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Published by Radar Online ROMA / MEGA Embattled reality star Todd Chrisley was accused of sexually harassing a male employee years before his ex-business partner testified they allegedly had a gay affair during the TV personality’s fraud trial. Radar exclusively broke the news on a bombshell court filing back in 2014, in which three former employees of his company, Chrisley Asset Management, spoke out with claims against the convicted fraudster. MEGA The ex-employees alleged in January 2010 that Todd, 53, regularly “commented on the size of his p—-, invited male employees to ‘jerk off’ with him in the restroom, inappropriately touched employees, and routinely made sexual gestures toward his subordinates.” Some of the employees alleged that those who went into specific detail about his alleged harassment were given the boot from their workplace as retaliation. According to the documents, the Plaintiffs claimed Chrisley once “asked a male employee, in front of other employees, to join him and another male co-worker in the restroom to ‘jerk off.'” “Chrisley’s actions heavily influenced the work environment,” the docs stated. “Employees were made to feel afraid to complain about the offensive sexual behavior for fear they would lose their jobs in those tough economic times.” The case was settled in the end. Curtis Hilbun / AFF-USA.COM / MEGA Years later, Todd’s character came into question again when his former business partner Mark Braddock alleged the reality star cheated on his wife, Julie Chrisley, with him. Not only that, but they supposedly paid off a blackmailer to keep the alleged affair a secret, a claim vehemently disputed as a “fantasy” by Chrisley’s lawyer. Todd previously brushed off rumors about his sexuality, calling the speculation “flattering.” In late May, Braddock testified during Todd and Julie’s federal fraud trial, claiming they were intimate in the early 2000s. He claimed to have allegedly helped the reality TV star commit fraud by creating fake documents and impersonating Todd. After the alleged dalliance ended, Todd reportedly threw his ex-lover and employee out of his Chrisley Asset Management office and threatened to call the cops. Braddock got upset and later decided to report Todd and Julie, 49, to the FBI. ROMA / MEGA In turn, Braddock was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony. Earlier this month, the Chrisleys were found guilty in their tax fraud trial. They face up to 30 years behind bars at their upcoming sentencing in October. View the full article

Published by The Charlotte Observer A controversial bill restricting LGBTQ instruction in elementary schools might not be taken up by the North Carolina House in the remaining few weeks of the legislative session, Speaker Tim Moore said Wednesday. House Bill 755, also known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights, was approved by the state Senate earlier this month just over a week after being proposed by Republican lawmakers, and was expected to be voted on in the House soon thereafter. But Republicans won’t rush to pass the bill if they don’t have enough Democratic support to circumvent a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, an… Read More View the full article

“ her sexuality isn’t something they discuss. “ Published by OK Magazine @mslyssac/Instagram Wedding bells are ringing! Dog the Bounty Hunter‘s daughter Lyssa Chapman, 35, said “I do” with her partner Leiana Evensen in a gorgeous Hawaiian wedding ceremony on Friday, June 3. @mslyssac/Instagram “Last week Lei and I boarded a boat at 7 in the morning with 7 of our closest family members and we dedicated our love and lives to one another,” Lyssa wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday, June 7. “With our feet in the water, we connected ourselves to the power and vastness of the ocean. We were hugged by the majestic Ko’olau mountain range, that will continue hugging us as we live and spend the rest of our lives together at Makaalamihi,” she continued. “There, with uncle David officiating, we stated our declarations of intent, said our vows and began life together OFFICIALLY as wife, and wife. ” LAWSUIT ALLEGES THAT DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER LIED ABOUT INTERACTION WITH PARKLAND SHOOTER’S BROTHER, REFERRED TO HIM AS R-SLUR “It was literally a dream day,” she added of her special moment. “The best part is @leiana13 is my freaking WIFE !! I’m so happy, blessed, filled with love and gratitude. I never thought I was worthy or capable of this kind of love. The vibration I feel in my body hasn’t stopped since I met her and if you’re reading this from a dark place know that your happy beginning is out there somewhere too. ” Lyssa’s daughters, Abbie May, 20, and Madalynn Grace, 12, were in attendance at the ceremony, along with her wife’s parents, Stacy and Carl Evensen. Lyssa’s dad — real name Duane Chapman — couldn’t make it to the wedding, but the newlywed told People that he was there as much as he could be through phone calls and video chat, fully supporting them on their happy day. @mslyssac/Instagram ALL OF DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER’S DAUGHTERS — WHERE ARE THEY NOW? “We FaceTimed him a bunch. He was there in spirit and also electronically,” she continued, explaining that it’s been “really, really hard for him to come back to Hawaii” since the passing of his fourth wife, Beth, in 2019. Addressing the rumors that Dog has made homophobic comments about members of the LGBTQ+ community in the past, Lyssa explained her father “always just loved me” and that her sexuality isn’t something they discuss. “I think it’s really hard for people who are Christian and do have that belief that marriage belongs to a man and a woman,” she noted. “But when your daughter falls in love with someone and you love that person, you can’t just say you don’t believe in it. I don’t want to put words in his mouth because I don’t know what his exact feelings about it are, but he’s never shown me anything other than support.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Beyonce is planning a “thrilling abundance” of new music. The 40-year-old pop megastar – who teased an upcoming project called ‘Renaissance’ on Thursday (16.06.22) alongside a July 29 release date – is said to have used the pandemic to put a lot of thought into her next move, with plenty of material on the way. The ‘Love on Top’ hitmaker met British Vogue’s Editor in Chief Edward Enninful for the magazine’s July issue, and he has given an insight into her plans. Writing about their meeting, Enninful said: “New music is coming – a thrilling abundance of it… “The creation has been a long process, she explains, with the pandemic giving her far longer to spend thinking and re-thinking every decision. Just the way she likes it.” Enninful noted that Beyonce was hands-on with her cover shoot, which turned into a family affair when her husband Jay Z and their children – Blue Ivy, nine, and five-year-old twins Rumi and Sir – visited for the day. He added: “Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, a writer of excellent and lengthy texts, had taken to messaging me as we brainstormed the direction of her Vogue shoot together. “A fashion fantasia spun from the tropes of club life during the last century’s final quarter… “[On set] it was a magical mood and soon B was walking around feeling easy and free to be herself. Her husband and kids came to surprise her on set. It was a family day out – albeit a slightly surreal one.” Last year, Sony label bosses suggested a new Beyoncé record will be released in 2022. The eagerly-awaited LP will be Beyoncé’s seventh solo album and follows 2016’s ‘Lemonade’. Her last big solo tour was ‘The Formation World Tour’ in 2016, while she hit the road again in 2018 to perform with her husband Jay Z on his ‘On The Run II Tour’. See the full feature in the July issue of British Vogue available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday 21st June. See more at: https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/beyonce-vogue-cover-new-music View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will inaugurate a task force on Thursday to curb online harassment, fulfilling one of the Biden campaign’s promises in the wake of a mass shooting that highlights a link between online abuse and violence. The group will be tasked with producing within six months a blueprint detailing actions to address the problem, including more support for victims, prevention and greater accountability for aggressors and platforms hosting them. The task force will be co-chaired by the White House Gender Policy Council and National Security Council, according to senior administration officials who previewed the announcement in a call on Wednesday evening. The creation of the task force comes in the wake of a mass shootings in Texas, where the gunman allegedly posted violent online content before carrying out the bloody rampage. According to reports from CNN, the Washington Post and others, Salvador Ramos, who shot and killed 19 children and two adults in an elementary school in Uvalde, threatened to rape girls and shoot up schools on social media app Yubo before the attack. “It’s imperative that we commit to better understanding and addressing the nexus between online misogyny and radicalization to violence,” a senior administration official said. One in three women under the age of 35 and over half of LGBT people in the United States report experiencing sexual harassment and stalking online, according to the White House. Harris will be joined on Thursday by Attorney General Merrick Garland, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and tennis star Sloane Stephens, who publicized a torrent of angry messages she received on social media, including racist and sexist abuse, following her loss at the U.S. Open. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Editing by William Mallard) View the full article

Published by Taste of Country Ty Herndon is opening up about an incredibly difficult chapter in his life that nearly culminated in him taking his own life. In a new interview, the country singer reveals that he relapsed in his longtime drug addiction in recent years and nearly ended up dying. The 60-year-old singer tells People he has struggled with addiction to crystal meth for most of the last three decades, and he relapsed in recent years after 16 straight years of sobriety. During that period, he made history by coming becoming the first major-name male country solo artist to come out as gay in 2014. He says he was fir… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine @wendywilliams/show The Wendy Williams Show is officially coming to an end on Friday, June 17, and it’s a bittersweet moment for fans. The long-running talk show hosted by Wendy Williams first premiered in the summer of 2008 and ran for 13 seasons, before it hit a rough patch when the 57-year-old had to take a break from the show after suffering a series of health issues including battling Graves’ disease and being diagnosed with COVID-19. Despite boasting a 14 year run, the once-beloved chat-fest has its own history of scandal, from Williams being slammed for making insensitive comments about the LGBTQ+ community to being criticized by viewers for her repeated rude quips about other celebrities. WENDY WILLIAMS ‘NO LONGER NEEDS A WHEELCHAIR’ AS AILING HOST PLANS TV RETURN AFTER SHOW CANCELLATION Scroll through the gallery below to see scandals that shocked Wendy Williams fans throughout her time on The Wendy Williams Show. (2012) Mocking Beyoncé’s Education mega Williams sent fans abuzz when she mocked the way Beyoncé speaks in her HBO documentary Life Is But A Dream. “Fortunately one of the TVs in our kitchen has closed-captioning, so I’ll be able to understand what she says,” the television personality said in a 2012 episode. “You know Beyoncé can’t talk. She sounds like she has a fifth grade education. … We have to call a spade a spade.” (2015) Body-Shaming Ariana Grande mega In August 2015, Williams shamed Ariana Grande for her slim body type during a taping of The Wendy Williams Show. “She’s 21. She’ll forever look 12. And I don’t mean that in a good way,” Williams said of the “7 Rings” artist. “It’s nice to look younger than you are, but when you look too young and then you’re short—she’s only like 4’11. I don’t look at her as, like, a woman.” (2016) Implying Caitlyn Jenner Wasn’t A Woman mega Many viewers were not amused when The Wendy Williams Experience author insinuated that Caitlyn Jenner was not a woman, before crudely pointing out her alleged surgery status. “Caitlyn still has a member, so that is not a…I mean, until you don’t – aren’t you caught in limbo?” she awkwardly asked producers while on stage. (2018) Slurring Words On Air @thewendywilliamsshow/youtube Williams was caught slurring her words on air in a 2018 episode. She later admitted she usually avoids taking pain medication and blamed the incident on struggling to balance her health issues and filming the show. (2019) Calling Out Christie Brinkley For ‘Fake’ Injury mega Christie Brinkley quit Dancing with the Stars after she was injured during rehearsals, but Williams called the swimsuit model out for allegedly faking the tumble. “Well, that looked fake as h***,” she quipped. “I don’t see a wrist and a shoulder being fractured, but that was real cute.” (2019) Dragging Meghan Markle For Marrying Prince Harry mega The former radio DJ raised eyebrows when she blasted Meghan Markle for her complaints about royal life after marrying Prince Harry. “You knew exactly what you were doing … Please don’t try to garner sympathy from us,” Williams said of the Suits actress. “Nobody feels sorry for you. You know what you were signing up for, girl!” (2019) Moving Into Sober Living House mega The tv host revealed in early 2019 that she had moved into a sober living house after battling addiction issues. “When you see me come to work glammed up, right after the show I go across the street, I do my Pilates. I told you — two hours a day or [so], to take care of my body,” she explained. “I’ve had a struggle with cocaine in my past. I never went to a place to get the treatment. I don’t know how, except God was sitting on my shoulder and I just stopped.” (2020) Making Homophobic Comments To Audience @wendywilliamsshow/youtube Williams shocked audience members in an episode that aired in early 2020 when she insulted men in the audience for innocently clapping when she spoke about “Galentine’s Day”, a recently invented holiday celebrating friendships between women. “If you’re a man and you’re clapping, you’re not even a part of this,” she told them. “I don’t care if you’re gay … Stop wearing our skirts and our heels. Gay men, you will never be the women that we are — no matter how gay, sir.” (2020) Poking Fun At Dionne Warwick’s Age, Marijuana Use @wendywilliamsshow/youtube The embattled host dragged 81-year-old singer Dionne Warwick‘s activity on Twitter in December 2020, claiming the artist likely has to have her niece, Brittani, help her use social media. “I totally believe that she is doing her own tweeting, but I think that Brittani is her right hand. After Aunt Dionne does what she wants, after midnight, maybe after some bud,” she joked, referring to the older woman’s 2002 marijuana charges. “Aunt Dionne knows how to stay relevant and Brittani is right there giving her all the filters and checking it over before she sends [it].” Warwick later shot back on Twitter, slamming Williams for being “not nice” and claiming she isn’t “able to speak without maliciously made comments.” (2021) Joking About TikTok Star Swavy’s Tragic Death mega Williams came under fire by Swavy‘s grieving mother after the host made insensitive comments about his death. The TikTok star — born Matima Miller — was killed at only 19-years-old in a Delaware shooting in 2021. “I have no idea who this is. Neither does one person in this building,” she told the audience, before going to compare the influencer’s follower count to her own. “Like, as a mother, Wendy Williams, how dare you? So disrespectful,” Swavy’s mother, Chanelle Clark, said in a televised interview with CBS news. “I used to watch you as a child and even though you have a gossip show and all that, you didn’t even know my son.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Julia Garner has been offered the role of Madonna in a new biopic. The life story of the Queen of Pop is set to be turned into a movie by Universal Pictures and 28-year-old actress Julia – who is known for playing scheming heiress Anna Delvey in Netflix hit ‘Inventing Anna’ – has reportedly been tapped to play the leading role, although the offer is yet to be formally accepted. A source told Variety: “Julia’s team is still considering and expected to accept the offer.” If she accepts the role of the ‘Material Girl’ hitmaker, former ‘Ozark’ actress Julia will have sought off competition from the likes of Florence Pugh, Bebe Rexha, Sky Ferreira, Emma Laird, as well as ‘Euphoria’ stars Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Barbie Ferreira – all of whom were rumoured to have been in the running for the mammoth role. The movie has been in the works since 2020 and upon the initial announcement, Madonna – who is the best-selling female artist in history with sales of more than 300 million – claimed that it was “essential” that she shre the “roller coaster ride” of her life on screen. She said: “I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer — a human being, trying to make her way in this world. The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision.! View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Stempel and Manya Saini (Reuters) -Warren Buffett on Tuesday donated about $4 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust and four family charities, part of the billionaire’s pledge to give away nearly all of his net worth. Berkshire Hathaway Inc, which Buffett has run since 1965, said the donation comprises about 14.4 million of its Class B shares, whose closing price on Tuesday was $277.64. Eleven million shares will go to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and 1.1 million will go to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for Buffett’s late first wife. Another 770,000 shares will also go to each of three charities run by Buffett’s children Howard, Susan and Peter: the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation and the Novo Foundation. Since 2006, the 91-year-old Buffett has donated more than half of his Berkshire shares, with the donations worth about $45.5 billion at the time they were made. Despite the donations, Buffett still owns approximately 16% of Berkshire and controls about one-third of its voting power. Both percentages have been fairly stable in recent years because Berkshire has aggressively repurchased its own stock. Buffett has built Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire into a more than $600 billion conglomerate, owning dozens of businesses such as the BNSF railroad and Geico auto insurance, and stocks such as Apple Inc and Bank of America Corp. He and Bill Gates also pioneered “The Giving Pledge,” where more than 200 people like Michael Bloomberg, Larry Ellison, Carl Icahn, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg committed at least half their fortunes to philanthropy. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York and Manya Saini in Bengaluru;Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by AFP Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is celebrated in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots Washington (AFP) – US President Joe Biden hosts a major White House reception Wednesday in honor of LGBTQ rights, striking a counter blow in the heating culture wars ahead of November midterm elections. Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and several cabinet members — including openly gay Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg — were to join hundreds of representatives from the LGBTQ community in the White House East Room to celebrate Pride Month. Just ahead of the bash, Biden signed an executive order aimed at providing federal support on a variety of rights in the LGBTQ community that the White House sees as under attack from Republican state-level leaders — especially in Florida, where potential presidential candidate Governor Ron DeSantis has put combating “woke” culture at the heart of his agenda. The executive order addresses “discriminatory legislative attacks against LGBTQI+ children and families, directing key agencies to protect families and children.” It seeks to prevent so-called “conversion therapy,” boost health care programs against youth suicide, support LGBTQ foster families and protect against homelessness in the community. The high profile intervention by Biden aims to counter an “onslaught of hateful… legislation that we’re seeing in the states,” a senior official told reporters. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been more than 300 laws introduced at state level this year alone that infringe on LGBTQ people and their parents. Among those invited to the White House were “kids and families from across the country who have been personally impacted by these discriminatory bills,” the official said. These included 18-year-old Javier Gomez, who gained renown as an activist while still at school in Florida. “We’ve had to stand up to their governors and state lawmakers as they advance discriminatory legislation,” the official said. “These attendees represent the best of America. They are diverse, passionate advocates who are fighting to ensure that the promise of freedom and equality is made real for all you can expect the president today to celebrate the historic progress of his administration.” Biden is targeting an important layer of the Democratic voter base ahead of midterm elections where Republicans are widely seen as on track to win back control of Congress. For Republicans, the issue is equally potent, with activists accusing Democrats of moving too far to the left, especially on transgender rights. The standard bearer on the right is DeSantis, seen by many as a natural heir to former president Donald Trump’s populist brand in the 2024 presidential election. In March, he signed a controversial law banning lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida elementary schools, a step some Republicans say protects young children from what they term indoctrination. Biden and other critics say it will hurt the LGBTQ community and stoke bullying. Debate over what opponents dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law quickly went national, even drawing in entertainment giant Disney, which criticized the measure and found itself in open conflict with DeSantis. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Wednesday aimed at curbing discrimination against transgender youth and drying up federal funding for the controversial practice of ‘conversion therapy.’ Biden’s executive order asks the federal health and education departments to expand access to gender-affirming medical treatments and find new ways to counter a flurry of bills passed by conservative lawmakers this year that ban these treatments for transgender youth. The order asks federal agencies to ensure that federally funded programs do not offer conversion therapy, and the Federal Trade Commission to consider policing such practices that seek to change a patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity as deceptive businesses. Biden will sign the new policies as he marks Pride Month and hosts a LGBT reception at the White House on Wednesday afternoon. The measures also include new steps to encourage the placement of LGBT children in foster homes that support their sexual orientation and also create a new working group on LGBT homelessness. They come after the Department of Justice has challenged some of those conservative state laws as unconstitutional. The White House said more than 300 “anti-LGBTQI+” laws were introduced in state legislatures over the past year, a reference to bills barring classroom discussion of gender identity, blocking access to healthcare to help young people transition, and restricting participation in sports. The White House’s steps fall short of an outright federal ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in public spaces and federal programs. That would require congressional approval for the Equality Act. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons, William Maclean) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Denise Richards “supports” her daughter Sami’s decision to join OnlyFans. The 51-year-old model – who has Sami, 18, and Lola, 17-with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, and is also mom to adopted 11-year-old daughter Eloise – took to social media to inform fans that she will always be there for her eldest after she announced that she had signed up to sell racy photos on the adults-only subscription service. Alongside a snap of herself in a bikini top, Sami wrote on Instagram: “Click the link in my bio if u wanna see more [kiss emoji] and Denise commented: “Sami I will always support you and always have your back. I love you [heart emoji](sic)” It comes after former ‘Two and a Half Men’ star Charlie – who split from Denise back in 2005 after four years of marriage when she was pregnant with their second child – blasted the notion that his daughter had joined OnlyFans and noted it would “not have happened” if she was still living with him. He told PageSix: “She is 18 years old now and living with her mother. This did not occur under my roof. I do not condone this, but since I’m unable to prevent it, I urged her to keep it classy, and creative, and not sacrifice her integrity.” Back in 2021, Sami alleged that she had moved back in with her father over a year ago and accused Denise – who is married to Aaron Phypers – of running an “abusive household.” In a TikTok post, she said: “1 year ago today: trapped in an abusive household, hated myself, would go days without eating or sleeping, insanely depressed, hated school, etc…” However, a source claimed a few weeks ago that she had moved back in with her mother “within the last month.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jennifer Hudson is “still processing” her new EGOT status. The 40-year-old actress-and-singer won her first Tony Award for ‘A Strange Loop’, which scooped Best Musical at Sunday night’s (12.06.22) ceremony at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, adding to her Emmy, Grammy and Oscar. And the ‘Respect’ star, who became the 17th star in history to win all four awards, has admitted she has been left “overwhelmed” by the “outpouring of love”. Making a toast with a glass of fizz in a clip posted on Instagram, Jennifer said: “As I said when I won the Oscar [for Dreamgirls], look what God can do. Well, he did it again.” She added in the caption: “Wow !!! I am overwhelmed by all the outpouring of love and support that I am Still receiving and I’m still processing this whole new ground. “What an honor! Thank u all for being with me on this journey. I could not live this life without u. “Like I said when I won my Oscar, look what God can do. Well He did it again! (sic)” Jennifer won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Effie White in 2007’s ‘Dreamgirls’. She went on to win two Grammys, first for her self-titled album in 2008, and in 2017 ‘The Color Purple’ was named Best Musical Theater Album. The former ‘American Idol’ contestant earned her first Daytime Emmy last year for ‘Baby Yaga’, in which she voices Forest and also co-produced. Jennifer named her dogs after two of the awards, Oscar and Grammy, and she previously quipped that she’ll have to get two more dogs and name them Tony and Emmy when she earns her EGOT status. She said: “I should get two more dogs. “I got a dog and named it Oscar, and then I won my Oscar. And then I got a dog and named it Grammy, and then I won my Grammy. “So I think I should get some dogs and name them Emmy and Tony — and it’ll give me good luck, and I’ll win. [They’re] like my good luck charms.” Jennifer is among a handful of stars who have achieved EGOT status, including John Legend, Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn and Mel Brooks. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday filed federal hate crime charges against an 18-year-old white supremacist accused of killing 10 people at a supermarket in a Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York last month. Payton Gendron is facing 26 counts of hate crimes and a firearms offense, according to news reporters traveling with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday to the site of the shooting in western New York state. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Earlier this month, Gendron pleaded not guilty to a 25-count indictment handed down by a New York state grand jury charging him with crimes including first- and second-degree murder and domestic terrorism motivated by hate. The state’s domestic terrorism hate crime charge alone carries a penalty of life imprisonment without parole on conviction. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrew Chung -The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a bid by Republican state officials to take over the legal defense of a hardline immigration rule imposed under former President Donald Trump barring permanent residency for immigrants deemed likely to need government benefits. The unsigned one-sentence ruling “dismissed as improvidently granted” an appeal by 13 Republican state attorneys general led by Arizona’s Mark Brnovich seeking to defend the rule in court after Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration refused to do so and rescinded it. The rule widened the scope of immigrants deemed likely to become a “public charge” mainly dependent on the government for subsistence. The state attorneys general had hoped to ask lower courts to throw out decisions that sided with various challengers to the rule, including a number of Democratic-led states. Biden’s administration in February proposed a new public charge rule that it called more “fair and humane.” It would avoid penalizing people for seeking medical attention and other services. Trump’s rule was in effect from February 2020 until Biden’s administration rescinded it in March 2021, acting on a decision in a separate legal case in Illinois that vacated the rule nationwide. Republican state officials also sought to intervene in that case in their uphill battle to revive Trump’s rule. U.S. guidelines in place for the past two decades had said immigrants likely to become primarily dependent on direct cash assistance or long-term institutionalization, in a nursing home for example, at public expense would be barred from legal permanent residency, known as a “green card.” Trump’s policy expanded this to anyone deemed likely to receive a wider range of even non-cash federal benefits such as the Medicaid healthcare program, housing and food assistance for more than an aggregate of 12 months over any 36-month period. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal decided in 2020 that Trump’s policy impermissibly expanded the definition of who counts as a “public charge” in violation of a federal law called the Administrative Procedure Act. Other courts made similar rulings. Brnovich sought to intervene in a challenge to Trump’s immigration rule involving three lawsuits, including two filed in California and Washington state by 18 mostly Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. Brnovich was joined by officials from Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia. The Republican officials said the public charge rule would save states more than $1 billion annually by limiting the immigration of individuals who are not self-sufficient. During the time the policy was enforced, the government issued only five adverse decisions under it, according to court filings, all of which have since been reversed. The U.S. Supreme Court on March 3 ruled that Kentucky’s Republican attorney general could seek to restore a restrictive abortion law after the state’s Democratic governor dropped defense of the statute when lower courts struck it down. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King are to star in a romantic comedy for Netflix. Richard LaGravenese will direct the movie for the streamer and is also writing the script after polishing the latest draft of the screenplay from Carrie Solomon – the rising scriptwriter who is working on the Margot Robbie ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ prequel set up at Warner Bros. Plot details for the movie are vague, but the project sees a surprising romance cause comic consequences for a young woman, her mother and her movie star boss as they face the complications of love, sex and identity. Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Alyssa Altman are producing via their Roth/Kirschenbaum Films banner. The company are behind Adam Sandler’s latest Netflix movie ‘Hustle’ and are also working on the big-budget flick ‘The Gray Man’ for the streaming service. Film chiefs are hoping to begin production in Atlanta later on this summer. Nicole has pledged to star in more movies from female filmmakers after a conversation with Meryl Streep made her realise the lack of opportunities for women in the industry. The 54-year-old star said: “Directors, writers, crew-members – the figures were astounding. “There was a lot of talk about how things were changing. But then I was like, ‘We’ve actually got to do something.’ “It was my way of going, ‘Hold me accountable.’ “My commitment to this industry is that I will give a platform for new voices to come forward and they can piggyback on me… That’s part of the ‘paying it forward’.” The ‘Big Little Lies’ actress continued: “I could rest. Or I could actually do what I’d promised I’d do. Sure, I’m tired. But at the same time, I feel this strong sense that I need to stop talking about it, and actually… do it.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Harry Styles thinks a One Direction reunion would be “really nice”. The 28-year-old singer has become a hugely successful solo artist since his former band went on indefinite hiatus at the end of 2015, months after the departure of Zayn Malik, but he thinks it would be “great” if they all got back on stage again “in the right way”. Speaking on the ‘Spout’ podcast, Harry – who was also joined in the band by Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne – said about the possibility of a reunion: “I don’t know. I mean, I think the thought of it is really nice. “I think we all went through something really special together and there’s a lot of love there. So yeah, I think if there’s a moment for us to do it in the right way, I think it’d be great.” Niall recently admitted he’s in regular contact with the rest of the band but they don’t discuss the possibility of getting back together, but he knows that if they did, they would all have to be in agreement. He said: “I don’t know … no-one really talks about it. Still talk to them all the time. There’s a couple of little babies from them lads. Everyone’s having their own success on their own. I’m enjoying what I’m doing. “Of course, if everyone wanted to do it, I’d be down for it … you kind of need to all get in the same room and have the chat, but I don’t know when that would be.” On what conditions he would have, he added: “Having the same opinion is going to be always hard. Unless everyone was completely in, I wouldn’t want to do it. I wouldn’t want to half-force someone into doing it.” The band were formed when they took part in ‘The X Factor’ in 2010 and show boss Simon Cowell claimed last year he could “persuade” them to get back together. He said: “I think it will happen. If they got together, whether it is making records again or touring, it would be the most amazing thing. I’d love it to happen. “If I could get into a room with them all and just say to them, ‘You know what, whether it’s six months or something, I think you would have such a great time and enjoy each others’ company again’ “Maybe I could persuade them. But I think they should do it, definitely. The fans, of course, would love it.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Natalie Grover and Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) -The World Health Organisation is looking into reports that the monkeypox virus is present in the semen of patients, exploring the possibility that the disease could be sexually transmitted, a WHO official said on Wednesday. Many cases in the current monkeypox outbreak, largely centred on Europe, are among sexual partners who have had close contact, and the agency reiterated that virus is mainly transmitted via close interpersonal contact. In recent days, scientists say they have detected viral DNA in the semen of a handful of monkeypox patients in Italy and Germany, including a lab-tested sample that suggested the virus found in the semen of a single patient was capable of infecting another person and replicating. Catherine Smallwood, monkeypox incident manager at WHO/Europe, said it was not known whether recent reports meant the monkeypox virus could be sexually transmitted. “This may have been something that we were unaware of in this disease before,” she told a press briefing. “We really need to focus on the most frequent mode of transmission and we clearly see that to be associated with skin to skin contact.” More than 1,300 cases of the viral disease have been reported by about 30 countries since early May. Most cases have been reported in men who have sex with men. The outbreak has triggered concern since the virus is rarely seen outside of Africa, where it is endemic, and the majority of the European cases are not related to travel to the continent. As the outbreak spreads, the WHO has recommended targeted vaccination of close contacts, including healthcare workers, but has warned it is already seeing a rush to stockpile vaccines. “Once again, a ‘me first’ approach could lead to damaging consequences down the road,” said Hans Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe. “I beseech governments to tackle monkeypox without repeating the mistakes of the pandemic – and keeping equity at the heart of all we do.” (Reporting by Natalie Grover and Jennifer Rigby in London; Editing by Angus MacSwan and John Stonestreet) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Liliana Salgado (Reuters) – Arizona fire captain Kevin Goodman says his company, Escape Armour, exists for one reason: to prevent the loss of even a single child in a school shooting. Goodman, who has four children, designed a bulletproof vest that easily fits into school backpacks, so kids can have it with them at all times. It’s not the first such product, but he says his armour uses better materials. “So to be able to make something that possibly could protect a child in this kind of horrible situation some time, I mean, that’s why I do it,” he told Reuters. Goodman, who has worked as a firefighter, fire captain and fire investigator, as well as an engineer, in Arizona since 1998, took Reuters outside Phoenix city limits to demonstrate how the vest works. Using a mannequin to simulate a child, he fired several shots using a 9mm rifle, 9mm handgun and .45-caliber handgun. As he removed an armour plate from the vest – which did not let any bullets through – he commented on where each shot hit. “These two hits here would have pierced right through my heart. These on the on the right side would have gone through my right lung. And these lower ones over here, there’s two hits here, these would have easily gone through my left side lung,” Goodman said. Escape Armour offers two different products: a foldable vest that comes in three sizes and a standalone shield that makes any backpack bulletproof. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, in the deadliest U.S. school shooting in a decade. It ended when officers who had waited nearly an hour to storm the classroom shot the gunman dead. There have been at least 239 mass shootings in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit research group. (Editing by Gerry Doyle; Editing by Robert Birsel) View the full article

Published by AFP US President Joe Biden has regularly lambasted the oil industry for what he says is a failure to tap into already approved wells and increase output Washington (AFP) – US President Joe Biden on Wednesday chastised the oil industry over soaring fuel prices at the heart of 40-year high inflation, warning of unspecified emergency measures. The letter, sent to seven major oil corporations, was Biden’s most direct salvo yet in a campaign to blame the industry for stoking price increases. Average fuel prices are now $5 a gallon for drivers in the United States, up from $3 a year ago, and the spike is reverberating through the entire economy, helping to sink Biden’s approval ratings to below 40 percent. “Refinery profit margins well above normal being passed directly onto American families are not acceptable,” Biden wrote in the letter to executives from Shell, Marathon Petroleum Corp, Valero Energy Corp, ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, Chevron and BP. Biden said the economy is in “a time of war,” referring to the global fallout from President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions against energy exporter Russia. “My administration is prepared to use all reasonable and appropriate federal government tools and emergency authorities to increase refinery capacity and output in the near term, and to ensure that every region of this country is appropriately supplied,” Biden said, without detailing what kind of actions he could take. Biden has regularly lambasted the oil industry for what he says is a failure to tap into already approved wells and increase output. However, the letter, accompanied by a graph depicting rising producer profits, marked an escalation in the war of words. In the letter he asked for “explanation of any reduction in your refining capacity since 2020 and any concrete ideas that would address the immediate inventory, price, and refining capacity issues in the coming months — including transportation measures to get refined product to market.” “The crunch that families are facing deserves immediate action. Your companies need to work with my Administration to bring forward concrete, near-term solutions that address the crisis,” he wrote. Biden’s Democratic Party risks a heavy defeat, losing control of Congress, in November elections and polls show that fears over the economy dominate. In a fiery speech Tuesday, Biden blamed Republican obstruction in Congress and Russia’s war in Ukraine for price increases that he said are “sapping the strength of a lot of families.” The Federal Reserve was due Wednesday to raise interest rates again in an aggressive effort to tamp down inflation, amid fears that the unintended result will be recession. View the full article

Published by Al-Araby Saudi officials are seizing rainbow-coloured toys and articles of clothing from shops in the capital as part of a crackdown on homosexuality, state media reported. Targeted items include rainbow-coloured bows, skirts, hats and pencil cases, most of them apparently manufactured for young children, according to a report broadcast Tuesday evening by the state-run Al-Ekhbariya news channel. “We are giving a tour of the items that contradict the Islamic faith and public morals and promote homosexual colours targeting the younger generation,” says an official from the commerce ministry, which is inv… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Hanks wouldn’t accept his starring role in ‘Philadelphia’ in the present day because he thinks it should be played by a gay actor. The Hollywood veteran won an Oscar for his portrayal of lawyer Andrew Beckett who takes action against his employers when he’s sacked after being struck down with AIDS – and Tom is adamant he would no longer be right for the part. He told The New York Times: “Let’s address ‘could a straight man do what I did in ‘Philadelphia’ now?’ No, and rightly so.” Tom continued: “The whole point of Philadelphia was don’t be afraid. One of the reasons people weren’t afraid of that movie is that I was playing a gay man. We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy.” He added: “It’s not a crime, it’s not boohoo that someone would say we are going to demand more of a movie in the modern realm of authenticity.” As well as winning a Best Actor Oscar for Tom, the film also scored an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Bruce Springsteen’s track ‘Streets of Philadelphia’. Tom is not the only actor who has weighed in on the issue of straight stars playing gay roles in Hollywood – Neil Patrick Harris has insisted he doesn’t have a problem with it and actually finds it “sexy”. He told The Times: “I think there’s something sexy about casting a straight actor to play a gay role – if they’re willing to invest a lot into it. In our world that we live in you can’t really as a director demand that (an actor be a given sexual orientation). Who’s to determine how gay someone is?” The openly gay actor played a straight part in sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and insists his sexuality shouldn’t determine which roles he’s offered. Neil added: “I played a character for nine years who was nothing like me. I would definitely want to hire the best actor.” View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune The Hulu romantic comedy “Fire Island” takes Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and puts a modern gay spin on it, both fizzy and incisive about classism and racism. Margaret Cho co-stars in a role that is part den mother, part provider of vacation housing. The character was originally envisioned as a guy until she expressed interest in being part of the project. “I really wanted to be in the film as soon as I found out it was happening,” she said. She’s a longtime friend of screenwriter and star Joel Kim Booster, as well as co-star Bowen Yang. “And I’ve been going to Fire Island since 2008, s… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Travis Gettys Two of the white nationalists arrested after traveling to Idaho in a U-Haul truck have ties to a right-wing former state legislator from Washington. Mishael and Josiah Buster, two brothers from Spokane, were among 31 members of Patriot Front who traveled from various states to Coeur d’Alene, where police said they intended to provoke a violent clash during a LGBTQ+ pride event — which also drew an alternative “prayer walk” organized by former state Rep. Matt Shea, reported The Spokesman-Review. Shea, who was expelled from the House Republican caucus after he was found to have… Read More View the full article