the recount late on Sunday had shown 33 women were elected. The Independence Party remained the biggest in parliament with 16 seats, unchanged from the last election. The Left-Green Movement got eight seats, down from 11 in the 2017 election, although two parliamentarians left the party shortly after the last election.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 11:03 UTC
At these local shops, every day is Comic Book Day
Whether you realized that Saturday was National Comic Book Day or have never read a comic book in your life, comic book shops are happy to help experienced enthusiasts and novices with finding everything from superhero stories to crime thrillers. “Every day is national comic book day at Bedrock Comics,” said Jack Lefevra, owner of the Framingham comic book store. “We live and breathe comic books.”The comic book industry has some major dates. “It’s like every single day is National something day.”Pillarella said Free Comic Book Day started small, and is now the biggest event the shop celebrates. “That should be when National Comic Book Day is, in my opinion.”Golden age of comicsThe comic book industry is very different than it was just a few decades ago, Pillarella said.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 09:33 UTC