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Published by Reuters By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Monday rejected Kevin Spacey’s bid to dismiss a civil lawsuit in which fellow actor Anthony Rapp accused the Oscar winner of making an unwanted sexual advance during a party at Spacey’s Manhattan home in 1986, when Rapp was 14. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan said there was a genuine factual dispute about whether the now 62-year-old Spacey forcibly touched Rapp’s “intimate parts” to gratify his own sexual desire. Kaplan said Rapp, 50, who is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, can pursue claims of battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The judge dismissed an assault claim because Rapp brought it too late. A lawyer for Spacey did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Spacey has in court papers “categorically” denied Rapp’s accusations. Rapp’s lawyer Peter Saghir declined to comment. Once among Hollywood’s biggest stars, Spacey fell from grace after Rapp accused him of misconduct in October 2017, and more accusers came forward. Last month, British authorities authorized criminal charges against Spacey for alleged sexual assaults against three men between 2005 and 2013. Spacey could formally face the charges if he entered England or Wales. The actor’s awards have included Oscars in 2000 for best actor in “American Beauty” and in 1996 for best supporting actor in “The Usual Suspects.” He also won a Tony in 1991 for best featured actor in a play in Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers.” Netflix dropped Spacey from his starring role in “House of Cards” after accusations began surfacing, and the series finished without him. In the alleged 1986 encounter, Spacey grabbed Rapp’s buttocks, lifted him onto a bed and laid on him before Rapp “wriggled out,” court papers say. Rapp has said under oath there was no kissing, undressing, reaching under clothes, sexualized statements or innuendo, and the encounter lasted no more than two minutes. He sued Spacey in September 2020 and invoked the Child Victims Act, a New York law giving accusers a since-expired window to sue over abuses from decades earlier. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by John Stonestreet and Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by The Boot When CMT announced that they would be co-sponsoring an LGBTQ+ artist activation event at CMA Fest — the first of its kind at a major country music festival — rainbow flags and heart emojis abounded across social media. Many of the Facebook comments, however, told a different story. “Depraved and disgusting!” wrote one embittered country fan, while another complained that “It’s a music awards show and should not be about anything else.” This particular user seemed to be confusing CMA Fest (the four-day musical festival happening in Nashville this week) with the CMA Awards set to take place in N… Read More View the full article

Published by XXL Mag Boosie BadAzz is making headlines again for controversial statements concerning the LGBTQ community. On Wednesday (June 8), DJ Vlad aired the latest segment of his new interview with Boosie BadAzz, during which the Baton Rouge, La. native addressed being called out for his 2007 song titled “They Dykin,’” where he references having threesomes with bi-sexual women. “Me having threesomes doesn’t mean I support gay marriages,” Boosie BadAzz said at the 1:30-mark of the interview. “That doesn’t mean that I support transgender stuff. A lot of transgender people, the ones that be coming in my DM and … Read More View the full article

Published by The Spun By Daniel Bates A gesture of support during UFC Vegas 56 quickly turned ugly for rising flyweight contender Jeff Molina. Molina earned a split decision win over Zhalgas Zhumagulov on Saturday. But much of the weekend conversation surrounding the fight stemmed from negative comments that Molina received over his decision to wear shorts celebrating Pride Month. “It’s not even about being an ally,” Molina said in his post-fight press conference. “I’m not saying I’m not, but just be a decent [expletive] person. Just be a decent human being.” “And judging someone and trying to justify it with relig… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) – A group representing 600 Texas families and backed by the American Civil Liberties Union sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday to stop state officials from treating transgender healthcare for minors as a form of child abuse. In February, the Texas governor ordered the Department of Family and Protective Services to open child abuse investigations of families that provide minors with transgender care such as estrogen or testosterone treatments or hormone blockers that delay the onset of puberty. The measure was part of a wave of initiatives by Republican governors and legislators affecting transgender rights across the country, with some state laws banning trans girls from participating in female sports and others targeting access to healthcare. The governor’s press office did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The Department of Family and Protective Services, which is named as a defendant along with Commissioner Jaime Masters, said it could not respond to specific investigations or comment on litigation. In a previous lawsuit on the matter, the Texas Supreme Court found in a partial ruling that the governor could not direct the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate families for providing medically necessary transgender healthcare, but it limited the protection to the specific plaintiffs. The wider case is pending. In this case, the plaintiffs are three named Texas families plus 600 more who are members of the Texas chapter of PFLAG, a national network that supports transgender and other queer youth. Their suit, filed in Travis County District Court, asks the court to block state child abuse investigations over transgender care. Healthcare providers consider such treatments necessary for many teens who identify as transgender, providing them support until they are old enough to consider more permanent hormone therapies or surgery. Republican politicians have argued their campaign aims to protect kids from irreversible procedures they may later regret. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Christina Aguilera feels “connected” to her LGBTQ+ fans. The 41-year-old pop star shot to fame in the late 1990s with hits such as ‘Come on Over’ and ‘Genie in a Bottle’ and penned an open letter to her lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender fans where she noted that they had both endured “struggles” as they have fought to be heard. She said: “I’m all about people standing up for what they believe in, which is why I think the LGBTQ+ community feels connected to me. We’ve all come from the struggle; We’ve all had to fight to be heard.” The ‘Dirrty’ hitmaker went on to explain that when she first started her career, she was encouraged to act a certain way for the pop scene but eventually broke out of the convention with her 2002 album ‘Stripped’. In the letter – printed in this week’s edition of PEOPLE -, she said: “When I came onto the scene with songs like ‘Genie in a Bottle’ and ‘What a Girl Wants’ in 1999, I had a hard time feeling like I had to look and act a certain way to fit into the pop star mold. But I did not want to be this safe, conventionally pretty, precious thing. So, for my 2002 album ‘Stripped’, I decided, ‘I’m just going to be myself.’ It was the first album where I told stories that I really believed in — stories about my own personal struggles and the domestic abuse I witnessed in my family growing up.” Back in 2002, Christina release the song ‘Beautiful’ and the music video depicted a gay couple kissing and a transexual coming to terms with their identity, a move which Christina is now “proud” of upon reflection because those things were once considered “taboo.”. She added: I was also proud to put a spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community with my “Beautiful” music video, which features a gay couple, as well as a trans woman. I wasn’t thinking too much about it beyond wanting to show people owning who they are. It was somehow taboo at the time, but it represented something so true. “ The ‘Candyman’ singer concluded her letter by reminding her gay fans that she will be performing for them at L. A Pride on Saturday (11.06.22) as she claimed that there is “nothing like” performing for the LGBTQ+ community because they are “her people.” She added: “I’m going to be headlining L.A. Pride on June 11, and there’s nothing like performing for my LGBTQ+ fans. I feel safe with them to express myself however I want, whether it be through a huge ballad or something super sensual because they appreciate it all. I get to be as colorful and loud as I want to be. They’re my people. “ View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dwyane Wade is “afraid every moment” his daughter leaves the house. The 40-year-old former NBA star’s 15-year-old offspring Zaya came out as trans two years ago and he admitted he’s constantly worried about her safety because of how people “perceive her” in the world. He told CNN at the TIME100 summit: “As blessed as it is for my daughter to have parents who can support her, I’m still afraid every moment she leaves the house. “And not just because of gun violence, but because of the way people perceive her in this world.” Dwyane went on to urge lawmakers to spend a day with Zaya to understand the impact anti-trans policies have on her life. He added: “To me, it’s a joke. This is our life. We live this. When you’re out there making rules, if you’re not experiencing this. Come and live a day with my daughter. Come and see how it is to walk through this world as her.” The former sportsman is proud of Zaya – who he has with former partner Siohvaughn Funches – for having the confidence to be herself from such a young age. He said: “I went years without telling my chef that I don’t like cilantro on my burger — as an adult, it took me years to have the confidence to say that. “My daughter, at eight years old, had the confidence to say, ‘This is who I am. This is who I want to be.’ “ Dwyane – who also has Zaire, 20, with Siohvaughn, Xavier, eight, with Aia Metoyer, and Kaavia, three, with wife Gabrielle Union – previously admitted he had learned a lot from Zaya. He said: “I didn’t know anything, I really wasn’t knowledgeable about the LGBTQ+ community. “What it has done is it opened my eyes and my ears to something greater and bigger than I, and my daughter has allowed us gracefully to be her support system.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Steve-O wants to get breast implants for his live tour. The ‘Jackass’ star – who has earned a reputation for wild and daring stunts as part of the iconic franchise – is keen to go under the knife to shock audiences at his live shows. On a recent episode of the ‘Steve-O’s Wild Ride’ podcast, he asked ‘Botched’ plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow: “I’ve been dying to ask you about this, what can you tell me about men getting breast implants?” “I’m at a point with all of my crazy antics that the bar is so high that I’m actually planning for my next tour. “And for my next tour I’ve decided that it’s called the ‘Steve-O’s Gone Too Far’ tour, and I’m just trying to be so crazy, and one of my ideas is to get breast implants.” The 47-year-old star would love to get a boob job and film the whole process over a few months before screening it during one of his live shows. He took his top off for the surgeon to look at his pectorals, and admitted he wants “to go as big as” possible. Terry responded: “You have enough room, you could probably do a D or double D. If you keep it in for six months, that’s getting maybe past the point where your skin will retract. “So you might want to do a C-cup, and then get them out after three to six months and you won’t have to have a skin-reducing procedure and a bunch of scars.” Meanwhile, Steve-O also revealed his goals of crashing a car into a wall to test the air bags, but he’s worried about the potential impact it could have on his new bust if he goes ahead with the procedure. He said: “I recently bought a smart car for the purpose of crashing it into a brick wall to make sure that the airbags work… “After I get my boob job, I want to crash the car into a wall to do a fun bag test.” Terry replied: “They won’t get injured, breast implants are incredibly tough.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kylie Minogue says her legal battle with Kylie Jenner “had to be done”. The 54-year-old singer successfully blocked the beauty mogul from trademarking the shared name five years ago, and now she has insisted the situation was “just business”. Appearing on ‘Watch What Happens Live’ this week, she told host Andy Cohen: “When I was named Kylie, I think I met one person older than me called Kylie. So it’s kind of unusual. “I’ve spent a lifetime protecting my brand and building my brand so it was just something that had to be done.” The ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ hitmaker pointed out the pair “came to an agreement”. At the time, Minogue’s lawyers provided the US Patent and Trademark Office with a list of reasons why the trademark shouldn’t be granted. While Jenner was described as “a secondary reality television personality”, the singer was hailed as an “internationally-renowned performing artist, humanitarian and breast cancer activist known worldwide simply as Kylie”. Cohen asked if she had to call up the reality star’s mum Kris Jenner, and while the Australian musician didn’t, she’s up for meeting the famous family. She added: “No, but I’d love to meet them.” In 2014, Jenner applied to trademark ‘Kylie’ for her cosmetics and clothing business, but Minogue was already selling products like fragrances, clothing and furniture under the name. In 2017, the Patent Office rejected the application, although it’s said she appealed the decision. Minogue previously insisted she never expected the trademark dispute to cause such a sensation. She said: “It’s hilarious that it caused such a kerfuffle. “I think she has done amazingly well, but I think it’s just important that people know that there is room for more than one Kylie.” And she has admitted in the past that she was upset when her legal team branded the ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ star a “secondary reality television personality”. She added: “I was so upset when I heard that. I said, ‘Who said what?’ What I heard back was, ‘That’s lawyer speak.’ “ View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie was targeted by white supremacists “for being mixed race”, a court has been told. Christopher Gibbons, 38, is accused of describing the three-year-old boy – who was born Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor – as an “abomination that should be put down” in an online “terror” podcast. In that podcast, Gibbons and fellow host Tyrone Patten-Walsh, 34, also called for Prince Harry, 37, to be prosecuted and “judicially killed for treason” for being married to 40-year-old Meghan, whose mother Doria Ragland is African-American, while her father, Thomas Markle, is Caucasian. The pair are said to have despised mixed-race relationships and used the couple’s marriage as an example on their ‘Black Wolf Radio’ show. Gibbons, from Carshalton, South London, and Patten-Walsh, of Romford in East London, deny encouraging acts of extreme right-wing terrorism through their podcast for almost a year between March 3, 2019 and February 9, 2020. Gibbons denies a further accusation of spreading terrorist publications by uploading videos to an online hoard titled ‘The Radicalisation Library’ from April 2018 to February 2020. Prosecutor Anne Whyte QC told Kingston Crown Court both the accused are “dedicated and unapologetic white supremacists” who hold “extreme right-wing views”. She said: “They thought that if they used the format of a radio show, as good as in plain sight, they could pass off their venture as the legitimate exercise of their freedom of speech. “In fact what they were doing was using language designed to encourage others to commit acts of extreme right-wing terrorism against the sections of society that these defendants hated.” Gibbons and Patten-Walsh allegedly approved of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, 41, in 2016 by a far-right thug – as well as Brenton Tarrant’s 2019 shooting spree at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which left 51 victims dead during Friday prayers. They also referred to victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 22 people as “s****”, a jury heard. Patten-Walsh allegedly also called the perpetrator of the attack “a sand n*****”. The accused also allegedly made anti-Semitic remarks and painted black and Asian men as rapists in their podcast. Their trial continues. The vile revelations from the court case come after It comes after Harry and Meghan – formerly known as Meghan Markle when she worked as an actress before she married into the British Royal Family – celebrated daughter Lilibet’s first birthday on Saturday (04.06.22) during Queen Elizabeth’s long weekend of Platinum Jubilee events. View the full article

Published by DPA The Polestar3 SUV is only the beginning. The Swedish-Chinese joint venture is planning to launch a new car every year from now on. Stefan Isaksson/Polestar/dpa Polestar’s selection of cars is growing, and the Swedish-Chinese electric car brand says it’s now planning to launch its first SUV in October, with several more models set to follow in the coming years. The joint venture from Volvo and Geely has announced that its third car will be a five-seater electric SUV with self-driving potential, available for order before production starts in China and the USA in spring 2023. The car does have a name – Polestar3 – but not much else: Polestar has not yet announced prices or given any concrete information on technical data such as performance or battery capacity. But the makers are promising one key feature: a range of up to 600 kilometres. The car is also set to offer all-wheel drive powered by two motors. In addition, the Polestar3 is supposed to have all the necessary sensors and software on board to be able to drive autonomously in the near future. According to the makers, the Polestar3 marks the start of a series of unveilings, with one new model series to be launched to market every year in the coming years. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Cher has teamed up with Versace for a Pride Month collection. The ‘Believe’ hitmaker is delighted to have worked with her “dear friend” Donatella Versace on ‘Chersace’, with all proceeds from the limited-edition capsule collection being donated to Gender Spectrum, a charity which works with LGBTQ children and young people. She said: The music icon and Donatella Versace are teaming this month on “Chersace,” a limited-edition capsule collection with all proceeds benefiting Gender Spectrum, a charity that works with LGBTQ children and youth. “Donatella and I have been dear friends for a lifetime. It just felt right for our very first collaboration to be one about LGBTQ Pride and celebrating a community that means so incredibly much to both of us. We wanted to make a fun collection supporting a good case, and we hope you like it.” Donatella added in a statement: “It has always been a dream to collaborate with Cher, and it’s finally come true. I’m delighted that we can support such a brilliant charity that has such a positive impact, particularly on young people.” The ‘Chersace’ collection includes a baseball cap, socks, and T-shirts bearing the fashion house’s iconic Medusa motif and the Versace logo redesigned to read ‘Chersace’. In addition, the baseball cap – which retails at $395 – and T-shirts also include Cher and Donatella’s signatures, with the tops having the words ‘Celebrating Love and Unity’ on the back. Prices for the collection stars at $125 for a pair of socks and rises to $3,350 for a diamante shirt. The Versace website includes a short video on the collection. It features a model saying: “Two icons, both alike in diva energy. In Pride Month, where we celebrate the scene. From long-held friendship to new love and unity. Where Cher and Versace make, Chersace.” The fashion brand also shared details of the collection on their Instagram account, and explained to fans the work of Gender Spectrum. They posted: “Gender Spectrum works to create gender sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens by providing online programs, resources and information that young people, parents and families can use to further their understanding of gender and learn the value of parental and adult support.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Bob Brigham Pride month has generated a giant controversy in the Christian literature world after posting a “Books to Read for Pride Month” guide. “Eerdmans Publishing Company, founded in 1911, has been a leading publisher of academic and faith titles over the last century, including ones by William Lane Craig, Mark Noll, Richard Muow and N.T. Wright. Its commentaries are found on pastoral bookshelves across the world. But the publisher this month endorsed Pride Month,” Christian Headlines reported Tuesday. “Several Christian leaders this week spoke out about the publisher’s stance on Pride… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A former member of Donald Trump’s cabinet will attempt a return to the U.S. Congress in Montana and California Democrats concerned about crime may oust one of their own as voters head to the polls in midterm primary elections in seven states on Tuesday. Voters in South Dakota, New Jersey, Iowa, Mississippi and New Mexico will also cast ballots in nominating contests that will set the competitive field for Nov. 8’s elections, which will determine control of Congress for the next two years. With President Joe Biden slumping in the polls and soaring inflation souring voters’ moods, Republicans are expected to win control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate, which would bring Biden’s legislative agenda to a halt and give Republicans the power to launch distracting and possibly politically damaging investigations. In Montana, Ryan Zinke, who served as interior secretary under Republican former President Trump, is running for a newly created House seat that the state gained thanks to population growth and the once-a-decade redistricting process. Zinke, who served in Congress previously, faces four Republican challengers, some of whom claim that he is too liberal or lacks commitment to the state because his wife’s residence is in California. Zinke was accused in an inspector general report this year of using is position as head of the Interior Department to advance a development project in his hometown and lying to an ethics investigator. He has denied wrongdoing. South Dakota’s conservative Republican governor, Kristi Noem, faces a challenge by Steven Haugaard, a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives. Noem has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential running-mate if former President Donald Trump seeks election again in 2024 or as a White House candidate in her own right if he does not. The winners of each of those Republican primaries are favored to win in November. CALIFORNIA SHAKEOUT A pair of races in California will also illustrate liberal-leaning voters’ frustrations with spikes in homicides and gun violence. Polls show that San Francisco’s progressive district attorney, Chesa Boudin, is likely to be pushed out of office in a recall vote. A replacement would be chosen by the city’s mayor, London Breed, a Democrat who has criticized Boudin but has not taken a stance on the recall. In Los Angeles, Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer and former Republican, is battling U.S. Representative Karen Bass and a host of other liberal candidates in the mayoral election. Caruso, who has spent more than $30 million of his own money in the campaign, made crime the centerpiece of his candidacy in a city that saw homicides reach a 15-year high in 2021. That forced Bass, a longtime progressive champion in Congress, to move to the center and pledge to put more police on the streets. Caruso and Bass could be headed to a runoff, polls show. NEW JERSEY, IOWA CHALLENGES Republicans in New Jersey and Iowa will also be picking challengers to embattled incumbent House Democrats: Representatives Tom Malinowski in New Jersey and Cindy Axne in Iowa. Former state Senate Republican leader Tom Kean Jr., the son of popular two-time Governor Thomas Kean, leads a crowded Republican field to challenge Malinowski. Malinowski, a two-term incumbent who entered Congress by flipping a Republican seat in 2018, won reelection by defeating Kean by 1.2 percentage points in 2020. Since then, his prospects have been weakened by redistricting and by a House ethics investigation after reports that he failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock trades. “It was a nail-biter in 2020 and his district has become a little more favorable for Republicans. So it’s going to be a significant challenge,” said Benjamin Dworkin, director of the Rowan University Institute of Public Policy & Citizenship. In Iowa, three Republicans are vying for the chance to challenge Axne: businesswoman Nicole Hasso, construction consultant Gary Leffler and former state Senator Zach Nunn. Nunn, the only Republican contender who has held elective office, boasts a string of endorsements from high-profile party luminaries including Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and several sitting House Republicans. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by DPA A red and black cable with a USB-C connector and a Lightning connector from Apple on a white cable. Mobile phones and other electronic devices in the European Union are to have standardized charging equipment from 2024, negotiators from the European Parliament and the 27 EU member states agreed on Tuesday. Christoph Dernbach/dpa Mobile phones and other electronic devices in the European Union are to have standardized charging equipment from 2024, negotiators from the European Parliament and the 27 EU member states agreed on Tuesday. “After a decade, finally one standard (USB-C) will charge them all,” said Anna Cavazzini on Twitter, a German Green EU lawmaker involved in the talks. “This will save resources and our nerves,” she added. The EU legislature and EU countries clinched the deal after pushing for companies to make charging equipment for mobile phones and other portable devices more uniform since 2014 with original proposals dating as far back as 2009. The agreement comes despite industry resistance. Apple in particular, has criticized the regulations as hampering innovation. The US tech giant argued the move could cause many existing products to be needlessly thrown away. Under the agreement, USB-C is to become the standard charging socket in the EU. Among the other electronic devices included in the agreement are tablets, e-readers, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, and portable speakers. The regulation also allows consumers to purchase charging equipment and devices separately from one another. A longer phase-in period applies for when the regulations enter into force for laptops to adapt the products to the new charging requirements. The idea of the regulation is to cut down on electronic waste and improve consumer satisfaction. The European Commission estimates disposed chargers generate 11,000 tonnes of e-waste every year. The commission introduced a proposal for universal phone chargers back in September 2021 in response to calls from the European Parliament and the European Council, the EU body representing the 27 EU member states. The quick conclusion of talks between the two sides demonstrates how close both positions were. Negotiations on EU legislation between the member states and the EU legislature in practise drag on far longer. The EU legislature and the 27 EU member states must now adopt the regulations before their entry into force. (L-R) a USB-C, an Apple Lightning and a Micro-USB cable can be seen next to each other. Mobile phones and other electronic devices in the European Union are to have standardized charging equipment from 2024, negotiators from the European Parliament and the 27 EU member states agreed on Tuesday. Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Louisiana has banned transgender girls from joining girls’ sports teams, the latest in a string of similar bans in U.S. states with conservative Republican-controlled legislatures. The bill binds schools and colleges in the state and was approved by the Republican-controlled state legislature last month with enough support to override any veto from Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who opposed the legislation. Edwards said he would allow the bill to become law on Monday without his signature, telling reporters that it was obvious to him that even if he vetoed the bill it would still become law. He has joined transgender rights groups in criticizing the bill as bigoted against a subset of young people who already face discrimination and violence. Edwards said there is no known example in Louisiana of a transgender girl joining or attempting to join a girls sports team. “I hope we can all get to a point soon where we realize these young people are doing the very best they can to survive,” Edwards said of the state’s transgender youth. “I just think we can be better than that bill.” Last year, Edwards had vetoed similar a measure advanced by Republicans in the 2021 legislative session. Republicans in South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa and Kansas have passed similar laws in recent months. In March, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division wrote to state attorneys across the country in support of transgender people, reminding the states’ chief law-enforcement officials that it is illegal to discriminate against people based on gender identity. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Queen Latifah was “p***** off” to be told she is obese. The 52-year-old actress started working with a new fitness trainer – who she described as “scientific” – and was “mad” when it was explained to her that her Body Mass Index value categorised her as obese. “I hooked up with a trainer she broke down this whole thing. She has degrees. She’s scientific and mathematics. She was showing me different body types and she said ‘This is what your BMI is, this is what your weight is and you fall into this category of obesity I was mad at that. It really p***** me off!” The ‘Hairspray’ star – whose real name is Dana Elaine Owens – went on to express her shock at the claims that her body weight was “30%” higher than what it should be according to the scale, which takes into the account the height and weight of a person and interprets the units into a number on a scale of 18.5 up to 40 in order to determine an “ideal” weight. Speaking on ‘Red Table Talk’, she told hosts Jada Pinkett-Smith and Willow Smith: ” I was like, ‘What? Me?’ I mean, I’m just thick. She said ‘You are 30% over where you should be.’ And I’m like, ‘Obesity?'” The ‘Girls Trip’ actress previously explained that when it comes to her weight, “health” is of most importance to her and would only change her body image for herself rather than for anything to do with her career. She said: “Health is most important to me. It’s not about losing weight or gaining weight. When I want to lose weight, or gain weight, I know how to do it in a healthy way. So if I have to do something that is going to be completely unhealthy for me, then that’s not the job for me. Someone else should have that job that’s already there… It’s called No.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega The verdict is in. Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion, Radar has learned, following two days of jury deliberations. Todd, 53, and Julie, 49, appeared “grim-faced” as the verdict was read on Tuesday, Law360 reported, marking an end to the reality TV couple’s three-week trial in Atlanta. During the court battle, Assistant US Attorney Annalise Peters said the Chrisley Knows Best stars exaggerated their earnings to banks to borrow more than $30 million. “They made up documents and they lie through their teeth to get whatever they want, whenever they want it,” Peters said in court, saying their funds were hidden from the IRS. The couple’s accountant,Peter Tarantino, was charged with a single count of conspiracy to defraud the federal government and two counts of aiding in the filing of false tax returns, for which he was also found guilty. This story is developing … View the full article

Published by Reuters By Daina Beth Solomon, Ted Hesson and Matt Spetalnick LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has pooled $3.2 billion in corporate pledges aimed at addressing some of the economic factors driving migration from Central America, her office said on Tuesday, lending impetus to measures to be discussed at the Summit of the Americas this week. The new commitments from companies, including Visa Inc and the apparel company Gap Inc, exceed $1.9 billion, adding to $1.2 billion made in December. The latest round of corporate investments announced by Harris are intended to create jobs, expand access to the internet and bring more people into the formal banking system. The pledges form a major part of President Joe Biden’s plan to address “root causes” of migration from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, a region known as the Northern Triangle. Curbing irregular migration is a top priority for Biden at a time when record numbers of people are trying to enter the United States at the Mexican border. Biden, who travels to Los Angeles on Wednesday for the U.S.-hosted summit, will also promote a new economic plan for the Western Hemisphere building on existing trade agreements, U.S. officials said. Even as he grapples with pressing concerns such as mass shootings, high inflation and the Ukraine war, the Democratic president wants to use the summit to repair Latin America relations damaged under his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, and to counter China’s growing influence in the region. But the administration’s decision to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, which prompted Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to stay away, has threatened to overshadow Biden’s agenda. However, U.S. efforts to stem migration from the Northern Triangle have been hampered by corruption, with projects likely worth millions shelved and some private sector engagement stalled. Further complicating matters, the presidents of Guatemala and Honduras have signaled they will not attend the summit and will instead send other officials. It was unclear whether El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele would attend, but the White House’s official guest list shows his foreign minister as head of the delegation. Several thousand migrants, many from Venezuela, set off from southern Mexico on Monday on a journey to the United States timed to coincide with the summit. At least 6,000 people, according to Reuters witnesses, left the city of Tapachula, near Mexico’s border with Guatemala. CORPORATE PLEDGES The latest corporate pledges includes $270 million from Visa focused on bringing 6.5 million people into the formal banking system, and a $150 million pledge from Gap to increase materials sourced from the region. The other firms span a variety of sectors, including auto-parts, agriculture, telecommunications and digital services. A CEO summit running parallel to the leaders’ gathering could yield commitments for further investment in economically troubled Latin America, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and is struggling to recover. Harris also announced an initiative with the private sector that aims to connect 1.4 million women to the financial system and train more than 500,000 women and girls in job skills. Additionally, Harris unveiled a $50 million project called the Central American Service Corps designed to give young people in the Northern Triangle paid community service opportunities in areas such as education and violence prevention. Despite friction over summit invitations, most leaders in the Americas plan to attend. White House officials insist the controversy will blow over and the event – the first hosted by the United States since the first such gathering in 1994 – will be a success. But before heading to the summit, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, in a newspaper op-ed, accused the United States of being “inconsistent, if not contradictory” for refusing to invite Communist-ruled Cuba and leftist-led Venezuela and Nicaragua while engaging with non-democratic governments in other regions such as Southeast Asia. (Reporting by Daina Solomon and Matt Spetalnick in Los Angeles and Ted Hesson in Washington; Additional reporting by Dave Graham in Los Angeles and Alexandra Valencia in Quito; Editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Holland and Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Actor and Uvalde, Texas, native Matthew McConaughey met with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, and urged more congressional action on gun violence in an emotional speech, sharing stories of those who were killed in last month’s elementary school shooting. Nineteen children and two teachers were shot to death at Robb Elementary School in McConaughey’s hometown on May 24 by an 18-year-old gunman wielding a semi-automatic rifle. McConaughey, who publicly weighed a run for governor in Texas last year but ultimately ruled it out, briefly met with Biden at the White House, according to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, then appeared at the daily news briefing. The 52-year-old actor described growing up in the South Texas town. “Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and the capability of the tool that we call a gun,” he said. “Uvalde is where I learned responsible gun ownership.” McConaughey said responsible gun owners are “fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals,” and urged raising the minimum age for purchasing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle to 21. Gun rights advocates say the Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to own and bear firearms. McConaughey appeared to choke up several times while holding up photos of some of the child victims. He talked about their families, what they were wearing on the day they were shot, and what they wanted to be when they grew up. The actor described meeting a cosmetologist who was asked to prepare the victims for their open-casket funerals. “They needed much more than makeup to be presentable. They needed extensive restoration. Why? Due to the exceptionally large exit wounds of an AR-15 rifle.” He gave a brief biography of each victim, slamming his fist on the lectern at one point to describe one of them. “While we honor and acknowledge the victims, we need to recognize that this time seems that something is different,” he said. “There is a sense that perhaps there’s a viable path forward. Responsible parties in this debate seem to at least be committed to sitting down and having a real conversation about a new and improved path forward.” McConaughey spoke as Democrats in the U.S. Senate said they were encouraged by talks with their Republican counterparts on firearms legislation — but warned any compromise would fall short of the steps they say are needed to curb gun violence. McConaughey said he visited the White House to try to turn the moment into a reality. His comments, however, were expected to have little impact. The actor, who met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill earlier in the day to discuss gun reform legislation, asked politicians to change how they approached their job in remarks that did not single out either party. His comments, however, appeared to be intended for Republicans in Congress who have opposed gun legislation. “Let’s admit it,” he said. “We can’t truly be leaders if we’re only living for re-election.” (Reporting by Steve Holland and Nandita Bose in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA The day after Karine Jean-Pierre took over as White House Press Secretary, the Buffalo, New York, mass shooting occurred, followed by Uvalde, Texas. “It has been a tragic three weeks,” Jean-Pierre, 47, told Good Morning America‘s Robin Roberts. “I was there in Uvalde when the people cried out to President Biden to take action, to ‘do something.’” Jean-Pierre stressed that Joe Biden has signed the most executive actions, at this time in a president’s term, addressing gun control. She said her boss is “very encouraged with what the Senate is trying to do, the bipartisan negotiations that we’re seeing.” She deflected though when asked if Biden was personally lobbying senators on the gun control issue. “He wants to give the Senate and Congress some space on the Hill to have that conversation,” she noted. “It sounds very promising.” MEGA Roberts then switched topics, citing an ABC News poll that found 80 percent of Americans said inflation is a very important factor for them when voting in the upcoming midterm elections. “What we’re dealing with right now is global challenges,” Jean-Pierre suggested. “We’re in a pandemic. When the president walked into this office, the economy was in a crisis.” MEGA “We understand that Americans are truly, truly feeling this,” she continued. “We understand there’s more work to be done, but we are continuing to take steps.” Roberts then segued to the summer’s other hot topic, abortion. “The president has continued to tap into the different entities to make sure we fortify Title 10 and we’re going to continue to talk to groups and figure out what else we can do,” she explained. “But really, we have to get Congress to act on this so we can codify Roe v. Wade.” Roberts concluded the interview by wondering how Jean-Pierre feels as the first Black person, the first immigrant and the first openly gay individual to hold the White House Press Secretary position. “Representation does indeed matter,” she stated. “I think about my daughter, I think about my friends. I hope when she sees me on TV, she thinks to herself, ‘I can do this and I can do more, when I’m older.’” MEGA View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Talk about a double whammy. James M., a 35-year-old gay, Human Resources manager who contracted Monkeypox, told The Daily Mail it happened after he was deported from Dubai in February for testing positive for HIV. He had been working in the Middle Eastern country for four years. Upon his return to the U.K., he says he hooked up with around 10 different partners and has a hunch one of his partners, who had a spot on their chest, gave him monkeypox. His symptoms included back aches, exhaustion, extreme thirst and pain when going to the bathroom. He shared his story as the monkeypox outbreak continues to spread across the globe and health agencies continues to talk about the dangers of the virus. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control issued new recommendations to protect travelers. On May 25, James was directed to a special clinic for testing. He says that’s when the highly contagious nature of monkeypox really hit home. MEGA “When I got to the clinic, I was told to go and wait outside the main door and call them, they said they were going to put on PPE and they told me not to touch door handles,” he recalled. “The whole experience kind of heightens your sense of, ‘Oh this must be really serious.” “I remember going to COVID centers and it wasn’t as daunting or overwhelming as this.” James’ harshest words are reserved for U.K.’s Health Security Agency. “I was told to stay home until UKHSA contacted me… and they never did,” he bemoaned. He says it’s been eight days since he was instructed to self-isolate and there has been no contact tracing. He thinks it’s no wonder Britain has the second highest monkeypox caseload after Africa. MEGA He also is critical of a hospital that told him at point, when he wanted to check in due to severe symptoms, that there was no monkeypox specialist on duty during weekends. Meanwhile, specialists he was in touch with later admitted, he said, that they dropped the ball regarding contact tracing. The agency disputes James’ account, saying it tried repeatedly to get in touch with him. James insists that because he did not have the telltale Monkeypox rash, the initial diagnosis by the agency was that he could not possibly have it. His test for the disease came back positive May 28. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kristen Stewart is looking for “gay ghost hunters” as part of a new TV show. The 32-year-old actress is to team up with stylist CJ Romero and the team behind Netflix’s hit reality series ‘Queer Eye for the “most titillating queer ghost-hunting show” and took to social media to ask for participants. In a video posted to Instagram, she said: ““I am scarily excited to announce that I’m teaming up with Scout, the producers of Q’ueer Eye’, ‘Legendary’, The Hype, on the most gayest, most funnest, most titillating queer ghost-hunting show ever.” The ‘Twilight star’ – who herself identifies as bisexual and has previously dated the likes of former co-star Robert Pattinson as well as Victoria’s Secret model Stella Maxwell and singer St. Vincent – added that she needs the “most incredible LGBTQ+” paranormal enthusiasts to sign up to ‘Paranormal Experts’. She added: “We need to find the most incredible LGBTQ+ ghost hunters, paranormal specialists, mediums, psychics, investigators.” The ‘Spencer’ actress was joined in the video by long-time friend CJ Romero – who also urged fans to take part in the new TV venture especially if they were part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Without revealing any further details of the show, he said: “Are you a medium, historian, ghost hunting expert… and also a member of the LGBTQIA+ community?? Well if so, please go to the link in my bio and apply today!!!! Can’t wait to see what you ghouls bring us!” However, while Kristen is on the lookout for LGBTQIA+ participants, the application noted that submissions “will be accepted for all applicants, regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation.” https://ghost.castingcrane.com/ View the full article

Published by InsideHook By Bonnie Stiernberg It’s June, which means it’s time for brands everywhere to try and exploit Pride Month with some ill-advised and clunky marketing campaigns, and we’ve got a real doozy today thanks to Burger King Austria. On Monday, the fast-food company unveiled its new Pride Whopper, which features “same-sex” buns — two tops or two bottoms. Naturally, it did not go over well. According to an Instagram post by Burger King Austria, the Pride Whoppers come “with two matching buns for equal love and equal rights.” “We stand for the equal rights of all identities and sexual orientations,” it r… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Pope Francis attends the Pentecost mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Evandro Inetti/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Pope Francis has appointed four high-profile investment bankers to a new investment committee set up to ensure the ethical nature of the church’s investments, the Vatican announced on Tuesday. The committee was set up under a new constitution, called the Praedicate Evangelium (Proclaim the Gospel), that went into force on Sunday for church agencies. Under the Praedicate Evangelium, the committee will be made up of members appointed for five-year terms. They are to ensure the ethical nature of the Vatican’s equity investments, “in accordance with the church’s social doctrine” while also observing criteria of profitability, suitability, and moderate risk. The four members of the Committee are: Jean Pierre Casey of RegHedge, a British investor; Giovanni Christian Michael Gay of Germany’s Union Investment Privatfonds; David Harris of Norway’s Skagen Funds; and John J Zona, investment officer of Boston College in the US. Francis has recently reformed the appointments process for church authorities, making it possible for women to sit in senior posts long reserved to men. Following revelations of a huge loss on luxury London property between 2014 and 2018, the pope has moved to reorganize Vatican investment policy. View the full article