Tag Archives: Virgin

Travel & Tourism

What’s On in Cape Town in May 2026

Maravi Post Reporter Leave a comment

May in Cape Town is packed with a lineup of events for all ages – from world-class theatre, opera, and comedy festivals to wine experiences in the Winelands, pop-culture events, and more.

Here is your ultimate guide to what’s on in Cape Town in May 2026:

Comic Con Cape Town

Pop culture fans unite at Comic Con Cape Town.

📅 30 April – 3 May 2026 📍 Cape Town International Convention Centre

Cape Town’s biggest pop culture and gaming festival spills into May with Comic Con Cape Town. Expect everything from comics, cosplay, and gaming to film activations, exclusive merchandise, and fan experiences. It’s a must for geeks, gamers, and pop culture lovers. For tickets, visit here.

Lucky Clover Market

📅 2 May 2026📍 Novalis Ubuntu Institute, Wynberg, Cape Town

Wander through a mix of thrift treasures, handmade crafts, holistic goods, and artisan deli stalls. Set in peaceful gardens, this community market comes alive with live music, food stalls, and plenty of hidden gems to discover. Entry is free.

Volunteer Wildfire Services Trail Challenge

Trail running enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers are invited to lace up for a cause at the Volunteer Wildfire Services Trail Challenge.

📅 3 May 📍 Gardens Rugby Football Club

Trail running enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers are invited to lace up for a cause at the Volunteer Wildfire Services Trail Challenge. This much-anticipated event combines adrenaline with breathtaking scenery to support the dedicated volunteer firefighters who protect the Western Cape’s natural landscapes. Starting from the Gardens Rugby Football Club, participants can choose between a 10 km or 20 km route, both of which traverse the trails of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak. Get more information here.

Private Salon – Sar la Rouge – Digital Art & Charity event

At the centre is Franco-Togolese digital artist Sar La Rouge, known for bold, expressive portraits that explore how screens shape perception and reality.

📅 8 and 9 May 2026 📍 Constantia

A private home in Constantia opens its doors for a two-day immersive digital art experience that blends contemporary art, music, and community impact. At the centre is Franco-Togolese digital artist Sar La Rouge, known for bold, expressive portraits that explore how screens shape perception and reality. The opening evening (8 May) is an intimate sunset event featuring live music, curated canapés, drinks, and art throughout the house. The family day (9 May) offers a relaxed, interactive experience with workshops, kids’ activities, and full access to the exhibition. All proceeds support The Bridge Orphanage. Tickets available via Quicket.

RISE ‘76: The Story of June 16th

📅 8-30 May📍 Baxter Theatre Centre

Commissioned by The Market Theatre and The Baxter Theatre to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprisings, Rise ’76: The Story of June 16th is a powerful new South African work of historical fiction by Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni, a two-time Fleur du Cap Award-winning playwright-director.

Set in the fictional Molefe Secondary School in Soweto, the play unfolds over a single school day as students, teachers, and families confront the impact of the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. What begins as an ordinary morning gradually builds towards a moment that will change the course of history. Get your tickets via Webtickets.

The Cableway Charity Challenge

📅 9 May 2026 📍  Table Mountain
The Cableway Charity Challenge is a one-of-a-kind fundraising event hosted on the slopes of Table Mountain. Whether you’re a runner, walker, or casual jogger, the goal is simple: summit Platteklip Gorge as many times as possible between sunrise and sunset on Saturday, 9 May 2026.  Every step taken helps raise vital funds for honoured local charities dedicated to supporting vulnerable women and children across Cape Town. Find out more here.

Candlelight: Tribute to Brenda Fassie

📅 9 May 2026 📍 Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre, Cape Town

Candlelight Concerts’ special edition pays tribute to the legendary Brenda Fassie, celebrating her music through a powerful live performance bathed in candlelight. Audiences can expect a 60-minute concert featuring reimagined renditions of some of her most iconic songs, including Vuli Ndlela, Weekend Special, Too Late for Mama, Nomakanjani, and more. Tickets are available via Fever.

Nina Simone Tribute Dinner with Auriol Hays

📅 9 May2026. 📍 Time Out Market Cape Town

Step into an evening with Auriol Hays as she channels the spirit and music of Nina Simone. Through song and storytelling, Hays brings Simone’s legacy to life, capturing the power and vulnerability behind the icon.  For ticket prices and information, visit here.

Musgrave Gin Floral Workshop and High Tea

Hosted by Musgrave Gin in collaboration with uBlom, this exclusive event is elevated by a curated high tea by acclaimed chef Elsa van der Nest.

📅 9 May 2026 📍  Constantia Valley

Hosted by Musgrave Gin in collaboration with uBlom, this exclusive event is elevated by a curated high tea by acclaimed chef Elsa van der Nest. Guests will create their own striking bouquet while enjoying refreshing pours of Musgrave Pink Gin or the non-alcoholic Musgrave Inspirit 0%. Afterwards, sample a high tea menu featuring buttery French sablés, finger sandwiches, a flourless chocolate cake with ganache, and a baked goat’s cheese quiche. For ticket prices, visit here.

Absa Run Your City Cape Town 10KM

📅 10 May 2026 📍 Woodbridge Island, Milnerton

This high-energy road race combines fitness with sightseeing as runners follow a scenic coastal route into the city centre. Even spectators can enjoy live entertainment and a vibrant race-day atmosphere. It’s a ‘proudly South African, proudly Cape Town’ must-experience mass-participation road-running event. Catch our Cape Town Tourism mobile team at the event and enjoy an immersive VR experience of the city. More information here.

The Human League

The Human League - Don't You Want Me (Official Music Video)

📅 12 May 2026 📍 Grand Arena, GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World

British synth-pop pioneers The Human League are set to deliver an electrifying night of pure 80s nostalgia, performing a string of timeless hits, including “Don’t You Want Me”, “Human”, “Together in Electric Dreams”, “Mirror Man” and “(Keep Feeling) Fascination.” Joining them as special guests are fellow UK synth-pop favourites Blancmange, whose cult classics “Living on the Ceiling”, “Blind Vision” and “Don’t Tell Me” have earned them a loyal global following. Tickets are on sale here.

Winemaker’s Dinner at Mont Rochelle

📅 15 May 2026📍 Franschhoek

Wine and food in one of the Cape’s most stunning locations? Yes, please! Begin the evening with a guided cellar tour led by winemaker Michael Langenhoven, offering insight into the winemaking process and varietals. Afterwards, tuck into a five-course menu created in collaboration with Executive Chef Terence Morris, with each dish thoughtfully matched to complement the wines and elevate every course. Tickets cost R1350. Email reception@montrochelle.virgin.com

Franschhoek Literary Festival

The Franschhoek Literary Festival, launched in 2007, takes place annually on the third weekend of May.

📅 15 – 17 May 2026📍 Franschhoek

A must for book lovers, this festival brings together leading authors, thinkers, and creatives for talks, debates, and intimate discussions, all set in Franschhoek. The Franschhoek Literary Festival, launched in 2007, takes place annually on the third weekend of May. Tickets from around R125 via the festival website.

Carmen

📅 19 – 31 May 2026 📍 Artscape Theatre Centre, Cape Town

Cape Town Opera presents a bold new staging of Carmen, Georges Bizet’s timeless opera. Set against a backdrop of jealousy and desire, the story follows the fiery, independent Carmen as she defies convention and captivates all who cross her path, ultimately setting tragedy in motion. Tickets are available via Webtickets.

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon

📅 23 – 24 May 2026 📍 Cape Town

One of Africa’s premier running events, the Cape Town Marathon draws elite athletes and casual runners from around the world. Renowned for its scenic yet fast route, the race is a highlight of the global marathon calendar. More information here.

A Night of Wine & Wonder

📅 23 May 📍  Protea Hotel Stellenbosch and Conference Centre

Set in the heart of one of South Africa’s most striking wine regions, this curated experience brings together 17 top wine farms, great music, and plenty of space to relax and socialise. It makes for the perfect night of sipping and discovering your next favourite wine. Get your tickets via Quicket.

ACDC Duet Xchange 2026: The Art of the Duet

📅 22 – 23 May 2026 📍 Star Theatre, Homecoming Centre

This two-night contemporary dance platform is presented by Anderson Carvalho Dance & Choreography. This artist-led platform is dedicated to duet-based collaboration, bringing together local and international artists to create new choreographic works rooted in dialogue and shared authorship. Guest choreographers and companies featured include New World Dance Theatre, Northern Dance Academy, and Janine Booysens. For more information and tickets, visit here.

Jive Cape Town Funny Festival

📅 28 May – 21 June 2026 📍 Baxter Theatre Centre

The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival has been the Mother City’s ultimate cure for chilly winter evenings for more than two decades. Since its debut in 1997, the festival has consistently drawn sold-out crowds. This year’s edition promises a laugh-a-minute experience, featuring a stellar international and local line-up. Audiences can look forward to the mesmerising Italian shadow artist and illusionist Matteo Fraziano, the UK’s dynamic singing impersonator Mike Woodhams, the wildly inventive Spanish balloon artist Dani Airhead, and some of South Africa’s finest comedic talent, including Jason Goliath and Robby Collins. Get your tickets here.

The Good Life Show

The Good Life Show celebrates conscious living, food innovation, wellness, and sustainable lifestyle inspiration under one roof.

📅 29 – 31 May 2026 📍 Cape Town International Convention Centre

The Good Life Show celebrates conscious living, food innovation, wellness, and sustainable lifestyle inspiration under one roof. Over three days, visitors can explore a curated mix of plant-based cuisine, health and wellness brands, eco-friendly products, and live cooking demonstrations from top chefs and industry experts.  Tickets start at R150 and are available via Quicket.

Bed By 10pm LGBTQIA+ Edition

📅 30 May 2026 📍 The District, Harrington Street

Want to serve face, dance like it’s the early 2000s, and still be tucked up in bed by 10 (ish)?  Bed By 10: LGBTQIA+ Edition is your throwback party for legends who love a big night out but love a good night’s sleep even more. Expect nonstop 80s–00s anthems, iconic drag performances, and live acts, DJ sets. Get your tickets via Howler.

Amapiano Fest Cape Town

📅 30 May 2026 📍 Cape Town High School, Gardens

Amapiano Fest is a major South African outdoor music festival and cultural celebration dedicated to the Amapiano genre, featuring top DJs, producers, and live performances. Book your tickets via Howler.

Sunday Lunch at Connexxion Restaurant

📅 31 May 📍 Garden Court Victoria Junction

Garden Court Victoria Junction hosts a Sunday lunch buffet on the last Sunday of each month. Enjoy a generous selection of fresh salads, artisanal breads, hearty hot dishes such as lamb, chicken, and curry, and classic desserts. Priced at R375 per person, R185 per child under 12, and children under 4 eat for free. For more information, email gcvictoriajunction.reservations@southernsun.com

The post What’s On in Cape Town in May 2026 appeared first on Cape Town Tourism.

Entertainment

Tony Hawk Responds to Claim He Got Married on Jeffrey Epstein’s Island

Maravi Post Reporter

Tony Hawk is clearing the air about the speculation he got married on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.

“Here are the facts and timelines of my nuptials,” the pro skateboarder, 57, wrote via his Instagram Story on Thursday, February 5, per People. “And I apologize if they don’t fit a narrative of nonsense.”

Hawk has been married four times and broke down the timeline for his multiple life events. The athlete wed first wife Cindy Dunbar in Fallbrook, California in 1990. Three years after his 1993 divorce from Dunbar, Hawk tied the knot with Erin Lee at the Hilton hotel in San Diego.

Following his 2004 split from Lee, Hawk moved on with Lhotse Merriam. The pair held their wedding ceremony at the Tavarua Surf Island in Fiji in 2006. After his 2011 divorce from Merriam, Hawk founded The One with wife Catherine Goodman. The couple got married at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2015. None of the locations Hawk listed were Little Saint James which was Epstein’s private estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Whoopi Goldberg Slams ‘Conspiracy Theory’ She Was on Jeffrey Epstein List

Hawk claimed that the confusion came from one of the guests at his 2006 wedding to Merriam. One of the guests was allegedly a photographer named Mark Epstein. Jeffrey coincidentally has a brother named Mark, but Hawk claimed that his wedding guest has no relationship with the late financier’s family. (Epstein died by suicide at age 66 in August 2019 after being arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. He previously pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a minor in 2008, and served 13 months in prison.)

“One of the guests in 2006 shot photos of the Fiji ceremony and licensed them to Getty Images,” Hawk explained. “His name is [coincidentally] Mark Epstein. An accomplished action sports photographer from Wyoming and of no relation to Jeffrey Epstein (who I never met and whose island I never visited). This is all easily verifiable information. Facts are not fungible.”

Hawk concluded his message apologizing to his friend Mark for “the misinformation vortex.”

Everything Bill Gates Has Said About His Relationship With Jeffrey Epstein

After the United States Department of Justice released the Epstein files last month, rumors swirled that Hawk was involved after the skateboarder was mentioned in an October 2024 email from an FBI agent. The agent was investigating a case involving a minor being allegedly trafficked.

The email stated that the victim claimed that “she was taken from Ireland and brought to Jeffrey Epstein Island when she was 13 years old,” and “she was there when Prince Edward was there and when Tony Hawk got married on the island.”

Hawk was not the only star name dropped in the Epstein files. Many stars including Prince Andrew, J.K. Rowling, Bill Gates and more were mentioned in the legal documents. Gates, who previously spent time with Epstein while he was alive, broke his silence on his connection to the disgraced billionaire.

“Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent,” Gates, 70, told 9 News Australia on Wednesday, February 4. “The email is false. I don’t know what his thinking was there. Was he trying to attack me in some way? Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize that I did that.”

If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Entertainment

Alexandra Breckenridge Details ‘Suffocating’ in Prosthetics for ‘My Secret Santa’

Maravi Post Reporter

Alexandra Breckenridge had a great time playing jolly old Saint Nick in her new film, My Secret Santa — but the heavy prosthetics and fake belly needed for the transformation were admittedly “miserable.”

“I’m gonna be totally honest, it’s the most uncomfortable thing in the world,” Breckenridge, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly while discussing the film. “It’s so uncomfortable because it’s suffocating your skin for 12 hours, and then I had a beard as well, obviously, so that was glued to my face, and then the mustache, so it was really hard to eat. My skin was just really angry.”

Breckenridge takes on dual roles in My Secret Santa, playing Taylor, a down on her luck single mom who asks her family to help her pretend to be an old man so she can get a job as Santa Claus at a ski resort. Breckenridge ends up spending most of the film as her secret identity, a job that required her to wear facial prosthetics, a fake belly, wig, beard and the iconic red velvet suit, all of which weighed about 15 pounds.

“When I was outside shooting in negative nine degree weather, it was great,” Breckenridge said with a laugh. “But when I was inside, doing Santa’s Village with the kids, I was so hot. I had to put ice packs in the front and in the back of my suit. And my wonderful team who did my prosthetics, they would come in with these fans and try to fan me. I have some hysterical photos from set!”

New on Netflix in December 2025 — The Full List of Movies and TV Shows

Breckenridge noted that despite how “miserable” she felt “physically,” taking on the two-part gig was the best acting experience she’s had in years. “I got to play a character within a character,” she gushed. “I was able to just be silly and be ridiculous. And it was so much fun.”

That fun, however, only manifested after she pushed past being “terrified” of a script that required such heavy lifting.

“I was like, ‘This could turn out to be absolutely awful if I can’t make the audience, or help the audience, follow this character in the story line and have that suspension of disbelief. It’s not going to work,’” she recalled. “But I think part of the wonderful thing about life is to challenge yourself often. And this was definitely a challenge.”

As for taking on the task of portraying the one and only Kriss Kringle, Breckenridge said she looked to Tim Allen’s portrayal in The Santa Clause — but putting on the magic suit is what really did the trick.

Alexandra Breckenridge Details Miserable But Fun Time Suffocating in 15 Lbs of Prosthetics for My Secret Santa 005
Netflix

“What helped the most was getting everything on,” she told Us. “I had some inkling of what I was going to do, but [then] I really got into the full hair, makeup and suit and I found a walk.”

There was also the added angle that Breckenridge isn’t actually playing Santa – she’s a woman pretending to be him, which means the portrayal isn’t always going to be spot on.

“My character, Taylor, she’s not an actress, so there has to be some level of naiveness to the role, because she doesn’t, like, jump into playing Santa Claus and just know exactly what she’s doing,” she quipped. “I think that’s also what makes it kind of funny.”

If playing dual roles, rocking heavy prosthetics and pretending to be every kid’s favorite magical figure wasn’t intimidating enough, Breckenridge had the added challenge of getting up on stage — in freezing cold temperatures — to sing and jam out on guitar for one of the film’s final big moments. Luckily for the Virgin River star, her voice was not required, only some top-tier level lip-syncing.

“It’s not my voice. I almost sang it, but then that scared me more than playing Santa Claus!” Breckenridge confessed, adding that the guitar solo was slightly easier since she “grew up” playing and her husband, Casey Hooper, is also a guitarist.

Still, shredding wasn’t exactly easy.

My Secret Santa, Alexandra Breckenridge
Diyah Pera/Netflix ©2025

“That song is actually shockingly hard to play because of the reach, and I have very tiny pinkies,” she added. “I practiced it many, many, many, many times, but you know what? Once I got out in that freezing cold weather, I could barely move my fingers anyway, so all the work that I had done leading up to that moment, I was like, ‘Well, I’ll just keep them in the same position!’”

One thing that was easy? Building chemistry with her on screen love interest, Ryan Eggold, who’s character finds himself very confused when he starts to build a special kind of connection with Taylor — and Santa.

“With chemistry, a lot of it can be accidental, but I find that if you have a similar sense of humor, you can slide into a rapport with somebody very easily, and that helps,” the This Is Us alum explained, noting that she and Eggold, 41, have been friends for decades. “And if you know your partner is willing to make jokes with you and just have fun. It’s like playing tennis or something, you have to hit the ball back and forth, and so if you can get into that rhythm with someone, it shows on camera.”

Every Holiday Movie on TV This 2025 Season: Hallmark, Netflix and Lifetime

Breckenridge and Eggold’s sparks certainly translate on screen, and the pair — along with Tia Mowry and the rest of the cast — deliver one of Netflix’s most delightful and hilarious movies of the holiday season. While Breckenridge hopes that “everyone” falls in love with the film, she’s mostly excited for people to see her stretch her acting legs in a different way.

“I love working on Virgin River, but I was really looking for something that I could sink my teeth into as an actress,” she told Us. “And this was definitely that kind of role.”

My Secret Santa is now streaming on Netflix.

 

Entertainment

Marcus Johnson and Kim Suarez Defend ‘Toxic’ Relationship After ‘VPR’ Debut

Maravi Post Reporter

New Vanderpump Rules stars Marcus Johnson and Kim Suarez didn’t mind their on-again, off-again relationship taking center stage in season 12’s premiere, but they believe their costars got it wrong when they hated on the “toxic” romance.

“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion,” Johnson, 35, told Us Weekly exclusively ahead of the reboot’s debut, which aired on Tuesday, December 2. “Some people are used to relationships and understand the ups and downs of it and some people aren’t.”

He went on to explain, “If you don’t know what it’s like to be in love and be in a situation where everything’s not perfect, you might have a virgin’s response to seeing someone go through something like that.”

Suarez, 31, meanwhile, told Us, their romance is “misunderstood.”

James Kennedy Says He Was ‘Holding Back Tears’ Saying Goodbye to ‘VPR’

“There’s nothing that’s been said on camera that I haven’t heard already off camera,” she said in response to episode one, which saw several costars weighing in on her relationship with Johnson.

Suarez noted they’ve known the cast — including Venus Binkley, Jason Cohen, Shayne Davis, Chris Hahn, Angelica Jensen, Audrey Lingle, Natalie Maguire and Demy Selem — “for a long time” since they all work at Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant SUR, so opinions on the couple’s relationship troubles come from a place of love.

“Marcus and I’s relationship is a bit misunderstood because you have friends who understandably are protective over you and don’t want to see you in a toxic situation. But we’re not going through toxicity the way that people think,” she explained to Us.

She pointed out that Johnson has been “navigating [the] grief” of losing both of his parents while juggling their relationship, which she admitted “never got a honeymoon phase.” (Vanderpump Rules fans will see more on that as the season goes on).

New VPR Cast Reacts to Marcus Johnson and Kim Suarezs Toxic Relationship Feuds and More Ahead of Season 12 Premiere
Marcus Johnson, Kim Suarez Mark Hunter “thecobrasnake”/Bravo

Suarez shared that she and Johnson were “working through real-life problems” prior to filming.

“There’s a lot that happens in regards to friendships and their opinion of my relationship,” she teased, adding, “It’s that constant forgiveness and compassion and trying to put myself in their shoes.”

When it came to their costars, each had a different opinion.

Davis, 32, who is the only cast member not working at SUR but has been a longtime friend of Johnson, defended their relationship.

Every Story Line — and Feud — That Happened Between ‘VPR’ Seasons 11 and 12

“Look, I grew up a little differently, so I’m used to people having big ups and downs and being maybe a little more passionate in their particular love life,” he told Us. “I wouldn’t say it’s all that toxic to me.”

Johnson and Suarez’s closest pal, Binkley, 27, however, admitted that he didn’t like how Kim reacted toward Maguire, also 27, after accusing her of flirting with Marcus in the premiere episode.

“I was really close with Kim and Marcus, and so for me to see that type of behavior, it really rubbed me wrong,” he exclusively told Us. “I think it made me and Natalie closer because I always root for the underdog, and whenever I feel like there’s injustice, I want to stand up for them, and that’s how I felt about Natalie in this entire situation. So I think it just showed everyone’s true colors, truthfully.”

For her part, Maguire said she “was so surprised” at Suarez’s accusations “because there are actually people here that have a history with Marcus, and she’s totally fine with them. So it’s pretty shocking.”

‘Vanderpump Rules’ EP Addresses Fan ‘Skepticism’ of Season 12 Reboot

Johnson’s love life wasn’t the only topic of conversation that put him in the hot seat in season 12’s first episode. Fans also watched him get reprimanded by Vanderpump for drinking on the job, an act that made the restaurant’s co-owner, Nathalie Pouille-Zapata, cry.

Johnson defended his behavior.

“I respected everyone’s disappointment in me,” he told Us. “I was just someone who got caught in the moment. This is a party all the time. I was just not slick enough that day to get my partying off.”

While Johnson confessed he felt “a little bit bad” about the situation, he said, “I’m not gonna let it change how I behave at work.”

New episodes of Vanderpump Rules season 12 airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo and the next day on Peacock.

Entertainment

Sara Canning Nearly Got Lead ‘Murder in a Small Town’ Role Before Guest Spot

Maravi Post Reporter

Sara Canning‘s guest spot on Murder in a Small Town is a full circle moment after she originally auditioned for the lead role.

“The show has definitely been on my radar because I got to read the pilot and audition. I immediately loved it,” Canning, 38, exclusively told Us Weekly about her appearance in the Tuesday, November 4, episode of the Fox series. “A good friend of mine was in the pilot and the nice thing about being in the industry is having gotten to know a lot of actors really well. I get to see a lot of them in shows that are shot locally. So it was pretty cool to get to join for an episode.”

Based on novels written by L.R. Wright, Murder in a Small Town follows a police chief named Karl (Rossif Sutherland) who investigates mysterious murders with the help of a few others, including his girlfriend, Cassandra (Kristin Kreuk). The procedural format allows the show to feature celebrity cameos such as Canning’s, who played Mackenzie in Tuesday’s episode.

Before joining as Mackenzie, Canning initially read for Kreuk’s character, Cassandra Lee.

Fox Fall Schedule for New, Returning Shows: From ‘Doc’ to ‘Special Forces’

“Kristin is such an incredible actor and it’s so beautiful to watch the chemistry between her and Rossif [Sutherland]. It was really special to get to come aboard,” she shared about her role.

Canning’s character is originally introduced as someone who organizes a memorial after the death of her sister. The event went awry after a bear attack, but it was ultimately revealed that Mackenzie planned to kill someone during the memorial to avenge her sister’s death.

MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN
Kailey Schwerman/ FOX.

“It’s really interesting playing a character who is in the middle of such a traumatic event and processing so much grief. It is about living in the reality of the trauma of the event of the bear attack,” she told Us. “To have all of these scenes in a hospital bed, you have to try to differentiate between where she’s at in processing what’s happened and suddenly feeling like she’s being investigated.”

Canning called the opportunity a “pretty challenging” role.

Fall 2025 TV Schedule: See When Your Favorite Shows Will Air

“The great thing about playing Mackenzie is that we get to meet her in a pretty honest state. This horrible thing has happened and it’s affected her in a very real way — despite the plotting that she was up to. I loved that about this character, this reveal,” she teased. “These particular mystery shows are really good at giving us a character that contains multitudes. We get to meet Mackenzie in a very real state of trauma. It’s all the more interesting as it unravels into what the premeditative nature of this whole thing was and how she’s left now to pick up the pieces while being trapped in a hospital.”

Playing Mackenzie allowed Canning to push herself as an actress. “I love murder mystery shows. I’ve just started watching Task, which I’ve only watched the first episode of but I love shows that exist in that tone,” she said before teasing what’s next. “Then I have Virgin River, where I have a pretty significant arc in season 7 of that show, which was really exciting. And I did a film with long time pal Daniel Gillies from The Vampire Diaries as well called Shaman.”

Murder in a Small Town airs on Fox Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Entertainment

Simone Biles Reveals Which 3 Plastic Surgeries She’s Gotten Through the Years

Maravi Post Reporter

Simone Biles sneakily got three plastic surgeries.

Biles, 28, opened up about the work she’s had done while sharing “fun facts” about herself while getting unready via TikTok earlier this week.

“I’ve had three plastic surgeries,” she shared. “And two of them you would never be able to tell.” The Olympic gymnast then gave the camera a side eye and encouraged her fans to “guess” what procedures she’s undergone.

“Take your guesses 👀,” Biles captioned the post. Fans were quick to question what work she’s had done in the comments section.

Simone Biles Seemingly Confirms Boob Job After Plastic Surgery Rumors

“The girls are done? 🔥💛,” one questioned, seemingly referencing potential breast implants. Another asked, “🍒 done ? 💖,” and Biles “liked” the comment. More wrote that the “only guess” they had was that she had a “boob job.”

Another person listed three possible surgeries Biles could have gotten: “boobs, skinny bbl, and eye lift or skin tightening.” The social media user added, “I’m literally guessing bc i can’t tell lol.”

Biles saw the comment and confirmed that two of her follower’s guesses were correct. She replied to the comment, “🍒, lower bleph because I had THE WORST eye bags & ear lobe — my earring got ripped out when I was younger.”

Biles previously seemingly confirmed that she got a breast augmentation via her Instagram Story last month. In the clip, she jumped on a trampoline outside her new house. “First flip – in a year – at the new house – with new [cherries emoji],” she captioned the post.

Simone Biles Reveals She’s Undergone 3 Plastic Surgeries, Details All the Work She’s Had Done
Courtesy of Simone Biles/Instagram

Fans first wondered if Biles went under the knife in July, when she shared a steamy bikini pic via Instagram.

In the photo, she knelt on a daybed while wearing a Fendi bikini. The swimsuit featured the brand’s famous logo printed on triangle cups. She teamed the look with matching bottoms that tied in bows on her hips.

Biles elevated the look with a thick gold chain necklace, beaded bracelets, silver rings and hoop earrings. She completed her look with black eyeglasses.

Her followers wondered if she got an augmentation in the comments section.

@simonebilesowens
take your guesses 👀

♬ original sound – Simone Biles

“Looks like someone got the girls enhanced 😍😍😍,” one wrote. Another added, “I love this for you.” Makeup artist Alexis Oakley complimented her, writing, ”You look unreal.”

Biles shared more bikini pics later that month, while taking a trip to the British Virgin Islands. In one post, she showed off a Moi Moi cowgirl hat, which she styled with a black triangle halter top and polkadot bottoms.

Simone Biles Shows Off NFL Game Day Outfit After Addressing Boob Job Rumors

She also showed off a blue thong bikini, which she teamed with a white tank top with “No crying on the yacht” embroidered across her chest and oversized black shades.

Elsewhere in her getting unready video, Biles shared that she’s sensitive to many lip products.

“I’m allergic to a ton of lip glosses,” she said. “I still haven’t found out which active ingredient I’m allergic to.” Biles noted that she’s “working” on finding out what causes a reaction.

Many of her fans related to the allergy in the comments section and suggested she try some of The Lip Bar’s products.

Lifestyle

Over 270,000 pilgrims gather in Fátima shrine after Pope Leo’s election

Maravi Post Reporter

They came from all over the world to visit one of Catholicism’s most famous shrines. 

Over 270,000 pilgrims gathered at the sanctuary of Fátima in Portugal on Monday, to celebrate the first reported apparition of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children on 13 May 1917. 

The Catholic Church believes the Virgin Mary visited the children six times and divulged the Three Secrets of Fátima, a series of prophecies, to them.

This year, Catholic devotees also prayed for newly elected Pope Leo XIV and for global peace.

“I imagine that Leo XIV will soon visit this shrine, which is the centre of Marian spirituality, not only in Portugal, but throughout the world”, said Father Juan Carlos López.

Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, visited Fátima twice. In 2017, he canonised two of the shephered children for the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Mary’s apparitions. He returned to the shrine during his trip to Portugal for the 2023 World Youth Day.

This year’s pilgrimage takes places after Pope Leo’s first Sunday address as pontiff in St. Peter’s Square, during which he called for peace in Ukraine and Gaza.

“I too address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call ‘never again war'”, Leo said from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

“He is the Pope that the Holy Spirit has chosen to manage the Church in these difficult times and I believe he will do it very well”, Father Juan Carlos López said from Fátima.

A total of 6.2 million people visited the Fátima shrine in 2024. 

The original statue of the Virgin of Fátima will travel to Rome in October, to celebrate the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, the cult of the Virgin Mary. It will be the statue’s fourth travel to the Vatican.

Additional sources • Reuters

Source: Africanews

https://video.euronews.com/mp4/ED/14/79/50/02/ED_PYR_1479502_20250513135054.mp4
Lifestyle

How the Catholic Church chooses a new Pope

Maravi Post Reporter

A change in popes — through death or resignation — is a complicated process, with centuries-old rituals involving the transition in leadership for both the spiritual head of the global Catholic Church and the Vatican’s head of state. These are the need-to-know terms — some of them in Latin — to help make sense of news in the coming days: Who is the Vatican camerlengo? This is the “chamberlain” — the cardinal in charge of formally verifying the pope’s death — and then sealing his room and study.

Between then and the election of the new pope, the camerlengo administers the “goods and temporal rights” of the Holy See. The current one is the Irish-born American Cardinal Kevin Farrell. Who is in the College of Cardinals? There are 252 cardinals worldwide, and as a body, they are in charge of the Holy See’s affairs in-between popes, albeit with limits. Of them, 135 are “cardinal electors,” who gather in the Vatican to choose the new pope. For centuries, they have chosen one of their own. The vast majority of the electors — 108 — were made cardinals by Pope Francis, according to Vatican statistics. What is the conclave? This is the closed-door meeting of the cardinal electors to choose the new pope in the Sistine Chapel. Its name, literally “with a key,” was used in the 13th century to describe the process of locking up the cardinals until the election is completed. It must begin no more than 20 days after the death or resignation of a pope.

The electors are sequestered from all outsiders for the duration; the last three popes were chosen within days. Who is the dean of the College of Cardinals? The current dean is Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. He is the head of the College of Cardinals who informs the rest of the cardinals and the ambassadors to the Holy See of the pope’s death once he learns of it from the camerlengo. He convenes the conclave and presides as the electors take their oaths. Once a new pope is chosen, the dean asks him if he accepts and what name he wants to be called. What is St. Peter’s Basilica?

The 16th century church, built over the traditional tomb of the apostle St. Peter, is one of the largest Catholic basilicas in the world and is the centerpiece of Vatican City, headquarters of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. Starting Wednesday, the faithful will be invited to the church to pay their final respects to Francis, whose body will lay in state on the main altar.

The Renaissance masterpiece was built and decorated by some of the most illustrious architects and artists of the time. Its grottoes contain the remains of popes past and its vast, marbled interior is home to some of the Vatican’s greatest treasures, including Michelangelo’s Pieta sculpture and Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s bronze baldacchino canopy over the main altar. What is the Domus Santa Marta? This Vatican guesthouse, built in 1996, specifically houses cardinals during a conclave and is used at other times as a hotel for visiting priests and Vatican officials. Pope Francis never moved out after he was elected pope, choosing to live in suite 201, rather than the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace.

What does ‘extra omnes’ mean? A Latin phrase for “all out,” it’s spoken by the master for papal liturgical celebrations, currently Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to ask all those present except the cardinal electors to leave the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process during the conclave. Why is the pope’s ring called the fisherman’s ring? Each pope gets this ring at the Mass marking the beginning of his pontificate. It bears this name because Jesus told St. Peter, the first pope, that he would be “a fisher of men.” Until the 1990s, it was destroyed upon a pope’s death. Now, it’s “annulled,” or marked in such a way that it can’t be used as a seal.

What are the General Congregations? This is the name given to the gathering of all members of the College of Cardinals after the pope’s death and before the start of the conclave to discuss major church affairs. All cardinals who aren’t infirm take part in this meeting in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. They also discuss preparations for the conclave, under oath and in secret. What does it mean when they say, ‘Habemus Papam’? This Latin phrase translates to “We have a pope.” These are the words used by the “protodeacon” of the College of Cardinals to announce from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica that a new pope has been elected. He then says the new pope’s birth name and the name he has chosen to use as pope, also in Latin. The current protodeacon is French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

Who are the infirmarii? These are the three cardinals, chosen by a random drawing from the electors, who are charged with gathering the ballots of any electors who are ill during the conclave. What does Pope Francis’ motto ‘miserando atque eligendo’ mean? This is Latin for “having had mercy and choosing him” — a phrase that Francis chose as his motto when he was elevated to bishop and kept as his papal seal. It was drawn from the homilies of St. Bede the Venerable, an 8th century monk. It comes from the Gospel narrative of St. Matthew, a tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him.

Who are the revisers? These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing the ballots during the conclave. What is a rogito? This is the document, or “deed,” listing key details of the pope’s life and papacy that is placed in his coffin. It’s written in Latin by the master for papal liturgical celebrations. A copy is kept in the Vatican archives. Who are the scrutineers? These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing each ballot and announcing it to the assembled conclave after each round of voting. They then tally the votes — to win the election, two-thirds of the votes are necessary — and they also burn the ballots.

What does the saying ‘sede vacante’ mean? This is Latin for “vacant seat,” the period between the pope’s death or resignation and the election of a new one. Pope Francis attends a prayer for peace at Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, file) What is St. Mary Major? This is the basilica in Rome where Pope Francis said he wants to be buried. Francis is breaking with the tradition of his predecessors who are buried inside the Vatican, saying he wanted to be near his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine-style painting of the Madonna draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn is holding a jeweled golden book.

The icon is located in the church first built in the 5th century and devoted to the Virgin Mary. In his will, Francis said he wanted a simple underground tomb with only “Franciscus” written on it. What does the text ‘Universi Dominici Gregis’ contain? This Latin phrase means “the Lord’s whole flock.” It’s the Vatican constitution that regulates the processes from a pope’s death until a new one is elected. St. John Paul II issued it in 1996 during his papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI twice amended it, most significantly by removing John Paul’s provision that after about 12 days of balloting a simple majority could elect a new pope rather than a two-thirds majority.

If the conclave lasts that long, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff, with a two-thirds majority required to win. Neither of the top two candidates casts a ballot in the runoff. What does white or black smoke mean during a papal transition? After each round of voting in the Sistine Chapel, the ballots are burned in a special furnace to indicate the outcome to the outside world.

If no pope is chosen, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar), and sulfur to produce black smoke.But if there is a winner, the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin to produce the white smoke. Bells also are rung to further signal there is a new pope.

Source: Africanews

https://video.euronews.com/mp4/ED/13/61/91/01/ED_PYR_1361911_20250430055701.mp4