RadioRob

Published by Reuters By Steve Holland ATLANTA, Ga. (Reuters) -President Joe Biden told Americans to look towards Martin Luther King Jr.’s life for lessons on repairing their divisions, extremism and injustice, as he become the first sitting U.S. president to speak at a Sunday service in the civil rights leader’s church in Atlanta. Marking Monday’s national holiday celebrating King, Biden delivered a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church at the invitation of its pastor, Democratic U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, centered on a common theme – the country and the world are battling against autocratic forces. “The fact is that I stand here at a critical juncture for the United States and the world in my view,” Biden said, calling it a “time of choosing.” “Are we a people who will choose democracy over autocracy,” Biden asked. “We have to choose a community over chaos. Are we the people going to choose love over hate? These are the questions of our time and the reason I am here.” King worked for voting rights, Biden said, but “we do well to remember that his mission was even deeper. It was spiritual. It was moral.” King often asked ‘Where do we go from here?’ Biden said. “My message to the nation on this day is we go forward. We go together.” Sunday would have been King’s 94th birthday. He was assassinated at age 39 in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, by avowed segregationist James Earl Ray. King was pastor of Ebenezer church from 1960 until his death. “The battle for the soul of this nation is perennial,” Biden said in his tribute to King. “It’s a constant struggle between hope and fear kindness and cruelty, justice and injustice.” Many presidents, including Biden, have visited Ebenezer to honor King, usually during events around the time of his birthday. But Biden was the first to speak from the pulpit at a regular Sunday service. King “reminds us that we are tied in a single garment of destiny, that this is not about Democrat and Republican, red, yellow, brown, black and white,” Warnock said earlier on Sunday. On Monday Biden will meet with civil rights advocate Al Sharpton in Washington, and speak to his group, the National Action Network. Biden is expected to announce his re-election bid in the weeks ahead. Biden was elected in 2020 with strong support from Black voters after pledging to do more to expand voting rights and address other racial justice issues. But some activist groups boycotted his 2022 speech honoring King, disappointed by what they see as his lack of action. (Reporting by Steve Holland; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by AlterNet Last Tuesday, Reuters congressional reporter Patricia Zengerle informed the American public that the new Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives eliminated a fifteen-year-old ban on smoking inside the Capitol. “So there’s indoor smoking on the House side of the Capitol now that the Republicans have taken control,” Zengerle tweeted. “Washington, D.C., law bans smoking in all indoor spaces, but it does not apply to the private offices of members of Congress, never has,” she explained. “So when you have a change in party control, and they move offices like they just did,… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Tony Dungy is a prominent NFL analyst on NBC who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a 13-year coaching career that included winning a Super Bowl. And he was a popular player before that. But as Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of Outsports.com in a two-part series this week, “Dungy (is) possibly the , raising money to fight against same-sex marriage, and since then publicly decrying the homosexuality of gay athletes and partnering with rabidly anti-gay organizations and individuals.” Zeigler noted that Dungy’s anti-LGBTQ reputation had been well-established before NBC hired him as a … Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News FIFA has penalized the Mexican Football Association over homophobic chants used by the team’s supporters in two World Cup matches last year. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Mexican Football Association with a fine of [$108,000],” soccer’s international governing body said in a statement Friday. Mexico was also ordered to play one match in a FIFA competition “behind closed doors,” or with no supporters allowed to attend. The sanctions are related to the breaching of article 13 of the organization’s disciplinary code during games against Poland and Saudi Arabia in Qatar, offi… Read More View the full article

Published by Taste of Country Maren Morris was a guest judge on Friday night’s (Jan. 13) episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, offering her input as the 15 remaining competitors vied to make it through to the next round of the show. But she wasn’t just there to give her feedback on the drag queens’ looks, outfits and acting skills: As an ambassador from country music, Morris also took some time to address homophobia within the genre. The star sat down with the show’s contestants during a backstage segment called RPDR: Untucked, and apologized for any hate they feel from her fellow country performers. “Coming from country music an… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) In the early hours of the morning on 24 February, Natalie Vikhrov turned on the TV with bleary eyes to catch the tail end of Putin’s speech. Minutes later she heard the distant thud of explosions. “That whole night was a little tense, you could feel something was going to happen,” she said. Vikhrov is one of hundreds of Ukrainian journalists, braving bombs and bullets to report on the war tearing their country apart. Writing freelance, she focuses on human rights and marginalised groups, particularly Ukraine’s LGBT community, and has tried to gather stories from people living on the edge of th… Read More View the full article

Published by PsyPost A recent study on Canadian sex workers indicates that most are only active for brief periods of time and that currently active sex workers are part of a much larger inactive population. The findings have been published in the scientific journal PLOS One. “There is very, very little demographic research on the topic of sex work in industrialized democracies,” said study author Lynn Kennedy of the Sex Work Population Project (@SexWorkPopCA). “Nevertheless, many governments have implemented repressive and possibly dangerous policies to regulate the industry. The aim of this study was to fill in s… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Ryan Murphy is known for churning out TV titans, but the writer-director-producer’s list of credits is even lengthier than many realize. The mastermind behind hit shows “Glee,” “American Horror Story” and “Pose” got his start more than two decades ago with a teen series about socially opposite stepsisters and found similar success with a procedural drama about first responders. Murphy, 57, was honored at Tuesday’s Golden Globes with the fourth-ever Carol Burnett Award, which recognizes an artist’s contributions to the TV industry. Previous recipients include Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres and Norman… Read More View the full article

Published by Taste of Country Dolly Parton shared a thoughtful message in the wake of Lisa Marie Presley’s death on Thursday, Jan. 12. In a statement, which she shared to Facebook, Parton offers love to Priscilla Presley and addresses the late Elvis and Lisa Marie. “Priscilla, I know how sad you must be. May God comfort you at this time,” Parton writes in the post. “Elvis, I know how happy you must be to finally have her home and to have her back with you,” she adds. “Lisa Marie, may you rest in peace. We all love you.” Posted by Dolly Parton on Friday, January 13, 2023 Presley was rushed to the hospital earlier Thursda… Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel With Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature angling to take control of it, Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District leaders met this week to discuss the future of Disney property, including the potential building of another major theme park by 2032. The 2032 Comprehensive Plan notes that “there are no plans under review” for the theme park developments, which could use about 850 acres of available space, but thedevelopment regulations nonetheless set a groundwork for land to be used that way. Len Testa, owner ofthe vacation planning website Touring Plans, attended the meeting. He… Read More View the full article

Published by Taste of Country Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race is underway, and this Friday (Jan. 13) will bring an extra special episode for country fans: Maren Morris is the celebrity guest judge. Ahead of the full episode, fans can get a first look at Morris’ appearance on the show — including her dazzling outfit — right here on Taste of Country. Scroll down to see the country star posing on the set of the episode, complete with the show’s full-time judges. The Ru Paul’s Drag Race stage is a catwalk lit up in dazzling pink, with a background to match. In the photo, Morris poses in a skin-tight, pale pink gown with a slit… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Remember Madonna and Tokischa‘s steamy smooch? The Dominican rapper agrees the lip-locking moment was pretty unforgettable, as she exclusively tells OK! the juicy details of her and the Queen of Pop’s multiple make out sessions. MEGA “She’s really fun. To kiss her is like the bisexual award of being gay,” the 26-year-old expresses of the time her and Madonna would frequently pucker up for kisses from one another in the months surrounding the release of their duet, “Hung Up On Tokischa.” The former model providesOK! insight on how her and the “Material Girl” singer’s fiery friendship came to light. “Madonna actually invited me to perform in her pride party that she had in New York. When we received the invitation, we asked her if we could do a piece of the show together. So I came up with the idea of having a remix for ‘Hung Up’ and she was on [board with] it,” Tokischa explains. @MADONNA/INSTAGRAM “She liked [the idea] and we did it and then we shot the video,” she continues to tell OK! in regard to filming sultry music video. While many artists would dream to work alongside the pop sensation, Tokischa confirms it was everything she could have ever imagined. “She’s a very sweet woman and she represents a lot of amazing things that are really inspiring. To have the chance to work with her and to get to know her, to hang out with her and to talk to her all the time … it’s really exciting. It’s really fun,” the “Linda” rapper reveals. Additionally, Tokischa completely supports Madonna’s provocative persona despite the A-lister’s constant disapproval from longtime fans. @MADONNA/INSTAGRAM “She been doing that her entire career, standing for herself, and you know, receiving the hate and all that … but she’s so strong and that’s so inspiring and, and she doesn’t care,” the Latin artist dishes to OK!. “She don’t give a f**k about what nobody has to say and that’s very inspiring,” Tokischa confesses. “I’ve been learning from her since before I met her because she’s such an icon. She’s a very open book.” “I will say that we are connected in that … in the attitude of not giving a f**k,” the rapper notes of her and Madonna’s prideful personalities. As for where the musical duo’s relationship stands today, Tokischa confirms her and Madonna still “keep in contact.” “I feel like for most of the artists that collaborate, it’s like we work and then it’s over and then onto the next. But there are very little artists that you actually keep connected to. In this case Madonna is one of them,” the celeb sweetly admits. Courtesy of Tokischa Beside her iconic duet with the award-winning singer, Tokischa closed out 2022 with fiery hit new single titled “Kilo,” in collaboration with The Martinez Brothers and an applauded performance with Drake. “It’s a passionate song about this girl who’s obsessed with her toxic boyfriend,” Tokischa explains of the track, noting the unfortunate frequency of the situation. As for what it was like to work with Drake, Tokischa spills, “It was nice of him to come to my show, and he is really nice person.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis aimed a slapshot at the National Hockey League yesterday with a display of outrage over its plans to hold a South Florida summit promoting careers to members of “underrepresented communities.” The NHL is holding a career summit called Pathway to Hockey on February 2 in Fort Lauderdale. It stipulates that “Participants must be 18 years of age or older, based in the U.S., and identify as female, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and/or a person with a disability. Veterans are also welcome and encouraged to attend.” That was enough to … Read More View the full article

Published by PsyPost Heterosexual women prefer men who are taller and have broader shoulders, and consider them more masculine and better in fighting ability, according to new research published in Archives of Sexual Behavior. Additionally, while larger upper bodies boost attractive ratings for taller men, they don’t appear to have the same effect for shorter men. “Previous research has looked into indicators of bodily attractiveness in men and women, and has shown that two characteristics of men’s height and upper body size contribute to their perception of attractiveness, masculinity, dominance, fighting ability… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is currently facing an onslaught of calls for his resignation amid incriminating reports that have uncovered his checkered past. Although more reports are coming to light now, a new analysis has revealed many well-connected Republicans were aware of Santos’ questionable behavior and actions prior to his being elected. According to a report from New York Times metro desk reporter Nicholas Fandos, multiple individuals with knowledge of the turmoil behind the scenes of his campaign have shed light on the concerns his vendors expressed following the release of a researc… Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com The revelation that classified materials were discovered at think tank offices formerly used by President Joe Biden, as well as at his Delaware home, has prompted questions on how the circumstances compare with the seizure last year of hundreds of documents marked as classified from Mar-a-Lago, the Florida residence of former President Donald Trump. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday appointed a special counsel to investigate the matter. A side-by-side look at the similarities and differences between the two situations: HOW MANY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? BIDEN: It’s … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Belief of Americans in antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes has nearly doubled since 2019, an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) survey showed on Thursday. The survey asked Americans how much they agreed with statements expressing anti-Jewish tropes or conspiracy theories and found that more than half of Americans believed at least one, the New York-based advocacy group said. About 85% of Americans believed at least one anti-Jewish trope, compared with 61% in 2019, the ADL said, adding that 20% of Americans believed six or more anti-Jewish tropes, substantially more than the 11% in 2019. Reports of antisemitism have increased nationwide. The issue drew headlines after Republican former President Donald Trump hosted white supremacist Nick Fuentes and Ye, the musician formerly known as Kanye West, at his private club in Florida. Trump said the encounter with Fuentes happened inadvertently while he was having dinner with Ye. Ye has drawn widespread criticism for a spate of antisemitic comments – including praise for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler – and was suspended from social media platforms. About 39% of the respondents in the ADL survey believed Jews were more loyal to Israel than the United States. The survey, which had responses from 4,000 individuals collected in the autumn of 2022, presented 14 statements to respondents and asked them if they believed them to be “Mostly/Somewhat True” or “Mostly/Somewhat False.” The White House addressed rising antisemitism in a roundtable event with Jewish leaders in December and President Joe Biden established an inter-agency group to coordinate efforts to counter antisemitism. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed two different special counsels to independently investigate the handling of classified records by Republican former President Donald Trump and his Democratic successor, President Joe Biden. Jack Smith, a war crimes prosecutor, is investigating whether Trump or his associates improperly retained classified records at his Florida estate after he left office in 2021 and then tried to obstruct a federal investigation. Garland tapped Trump-era former U.S. Attorney Robert Hur for Maryland to investigate the removal and retention of classified records from Biden’s time as vice president, and the discovery of them at his home and one-time office at a think tank. WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO CASES? Neither Trump nor Biden should have had any classified material in their possession. During a presidential transition period, the records from each administration are supposed to be turned over to the legal custody of the U.S. National Archives. It is unlawful to knowingly or willfully remove or retain classified material. Failure to properly store and secure classified material poses risks to national security if it should fall into the wrong hands. Biden has said he was surprised to learn he had classified information in his possession. Trump has said on social media, without providing evidence, that he declassified the records, though his attorneys have declined to repeat that assertion in court filings. The materials in question date back to when Biden was President Barack Obama’s vice president from 2009 to 2017, and when Trump was president from 2017 to 2021. HOW DO THE TWO CASES DIFFER? Legal experts say there are stark contrasts between the two cases. In Trump’s case, the National Archives tried for more than a year after Trump left office to retrieve all of the records he retained, without success. When Trump finally returned 15 boxes of documents in January 2022, Archives officials discovered they contained classified materials. The matter was referred to the Justice Department, which issued a grand jury subpoena last May seeking the return of all classified records. Investigators then visited Trump’s home, where his attorneys handed over more material and asserted there were no more documents on the premises. That turned out to be false. Additional evidence collected by the FBI, including surveillance footage from the Mar-a-Lago estate, prompted agents to seek court approval to execute a search warrant on Aug. 8 amid concerns over possible obstruction. The FBI recovered an additional 13,000 documents, about 100 of which were marked as classified. In Biden’s case, Garland said the president’s attorneys informed the Archives and the Justice Department in November that they had discovered fewer than a dozen classified files inside a closet at the Penn Biden Center think tank in Washington D.C. earlier that month. After the discovery, the attorneys continued to conduct additional searches at Biden’s homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where more documents were found in both December and this month. All were turned over to the authorities. WHAT LEGAL PERIL DO BIDEN AND TRUMP FACE? It is a crime only if the retention and removal of classified records is intentional. Prosecutors typically won’t pursue charges for the accidental retention of classified records, but if there is evidence of possible obstruction of justice, that could change things. For that reason, legal experts say, Trump faces considerably more legal peril than Biden. To date, there has been no suggestion by the Justice Department that Biden knowingly retained the records or refused to return them to the government. Also, as president, Biden is unlikely to face prosecution. The Justice Department has not changed its long-standing policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted. The same policy helped insulate Trump when he was president and under investigation by then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller. In that case, Mueller declined to determine whether Trump had obstructed his investigation into possible ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 election campaign because of the department’s policy. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, editing by Ross Colvin and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Alicia Powell (Reuters) – From college hoops to a Russian jail cell, the life of basketball star Brittney Griner is being told in a new comic book from TidalWave Comics. Griner is part of the publisher’s Female Force series that celebrates women with inspirational stories. Griner was arrested on Feb. 17 at an airport outside Moscow for carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. She was subsequently convicted of drug smuggling and later transferred to one of Russia’s most notorious penal colonies before being released in a prison swap in December. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star, said she plans to return to her WNBA team. Writer Michael Frizell said they began working on the comic book before Griner’s arrest and had a focus on “her growth as an athlete and person.” Adding that he “found Brittney’s story fascinating despite not knowing much about the WNBA.” Frizell hopes readers understand “the person behind the headlines.” The comic book will be released Jan. 18 in print and digital form. Read more: Mariah Carey’s life and career detailed in a new comic book Dwayne Johnson calls ‘Black Adam’ comic book film his passion project Queen Elizabeth’s life features in a new comic book (Reporting by Alicia Powell; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Singer Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Elvis Presley, died on Thursday at the age of 54 after being rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital, her mother said. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” her mother, Priscilla Presley, said in a statement. “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known. We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss,” the statement added. Lisa Marie Presley suffered cardiac arrest in her home in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas, according to entertainment website TMZ. She was then taken to hospital on Thursday. She attended the Golden Globes awards show in Beverly Hills earlier this week, where actor Austin Butler won the best actor award for portraying her father in the film “Elvis.” Butler paid tribute to Lisa Marie Presley and her mother during his acceptance speech. Elvis Presley died of cardiac arrest in August 1977 at the age of 42. Presley was remembered by Hollywood stars, including Tom Hanks – Butler’s co-star in the “Elvis” movie – Rita Wilson and John Travolta, as well as fashion designer Donatella Versace. “Our hearts are broken with the sudden and shocking passing of Lisa Marie Presley tonight. Tom and I had spent some time with the family during the Elvis movie promotional tour. Lisa Marie was so honest and direct, vulnerable, in a state of anticipation about the movie,” said Rita Wilson, actress and wife of Hanks, in an Instagram post. “Lisa baby girl, I’m so sorry. I’ll miss you but I know I’ll see you again. My love and heart goes out to Riley, Priscilla, Harper and Finley,” actor Travolta wrote on Instagram, referring to Lisa Marie Presley’s daughters and mother. “I will never forget the times we spent together,” designer Versace said via Instagram. “Your beauty and your kindness shone so bright. Rest in peace Lisa Marie. We will never forget you.” MUSIC CAREER, MARRIAGES Lisa Marie Presley was born on Feb. 1, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee and became the owner of her father’s Graceland mansion a popular tourist attraction in the city. She was nine years old when Elvis died there. Her own music career began with a 2003 debut album “To Whom It May Concern.” It was followed by 2005’s “Now What,” and both hit the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart. A third album, “Storm and Grace,” was released in 2012. She was married four times. She wed pop star Michael Jackson in 1994, just 20 days after her divorce from her first husband, musician Danny Keough. The high-profile couple divorced in 1996 as Jackson was battling child molestation allegations. Presley married actor Nicholas Cage, a fan of her father, in 2002. Cage filed for divorce four months later. Her fourth marriage was to her guitarist and music producer Michael Lockwood. Their divorce was finalized in 2021. Her only son, Benjamin Keough, himself a musician, died in 2020 at age 27, a death ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles County coroner. Lisa Marie Presley remembered her son in an essay for People magazine earlier this year that she posted on Instagram, calling herself “destroyed” by his death. She is survived by daughter Riley Keough, 33, an actress, and 14-year-old twin daughters Harper and Finley Lockwood. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine, Eric Beech, Kanishka Singh and Dan Whitcomb; Additional reporting by Rhea Binoy; Editing by Mary Milliken, Marguerita Choy and Kenneth Maxwell) View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey pleaded not guilty in a London court on Friday to seven more sex offence charges, denying a number of alleged sexual assaults against one man about 20 years ago. Spacey, 63, appeared at Southwark Crown Court by videolink charged with one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, three counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault. The actor – wearing a dark jacket, white shirt and pink tie – spoke only to confirm his name as Kevin Spacey Fowler and enter seven not guilty pleas during the brief hearing. Judge Mark Wall agreed to join the seven-count indictment to an earlier five-count indictment, which features four counts of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. Spacey pleaded not guilty to those five charges last July. The seven additional charges, which were authorised by Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service in November, relate to one complainant and concern alleged offences between 2001 and 2005. Spacey was granted unconditional bail ahead of a pre-trial review hearing in April. His trial, which is currently due to begin in June, is expected to last for four weeks. (Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Michael Holden, William Maclean) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -A New York judge on Friday sentenced Donald Trump’s namesake real estate company to pay a $1.61 million criminal penalty after it was convicted of scheming to defraud tax authorities for 15 years. Justice Juan Merchan of the Manhattan criminal court imposed the sentence, the maximum possible under state law, after jurors found two Trump Organization affiliates guilty of 17 criminal charges last month. Merchan on Tuesday sentenced Allen Weisselberg, who worked for Trump’s family for a half-century and was the company’s former chief financial officer, to five months in jail after he testified as the prosecution’s star witness. Susan Necheles, one of the defense lawyers, said Trump’s company plans to appeal. No one else was charged. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office brought the case, is still conducting a criminal probe into Trump’s business practices. “The sentencing today, along with the sentencing earlier this week, closes this important chapter of our ongoing investigation into the former president and his businesses,” Bragg told reporters. “We now will go on to the next chapter.” Joshua Steinglass, one of the prosecutors, appeared to lament the size of the punishment, telling Merchan the penalty was only a “tiny portion” of the Trump Organization’s revenue. Companies cannot be sentenced to jail or prison. ‘ROUNDING ERROR’ Bill Black, a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law specializing in white-collar crime, called the penalty a “rounding error” that offers “zero” deterrence. “This is a farce,” he said. “No one will stop committing these kinds of crimes because of this sentence.” The case has long been a thorn in the side of the Republican former president, who calls it part of a witch hunt by Democrats who dislike him and his politics. Trump also faces a $250 million civil lawsuit by state Attorney General Letitia James accusing him and his adult children Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric of inflating his net worth and his company’s asset values to save on loans and insurance. Bragg and James are Democrats, as is Bragg’s predecessor Cyrus Vance, who brought the criminal case. Trump is seeking the presidency in 2024, after losing his re-election bid in 2020. FRAUD ‘SANCTIONED FROM THE TOP DOWN’ At a four-week trial, prosecutors offered evidence that Trump’s company covered personal expenses such as rent and car leases for executives without reporting them as income, and pretended that Christmas bonuses were non-employee compensation. Trump himself signed bonus checks, prosecutors said, as well as the lease on Weisselberg’s luxury Manhattan apartment and private school tuition for the CFO’s grandchildren. “A number of these fraudulent practices were explicitly sanctioned from the top down,” Steinglass said at Friday’s hearing. Despite testifying for the government, Weisselberg said Trump was not part of the fraud scheme, and refused to help Bragg in his broader investigation into the former president. The Trump Organization had put Weisselberg on paid leave until they severed ties this week. His lawyer said the split, announced on Tuesday, was amicable. Weisselberg, 75, is serving his sentence in New York City’s notorious Rikers Island jail. Trump faces several other legal woes, including probes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, his retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Mark Porter) View the full article

Published by Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Friday rejected Donald Trump’s bid to dismiss writer E. Jean Carroll’s second lawsuit accusing the former U.S. president of defamation for denying he raped her in the mid-1990s. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan said Trump’s argument that the former Elle magazine columnist could not prove defamation because she failed to allege “special damages” was without merit. He also rejected Trump’s argument that Carroll’s battery claim under New York’s Adult Survivors Act must be dismissed because the law denied him due process under the state’s constitution. Lawyers for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Carroll’s lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests. Carroll has accused Trump of raping her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in late 1995 or early 1996. Trump first denied the accusation in June 2019, telling a reporter at the White House that he did not know Carroll, that she was “not my type,” and that she made up the claim to sell her new memoir. He repeated the denial in an October 2022 social media post, calling the rape claim a “hoax,” “lie” and “complete scam,” and saying “this can only happen to ‘Trump’!” (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States on Friday pushed the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution calling on the Taliban-led authorities in Afghanistan to reverse bans on women working for aid groups or attending universities and high school, diplomats said. The 15-member council met privately on Friday – at the request of the United Arab Emirates and Japan – to discuss the decisions by the Islamist Taliban-led administration, which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council that given the gravity of the situation it should unanimously adopt a resolution to condemn the bans and call for an immediate reversal, said diplomats. It was not immediately clear whether all members would back such a formal move by the council. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the Russia, China, Britain, France or the United States to be adopted. The Security Council agreed by consensus to an informal statement last month calling for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan, denouncing the ban on women attending universities or working for aid groups. Before the meeting on Friday, 11 Security Council members – including the United States, Britain and France – issued a joint statement urging the Taliban to reverse all oppressive measures against women and girls. The ban on female aid workers was announced by the Taliban-led administration on Dec. 24. It followed a ban imposed earlier last month on women attending universities. Girls were stopped from attending high school in March. ‘CHILDREN WILL DIE’ The United Nations has said that 97% of Afghans live in poverty, two-thirds of the population need aid to survive, and 20 million people face acute hunger. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell described the ban on female aid workers as “both wrong and dangerous,” according to her prepared remarks for the private Security Council meeting on Friday, seen by Reuters. “It is not hyperbole to say that without them, lives will be lost, children will die,” she said. Russell said UNICEF was reviewing the impact of the ban on its work and “as the situation evolves, we will have to make difficult decisions as to which activities we can continue, and which must be suspended.” International Rescue Committee President David Miliband said the IRC has been forced to pause most operations, but it was aiming to find ways to work around the ban “since its outright reversal seems very unlikely,” according to his prepared remarks for the council meeting, seen by Reuters. “Based on the clarity provided by the Ministry of Public Health, the IRC has resumed health and nutrition services through our static and mobile health teams in four provinces. Other NGOs (aid groups) are doing the same,” Miliband said. “We have a long way to go, but it is a start,” he added. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Richard Chang) View the full article

Published by Hong Kong Free Press Hong Kong should allow transgender people to use public toilets designated for their chosen gender before they have undergone surgery, the High Court was told during a constitutional challenge to the city’s public convenience regulations. The legal bid filed by K, who identifies as a male but was born as a woman, was heard by Judge Russell Coleman on Thursday. The applicant seeks to amend the wording in the Public Conveniences (Conduct and Behaviour) Regulations to allow a transgender person undergoing Real Life Experience (RLE) treatment under the certification and care of a doctor to use pub… Read More View the full article