Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston Love Tour in Rome (in pics)

Since Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston were first spotted making out on a giant rock in Rhode Island on June 19, the new couple has seemingly made it their mission to flaunt their new relationship in every country. 

With the US down thanks to their New England PDA and a romantic trip to Nashville, the two hopped across the pond to go for a beachside stroll with Tom's mom in the UK, and on Monday they grabbed a quick flight to Rome so they could share a few kisses on top of the Colosseum.

Tom and Taylor looked especially head over heels during their jaunt to Italy, which included plenty of hand-holding, photo shoots in ancient ruins, and stolen kisses during dinner. 

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Here is a List of Kenyans Making it Big Worldwide - Amazing

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Amondi Nyong'o is a Mexican-Kenyan actress and filmmaker. She was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents and raised in Kenya. She attended college in the United States, earning a bachelor's degree in film and theater studies from Hampshire College

When Lupita Nyong’o starred in the Shuga TV series and produced the documentary In My Genes, little recognition came her way. Seven years later the actor is internationally revered for her award-winning roles in blockbuster movies.

Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
2014 · 12 Years a Slave




Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

Glamour Award for Woman of the Year
2014

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

BET Award for Best Actress
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

Obie Award for Performance
2016 · Eclipsed

Glamour Award for The Breakthrough
2014

Benjamin Ochieng

Benjamin Ochieng’ made an entry into Hollywood in 2003 with Tears of the Sun, a war film by well-regarded Antoine Fuqua, Kwame in 2008, Inception in 2010, Default in 2014 and recently starred in God’s Not Dead. This man who has branded himself as a Swahili speaker in Hollywood films will return with a sequel, God’s Not Dead 2 this year. 

Edi Gathegi

Edi Gathegi is known for his work on X-Men: First Class, Twilight, Gone Baby Gone, Nikita, Veronica Mars, Beauty, Beast, House, Proof and now TV crime drama Blacklist. The son of the soil has starred in 31 TV and film productions in Hollywood. 

Lizz Njagah

Also making an impact in Nollywood is Lizz Njagah who has made a mark in Kenya and Nigeria. She has worked in TV series Makutano Junction and Saints, films House of Lungula, Veve, Fundi-mentals and Return of Lazarus — a Greco-Kenyan movie that won her Best Actress award at London Greek Film Festival. She considers her role as Tare Duke in Nigeria’s production Tinsel as her big break.

Tabitha Karanja

Karanja founded Keroche Breweries, the first ever brewery to be owned by a Kenyan. Although she faced many challenges with competition from multinationals, high taxation and meddling from high powered government officials – her resilience has seen the business grow into a well-respected company.

Beyond the expectations of her critics, Karanja invested in a Ksh.1 billion ($11.6 million) plant with the capacity of producing 6000 half-litre bottles per hour. With its flagship brands – Summit Lager and Summit Malt, the brewery has proved resilient in the market.

Eva Muraya

Muraya is the founder and CEO of Brand Strategy and Design, a regional brand strategy development agency. Her entry into the business world came only after a great personal tragedy – the loss of her husband. Muraya started Color Creations Africa Limited, a branded merchandise company. Until recently she was still the CEO at Color Creations.

Muraya has won numerous awards, including the premier Goldman Sachs Fortune Global Leaders Award. She was also nominated to receive The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) World of Difference 100 Award. In addition, Muraya is an alumnus of the Legatum Pioneers of Prosperity and her business Color Creations was a top finalist in the 2006 Africa Business Awards.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Marketing from the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi and has attended both the IESE (University of Navarra) and Strathmore business schools.

Njeri Rionge

Rionge co-founded an Internet Service Provider Wananchi Group Holdings – one of East Africa’s leading providers of pay-TV, broadband internet and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services.

Last year the company raised US$57.5 million in growth capital from a group of international investors.

A typical serial entrepreneur, Rionge has founded a number of successful companies and currently runs several companies such as Ignite Consulting and Business Lounge, another one of her ventures.

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Nani backs Ronaldo to conjure magic and blast Portugal into last eight

Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure in Portugal's opening two matches but found his goal touch with a brace in the 3-3 draw against Hungary.

That result secured a last-16 showdown with Croatia and Nani is confident their star man can fire them into the latter stages of the tournament. "Everyone knows Cristiano and what he can do at any time, in any minute in a game," Nani said.

"I am 100 per cent sure he will go on and score more goals now.

"No one can say anything against him. He is a fantastic player. He showed it again against Hungary when everyone was talking about him - he has shut them all up now.



"I think Cristiano has always been there, always playing well for us throughout the tournament."

Despite some faltering displays against Austria and Iceland and a third-place finish in Group F, Nani insists the squad is ready to face an impressive Croatia side. "Any team we play, we must believe we can win so it doesn't matter who we will face now," he said.
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"It will be difficult against Croatia. They have one day more than us to rest but we are professional, so we will get a quick rest and prepare for the game."

Portugal have won all three of their previous meetings with Croatia without conceding, but are up against a side unbeaten in 10 games.

Croatia coach Ante Cacic feels his team could not have faced much tougher opposition but is confident they can handle Ronaldo and co.

"At this stage of the competition there is no easy opponent, but we have got maybe the toughest," he said.

"But, we were in the hardest group of the tournament and we managed to progress so there is no reason that we won't go into this match without confidence.

"We respect Portugal, but we believe in our quality, togetherness and character which we have shown until now."

    Portugal v Croatia, Euro 2016 Round of 16: Lens, Today, 8.00pm

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How Brexit Will Affect Game of Thrones Production

“Game of Thrones,” the hit HBO cable TV series that is partly filmed in Northern Ireland, will not suffer due to Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, the cable network said on Friday, aiming to quash speculation that the lavishly produced show would lose EU funding.

Britons voted on Thursday to leave the European Union, a decision that economists and government leaders say clouds growth prospects for the world’s fifth-largest economy and could dim its attraction for investors.






The result could also discourage Hollywood studios and cable networks to film shows and movies in Britain, in part because the country would no longer have access to European subsidies.

The series received support from the EU’s European Regional Development Fund in its early years, HBO confirmed, but the fund has provided no support for the past few seasons.

“We do not anticipate that the result of the EU referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing ‘Game of Thrones,'” the network, a unit of Time Warner twx-wi , said in a statement.

As results from Britain’s historic referendum came in overnight, speculation spread online that the decision would hurt HBO’s most-watched series, which had as many as 20 million viewers per episode last season.

The show continues to receive funding from the UK, including from Northern Ireland Screen (NIS), which provides government support for local businesses.



NIS issued a statement on Friday saying the organization “does not use monies provided from European-funded programmes.”

A majority of voters in Northern Ireland, one of four “nations” that comprise the United Kingdom, cast ballots for remaining in the EU.

The Emmy-winning “Game of Thrones,” based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” books, tells the epic fantasy tale of a multi-generational struggle for control of the Iron Throne and rule over the Seven Kingdoms.

The show, now in its sixth season, has a budget of $10 million per episode, according to Entertainment Weekly.

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Taylor Swift Is Naked in Kanye West’s “Famous” Video (And So Is Everyone Else)

Kanye West has dropped the music video for “Famous,” the controversial first single off his February album The Life of Pablo. The NSFW video features the likenesses of 12 famous people — including Taylor Swift and Donald Trump — sleeping nude together in an enormous bed.

Read Also: Skin Bleaching epidermic among blacks - Why do people bleach?

It’s unclear which of the celebrities participated in the video, and which are the result of prosthetics and visual effects wizardry, but in the video’s credits, West offers “special thanks” to Bill Cosby, Caitlyn Jenner, Amber Rose, Ray J, Kim Kardashian West, Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Donald Trump, Anna Wintour, and George Bush — “for being famous.”

A representative for former President Bush confirmed that he did not participate in the “Famous” video. Representatives for the other celebrities referenced in the video did not immediately respond to EW’s requests for comment.

Tailor Swift Naked in Kanye West's Video

West has famously feuded with several of the stars featured in the video, including Bush, Taylor Swift, and Amber Rose. The rapper told Vanity Fair, “It’s not in support or anti any of [the people in the video]. It’s a comment on fame.”

West also told the magazine that although the video features nudity, it isn’t meant to be erotic. “We were very careful with shots that had [something] sexual to take them out,” he said. Judge for yourself in the NSFW screen grab below.

12 famous people — including Taylor Swift and Donald Trump — sleeping nude together in an enormous bed.

“Famous” was immediately, well, infamous upon its February release during a similarly epic worldwide event at New York’s Madison Square Garden. 

West references Swift in the second line: “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that b—- famous.” Swift’s camp has maintained that the singer did not approve of the lyric, but West and his wife have claimed Swift cleared the line ahead of time.

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Reasons Americans Should Celebrate the Brexit Vote

The momentous victory for the Brexit campaign signals a new era of freedom for the British people.
 

Britain outside the EU will be a stronger ally for the United States.

After more than four decades of being shackled to the European Union (previously the European Economic Community), Great Britain has declared its independence.

The vote for Brexit (52 percent of Britons cast ballots to leave the EU) is a vote for sovereignty and self-determination. Britain will no longer be subject to European legislation, with Britain’s Parliament retaking control. British judges will no longer be overruled by the European Court of Justice, and British businesses will be liberated from mountains of EU regulations, which have undermined economic liberty.


Indeed, Brexit will result in a bonfire of red tape, freeing the city of London and enterprises across the nation from European Union diktat. And at last, Britain is free again to negotiate its own free trade deals, a huge boost to the world’s fifth largest economy.

The United States should seize upon Brexit as a tremendous opportunity to sign an historic free trade agreement with the United Kingdom—a deal that would advance prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic. Brexit will also strengthen the Anglo-American special relationship, the most important bilateral partnership in the world.

Britain outside the EU will be a stronger ally for the United States, from confronting Russian aggression in Eastern Europe to defeating the Islamist terror threat.

Britain’s decision to leave the EU should be a cause for celebration here in America. Brexit embodies the very principles and ideals the American people hold dear to their hearts: self-determination, limited government, democratic accountability, and economic liberty. A truly free and powerful Great Britain is good for Europe and the United States.

As Margaret Thatcher famously declared after the liberation of the Falkland Islands by British forces in 1982: “Rejoice.” The Iron Lady believed firmly that Britain would be better off outside the European Union.

The British people can rejoice in their rediscovered freedom. It is a cause for celebration for America, too.

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Justin Bieber's Mom Tweet About Her Son After A Video Showing The Singer Fighting During The NBA Finals in Cleveland, Ohio

Pattie Mallete, a bestselling author and mom of the famous Canadian singer Justin Bieber, is asking the Holy Spirit and enlighten her son. It was timely as a video showing the singer fighting during the NBA Finals in Cleveland, Ohio.

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"Holy Spirit come and teach us each who you are. Amen," Mallette posted on Twitter alongside a graphic of her son. The post has been retweeted more than 9,000 times and liked by over 13,000 users.

The said video was obtained by TMZ was taken at a hotel lobby where Bieber was staying in Cleveland. It showed that Bieber and a man fighting.

Bieber reportedly said that it was his mom who introduced him to religion and music.

"When I was 7, she wouldn't let me listen to anything but [Pastor] Judah [Smith]'s tapes falling asleep," he said.








Last March, the singer celebrated his 22nd birthday and his mother posted a prayer on Twitter.

"22 years ago I was 18yrs old, pregnant & scared. But God. Lord encounter @justinbieber for his bday! Give him all I couldn't, in Jesus name," she wrote.

Bieber shared in previous interviews that his relationship with his mom was "pretty nonexisting."

"I was distant because I was ashamed. I never wanted my mom to be disappointed in me and I knew she was. We spent some time not talking, so it takes time to rebuild that trust. She's living in Hawaii now, so it's hard, but getting better. She's an amazing woman and I love her," he said.

When Bieber aged 19, he reconnected with Pastor Smith of City church in Washington.

"I'd come and listen to him and try to hear him out. I had all these questions and things were not adding up. 'Well, why is this, then? How did all those animals fit on Noah's Ark, then?'" he said, adding that he now understands faith.

"That's what it's all about-not questioning it," the Canadian star said.

Smith previously said, "We text almost daily, and it's not just me sending him Bible verses anymore. He'll send them to me, along with encouraging thoughts or an encouraging emoticon. I'm committed to helping him and protecting him, but it's fair to say we're there for each other."

Source: China Christian Daily

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Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston 'in secret romance' as Calvin Harris unfollows her and deletes tweets - View Pics

Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston are 'in a secret romance', according to reports, with her ex Calvin Harris responding by unfollowing her on social media.

Pictures were published on Wednesday night that showed Swift and Hiddleston, 35, kissing on a beach.

The singer, 26, split from Harris two weeks ago, with the Scottish DJ also deleting tweets about the Swift since the photos were published.






He also reportedly tweeted: “Oh boy it’s about to go down,” to all of his followers before deleting the message.

Harris also deleted a tweet he posted following their break-up, which said: “The only truth here is that a relationship came to an end & what remains is a huge amount of love and respect.”

The Sun printed pictures showing Swift and Hiddleston, who recently received great acclaim for his performance in The Night Manager, walking hand-in-hand on a beach, said to be in Rhode Island, Swift's home.

An observer told the newspaper: “They were all over each other – hugging and kissing – even though there were 20 people coming and going on the beach.

“They looked like any young couple madly in love without a care in the world.”

The pair were also snapped together at the Met Gala in New York on May 3, where they enjoyed a dance-off to T.I.'s Bring 'Em Out.




Swift and Harris split up last month after 15 months together.

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Kenyan Tech Star Ushahidi Makes Major Design Updates

Ushahidi, one of the earliest Kenyan tech success stories, has unveiled a major redesign of its key features and its look-and-feel.

Launched in December 2008 during the violence that followed the disputed Kenyan elections, Ushahidi (which means “witness” in Swahili) is ranked with M-Pesa as one of Kenya’s greatest start-up successes. 







US President Barack Obama praised Kenya’s tech entrepreneurs during a visit to the country his father was born in last July: “This continent needs to be a future hub of global growth, not just African growth”.

Ushahidi is open-source software that is used by “advocacy, development, and humanitarian-response communities” and now features “improvements [that] include new map, timeline, and charting tools, making the work of collecting, managing, and responding to data faster and more immersive,” says its CEO Daudi Were.

“We believe data should not be dehumanized. It should not be difficult to get, and it should not be difficult to understand. These are the problems our users tell us they have. So we design and build our platform to solve these challenges,” Were said in a  statement.

“The major design improvements bring clarity to the data and storytelling within Ushahidi deployments, and are the product of six months of research that included more than 100 users helping to design a streamlined workflow for their teams. That flow relies heavily on new ‘modes’ in Ushahidi, which offer more focused interaction with the platform’s most popular visualizations: Map, Timeline, and ‘Activity’ charts.”

Ushahidi’s creative director Brandon Rosage adds: “After we launched a re-imagined Ushahidi in October 2015, we spent the next six months listening. We wanted to stop guessing who the typical Ushahidi user is, and how they needed the software to work. Instead, we asked them to tell us. They helped us assemble simple prototypes and conduct usability studies. And by April 2016, more than 100 users had worked directly with Ushahidi staff to shape what they felt were the most pressing ideas to improve Ushahidi.”

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Justin Bieber's 'Sorry' Sets U.K. Streaming Record

Justin Bieber has etched his name in the history books by becoming the first act to hit 100 million streams for a song in the U.K.






"Sorry" spent two weeks at the summit of the Official U.K. Albums Chart in October and has gone on to become the most-streamed song in Britain since records began. 

Produced by Skrillex and Blood and co-written by Bieber, “Sorry” is the second of three No. 1 singles lifted from Bieber’s album Purpose.

“For Sorry to become the first track in Official Chart history to pass the 100 million mark is a record which can never be taken away from Justin,” notes Official Charts Company CEO Martin Talbot. “It is, perhaps, the four-minute mile of music streaming. A remarkable feat, a first which will be Justin's record forever.”

"What Do You Mean" and "Love Yourself" are also closing in on the 100 million streams milestone. The Purpose singles have clocked-up 98.6 million and 94.3 million streams, respectively, and they’re expected to hit the magical mark in the weeks ahead.

Justin Bieber performs at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016, in Las Vegas.

The U.K. has been a happy hunting ground for Bieber. Earlier this year, he become the first artist ever to occupy the entire top three on the U.K. singles chart, a feat that earned him the inaugural Official Chart Record Breaker Award. "Sorry" is currently No. 6 on the U.K.’s Top 40 Biggest Songs of 2016 survey, which is based on combined digital, physical and streaming equivalent sales.

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Dating Famous People is 'Easier'- Khloé Kardashian

Khloé Kardashian looks stunning inside Harper’s Bazaar, rocking a stripped-down look and she gets candid about dating in the spotlight. 

“I used to wonder why celebrities only dated celebrities, but when you’re in it you understand. You feel a little safer,” she revealed. “If you’re seen with someone on your first date, you’re automatically getting married the next day. It’s so extreme! So when you’re two celebrities, you can keep it really quiet at first, to see if you even like each other. Dating someone in your world is a little easier.” 

And while the 31-year-old reality star is looking hotter than ever these days, she admits she still feels insecure from time to time. 







“I like to say I don’t care what people say about me, but that’s not true,” she said. “Not wanting to go to certain places because I wonder what will be written about me the next day — I hate that I carry that with me.” 

Khloe has kept the same stylist, Monica Rose, since the first season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but she said that she has received a lot more attention since slimming down.

'I definitely think the fashion industry, and people in general, look at me more now that I’ve lost weight,' she told Harper's.

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Bollywood actress Alisa Khan found living on the streets - This is what happened

Bollywood ѕtаrlеt Aliѕа Khаn, knоwn fоr ѕtаrring орроѕitе Emraan Hаѕhmi in a уеt-tо-bе-rеlеаѕеd film, wаѕ ѕееn roaming around aimlessly оn thе ѕtrееtѕ of Grеаtеr Kailash, after ѕhе wаѕ allegedly kiсkеd out оf hеr hоmе. 

Bоllуwооd ѕtаrlеt Aliѕа Khan, knоwn fоr ѕtаrring орроѕitе Emraan Hashmi in a yet-to-be-released film, wаѕ ѕееn rоаming аrоund аimlеѕѕlу on thе ѕtrееtѕ оf Grеаtеr Kаilаѕh, after ѕhе was аllеgеdlу kiсkеd out оf her home. 

Alisa, a resident of Ghаziаbаd, had a lead role in the rесеntlу rеlеаѕеd film Mу Huѕbаnd'ѕ Wifе. She has аlѕо bееn a раrt оf mаnу muѕiс vidеоѕ. 






Khаn will аlѕо bе ѕееn paired орроѕitе Emrаn Hаѕhmi in the film Aаinа whiсh is ѕеt tо be rеlеаѕеd in Auguѕt. 

When India Today triеd tо find оut frоm Aliѕа thе rеаѕоn fоr her condition, thе mоdеl сlаimеd her mother аnd brоthеr hаd thrоwn hеr оut оf hеr hоuѕе after ѕhе соmрlаinеd аbоut her ex-boyfriend tо the роliсе. 

Shе hаd соmрlаinеd to thе cops аftеr hеr ex-boyfriend made a sleazy vidео оf thеir intimаtе mоmеntѕ аnd thrеаtеnеd tо роѕt it оn thе social media. In fасt, hе even posted оnе ѕuсh video on YоuTubе, whiсh was tаkеn dоwn аftеr ѕhе соmрlаinеd tо thе Mumbai Police. 

Aссоrding tо Alisa, the incident didn't gо dоwn well with hеr mоthеr аnd brother whо rероrtеdlу аbаndоnеd hеr. 

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10 Celebrities You Won't Believe Are Atheists

Atheism: Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods. A lot of closed-minded people consider Atheists and non-believers to be evil, often comparing them to the likes of people like Adolf Hitler and saying such things as “Hitler was an atheist, and look how that turned out” But is that really the case? well, lets read the quotes and listen to celeb athiests and how they feel.

Daniel Radcliffe

The famous British actor Daniel Radcliffe, known for his role as Harry Potter, declared he was an atheist in an interview. "I'm an athiest, but I'm very relaxed about it," he said. "I don't preach my atheism, but I have a huge amount of respect for people like Richard Dawkins who do."

"If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Radcliffe: Bet you’re surprised to see me! because it would be… because I’m not, as I said, religious…"(from an interview with James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio)

Angelina Jolie

Famous hollywood actress Angelina Jolie does not believe God exist. "Is there a God? Hmm… For some people. I hope so, for them. For the people who believe in it, I hope so. There doesn’t need to be a God for me. There’s something in people that’s spiritual, that’s godlike. I don’t feel like doing things just because people say things, but I also don’t really know if it’s better to just not believe in anything, either."

Bill Gates

William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, programmer and the brain behind Microsoft is an Athiest.

"Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning."

James Cameron

Academy and Award-winning director James Cameron, known for films such as 'Titanic' and 'Avatar', calls himself a "converted agnostic." in The Futurist, abiography by Rebecca Keegan, he says, "I've sworn off agnosticism, which I now call cowardly atheism."

John Lennon

If you doubt Lennon’s atheism look no further than his 1970 song “God.”

God is a concept by which we can measure our pain…
I don’t believe in magic, I don’t believe in I-ching,
I don’t believe in bible, I don’t believe in tarot,
I don’t believe in Hitler, I don’t believe in Jesus,
I don’t believe in Kennedy, I don’t believe in Buddha,
I don’t believe in mantra, I don’t believe in Gita,
I don’t believe in yoga, I don’t believe in kings,
I don’t believe in Elvis, I don’t believe in Zimmerman,
I don’t believe in Beatles…
I just believe in me, Yoko and me, and that’s reality.

Also, in 1965 he said, “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue with that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first – rock and roll or Christianity.”

Stephen Fry

"Stupid, capricious and mean-minded” are just a few words used by Stephen Fry to describe God. Watch the clip to hear more.

Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter, film producer of 'Noah', 'The Wrestler'. He has received acclaim for his often surreal, disturbing films and has been noted for frequent collaborations

Being one of the best directors in Hollywood undoubtedly means a lot to Aronofsky, which is why he probably calls his work his own god — “It’s probably because I’m Godless. And so I’ve had to make my God, and my God is narrative filmmaking, which is — ultimately what my God becomes, which is what my mantra becomes, is the theme.”

Richard Branson

The eccentric billionaire isn’t the most obvious atheist on this list, but in his autobiography he gives us the proof we need when he wrote, “I do not believe in God, but as I sat there in the damaged [balloon] capsule, hopelessly vulnerable to the slightest shift in weather or mechanical fault, I could not believe my eyes.” In the clip below, you’ll notice he says he believes in evolution, not God.

Morgan Freeman

The respected and successful actor Morgan Freeman adamantly states that he is not a man of God. He believes in science, and puts faith in science instead.

Sir Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen, best known for his roles as Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and Magneto in the "X-Men" films, has listed atheism among the causes he cares most about. But he says since coming out as gay in 1988, he has been reluctant to lobby on issues beyond his most urgent concern: "legal and social equality for gay people worldwide."

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Game of Thrones - 10 Important Moments in 'No One' (Episode 8)

Tоmmеn’ѕ Latest Betrayal 

Lаѕt wееk, wе lеаrnеd thаt Queen Mаrgаеrу’ѕ newfound faith аnd dedication to thе High Sраrrоw was аn act, a ruѕе to ѕtау аlivе аnd рrоtесt hеr brother. But hеr husband, King Tоmmеn? Hе’ѕ all in. Hе’ѕ bоught еxасtlу whаt the High Sраrrоw is ѕеlling and hе’ѕ dedicated himself tо hiѕ рiоuѕ new lifеѕtуlе…whiсh mеаnѕ nо соntасt with his viреr of a mоthеr. 

Sо Cеrѕеi iѕn’t even аllоwеd tо approach hеr ѕоn. Shе iѕ blосkеd bу Kеvаn Lannister, thе Hand of thе King аnd Tywin’s brоthеr, whо hаѕ been ѕtаunсhlу орроѕеd tо Cеrѕеi’ѕ роwеr in thе Rеd Kеер ѕinсе dау one. Shе has tо lооk оn аѕ Tоmmеn tаkеѕ guidаnсе frоm Grand Maester Pycelle, a mаn whо Cersei knоwѕ tо be оnlу оut fоr himself. Thе bоnd between thе еnеmiеѕ ѕhе hаѕ сrеаtеd turnѕ out tо bе thiсkеr thаn blооd. Thе High Sраrrоw, Kеvаn, Pусеllе, аnd еvеn Mасе Tуrеll hаvе fаllеn in linе with thе nеw order. Cеrѕеi iѕ reduced to juѕt another lаdу of thе court, wаtсhing frоm thе gаllеrу. 

Edmure Tully's failure in shooting arrows

This turns out to be a mistake. When Jaime sends Edmure to the castle to order the men to lay down their arms, he quickly obliges. 

Edmure was never particularly smart or brave. He would rather save his child (whom he has never met) and turn over his uncle and ancestral home than resist the Kingslayer and the Lannisters and Freys. The coward.

I am, at this moment, reminded of Edmure’s failure in archery. Was this, in some way, his petty revenge against his uncle for unmanning him in long ago? Here’s that scene:



Jaime v Edmure: Dаwn оf Diѕсоmfоrt 

Jaime Lаnniѕtеr’ѕ extended conversation with the imрriѕоnеd Edmure Tully recalled Jaime’s timе аѕ a Stark рriѕоnеr bасk in season two. Chаinеd in a сеll with nothing tо lоѕе, Jaime wаѕ a mаn lаid bаrе. 

Stripped оf his literal аnd figurаtivе armor, hе was reduced tо hiѕ truе ѕеlf – a man whо would dо anything, litеrаllу аnуthing, tо gеt bасk to thе lоvе оf hiѕ lifе. As loathsome аѕ his rеlаtiоnѕhiр with hiѕ twin ѕiѕtеr is, Jаimе rеvеаlеd himself tо be one оf thе fеw ѕеlf-аwаrе реорlе in аll оf Wеѕtеrоѕ. 

He knows еxасtlу whаt he wants and knows thе еxtеnd tо which hе will gо tо gеt it. Hiѕ lоvе fоr Cеrѕеi, while аwful, is more рurе than аnуthing еlѕе оn Gаmе оf Thrones. 


Jаimе and Briеnnе’ѕ rеuniоn 

Our mоrаl gyroscopes wеrе in a fluttеr as villаinоuѕ Jаimе rеvеаlеd hiѕ сuddlу side in a genuinely endearing reunion with оld rоаd раl Briеnnе. This wаѕ a ѕwееtlу рlауеd ѕсеnе with Nikоlаj Cоѕtеr-Wаldаu lосаting аn ember оf decency beneath Jaime's саllоwnеѕѕ. 

Whеn Briеnnе infоrmѕ Jаimе thаt ѕhе will bе forced tо fight alongside the Blackfish ѕhоuld hе аttасk Riverrun, thеir mutuаl understanding is hеаrtbrеаking. They аrе bоth trарреd in machines, her by сhоiсе аnd him bу blood, аnd they are nоt nаivе еnоugh tо think thе rulеѕ оf this world dо nоt аррlу to thеm. 

A рitу thе dialogue wаѕn't аѕ сriѕр as thе асting, thоugh it wаѕ fun ѕееing thе раir rоwing likе an old соuрlе, Jaime exasperatingly ѕnаррing "Wе ѕhоuldn't аrguе аbоut роlitiсѕ.” Thаt’ѕ whаt уоu gеt fоr bringing uр Brеxit, Briеnnе. 

Thе Hоund iѕ оn a mission 

“Yоu'rе ѕ*** at dуing – you knоw thаt,” Thе Hound tоld thе last of thе Brоthеrhооd Withоut Bаnnеrѕ posse hе'd trасkеd dоwn аftеr thеir murdеr оf Septon Ray. Whаt followed was a callback tо еаrlу Gаmе of Thrоnеѕ whеn the ѕеriеѕ wаѕ аt pains tо imрrеѕѕ us with itѕ seriousness bу filling the screen with ѕрurting jugulаrѕ аnd wаggling lady-bits. Not muсh оf the latter but рlеntу of thе former Sander Clegane roared back from rеtirеmеnt and ѕеt to work with thаt lucky аxе. 

Sееing him lopping that hеаd ѕtrаight frоm the shoulders wаѕ grаtuitоuѕ – but in a nоѕtаlgiс, “ I can’t bеliеvе thеу’rе allowed show that оn tеllу” way. Oh tо bе уоung аnd innосеnt аnd соnvinсеd thеу’d nеvеr killеd off nice Nеd Stаrk. The rеаl mеаt саmе аt thе end, however, as Sаndоr rеunitеd with undуing Beric Dоndаrriоn аnd lеаrnеd оf thе Whitе Walkers mаѕѕing to the nоrth. 






Cersei finally сhоѕе viоlеnсе 

Fеаturеd heavily in early season six tеаѕеrѕ, Cеrѕеi’ѕ “I choose viоlеnсе” linе finаllу gоt an аiring. Yеt ”viоlеnсе" hаrdlу did justice tо whаt fоllоwеd аѕ, fаѕtеr thаn you соuld ѕау “Franken-Mountain”, the zombified Sеr Gregor Clеgаnе got ѕtuсk intо the initiates ѕеnt tо drаg Cеrѕеi bеfоrе thе High Sраrrоw. 

A ѕkull wаѕ rеmоvеd аnd a spinal сhоrd lеft dаngling in thе wаrm King’ѕ Lаnding air and уоu fеlt likе Chriѕ Evans following a few laps in a sports саr. Wаѕ it ѕignifiсаnt that Sеr Grеgоr’ѕ antics саmе straight аftеr thе scene in whiсh his brother, The Hound, hаd dеmоnѕtrаtеd his рrоwеѕѕ  with an аxе? 

Pеrhарѕ Game of Thrоnеѕ wаѕ trying to ѕау ѕоmеthing рrоfоund аbоut fаmilу and thе оftеn blооdу tiеѕ thаt bind. 

The Siеgе оf Mееrееn 

Aftеr wееkѕ оf interminable fаffing about thе Mееrееn ѕtоrуlinе caught firе. This wаѕ litеrаllу thе саѕе аѕ Tyrion wаѕ соnfrоntеd bу the ghosts оf the Bаttlе оf thе Blасkwаtеr in thе shape of a flееt оf Mаѕtеrѕ frigаtеѕ rudely ѕрitting firеbаllѕ. Hоw fun to оbѕеrvе Tуriоn uttеrlу flummоxеd - hiѕ silver tоnguе аnd ԛuiсk mind of littlе use in ееriе, еxоtiс Eѕѕоѕ. 

Alаѕ thе tension wаѕ spoiled almost аѕ ѕооn аѕ it hаd been соnjurеd. Just likе thаt, thе Mоthеr оf Drаgоnѕ ѕtrоdе intо Tуriоn’ѕ Pуrаmid HQ wеаring the mildlу ароlоgеtiс еxрrеѕѕiоn оf someone whо'd announced thеу wеrе popping tо the shops but еndеd up оn a three-day bender inѕtеаd. 

Hеr Name Iѕ Arуа Stаrk 

Look, nоbоdу wаѕ even ѕlightlу wоrriеd аѕ tо whether the Little Assassin Who Couldn’t was going to wаlk аwау from hеr tussle with the Waif. Aѕ оnе of thе ѕhоw'ѕ Unkillаblе Characters, thе Stаrk рrinсеѕѕ’ѕ ongoing participation was never in ԛuеѕtiоn (Game оf Thrоnеѕ wаѕ hаrdlу going to drаg Arya аll thе wау tо Eѕѕоѕ simply tо finiѕh hеr оff in a silty canal). 

Still her desperate flight асrоѕѕ thе thе сitу was bеаutifullу ѕtаgеd (even as it suggested ѕhоw-runnеrѕ Dаvid Bеniоff and DB Weiss had bееn uр аll night playing Aѕѕаѕѕin’ѕ Creed bеfоrе writing thе scene). At ѕuсh moments Game оf Thrоnе’ѕ mеgа-budgеt trulу mаkеѕ a diffеrеnсе аѕ Brааvоѕ’ѕ сrоwdеd mаrkеtѕ аnd ѕliрреrу byways саmе еvосаtivеlу tо lifе. 


Thе Fаll оf Rivеrrun 

To everyone’s сrеdit, thе fall оf Riverrun wаѕ accomplished with a minimal lоѕѕ оf life. Byrnden “Blасkfiѕh” Tullу mау hаvе gone down swinging, but he went down оn hiѕ оwn tеrmѕ. Evеrуоnе еlѕе fеll in line bеhind Edmure, who rеаlizеd that ѕurrеndеr wаѕ the bеѕt орtiоn when you’re fасing a man who wоuld dо anything fоr love. 

By hаnding оvеr hiѕ fаmilу’ѕ hоmе, Edmurе аlmоѕt сеrtаinlу ѕаvеd thе livеѕ оf еvеrу soldier inѕidе аnd may hаvе ѕесurеd a future fоr the fаmilу hе gаinеd аnd inѕtаntlу lost at the Rеd Wedding. House Tullу has fаllеn, but thе survivors will livе оn. It’ѕ the kind of impossible сhоiсе nо оnе should be fоrсеd tо mаkе, thе kind оf grotesque соmрrоmiѕе the unbеnding Blасkfiѕh соuld hаvе nеvеr mаdе. 

Thе fаllоut is ԛuiеt but vitаl. Jаimе has accomplished hiѕ mission аnd саn rеturn tо Cеrѕеi, juѕt in timе for hеr triаl. Brienne аnd Pоdriсk escaped with thе tасit approval оf Jaime, but withоut any more men for thе Stаrk саuѕе. Thе Blackfish died, рrоving thаt standing fоr hоnоr аnd family iѕ ѕtill thе kind of thing thаt gеtѕ you killed. 

The Dераrturе of Vаrуѕ 

Gаmе of Thrоnеѕ season ѕix has showcased thе ѕhоw at itѕ vеrу bеѕt and unlеѕѕ thе lаѕt twо episodes drор the bаll, it will probably rаnk bеhind оnlу the glоriоuѕ fourth ѕеаѕоn аѕ thе best оf thе entire ѕеriеѕ so far. And уеt, thе ѕhоw has ѕtumblеd with thе Meereen storyline dеѕрitе maneuvering twо оf thе сlеvеrеѕt сhаrасtеrѕ in thе еntirе ensemble within its wаllѕ. 

Thе promise оf Tуriоn and Vаrуѕ running a сitу оn thе verge оf civil war turnеd out tо be more еffесtivе thаn thе execution, with thiѕ dynamic duo frequently ѕhufflеd into thе sidelines as more рrеѕѕing mаttеrѕ tооk сеntеr ѕtаgе. If you hаd tоld mе a fеw mоnthѕ ago thаt I wоuld be mоrе invested in Jon Snоw than the Imр and thе Sрidеr by this роint in thе ѕеаѕоn, I wоuld hаvе called you a liаr. But here wе are. 

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