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Chicago voters are faced with a choice over taxes to fund homeless programs

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:39:51 +0000

Voters in Chicago will consider a ballot measure Tuesday that progressive Democrats see as a solution to homelessness.

The proposal would allow the City Council to increase property tax revenue to help fund programs to get people off the streets. But the vote will be about much more than that.

The ballot measure has sparked debate about downtown’s sputtering recovery, the influx of migrants that has strained city services and political coalitions, and the wisdom of entrusting Mayor Brandon Johnson and his fellow progressives with more taxpayer money.

One topic is not disputed: homelessness is a problem in Chicago.

“Everyone in the city probably agrees: We have to do something about our housing crisis, about our homelessness,” said Farzin Parang, executive director of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, which is leading the opposition to the proposal . The group says the new tax would deal another blow to an office real estate market still mired in a post-pandemic vacancy crisis.

The voting question is long and nuanced. If approved and implemented, it would reduce the transfer tax on properties sold for less than $1 million, but impose higher rates on homes and commercial buildings sold for more than $1 million. The additional money — supporters say it would be at least $100 million a year — would be spent on addressing homelessness, with the details of that spending to be finalized later.

Tuesday’s vote is the culmination of a longstanding goal for Chicago’s progressive movement, which over the past decade has dethroned moderate Democrats and transformed from a band of scrappy political outsiders into the City Hall establishment.

The election last year of Mr. Johnson, a former labor organizer who placed property tax change in his campaign platform, has amplified this shift.

“This is the result of organizing,” said Anthony Quezada, a county commissioner on Chicago’s Northwest Side, who supports the measure. “What happened in the city of Chicago is nothing short of a political revolution of sorts.”

But Chicago has changed in other ways since progressives first introduced higher tax rates for housing programs in 2018.

Homelessness has become more visible and larger tent camps are popping up in more places. The Downtown Loop, which was a bustling city before Covid, is still struggling with empty storefronts and rising office vacancies. And over the past 18 months, as Republican officials in Texas have sent thousands of migrants to Democratic-run cities, Chicago has been overwhelmed and the liberal coalition has crumbled.

More than 37,000 migrants have arrived in the Chicago area, and thousands of them continue to live in government-run shelters. As much as many proponents of the ballot measure have tried to focus the tax conversation on other issues, the immigrant issue has reframed the debate.

“You can’t trust that the city is going to use that money for the goals they set out to do — helping homelessness,” said Edward Boone, 69, a retired health care worker and Democrat who said he planned to vote against the tax. “Maybe they can talk about the homeless immigrants that are in town.”

Mr. Boone, who rents a home in the Hermosa neighborhood, said he worried the tax change could lead landlords to charge higher rents. He also said he was frustrated that the City Council authorized a vote on the tax issue, but not on a proposed ballot measure that would have asked voters if they wanted it. remain a ‘sanctuary city’.

Others see the tax change differently. Annelise Rittberg, 28, who recently participated in a march in support of the measure, said the stakes of the issue became clearer to her when the heat in her home near Humboldt Park, northwest of downtown, went out for a while this winter.

“That was just some inconvenience and the fact that I was in an environment that wasn’t safe,” said Ms. Rittberg, a political independent who works for a nonprofit. “And all I could think at that moment was: there are dozens of people living in the park across the street from my house, who also do not have access to a warm and safe place.”

Homelessness and housing affordability have long been challenges in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city. But these problems have manifested differently than in some fast-growing Western cities facing housing shortages. Chicago’s population, some 2.7 million residents, has been relatively stable in recent years, and some neighborhoods are littered with vacant homes.

Different ways of counting the homeless population have produced vastly different numbers. Annual city counting homeless people, conducted on a single day in early 2023, showed that approximately 6,100 people were living on the streets or in shelters. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, a nonprofit that supports the tax change, estimated that about 68,000 people in the city were homeless in 2021, a figure that includes people “doubling up” in a unit or living temporarily with others.

But those counts were done before most migrants arrived. On Sunday, officials said nearly 11,000 of the estimated 37,000 migrants who have come to the Chicago area were still living in 23 shelters run by the city or state.

With the major parties’ presidential nominations already finalized, both sides of the tax debate have been scrambling to get their voters to the polls in what could be a low-turnout Illinois primary.

Increasing the transfer tax, also known as ‘mansion tax’, is not a new idea. Los Angeles voters approved a higher land transfer tax in 2022 to fund affordable housing and homelessness programs. A similar measure was approved by the voters in Santa Fe, NM, last year. Supporters in Chicago see the vote as an opportunity to reorder the city’s priorities.

“We simply cannot and should not live in a place where an industry can make money from housing and real estate, while there are people who have no place to stay,” said Asha Ransby-Sporn, deputy campaign director for Bring Chicago Home. , a group leading efforts to pass the tax.

But the timing couldn’t be worse, according to opponents.

Jeff Baker, the CEO of Illinois Realtors, which opposes the tax change, said the referendum’s passage would “immediately inject even more uncertainty and downward price pressure” into Chicago’s struggling office real estate market. And he said that could ultimately lead to higher property taxes and rental prices, even for people who wouldn’t pay the higher real estate transfer tax directly.

“I think in the long run,” Mr. Baker said, “you’re looking at even more housing instability and even higher costs of living in the city.”

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Democrats are interfering in Ohio’s Republican Senate primaries, pushing for Trump’s choice

Sabir Ansary — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 02:47:23 +0000

A Democratic group is wading into Ohio’s Republican Senate primaries with a new television spot aimed at promoting the conservative credentials of Bernie Moreno, a Cleveland businessman who has won the endorsement of former President Donald J. Trump.

The spot criticizes Mr. Moreno as ultra-conservative and too aligned with Mr. Trump. But by placing the ad in the final week of the primaries, these criticisms are likely to be seen as badges of honor by Republican primary voters, a tactic Democrats have used in other races in recent years.

A group called Duty and Country spends about $879,000 on the advertisementwhich will be used across the state, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking company.

The group is largely funded through the Senate Majority PAC, the main super PAC supporting Democratic efforts to maintain control of the House.

Mr. Moreno is running for the Republican nomination against State Senator Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. The winner will face Senator Sherrod Brown, the Democratic incumbent.

“Democrats continually underestimate the America First movement at their own peril,” said Reagan McCarthy, Moreno’s communications director. “They thought President Trump would be easy to beat in 2016 and then they had their clocks cleaned when he took down Hillary Clinton. The same thing is going to happen to Sherrod Brown this year.”

Mr. Moreno has struggled to pull away from his main challengers despite support from Mr. Trump and others, including Senator J.D. Vance, a Trump-backed Republican who was elected in 2022. Mr. Moreno won their support by embracing the hard conservative line. positions that Democrats believe are potentially easier to challenge in a general election.

“When Ohio voters go to their polls, they deserve to know the truth about Bernie Moreno – and the truth is that Moreno is a MAGA extremist who embraced Donald Trump, just as he embraced his policies to ban abortion nationwide and to repeal” the Affordable Care Act, said Hannah Menchhoff, spokeswoman for the Senate Majority PAC.

Republicans must flip two seats to regain power if President Biden is re-elected, but only one if the White House returns to Republican hands. Republicans are already expected to gain one seat in West Virginia after Sen. Joe Manchin III, a Democrat, announced he would not seek re-election.

In last month’s California Senate primary, Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat, had a spot describing Steve Garvey, a Republican and former Major League Baseball player, as too conservative. Mr. Schiff and Mr. Garvey will face each other in their deep blue state in November.

During the 2022 race for Pennsylvania governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro took out an ad in the Republican primary denouncing the conservative credentials of Doug Mastriano, the Trump-backed candidate in the race. Mr. Mastriano won and Mr. Shapiro easily defeated him to win the governor’s office.

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Biden offers the choice between ‘revenge’ versus ‘decency’ and contrasts with Trump

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:45:18 +0000

President Biden used his State of the Union address on Thursday to launch a series of fiery attacks on former President Donald Trump, a competitor he did not name but made clear posed a serious threat to American democracy and stability in the world.

In a televised address to a joint session of Congress, Mr. Biden brought the energy his allies and aides had hoped to show in warning of what could happen if Ukraine continues to lose ground to Russia. The mention of an overseas war at the top of his speech was an unusual introduction to a speech that was in many ways a political argument for his re-election.

“Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy at home been under such attack as they are today,” Biden said, raising his voice to a shout. “What makes our moment rare is the freedom of democracy, which is under attack both at home and abroad.”

Mr. Biden’s speech had to accomplish several goals at once, including taking credit for an economy that has exceeded expectations but where many Americans say they cannot feel the consequences. In a speech that lasted over an hour, he discussed a long list of issues, including immigration, abortion, prescription drug costs and the war in Gaza.

He also reached out to Republicans in Congress, picking up a button distributed by Republicans that called for people to say the name of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was killed in February.

Authorities have charged a Venezuelan migrant in the case, who entered the United States illegally and was subsequently released on parole.

Mr. Biden said Ms. Riley’s name and added: “To her parents, I say, my heart goes out to you. Having lost children myself, I understand,” he said at one point, going off script and addressing Republicans by describing the accused as “illegal.” The comment drew criticism from immigrant advocates and members of his own party, who view the term as dehumanizing.

He also said that thousands of murders have been committed by “legals.”

Mr. Biden used his time in front of one of the largest audiences he will have before the November election to tell Americans that personal freedoms, diplomatic relations and democratic governance in the United States are at stake if Mr. Trump is re-elected .

Mr. Biden attacked Mr. Trump for his soft treatment of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, whose forces invaded Ukraine more than two years ago. “If anyone in this room thinks Putin is going to stop on Ukraine, I assure you he won’t,” Biden said, warning that the world was looking to the United States.

“We will not bend,” Mr. Biden said. “I will not bow.”

He denounced the former president’s behavior, including Mr. Trump’s lie that Mr. Biden stole the 2020 election from him.

“You can’t just love your country when you win,” Biden said.

Mr. Trump, never one to sit still, responded to many of Mr. Biden’s points in a stream of real-time posts on his social media site Truth Social. “Putin only invaded Ukraine because he has no respect for Biden,” he claimed in a post.

Before the speech, Mr Biden was under pressure to address the issue of his age. He peppered his speech with humor: “I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around for a while,” he said, adding that his 81 years had taught him to “embrace freedom and democracy” and “to hate sow’. not a safe haven.”

“Now other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge and retribution. That’s not me,” Biden said, an apparent jab at his predecessor, who is four years younger and whose victory speech after the Super Tuesday primaries predicted a dark future for America, a country he called “third world.”

Biden also sought to quell dissatisfaction within his own party over his handling of the Gaza conflict. Earlier on Thursday, the Biden administration said the United States would build a temporary seaport near Gaza to help deliver humanitarian aid.

“However, Israel also has a fundamental responsibility to protect innocent civilians in Gaza,” Biden said.

The war between Israel and Hamas has become a serious vulnerability for Mr. Biden. United Nations officials warn that famine is looming in Gaza, and progressive Democratic Party voters are deeply angry at Mr. Biden’s support for Israel.

“To Israel’s leaders I say this: humanitarian aid should not be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip,” he said. “Protecting and saving innocent lives must be a priority.”

Of the hostages still held by Hamas, Mr. Biden said his administration “will not rest until we bring all of your loved ones home.”

Mr. Biden said, as he has done before, that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would not end without a two-state solution.

During his speech, Mr. Biden focused extensively on reproductive rights, which has become a galvanizing issue for his party. Republicans applauded the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion, but the party has since been disadvantaged in state elections. Several women invited by the White House or Democratic lawmakers Thursday evening had suffered life-threatening medical complications during pregnancy.

“It is clear that those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no idea about the power of women,” Biden said. “But they found out when reproductive freedom came up and we won in 2022, 2023, and we will win again in 2024.”

Mr. Biden, who once told his supporters that he “not into abortionBecause of his Catholic faith, he vowed to restore Roe’s protections — something that will be difficult without a significant majority in Congress.

Mr. Biden had prepared for a backlash from Republicans, who mocked him at several points during last year’s speech, calling him a “liar” and bursting into derisive laughter. On Thursday, Mr. Biden criticized Republicans on several counts, including when he said they enjoyed taking credit for federal investments they voted against. At one point, a lawmaker shouted “lies” as Mr. Biden spoke.

The speech was a high-stakes performance for Mr. Biden, who is trailing Mr. Trump by five percentage points, according to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll.

Both men are unpopular, but Mr. Trump has enormous influence over a far-right faction of Republicans in the House of Representatives, who challenged members of their own party by rejecting a bill that would limit immigration to the United States, saying that it wasn’t strict enough. Mr Biden is under pressure to find a solution with a Republican Party that has so far indicated it will prevent him from achieving a political victory before November.

The share of Americans who view immigration as the biggest problem facing the United States Increased In recent months, a wave of undocumented immigrants has put the Biden administration on the defensive as the campaign gets underway.

And while inflation has fallen and the labor market has exceeded expectations, the data has done little to overcome the widespread belief among many Americans that they are simply no better off than before. The Biden administration announced a plan Thursday to lower housing costs for working families, and he explained how his economic policies had benefited families.

“It may not make the news, but in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told,” Biden said.

Included in his economic message were hints about what Mr. Biden would do with a second term, including an effort to raise corporate taxes to at least 21 percent so that, he said, “every major corporation finally starts paying its fair share.” Such an initiative is unlikely to succeed unless Democrats manage to retain the Senate and regain the House of Representatives.

Republicans chose Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, who is almost 40 years younger than the president, to give their response to Biden’s speech.

“Our commander in chief is not in command,” Ms. Britt said. “The free world deserves better than a hesitant and diminished leader.”

The 20 guests who joined Jill Biden, the first lady, to watch the speech were all invited to draw sharp distinctions from Republicans on issues such as reproductive rights, prescription drug prices and advancing Western diplomacy .

Mr. Johnson had its own guest list, which highlights people related to issues that Republicans believe are vulnerabilities for Democrats, including crime, the opioid epidemic and immigration. He also invited Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich, the parents of Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal who has been imprisoned in Russia since March last year.

Last weekend, the president practiced at Camp David for several days before his speech. On Thursday night, after days of media speculation about what he would look like during this speech, he took his time as he entered the room, stopping to take selfies with supporters.

At several points in his speech, Mr. Biden seemed relaxed, to the point of talking about Snickers bars and potato chip bags, and going back and forth with Republicans on tax breaks. After the speech, when the room had largely cleared, Mr. Biden was still there, shaking hands with some House members and delivering his speech on Ukraine.

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“Why is he wearing a tutu?” Ask the fans, because Jake Paul’s outfit choice has them baffled

Jeffrey Bailey — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 17:13:51 +0000

JAKE PAUL left fans stunned by his fighting outfit after knocking out Ryan Bourland wearing “a tutu”.

The YouTuber-turned prizefighter returned to the ring on the undercard of Amanda Serrano’s homecoming in Puerto Rico.

Jake Paul left fans confused after knocking out Ryan Bourland wearing ‘a tutu’Credit: Getty

Jake Paul easily defeated Bourland with a first-round KOCredit: Getty

And he did it with a brand new look, ditching the black and white gear he had worn in his last two fights.

Instead he wore the red and white of Puerto Rico – the Dominican island where he lives in a £13 million mansion.

But fans at home weren’t so convinced by his fight shorts and accompanying tassels.

One said: “Jake Paul in a tutu.”

Another said: “Wait a minute… wait a minute… is Jake Paul boxing in a tutu?!???”

One joked: “Jake Paul knocked this guy out while wearing a furry red tutu, he definitely understands marketing.”

Despite viewers mocking Paul’s stand-up, his performance was no joke.

He entered the fight in December after a first-round KO of Andre August, the first professional boxer he has defeated under his belt.

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Bourland with a 17-2 record looked on paper to be the toughest test of Paul’s career, but in reality it was another write-off.

Paul dominated for over two minutes and the fight came to an end after he hammered his opponent in the corner until the referee jumped in.

Amanda Serrano left in tears after emotionally withdrawing from the fight minutes earlier with a freak eye injury

The American social media sensation was heard apologizing on camera after the one-round whitewash.

And he said in the ring afterwards: “I wish it was a little longer to give the fans a little more time.”

Paul improved his record to 9-1 with Tommy Fury, 24, the only man to beat him in a split decision in Saudi Arabia last year.

And he sensationally called on four-division champion Canelo, 33, to renew one of boxing’s fiercest rivalries after Bourland failed to challenge him.

Paul said, “I mean, he would give it to me, right?

“This guy has 19 fights under his belt, he’s super experienced, so I think we need to step it up a lot more.

But I’m ready, I’m ready for the big leagues. I’m getting sharp, this is my life now and like I said, I’m on my way to becoming a world champion and hey Canelo, stop diving.

“I know you want it, I know you want it and I represent Puerto Rico, you represent Mexico, so it’s Puerto Rico versus Mexico.”

Jake Paul celebrates his ninth professional victoryCredit: Amanda Westcott/MVP

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I am an interior designer and would never make a dazzling choice for a kitchen design

Jeffrey Bailey — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 04:41:15 +0000

An interior design expert has used her design skills to list three things she would never include in her work.

She specifically recommended a decor choice in your kitchen that would be a terrible addition to any home.

Interior designer Nina Takesh shared what she would never add to a homeCredit: TIKTOK/@ninatakeshofficial

Nina said hanging pots and pans in a kitchen was an eyesore and looked dirtyCredit: TIKTOK/@ninatakeshofficial

Persian interior designer Nina Takesh (@ninatakeshofficial) doesn’t hold back when it comes to her opinions.

She spoke for many in her industry when she was in a TikTok video what she believes people in her profession ‘should never, ever do at home’.

“If you do any of these three things, you have absolutely no judgment. My hats off to you,” she said.

First on the list were pots and pans on display.

“No matter how you display pots and pans, they’re never going to look good, and besides, they’re going to be dirty, and it just doesn’t look right,” she explained.

Even if you have bought all new posts and tiles. she reiterated that it didn’t look good because “it’s busy and busy and an eyesore.”

The next step was the style of hanging your plants.

She received several messages from her viewers about plants and revealed that many of them said they would rather have them come down “and live in a cool planter” than have them hanging from the ceiling.

For the latest ‘design don’t’, Nina has laid down the law when it comes to having worn-out furniture in your living space.

“If you have something that is so distracting, say in your home, it should be removed immediately. In fact, it should be returned to the flea market where it came from,” she said.

Nina explained that the reason for this is because the room is dictated by this piece.

“This will be the focal point because it’s so eye-catching, and you don’t want the focal point of your room to be a very worn piece,” she added.

She recommended letting plants come down and live in a planter rather than hangingCredit: TIKTOK/@ninatakeshofficial

Not everyone was a fan of her perspective and made that known in the comments.

“She’s the reason I would never hire an interior designer even if I could afford it. Just do what makes you happy,” said one viewer.

“I think people should decorate their homes the way they want,” wrote another.

“As an interior designer, I think all three of these options can be done tastefully and depending on the situation,” said one woman.

She said worn-out furniture should go to a flea market and not be in the spotlightCredit: TIKTOK/@ninatakeshofficial

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Holly Willoughby is left red-faced as Magic Mike dancers strip off in raunchy performance – but furious Dancing On Ice fans moan act is ‘inappropriate’: ‘Weird entertainment choice for a family show’

Sabir Ansary — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 20:54:53 +0000

Dancing On Ice put on a steamy show on Sunday night as they welcomed the cast of Magic Mike Live to perform on the show.

Host Holly Willoughby turned bright red as she watched the muscular dancers twirl and bounce to the music.

The six handsome young men soon took off their T-shirts to show off their impressively chiseled six-packs.

A blushing Holly managed to catch a shirt in mid-air and used it to cover her face as the dancers moved seductively around the stage.

However, some viewers at home were less than impressed with the performance, deeming it ‘inappropriate’ for a family show and to ‘think about the children’.

Dancing On Ice put on a steamy show on Sunday night as they welcomed the cast of Magic Mike Live to perform on the show

Host Holly Willoughby turned bright red as she watched the muscular dancers twirl and bounce to the music

The six handsome young men soon took off their T-shirts to show off their impressively chiseled six-packs

One person tweeted: ‘Strange entertainment choice for a family show’, while another echoed: ‘@itv really a magic mic on @dancingonice??? Shocking’.

A third wrote: ‘Time and a place. Definitely not early Sunday night TV,” while a fourth added: “What the hell happened to Sunday night TV? Where are the songs of praise?’

Another fumed: ‘Do we really need to see male strippers on #DancingOnIce? Inappropriate’ with a sixth saying: ‘Think of the children. Their poor eyes.”

A seventh wrote: ‘I’m going to sound like a total prude, but is a ‘Magic Mike’ performance the right type of mid-show entertainment for #DancingOnIce? Mary Whitehouse is turning in her grave’.

And an eighth joked: ‘I mean the cast of #MagicMike brightened my Sunday night. I’m not sure the kids were impressed by the half-naked men twirling around during #DancingOnIce’.

However, many others praised the Magic Mike act as the “best part” of the show and mocked those who called it offensive.

One person joked: ‘I find Rod Stewart more offensive than Magic Mike TBH’, while a second said: ‘Thanks Magic Mike 10 10 10 10’.

A third wrote: ‘Well that bit of Magic Mike Live made my Sunday night better *looks up tickets for the show*’

A blushing Holly managed to catch a shirt in mid-air and used it to cover her face as the dancers moved seductively across the stage

However, some viewers at home were less than impressed with the performance, saying it was ‘inappropriate’ for a family show and to ‘think about the children’.

While another joked: ‘I’d like to complain about that unnecessary Magic Mike routine. It didn’t last long enough’.

A fifth person chimed in: ‘Well that was by far the best part of #DancingOnIce tonight.’

And a sixth stated: ‘Can I just say that I’m a heterosexual, white, meat-eating, diesel-driving 50+ man with a beard and I’m very happy to see the guys from Magic Mike doing their job. Not offended, not indignant’.

Sunday’s show also saw Eddie the Eagle become the latest star to be eliminated from the skating competition.

The English ski jumper and Olympian, 60, and his professional skating partner Vicky Ogden found themselves in the skate-off against Love Island star Amber Davies and her professional partner Simon Proulx-Senecal.

After Eddie and Vicky performed a graceful routine to Sir Elton John’s Rocket Man, and Amber and her partner Simon danced a dramatic performance to Little Mix’s Power, the judges cast their votes.

Judge Oti Mabuse voted to keep Eddie, while guest judges Johnny Weir and Jayne Torvill voted for Amber.

When the vote was split, it came down to head judge Christopher Dean, who opted to keep Amber as well, leaving Eddie packing.

However, many others praised the Magic Mike act as the “best part” of the show and mocked those who called it offensive

Sunday’s show also saw Eddie the Eagle become the latest star to be eliminated from the skating competition with his partner Vicky Ogden (pictured

Eddie, 60, found himself in the skate-off against former Love Island star Amber Davies and her professional partner Simon Proulx-Senecal (pictured)

While Adele Roberts and her partner Mark Hanretty achieved the show’s highest score yet, with 39 out of 40 points for their elegant routine to Jane McDonald’s You’re My World

Sunday’s show saw the contestants give it their best shot in the hope of making it to the semi-finals next week, with a number of performers claiming the highest scoring title throughout the night until Adele Roberts ultimately came out on top.

The radio DJ, 44, and her partner Mark Hanretty surpassed their fellow contestants at the eleventh hour to achieve the show’s highest score yet, with 39 out of 40 points for their elegant routine to Jane McDonald’s You’re My World .

Adele became emotional after receiving the score as Mark praised her as an ‘incredible’ woman.

Judge Christopher said the routine had ‘everything I want to see in a performance’, including ‘passion and connection’ between the pair.

While guest judge Johnny said the performance had a “seductive quality”, he praised Adele as the “strongest skater in this competition” in relation to her basic skill.

DANCING ON ICE: MEET THE PARTICIPANTS OF 2024

RICKY HATTON

AGE: 44

PROFESSION: Former professional boxer

WHAT DID HE SAY? “If I can control my nerves in the boxing ring, I should also be able to control my nerves on the ice rink.”

HANNA SPEARRITT

AGE: 42

PROFESSION: SINGER

WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I’m really excited about learning a new skill. It’s so easy to live a comfortable life and that aspect of mixing things up is very attractive.’

GREG RUTHERFORD

AGE: 36

PROFESSION: Athlete

WHAT DID HE SAY? “I like a challenge and I needed a reason to start doing things again and here we are. I want to do something that has never been done before, that’s my goal.’

Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards

AGE: 59

PROFESSION: OLYMPIC SKIUMPER

WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘Dancing on Ice is a show I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a challenge I think I’ll enjoy!’

RICKY NORWOOD

AGE: 40

PROFESSION: EastEnders star

WHAT DID HE SAY? “It comes at such a great time in life. I can’t skate at all! No rehearsals yet, I just had physiotherapy to strengthen the body.’

RIAN THOMAS

AGE: 39

PROFESSION: Corrie star

WHAT DID HE SAY? “Everyone keeps asking me, ‘Are you doing it?’ I told everyone!’

CLAIRE SWEENEY

AGE: 52

PROFESSION: ACTRESS

WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I am stepping into the unknown here. I don’t know how I’ll feel. But I’m very excited.’

AMBER DAVIES

AGE: 26

PROFESSION: WEST END STAR

WHAT DID SHE SAY? “I would definitely say I’m an adrenaline junkie, but I’m getting more nervous as I get older and I hope I can control them.”

MILES NAZAIRE

AGE: 27

PROFESSION: REALITY STAR

WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘I’ve always loved to dance, but usually it’s on a dance floor on a Saturday night and Dancing on Ice looks so difficult.’

NICE SANDERS

AGE: 37

PROFESSION: COMEDIAN

WHAT DID SHE SAY? “I’m nervous about cracking my head open or just hitting the old head. I can’t afford to lose any more brain cells.’

ADELE ROBERTS

AGE: 44

PROFESSION: RADIO PRESENTER

WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘It’s ‘putting it on ice’ for me! I think the hardest part is putting myself out there because most of the time I hide.”

ROXY SHAHIDI

AGE: 40

PROFESSION: Emmerdale star

WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I can’t skate. I haven’t actually said anything to anyone, but mainly because I’m so nervous about it!’

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Bryce Hall Slams Billie Eilish for Mocking TikTok Stars Invited to the People's Choice Awards: 'I'm So Sorry I Didn't Bow Down to You'

Sabir Ansary — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 03:36:29 +0000

Bryce Hall slammed Billie Eilish for what he described as elitism after a clip surfaced of the Grammy-winning artist in which she appeared annoyed by the presence of TikTok stars at Sunday's People's Choice Awards.

In a clip circulating online, the singer-songwriter, 22, had been talking to fellow singer Kylie Minogue, 55, when she appeared to utter the words: 'I'm like, there's some here… TikTokers .'

On Monday, Hall, a 24-year-old TikTok influencer, took to the platform to respond to the perceived slights resulting from Sunday's event at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

“I'm just going to talk about this clip of Billie Eilish being disgusted by TikTokers who were at the People's Choice,” he said. “I was one of them.”

The Ellicott City, Maryland native continued, “First of all, Billie Eilish, I am so sorry for not recognizing your greatness and bowing to the fact that you are a different person.”

TikTok star Bryce Hall, 24, slammed Billie Eilish, 22, for what he described as elitism after a clip of the Grammy-winning artist surfaced in which she appeared annoyed by the presence of TikTok stars at the People's Choice Awards of Sunday at Santa's. Monica, California

Hall literally bowed to honor Eilish, adding, “There, there it is,” before revealing that the awards show organizers had contacted him and his fellow influencers.

“People's Choice personally invited us,” Hall said. “Everyone who attended People's Choice and sat at those tables, we were invited by People's Choice. So hate them.”

A number of prominent TikTok personalities attended the Southern California event, such as Tana Mongeau, Gigi Gorgeous, James Charles, Chris Olsen and Alix Earle.

Hall wrapped things up in his clip by saying that the “saddest thing” about the story was that he was a huge fan of the singer and her work.

Hall then wrote on Twitter: “This is my formal apology for the recent drama in my response to Billie Eilish.”

The tweet contained the words “I'm sorry,” written in the Notepad app.

Eilish kicked off Sunday's broadcast on NBC when she won TV Performance of the Year honors for her work on Swarm.

Eilish was nominated for her role as Eva in the Prime miniseries against a group that included Meryl Streep, Ayo Edebiri, Matt Bomer, Adjoa Andoh, Storm Reid, Steven Yeun and Jon Hamm.

The Ellicott City, Maryland resident said, “First of all, Billie Eilish, I am so sorry for not recognizing your greatness and bowing to the fact that you are a different person.”

Hall then wrote on Twitter: 'This is my formal apology for the recent drama surrounding my response to Billie Eilish'

Eilish won TV Performance of the Year honors for her work on Swarm at the 2024 People's Choice Awards

The singer-songwriter was nominated for her role as Eva in the Prime miniseries against a notable group including Meryl Streep, Ayo Edebiri and Jon Hamm.

In her acceptance speech Sunday, Eilish praised her collaborators on the project, including show creators Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, and star Dominique Fishback.

“Wow, that was crazy to see,” Eilish said in her acceptance speech. “That was so crazy to see all those names and then mine, and I'm here. This is a fan vote, and I just want to say how grateful, lucky, and privileged I am for that. Thank you so much.'

In her acceptance speech, Eilish praised her collaborators on the project, including show creators Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, and star Dominique Fishback.

“I want to thank Donald Glover for being my lifelong inspiration and making me the artist I am today,” Eilish said.

Eilish ultimately thanked her mother for being her acting coach and the people who voted for her.

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Lenny Kravitz sings and wins music icon at the 2024 People's Choice Awards

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:36:47 +0000

Lenny Kravitz was honored for his impact in the music industry at the 2024 People's Choice Awards.

The 59-year-old singer received the Music Icon Award at the ceremony on Sunday, February 18, which was held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. He also took the stage to perform a medley of hits from his catalog, including “Fly Away,” “TK421,” “It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over,” “Let Love Rule” and “Are Your Gonna Go My Way'. .”

After the performance, Kravitz took the stage and thanked him for the “incredible award.”

“When I thought about what to say tonight, I kept coming back to that word 'icon,'” he said. “It means a lot to a lot of people. But to me it means that you have left an indelible mark by being who God created you to be and by daring to be different.”

Kravitz noted that when he first “came up,” he was offered “a lot of deals,” but people wanted him to “change.”

“My music wasn't black enough. It wasn't white enough. It didn't fit nicely in a box and didn't sound like it was on the radio at the time. And I turned down the money and the glitzy promises of fame and stardom because I couldn't live with doing something inauthentic,” he said. “For me an icon, [is] someone who inspires others and teaches them to believe in themselves and their direction, whatever that direction is.”

Kravitz said it's “never” about how many records he sells or awards he wins, but about “enjoying and being grateful” for the journey and using “the gifts God has given you.” He commented, “It will continue because I'm only doing me.”

He added that his mantra has been the same for 35 years: “Never follow the trends, set your own pace and recognize that the best is here and now for you.”

Before closing the speech, Kravitz thanked several people in his life, including his parents, for “taking” [him] at all those great concerts back then [he] was a child instead of leaving [him] at home with a babysitter.” He also praised his fans, saying that “the whole reason” he makes and performs music is to “strengthen love.”

“There is no barrier between artist and audience. “It's about all of us embracing the love and unity in this world that God has given us,” he said. “Love is the strongest force and love will conquer. We are all one. One God, one people, one planet.”

The honor was presented by Victoria Monetwho honored Kravitz, whom she called an “undeniable, once-in-a-lifetime genius.”

“His music made you feel it all. Love, hope, reflection, joy, sadness, anger, that sometimes makes you want to fly away. But take it from him, it's not over until it's over,” she joked.

NBC, Peacock and E! announced in January that Kravitz would be celebrated during the broadcast. “With eleven studio albums over a decades-long career, Lenny Kravitz cemented himself as a global rock superstar,” Jen Neal, an executive vice president at NBCUniversal Entertainment said in a statement at the time. “Whether writing and performing his own hits or working behind the scenes writing for other industry greats, Lenny's musical gift is truly unparalleled. We are pleased to honor him as this year's music icon and look forward to seeing what he brings to the stage.”

Before Kravitz, only two artists have won the Music Icon Award. Christina Aguilera was the first recipient in 2021, followed by Shania Twain in 2022.

Outside of the awards ceremony, Kravitz is gearing up to debut his upcoming album, Blue electric light, in May, his first record release in more than five years. In his 2023 Esquire cover story, he revealed that he was working on three albums simultaneously during the lockdown imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. After restrictions eased, he worked out his new music in the studio, mixing the songs “a thousand times” as he “kept polishing.”

While the other two records are largely completed and he believes fans will hear them one day, Kravitz knew Blue electric light was the album to drop first. “This one spoke to me,” he explained. “This one has to come out.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Kravitz addressed the lack of respect he received from critics throughout his career. “It was discouraging at times,” he admitted, before emphasizing that the negativity did not ruin his perspective. “I'm doing well. Intact – happy, healthy, focused, with so much to do.”

Although Kravitz has earned four Grammys and was nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame earlier this month, he emphasized that there are more meaningful things in his life than awards. “I'm not here for the accolades,” he said. “I'm here for the experience.”

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Khloe Kardashian wins Reality TV Star of the Year at the 2024 People's Choice Awards

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 18:32:49 +0000

Khloe Kardashian. SHEIN X 100K Challenge 2021/Getty Images for SHEIN

There was more than enough drama this past year, making the decision for Reality TV Star of the Year at the 2024 People's Choice Awards quite a difficult one.

The Kardashians star Khloe Kardashian ultimately took home the award during the ceremony on Sunday, February 18, which was held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. She did not attend the event and the category was not televised.

Other nominees in the category are included Ariana Madix by Vanderpump Rules, Chrishel Stause by Selling sunset, Kyle Richards And Garcelle Beauvais by The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Kandi Burrus by The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kim Kardashian by The Kardashians And Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino by Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.

We weekly formerly Madix, 38, the Reality Star of the Year in October 2023. Months earlier, Madix's breakup with longtime boyfriend Tom Sandoval played on Vanderpump Rules after she discovered he was having an affair with their costar Raquel Leviss.

“This situation made me realize that I can do difficult things,” Madix said exclusively Us at the time. “The worst case scenario literally happened and I was fine. Look, you can deal with what's thrown at you.'

Following the scandal, Madix gained support from fans and refocused on her personal goals, competing in season 32 of the series Dancing with the stars and made her Broadway debut in January.

“I've grown up,” she said of her journey since joining us Vanderpump Rules in 2013. “I'm someone who never really wanted to grow up. [But] over time, i've been able to love myself more and give myself a lot more grace when it comes to the things we go through while filming. And that has allowed me to extend more grace to others.”

Stause, 42, also ended up in a spot Us' list of the top reality stars of 2023 as she learned to speak her mind amid drama Selling sunset. “I always used to question myself,” she says Us. “But you get to a place where you say, f-k it, this is my life. And you're going to see the good, the bad and the ugly. Just being able to live, whether people approve of it or not, has been the most liberating thing.”

As for Richards, 55, her approach to her divorce from husband Mauricio Umanski after 27 years of marriage she was included in the roundup. She confronted her marital problems head-on, instead of hiding them from viewers, proving why she's the only original Beverly Hills housewife left on the show.

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Travis Kelce wins the 2024 People's Choice Awards

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:22:42 +0000

Travis Kelce followed up his Super Bowl win by winning Athlete of the Year at the 2024 People's Choice Awards on Sunday, February 18.

Kelce, 34, did not attend the awards ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. He was nominated for Athlete of the Year together with him Coco Gauff, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Sabrina Ionescu, Simone Biles And Stephen Curry. (Kelce's girlfriend, Taylor Swifttook home four of her five nominations on Sunday, but was unable to attend the ceremony because of her Eras tour performances in Australia.)

Kelce responded to his nomination earlier in January, calling it “f–king nonsense” during an episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “What did I do to become Athlete of the Year? I did SNL” he teased at the time. “How do I feel about this?

?”

In addition to his talent as a tight end, Kelce has been thrust into the spotlight thanks to his relationship with the 34-year-old Swift, which began last summer. The pop star was in attendance in Las Vegas when Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs won their second consecutive Super Bowl on February 11.

Travis Kelce. Michael Owens/Getty Images

The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime. Swift and Travis' mother, Donna Kelce, went onto the field to celebrate the big victory with the team. Travis accepted the Lombardi Trophy on stage and sang “Viva Las Vegas” before finding Swift and sharing a passionate kiss.

“It was incredible,” Swift told Travis in footage captured on the court. “One of the craziest things I've ever experienced.”

After their sweet moment, Travis told reporters he was “on top of the world right now,” adding, “It's a good feeling.”

Travis' season was a huge success even before the Super Bowl, and he is still one of the top players in the league. Through 2023, Travis had 93 catches for 984 yards and scored five touchdowns in 15 games.

In November 2023, the Chiefs announced via Instagram that Travis was “the fastest tight end to reach 11,000 receiving yards and the only player in franchise history to do so.”

Last month, Travis discussed the future of his NFL career and insisted he wouldn't be leaving the field anytime soon.

“I have no reason to stop playing football,” he told reporters at a press conference at the time. “I have been fortunate that I have been able to do some of the things that I enjoy outside of the sporting world, such as being in front of the camera. The SNL things have opened up a new happiness and a new career path for me, but it's funny to even say that at this point in my career because I think it's so much further down the road than it is now.

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Bryce Hall Slams Billie Eilish for Mocking TikTok Stars Invited to the People's Choice Awards: 'I'm So Sorry I Didn't Bow Down to You'

Lenny Kravitz sings and wins music icon at the 2024 People's Choice Awards

Related: List of nominees and winners of the 2024 People's Choice Awards

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Thank you!

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Thank you!

Travis Kelce wins the 2024 People's Choice Awards

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