Latest news with #conservativevalues
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild
Thanks to US President Donald Trump, historic revival architecture has returned to the news this year. In January, the president signed an executive order demanding that all new federal buildings respect 'traditional and classical architectural heritage' in their design — reflecting a wider right-wing trend associating revivalist architecture with conservative values. This push for new-old buildings is global: In Dresden, Germany, whole sections of the city's historic center have been rebuilt to resemble the city's pre-World War II self, a form of project being repeated across Germany, Russia and France. Often these initiatives are promoted both by mainstream right-wing parties such as Germany's CDU, and through culture war agitation from figures on the far right. Perhaps the most high-profile example of this phenomenon is underway in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, where the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban is rebuilding the Buda Castle district, a complex of ornate 19th century palaces and buildings on a fortified hill commanding the heights above Budapest. The project, initially estimated at $590 million but likely to cost far more, has been billed as restoring the area to its prewar glory. But critics have pointed out that the revamp — referred to as the National Hauszmann Program — is anything but historically accurate.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Hollywood's 'first cancel culture victim' Kevin Sorbo sees industry dramatically shifting under Trump
Kevin Sorbo considers himself to be the first victim of cancel culture since he was booted from Hollywood over a decade ago due to his conservative values. The 66-year-old actor skyrocketed to international fame when he starred as the Greek demigod Hercules in the hit show "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" for six seasons from 1995 to 1999. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Sorbo discussed how the political climate is shifting in Hollywood, and he believes that the industry is open to more conservative and Christian values today because they are tired of losing out on millions of dollars. "Well, I'm the first cancel culture victim before I knew it was a term. Hollywood booted me up a dozen years ago for things I was posting on the internet. And I looked at my age and I said, 'Oh, you guys are upset that I'm posting the truth? Is that a problem with you guys?' Because they hate the truth, and they hate anybody who's a Christian in Hollywood, anybody who is a conservative. So I'm like a double leper to them. I'm, like, kryptonite or something," Sorbo said. The "What If…" star explained that he and his wife decided to create their own studio, Sorbo Studios, and he has been shooting at least four movies a year since saying goodbye to the industry. "So, I'm OK with it. I mean, I hate it, but I think there's a shift. I think with Trump in office again right now, there's definitely a shift. People will hate him in front, but those people that hate him, they're gonna see their lives get better. Trust me. And Hollywood is shifting a little bit because I'm starting to get calls from the studios saying, 'Hey, there's a big thing with this stuff. So maybe send us a couple of scripts.' "I think with Trump in office again right now, there's definitely a shift. People will hate him in front, but those people that hate him, they're gonna see their lives get better. Trust me." "So, I'm reaching out to Netflix and Amazon with a couple of scripts that I have that aren't in your face about faith, but the messages are there," Kevin continued. "There's a positive message instead of negative ones, so I think we've reached a tipping point." Sorbo weighed in on why Hollywood is now deciding to make a shift. "I think people are tired of it, and Hollywood's tired of losing money, like they're going to lose another $300 million on this woke Disney movie with 'Snow White.' So, I think the American people are fed up, and I think they showed it in the last election as well. They said enough is enough of this stuff. So I just think it's just the pendulum swinging back and forth, right? And I think we're going back to the right side now, and I'm a believer in going right and then left," Sorbo said. WATCH: Hollywood's 'first cancel culture victim' Kevin Sorbo sees industry dramatically shifting under Trump presidency Sorbo's "What If…" was released in 2010 and will be re-released for its 15th anniversary on Aug. 5 and 7. The film starred Sorbo, Kristy Swanson, John Ratzenberger, and Debby Ryan. The story follows Ben Walker (Sorbo), a businessman who abandoned his faith. One day, Ben wakes up living the life he was destined for — married to his college sweetheart (Swanson) and serving as a small-town pastor. The "Hercules" star told Fox News Digital that the movie's storyline is still relevant today because it's everything "Hollywood movies don't have anymore." WATCH: Kevin Sorbo shares why 'What If...' message is still relevant today "That's what Hollywood used to put out there, movies that had hope and love and laughter and redemption and faith. And, you know, Hollywood used to do a lot of these kinds of movies. And I think they're waking up a little bit now because they're losing a lot of money on this woke insanity. So let's see what happens with it. I've always loved this movie," Sorbo said. Theaters will be showing new bonus content only available in theaters, including an exclusive filmed cast reunion and roundtable hosted by director Dallas Jenkins. Tickets for the 15th anniversary of "What If…" can be purchased on Fathom Entertainment's website.
Fox News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Hollywood's 'first cancel culture victim' Kevin Sorbo sees industry dramatically shifting under Trump presidency
Kevin Sorbo told Fox News Digital that Hollywood has seen been leaning into conservative values during Donald Trump's second presidential term in order to stop losing "millions."
Arab News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Bermuda shorts, beachwear and a local ban divide Algerian town
CHETAIBI: A scenic beach town on Algeria's Mediterranean coastline has become the center of a clash over men's bathing suits, pitting religious and conservative values against tourist a town of 8,000 known for its turquoise waters, rocky coves, and forested hills, draws thousands of Algerian beachgoers each summer. Seasonal tourism is a cornerstone of the local economy.'The mood is warm, welcoming, colorful, bustling — no hostility toward bathers, not in words, not in looks. People here have a tradition of hospitality,' said Salah Edine Bey, a longtime his view, there was little sign of controversy, until there this month, some vacationers and business owners were caught off guard when the town's mayor issued a decree banning beachgoers from walking around in Bermuda shorts, calling the attire indecent in contrast to the longer, looser shorts preferred by conservative male beachgoers.'These summer outfits disturb the population, they go against our society's moral values and sense of decency,' Mayor Layachi Allaoua wrote.'The population can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing,' he added, referencing visitors from elsewhere in order sparked immediate backlash from officials, including in the regional capital Annaba, who called on the mayor to revoke mayor reversed the decree within two days. On Facebook, he insisted his order wasn't driven by Islamist pressure, but by a desire to preserve 'peace and tranquility' for both residents and the episode tapped into deeper tensions over religion, identity, and public space in a country that remains haunted by a civil war that killed an estimated 200,000 people throughout the 1990s. The conflict began in 1991, when the army canceled elections that an Islamist party was set to so-called 'black decade' ended long ago. But it left unresolved some underlying friction between political Islam and Algeria's military-backed secular state.'Even though Islamists lost the war in the 1990s, they never gave up on their invasive and intrusive ideological project, which has gained ground in society,' said sociologist Redouane Boudjemaâ.For some, the beach debate echoed that earlier era, when Islamist-run municipalities tried to reshape public life in line with religious doctrine. For many Algerians, particularly in underserved regions, political Islam remains popular not out of extremism, but as a reaction to corruption, inequality, and distrust in state institutions. While Islamist parties have mostly fared poorly at the ballot box, they play a large role in daily life, filling social and moral neighboring Jijel, residents have roped off parts of the beach for mass prayers, with videos of the scenes circulating online and dividing Halim Kabir, it's a stark reminder of the past. In the 1990s, Islamists who won local elections in Jijel imposed stricter rules on public behavior. Today, cars parked near the beach have been vandalized with warnings telling beachgoers to 'go sin elsewhere.''It's provocation,' Kabir said. 'An attempt to drive away visitors from other regions.'Said Boukhlifa, a former senior official at the Ministry of Tourism, warned that conservative groups are exploiting Algeria's economic troubles, as falling gas revenues strain the state, to expand their influence. That, he said, could undermine the country's ambitions to grow its tourism sector. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bermuda shorts, beachwear and a local ban divide Algerian town
Algeria CHETAIBI, Algeria (AP) — A scenic beach town on Algeria's Mediterranean coastline has become the center of a clash over men's bathing suits, pitting religious and conservative values against tourist habits. Chetaïbi, a town of 8,000 known for its turquoise waters, rocky coves, and forested hills, draws thousands of Algerian beachgoers each summer. Seasonal tourism is a cornerstone of the local economy. 'The mood is warm, welcoming, colorful, bustling — no hostility toward bathers, not in words, not in looks. People here have a tradition of hospitality,' said Salah Edine Bey, a longtime resident. In his view, there was little sign of controversy, until there was. Earlier this month, some vacationers and business owners were caught off guard when the town's mayor issued a decree banning beachgoers from walking around in Bermuda shorts, calling the attire indecent in contrast to the longer, looser shorts preferred by conservative male beachgoers. 'These summer outfits disturb the population, they go against our society's moral values and sense of decency,' Mayor Layachi Allaoua wrote. 'The population can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing," he added, referencing visitors from elsewhere in Algeria. The order sparked immediate backlash from officials, including in the regional capital Annaba, who called on the mayor to revoke it. The mayor reversed the decree within two days. On Facebook, he insisted his order wasn't driven by Islamist pressure, but by a desire to preserve 'peace and tranquility' for both residents and guests. Still, the episode tapped into deeper tensions over religion, identity, and public space in a country that remains haunted by a civil war that killed an estimated 200,000 people throughout the 1990s. The conflict began in 1991, when the army canceled elections that an Islamist party was set to win. The so-called 'black decade' ended long ago. But it left unresolved some underlying friction between political Islam and Algeria's military-backed secular state. 'Even though Islamists lost the war in the 1990s, they never gave up on their invasive and intrusive ideological project, which has gained ground in society,' said sociologist Redouane Boudjemaâ. For some, the beach debate echoed that earlier era, when Islamist-run municipalities tried to reshape public life in line with religious doctrine. For many Algerians, particularly in underserved regions, political Islam remains popular not out of extremism, but as a reaction to corruption, inequality, and distrust in state institutions. While Islamist parties have mostly fared poorly at the ballot box, they play a large role in daily life, filling social and moral voids. In neighboring Jijel, residents have roped off parts of the beach for mass prayers, with videos of the scenes circulating online and dividing opinion. For Halim Kabir, it's a stark reminder of the past. In the 1990s, Islamists who won local elections in Jijel imposed stricter rules on public behavior. Today, cars parked near the beach have been vandalized with warnings telling beachgoers to 'go sin elsewhere.' 'It's provocation,' Kabir said. 'An attempt to drive away visitors from other regions.' Said Boukhlifa, a former senior official at the Ministry of Tourism, warned that conservative groups are exploiting Algeria's economic troubles, as falling gas revenues strain the state, to expand their influence. That, he said, could undermine the country's ambitions to grow its tourism sector. Solve the daily Crossword
