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Published by Radar Online mega An explosive new tell-all book from journalists Peter Baker and Susan Glasser provides damning new insight into the marriage of Melania Trump and Former President Donald Trump during their chaotic time at The White House, RadarOnline.com has learned. The book, The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021, contains never before heard accounts of interactions between the couple, as well as the Former First Lady’s criticism of her husband’s lack of actions on concerning issues. mega Incidences shared between the covers of The Divider, detail patronizing back-and-forth dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Trump, over significant matters, such as his handling of the Coronavirus. The authors recount the moments when the country’s leading couple had a difference of opinions, to say the least, that caused the former model to become “rattled by the coronavirus and convinced that Trump was screwing up.” One excerpt exposed a phone conversation between Melania and then New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie. mega During the call, authors allege that Melania was relaying what she told her husband to Gov. Christie in a plea-like manner to potentially invoke pressure for her husband to reframe his opinion on the COVID-19 virus. “You’re blowing this. This is serious. It’s going to be really bad, and you need to take it more seriously than you’re taking it,” the authors claim Melania told Gov. Christie during their conversation. Failing to listen to his wife’s concerns, the authors shared the former reality star’s dismissive response: “You worry too much. Forget it.” mega In addition to not taking his own wife seriously, several other examples are outlined of the one-term president’s unbecoming disposition towards women, especially those in power. The remarks shared by the authors allege criticism from the former president focused on the women’s appearances rather than actions brought by their work. In one instance, it is shared that Trump “harshly criticized women for their looks, telling visitors that Speaker Nancy Pelosi was an example of why women should be careful about plastic surgery.” Another example provided context as to why Trump would not select his United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley as his running mate, citing that the real estate mogul-turned-politician told unnamed parties that Haley had a “complexion problem.” Many concerns from the Trump team on national security are also exposed in the tell-all. The Divider is set to hit shelves for purchase Tuesday, September 20. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Danielle Broadway (Reuters) – “The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show on Broadway, is set to close on Feb. 18, 2023 due to a sharp drop in ticket sales even after New York theaters reopened following the pandemic lockdown. “Phantom” is a staple within the Broadway world with over 70 major theater wins and 13,733 performances since its debut in 1988. Despite its legacy, the New York Post reported that the show was losing $1 million a month. Fans mourned the news across social media, reflecting on what the show has meant to thespians and audiences alike. In January, the show cast Emilie Kouatchou as its first Black American actress to portray the lead role of Christine. The decision broke racial barriers and made Broadway history but her performances will be short-lived. The musical will celebrate its 35th anniversary in January followed by a final Broadway performance on Feb. 18. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” is based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux and was originally directed by Harold Prince. Broadway legends including Michael Crawford, who was the first to play the Phantom, Sarah Brightman, Judy Kaye and others have taken leading roles in the show. “Phantom” tells the 19th century story of aspiring opera singer Christine Daae who is taught by the mysterious Phantom to hone her vocal skills. However, things take a dark turn when the Phantom chooses Christine as his muse, and she falls in love with an arts benefactor named Raoul. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by The Mercury News The flu shot is as familiar an October ritual as football, foliage and Halloween. But health officials are urging Americans to get the new flu shot and COVID booster at the same time — the sooner, the better. “Right where we are now — that’s a good time to be vaccinated,” influenza expert Dr. Lisa Grohskopf of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the nation’s physicians in a conference call late last week. That’s ahead of time, by traditional measures. Flu season most often peaks in February — and our levels of protective antibodies are at their highest about two weeks afte… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Rosie O’Donnell has had a “weird” relationship with Ellen DeGeneres. The 60-year-old star fronted her own daytime chat show from 1996 until 2002 and – following a brief period where she was replaced by ‘Sabrina, the Teenage Witch’ actress Caroline Rhea – her slot was ultimately taken by fellow comedienne Ellen, 64, who fronted ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ between 2003 and 2022 but the pair are still “not friends.” She said: “We had a little bit of a weird thing, and after my show went off the air and hers was coming on the air. Larry King was on with ‘Ellen’ and he said ‘What ever happened to Rosie O’Donnell? Her show went down the tubes! She came out as a lesbian and disappeared!’ And Ellen said, and I’m quoting, “I don’t know Rosie. We’re not friends.” At the time, Rosie was married to then-wife Kelli Carpenter and went on to explain that she has “never got over” the comments that Ellen made about her on air. Speaking on ‘Watch What Happens Live’, she told host Andy Cohen: “I was in bed with Kelli and I said ‘Did I just hear that? Or was that a hallucination, auditory voice in my [head]?’ ‘And that’s what happened. And it hurt my feelings like a baby. And I never really got over it!” However, ‘The Flintstones’ actress then insisted that she wishes no ill to her fellow TV star – who quit hosting ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ earlier this year after 19 years on the air – and in fact hopes that she is “well.” She added: “I wish her all the good things in life and that she should be well.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski say their pets “unconditional love” inspired their new business. The ‘Queer Eye’ stars attribute their “mutual love” of their furry friends as to why they created Yummers – a line of pet food ‘mix ins’ with 14 flavours – with Rebecca Frechette Rudisch. Jonathan – who has four cats Larry, Liza, Matilda and Genevieve and dog Rose- told PEOPLE magazine: “I just think some of my most fulfilling relationships have come from my pets, that unconditional love, and they take such good care of us. I do think that’s part of what makes Yummers so special is it really has been born from this desire for us to want to take better care of our animals and to want to show up for them in the ways that they show up for us.” The 35-year-old television personality added: “I think it’s a mutual love of pets, is what really kind of brought us together. We’re both pet parents, and Rebecca is really the mastermind. She saw that there was a gorgeous opportunity for us.” Antoni agreed, saying in the same interview that he adored dogs because they are “just unapologetic with their feelings and their neediness,” as he is a person who wears his “heart on his sleeve”. The 38-year-old reality star felt his dog – a rescue named Neon – helped him and his partner have some of “the best moments” of the lockdown brought on at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Antoni said: “When I look back at the pandemic, to bring that up, the best moments that I had were driving out to the country, going out into the woods with my partner and my dog, or r even just going on a walk with my dog after being in front of a computer screen all day long and just being in the outdoors and seeing how much joy it brought her and how much it actually helped me, and how symbiotic this relationship is that you have with a pet.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Former President Donald Trump’s interest in buying Greenland was real and inspired by a friend, Radar has learned. As detailed in the new book, “The Divider,” Trump’s extensively covered 2019 interest in acquiring Greenland provides some juicy new details. Chief among them is that Trump reportedly at one point offered a straight-up exchange of Puerto Rico for the northern island territory. MEGA “He suggested taking federal money from Puerto Rico, which he disparaged, and using it to buy Greenland,” the booked noted. “On another occasion, he suggested outright trading Puerto Rico for Greenland.” Another more familiar revelation is that what Trump said publicly was apparently not quite in line with the truth. While the former president claimed the idea to acquire Greenland was his idea, based on looking at maps, the book says it was actually the brainchild of Estée Lauder cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder. MEGA “He discussed it with Trump from the early days of the presidency and offered himself as a back channel to the Danish government to negotiate,” the book purports. At the time, officials for Greenland quickly declared that the island was most definitely not for sale. Nevertheless, Trump’s interest was enough, according to the book, to move former National Security Advisor John Bolton to have aide Fiona Hill put together a team to brainstorm ideas. “They engaged in secret talks with Denmark’s ambassador and produced an options memo,” the book stated, according to the New York Times. The details about Trump’s interest in Greenland are some of the newest revelations revealed this week from upcoming books about his time in the White House. RadarOnline.com previously reported that a new book details Trump’s refusal to leave the White House in the days after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden. MEGA View the full article

Published by The Detroit News DETROIT — As a boy, Shuhei Komatsu loved Star Wars movies, especially the lightning-fast land speeders. So when he grew up, he decided to make one of his own, he said. “I wanted to make something from the movie real,” Komatsu said. “It’s a land speeder for the Dark Side.” On Wednesday, he and his AERWINS Technologies company put his vision for a machine that can race above the ground on display at the North American Auto Show in front of Huntington Place in downtown Detroit. It’s the first time the company’s XTURISMO hoverbike has appeared in the U.S., officials said. And at 1 p.m. Thursday, K… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ahmed Aboulenein and Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday she was cautiously optimistic over a decline in the growth of new monkeypox cases, but that some areas of the country are still experiencing a rise in infections. She also said during a White House briefing that the agency was taking steps to address racial and ethnic disparities in distribution of monkeypox vaccines. Nearly 23,000 cases of monkeypox have been identified across the United States as of Sept. 14, Walensky told reporters. “Over the last several weeks, we’ve been pleased to see a decline in the growth of new cases here and abroad. There are areas of the U.S. where the rate of rise in new cases is still increasing,” she said. “We approach this news with cautious optimism.” The racial and ethnic makeup of the outbreak has evolved over the past few weeks, Walensky said. CDC is opening applications for a vaccine equity pilot program under which 50,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine have been allocated to address distribution disparities. “While monkeypox cases were first seen predominantly in non-Hispanic white men, in the last week among the cases for which we have race and ethnicity data, non-Hispanic Black men represented 38% of cases, Latino or Hispanic men represented 25% of cases and non-Hispanic white men represented 26%,” Walensky said. Conversely, of the 91% of first vaccine doses administered for which the CDC has race and ethnicity data, white people received about 47% of those shots, Hispanic people got about 20% and Black people accounted for some 12%, the CDC director noted. “The percentage of vaccines administered to Latino or Hispanic men and non-Hispanic Black men are disproportionately lower than we are seeing represented in cases,” she acknowledged. More than 540,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine have been administered so far, Walensky said. CDC data shows that 80% of those were first doses, but the number of second doses administered has increased over the past several weeks, Walensky said. Jynneos needs to be given in two doses, four weeks apart, to be fully effective. At a briefing on Aug. 26, Walensky said 97% of shots administered had been first doses. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Global Voices Photo by Guillaume Paumier, published under CC BY 2.0 license on Flickr. French President Emmanuel Macron’s (center-right, liberal) government, who was reelected President in April 2022, is currently facing backlash over homophobic comments and stances expressed by some of its members. On July 13, 2022, six French anti-homophobia organizations filed a legal complaint against the current Minister of Local Authorities, Caroline Cayeux, only a few days after she was appointed. They denounced comments she made as a senator in 2013 when she said same-sex marriage was a “whim” and went “against natu… Read More View the full article

Published by The Detroit News DETROIT — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he’s raising his children to “have better values” than Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, who called him a “weak little girl” on Twitter earlier this week. “If she wants to talk about little girls, Chasten and I are raising a little girl and a little boy. And we are raising them to have better values than the chairwoman,” he said. “The rest is politics.” Buttigieg is the nation’s first openly gay, Senate-confirmed Cabinet secretary and a former officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. The Buttigieges announced last August they ha… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet By David Badash,The New Civil Rights Movement Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi mocked Republican lawmakers on Wednesday after U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham‘s decision to announce a bill to ban abortion nationwide continues to backfire on the South Carolina Republican and the GOP. Pointing to a little-noticed aspect of Graham’s proposed legislation, which would ban nearly all abortion at the 15-week mark, Speaker Pelosi told reporters at her weekly press conference the bill would not just place a nationwide ban of abortion, it would actually “criminalize” it. “The extreme MAGA Republicans gather… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrea Shalal and Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden called on Americans to speak out against racism and extremism during a summit at the White House on Thursday, and said he would ask Congress to do more to hold social media companies accountable for spreading hate. “White supremacists will not have the last word,” Biden told the ‘United We Stand’ summit of bipartisan local leaders, experts and survivors. Biden said America had long experienced a “through line of hate” against minority groups, one that had been given “too much oxygen” by politics and the media in recent years. “It’s so important that we keep hollering,” he said. “It’s so important for people to know that’s not who we are.” The event also recognized communities that suffered hate-based attacks, including mass shootings at a gay nightclub in Orlando in 2016 and at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket earlier this year, in which 10 Black people were gunned down by an avowed racist. Hate crimes in the United States hit a 12-year high in 2020, the last available data, the FBI said last year. Biden was introduced by Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during an August 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. “Her murder resonated around the world, but the hate did not begin or end there,” Bro said. Participants gave Biden a standing ovation when he said he wanted Congress to “hold social media companies accountable for spreading hate.” “I’m calling on Congress to get rid of special immunity for social media companies and impose much stronger transparency requirements on all of them,” Biden said. The White House event comes just weeks after Biden warned in a speech in Philadelphia that extremist Republicans are a threat to democracy. Biden addressed criticism that the speech was divisive on Thursday. “Silence is complicity, we can’t remain silent,” Biden said. “There are those that say we bring this up, we divide the country. Bringing it up we silence it.” Biden announced a $1 billion push by philanthropists to build bridges among Americans of different backgrounds, and an initiative supported by the foundations of former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Gerald Ford. Several big technology companies also joined in. YouTube said it was expanding its efforts to combat violent extremism by removing content glorifying violent acts for the purpose of inspiring others to commit harm, fundraise, or recruit. Microsoft said it was expanding use of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to detect credible threats of violence, and use gaming to build empathy. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Andrea Shalal; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Heather Timmons and Richard Pullin) View the full article

Published by Al-Araby No artistic discipline is more neglected in Islamic civilisation than its figurative art, which involves the depiction of humans and animals on any surface. While the Jewish ban on this form of art has influenced the Islamic doctrines and cultures up till today; as Islamic civilisation grew in cultural centres outside the Arabian Peninsula, new Muslim nations continued making images in line with their inherited local artistic traditions, with varieties in terms of quality, quantity, styles, preservation conditions and the rules followed in determining what is permissible or not. So, what is ca… Read More View the full article

Published by Miami Herald MIAMI — Days after the Miami-Dade County School District denied students from attending Miami New Drama’s production of Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Anna in the Tropics,” school officials pointed to lines and imagery they considered to be “sexually explicit” or inappropriate for school-aged children. Among the examples cited were comments between characters, such as “I would’ve shot the son of [expletive] a long time ago,” and a stage note that referenced lovemaking on top of a table. There’s also a description “of what lovers do” and a violent passage in which a character reads fr… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega JoJo Siwa knows all about the pressures of performing on Dancing With The Stars — which is why RadarOnline asked her who she believes will come out victorious with this year’s hard-to-get mirror ball. We caught up with JoJo at the opening night of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill at Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday, where we asked the former DWTS contestant who she thinks will take home the coveted trophy. Not only did she spill about her prediction, but she also had some sound advice for Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, along with the others fighting for the sought-after award. Mega Last week, the newest contestants and their pro pairs for season 31 of the competition reality series were announced. The celebrity-filled cast includes Bachelor star Gabby Windey, comedian Wayne Brady, singer Jordin Sparks, actress Selma Blair, Jersey Shore star Vinny Guadagnino, country singer Jessie James Decker, Sex and the City actor Jason Lewis, Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s son Joseph Baena, and more. It also includes Teresa and Shangela, who is the first drag queen ever to compete on DWTS. JoJo broke barriers when she teamed up with dancer Jenna Johnson last year, making them the first same-sex pairing on the show. The reality star-turned-mega influencer didn’t win, but she thinks she knows who will take home the mirror ball this time around. Mega “The whole cast is awesome,” JoJo responded when we asked her about the cast. “I’m really excited for Shangela to be a part of the show. Shangela’s paired up with Gelb and, you know, it’s going to be really fun because obviously, Shangela is a drag queen, but on the inside, she’s also a he.” “I think that that’s going to be really fun to see if they dress in drag (or) if they present masculine,” she continued. “I think it’s going to be a really fun story to watch throughout the season.” When asked what it means to see DWTS eliminate stereotypes of dancing pairs, JoJo didn’t hold back. Mega “It’s incredible! I really love that they didn’t do another female-female this year, even a male-male,” she told RadarOnline.com, “they did a male-drag queen and I think that anything they would have done would have been incredible, but they brought a whole other level of inclusivity.” She added the “brilliant” move “shows, once again, that you can do anything — you can dance with anyone.” While JoJo’s votes are going to Shangela, her mother will be cheering for Teresa. When asked if she had any advice for the reality star-turned-mirror ball hopeful, she said, “It’s not about being a dancer, I can say that. It’s a totally different kind of dancing as well.” Shooting down the idea that Charli D’Amelio will walk away with the trophy because she’s a dancer, JoJo argued, “it really is such a different kind of dance than what a competitive dancer is trained to do. It’s a challenge for everybody.” Besides stopping to chat with RadarOnline.com at the event, JoJo made headlines by making her red carpet debut with her girlfriend Avery Cyrus. The two were adorable for their first-ever event, stopping to take their own photos as they walked into the theater. Jagged Little Pill will be showing in Los Angeles until October 2. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate votes on legislation protecting gay marriage on Thursday were put off until after the Nov. 8 congressional elections, as negotiators failed to win enough Republican support to ensure passage. The delay dashed the hopes of advocates who had sought prompt action on a bill already passed by the House of Representatives that would ensure protection for same-sex and interracial marriages. The move came after weeks of closed-door talks between a small group of Democratic and Republican senators who looked at ways to amend the House bill in order to attract at least 10 Republican supporters who would join 48 Democrats and two independents. The U.S. Census Bureau in 2019 estimated that there were 543,000 same-sex married couple households and 469,000 households with same-sex unmarried partners living together. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is “extremely disappointed” that there were not at least 10 out of 50 Republicans willing to come forward to support the gay rights legislation, spokesman Justin Goodman said in a statement. Goodman added that Schumer nonetheless is “100% committed” to holding a vote this year. Schumer had hoped to set up a first procedural vote on the legislation on Monday. Senators leading the negotiations issued a statement saying that they needed additional time to work on the bill. “We are confident that when our legislation comes to the Senate floor for a vote, we will have the bipartisan support to pass the bill,” said Democratic Senators Tammy Baldwin and Kyrsten Sinema and Republicans Susan Collins, Rob Portman and Thom Tillis. Earlier, Baldwin told reporters that a bill will be put to a vote following the elections. Joni Madison, the interim president of LGBT civil rights organization Human Rights Council, called for the bill to be brought to the floor for a vote “at the earliest possible moment,” calling the delay disappointing. “Marriage equality – for both LGBTQ+ and interracial couples – is not and should not be a partisan issue, and to treat it as such is an insult to the millions of families who are impacted,” Madison said in a statement. The thinking behind the delay is that following the midterm elections Republican senators will feel freer to back the legislation at a time when any voter backlash would be two years away with the next elections. “If they think that improves their chances of passage, that’s their prerogative,” Republican Senator John Cornyn told reporters, adding that he would vote against a bill codifying same-sex marriage into law. The Senate’s failure to win sufficient Republican support for a bill came after the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in mid-July passed such a measure with the backing of 47 Republicans. Schumer has been careful to give negotiators — and wavering Republicans — the space they needed to put together a bill that would succeed, rather than just force senators to go on record for or against but result in a failed vote. Over the past several days, the small group of senators and their staffs worked on an amendment designed to protect the “religious liberty” concerns of some Republicans. But some supporters of the bill said the real snag was that there just were not enough Republicans willing to back any such bill, especially six weeks before the elections. “The Republicans need to stand up and explain why they don’t want to vote for equality among all human beings and the right to marry the person you love,” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters upon hearing about the delay. Republican Senator Rob Portman told reporters, “We were very, very close” to moving toward passage of a bill. The push to enact a federal law recognizing gay marriage arose after conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in June wrote that the same logic that led the court to overturn the national right to abortion could also lead it to reconsider its earlier decision legalizing same-sex marriage. Early on, Senator Mitt Romney was one of several Republicans saying there was no need to tackle such legislation after the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that the right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples. The court in 2015, however, was markedly less conservative than the current high court. Supporters of the legislation fear that the delay – the second in two months – could see support further erode, especially if Republicans win in November elections. (The story corrects to ‘were’ in lead.) (Reporting by Richard Cowan, Makini Brice and Moira Warburton; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent two planeloads of migrants to the posh vacation island of Martha’s Vineyard this week, to protest the Biden administration’s immigration policies. It’s the latest provocation by DeSantis, a Republican who is seeking re-election as governor in November and is considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate. POLITICAL RISE DeSantis, 44, was elected Florida’s governor in 2018 after President Donald Trump endorsed the then-congressman over a more established Republican candidate. His national profile grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he resisted mask and vaccine mandates and argued for the opening of schools. He has governed Florida with a brash and heavy hand, blasting critics, pushing his priorities through the legislature and punishing his enemies. He recently removed from office an elected Democratic prosecutor in Tampa for what DeSantis called an unwillingness to enforce abortion restrictions. IMMIGRATION DeSantis has taken an aggressive approach to illegal immigration despite the fact that Florida does not share a border with another country. He sued Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration over its immigration policies and sought to ban so-called “sanctuary cities” – places that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities – from being established in the state. “People are wondering, ‘Why are you doing this?,’” DeSantis said earlier this year. “People will say, ‘Let Texas or Arizona worry about that.’ Let me tell you, people trying to come in illegally are trying to get to Florida.” CULTURE WARRIOR DeSantis has been the party’s leading figure in fighting “culture wars,” particularly with regard to education. He championed the “Don’t Say Gay” law that prohibits Florida teachers from discussing sexual orientation with young students, sparking a clash with Disney, a large employer in the state. He has backed restrictions on what teachers can teach about U.S. history and race relations, arguing that public schools “indoctrinate” students with liberal values. He also has seized control of the state Board of Education and supported conservative school board candidates in local races. PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS As his prominence within the Republican Party has risen, so has talk about DeSantis running for president in 2024. The biggest obstacle in his path is Trump himself, who is expected to seek another term in office. DeSantis has been cagey about whether he would challenge Trump, who is still the most popular figure in the party. Meantime, DeSantis has proved to be a prolific fundraiser, having raised $172 million for his re-election campaign from sources inside and outside of Florida – on pace to set the record for fundraising in a gubernatorial race. He has continued to build national recognition, taking time away from the state to stump for other Republican candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections. (Reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jarrett Renshaw and Phil Stewart PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – Pennsylvania Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro on Wednesday plans to debut a new online ad aimed at Black voters that features his Republican rival posing in a Confederate military uniform, the campaign told Reuters. The ad features a photo first reported last month of Doug Mastriano, a Donald Trump-backed candidate and state senator, wearing the uniform in a faculty photo at the Army War College. The photo obtained by Reuters showed Mastriano in a 2013-14 portrait for the Department of Military Strategy, Plans, and Operations, where he worked. Faculty at the time had been given the option of dressing as a historical figure and at least 15 of the 21 faculty in the photo opted to appear in regular attire. Mastriano was the only one wearing a Confederate uniform. Mastriano, who has not responded to Reuters requests for comment, came under fire from Shapiro, who said it was a “traitor’s” uniform that has come to symbolize racism. The new ad features a close-up view of Mastriano in the Confederate uniform with a voice over that notes the War College said the photo failed to meet the War College’s values. “Does it reflect your values?” the narrator asks. The six-figure ad campaign is part of $1.2 million that Shapiro, the state’s attorney general, has budgeted for digital ads. Pennsylvania plays an outsized role in U.S. politics as a swing state in presidential elections, and Mastriano, who has embraced Trump’s stolen election lies, is trailing in polls and in fundraising ahead of the Nov. 8 contest. The winner of the governor’s race will choose the state’s top elections official, who will oversee its 2024 presidential election. The governor will also have the power to block or advance efforts by the Republican-led state legislature to severely restrict abortions. Displays of Confederate symbols are painful reminders to many of racial oppression and the Civil War, which saw 11 rebelling Confederate states fight to keep Black people enslaved. The U.S. military issued a de facto ban on displaying the Confederate flag and has sought to remove segregationist symbols from bases and academic institutions following the murder in May 2020 of George Floyd, a Black man whose killing by a white police officer in Minneapolis triggered protests worldwide. The War College removed the photo from a display after Reuters inquired about it. (Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia and Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article