Samba project led by Navy transgender woman in the spotlight at Rio Carnival
The women will lead the last section of the parade for samba school Paraiso do Tuiuti, which this year will tell the story of Xica Manicongo, known as the first transgender woman in Brazil. Manicongo was captured in the region of the Congo Basin and enslaved in Brazil in the 16th century.
Leading the project is Bruna Benevides, president of the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals and a sergeant in the Brazilian Navy.
Tuiuti, she said, was "coming out in defense of the trans community."
"When we thought of the project and presented it to the school, to the Carnival director and the people who were in charge, it was a way of saying, look, this group of transvestites, these people that we're talking about, they need special care."
"For me, Carnival has always represented a place of freedom, of being able to play with what we don't normally play with on a day-to-day basis," she added as she looked through a rack of brightly colored and sparkly outfits at a Carnival costume outfitters.
Paraiso do Tuiuti is one of 12 samba schools that compete in Rio's enormous and elaborate yearly Carnival parade, often referred to as "the best show on earth." Each school creates a story, told in song and costumes, for the parade, which is watched by thousands in the stadium and broadcast live on television to an audience of millions.
This year's event takes place from March 2 to March 4.
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The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Celebration Key: Inside each area at Carnival's Bahamas destination
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The plaza also offers access to other portals via walking paths and nearby tram stops. Starfish Lagoon Starfish Lagoon is designed with families in mind, built around what the line bills as one of the Caribbean's two biggest freshwater lagoons. Guests can swim there or at nearby Starfish Beach; sunbathe in loungers; or grab burgers, pizza, tacos and more at the open-air Captain's Galley Food Hall. Other dining options include Gill's Grill, serving up Caribbean seafood along with other fare, and the Starfish Food Trucks (look out for Mini Donut King's guava cheesecake donut, which was tangy and just the right portion). Parents and kids alike can also enjoy tropical drinks, such as the frozen cocktails and mocktails from Parrotfish Swim-Up Bar. For the sporty set, basketball - at an on-site court - table tennis and other games can be found in Starfish Lagoon (there are sports offered in another area, Calypso Lagoon, as well). Water-based excursions also depart from a pier off Starfish Beach. Lokono Cove As the destination's retail hub, guests can buy handmade Bahamian goods and other items, from woodcarvings to jewelry and duty-free products. Suncastle Grounds Coffee also offers iced drinks - or hot beverages, if you dare - for a price and a place to perch. Land-based shore excursions depart from Lokono Cove, and guests can find taxis and rental cars to go elsewhere on Grand Bahama. Calypso Lagoon Calypso Lagoon is the grown-up answer to Starfish Lagoon. Sunshine Swings Bar has swings for seats, while guests can float up to the adults-only Calypso Lagoon Swim-Up Bar (guests must be at least 18 to enjoy the western portion of Calypso Lagoon). That part of Celebration Key felt like more of a party during my visit, thanks in part to the in-water DJ Island. Mingo's Tropical Bar & Kitchen offers covered seating and serves a wide range of options, from conch fritters to chicken wings and sandwiches. Pro tip: try the key lime pie. For other casual dining, visitors can head to Surf N' Sauce BBQ & Brews - with Bahamian craft beers on the menu - or the Calypso Food Trucks, among others. Calypso Beach is just a short walk away, too. Pearl Cove Beach Club Located at the western edge of Celebration Key, Pearl Cove offers an exclusive experience for an additional cost. The area features its own stretch of beach, an 11,000-square-foot infinity pool, and a private restaurant and bar, all offering prime views of the pier. There are three tiers of pricing: Pearl Cove Beach Club Access includes access to the portal and a welcome drink for $99.99 per guest Pearl Cove Beach Club Open Bar also includes up to 10 drinks for $139.99 per guest Pearl Cove Beach Club All Inclusive includes the open bar perk along with dining at the restaurant for $179.99 per guest How much does Celebration Key cost? 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Shore excursions, from dolphin encounters to Jeep tours, also come at an extra cost, and there are kayaks, snorkel gear and lockers available to rent. Travelers can browse add-ons and pricing on Carnival's website. Duffy noted that this month's opening is just phase one. Celebration Key currently has two berths, and the cruise line previously said it will add two more by 2026. The destination builds on parent company, Carnival Corp.'s, long-held portfolio of land-based offerings, with another one of its Bahamas destinations, Princess Cays, established in 1992. "I think the scale of what we have at Celebration key is really what's new," Duffy said. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@
Reuters
9 hours ago
- Reuters
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath's bat-biting frontman, dies aged 76
LONDON/LOS ANGELES, July 22 (Reuters) - Ozzy Osbourne, frontman of 1970s heavy metal band Black Sabbath, earned his infamy biting the head off a bat on stage and pursuing a drug-fuelled lifestyle before reinventing himself as a loveable if often foul-mouthed reality TV star. Known to fans as "The Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal," Osbourne has died at the age of 76, his family said in a statement on Tuesday. "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love," they said. Osbourne kicked off his career in the early 1970s as singer on Black Sabbath's hits, from "Paranoid" to "War Pigs" to "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". Those plus a string of solo releases saw him sell more than 100 million records worldwide. The hard riffs and dark subject matter - from depression to war to apocalypse - combined with an instinct for Halloween theatrics. As a performer, Osbourne sprinkled audiences with raw meat and, in 1982, had his encounter with a bat thrown on stage by a fan. He always insisted he thought it was a toy until he bit into it, realised his mistake and rushed to hospital for a rabies shot. He later sold branded bat soft toys with a removable head. Osbourne was a regular target for conservative and religious groups concerned about the negative impact of rock music on young people. He acknowledged the excesses of his lifestyle and lyrics - but poured scorn on the wilder reports that he was an actual devil-worshipper. "I've done some bad things in my time. But I ain't the devil. I'm just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time," he said in a 2010 biography. John Michael Osbourne was the fourth of six children. Growing up in Aston, Birmingham, in central England, he struggled with dyslexia, left school at age 15, did a series of menial jobs, and at one point served a brief prison sentence for burglary. Then came Black Sabbath. "When I was growing up, if you'd have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of 60, with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and California, I wouldn't have put money on me, no fucking way," he once said. Britain's Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a member of parliament representing a Birmingham constituency, wrote on X that she was devastated to hear the news of his death. "One of the greatest gifts my city gave the world," Mahmood said. In 2002, Osbourne won legions of new fans when he starred in U.S. reality TV show "The Osbournes". Cameras followed the aging rock god ambling round his huge house in Beverly Hills, pronouncing on events in his heavy Birmingham accent and looking on bemused at the antics of his family. Osbourne's family included wife and manager Sharon, five children including Jack, Kelly and Aimee, and several grandchildren. No cause of death was given, but Osbourne revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The illness made him unable to walk. In his final concert on July 5 in Birmingham, Osbourne performed sitting, at times appearing to have difficulties speaking as he thanked thousands of adoring fans, some of whom were visibly emotional. Osbourne's performance followed a number of tributes on stage and on stadium screens from rock and pop royalty including Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Metallica's James Hetfield and Elton John. "Thanks for your support over the years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you," said Osbourne.
Scottish Sun
12 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Osbourne family's full touching statement as they mourn rock icon Ozzy ‘with more sadness than mere words can convey'
OZZY Osbourne's family have released a touching statement as they mourn the death of the rock icon "with more sadness than mere words can convey". The Black Sabbath star's death, aged 76, comes just weeks after he took to the stage one final time with his band mates at Villa Park in Birmingham. 13 Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76 Credit: Reuters 13 Ozzy took to the stage for the final time on July 5 Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 13 He was also known for his TV antics, including show The Osbournes with wife Sharon and kids Kelly and Jack 13 Bat-munching Ozzy was known as the Prince of Darkness Paying tribute to their "beloved" Ozzy, his family said the music legend was "surrounded by love" when he passed away this morning. In an emotional statement, his family said: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. "Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." Ozzy, who became known as the Prince of Darkness thanks to his on-stage antics that attracted a legion of heavy rock fans, played a short five-song set reuniting with his bandmates Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward earlier this month. The gig was touted as "the greatest heavy metal show ever," with Ozzy grinning to chanting fans and even watching on after as his daughter Kelly was proposed to by her boyfriend Sid Wilson. The rocker vowed, however, that it would be his final performance due to his deteriorating health, having opened up about his battle with Parkinson's in 2020. Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, the star had a string of jobs including labourer, plumber and abattoir worker after dropping out of school aged 15. But Ozzy became entangled with petty crime and served two months in prison for burglary. Ozzy Osbourne top five greatest moments The singer then pursued his love of music after hearing The Beatles hit She Loves You in 1963. After appearing in a handful of school plays, Ozzy joined Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler in their first group Rare Breed in 1967. When that band split, the pair reunited in Polka Tulk Blues alongside Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward. The group later became known as Black Sabbath and went onto shatter the music world with their whining guitar solos, Occult-based lyrics and Ozzy's screeching vocals. In 1970, the group gained a cult following in both the US and UK after releasing their eponymous first album. Black Sabbath saw incredible success with hit tracks such as Paranoid but discord in the group saw most of the original line-up leave. Ozzy himself quit the band in 1978, with a spiral into drug abuse leading to a divorce from first wife Thelma Mayfair, who he had two children with. It was then he first met a young Sharon Arden, who Ozzy at first wrote off as he believed she would think he was a "lunatic". But the singer could not be more wrong and the pair married in Hawaii in July 1982 before going on to have three children together, Aimee, Kelly and Jack. 13 His music with Black Sabbath helped define a genre Credit: Getty 13 Ozzy performed his last ever gig in pure heavy metal style 13 Sharon and Ozzy married in July 1982 13 The family starred in the reality series The Osbournes Want to Believe With Sharon's encouragement and help from her music manager dad Don, he began to carve out a successful solo career. His seminal first album Blizzard of Ozz in 1980 became a multi-platinum success thanks to Ozzy's howling vocals and macabre laugh on hit Crazy Train. Coupled with the Prince of Darkness' insane tour that saw him bite the head off a live bat, a string of successful tracks followed - cementing Ozzy as a rock legend around the world. In 1992, the singer announced his retirement but four years later created the beloved annual music festival Ozzfest with Sharon, which featured heavy metal acts touring the US and some of Europe. Ozzy returned to Black Sabbath in 1999, with the band winning a Grammy for best metal performance for the song Iron Man. They later earned the same award in 2013 after releasing single God Is Dead? from album 13. In 2001, Ozzy appealed to a whole new audience after appearing in reality TV show The Osbournes with his family. Its first series was the most-watched show ever on MTV and propelled Jack and Kelly into stardom, with the latter enjoying a music career of her own. Matriarch Sharon also carved out a successful showbiz career for herself - first as an X Factor judge, then host of her own show in the US. With the family's success growing, they hosted the 30th Annual American Music Awards and later the BRIT Awards in London. The hugely popular show ran until 2005 and portrayed heartbreaking moments for the family - including Sharon's battle with cancer and the quad bike accident that nearly killed Ozzy. The family later starred in the reality series The Osbournes Want to Believe and special The Osbournes: Night of Terror, which both focused on paranormal investigations. In 2006, Ozzy and the rest of Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A year later, the star released his first solo studio album in six years, Black Rain followed by Scream in 2010 and Ordinary Man in 2020. HEALTH BATTLE Ozzy won another Grammy for Patient Number 9 in 2022 and single Degradation Rules, which featured Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. But following a spate of nasty injuries, Ozzy was forced to cancel his upcoming tour after revealing he was "not physically capable" of the travel required. He was later pictured looking frail as he walked in New York with the aid of a stick. Ozzy suffered a spinal injury after an accident at his LA home in 2019 that required him to undergo surgery on his neck. He was sadly diagnosed with Parkinson's the same year and revealed the sad news a year later in an emotional joint interview with Sharon. The singer told Good Morning America at the time that he couldn't hide his health struggles any longer. Explaining the condition, Sharon said: "It's Parkin 2 which is a form of Parkinson's. There are so many different types of Parkinson's. "It's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does affect the nerves in your body. "It's like you'll have a good day, then a good day and then a really bad day." Ozzy added: "A year ago I was in a terrible state. I'm on a host of medication, mainly for the surgery. "I've got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold. I don't know if it's the Parkinson's or what. That's the problem." Parkin 2 cannot be cured, but treatments are available to minimise symptoms — although it is steadily degenerative. Experts say the variety Ozzy had is one of the slowest developing types — but the long-term prognosis varies significantly between cases. FINAL GIG Not content with being laid up in bed, Ozzy wowed fans with a surprise performance of Paranoid in his hometown Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games in 2022. And this year, he took to the stage for Black Sabbath's final-ever concert on July 5. Ozzy arrived on stage at Villa Park in Birmingham dressed in his trademark black, sitting on a bat throne for the historic gig. The crowd were delighted to see the iconic rocker back on stage, and kept chanting his name. Ozzy was equally thrilled to be performing, and repeatedly broke out into a massive grin. It was the first time in 20 years that the original Black Sabbath line-up have performed together. The Sun was there to witness the final show-stopping spectacular. Meanwhile his daughter Kelly revealed that she is engaged to her boyfriend Sid Wilson. She shared a video of the moment Sid popped the question backstage at her father's final ever Black Sabbath gig. It came after Ozzy told how much he misses being on tour and insisted he has not given up yet. Reflecting on how supportive his fans have been since the announcement, he said in February: "My fans. That's the thing that I really miss about not doing gigs. "I'm a hands-on guy. I like talking to my fans. I miss them terribly. My goal is to get back on stage as soon as possible." 13 Ozzy revealed his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020 13 Ozzy pursued his love of music after hearing The Beatles hit She Loves You in 1963 13 Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 13 The couple, pictured with their children Kelly, Jack and Aimee, created the annual festival Ozzfest
