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Published by AFP Starbucks, which had previously suspended activities in Russia, said Monday it would totally exit the market New York (AFP) – Starbucks said Monday it will cease operations in Russia, shuttering its 130 cafes in the country in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine. The move comes a week after another iconic US brand, McDonald’s, also departed Russia, part of a wave of Western companies cutting the country off following the assault. “Starbucks has made the decision to exit and no longer have a brand presence in the market,” the company said. “We will continue to support the nearly 2,000 green apron partners in Russia, including pay for six months and assistance for partners to transition to new opportunities outside of Starbucks.” The coffee chain suspended its operations in early March after Russia sent troops across the border into Ukraine in late February. Former chief executive Kevin Johnson at the time condemned Russia’s “unprovoked, unjust and horrific attacks on Ukraine.” Starbucks had a relatively modest operation in Russia compared with McDonald’s, which owned 850 restaurants in the country employing 62,000 workers. McDonald’s, which had operated in Russia since 1990, said its exit would result in one-time costs of $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion. The fast-food chain on Thursday said it reached a deal to sell the business to Russian investor Alexander Govor, a McDonald’s licensee. French automaker Renault also left the country last week, handing over its assets in the country to the Russian government. Pariah Retail analyst Neil Saunders of GlobalData said the actions show “that Russia will become more of a commercial pariah as companies turn their backs on a country that represents things they do not wish to be associated with.” But he predicted some other brands would probably stay put. “Some will follow, but other consumer packaged goods and retail firms will likely hold out as, unlike Starbucks and McDonald’s, they have extensive exposure to, and interests in, Russia,” he said. “This includes luxury brands which, before the invasion of Ukraine, made good money from the lucrative market for high-end goods.” Starbucks opened in Russia in 2007, with operations managed by a Kuwait-based licensing company. In December 2010, executives highlighted the country as a key emerging market for the brand, along with China, Brazil and India. Starbucks did not disclose the financial impact of leaving the country, but Saunders said the chain’s limited operation in Russia means the hit to the bottom line likely will be modest. Shares of Starbucks rose 0.8 percent to $73.96 near midday Monday. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Pavel Polityuk KYIV (Reuters) – A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison on Monday for killing an unarmed civilian in the first war crimes trial arising from Russia’s invasion. Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old tank commander, had pleaded guilty to killing 62-year-old Oleksandr Shelipov in the northeastern Ukrainian village of Chupakhivka on Feb. 28, four days after the invasion. Judge Serhiy Agafonov said Shishimarin, carrying out a “criminal order” by a soldier of higher rank, had fired several shots at the victim’s head from an automatic weapon. “Given that the crime committed is a crime against peace, security, humanity and the international legal order … the court does not see the possibility of imposing a (shorter) sentence,” he said. Shishimarin, wearing a blue and grey hooded sweatshirt, watched proceedings silently from a reinforced glass box in the courtroom and showed no emotion as the verdict was read out. He stood with head bowed, listening to a translator. Shishmarin’s lawyer, Viktor Ovsyannikov, said he was not surprised by the sentence because there had been “certain pressure from society” and said he would launch a legal appeal. The trial, which began only last week, has huge symbolic significance for Ukraine and an international lawyer told Reuters it could be the first of many. Kyiv has accused Russia of atrocities and brutality against civilians during the invasion and said it has identified more than 10,000 possible war crimes. Russia has denied targeting civilians or involvement in war crimes while it carries out what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine. The Kremlin did not immediately comment on the verdict. It has previously said that it has no information about the trial and that the absence of a diplomatic mission in Ukraine limits its ability to provide assistance. BAR SET ‘VERY HIGH’ Ukrainian state prosecutors said Shishimarin and four other Russian servicemen stole a car to escape after their column was targeted by Ukrainian forces. After driving into Chupakhivka, the soldiers saw Shelipov riding a bicycle and talking on his phone. Shishimarin was ordered to kill Shelipov to prevent him reporting on their location, the prosecutors said. In court last week, Shishimarin acknowledged he was to blame and asked the victim’s widow to forgive him. The court reached its verdict five days after holding its first full hearing. Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, said the verdict was “not surprising” and could be the first part of “a large puzzle also involving Ukrainian soldiers being held in Russia.” “If this is the baseline trial … it sets the bar very high,” he said. “For most other war crimes cases in Ukraine I suspect we’ll see similar sentences because this is the baseline trial.” (Additional reporting by Stephanie van den Berg in The Hague, Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Frank Jack Daniel) View the full article

Published by Reuters (In story dated May 22, corrects 2nd paragraph to say “information” instead of “secrets.” In 6th paragraph, updates to say statement was joint and adds name of official. Refers throughout to ‘Convention’ rather than ‘church’) By Rich McKay ATLANTA (Reuters) -For decades, complaints of sex abuse by pastors and staff in the largest U.S. Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, were either ignored or covered up by top clergy, according to an internal report released on Sunday. The nearly 300-page report details how complaints were kept as “closely guarded information” within the Convention to avoid liability, “to exclusion of all other considerations,” it said. “In service to this goal, survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved,” the report said, with leaders covering up accusations and allowing accused clergy members to remain pastors or in other positions of authority. Lawsuits against the Convention were denigrated as “opportunistic” and not having merit, it said. The year-long investigation was initiated by the Southern Baptist Convention in June 2021, when a stream of complaints were raised at its annual meeting. The complaints focused on sexual abuse by pastors and volunteers and the lack of response by the religious body’s executive committee. “We are grieved by the findings of this investigation,” Rolland Slade, chairman of the Convention’s executive committee, said in a joint statement with Willie McLaurin, an interim leader of the executive committee. “We are committed to doing all we can to prevent future instances of sexual abuse in churches, to improve our response and our care, (and) to remove reporting roadblocks,” the statement read. The Southern Baptist Convention claims more than 13 million members in the United States and more than 40 million worldwide. The scandal echoes the one faced by the Roman Catholic Church, which has been rocked by allegations of sexual abuse, when the Boston Globe newspaper revealed in 2002 that church hierarchy covered up sexual misconduct by its clergy for decades. The U.S. Catholic Church has paid out an estimated $3.2 billion to settle clergy abuse cases, according to BishopAccountability.org, which tracks the issue. In 2019, the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News reported that more than 700 victims had been abused by pastors, leaders and volunteers in Southern Baptist congregations. The Southern Baptist investigation was carried out by Guidepost Solutions LLC. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Paul Simao and Tom Hogue) View the full article

Published by Reuters UK JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia summoned Britain’s ambassador on Monday to explain the raising of a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) flag at its embassy, and urged foreign missions to respect local “sensitivities” following a backlash among conservatives. Barring the sharia-ruled province of Aceh, homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, although it is generally considered taboo. The rainbow LGBT flag was flown alongside the British flag at the country’s embassy in Jakarta on May 17 to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biph… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker was “triggered” by his jokes. The 48-year-old comedian appeared to be attacked by Isaiah Lee, who attempted to tackle him to the ground as he performed as part of the ‘Netflix Is A Joke’ festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles back in early May and now Lee has explained that he was unhappy with his jokes about gays, bisexuals and homelessness. He said: “I identify as bisexual … and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering, I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect,” Speaking from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, the 23-year-old went on to explain that he is also a single father to a five-year old son so felt offended when the former ‘Buddies’ star joked about people who live on the streets. He told The New York Post: “I’m also a single dad and my son is five. It’s a struggle and I wanted Dave Chappelle to know [homelessness] not a joke.” Lee is now facing four misdemeanor charges as a result of altercation – which was caught on video – also told the outlet that security at the event had given him two black eyes when restraining him and broke his arm. He added: “They spat on me and twisted me as if on purpose.” Lee’s comments come just days after it was revealed that he had been charged with attempted murder for an unrelated incident. Prosecutors alleged that Lee stabbed his roommate during a fight at a transitional housing apartment back in December 2021 and the victim reported the incident to police, identifying Lee as the perpetrator shortly after the incident with Dave. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement obtained by Entertainment Tonight: “As a result of the publicity generated by Mr. Chappelle assisted police in solving this crime, the stabbing victim recognized Lee from the coverage of Chappelle’s attack, according to the District Attorney’s statement, and the police used that information to track him down.” View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley appear to have confirmed that they are in a relationship. The 31-year-old pop star and ‘Bachelor Nation’ alum Becca, 33, shared a Reel of themselves on Instagram which showed intercut clips of their time together, with a series of interpolating romantic shots. Alongside the post, Becca wrote: “hard to say if this is a hard or soft launch, but it is a launch” (sic) Several famous faces were quick to congratulate the couple as they appeared to announce their relationship, with Becca’s former co star Colton Underwood writing: “We love a good launch. SO HAPPY FOR YOU” (sic), while her ex-boyfriend Robert Graham added: “YESS! I love this so much”(sic) The post came just hours after Hayley marked the release of her latest song ‘For the Girls’ by dropping the accompanying music video, which saw the ‘What I Need’ hitmaker searching for soulmate before Becca closes out the video by arriving in a limousine as a surprise. Upon sharing the video, Hayley said in a statement: “I love being a woman, and women have always been a massive influence on my life. ‘For The Girls’ is an anthem celebrating that love, highlighting our strength, beauty and vulnerability. The music video is meant to reflect that celebration with a sense of humor and an expansive take on whose romantic story gets told. It was so much fun to direct, especially since it’s a nod to one of my favorite reality shows of all time. No matter how you identify or who you love, I hope this summer bop makes you feel sexy and empowered.” Prior to the release of the music video, the pair attended the Elle Hollywood Rising event together on Wednesday (18.02.22) Hayley Kiyoko For the Girls Becca Tilley View the full article

Activists calling for Thailand Marriage Equality protectionsOn May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia(IDAHOT), activists held a rally for LGBTQ+ rights and called for marriage equality by rewriting the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Thai marriage law. On November 17, 2021, the Thai Constitutional Court ruled that Article 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code, which states that marriage can only be contracted between a man and a woman, does not violate Section 27 of the Constitution, which states that all persons are equal, and equally protected, under the law. The ruling sparked public outrage, as the full text was found to be archaic, sexist, and homophobic, such as when it defines marriage as “when a man and a woman are willing to live together, to build a husband and wife relationship to reproduce their offspring, under the morals, traditions, religion and the laws of each society,” and that it is, therefore, reserved only for a man and a woman. The ruling also mentions that LGBTQ+ people cannot reproduce and that such marriage is against the natural order, and that LGBTQ+ people cannot form the same “delicate bond” as that of heterosexual families. It also stated that legalizing LGBTQ+ marriage would place a greater “burden” on the government to provide welfare and benefit to those couples. Another part of the ruling also compared LGBTQ+ people to animals with strange behaviour. On March 8, International Women’s Day, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) and the activist group Feminist’s Liberation Front Thailand launched the “People’s Judgement” project with a panel discussion on marriage equality, during which panelists said the Constitutional Court’s ruling showed a lack of understanding and connection with the people, and damages gender justice in the country. Tyrell Haberkorn, Professor of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said during the discussion that the project aimed to provide an opportunity for the public to criticize the Constitutional Court’s ruling in order to imagine a more equal future by rewriting the ruling. Haberkorn said that the project took inspiration from activists and feminist lawyers in other countries, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the UK, which use this method to push for changes in the legal system. Meanwhile, TLHR lawyer Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, another panelist, said that Thai law had never defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, but there is a stipulation under Article 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code, which is being challenged on whether it is discriminatory, and she is not sure where the Constitutional Court got its definition of marriage. She also said that, according to the Constitutional Court, Thai tradition is different from that of other countries and that a law would be sustainable only if it doesn’t go against the views of the people, and questioned how the judges could say what the public’s opinion was on any matter. Meanwhile, gender equality activist Chumaporn Tangkliang said during the panel discussion that the public had the right to write a ruling because everyone is human and equal, and that, while judges have law degrees and a job, people in the LGBTQ+ community must live with not being allowed to register their marriage, so they have the right to write their own ruling. Doing so would return to them their power and human dignity. Activists gathered on the Pathumwan Skywalk for a rally during the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. Photo from iLaw Activism for Thailand Marriage Equality in Marriage LawsOn May 17, activists gathered on the Pathumwan Skywalk for an IDAHOT rally, during which they presented a rewritten version of the Constitutional Court ruling on marriage law, which was written by activists and members of the public who signed up to participate in the People’s Judgement project. It states that Article 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code violates Sections 4, 25, 26, and 27 of the Constitution, noting that even though Section 27 states that men and women have equal rights, it does not mean that anyone with a different gender identity or sexual orientation does not have equal rights. The rewritten ruling said that not discriminating on the basis of gender includes everyone regardless of their identity or orientation, and a law limited to sex as assigned at birth would lead to discrimination against a group of people in the society on the basis of gender, which would disrespect their human dignity. Currently, two bills on marriage for LGBTQ+ couples are already waiting to go before parliament. One is the Civil Partnership bill proposed by the Ministry of Justice and approved by the Cabinet in June 2020. It has previously been criticized by NGOs and activists for not giving LGBTQ+ couples the same rights as heterosexual couples and for being unclear about whether certain rights are granted. Activists also questioned the need for separate legislation legalising LGBTQ+ marriages, and raised concerns that this would deepen the stigma against the LGBTQ+ community in Thailand. Another bill proposes amendments to the sections on marriage and family in the Civil and Commercial Code, or the Marriage Equality bill, initiated by MPs from the Move Forward Party, which will change the terminology used in the law to “spouse” instead of “husband” and “wife,” and “person” instead of “man” and “woman.” The bill went before parliament in February 2022 and was forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration. On March 29, the Government House website reported that Cabinet voted to reject it. Nevertheless, the Marriage Equality bill can still go before parliament. According to the 2019 Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives, a bill proposed by an MP or by civil society can be forwarded to the Cabinet for a 60-day consideration period and must be returned to parliament after the time has lapsed. The House Speaker may also put it on the parliament agenda even though it has not been returned. Meanwhile, signatures are being collected for another Marriage Equality Bill to be proposed to parliament. On November 28, 2021, during a protest at the Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok, the Rainbow Coalition for Marriage Equality, a network of over 40 civil society organizations and activist groups, launched a petition proposing amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code. The petition proposes to amend Article 1448 to allow marriage registration between two people of any gender. It also proposes to replace the terms “man” and “woman” in every article of the Civil and Commercial Code relating to marriage with “person,” as well as to replace “husband” and “wife” with “spouse” and “father” and “mother” with “parents.” The amendments, if passed, will grant LGBTQ+ couples the same rights, duties, and legal recognition as heterosexual couples, including the right to adopt a child and be recognized as the child’s parents; the right to have the power of attorney to make medical decisions of behalf of one’s partner and to press charges on behalf of one’s partner; the right to use one’s partner’s last name, and the right to inherit property from each other without the need for a will. Within 24 hours of its launch, the petition gained over 150,000 signatures, 10 times the number legally required for a bill to be put before parliament. As of May 20, it has gained over 304,000 signatures. Activists On Thailand Marriage Equality This article was originally published by Prachatai, an independent news site in Thailand, and an edited version is republished by Global Voices under a content-sharing agreement. View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — The ink has barely dried on New York’s much-revised House map, but a radically transformed 10th Congressional District has set the stage for an unruly political scramble in lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn ahead of the August Democratic primary. On Friday, former Mayor Bill de Blasio declared his candidacy for the district’s seat, reentering the political arena four months after leaving City Hall. Insiders viewed de Blasio as the early favorite, even after his popularity plummeted in two terms running New York City. He is a fierce fundraiser and a familiar face in his home ne… Read More View the full article

Published by InsideHook By Tobias Carroll The current season of Saturday Night Live featured the show’s largest cast ever, with 21 different comedians appearing on screen at various points during the year. Based on current reports, it sure sounds like that number will be a bit lower for the 48th season. The Hollywood Reporter reports that this weekend’s season finale will be the final appearance as cast members for Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney. Admittedly, this isn’t the most shocking of news. In comments made to The New York Times, SNL‘s Lorne Michaels spoke of “a year of change” on the … Read More View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Any 2022 graduates of the Otis College of Art and Design who were dreading going to a long, boring commencement ceremony last Sunday evening at least got the great surprise that Evan Spiegel, founder of Snapchat, and his wife, Miranda Kerr, were paying off all of their student loans with a massive donation totaling over $10 million. The school presented honorary degrees to Spiegel, Kerr and Queer Eye star and designer Bobby Berk. The school’s president Charles Hirschhorn then announced the incredible news to the grads after they all gathered their degrees. Hirschorn told the sea of grads, “We … Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online The outcry over Oklahoma’s new abortion law, the strictest in the nation, reaches far and wide. In a May 19 statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre took the position that Roe v. Wade is still, for the moment, the law of the land. “Today’s action by the Oklahoma legislature is the most extreme effort to undo these fundamental rights we have seen to date,” she said “In addition, it adopts Texas’ absurd plan to allow private citizens to sue their neighbors for providing reproductive health care and helping women to exercise their constitutional rights. MEGA “This is part of a growing effort by ultra MAGA officials across the country to roll back the freedoms we should not take for granted in this country,” Jean-Pierre continued. “They are starting with reproductive rights, but the American people need to know that other fundamental rights, including the right to contraception and marriage equality, are at risk.” Rachel Gordon The Oklahoma bill has been blasted by pro-choice critics who note that it bans abortion from the moment of fertilization, making it an effective total ban. Meanwhile, at the top of a virtual meeting May 19 with abortion providers, Vice President Kamla Harris also had choice words for the legislation, according to the Huffington Post. “At its core, this is about our future as a nation, about whether we live in a country where the government can interfere in personal decisions,” she stated. “This is about our future.” Recently, Ms. Magazine collected a number of concerned voices, including that of Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Oklahoma City. MEGA “This is a devastating day for individual liberties, individual health care decisions, and most importantly, individuals in Oklahoma who deserve respect,” she said. “These decisions should be their own. To all who need care, we see you and our doors are open for you—even if we cannot provide care here at home in the same way we have.” The Oklahoma abortion bill, known as HB 4327, passed in the state legislature by a vote of 73 to 16. All it needs now is a signature for Gov. Kevin Stitt. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Vladimir Putin’s 35-year-old daughter has reportedly been living in Germany with a man who, most likely to her father’s displeasure, shares the same surname as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Radar has learned. In a surprising development that comes amid swirling rumors the Russian leader’s children are hiding out in multiple countries as Russia continues its condemned invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova was confirmed to be living a life of luxury in Munich with a man named Igor Zelensky and their two-year-old daughter. Mega That is the bombshell revelation made in a recent report by The Sun that also claimed Tikhonova has been forced to stop visiting Moscow entirely due to sanctions placed against her as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war and her close ties to her father. Tikhonova, a former professional dancer known for her “rock n’ roll” routines and performances, is one of Putin’s two daughters he shares with ex-wife and former Russian first lady Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Ocheretnaya. Mega As RadarOnline.com reported, news of Putin’s daughter secretly living a life of luxury in Munich with a man named Zelensky comes just weeks after it was revealed the Russian leader’s oldest daughter – Maria Vorontsova – had split from her wealthy Dutch businessman husband, Jorrit Faassen. The reports about Tikhonova hiding out in Germany also come just days after it was revealed Putin’s alleged longtime mistress, Russian Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, might be pregnant with the 69-year-old Russian leader’s child. “We have already reported that yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to eyewitnesses, looked depressed and somewhat aloof,” a former Russian Foreign Intelligence Service lieutenant general named Viktor Mikhailovich revealed last week. “This is understandable, yesterday Putin learned that his long-term cohabitant and mother of his children, Alina Kabaeva, was pregnant for another, or rather, apparently, an extraordinary time,” Mikhailovich added. Mega Putin and Kabaeva have been linked since the Russian leader split from his wife in 2014, and the couple are rumored to already share four children together – including a set of twins. Kabaeva and the four children she allegedly shares with Putin were rumored to be hiding out in a luxurious Swiss villa in March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but in April the Olympic gymnast resurfaced in Moscow to host her annual “Alina Festival” – a junior gymnastics charity event. Neither Putin nor the Kremlin have yet to confirm or deny whether or not Kabaeva is, in fact, pregnant once again with one of Putin’s children, although other reports suggested the “shocked” Russian leader has “avoided” his alleged mistress since hearing the pregnancy news. View the full article

Published by Radar Online KCS Presse / MEGA Madonna was in utter shock to discover that Instagram had blocked her from going live, sharing a video of the awkward moment she found out on Friday. “What the f—?” the Papa Don’t Preach singer, 63, exclaimed as a notification popped up. “What’s happening?” She then quipped, “I’ve never worn so many clothes in my life.” “I’m speechless,” she added. Will / MEGA Due to a breach in the app’s community guidelines, Madonna had been banned from doing a live video and one person on her team made sure to read over the fine print. “We want Instagram to continue to be an authentic and safe place for inspiration and expression,” one section of the community guidelines noted. “Help us foster this community. Post only your own photos and videos and always follow the law. Respect everyone on Instagram, don’t spam people or post nudity.” The Material Girl hitmaker later hopped on a call with her Frozen on Fire collaborator, Sickick, and explained that Instagram was being “really mysterious” about why they blocked her. “I don’t know why. They’re not giving me a reason,” she claimed. “It’s like a bureaucracy inside of a computer.” Will / MEGA Madonna was trying to piece the clues together and also pointed out that she hasn’t posted “anything crazy” on the app, adding with a laugh, “not this week anyways.” “It may have been a delayed reaction to my NFTs from last week, but I’m not really sure,” the songstress continued, speculating her fully-nude graphics may be to blame. Her NFT collection, titled “Mother of Creation,” also includes a 3D model of her vagina. @madonna/Instagram “I wanted to investigate the concept of creation, not only the way a child enters the world through a woman’s vagina, but also the way an artist gives birth to creativity,” she shared of her design in a statement. After being cut off from going live, Madonna felt bad for disappointing her fans. “I’m sorry to let everybody down,” she added. “I was really looking forward to this.” Madonna has been known to push boundaries with her songs, music videos and scantily-clad Instagram posts, and we doubt she’ll be stopping anytime soon. View the full article

Published by AFP Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, a lifelong Catholic, has been barred from holy communion by the archbishop of San Francisco over her support for abortion San Francisco (AFP) – The archbishop of San Francisco told US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi that she is barred from receiving communion over her support for abortion rights, the archdiocese said in a letter released Friday. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said he in the letter that he had previously asked Pelosi to “publicly repudiate your advocacy for abortion ‘rights’ or else refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and receiving Holy Communion” — or face the consequence of being denied access to the rite. “As you have not publicly repudiated your position on abortion, and continue to refer to your Catholic faith in justifying your position and to receive Holy Communion, that time has now come,” the archbishop said. “I am hereby notifying you that you are not to present yourself for Holy Communion and, should you do so, you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, until such time as you publicly repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance,” he added. Pelosi, a lifelong Catholic from California, said she would work to pass a law to confirm women’s continued right to abortions after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that guaranteed access to the procedure nationwide. Pelosi’s office made no immediate comment to AFP after the archbishop’s letter was made public. Communion — the rite in which the faithful ritually consume bread and wine blessed by a priest — is a central rite in the Catholic Church. View the full article

Published by AFP Former US President Donald Trump at a rally in Delaware, Ohio, April 23, 2022 New York (AFP) – Former US President Donald Trump has paid a $110,000 fine for obstructing a major tax evasion investigation led since 2019 by New York state authorities, a spokesperson announced Friday. Trump was ordered April 25 by New York state’s Supreme Court to pay $10,000 a day for as long as he refused to provide accounting and tax documents as part of a civil investigation by the Attorney General of the state, Letitia James, against the Trump Organization family business. “On May 19, Donald Trump paid the attorney general’s office $110,000,” a spokesperson for James’s office said. James and the Republican billionaire have been engaged in a fierce procedural battle for months. On February 17, James was able to get a New York judge to order Trump and his children Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump to testify under oath in the context of this investigation, in which she suspects fraudulent tax practices. The Trumps — who accuse James of a “political witch hunt” — have appealed the ruling. But New York state had also demanded accounting and tax documents from the Trump Organization before March 31. Faced with Donald Trump’s refusal, James demanded obtained a ruling on April 25 that he be charged with obstruction. On May 6, however, the New York judge suspended the counting of days for which he should be fined and decided that Donald Trump would have until Friday May 20 to pay for the period from April 25 to May 6, or 110,000 for 11 days — which is what he did on Thursday. According to James’ spokesperson, the Trump camp also had until Friday to submit sworn statements relating to the Trump Organization’s request for accounting and tax records. These documents were indeed collected and produced by a third-party firm on Thursday, according to the same source. The judge must now decide whether the Trump camp have met all the demands. James suspects the Trump Organization fraudulently overstated the value of real estate properties when applying for bank loans, while understating them with the tax authorities in order to pay less in taxes. Donald Trump is also facing a criminal investigation by the Manhattan prosecutor: the Trump Organization and its financial director Allen Weisselberg have been charged with tax evasion. They have pleaded not guilty and the trial is due to begin this year. View the full article

Published by AFP Fox News host Tucker Carlson, pictured in 2019, has soared to the heights of American cable TV Washington (AFP) – In the world of Tucker Carlson’s hit TV show, America is under assault — by Democrats, by health authorities, by immigrants, by Black Lives Matter protests — and white conservatives are in a fight for their very survival. Anti-white racism is on the rise. Modern liberals hate Christianity. Migrants are invading. These are just a few of the claims made by the host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” In broadcast after broadcast, the 53-year-old appeals to viewers’ outrage and plays on their fears, propelling his show to the heights of cable TV, making him millions of dollars, and providing ample fodder for conspiracy theorists and racists in the process. Fox lawyers contended in court that Carlson presents opinions rather than facts on his show, which launched in 2016 and today draws millions of viewers per episode. But critics say the program could contribute to tragedies such as the racially motivated shooting that killed 10 people at a Buffalo, New York grocery store this month. Blue eyes locked on viewers for an hour, five nights a week, Carlson discusses current events on a show billed as “the sworn enemy of lying,” and which promises to “ask the questions that you would ask — and demand answers.” ‘Great Replacement’ Carlson frames the issues he discusses as “they” versus “you” — “they want to control your thoughts,” or “they call you a racist.” His appeals to fear are effective, said Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of American political rhetoric who teaches at Texas A&M University. “Tucker Carlson is very good at eliciting that fear response in his audience,” she told AFP. “He covers anything that he thinks will outrage his audience.” And therein lies the danger. Payton Gendron, a young white supremacist accused of trying to kill as many African Americans as possible in the Buffalo shooting, was influenced by the “Great Replacement” theory, a far-right belief that the white population will be replaced by immigrants. Carlson has spread a similar notion — that Democratic politicians and other elites want to replace whites through immigration — during more than 400 episodes of his show, according to The New York Times. Citing this figure, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “This is a poison that is being spread by one of the largest news organizations in our country.” Contacted by AFP, Fox News referred to Carlson’s on-air statements in which he has defended himself against accusations that he bears responsibility for the killings. “Gendron was mentally ill,” Carlson said Monday, dismissing the long manifesto by the suspect — which does not mention the show — as “not recognizably left-wing or right-wing, it’s not really political at all.” ‘Uniquely powerful’ Despite the criticism he engenders, Fox News backs Carlson at all costs. The network’s lawyers argued in a 2020 slander lawsuit that viewers knew to treat material on his show with skepticism — something not borne out by the many people interacting with and spreading his content online. The father of four seems impervious to criticism, saying in an appearance on “The Rubin Report” talk show: “You should only care about the opinions of people who care about you.” It is a lesson learned from what he has called his “weird childhood,” marked by the departure of his artist mother when he was only six years old. She moved to France and never saw her children again. Carlson was raised by his journalist father and followed in his footsteps after unsuccessfully trying to join the CIA. The road to fame was long: Carlson previously worked at CNN and even found himself temporarily unemployed around his 40th birthday. But Mercieca says he is now “uniquely powerful.” In evidence of Carlson’s influence, Republican Ted Cruz willingly subjected himself to a dressing down on the Fox host’s show in January after being widely criticized by conservatives for describing the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol as a “violent terrorist attack.” Despite the political influence he wields, Carlson — who says he has never owned a television — lives far from the heart of the United States government, in a rural corner of Maine, where he usually records his show. Will politics be the next step? For a time, there were rumors that he could parlay his fame into a 2024 run for the presidency. Carlson dismissed the idea with a laugh on conservative podcast “Ruthless” in January. “I’m a talk show host; I enjoy it,” he said. View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Rudy Giuliani, who served as former U.S. President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, met for more than nine hours on Friday with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, CNN reported, citing two sources. Giuliani, a former mayor of New York City, had previously refused to appear before the panel unless his testimony was videotaped, his attorney Robert Costello said earlier this month. The committee said at the time that Giuliani had agreed to a transcribed interview. Costello and the committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters on the CNN report. The committee is trying to establish Trump’s actions while thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol in January of last year, sending members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence rushing to take cover. Congress had been meeting to formally certify Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over Republican Trump in the November 2020 presidential election. More than 900 people, including many Trump White House aides, have been interviewed in the committee’s investigation. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by William Mallard) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) – The World Health Organization is working on further guidance for countries on how to mitigate the spread of monkeypox, amid concerns cases could spike further in the summer months, a senior adviser for the U.N. agency told Reuters. The WHO’s working theory based on the cases identified so far is that the outbreak is being driven by sexual contact, said David Heymann, chair of the WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential. He led a meeting on the outbreak on Friday. Monkeypox is an infectious disease that is usually mild, and is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It is spread by close contact, which means it can be relatively easily contained through such measures as self-isolation and hygiene once a new case is identified. See EXPLAINER: The outbreak in 11 countries where it is not endemic is highly unusual, according to scientists. More than 100 confirmed or suspected cases have been reported, most of them in Europe. Heymann, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said experts were likely to give more guidance to countries in the coming days. Health officials in several countries have warned that cases could rise further at major summer gatherings and festivals. “What seems to be happening now is that it has got into the population as a sexual form, as a genital form, and is being spread as are sexually transmitted infections, which has amplified its transmission around the world,” Heymann said. He said the WHO’s meeting was convened “because of the urgency of the situation”. The committee is not the group that would suggest declaring a public health emergency of international concern, WHO’s highest form of alert, which currently applies to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead Heymann said the international committee of experts, which met via video conference, looked at what needed to be studied about the outbreak and communicated to the public, including whether there is any asymptomatic spread, who are at most risk, and what the various routes of transmission are. He said close contact was the key transmission route for the virus as the lesions that are typical of the disease are very infectious. For example, parents caring for sick children are at risk, as well as health workers, which is why some countries have started inoculating the teams treating monkeypox patients using vaccines for smallpox, a related virus. Many of the current cases have been identified at sexual health clinics. Early genomic sequencing of a handful of the cases in Europe has suggested a similarity with that spread in a limited fashion in Britain, Israel and Singapore in 2018. Heymann said it was “biologically plausible” that the virus had since been circulating outside of the countries where it is endemic, but had not led to major outbreaks as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, social distancing and travel restrictions. He stressed that the monkeypox outbreak did not resemble the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic because it does not transmit as easily. Those who suspect they may have been exposed or who are showing symptoms, including the typical bumpy rash and fever, should avoid close contact with others, he said. “There are vaccines available, but the most important message is, you can protect yourself,” he added. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Pravin Char) View the full article

Published by DPA Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (left) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a joint press conference after their meeting the Ankara's Presidential Palace. Martti Kainulainen/Lehtikuva/dpa Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan set out his conditions for backing Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership bids in a series of phone calls on Saturday. He reiterated his insistence that his Western allies make concessions that address Ankara’s security concerns and pave the way for new arms deals. Sweden and Finland have both applied to join NATO, ending their neutral stance after Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine altered the security situation in Europe. However, any new members must be unanimously approved by NATO’s members. Ankara will not take a positive approach to NATO’s expansion unless Sweden and Finland support Turkey in “fundamental issues, particularly fighting terrorism,” Erdogan told NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a phone call on Saturday, his office said. However, Erdogan also left room for a diplomatic solution, telling Stoltenberg that Ankara still supports NATO’s open-door policy. “We agree that the security concerns of all Allies must be taken into account and talks need to continue to find a solution,” Stoltenberg tweeted after their call. Earlier, Erdogan spoke separately with the leaders of Sweden and Finland, reiterating that he would only support their membership bids in exchange for an end to support for what Ankara sees as “terrorist” groups and an easing of restrictions on weapons purchases. By terrorist groups, Erdogan was referring to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdish People’s Defence Units (YPG) militia in Syria. The PKK, outlawed by the US and the EU, has been fighting for autonomy in Turkey for over 40 years. Turkish security forces also often clash with the YPG along the border and in Syria. Ankara believes the two groups are linked and fears they could spark a wider insurgency. The US, by contrast, works closely with the YPG in Syria, considering it a key ally in its fight against Islamic State. Sweden must cease its “political, financial and military support” for terrorist groups and end its “defence industry embargoes,” Erdogan told Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson during their call, his office said. Sweden and Finland, among others, imposed restrictions on arms exports to Turkey after a Turkish military offensive against the YPG in 2019. Addressing these areas would show that Stockholm shares Ankara’s security concerns, Erdogan said, according to his office. Stockholm looks forward “to strengthening our bilateral relations, including on peace, security, and the fight against terrorism,” Andersson’s office tweeted later. Erdogan also reiterated his claim that Sweden backs supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, labelled a terrorist by Ankara, which holds him responsible for the attempted coup in 2016. Ankara expects everyone to respect its “legitimate” fight against groups that “threaten Turkey’s national security and its people,” Erdogan said in his call with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö. Despite Ankara’s objections, other members of NATO, led by the US, strongly back the two countries joining the defence alliance and hope they will soon become members. It was not immediately clear how Turkey could be persuaded to back Finland’s and Sweden’s accession plans or when a solution might be found. View the full article

Published by DPA Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Portuguese the Prime Minister Antonio Costa (not pictured) hold a joint press conference after their meeting. -/Ukrinform/dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his army has inflicted serious damage on Russia’s armed forces, despite the fall of the key port city of Mariupol. Ukraine has “broken the backbone” of the Russian army, Zelensky said in a television interview. “They will not be able to get back on their feet for the next few years.” His comments came after the last 2,400 fighters of Mariupol surrendered and were taken captive. Kiev will take it all back, he said, adding that Ukraine would see a return to the front lines before February 24, when Russia invaded, a victory. “It will mean that they did not conquer us and that we defended our country,” he said, though he noted this would be very difficult and that diplomacy would follow. View the full article

Published by DPA People take part in the Belgian LGBTI+ Pride Festival. Nicolas Maeterlinck/BELGA/dpa The Belgian Pride festival returned to the streets of Brussels on Saturday after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Marching under the slogan “The community is with you,” parade participants flew rainbow flags and called on people to reconnect after the pandemic. “By walking together, we want to show the faces of the LGBTI+ community, our big and diverse Belgian LGBTI+ family,” Eva Declerck, program director at çavaria, said in a statement before the parade. çavaria, a Flemish advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) community, organized the parade with Rainbowhouse Brussels and Prisme, two other rights groups. The festival began at Mont des Arts in Brussels’ city centre with a concert at 1 pm (1100 GMT) attended by several thousand people, the Belga press agency reported. Belga said organizers expect some 100,000 people to take part in the parade. The march is to follow a circular route around the city, passing Place de la Monnaie, Bourse and Quartier Saint Jacob before returning to Mont des Arts. The parade’s “Open” theme, a reference to the return of public gatherings, calls on the public and Belgian politicians to support the LGBTI+ community’s pursuit of equality, organizers said. The Belgian government’s national plan to make the country more LGBTI+ friendly, launched on Tuesday, was a good start but greater action must follow, the statement said. Ending the ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men and the addition of LGBTI+ phobia as an aggravating factor in criminal acts should be a priority, according to the organizers. People take part in the Belgian LGBTI+ Pride Festival. Nicolas Maeterlinck/BELGA/dpa People take part in the Belgian LGBTI+ Pride Festival. Nicolas Maeterlinck/BELGA/dpa View the full article

Published by DPA Monkeypox word is seen on the screen of a smartphone and the World Health Organization (WHO) logo in the background. Authorities in Australia, France and Germany confirmed their first cases of monkeypox on Friday as the normally rare disease continues to crop up in a growing number of countries around the globe. Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Spanish authorities are investigating whether parties on the tourist island of Gran Canaria have been the source of several monkeypox infections, El País daily reported on Saturday, citing healthcare sector sources. Around 80,000 people from Spain and other countries attended the Maspalomas Gay Pride festival that took place on May 5-15, the newspaper wrote. Men from Madrid, Italy and the neighbouring island of Tenerife who have tested positive for the virus are said to have participated in the festival celebrations. Most monkeypox cases reported so far involve men who have had sexual contact with other men. On Friday, the authorities had closed a Madrid sauna identified as a possible place of infection. Spain has so far recorded 30 cases of monkeypox. There are a further 23 suspected cases, media reported on Friday. In neighbouring Portugal, 23 cases have been confirmed, according to the Público newspaper. Meanwhile two further cases were confirmed by the Berlin health authority on Saturday, a day after Germany recorded its first patient. The Berlin health authorities said they were tracing the contacts of the two people and that lab sequencing would establish whether the virus strain was West African or Central African. Germany’s first case was confirmed just a day earlier, a man who came to Bavaria from Portugal via Spain, although it was not initially clear whether he was infected in either of those countries. The man, a 26-year-old Brazilian in the city of Munich, has the milder West African of the two known virus variants, according to a genome analysis by the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology. The Bavarian Health Ministry announced the findings on Saturday. So far, none of the European cases has been registered as the more severe Central African variant. In the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, meanwhile, the authorities were following up on indications that several people may have come into contact with the monkeypox virus, a Health Ministry spokesperson told dpa. “The situation is being closely observed; doctors as well as healthcare authorities are being asked for increased vigilance,” the spokesperson said. Germany’s Robert Koch Institute disease control agency considers the risk to the general public in Germany to be low. It expects further cases in Germany, but not a wave of infections. “According to current knowledge, close contact is required for transmission of the pathogen, so it can currently be assumed that the outbreak will remain limited,” the institute wrote on its website. Multiple clusters of monkeypox have recently been reported in countries where the disease is not usually found, including the United States and Britain. The virus generally occurs in Central and West Africa, often in proximity to tropical rainforests, and is considered endemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it was first discovered in humans in 1970. The illness can be transmitted from person to person through air droplets, close bodily contact or sharing contaminated linens or objects. The virus usually causes symptoms similar to smallpox, but milder. Severe cases can lead to fatality, however. Smallpox has been considered eradicated worldwide since 1980 after a major vaccination campaign. Experts suspect that the pathogen that causes monkeypox circulates in rodents – monkeys are so-called false hosts. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), previous cases of monkeypox were usually linked to travel to areas in West and Central Africa. According to the WHO, monkeypox has appeared more frequently in Nigeria in recent years. Since 2017, a total of 558 suspected cases have been reported there. Of those, 241 have been confirmed and eight people have died. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Angie Bowie has claimed the late David Bowie had to “present as heterosexual with bisexual tendencies” to make it in America. The ‘Starman’ hitmaker’s ex-wife – with whom she had 50-year-old son Duncan Jones – assisted in the creation of Ziggy Stardust, Bowie’s androgynous alien stage persona, and she has recalled how in the 70s in the US, they had to carefully consider how Bowie’s sexuality came across. She said: “He had to basically present as heterosexual with bisexual tendencies to get by the American censors.” One way they could prove this was by having a child. Angie – who gave birth to Duncan in May 1971 – continued: “I figured if I had a child they’re not going to argue that he is hetero. “And David had such a good relationship with his father, I could tell he was going to have a great relationship with Zowie (Duncan).” The 72-year-old glam rock icon recalled how she always wanted David to dress like “a star” no matter what time of day it was. However, Angie – who managed her then-spouse – insisted it was a working relationship they shared and she claims David started to develop an ego, which led to their demise as a couple. She recalled: “At a certain point the applause starts to make them think they’re something more than they really are. “And it’s like, no, you are not God.” Angie says the ‘Let’s Dance’ hitmaker had vowed to help with her career too, but he failed to deliver his half of the promise. She claimed: “I had done a deal with David that first, we would work on his career, and then we would work on mine.” And she ultimately got “fed up” with being his “trouble-shooter”. The pair divorced in 1980, after a decade of marriage, and David went on to tie the knot with widow Iman in 1992. David died in January 2016, aged 69, following a private battle with liver cancer, and Angie – who has penned candid biographies about her relationship with the music icon, including 1993’s ‘Backstage Passes: Life On the Wild Side with David Bowie’ – says it’s only now that she is getting the credit she deserves for the creation of Ziggy. She added to MOJO magazine: “That’s the response I get now on social media – people are giving me my credit.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Barry Manilow has admitted he “never even thought” about questioning his sexuality until he met his future husband. The veteran musician, 78, struck up a romance with TV executive Garry Kief in 1978 following the collapse of his marriage to Susan Deixler, which officially ended in 1966. Garry went on to become Barry’s manager and the pair married in secret in 2014 before going public with their love in 2017. Now, Barry admits he didn’t realise he might be gay until he met Garry, telling America’s Closer magazine: “(I) never even thought about whether I was gay (before I met Garry).” He credits Garry with helping him get his business affairs back on track after finding himself in financial turmoil, adding of his partner: “He’s the smartest person I’ve ever met in my life – and a great guy too. “I was one of the lucky ones.” After coming out publicly in 2017, Barry told PEOPLE magazine he kept his personal life private for so many years because he was worried about disappointing his fans. The ‘Mandy’ hitmaker explained: “I’m so private. I always have been. I thought I would be disappointing them if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything.” On the positive reaction the news, he added: “When they found out that Garry and I were together, they were so happy. “The reaction was so beautiful – strangers commenting, ‘Great for you!’ I’m just so grateful for it.” View the full article