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Published by BANG Showbiz English Anne Heche’s final autopsy has revealed that cocaine in her system did not contribute to her death. The actress died aged 53 in a devastating car crash on August 5, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Conor has revealed while she had used cocaine and cannabis previously, she was not impaired by drugs at the time of the accident. A coroner spokesperson told PEOPLE magazine: “The hospital admission blood showed the presence of benzoylecgonine, the inactive metabolite of cocaine, which means she used in the past but not at the time of the crash.” They added that while cannabinoids were found in her urine, they were “not detected in the admission blood” which is “consistent with prior use, but not at the time of the injury”. Meanwhile, toxicology has revealed she had fentanyl in her system, but the report has indicated this was “obtained after she received treatment at the hospital and therefore is consistent with therapeutic use”. The report adds: “This is supported by the lack of fentanyl in the blood specimen drawn at admission to the hospital.” The report also indicates that Anne’s burns prevented her body from effectively absorbing oxygen. This led to an “anoxic brain injury”, which is what resulted in her death. She was in a coma for around a week and was on life support until her death, with her heart kept beating so she could be assessed for organ donation. Anne had a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma”, which was labelled a “significant condition”, and typically takes place after the chest hits the steering wheel following a collision. She was severely burned in the car fire, which took 59 firefighters to battle and more than an hour before it was extinguished and the actress was freed. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have accepted an award for fighting “structural racism” in the Royal Family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex – whose Netflix documentary is set to launch on Thursday (08.12.22) – were honoured at the Ripple of Home awards in New York on Tuesday night, but refused to answer questions about the upcoming series. Kerry Kennedy – the daughter of Robert F Kennedy who runs the RFK Foundation, which is behind the awards – previously said she chosen Harry and Meghan for the prize because of their “heroic” stance as apparent “structural racism” in the Royal Family. She added: “Few would have the courage to question their colleagues, family and community about the power structure they maintained, and this is what Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have done.” Speaking at the gala this week, Harry said: “Ultimately we live in this world now where sharing experiences and sharing stories has an enormous impact.” Previous winners of the human rights awards from the organisation include Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. At the gala, Alec Baldwin revealed his admiration for the Sussexes. He commented: “They way they deal with difficult circumstances in the press without to much difficulty. “They’ve obviously chosen a different path. Good for them. They’re newly arrived in the States. “I think it’s great they’ve agreed to support this cause which we have for years.” In last year’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple accused an unnamed member of the royal family of asking about Archie’s skin tone before he was born. Meghan, 39, claimed in the interview that there had been several “concerns and conversations” raised by a member of the royal family about how “dark” Archie’s skin would be. She explained: “That was relayed to me from Harry. Those were conversations that family had with him.” Meanwhile, their appearance at the awards come amid controversy surrounding their documentary, with the trailer depicts their experiences with the media by using footage and images of the paparazzi from unrelated events, including a ‘Harry Potter’ premiere in 2011, years before Harry and Meghan had even met. View the full article

Published by DPA Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud awaits the German Chancellor in front of Al-Salam Palace. A US judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Kay Nietfeld/Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH/dpa A US judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Judge John Bates spoke of his “uneasiness” over the decision but said he had to follow the US Justice Department’s recent recommendation that bin Salman be given immunity. Bate’s unease was due not only to “credible allegations” of the prince’s involvement in Khashoggi’s murder, the judge wrote, but also to the timing of bin Salman’s appointment as prime minister of Saudi Arabia. The case was brought by Khashoggi’s fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who has accused US President Joe Biden of saving the “murderer” and “criminal” bin Salman by granting him immunity. Mohammed has been blamed by US intelligence for ordering the murder of Khashoggi. The crown prince denies having authorized the crime. The murder led to the crown prince being largely isolated internationally, including by Germany. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Neuralink, the Elon Musk company that Reuters reported on Monday is the target of a federal investigation over its animal trial program, has been trying to develop a brain chip that would enable the paralyzed to walk and the blind to see. Here is more on what Neuralink does. WHAT IS NEURALINK DEVELOPING? Founded in 2016 by Musk and a group of engineers, Neuralink is building a brain chip interface that can be implanted within the skull, which it says could eventually help disabled patients to move and communicate again, and also restore vision. Neuralink’s device has a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that could be transmitted to devices like a computer or a phone. The company hopes that a person would potentially be able to control a mouse, keyboard or other computer functions like text messaging with their thoughts. “First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs,” Musk said in April 2021. Neuralink also believes its device will eventually be able to restore neural activity inside the body, allowing those with spinal cord injuries to move limbs. The San Francisco and Austin-based company also aspires to cure neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. WHAT PROGRESS HAS NEURALINK MADE? Neuralink has produced several examples of testing aspects of its technology successfully on animals, including a video in 2021 that showed a macaque playing a simple videogame after being implanted with a brain chip. In a presentation webcast last week, the company showcased improvements in the speed and capabilities of the chip. WHAT HURDLES FOR NEURALINK NEXT? Neuralink has yet to secure U.S. regulatory approval to move to human trials – unlike competitor Synchron, which has less ambitious goals for its medical advances. Neuralink has missed Musk’s publicly stated deadlines to start human trials and this year submitted its application to the Food and Drug Administration to begin them. Musk said last week he believes Neuralink can start human clinical trials in six months. CONTROVERSY AROUND ANIMAL TESTING The company is facing a federal probe for potential animal-welfare violations at a time when its staff has complained that the testing is being rushed, causing needless suffering and deaths, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the investigation and company operations. In all, the company has killed about 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, following experiments since 2018. (Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru and Rachael Levy in Washington; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis, Rosalba O’Brien and Anil D’Silva) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Just 11 when she lost her famous father, Paris Jackson still carries him with her. Michael Jackson may have been worth more than a billion dollars, but his kids didn’t get anything handed to them. “Growing up, it was about earning stuff,” Paris says of her childhood with brothers Prince Michael, 24, and Bigi (a.k.a. Blanket), 19. “If we wanted five toys from FAO Schwarz or Toys R Us, we had to read five books. It’s earning it.” mega That’s just one of the lessons the singer/songwriter took from the King of Pop. “It’s earning it, not just being entitled to certain things or thinking, Oh, I got this,” she said. “It’s working hard for [something] … it’s an accomplishment.” As a result, the 23-year-old shared, she’s not afraid to hustle to launch her own career. “I go to auditions, I study hard,” the model and “Low Key in Love” singer said. “I do my thing.” PRINCE JACKSON RECALLS TRAUMATIC FIRST TIME HE WATCHED ‘THRILLER’ VIDEO WITH DAD MICHAEL JACKSON mega ‘MICKEY’ SINGER TONI BASIL CREDITS MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH TO RESIDENCY REHEARSALS, INSISTS ‘IT WAS KILLING HIM AND IT DID KILL HIM’ But being the daughter of the most famous man on earth did have its perks. “My dad was really good about making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated,” she noted about the family’s world travels, “and not just showing us the glitz and glam, like hotel hopping, five-star places.” To keep the kids grounded, she added, “We saw everything. We saw Third World countries. We saw every part of the spectrum.” And of course, the two bonded over their shared love of music. “He loved classical music and jazz and hip-hop and R&B and obviously the Motown stuff,” Paris recalled. “So we grew up around all of that, and I feel like all of that somehow influences my stuff.” View the full article

Published by DPA The cap of a Russian soldier lies on the road near a destroyed tank column in Borodianka. In the first book of its kind from Russia since the start of the war with Ukraine, a Russian soldier has given a candid version of life on the front. In shedding light on why Putin’s war is failing, Pavel Filatyev has made himself an enemy of the state. Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa For two months, former Russian paratrooper Pavel Filatyev experienced the war in Ukraine first-hand, battling a determined enemy and despairing at a senseless mission and the incompetence of his own commanders. After he returned home in the summer, Filatyev, 34, poured out his frustrations about the shambolic state of the Russian army in his gripping front-line account “ZOV”, which means “the call” in Russian. Packed with insights into daily wartime life and an army riddled with corruption and nepotism, the 141-page bombshell was recently released in German and is also available in English as “ZOV: A Russian soldier caught inside Putin’s unjust war in Ukraine”. Initially published in Russian on the Internet, the first word of its title was then also written in Latin script to highlight the letters “Z” and “V”, the tactical symbols painted on Russian military vehicles that poured into Ukraine on February 24. The memoir quickly became an international sensation, while Filatyev, who keeps his whereabouts secret while in political asylum in France, faces up to 15 years in jail in Russia for defaming the armed forces. Nevertheless, he hopes his writing will help to enlighten his countrymen about the senselessness of the war, and even prompt them to rise up in opposition to it. The Russian audio book version published on YouTube alone has more than 600,000 hits so far. As his unit, the 56th Guards air assault regiment, was sent into southern Ukraine from Crimea, Filatyev naively believed there was a reason for the invasion. He soon realized that nobody there was waiting for the “liberation” that was announced by the Kremlin. The claim of the Russian leadership that they wanted to preempt an imminent Ukrainian attack is also untrue, says Filatyev, denouncing what President Vladimir Putin stubbornly calls a “special military operation” against Nazis in the neighbouring country. His criticism is not aimed at ordinary soldiers who have been misled by a lack of information, Filatyev stresses, but at the leadership in the Moscow Kremlin. “He never served, he was never in a war and doesn’t know what the army is,” Filatyev said of Putin, a former Soviet KGB intelligence service officer, during a video call from a café in Paris. As the world reels from each successive uncovering of horrors against civilians in previously occupied Bucha, Izyum, Kherson and beyond, he says he can’t personally confirm any atrocities committed by the army during his time in Ukraine. “Of course I can’t vouch for the whole army, but no one was tortured in front of my eyes, let alone raped,” he writes. But he has no doubt that, as in every war, there are “scumbags” committing war crimes. At the same time, he acknowledges that Ukrainian civilians are being killed and entire cities senselessly destroyed. Filatyev, a former horse breeder as well as soldier, authentically describes how the military is failing due to a lack of leadership and motivation – and sheer inability to keep the troops supplied with essentials like food. “I’m a smoker and I’m annoyed with the leadership that we’ve been here for three days and apparently nobody upstairs thought that we need something to smoke, eat and drink,” he writes in his diary-like notes from the front. Dilapidated equipment and vehicles that constantly break down point to a bleak outcome for Russia’s “technically hopelessly outdated and morally rotten” forces in Ukraine: “An army like this doesn’t need an enemy, we’ll ruin ourselves all on our own.” Filatyev, who is not married and has no children, paints a dire future also for the country, which is sinking in “lies, fraud and false values”. Everything is atrophied, from defence to health care to the legal system, while the individual counts for nothing. Ordinary soldiers often have to pay for their medical treatment and medicines themselves, but the Russian elites continue to prosper from the comfort of their villas and yachts. After years of watching annual WW2 victory parades on Red Square, this, he muses, this should surely be enough for the Russian people to finally grasp the tragedy that is unfolding in Ukraine: “On May 9 we thank our ancestors who ended the war. Have we, their descendants, really started a war now?” It is a war that not only tore apart Ukrainians and Russians, who once lived in one country and still have close family ties, but also threatens to bankrupt his homeland because of the immense cost of holding the occupied Ukrainian territory. Ordinary soldiers often have to pay for their medical treatment and medicines themselves, Filatyev writes. Ivan Vysochinsky/ZUMA/dpa View the full article

Published by AFP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes part in a flag-laying ceremony during his visit to the newly liberated city of Kherson in November 2022 New York (AFP) – Time magazine named President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as “the spirit of Ukraine” as its 2022 person of the year on Wednesday, for the resistance the country has shown in the face of Russia’s invasion. Calling Zelensky’s decision to remain in Kyiv and rally his country “fateful,” Time editor in chief Edward Felsenthal said this year’s decision was “the most clear-cut in memory.” Since Russia’s February 24 invasion, Zelensky has delivered daily speeches that are followed not only by Ukrainians but by citizens and governments around the globe. He has appeared on the front lines and recently celebrated in the streets of Kherson when Ukraine pushed Russia from the critical southern city. “His information offensive shifted the geopolitical weather system, setting off a wave of action that swept the globe,” Felsenthal wrote in announcing the winner. “Whether the battle for Ukraine fills one with hope or with fear, Volodymyr Zelensky galvanized the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades,” Felsenthal added. Zelensky’s response to the Russian invasion has transformed the 44-year-old former comedian from an embattled leader of a struggling European outlier to a global household name. He has also become the standard-bearer of opposition to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who himself was Time’s person of the year in 2007. Zelensky, who was born in the southern industrial city of Kryviy Rig in the heart of a mainly Russian-speaking region, has presented his country as the front line in a broader conflict. His appeals to the West for military and financial support, at times echoing the words of British wartime leader Winston Churchill, have helped Ukraine first halt Russia’s advance and then recapture swathes of territory. Zelensky shares the 2022 title with “the spirit of Ukraine,” which Felsenthal said was embodied by the “countless individuals inside and outside the country” who are fighting behind the scenes, including everyday people such as chefs and surgeons. Time’s cover artwork for the edition features Zelensky in his now iconic green fatigues, surrounded by dozens of individuals, including demonstrators bearing the Ukrainian flag, who together represent that spirit. Among those depicted are Iryna Kondratova, who helped deliver babies during shelling, Kyiv chef Levgen Klopotenko, who turned his restaurant into a relief canteen, and Kyiv Independent editor in chief, Olga Rudenko. “The Russians need to understand… They will have no forgiveness. They will have no acceptance in the world,” Zelensky says in an interview published in the issue. Time first presented its Person of the Year award in 1927. Last year’s honoree was Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who has since made major headlines with his high-profile purchase of Twitter. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Paris Hilton has promised a “very exciting announcement” about some new music on the way. The 41-year-old star has confirmed she’s “back in the studio” working on some new material and she’ll be ready to reveal more on December 31. She told E! News: “I am back in the studio. I have a very exciting announcement that’s gonna be happening on New Year’s Eve, but I can’t say yet. But it’s a very iconic song.” While Paris didn’t give any more clues on her next move in the music world, she did open up about her upcoming book ‘Paris: The Memoir’, which is set to be released on March 14, 2023. She added: “I have been writing my book for over a year now and a lot went into it. “Just having to think about so many things that happened in my life and it really revealed so much because I’ve always been someone who likes to keep a lot in but in this book I felt it was such an important story for people to hear and people can relate to, and help people as well.” Meanwhile, Paris – who married her husband Carter Reum in November 2021 – also reflected on Britney Spears and Sam Asghari’s wedding in June. She said: “I love Britney so much… We had the best time at that wedding. It was literally one of the most iconic rooms ever, with all of the girls together.” At the reception, Paris posed for a photo with Britney, Madonna, Donatella Versace and Selena Gomez. Despite the star studded affair, Paris admitted the nuptials were “intimate”, and the guests in attendance loved getting to see Britney enjoy her special day. She explained: “It was very small and intimate, but it just made it so special to see our princess walking down the aisle and dancing the night away after.” View the full article

Published by New York Daily News New York City’s oldest gay bar earned landmark recognition Tuesday after a 10-year campaign to honor the Greenwich Village location. The venerable Julius’ Bar, one of Manhattan’s oldest continuously operating taverns, received the new status exactly one decade after the Village Preservation organization took up the cause for the circa 1825 building at 159 W. 10th St. “Julius’ finally has the landmark status it deserves,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation. “This is a huge step forward in recognizing our city’s history as a refuge and home to the nation’s largest LGB… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Raymond Green Vance was among the five people who were killed when a gunman attacked an LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs Los Angeles (AFP) – The suspect in a mass shooting that left five people dead at an LGBTQ club in the US state of Colorado was charged Tuesday with 305 criminal counts, including murder. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, has been in custody since the rampage last month in Club Q in Colorado Springs that also left at least 18 people wounded. The suspect, who court-appointed lawyers have said identifies as non-binary, appeared handcuffed and shackled in court on Tuesday to face the litany of charges. They include 10 counts of first-degree murder — two for each fatality, one of murder with intent, and one of murder with extreme indifference. Both charges carry a maximum life sentence without the possibility of parole. It is not uncommon in the United States for prosecutors to levy multiple charges for the same crime. So-called “charge stacking” increases the likelihood of conviction in cases where a jury finds the circumstances do not exactly fit one of the charges, and would therefore find the defendant not guilty. Aldrich, who did not speak during Tuesday’s appearance, also faces 86 counts of attempted first-degree murder, as well as dozens of bias-motivated crimes — the name for hate crimes in Colorado — and dozens more of assault. District Attorney Michael Allen told reporters that the sheer number of charges is an indicator of how seriously authorities are taking the attack. “Obviously when you file 305 counts in a case, that tells the public, this community, this state and this nation that we are taking this case as seriously as we possibly can and we are going to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law,” Allen said. The suspect, who is bearded and heavy-set, wore jail-issue clothes in court and appeared to have recovered from injuries apparently sustained when patrons of Club Q subdued him to end the shooting. Military veteran Richard Fierro, who was visiting the club with his wife, told reporters he had snatched the attacker’s pistol and used it as a cudgel to hit him. The November 20 mass shooting was the latest in America’s seemingly endless gun violence crisis and shattered the peace of Colorado Springs’ LGBTQ community, as customers and staff at the well-known club were gunned down on a night of revelry. Matthew Haynes, one of the owners of Club Q, said the fact that hate crime charges had been laid demonstrated that it was a targeted attack. “The tragedy at Club Q shows that words matter and that words have real-world consequences,” Haynes said, according to the Denver Post. “We continue to call out those who spread disgusting rhetoric and encourage violence against the LGBTQ community, to end this behavior immediately before more people get hurt.” Reporting since the attack has revealed a chaotic life for the alleged attacker, with a childhood marked by instability, and parents who suffered from substance abuse problems. A two-day preliminary hearing was set for February 22. A full jury trial may not happen until some time in 2024, the district attorney said. View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Kirstie Alley revealed her unwavering love for John Travolta in the years before her death, RadarOnline.com can confirm, revealing how she resisted the urge to act on her romantic feelings. The longtime friends, who worked together on the three Look Who’s Talking films, shared a special bond that both of them have raved over. News Licensing- / MEGA Alley was married to Parker Stevenson from 1983 to 1997 while Travolta tied the knot with Kelly Preston in 1991, keeping the pair’s connection strictly platonic. “John would agree it was mutual that we sort of fell in love with each other,” Alley said, admitting during an appearance on British podcast The Dan Wootton Interview that not taking their relationship any further was “one of the hardest things” she’s ever done. “I was madly in love with him — we were fun and funny together,” the star confessed, noting she refused to cheat on her husband. “I consider what I did even worse because I actually let myself fall in love with [Travolta] and stay in love with him for a long time.” Alley went on to shut down rumors the Saturday Night Fever icon is gay while revealing what made her stop pining over Travolta, noting it was Preston confronting her for “flirting with my husband.” “And that was sort of when I had to make a decision and that was pretty much the end of that,” said the For Richer or Poorer star, adding that it ultimately worked out for the best. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA “John and I would have devoured each other because John and I are so alike. It would be like two blazing stars that just fizzled out,” she explained. Travolta has since paid his respects to Alley following news of her death at 71 after a battle with cancer, writing via his Instagram caption: “Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.” STB / MEGA In recent years, the Pulp Fiction heartthrob lost many women near and dear to his heart including his beloved wife, who died of cancer at 57 in July 2020. This year, his cherished Grease costarOlivia Newton-John died in August at 73. While the heartfelt messages in honor of Alley continue pouring in, her ex-husband also shared a tribute. “I am so grateful for our years together, and for the two incredibly beautiful children and now grandchildren that we have,” the Baywatch alum wrote. “You will be missed. With love, Parker.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story California Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener announced in a press release Tuesday that received threats at his San Francisco home, KRON4 reports. “Early this morning, I was informed by the San Francisco Standard and the police that someone had issued a bomb threat against me, listing my specific home address and also threatening to shoot up my Capitol office,” Wiener stated. “The email said ‘we will f—— kill you’ and called me a pedophile and groomer.” Officers who arrived on the scene did not find any explosives. Wiener was a target of a bomb threat earlier this year. In a separate incident, a man… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Karen Freifeld (Reuters) – Former President Donald Trump’s namesake company was found guilty on Tuesday of scheming to defraud tax authorities. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, said the verdict would be appealed. Here are some of the way in which prosecutors said the company and executives cheated on their taxes. – The Trump Organization gave executives free, cheap and reduced-rent apartments that were not reported as income. – Bonuses were paid as if executives were independent contractors, not salaried employees. – Trump himself signed bonus checks from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, the Trump International Golf Club in Florida, and other Trump entities that could benefit from the deductions. Trump was not charged in the case and has called it politically motivated. – The Trump Organization leased luxury cars for executives and their wives. – The company paid for beds, TVs, carpeting and furniture for the Florida home of Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, and for utilities, cable and parking garage fees in Manhattan. – Trump himself paid the private school tuition for his chief financial officer’s grandchildren. – Checks were made out to an employee in the mailroom to cash and were booked as “Holiday Entertainment” but given to the CFO for personal tips. – Tax statements were issued that did not disclose executives’ Manhattan living quarters so they did not pay city taxes. – The personal expenses were not added to employees’ taxable income. But some expenses were subtracted from salaries and bonuses, leaving the executives with less taxable income and the company with less payroll taxes. – The scheme was a way to limit raises, while giving executives more money. – CFO Weisselberg estimated that $100,000 worth of personal expenses he received was worth double that to him – $200,000 – in salary. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s real estate company was convicted on Tuesday of carrying out a 15-year-long criminal scheme to defraud tax authorities, adding to the legal woes facing the former U.S. president as he campaigns for the office again in 2024. The Trump Organization – which operates hotels, golf courses, and other real estate around the world – faces up to $1.6 million in fines following the guilty verdicts by a jury on all charges the company faced. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, told reporters the company would appeal. The exact amount of the fines will be determined by the judge overseeing the trial in New York State court. The jury deliberated for a total of about 12 hours. Following the verdict, the judge set a sentencing date of Jan. 13. The company had pleaded not guilty. Trump himself was not charged in the case. While the fine is not expected to be material for a company of the Trump Organization’s size, the conviction could complicate its ability to do business by spooking lenders and partners. The case centered on charges that the company paid personal expenses like free rent and car leases for top executives including former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg without reporting the income, and paid them bonuses as if they were independent contractors. “The smorgasbord of benefits is designed to keep its top executives happy and loyal,” prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told jurors during his closing argument on Friday. SEPARATE LAWSUIT The Trump Organization separately faces a fraud lawsuit brought by New York state Attorney General Letitia James. Trump himself is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice over his handling of sensitive government documents after he left office in January 2021 and attempts to overturn the November 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Weisselberg, 75, testified as the government’s star witness as part of a plea deal with prosecutors that will allow him to spend no more than five months in jail. The Trump Organization argued that Weisselberg carried out the scheme to benefit himself. He is on paid leave from the company and testified that he received more than $1 million in salary and bonus payments this year. “The question here is not whether as a byproduct the company saved some money,” Susan Necheles, a defense lawyer, said in her closing argument on Thursday. “(Weisselberg’s) intent was to benefit himself, not the company.” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Nov. 19. that his family got “no economic gain from the acts done by the executive.” Republican Trump, who on Nov. 15 announced his third campaign for the presidency, has called the probe a politically motivated “witch hunt.” Both Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his predecessor who brought the charges, Cyrus Vance, are Democrats. Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty in August to concealing $1.76 million in income from tax authorities, testified that Trump himself signed the Christmas bonus checks and personally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in private school tuition for Weisselberg’s grandchildren. He also said Trump’s two sons – who took over the company’s operations in 2017 after Trump became president – gave him a raise after they knew about his tax dodge scheme. “The whole narrative that Donald Trump was blissfully ignorant is just not real,” Steinglass said. The Trump Organization also sought to argue that Donald Bender, an outside accountant, should have caught and blown the whistle on Weisselberg’s fraud. The company called Bender as its main witness, but his testimony appeared to backfire when he said he trusted that the information Weisselberg gave him was accurate and that he was under no obligation to investigate further. (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military has no hard data to back up claims by top Republicans in Congress that the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate is hurting recruiting, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday. “I’ve not seen any hard data that directly links the COVID mandate to an affect on our recruiting,” Austin told a news conference. Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who is vying to become speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and other Republicans are pushing the Biden administration to lift the American military’s mandate requiring troops to be vaccinated against COVID, arguing it hurts recruiting. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega For years, former ScientologistLeah Remini was on a crusade to take down the religion, publically slamming the church and spilling secrets about its famous members — and it never sat well with late actressKirstie Alley, who was a longtime follower of the religious group, RadarOnline.com can reveal. “Kirstie’s one of the toughest defenders of Scientology and has taken Leah’s betrayal of the church very personally,” an insider explained in 2020, just two years before Alley’s surprising death. The ladies were once close friends, they revealed, but after Leah left the religion in 2013 — and began making jaw-dropping claims about the church and its leader, David Miscavige — the Cheers alum felt she had no option but to cut ties with Leah and speak out about their nasty feud. Mega Kirstie didn’t hold back. “I think the most repulsive thing a person can do is attack another person’s faith,” she said in the past, taking a jab at the former King of Queen‘s star. “So when you decide to blanket statement ‘Scientology is evil’ you are my enemy. I just won’t have people in my life that are [like] that. I just think it’s really wrong.” While her words may have seemed harsh — Kirstie publicly called Leah a “bigot” — those who knew the Look Who’s Talking actress best weren’t shocked. “Kirstie’s never been one to hold back, and she refuses to let anyone shame her or other members of the church,” the insider warned years ago, adding she wasn’t afraid of a fight. Mega “That’s why she’s known as Scientology’s unofficial bulldog and the mama bear of the religion,” they continued. “She’ll always stand behind it.” Kirstie and Leah most recently came to public blows in February, sharing a heated exchange on social media after Alley tweeted she’d “pray” over the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. “She has no comment on these crimes against humanity? But she’s going to pray? Scientology, her ‘religion,’ says Christ is a pedophile and a lie. Scientologists aren’t allowed to believe in anything else other than Scientology. So who is she praying to?” Leah unloaded, but Kirstie hit back. Mega “I don’t care what the punk a– t—t say. I believe in the power of prayer,” she responded. “I will continue to pray for the people of Ukraine. Putin is a c—t and a coward and I’ll pray his own soldiers refuse to do his dirty work. PS, I pray to the same God you do. So get over your nasty selves.” As RadarOnline.com reported, Kirstie died unexpectedly after a secret battle with cancer. Her children announced the upsetting news on Monday, revealing she had recently been diagnosed — but they didn’t specify which kind of cancer she had been fighting. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Michael Jackson was the most influential entertainer of the 20th century! Top critics, scholars, showbiz insiders — and the Guinness Book of World Records — believe MJ shaped the future of music, dance, film and fashion with his genius and talent. During his too-short life, Michael produced 13 no. 1 tunes. since his death, his recordings are still red-hot and he’s sold more than 750 Million albums worldwide! But Michael’s cultural impact runs much deeper. acclaimed jazz choreographer Ginger Cox insists the Moonwalker’s fluid grace inspired generations of dancers, and the instructor of new York’s Broadway Dance center proclaims Jackson is the “reason many people started dancing. his influence is truly extraordinary.” mega Jackson’s dance moves were “like quick- silver in motion,” says Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, who worked with Michael on the “Bad” video. “I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on one hand and of the music on the other,” he said. Certainly, he shaped how we hear and saw music. MJ’s groundbreaking “Thriller,” “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” single-handedly created the music video. Critics say many of the film techniques developed during the filming are being used in mainstream TV today, and the white glove also had a huge hand in the styles we currently wear. The metallic military cues, peg-leg pants, white socks and fedoras seen on the catwalk were inspired by Jackson, whose sense of style is still being mimicked by hot young stars including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Usher and Justin Timberlake! PRINCE JACKSON RECALLS TRAUMATIC FIRST TIME HE WATCHED ‘THRILLER’ VIDEO WITH DAD MICHAEL JACKSON mega ‘MICKEY’ SINGER TONI BASIL CREDITS MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH TO RESIDENCY REHEARSALS, INSISTS ‘IT WAS KILLING HIM AND IT DID KILL HIM’ One noted critic said, “The king of Pop reigns supreme because of his exceptional talent and because he simply did what no one had done before.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Margot Robbie has pushed to bring Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s romance to the big screen. The ‘Suicide Squad’ actress feels ready to reprise her role as Harley and would love to see a relationship explored with another iconic DC character. She told ComicBook: “No, I’ve had enough of a break. I’m ready to do her again. “I did ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’ back-to-back, so that was a lot of Harley all in a one-year period, but that was a while ago now. I’m always ready for more Harley.” Regarding Harley’s romance with Ivy, she added: “I have been pushing for that for years. I cannot tell you how hard I’ve been pushing for that. I want it too. “Honestly, when I pictured, I always picture like Poison Ivy in the comics. I don’t really actually picture an actress doing it, but I agree, that would be so good.” Robbie also weighed in on Lady Gaga taking on the Harley role for ‘The Joker’ sequel ‘Jolie a Deux’, and she backed the ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker to deliver in a different movie universe. She told MTV News: “It makes me so happy because I said from the very beginning that all I want is for Harley Quinn to be one of those characters, the way Macbeth or Batman, always gets passed from great actor to great actor. “It’s kind of like someone gets to do their Batman, or someone gets to do their Macbeth. I feel like, in not so many cases, are they female characters — Queen Elizabeth I, but beyond that, which I got to have a crack out as well, which I was honored to do. “I was like, ‘Wow! Cate Blanchett did Queen Elizabeth I. Now I get to.’ It’s such an honor to have built a foundation strong enough that Harley can now be one of those characters that other actors get to have a go at playing. “And I think she’ll do something incredible with it.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The man who shot and wounded Lady Gaga’s dog walker during the theft of two of the singer’s French bulldogs in Hollywood last year pleaded no contest to attempted murder on Monday and was immediately sentenced to 21 years in prison. As part of the no-contest plea – the legal equivalent to a guilty plea in California – James Howard Jackson also admitted in court to inflicting great bodily injury on the man he shot in the chest, Ryan Fischer, who survived the attack. “The plea agreement holds Mr. Jackson accountable for perpetrating a cold-hearted, violent act and provides justice for our victim,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in announcing the settlement of the case. Several other charges Jackson faced were dismissed in the plea deal, according to the Los Angeles City News Service (CNS). Fischer attended Monday’s court hearing and, according to CNS, made a statement blasting the defendant, saying the shooting had forever altered his life. Jackson was one of five suspects – four of them identified by authorities as known street gang members – arrested in connection with the shooting of Gaga’s dog walker and the abduction of her two pets on Feb. 24, 2021. The two purloined bulldogs, named Koji and Gustav, were dropped off unharmed at a police station and turned over to the musician’s representatives two days after they were snatched at gunpoint by two strangers in a car. A third bulldog owned by Gaga that was out walking with Fischer at the time escaped and was later found safe by police. Police at the time said evidence suggested the suspects singled out the three dogs because of the high value placed on the breed, but they were not believed to have known the identity of the owner before the robbery. Gaga, who was filming a movie in Rome when her pets were taken, had issued a public plea on social media for an “act of kindness” to bring them home, and offered a $500,000 reward. The woman who came forward to report finding the dogs and turn them over to police, Jennifer McBride, was later charged with being an accessory after the fact. Her case remained pending on Monday, the D.A.’s office said. Another co-defendant, Harold White, pleaded no contest on Monday to a weapons charge and will be sentenced next year, prosecutors said. Two others, Jaylin White and Lafayette Whaley, each previously pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery, receiving sentences of four years and six years in prison, respectively. (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Fadeaway World By Aikansh Chaudhary Former NBA star Dennis Rodman told music star Madonna that he didn’t like her music during their first meeting. Dennis Rodman was one of the biggest icons in the 1990s. He was hugely popular among fans for his amazing ability to grab rebounds and for being a valiant defender. But apart from being a phenomenal athlete, Rodman was equally famous for his activities off the court. There are a plethora of stories about Dennis Rodman not caring a bit about what people thought of him. The former Chicago Bulls star went through several changes ever since he was a little kid. But t… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News The Food and Drug Administration is on the cusp of changing rules so that more gay and bisexual men can donate blood like anyone else. It’s about time. Rules in place since 2015, which replaced a longstanding outright ban imposed in the 1980s to frustrate the spread of HIV during the AIDS epidemic, made all gay and bisexual men abstain from sex for a year before being eligible to give blood. That was reduced to three months during the COVID-19 pandemic, when blood bank reserves fell to dangerously low levels. But those shortages persist. Earlier this year, the American Red Cross for the first … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tyler Clifford and Brendan O’Brien (Reuters) – Three men accused of aiding a 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer were found guilty on Wednesday of taking part in a conspiracy that prosecutors ascribed to hostility over restrictions she imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A jury found Joseph Morrison, 28, his father-in-law Pete Musico, 44, and Paul Bellar, 23, guilty of gang membership, firearm violations and providing material support for terrorism. They could each face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 15. The three were among more than a dozen men arrested in October 2020 and charged with state or federal crimes related to the conspiracy. The group planned to break into Whitmer’s vacation home, kidnap her and take her at gunpoint to stand “trial” on treason charges, prosecutors said. Seven of the accused, including Morrison, Musico and Bellar, have now been convicted by a jury or pleaded guilty to playing roles in the conspiracy. After the verdicts, Whitmer, a Democrat who is up for re-election in November, said she was not disheartened by the evidence presented in the case, which highlighted the growth of U.S. political militancy in recent years. “No threat, no plot, no rhetoric will break my belief in the goodness and decency of our people,” she said in a tweet. “And these verdicts are further proof that violence and threats have no place in our politics.” The verdict, after two weeks of testimony in Jackson County Circuit Court, was a victory for state prosecutors who argued that the men on trial assisted two others who in August were found guilty in federal court of orchestrating the kidnapping conspiracy. Defense attorneys argued their client did not know of a plan to kidnap the governor and that their actions were protected by the First and Second Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. After the verdict, the defense attorneys – all of them public defenders – said they were disappointed and had advised their clients to appeal. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the verdicts. In the earlier trial, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. were found guilty of plotting to abduct Whitmer from her vacation home. Their convictions followed a first trial earlier this year that ended in a hung jury, while two other defendants were acquitted during those proceedings. The conspirators hoped that an abduction would lead to a violent uprising and instigate a civil war, prosecutors said. Morrison and Musico were accused of hosting tactical training sessions on their property in a remote part of Michigan. Bellar was accused of providing plans for tactical maneuvers, coded language for covert communication and ammunition. All three were members of a militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen, prosecutors said. In September, a federal judge reduced the sentence of another accused conspirator, Ty Garbin, who pleaded guilty to participating in the plot after his testimony helped convict Fox and Croft. Kaleb Franks, who also pleaded guilty to playing a role in the scheme, was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this month after serving as a key witness in the case against Fox and Croft. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York and Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Alistair Bell, Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by AlterNet Newsmax host Greg Kelly defended former President Donald Trump’s demand for the “termination” of the United States Constitution and proclaimed that he is personally victimized by drag queens reading to kids in a segment on Monday’s edition of his nightly right-wing talk show. “So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the … Read More View the full article

Published by Kaiser Health News Behind Florida’s decision to block clinical services for transgender adolescents is a talking point — repeated by the state’s governor and top medical authorities — that most cases of gender incongruence fade over time. The Florida Board of Medicine voted Nov. 4 to approve a rule that barred physicians from performing surgical procedures on minors to alter “primary or secondary sexual characteristics” and from prescribing them medication to suppress puberty and hormones. The rule included an exception for patients who were already receiving those treatments. Two days later, Florida’s Republica… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Russia’s first queer museum has closed its doors, after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed the law that significantly expands restrictions on activities seen as promoting LGBTQ rights in the country. Pyotr Voskresensky, an LGBT activist and historian from St. Petersburg’s, opened the museum devoted to LGBTQ culture on 27 November. The museum included three dozens objects, including sculptures, tableware and books, which help tell the repressed story of the LGBTQ community in Russia. Now following the recently approved anti-LGBTQ laws, Voskresensly’s museum is deemed illegal. “I … Read More View the full article