Amsterdam hosts Drag Culture Olympics where participants compete in various disciplines

The 22nd annual event, the largest sporting event in the world dedicated to drag kings and drag queens, took place in Amsterdam. The organizer of this event is House of Hopelezz, Amsterdam's oldest drag community.

The competitions, held on Friday, included five disciplines: high heel race, beanbag toss, tug-of-war, beach volleyball, and hula hoop walking. Participants, which included both professional artists and newcomers, took part in these challenges.

Nippy Le Twist, a candidate aged 35 whose real name is Rutger van Aken, shared her impressions with AFP before the start of the competitions, noting that she was impressed by the performances between the contests. She mentioned that this allows her to publicly display a part of herself that she previously only showed to close friends during the pandemic.

Jennifer Hopelezz, whose real name is Richard Keldulis and who founded House of Hopelezz, called the hula hoop event 'silly' and 'stupid,' but emphasized that it brings pleasure and becomes more popular each year, attracting more spectators and participants.

During preparations, professional makeup artists helped participants solve any 'cosmetic emergencies,' while organizers reminded everyone of the importance of choosing comfortable footwear.

To open the event, Jennifer Hopelezz, dressed in a high-cut rainbow swimsuit, carried the Olympic flame with a pink smoke torch through the crowd of spectators. After taking the stage, she addressed concerns following the fatal attack at the Berlin Gay Pride, as well as world wars, calling for an Olympic truce.

She then welcomed about 10 contestants from the Netherlands, Ireland, Morocco, Russia, France, Mexico, and Iran onto the stage. Hopelezz noted the nervousness of the people and the shadow over Pride but declared a determination not to hide, to remain visible, and to celebrate Pride without allowing anyone to take that away.

Between the competitions, several drag artists gave politically charged performances. Among them was a Levantine-Palestinian drag queen who mentioned the war in the Middle East, and drag king Winnie von Winsy, who stated on stage that 'Islamophobia does not protect queer people.' Winnie, 42 years old, whose real name is Saskia de Wildt, shared that she feels the ability to express and celebrate parts of herself that are sometimes marginalized or underestimated in different spheres.

After the usual parade along the Pride canal on Saturday, which included the openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, the celebration continues for another week, as Amsterdam is hosting WorldPride this year.

podrobno.uzAugust 5, 18:30

Area near Islam Karimov Memorial Complex in Tashkent to be transformed into open park

Extensive work has begun in Tashkent to comprehensively modernize and transform a 37-hectare land plot into a public open park. This plot is located near the Scientific and Educational Memorial Complex dedicated to the first President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov.

Previously, in July, Sa'id Mirziyoyev, the head of the Presidential Administration, inspected city parks. As a result of this survey, plans were identified to ensure that city residents have all the necessary conditions for regular outdoor recreation.

Goals and Directions of the Work

The main goal of this project is to bring the territory in line with current urban planning requirements and meet the needs of the citizens. The work covers several key areas: ensuring accessibility and comfort, developing ecological systems and green spaces, and constructing modern infrastructure.

This initiative is part of a broader program of measures aimed at improving the ecological condition of the capital and increasing the area of green zones both on central streets and in adjacent territories.

autopapo.com.brAugust 5, 18:00

3rd Vintage Car Festival Held in Goiânia Featuring 300 Classic Models

The city of Goiânia (GO state) is hosting the third Vintage Vehicle Car Festival this weekend, August 8th and 9th. The event is organized by Tramontina PRO in collaboration with the Garagem do Fusca club. The exhibition will take place at Civic Square in the Central Sector and will be free to attend, with approximately 300 cars expected to participate.

The festival will start at 8 am on both days: it will run until 8:00 pm on Saturday and until 3:00 pm on Sunday. Organizers reported that six vintage car clubs from the capital have confirmed their participation. Those wishing to exhibit their vehicle must register through Sympla; entry for visitors is free.

This event is part of Goiânia's official calendar of events and receives support from the mayor's office through the Department of Sports and Leisure. The previous edition was held at the Tramontina distribution center on BR-153, in Jardim Guanabara, and lasted one day.

In addition to the cars themselves, the program includes a workshop to showcase the organizers' range, as well as a new catalog of tools and batteries from Tramontina PRO, industry company booths, a networking area, musical performances, and children's entertainment. Exhibiting brands include Royal Enfield.

According to a study by JDA Research, commissioned by the International Federation of Vintage Automobile Clubs (FIVA) and presented in the country by the Brazilian Federation of Vintage Automobiles (FBVA), the antique industry generates about 32.6 billion reais annually in Brazil. The report indicates that there are 3.2 million historical vehicles—3% of the national fleet—held by approximately 1.2 million collectors, with an average of 2.7 vehicles per owner.

The study also explains the growth in such gatherings: 88% of Brazilian collectors attend these events, and their participation contributes 3.5 billion reais out of the total volume generated by the sector.

Felisberto Moraes, director of Tramontina, stated: 'More than preserving vehicles, the culture of old cars keeps alive stories, knowledge, and passion that is passed down from generation to generation.' He added that for Tramontina PRO, participating in this event is a way to appreciate this community and strengthen ties with professionals, collectors, and enthusiasts who share with them care for every detail, commitment to quality, and respect for well-executed work.

Tramontina PRO is a line of tools and organizers aimed at specialists of the Tramontina group, founded in 1911 in Rio Grande do Sul.

olhardigital.com.brAugust 5, 17:56

ESRB Classification Indicates Possible Presence of Microtransactions in Marvel's Wolverine

A new fact regarding the upcoming release of Marvel's Wolverine has recently caught the attention of fans. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the body responsible for assigning age ratings to games in the United States, has reported that this game will contain In-Game Purchases.

This information is displayed on the game's official classification page and indicates the possibility of making purchases with real money after acquiring the base version of the game. The presence of the 'In-Game Purchases' icon does not specify what content will be sold.

Content Planning

According to the published data, the description could cover various types of additional content. However, Insomniac Games has not yet provided details about its post-launch content plan.

Despite the concern raised by this information within part of the community, the ESRB tag does not automatically mean that the game will use a continuous service model or sell gameplay advantages. There is an expectation that Marvel's Wolverine will offer a single-player campaign-focused experience, following the example of other Insomniac projects.

The studio's history supports this probability. For instance, in Marvel's Spider-Man, additional materials included main storyline expansions and optional suits that were later available on the PlayStation Store.

Marvel's Wolverine is set to release exclusively for PlayStation 5 on September 17, 2026. While Insomniac has not disclosed more details about its post-release plans, the ESRB classification only confirms the existence of some type of optional purchase after the game starts.