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Published by Reuters By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court on Friday struck down a rule the Trump administration had adopted following a 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that banned “bump stocks,” devices that allow people to rapidly fire multiple rounds from semi-automatic guns. In a 13-3 decision, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that despite “tremendous” public pressure to impose a ban, it was up to the U.S. Congress rather than the president to take action. While the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) and Explosives had interpreted a law banning machineguns as extending to bump stocks, U.S. Circuit Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod said the law did not unambiguously prohibit them. Elrod, writing for the majority, said the law also did not give “fair warning that possession of a non-mechanical bump stock is a crime.” One of the dissenting judges, Stephen Higginson, wrote that the majority employed reasoning “to legalize an instrument of mass murder.” Three other federal appeals courts have rejected challenges to the ban. While the Supreme Court in October declined to hear appeals from two of the earlier decisions, Friday’s ruling raises the prospect the court could eventually decide the issue. “The resulting circuit split should bring this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court’s attention promptly and supply a suitable vehicle for deciding this issue once and for all,” said Mark Chenoweth, the president of the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a conservative group that litigated the case. ATF, the arm of the Justice Department that adopted the rule, declined to comment. A bump stock lets a gun’s stock, which rests against the shoulder, slide backward and forward, letting users take advantage of the gun’s recoil to fire rapidly. Though gun restrictions are often championed by Democrats, former President Donald Trump’s Republican administration imposed the ban on bump stocks through an ATF rule after a gunman used them in killing 58 people at an October 2017 country music concert in Las Vegas. Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration also supports the ban, which took effect in 2019. In December 2021, a three-judge 5th Circuit panel had upheld the ban, ruling against Texas gun owner Michael Cargill, who opposed it. Friday’s decision reversed that ruling. Most of the judges in the majority were appointed by Republican presidents, while the dissenting judges were appointed by Democratic presidents. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York and Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and William Mallard) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A year after Hollywood boycotted the Golden Globes, Brad Pitt, Steven Spielberg and other big names are set to return as organizers try to restore the luster to what had been one of the biggest stops on the industry’s awards circuit. Most of this year’s nominees are expected to attend the red-carpet ceremony in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, said Helen Hoehne, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that hands out the Globes. “We’ve gotten a really great response from the nominees,” said Hoehne, a German journalist elected in late 2021 to lead the group through diversity and ethics scandals. “We have very few not coming, so we are thrilled.” She vowed the night would be “the party of the year.” Now in their 80th year, the Globes had been known as a festive, alcohol-fueled ceremony that kicked off Hollywood’s awards season and helped propel nominees and winners in their quest for Academy Awards. The future of the Globes was thrown into doubt after a 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation revealed the organization had no Black journalists in its ranks. Some members were accused of making sexist and racist remarks and soliciting favors from celebrities and movie studios. Longtime broadcaster NBC dropped the 2022 telecast, but the Comcast Corp network agreed to air the ceremony again this year after the HFPA instituted changes and new ethics rules. Among roughly 200 current voters, nearly 52% are racially and ethnically diverse, including 10% who are Black. “The organization really went through a total reform process in the last 18 months,” Hoehne said. “We increased diversity, transparency, accountability.” The lineup for Tuesday shows Hollywood appears ready to give the HFPA a shot at redemption. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael, who is Black, will host the three-hour ceremony, while Eddie Murphy will receive a lifetime achievement honor. Director Quentin Tarantino and actor Jamie Lee Curtis are listed among presenters. SOME STARS MAY PASS Nominees expected to attend include Pitt and his “Babylon” co-star Margot Robbie, Spielberg and cast from his coming-of-age film “The Fabelmans,” “The Woman King” star Viola Davis, “Avatar” director James Cameron and singer Rihanna, a nominee for a song from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Some celebrities will stay away. Brendan Fraser, nominated for his leading role in “The Whale,” has said he will not attend after accusing a former HFPA president of groping him. Tom Cruise is not expected to appear even though his blockbuster movie “Top Gun: Maverick” is nominated for best drama film. Cruise returned his three Globe statues in protest of the organization’s practices in 2021. Chris Beachum, managing editor at awards website Gold Derby, said producers likely will stage a lively show, but there is a risk that some of the winners might skip the ceremony. “It’s a matter of how many people are getting their name called and not going on stage because they’re not there. That’s more of a an issue,” he said. Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” and Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” biopic are among the contenders for best drama film. Dark comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin” leads all movies with eight nominations, and “Abbott Elementary” tops the field of TV contenders. Even with the recent controversy, Beachum believes most actors, studios and publicists would be happy to have a Globe honor to tout as they head toward the Oscars in March. “You want to be winning awards in this period of December, January and February,” Beachum said. “You hardly ever see somebody go through an entire cycle, losing most everywhere and then winning the Oscar. It just doesn’t happen.” (Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Editing by Mary Milliken and Sandra Maler) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nate Raymond (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday asked President Joe Biden’s administration to weigh in on whether the justices should decide whether a publicly funded charter school in North Carolina may have violated the rights of female students – deemed “fragile vessels” by the school’s founder – by requiring girls to wear skirts. The justices are considering whether to hear an appeal by Charter Day School, located in the southeastern North Carolina town of Leland and operated by a private educational management company, of a lower court’s ruling that found that the dress code ran afoul of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment civil rights protections. The justices asked U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar to file a brief expressing the Biden administration’s view on the litigation and whether the Supreme Court should take up the matter. Aaron Streett, a lawyer for the school, called the Supreme Court’s decision to seek the solicitor general’s input rather than reject its appeal a “positive sign” that “indicates that the court views this as an important case that may merit further review.” Charter Day School, which enrolls students from kindergarten through the eighth grade, emphasizes what it calls “traditional values” and has implemented a dress code that its founder, businessman Baker Mitchell, has said would “preserve chivalry” and ensure that girls are treated “courteously and more gently than boys.” Mitchell, as explained in the lower court’s ruling, viewed chivalry as “a code of conduct” under which women are “regarded as a fragile vessel that men are supposed to take care of and honor.” Charter schools are publicly funded but operated separately from school boards run by local governments. Lawyers for the school said the ruling last year by the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals posed an “existential threat” to a conservative-backed movement to increase alternatives for parents who want their children to receive public education by expanding the numbers of charter schools. After being hit with a civil rights lawsuit by three female students backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Charter Day School argued that the 14th Amendment does not apply to it because it is a private entity, not a “state actor” like public schools operated directly by North Carolina school districts. The 4th Circuit on a 10-6 vote decided that the school was a “state actor” because North Carolina delegated to it its duty to provide free, universal education to students. The 4th Circuit found that the school violated the rights of the plaintiffs to equal protection with a dress code based on gender stereotypes about the “proper place” for girls in society. Charter schools usually are independently run as a stand-alone entity but can also be managed by for-profit companies or nonprofit organizations running multiple schools, as in this case, with Charter Day School among a group of schools operated by the private Roger Bacon Academy. The plaintiffs argued that the dress code violated their 14th Amendment rights and subjected them to discrimination and denial of the full benefits of their education in violation of the civil rights law Title IX, which bars sex discrimination in education. The 4th Circuit ruling did not make a conclusion on the Title IX claim. “Courts may not subjugate the constitutional rights of these public-school children to the facade of school choice,” wrote U.S. Circuit Judge Barbara Milano Keenan, in a decision joined by her fellow Democratic appointees on the 4th Circuit. The six dissenting votes on the 4th Circuit came from Republican-appointed judges including Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr, who wrote that the decision would stifle “innovative alternatives to traditional public education.” Judge J. Harvey Wilkinson called the ruling a “shame” and said the school’s “chivalric approach should neither be legally banished from the educational system, nor should it be legally imposed.” The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Ten Republican state attorneys general, led by Ken Paxton of Texas, backed the school in briefs to the Supreme Court, saying the 4th Circuit’s ruling threatens charters school independence. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A federal watchdog on Monday accused newly elected Republican U.S. Representative George Santos of breaking campaign finance laws by concealing funding sources and using donor money to pay rent on his personal residence. The Campaign Legal Center, a non-partisan government watchdog, made the complaint in a filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) after Santos admitted in an interview with the New York Post that he fabricated much of his resume. “The commission should thoroughly investigate what appear to be equally brazen lies about how his campaign raised and spent money,” according to the complaint. Santos’ office in Congress referred queries to the lawmaker’s election campaign, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Santos, who was elected in November to represent a district in New York City’s Queens borough and parts of its wealthy Long Island suburbs, already faces an investigation by a New York prosecutor’s office, according to the district attorney for Nassau County. The nature of that inquiry remains unclear. Citing federal disclosures, the complaint filed on Monday with the FEC alleges that Santos “appears to have spent $13,500 on rent payments for Santos’s personal residence in blatant violation of the law.” The Campaign Legal Center said Santos’ campaign finance disclosures also do not square with other disclosures he has made regarding his income and assets. “The overall circumstances instead indicate that unknown individuals or corporations may have illegally funneled money to Santos’s campaign,” according to the complaint. An FEC spokesman said the commission does not comment on pending enforcement matters. Following news stories detailing falsehoods in how Santos has described his education and work and family history, Santos last month apologized for “embellishing” his resume, while defending aspects of the way he had represented himself. (Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by AFP Prince Harry has done four TV interviews to promote his unflinching memoir 'Spare', the first of which aired on Britain's ITV on Sunday London (AFP) – Prince Harry’s publicity blitz for his new memoir led his public ratings to plummet to a record low in Britain on Monday, before the unflinching autobiography about his troubled royal life hits bookshops. Some stores open just after midnight Tuesday for the release of “Spare” — the biggest royal book since Harry’s mother Princess Diana collaborated with Andrew Morton for “Diana: Her True Story” in 1992. It has been preceded by a six-part Netflix documentary and four television interviews in the UK and the United States, where he now lives with wife Meghan. But in the run-up to the first, on British channel ITV on Sunday evening and watched by a relatively modest 4.1 million people, YouGov polling indicated his popularity had sunk to a new low. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Britons have a negative view of him, up from 59 percent in December. Just over a quarter (26 percent) had a positive opinion. Meghan polled similarly badly. Yet he found some support on the streets of London. Adam Whitty, a 34-year-old management consultant, said not enough people realised the royals were fallible. “I feel like everyone doesn’t give them enough compassion,” he told AFP. Maraid Fanning, who is 58 and self-employed, praised Harry for speaking out, particularly against the negative media coverage. “I think history will show that he was on the right side,” she added. But others criticised Harry for sowing division. “I don’t like seeing it,” said retired lawyer Antoinette McClaine, 65, contrasting Harry’s candour as the opposite of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years of “dignity and honour”. “This feels like exactly the opposite and it’s terribly sad,” she added. ‘Olive branch’ The ITV interview baffled viewers by insisting Harry and his mixed-race wife never accused the royal family of racism over comments made about the skin tone of their unborn son. “No I didn’t. The British press said that,” Harry said, adding that Meghan had also not called the royals “racist”. The initial allegation, made in a bombshell interview given by the couple in March 2021 to US chat show host Oprah Winfrey, caused a transatlantic uproar. Harry’s elder brother and the heir to their father King Charles III’s throne, Prince William, told reporters at the time that “we are very much not a racist family”, but Harry himself stayed silent then. The late queen said then that “recollections may vary” about what was said — a line that was repeated by some UK commentators in mocking response to Harry’s interviews. Several described his denial to ITV as an “olive branch”, but one that was contradicted by the Oprah interview and coming too late, given the incendiary nature of his other allegations in the book. ‘Probably bigoted’ Potentially the biggest claim that could hurt his hope for reconciliation with his family was in another interview with US network CBS about his stepmother, Camilla. The Queen Consort — a hate figure for some for being the other woman in Charles’s marriage to Diana — waged a cunning but “dangerous” campaign to win over the press herself, Harry said, calling her “the villain”. The book includes a claim that William physically attacked Harry as they argued about Meghan. It also gives an account of how he lost his virginity, an admission of teenage drug use and a claim he killed 25 people while serving in Afghanistan with the British military, which earned him a rebuke from hardline Islamists the Taliban. To ITV, Harry also defended a long-serving royal courtier, Susan Hussey, after she grilled a black British guest at a palace reception about where the woman “really” came from. But to CBS, the prince also admitted to being “probably bigoted” before he met Meghan, and accused William and his wife Kate of never giving her a chance. The Sun newspaper said Harry had “astonished” viewers with his racism “U-turn”, and described the 38-year-old prince as a “troubled, lonely man”. “Nothing is Harry’s fault and almost everything can be blamed on the press,” the Daily Telegraph wrote. The contents of Harry’s ghost-written book have already been widely leaked after it mistakenly went on sale early in Spain. He insisted to ITV that he still wanted a rapprochement with his father and brother, but said the onus was on them, refusing to confirm whether he will attend Charles’s coronation in May. He also urged his family to respond. “Silence only allows the abuser to abuse, right? So I don’t know how staying silent is ever gonna make things better,” he added. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine @madonna/instagram Madonna received a rare applaud from fans after they learned more about her recent trip to Africa. On Tuesday, January 3, the Queen of Pop, 64, took to Instagram with a video featuring highlights of herself with daughters MercyJames, 16, and twins Estere and Stelle Ciccone, 10, as they explored Kenya and participated in community service efforts around the country. @madonna/instagram “My children created a mural of broken glass in Kibera in honor of the great work that Kennedy Odede … is doing [for] @shofco, an organization he created when he was a child living in the slums of Nairobi to improve the lives of families living in these challenging conditions,” Madonna explained in the post’s caption. MADONNA TROLLED FOR SPORTING BARELY THERE BLEACHED EYEBROWS ON NYE: PHOTOS “Focusing on filtering the water, education, enabling loans for women and men to start up businesses and putting a stop to gender-based violence by empowering women, taking legal action and giving them a safe space to rebuild their lives,” the “Material Girl” singer continued of the impactful organization’s efforts. @madonna/instagram “We are very impressed with his work and his commitment to this community and excited to continue working with him and his wife Jessica!! @raisingmalawi,” Madonna’s message concluded. MADONNA SPARKS CRITICISM AFTER SHARING MORE FACETUNED SNAPSHOTS OF TRIP TO AFRICA: ‘DON’T FORGET TO WEAR THE GUCCI HAT’ Fans quickly flocked to the pop icon’s comments section to provide the mother-of-six well-deserved compliments for the admirable parenting moment. “Folks, this is what happens when you raise your kids right,” one proud follower declared, while a second user wrote, “[It’s] fantastic the way you raise your kids … it’s very important that they keep their feet on the floor and know the opposite side of their great lives.” “Madonna at her best! Awesome! All the kids are amazing! Thank you for shining the light on others,” a third individual happily commented, as another added, “bless your kind soul Madonna. If only this was more put into light. Then again you are the light to them and to us. Thank you for what you do for us on all spheres of your life. .” @madonna/instagram Of course, some fans weren’t letting Madonna’s outstanding community service efforts stop them from slamming the star’s overall social media presence, as she’s been sharing filtered and scantily clad snaps. “Her behavior is an absolute disgrace and she should be ashamed of the way she presents herself to the world, especially at her age! She clearly needs some mental health treatment and some people around her to check her obnoxiously disturbing behavior when it’s taking place and before she splatters it all over social media,” one critic harshly remarked in the comments section. “[She’s had a] ton of s**t done to her face because she’s extremely insecure and can’t handle the fact that she’s getting old. Nothing more sad but comical and disturbing at the same time. Her face scares the s**t out of me, not gonna lie.” View the full article

Published by The Moderate Voice FILE – In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo violent rioters, loyal to President Donald Trump, storm the Capitol in Washington. The words of Donald Trump supporters who are accused of participating in the deadly U.S. Capitol riot may end up being used against him in his Senate impeachment trial as he faces the charge of inciting a violent insurrection. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) Friday, 06 January 2023, marks the second anniversary of a Trump-inspired insurrection that attempted to overturn the results of the November 2020 presidential election. To mark the moment, President Joe Biden is prese… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet United States Congressman Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania) claimed on Sunday’s edition of This Week that there is nothing remiss about him serving on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-California) proposed committee to investigate the Justice Department’s probes of the January 6th, 2021 Capitol insurrection, despite the fact that he was a central player in former President Donald Trump’s corrupt scheme to remain in power after he lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. According to the now-disbanded House Select Committee that amassed evidence of a vast conspiracy behind the January 6th Capi… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis claimed his “Don’t Say Gay” law only applied to “classroom instruction” in kindergarten through third grade, and only prohibited “sexual instruction,” but his Dept. of Education is promoting false claims that school library books are included, and some school systems are using the possibly unconstitutional law to ban books that have LGBTQ characters. One Florida school system, Lake County, which includes about 60 public schools, has banned “And Tango Makes Three,” according to Popular Information‘s Judd Legum. The award-winning children’s book is based … Read More View the full article

Published by Al-Araby Algeria’s ministry of commerce vowed to ban all products with rainbow colours, including Qurans editions, from the country’s market to ‘protect’ the Algerian society from “the danger of homosexuality”. “We seized 38,542 items bearing these [rainbow] colours, including school items, children’s toys, as well as 4,561 copies of the Koran [in rainbow colours],” said Kamel Rezig, the Algerian minister of commerce said during a speech at the ministry’s headquarters in Algiers. Tuesday marked the start of the Algerian authorities’ crusade against ‘the rainbow,’ which will be accompanied by a week-lon… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet The highly-respected U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat of Michigan, has announced she will not seek re-election in 2024, fueling rumors once again of a potential run for her seat by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Stabenow, now 72, is a four-term senator from The Great Lake State who also served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is the Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee and the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The Detroit News’ Melissa Nann Burke first reported Stabenow’s decision to retire at the end of her term. In July, Politico … Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega While fans of Chrisley Knows Best are used to watching Todd Chrisley and wife Julie Chrisley be two peas in a pod onscreen, his dynamic with first wife Teresa Terry was nowhere near as chipper. While the spouses are set to serve years behind bars for tax fraud, Terry alleged in old divorce documents that her ex was capable of much worse crimes. mega The high school sweethearts tied the knot in 1990, but the wedded bliss soon turned sour. “He likes to control his environment,” she claimed in the resurfaced court docs, per Radar. “I had two small kids [but at home] everything had to be picture-perfect; your hair always had to be fixed and you had to be dressed to the 10s.” Todd allegedly became so controlling she filed a “prevention of family violence” order against him, alleging he once “wielded a knife” while threatening to kill her. She also claimed he hit her “using his closed fist.” mega The reality star, 53, was ordered to stay 1,000 feet away from Teresa and she eventually filed for divorce. “You just cannot imagine how vindictive he can be,” she said of why she left him. TODD CHRISLEY REACTS TO RUMORS HE’S GAY, HAD AFFAIR WITH FORMER BUSINESS ASSOCIATE Todd denied treating his former spouse “cruelly” and was allowed joint custody of their kids, Kyle and Lindsie Chrisley. In 1996, the same year their split was finalized, he wed Julie, 50. While the dad-of-five and son Kyle are estranged, Todd reunited with Lindsie last year (Lindsie previously cut ties because she believed her father was responsible for rumors about her alleged sex tape.) “After my divorce stuff had become public, my dad had posted, ‘I’m here, I love you, whatever’s going on in your life right now I see it,'” she explained on her podcast. “That’s really more so how we were able to reconnect. [It was] definitely because of my divorce.” Lindsie, 33, emphasized their reunion had nothing to do with Todd’s legal woes, however, her days left to bond with her father are limited, as he’s expected to report to a Florida jail on Tuesday, January 17. He was sentenced to 12 years behind bars while Julie was given a seven-year sentence at a different prison. “My parents regularly say that at this time it’s basically living every day like it’s your last, enjoying the moment, spending time with their kids that are in Nashville,” Lindsie spilled in a recent interview, adding the couple is also “dedicating their time in therapy and their biblical studies.” View the full article

Published by AlterNet Republicans in the Oklahoma State Senate have proposed legislation that would criminalize doctors for providing gender-affirming care to transgender individuals under the age of twenty-six. Senate Bill 129 not only contains prohibitions on procedures such as hormone treatments, transition, and reassignment surgery – but it also establishes that male and female are the only two sexes “in the context of reproductive potential or capacity.” The introduction states: An Act relating to health care; creating the Millstone Act of 2023; defining terms; prohibiting provision of or referral for gender t… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Noah Schnapp has come out as gay. The 18-year-old actor – who is best known for playing Will Byers in ‘Stranger Things’ – shared the news with his fans in a TikTok video. He said: “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was ‘we know.’ You know what it never was? That serious. It was never that serious. Quite frankly, it will never be that serious.” Noah’s on-screen character in ‘Stranger Things’ is gay, and the teenage actor even referenced Will’s sexuality in the TikTok caption. He wrote: “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.” Noah previously explained that season four of the show will explore Will’s “personal struggles and struggles with his identity”. He said: “I feel like people are used to seeing him fighting a monster or struggling with the supernatural side of ‘Stranger Things’. “But this season, it’s just more about his personal struggles and struggles with his identity, and I think it’s interesting for the audience to see that.” Noah also addressed Will’s sexuality during an interview in July. The actor – who stars on the show alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard – confirmed in the interview that Will had feelings for his best friend Mike, adding that it was “100 percent clear that he is gay”. Noah said at the time: “Obviously, it was hinted at in Season 1: It was always kind of there, but you never really knew, ‘Is it just him growing up slower than his friends?’ “Now that he’s gotten older, they made it a very real, obvious thing. Now it’s 100 percent clear that he is gay and he does love Mike.” View the full article

Published by Express.co.uk By Clive Hammond For centuries the tale of Joan of Arc, the influential French heroine who took on the English in battle throughout the 1420s, has served as an inspiration across the globe. Now, 611 years after she was born on January 6, 1412, her legacy remains strong – but some aspects of her tale remain surprisingly hidden, like the fact that among the charges she faced before her death included wearing men’s clothing. Born in Domrémy, Duchy of Bar, the youngster believed she was destined to be a “champion of France”, a nation embroiled in the Hundred Years’ War against their neighbours acr… Read More View the full article

Published by Al-Araby What we wear says something about us. What style says, however, is not entirely up to us. Cheap garments communicate poverty but even the aspirational brands worn by the working class often underline class rank. In the 90s, the popularity of Lacoste among the French lower class, especially those of North African heritage, transformed the brand into a kind of uniform for the immigrant banlieues and reinforced, rather than masked, marginalisation. Style can convey wealth, aspiration, and exclusivity. Multinational brands, however, have made the primary purpose of style more elusive: the sense of… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story On Friday, POLITICO reported that dozens and dozens of corporations that vowed in the wake of the January 6 attack to stop giving campaign money to lawmakers complicit in the plot to overturn the election, have quietly gone back to their old ways, and given around $10 million to the politicians they said they’d swear off. “Political action committees affiliated with more than 70 major corporations said they would pause or reconsider donations to those who objected to certifying the results of the 2020 election after the attack on the U.S. Capitol two years ago,” reported Jessica Piper and Zach… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK LONDON (Reuters) – Around 3% of people in England and Wales aged 16 or over identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual, according to 2021 census data released on Friday. The census in 2021 was the first in Britain to ask about people’s sexual orientation, and the results are broadly in line with previous, smaller-scale surveys. The census, conducted by Britain’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), also asked about people’s gender identity for the first time. About 262,000 people – 0.5% of those aged 16 or over – replied that the gender they identified with was different from their sex registered a… Read More View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Noah Schnapp, best known for playing closeted gay teenager Will Byers on Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, has come out as gay. In a TikTok video posted on Thursday, the 18-year-old actor wrote, “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was ‘we know.’” In the video’s caption, he wrote, “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.” @noahschnapp I guess I’m more similar to will than I thought ♬ original sound – princessazula0 Last summer, after the debut of the show’s final two episodes of the fourth season, Schn… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Dolly Parton made a surprise appearance on this week’s episode of Fox’s “Call me Kat” to pay tribute to the show’s late co-star Leslie Jordan. “Dear friend, there’ll be no sad farewell, there’ll be no tear-dimmed eyes,” the country superstar sang to Jordan in a prerecorded message that aired during Thursday’s episode of the beloved sitcom. The verse is from a song she recorded with Jordan for his 2021 album “Company’s Comin’” titled “Where the Soul Never Dies.” “I know usually at a memorial, people talk about somebody. Well, I’m going to talk to you,” Parton said. “Because there is that place … Read More View the full article

Published by AFP US Republican lawmaker-elect from New York George Santos looks on as the House of Representatives continues voting for new speaker at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 5, 2023 New York (AFP) – Republican George Santos admitted to hamming up his life story and is under investigation in America and Brazil, but he still went to Capitol Hill this week for his swearing in. The 34-year-old has defied calls to stand down and if rebel Republicans hadn’t repeatedly blocked the election of House Speaker then Santos would be a Congressman by now. For some experts, the lawmaker-elect from New York is an example of what politicians think they can get away with today in the deeply polarized United States. “There is no getting around the fact that Mr. Santos’s con game is a manifestation of a growing political phenomenon of saying or doing anything, with no automatic consequences,” Santos’s Democratic predecessor, former representative Tom Suozzi wrote in the New York Times. Joshua Tucker, a politics professor at New York University notes that “people have lied about their record forever.” “(But) what’s crazy about this story is the extent to which he lied,” he told AFP. Santos portrayed himself as the embodiment of the “American Dream” ahead of his election victory in New York’s third congressional district in November. The son of Brazilian immigrants grew up in the Queens borough of New York City and is openly gay. His story began to unravel in December when the New York Times reported many falsehoods in his CV, including on education and employment. He did not graduate from Baruch College, nor did he attend the Horace Mann School, a prestigious private school in the Bronx. Nor did he work for Citigroup or Goldman Sachs. Santos — who grew up in a Catholic family — was also accused of exaggerating reality, our outright lying, by presenting himself as “a proud American Jew.” He later said he never claimed to be Jewish, just “Jew-ish.” Reports also cast doubts on his claim that he is the grandson of Holocaust survivors who fled Nazi barbarism. Santos, who has been likened to “The Talented Mr. Ripley” or “The Great Gatsby”, has been accused of inflating his financial income and real estate holdings as well. Amid the allegations, New York’s top prosecutor, Letitia James, said she would investigate Santos’ claims while Brazilian prosecutors reinstated over-decade-old fraud charges against him for using a stolen checkbook. ‘I’m not a fraud’ Santos told the conservative Fox News channel this week that “embellishing my resume was a mistake.” But he added: “I’m not a fraud, I’m not a fake.” Santos appeared isolated in the House of Representatives on Monday, and avoided questions from journalists, but by Tuesday he was seen mixing with other Republicans. While Democrats have called for him to quit, no high-profile Republicans have done so. Some commentators say that highlights the fragile state of American democracy. “Today’s hyperpolarized political culture is fueled by a win-at-all-costs mentality in which the ends justify the means,” Ken Paulson and Kent Syler, two professors at Middle Tennessee State University, wrote in The Tennessean newspaper. Tucker sees the influence of former president Donald Trump, who is known for his flexible relationship with facts. “Trump has shown that it doesn’t really matter what your relationship to the truth is,” he said. “Maybe in this modern era, the bar for what triggers politicians to think they have behaved so egregiously that they should resign is different than it was in previous eras. “It’s sort of hard to fathom that he’s not going to resign at some point,” Tucker added. A local conservative newspaper, The North Shore Leader, raised concerns about Santos’s financial situation before his election, but the information was not picked up nationally after the vote. Some observers also criticize the Democratic Party for not spotting and highlighting Santos’s fibs earlier. So what might happen to Santos if he doesn’t quit? Experts say the House may vote to censure him when he is finally sworn in, but they add that Republicans are unlikely to expel him due to their slim 222-213 majority. Voters, armed with more facts about Santos than they had this time round, will get another say in two years’ time — if he decides to seek re-election. View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Todd Chrisley, a real estate tycoon and reality TV star, has denied allegations that he had intimate relations with his former business associate, Mark Braddock. The Chrisley Knows Best star is due to start his 12-year prison sentence after being found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion convictions. On the most recent episode of his podcast, Chrisley Confessions, Chrisley discussed with his son Chase Chrisley, 26, about Braddock’s claims of the pair’s alleged extramarital affair in the early 2000s. IN MEMORIAM 2022: 100 GREAT CELEBRITIES WHO DIED THIS YEAR! “What insulted me the most is that… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega A boycott has been called on MTV’s new LGBTQ+ show,The Real Friends of WeHo, less than 24 hours after it was announced, RadarOnline.com has learned. Angry TV watchers are coming for the network after it announced that Todrick Hall was in the cast. The controversial choreographer, singer, and social media star, who rose to fame on American Idol, has been riddled with controversy. Pals and colleagues have been vocal about their distaste for Todrick over the years, claiming he doesn’t pay up when he’s supposed to and backstabs people. Others call him annoying. It appears that the general public agrees, with many expressing their disappointment with MTV over the casting. Mega The Real Friends Of WeHo “is an unfiltered and honest look at a select group of friends living, loving and pursuing their passions in the West Hollywood community.” It follows “fierce” male friends that include stylist to the stars Brad Goreski, actor Curtis Hamilton, skincare CEO Dorión Renaud, host Jaymes Vaughan, digital entrepreneur Joey Zauzig, and Todrick. While the reality show promises to give “an up close and personal glimpse into their lives,” fans aren’t excited about giving Todrick a spotlight and took to Twitter to shout their thoughts. [This post contains video, click to play] “Will not be watching this due to Todrick Hall,” one person tweeted. “Like todrick hall? look me in the eyes and tell me u would are interested in watching a tv show with him in it,” wrote another naysayer. “I don’t even watch drag race anymore and even I know this is a bad move. You really playing with drag race (fans) for a Todrick Hall show?!” questioned a third. FYI — Todrick was a choreographer and occasional judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race for years. Others immediately called for a boycott, telling MTV they’d be switching the channel. Mega “Today, January 6, we must rise up and march to MTV headquarters and take back what is ours! Drag Race was stolen by crooked Todrick Hall and we will not accept the FAKE one hour long episodes,” a Twitter user posted, sharing a meme of someone holding a rainbow flag in the U.S. Capitol during the 2021 riot. “Not one f—— soul on this planet wants to see Todrick Hall on our tv’s every week. we’ll be changing the channel, hunties,” shared another. Despite the backlash, MTV’s The Real Friends of WeHo with Todrick is set to air on January 20. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega A Russian national with ties to Vladimir Putin was found dead under mysterious circumstances this week, RadarOnline.com can confirm. Sergey Milyakov, who served as the chief engineer of a Russian cargo ship, was found dead early Wednesday morning while his ship was docked in Odisha, India. Mega According to Odisha officials, Milyakov’s body was found around 4:30 AM local time and no cause of death has been released in connection to his passing. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Milyakov’s sudden death marks the fifth Russian national with ties to Putin to die under mysterious circumstances in less than two weeks. His passing also marks the third Russian to die under mysterious circumstances in India in less than 14 days. Pavel Antov and Vladimir Budanov, who were in India to celebrate Antov’s 66th birthday at the end of December, died under similar and equally mysterious circumstances within two days of one another. Mega Budanov passed away on Thursday, December 22 from an alleged heart attack while Antov – who was named Russia’s “highest-earning elected politician” in 2019 – passed away on Saturday, December 24 after allegedly jumping out of an Indian hotel room window. “On Saturday…deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Vladimir Region, Pavel Antov, fell out of the window,” the Russian Consul General in Kolkata, India confirmed at the time. “We are closely following the investigation and receiving all the information from the Odisha police.” Even more shocking are reports that Antov had criticized Putin and the Russian leader’s war in Ukraine shortly before his mysterious death. “To tell the truth, it is extremely difficult to call [the war in Ukraine] anything other than terror,” Antov said in a newly resurfaced social media post published before his mysterious passing. Mega One day after Antov’s death, Putin’s top tank commander – Alexei Maslov – died suddenly from unknown causes in a Moscow military hospital. Maslov’s death at 69 years old came as a shocking surprise because the tank commander was set to meet with Putin less than 24 hours before his sudden passing. Putin reportedly canceled the meeting at the last minute without giving a reason. Then just one week before Sergey Milyakov’s death on Wednesday, Putin’s proclaimed “rocket man” – Vladimir Nesterov – was found dead. Nesterov passed away on Wednesday, December 28 and, like Milyakov after him, his cause of death has not been revealed. View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Prince Harry has accused his brother William of physically attacking him during a highly emotional meeting in 2019, RadarOnline.com has learned Harry’s memoir Spare is set to be released this month and excerpts have begun to leak. MEGA One chapter of the book, obtained by The Guardian, revealed the fight with William. The meeting, which was called by William, went down at Nottingham Cottage which is on the grounds of Kensington Palace. Harry said once he arrived he could tell his brother was already “popping hot.” MEGA During the meeting, Harry said William called his wife “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”. Harry said he told William that he was just repeating the press narrative about Meghan. Harry said their argument escalated quickly and William, “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor”. Harry wrote, “He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.” MEGA After the shuffle, Harry said William told him not to tell Meghan about the incident. Harry said, “You mean that you attacked me?” To which William allegedly responded, “I didn’t attack you, Harold.” As RadarOnline.com first reported, the royal family is preparing for even more shocking accusations as sources claim Meghan has been secretly writing her own book. A source claimed, “She fully intends to write this book and leave no stone unturned. It’s just a question of timing and how long she wishes to hold out in order to preserve what’s left of her and Harry’s relationship with King Charles.” Meghan and Harry have reportedly left King Charles III and Queen Camilla upset after airing out the family’s dirty laundry during their Netflix docu-series. Harry has previously expressed hope that he can mend his relationship with both William and his father Charles. View the full article