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Published by Al-Araby Police in Turkey broke up an LGBTQ pride parade at one the country’s top public universities and detained all of the participants Friday. Riot police entered Bogazici University and surrounded dozens of students who were waiving rainbow flags and calling for tolerance. They arrested the students one by one and led them into police buses with their hands cuffed behind them. A small group of students tried to resist arrest. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s conservative government has banned LGBTQ parades since 2015, citing security concerns, “public sensitivities” and other issues. Autho… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega New York Attorney General Letitia James announced her office is launching a series of investigations into numerous social media companies whose platforms may have played a role in the tragic shooting that took place in a Buffalo supermarket over the weekend. On Wednesday, four days after 18-year-old Payton Gendron is suspected of opening fire in Buffalo’s Tops Family Markets and killing 10 people while injuring at least three more, Attorney General James and her office revealed that websites such as Twitch, 4chan, 8chan, and Discord are under investigation. The alleged shooter is suspected of using those platforms to “stream, promote, or plan” Saturday’s mass shooting. Mega “The terror attack in Buffalo has once again revealed the depths and danger of the online forums that spread and promote hate,” Attorney General James said Wednesday. “The fact that an individual can post detailed plans to commit such an act of hate without consequence, and then stream it for the world to see is bone-chilling and unfathomable.” “As we continue to mourn and honor the lives that were stolen, we are taking serious action to investigate these companies for their roles in this attack,” she continued. “Time and time again, we have seen the real-world devastation that is borne of these dangerous and hateful platforms, and we are doing everything in our power to shine a spotlight on this alarming behavior and take action to ensure it never happens again.” Mega As Radar reported, the suspected shooter kept a detailed online diary of his radicalization that contained daily entries outlining not only his turn to white supremacy but also plans to commit a mass shooting much like the one that took place in Buffalo. “My current beliefs started when I first started to use 4chan a few months after covid started,” Gendron wrote in the twisted diary originally posted to Discord. “Every time I think maybe I shouldn’t commit to an attack I spend 5 min [on] /pol/, then my motivation returns.” “I can’t tell you how much I don’t want to do this attack My only other choice is suicide I can’t go back,” the teenager said in another entry posted to Discord just two months before Saturday’s attack. Besides numerous posts detailing the suspected shooter’s hatred towards the Black community and his plans to attack predominantly Black neighborhoods, Gendron also allegedly live-streamed the massacre at the Buffalo supermarket on Twitch while also uploading a 180-page manifesto detailing his racist and skewed views. Mega Attorney General James also revealed that her office was able to launch the investigations into websites such as Twitch, 4chan, 8chan, and Discord after NY Governor Kathy Hochul referred the AG’s office to a New York executive law that allows the attorney general to investigate matters concerning public peace, public safety, and public justice while also providing the power to subpoena witnesses and demand the production of documents. Gendron is currently facing at least one count of murder, and can potentially see upgraded hate crime and domestic extremism charges once the case is brought before a grand jury on Thursday. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Donald Trump’s work relationship with Vladimir Putin may not have been as great as originally believed, because former presidential advisor Fiona Hill recently revealed the Russian leader was constantly “frustrated” with the former President over his lack of knowledge, Radar has learned. Hill, who previously worked as a top Russia advisor on the National Security Council during the Trump Administration, revealed this week that Putin was “frustrated” with Trump’s lack of knowledge and with always having to “keep explaining things” to his U.S. counterpart. Fiona HillMega She also claimed the Russian president waited until Joe Biden was in the White House before invading Ukraine because President Biden would be “easier” to deal and negotiate with. “He thought that somebody like Biden — who’s a transatlanticist, who knows all about NATO, who actually knows where Ukraine is, and actually knows something about the history, and is very steeped in international affairs — would be the right person to engage with,” Hill told her audience while speaking at a Chicago Council on Global Affairs event on Tuesday. Mega “You could see that he got frustrated many times with President Trump because he had to keep explaining things, and Putin doesn’t like to do that,” Hill continued. “Even though [Putin] loves to be able to spin his own version of events, he wants to have predictability in the person that he’s engaging with,” she added. But Putin’s lack of confidence in Trump and his ability to properly grasp and understand global affairs is not the first time someone close to the former president has doubted his intelligence. Former national security advisor John Bolton – who, like Hill, worked under Trump – is on record claiming the 45th president once asked him whether or not Finland was considered part of Russia. Mega Additionally, according to Hill’s 2021 book There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century, General John Kelley – who worked as former-President Trump’s White House chief of staff – allegedly once said Trump “doesn’t know any history at all, even some of the basics on the US.” “Whenever he got to meetings and the conversation started, it seemed like the first time he was hearing things from world leaders,” Hill also wrote in her book before revealing how Trump’s lack of knowledge regarding global affairs was a “major liability” for both the United States and its national security. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will have to add planning a wedding to her busy agenda! The 32-year-old New York City congresswoman confirmed her engagement to her longtime boyfriend, Riley Roberts. “It’s true! Thank you all for the well wishes,” she tweeted on Thursday while replying to an article about their future nuptials. AOC must be good at secrets because Roberts popped the question last month during a trip to Puerto Rico. “We got engaged last month in my family’s hometown in Puerto Rico,” the outspoken Democrat told Insider. Mega AOC hasn’t started planning the ceremony, telling the outlet via Twitter message, “No future details yet, we’re taking some space to savor this time before diving into planning.” The two met when they were undergraduates at Boston University. According to the autobiography Take Up Space: The Unprecedented AOC, written by the editors of New York Magazine, AOC’s husband-to-be caught her attention during a weekly Coffee and Conversation debate. “Every guy went through their phase where they had a crush on her,” the politician’s pal Eric Baker told the writers. Mega Revealing that “Riley was, for lack of a better term, the s—-starter,” Baker said, the future Mr. AOC is “just as smart as anyone you’ve ever met, probably smarter, but he would actively say things just to stir the pot.” Baker stated, “I think she enjoyed his pushback.” When it comes to his love for her, another friend said there’s no question that Riley is the right man for her — which was allegedly evident when a group of friends watched Netflix’s documentary Knock Down the House. Raul Fernandez told Vanity Fair that Riley was “just bawling” during the scenes of AOC’s dad’s death. Mega “I was like, ‘He really, deeply loves this woman.’ What more can you ask for?” Fernandez remembered thinking. Their relationship hasn’t been perfect. AOC and Riley did break up temporarily once. The engaged pair got over that hurdle and now live together in the city with their adorable dog, Deco. Congrats to the happy couple! View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker has been charged with attempted murder. The 48-year-old star appeared to be tackled to the ground as he performed as part of the ‘Netflix Is A Joke’ festival, with LAPD officers later confirming they were holding Isaiah Lee in custody and now the 23-year-old has been charged with attempted murder in regards to 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.” The alleged attacker has reportedly He entered pleaded not guilty and will appear in court on at the beginning of June 2022. The attempted murder charge comes just weeks after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Isaiah Lee has been charged with battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, unauthorised access to the stage area during a performance and commission of an act that delays an event or interferes with a performer following the incident during Chappelle’s show. City Attorney Mike Feuer said: “This alleged attack has got to have consequences.” Dave previously insisted he wouldn’t let the “unfortunate and unsettling” attack “overshadow” his history-making Hollywood Bowl show. His spokesperson said: “This run ties Chappelle with ‘Monty Python’ for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment. “As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show.” Footage shared online showed a man in a black hoodie rushing toward the stage and pushing the comic before being stopped by security guards and members of the star’s team as he attempted to flee. The would-be attacker was removed from the venue on a stretcher and an LAPD spokesperson said Lee was treated for injuries before being charged and booked. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Princess Diana’s wedding tiara is set to headline a new exhibition at Sotheby’s in London. The late princess – who died in August 1997, aged 36 – wore the Spencer Tiara on the day she married Prince Charles in July 1981, and it will form part of the new exhibition of royal and aristocratic jewels. Power and Image: Royal and Aristocratic Tiaras will run between May 28 and June 15, and it will be free to the public. The spectacular display has been created as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The exhibition will feature nearly 50 eye-catching items, including the famous Spencer Tiara, which is actually on loan to Sotheby’s from Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer. The spectacular headpiece was worn most recently in 2018 by Celia McCorquodale, the daughter of Diana and Earl Spencer’s sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale. Elsewhere, the exhibition will also include a tiara previously worn by Queen Victoria that features a 15-carat emerald designed by her husband, Prince Albert. According to Sotheby’s, it is widely seen as “one of the most elegant and sumptuous coloured gemstone tiaras ever created anywhere in the world”. Meanwhile, Kristian Spofforth, the head of London jewellery at Sotheby’s and curator of the exhibition, recently explained that tiaras remain sought-after items. He told Vogue: “There’s an incredible demand for tiaras and we’ve seen phenomenal prices in the last few years. “Even certain unspectacular pieces which are just bog-standard tiaras have doubled in price.” Kristian also noted that the iconic Spencer Tiara comes with a “tangible sense of its history, power and influence”. He said: “There are pieces that you hold, and you do get a slight chill. It’s amazing because of its provenance and Diana – there’s a tangible sense of its history, power and influence.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Viola Davis claimed a director she’d known for 10 years mistakenly called her by his maid’s name. The 56-year-old actress didn’t name the filmmaker but admitted she has been subjected to racist “microaggressions” on a regular basis over the years. Speaking at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival during Variety and Kering’s Women In Motion discussion, she said: “I had a director who did that to me. He said, ‘Louise!’ I knew him for 10 years and he called me Louise and I find out that it’s because his maid’s name is Louise. “I was maybe around 30 at the time, so it was a while ago. But what you have to realise is that those micro-aggressions happen all the time.” Despite her own career success, the ‘Woman King’ actress insisted there are still certain movies she’s unable to be a part of because of her ethnicity. She said: “If I wanted to play a mother whose family lives in a low-income neighborhood and my son was a gang member who died in a drive-by shooting, I could get that made. If I played a woman who was looking to recreate herself by flying to Nice and sleeping with five men at the age of 56 — looking like me, I’m going to have a hard time pushing that one, even as Viola Davis. “People can’t reconcile the Blackness with the spiritual awakening and the sexuality. It’s too much for them.” The former ‘How To Get Away with Murder’ star claimed she has missed out on roles in the past because of her race or because Hollywood doesn’t deem her “pretty enough”. She admitted of the latter reason: “It really gets on my damn nerves. It breaks my heart and it makes me angry. “A lot of it is based in race. It really is. “Let’s be honest. If I had my same features and I were five shades lighter, it would just be a little bit different. And if I had blonde hair, blue eyes and even a wide nose, it would be even a little bit different than what it is now. “We could talk about colourism, we could talk about race. It p***** me off, and it has broken my heart — on a number of projects, which I won’t name.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed the birth of their son as they got stuck in traffic on their way to the hospital. The couple – who have been together since 2013 – welcomed Robbie Ray into the world via surrogate in June 2018 and while they expected to have a lot of waiting around for the tot to be born, the lengthy drive through Los Angeles’ car-heavy streets meant they barely had time to spare when they arrived. Speaking on the ‘Coupledom with Idris and Sabrina Elba’ podcast, Tom explained: “That was quite a day. We were in California and we had to drive quite a long way to get to the hospital. “When you hear of people that go into labour you think it takes hours and hours and it was rush hour and you know leaving LA in rush hour, it’s not going to happen. “So we had to leave LA and get to the hospital in time for Robbie Ray to be born… We get there and everything was really calm and we were like we might be there for some time … “We went and got a little drink and came back upstairs and when we got back upstairs and they were like ‘I think it’s time to push now’ … we were like ‘What we have been here for like 20 minutes’.” Lance then added: “Three contractions, 15 or 20 minutes and Robbie was born.” The ‘Milk’ writer then revealed they agreed that he would cut the cord and Tom would be the first to hold their son. He added: “She ( the surrogate) said I could cut the cord and that was really cool and really special… we also made a decision that Tom would be the first to hold him.” During the interview, the couple also explained how they remain close to the woman who gave birth to their son as they want to be totally honest with their little boy about how he came into the world. Lance said: “We looked into so many different options and we landed on surrogacy … “I think we really both wanted to know what it was to have that biological connection. But we were only going to do it, if we could find a surrogate who felt like a part of our family. “And so it became a bit like dating, it was dating and you’re not just dating potential surrogates but also their families. In the US, surrogates have to have already had children so they know what that is and they have to say they’re done having children in case anything went wrong … Because in our minds, we wanted our son Robbie to know and hopeful to love so there’s no secrets around how he came into the world. “Because I think secrets have a little bit of shame in them … so we just didn’t want any of that … we thought how wonderful to bring a kid into the world who has a really big family. “We met our surrogate and she’s awesome and her family’s awesome.” Tom and Lance feature on ‘Fatherdom’, the third episode of the second series of ‘Coupledom with Idris and Sabrina Elba’. It is available to download now exclusively at http://www.audible.co.uk/Coupledom2. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tom Hals WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to strike down the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established a nationwide right to an abortion, clearing the way for the procedure to be banned or tightly restricted in 26 states. Below is a look at penalties abortion providers could face in a post-Roe world and whether the laws could apply to women seeking abortions. WHO COULD BE PROSECUTED? The abortion bans that would go into effect would prosecute providers, such as doctors, or pharmacists who provide abortion-inducing pills. If Roe is overturned, a Texas law would carry a sentence of up to life in prison for performing an abortion, while in Louisiana, providers could face up to 10 years hard labor. COULD WOMEN BE PROSECUTED? The laws that would go into effect if Roe is overturned often explicitly shield women who sought or obtained an abortion. Some anti-abortion advocates said women are victims of abortion and are shielded from prosecution. “If the law says that the abortion provider can be held accountable, the woman is not part of that,” Carol Tobias, the president of the National Right to Life Committee. “I don’t see anyone who wants that or thinks it would be appropriate. It’s more scare mongering from the other side.” WHY DO SOME ADVOCATES FEAR WOMEN COULD BE PROSECUTED? Some abortion rights advocates have said they are alarmed by recent events in three states that are poised to ban abortion if Roe is overturned. In Missouri, legislation was proposed that aimed to prevent women from leaving the state to get an abortion and to extend the state’s abortion laws to procedures performed outside the state on its residents. The proposals did not gain traction. In Louisiana, legislators advanced a bill out of a committee earlier this month that aimed to charge women with murder for obtaining an abortion. The bill was later withdrawn. And in Texas, a woman was arrested and charged in April for a self-induced abortion before charges were dropped. In addition to legislation that has been proposed or could be introduced, prosecutors already use existing laws, pro-abortion advocates said. Police and prosecutors can investigate lost pregnancies and charge women under laws related to concealment of a birth, abuse of a corpse and practicing medicine without a license, according to Jill Adams, the executive director of If/When/How, which provides legal support for women facing prosecution related to their pregnancy. “Prosecutors will reach into the code and treat it like a grab bag and pull out what they can,” she said. WHO HAS BEEN PROSECUTED IN THE PAST? Although rare, abortion providers have been prosecuted in the past. In 2013, a doctor in Philadelphia was convicted of murder in the deaths of three infants following late-term abortions. Paul Linton, who has helped draft state laws restricting abortion, said historically women are viewed as victims of abortion and not prosecuted. He said he researched more than 100 years of pre-Roe appellate court records and found only two women charged for violating abortion laws prior to the Roe decision, in cases from 1911 and 1922. However, appeals court records would miss the large number of women who were arrested and never tried or who never appealed a conviction, said Leslie Reagan, a professor at the University of Illinois and author of books on abortion. She said her research showed that before Roe, women were often threatened by police, interrogated in hospitals and forced to testify about intimate personal details. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kerry Washington infuriated her ‘Scandal’ co-stars by declaring she didn’t enjoy kissing either of her two male leads during their sexy scenes on the show. The 45-year-old actress didn’t want to upset Tony Goldwyn, 61, or Scott Foley, 49, by singling either of them out as the better smoocher when quizzed by Ellen DeGeneres back in 2014, but she admitted her bid to avoid conflict only ended with the pair being “p***** for years”. During a return to ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’, Kerry admitted her previous appearance had landed her in hot water, telling Ellen: “I got in a lot of trouble here because you asked me who I liked to kiss better on the show between the two make leads and I thought I was keeping the peace by saying I don’t like to kiss either one of them but they were both pretty p***** for years. “Like ‘Why would you say that on national television?’” Ellen then said: “You could have gone the other way and said you liked kissing both of them equally but instead (you said that) … “Nobody telling the truth … there’s clearly one better kisser …” The host then pushed Kelly to finally reveal her answer, saying: “Who is it? Now that the show’s over”. However, Kerry refused to answer and gestured she was keeping her lips sealed on the matter. The TV star played Olivia Pope in the show and she smooched Tony, who played US President Fitzgerald Grant, and Scott, who later joined the cast as assassin Jake Ballard. ‘Scandal’ ran for seven seasons between 2012 and 2018 with a main part of the story focusing on a love affair between political fixer Olivia and the sitting president. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ryan Reynolds’ brothers got their ears pierced to “save” him from their dad’s anger. The 45-year-old actor thought it would be a “cool thing” to have an earring when he was around 12 after being inspired by pop duo Wham! but when he confided in one of his siblings, he was warned their father James wouldn’t be impressed. In a clip from David Letterman’s Netflix talk show ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction’ obtained by ‘Entertainment Tonight’, he recalled: “My brother said, ‘You’re going to die. You’re going to show up at dinner tonight and there will be a messy stabbing death because Dad is going to take one of the utensils and stab you.” But despite the warning, the ‘Free Guy’ actor – who has three daughters with wife Blake Lively – went to “wherever the hell you go” to get an ear pierced with a friend and his mom anyway, and recalled how nervous he felt when he got home. He said: “I get to the dinner table and I remember sweat was dripping down my lap and I’m looking down and I can feel his gaze hit me.” Fortunately, his brothers had already intervened to ensure Ryan wasn’t the sole focus of James’ wrath. He continued: “He mutters some swear word under his breath, and I look up and I look around and I see that all three of my brothers had gotten an earring to sorta save me. “One of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life.” The ‘Deadpool’ star – who is the youngest of four boys – previously spoke of how his dad could be “scary”. Describing his father as “the toughest man alive: a former cop, former boxer and full-time landmine”, he added: “He worked tirelessly to provide for his family and in return, you were expected to do what he said, often before he said it. “In a word, he was scary. Not because he was sadistic or physically abusive. He was scary because he was one of those people with an energetic ‘weight’ to him… “Shifting his weight ever so slightly from one foot to another could transform an otherwise delightful 6th birthday party into what felt like an Irish funeral.” Ryan’s dad died after battling Parkinson’s in 2015 and they were able to mend their troubled relationship before he passed away. View the full article

Published by DPA Palestinian mourners carry the casket of slain Al Jazeera reporter, Shireen Abu Akleh, during her funeral procession to her final resting place. Abu Akleh, 51, a prominent figure in the Arabic news service of the Al-Jazeera channel, was shot dead on 11 May during a confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in the West Bank city of Jenin. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa From the Israeli crackdown on the funeral of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jerusalem, to Sweden and Finland submitting their NATO applications, to Eintracht Frankfurt winning the UEFA Europa League title in Seville, DPA International presents its Pictures of the Week. An Israeli border police officer aims his weapon during clashes outside the French hospital where the body of slain Al Jazeera reporter, Shireen Abu Akleh, is kept. Abu Akleh, 51, a prominent figure in the Arabic news service of the Al-Jazeera channel, was shot dead on 11 May during a confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in the West Bank city of Jenin. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Israeli police officers arrest Palestinian protesters during clashes following the funeral of Walid Sharif in East Jerusalem. Sharif dided from a head wound sustained last month after Israeli police fired rubber bullets at Palestinian demonstrator inside Al Aqsa compound. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Finnish Ambassador Klaus Korhonen (L) and Swedish Ambassador Axel Wernhoff (R) present their countries’ applications for NATO membership to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Heta Hassinen/Lehtikuva/dpa Mourners attend the funeral of 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade officer Lt Denys Antipov, at St Nicholas’ Church, after he died fighting Russian troops near the village of Dovhenke. -/Ukrinform/dpa An elderly woman shows the crater site caused by artillery strikes in the Solnechnoe district of Kharkiv. Aziz Karimov/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Mona Neubaur (R), top candidate of the Alliance 90/The Greens (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) in North Rhine-Westphalia and Felix Banaszak, chairman of greens in North Rhine-Westphalia celebrate after the first forecasts of the state parliament elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state. Friso Gentsch/dpa UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson inspects a Mark 3 shoulder launch LML (Lightweight Multiple Launcher) missile system, at Thales weapons manufacturer in Belfast during a visit to Northern Ireland for talks with Stormont parties. Liam Mcburney/PA Wire/dpa Lebanese women belonging to the Druze ethnoreligious group queue at a polling station before casting their votes during the 2022 Lebanese parliamentary election. Marwan Naamani/dpa Members of Victoria Police detain a man during a Freedom Rally. Diego Fedele/AAP/dpa Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp celebrates with the trophy after winning the UEFA Europa League final soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. Arne Dedert/dpa Eintracht Frankfurt players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Europa League final soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. Arne Dedert/dpa Bayern Munich’s Lucas Hernandez (L) and Thomas Mueller cheer with the 2021-22 Bundesliga shield as they celebrate with the club’s fans from the balcony of the City Hall at Marienplatz after Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga title for the tenth time in a row. Peter Kneffel/dpa Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson (C) lifts the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates winning the English FA Cup final soccer match against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara (L) wears a mask depicting his teammate Mohamed Salah as Salah sits next to him while they celebrate winning the English FA Cup final soccer match against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa Italian cyclist Alessandro De Marchi of the UCI WorldTeam Israel-Premier Tech competes in the tenth stage of the 105th edition of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, 196 kilometers from Pescara to Jesi. Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa The British rider Hazel Towers falls from Fuzzyfelt during day three of the Chatsworth International Horse Trials at Chatsworth House, Bakewell. Tim Goode/PA Wire/dpa Members of the Classics All Blacks team perform their famous haka during the presentation of the New Zealand rugby team, the Classics All Blacks, ahead of their match against the Spanish team in the Plaza de Oriente. Atilano Garcia/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The group Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine celebrate after winning the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). Jens Büttner/dpa US actor Tom Cruise arrives to attend the premiere of the film “Top Gun: Maverick” at the Odeon Leicester Square. Ian West/PA Wire/dpa Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison falls on a child on a soccer field during an election campaign visit ahead of the Australian federal election, scheduled to take place on 21 May 2022. Mick Tsikisitings/AAP/dpa A female member of the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) uses a mine detector at the village of Tal al-Reem, nearly 80 km south-east of Mosul, during a mine clearance operation to locate and clear landmines planted by the so-called Islamic State (IS) terror group during its control of the area between 2014 and 2017. Ismael Adnan/dpa People walk on a street covered with yellow dust as a dust storm hit several areas across Iraq sending dozens to hospitals with respiratory problems. Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Joel Kowsky/NASA/dpa The beginning of a lunar eclipse can be seen in the sky in the early morning behind the Frauenkirche and the dome of the Kunstakedmie with the angel “Fama”. Robert Michael/dpa US Coast Guard Academy graduates toss their hats into the air as they celebrate at the end of their graduation ceremony at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. David Lau/U.S. Coast/Planet Pix via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A member of the Sarawak General Operations Force (PGA) lays on the ground after he fainted during the opening ceremony of the 19th Sarawak State Assembly in Petra Jaya. Rushdan Manan/BERNAMA/dpa Female workers process and dry red chilli peppers under the sun on the banks of the Ganges River in the Hooghly district of West Bengal. Every day, after 8 hours of work, these workers earn about 2 US dollars (150 INR), which is one of the main sources of income for their families before the monsoon. Avishek Das/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A woman arranges clay pots ahead of being transported to sell at a market in Brahmanbaria. Every day, about 3,000 pots are produced here and then taken to be sold at markets at a price of around two euros each. Joy Saha/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Numerous honey bees gathered near hives to produce honey in Idlib Governorate. Anas Alkharboutli/dpa View the full article

Published by DPA Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), delivers a speech during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium. Michael Kappeler/dpa Athletes and officials who express support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could face sanctions from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), its president Thomas Bach said on Friday. Bach told the 139th IOC Session that they aware that under Russian legislation opposition to the war could lead to imprisonment of up to 15 years but insisted that “under such circumstances, silence in itself can be a message.” Bach highlighted sanctions already issued by the ruling swimming and gymnastics bodies against Russians Evgeny Rylov and Ivan Kuliak respectively over pro-war messages. The IOC president defended the tough stance against Russia and Belarus right after the start of the invasion on February 24 as many sports organizations followed the IOC recommendation to ban athletes and officials from both countries from international competition. Bach said the IOC had to act quickly because “it was evident that governments wanted to decide who can take part in which international competitions” which would have set a dangerous precedent. “Today it is Russia and Belarus, but if we do not act, tomorrow it will be the government from country A not wanting athletes from country B to participate. Or Government C demanding its athletes not to compete against athletes from country D and so on and so forth,” he said. “This would be a situation that is contrary to all the principles we are based on. If it is in the hands of politicians to decide who can take part in which competition, then the non-discriminatory foundation of our global sports system is gone. “It would mean the full politicisation of sport. It would mean that sport and the athletes would become just a tool of the political sanctions system.” Bach also said that what he named “protective measures” rather than “sanctions” were needed because the safety of Russian and Belarusian athletes “could not be guaranteed because of the deep anti-Russian and anti-Belarusian feelings” in many other countries. The February 24 start of the invasion was four days after the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics – where Bach had again called for peace – and fell into the Olympic truce period which covered the Olympics and Paralympics in China. The IOC action included stripping Russian President Vladimir Putin, deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and deputy chief of staff of the presidential executive office Dmitry Kozak of the Olympic Order in an unprecedented act. Bach said “unfortunately we could only appeal, because our relationship with the Russian political leadership has dramatically deteriorated over the past years. “It deteriorated following the doping scandal (around the Sochi 2014 Games), cyber attacks and even personal threats to individuals from the IOC and Olympic Movement.” International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach stands in front of the Olympic rings at an official date. Andreas Arnold/dpa View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Fresh off his loss in a primary election in North Carolina, soon-to-be outgoing Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn is now calling for a new party to form on the right. “It’s time for the rise of the new right, it’s time for Dark MAGA to truly take command,” Cawthorn wrote in an Instagram post. The post was made days after Cawthorn lost in the Republican primary against Chuck Edwards. That means the youngest member of the U.S. House of Representatives will serve just a lone 2-year term. MEGA Cawthorn has become a political lightning rod for his far-right views and unwavering support of former President Donald Trump. In his first Instagram post since the election, Cawthorn highlighted several “America first patriots,” including Steven Bannon, Tucker Carlson, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Cawthorn said few people had his back when he was targeted by the “establishment” in the weeks before the election. He added the people he labeled “America first patriots” were those who came to his defense. “There are other National figures who I believe are patriots, but I am on a mission now to expose those who say and promise one thing yet legislate and work towards another, self-profiteering, globalist goal,” Cawthorn wrote. MEGA The lame-duck congressman said there is an enemy out there to defeat, but it will never be defeated until the “cowardly” and “weak” members lose in the Republican party. Cawthorn did not specify who the enemy is or the members in the GOP who should be targeted. “Their days are numbered. We are coming,” Cawthorn wrote. In the weeks before the election, Cawthorn was involved in a string of embarrassing controversies. They included photos of him dressed in drag and in videos in sexually suggestive positions with other men. MEGA One video showed him naked and thrusting his pelvis into another man. Cawthorn blasted the release of the video and said he wouldn’t back down and blackmail would not win. “Years ago, in this video, I was being crass with a friend, trying to be funny,” he said at the time. “We were acting foolish and joking. That’s it.” View the full article

Published by AFP The young Russian soldier being tried for killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian told the court he was 'truly sorry'. Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukraine on Friday ordered its last troops holed up in Mariupol’s besieged Azovstal steelworks to lay down their arms after nearly three months of desperate resistance against a ferocious Russian assault. Russia’s flattening of the strategic port city has drawn multiple accusations of war crimes, including a deadly attack on a maternity ward, and Ukraine has begun a reckoning for captured Russian troops. The first post-invasion trial of a Russian soldier for war crimes neared its climax in Kyiv, after 21-year-old sergeant Vadim Shishimarin admitted to killing an unarmed civilian early in the offensive. The verdict is due on Monday. Shishimarin told the court on Friday that he was “truly sorry”. But his lawyer said in closing arguments that the young soldier was “not guilty” of premeditated murder and war crimes. While Ukrainian forces fended off the Russian offensive around Kyiv, helped by a steady infusion of Western arms, both eastern Ukraine and Mariupol in the south have borne the brunt of a remorseless ground and artillery attack. “Russian occupation forces are conducting intense fire along the entire line of contact and trying to hit artillery deep into the defences of Ukrainian troops,” Ukrainian defence ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told reporters. The fighting is fiercest in the eastern region of Donbas, a Russian-speaking area that has been partially controlled by pro-Kremlin separatists since 2014. “In Donbas, the occupiers are trying to increase pressure,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address late on Thursday. “There’s hell — and that’s not an exaggeration.” In the eastern city of Severodonetsk, 12 people were also killed and another 40 wounded by Russian shelling, the regional governor said. Burial with honours Zelensky described the bombardment of Severodonetsk as “brutal and absolutely pointless”, as residents cowering in basements described an unending ordeal of terror. The city forms part of the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Lugansk, which along with the neighbouring region of Donetsk comprises the Donbas war zone. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said his forces’ campaign in Lugansk was “nearing completion”. Also apparently complete is the capture of the Azovstal steelworks, a totemic symbol of Ukraine’s dogged resistance since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on February 24. A total of 1,908 Ukrainian troops have surrendered this week at the steelworks, according to Russia’s defence ministry, after releasing a video showing bedraggled defenders being taken into captivity. Ukraine’s Azov battalion commander Denys Prokopenko said only the dead remained. “The higher military command has given the order to save the lives of the soldiers of our garrison and to stop defending the city,” he said in a video on Telegram. “I now hope that soon, the families and all of Ukraine will be able to bury their fighters with honours.” Ukraine wants to exchange the surrendering Azovstal soldiers for Russian prisoners. But in Donetsk, the pro-Kremlin authorities are in turn threatening to put some of them on trial. The International Committee of the Red Cross urged both sides to grant it access to prisoners of war and civilian internees, “wherever they are held”. “Many more families need answers,” it said in a statement. In Washington, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said all prisoners of war should “be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention and the law of war”. US President Joe Biden has cast the Ukraine war as part of a US-led struggle pitting democracy against authoritarianism. The US Congress approved a $40-billion (38-billion-euro) aid package, including funds to enhance Ukraine’s armoured vehicle fleet and air defence system. Underground living And meeting in Germany, G7 industrialised nations pledged $19.8 billion to shore up Ukraine’s shattered public finances. Biden offered “full, total, complete backing” to Finland and Sweden in their bid to join the NATO military alliance, when he welcomed their leaders to the White House on Thursday. But all 30 existing NATO members need to agree on any new entrants, and Turkey has condemned the historically non-aligned Nordic neighbours’ alleged toleration of Kurdish militants. Shoigu said the Kremlin would respond to any NATO expansion by creating more military bases in western Russia. Russia’s own expansion in Ukraine has ebbed around the northeastern city of Kharkiv, its troops forced to retreat from a rearguard offensive by defending forces. But Kharkiv remains in Russia artillery range, and hundreds of people are refusing to leave the relative safety of its metro system. “We’re tired. You can see what home comforts that we have,” said Kateryna Talpa, 35, pointing to mattresses and sheets on the ground, and some food in a cardboard box. She and her husband Yuriy are doing their best to cope in the Soviet-era station called “Heroes of Labour”, alongside their cats Marek and Sima. “They got used to it,” Talpa said. burs-jit/har View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) -Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk has denounced as “utterly untrue” claims in a news report that he sexually harassed a flight attendant on a private jet in 2016. Shares of Tesla skidded more than 6% on Friday. Business Insider reported on Thursday that Musk’s private company SpaceX paid $250,000 in 2018 to settle a sexual harassment claim from an unnamed private jet flight attendant who accused Musk of exposing himself to her. The article quoted an anonymous person who said she was a friend of the flight attendant. The friend had provided a statement as part of the private settlement process, according to the article. “I have a challenge to this liar who claims their friend saw me ‘exposed’ – describe just one thing, anything at all (scars, tattoos, …) that isn’t known by the public. She won’t be able to do so, because it never happened,” Musk tweeted late on Thursday. Reuters was not able to verify the Business Insider account. Musk and SpaceX did not respond to Reuters requests for comment on the Business Insider story or on tweets by the billionaire. In a statement to Reuters on Friday, Business Insider said: “We stand by our story which is based on documents and interviews and which speaks for itself.” Business Insider quoted the friend of the flight attendant as saying that in addition to allegedly exposing himself, Musk rubbed the flight attendant’s thigh and offered to buy her a horse if she would “do more” during an in-flight massage. The flight attendant came to believe that her refusal to accept Musk’s proposal had hurt her opportunities to work at SpaceX and prompted her to hire a lawyer in 2018, according to Business Insider. The rocket company made the settlement out of court and included a nondisclosure agreement that prevented the flight attendant from speaking about it, Business Insider said. The news site did not name the friend or the flight attendant. Musk, who is in the midst of a contentious effort to buy Twitter Inc, said on Wednesday that he would vote Republican instead of Democrat, predicting a “dirty tricks campaign against me” would follow. In the Business Insider article, Musk was quoted as saying the flight attendant’s story was a “politically motivated hit piece” and that there was “a lot more to this story.” On Thursday evening, Musk first tweeted: “The attacks against me should be viewed through a political lens – this is their standard (despicable) playbook – but nothing will deter me from fighting for a good future and your right to free speech.” In the initial tweet, he did not specifically mention the allegations in the Business Insider article. “And, for the record, those wild accusations are utterly untrue,” Musk added in another tweet. He also tweeted that the article was meant to interfere with the Twitter acquisition. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Joey Roulette; Editing by Frances Kerry and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department will release $5 million for states to establish hotlines to report hate crime, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Friday, as a mass shooting in Buffalo heightened concerns about racially motivated violence in the United States. The money is one of several steps Garland outlined to improve reporting and prosecution of hate crimes, which reached their highest level in more than a decade in 2020, the most recent year for which figures are available. Those figures are not comprehensive as state and local authorities are not required to report them to the FBI, which defines a hate crime as a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias. The FBI has said it is investigating three recent shootings as possible hate crimes, in Buffalo, New York, Dallas and southern California. Criminologists have said that shooters, mostly young white men, have been inspired by previous racist gun massacres. Authorities say the man charged with Saturday’s shooting in Buffalo posted a racist screed online before killing 10 people, all of them Black. Garland said the Justice Department also will issue new guidelines for raising awareness about hate crimes and will release another $5 million for community-based approaches. Those steps were specified by legislation that President Joe Biden signed into law a year ago. “We will use every legal tool at our disposal to investigate and combat these kinds of hate crimes and their collateral impact that they have on the communities that they hurt.” (Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Chris Gallagher; editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — The fall TV schedule has everything: firefighters, cops, lawyers. And that’s just CBS. There’s an anthology series about defendants during their trial, an animated series starring Jon Hamm and a reboot of “Quantum Leap.” There’s something for Mom, something for Dad and something for the college kid stealing Mom and Dad’s cable login. All week, network TV executives pitched their fall schedules to advertisers, hoping to bring in the money to fund the next “Grey’s Anatomy” or “Law and Order.” The Daily News attended all the “upfronts” — the events touting new shows — so that you didn’… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover LONDON (Reuters) -The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common to west and central Africa, after more than 100 cases were confirmed or suspected in Europe. In what Germany described as the largest-ever outbreak in Europe, cases have now been confirmed in at least five countries – the United Kingdom, Spain Portugal, Germany and Italy – as well as the United States, Canada and Australia. First identified in monkeys, the disease typically spreads through close contact and has rarely spread outside Africa, so this series of cases has triggered concern. However, scientists do not expect the outbreak to evolve into a pandemic like COVID-19, given the virus does not spread as easily as SARS-COV-2. Monkeypox is usually a mild viral illness, characterised by symptoms of fever as well as a distinctive bumpy rash. “With several confirmed cases in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, this is the largest and most widespread outbreak of monkeypox ever seen in Europe,” said Germany’s armed forces’ medical service, which detected its first case in the country on Friday. Fabian Leendertz, from the Robert Koch Institute, described the outbreak as an epidemic. “However it is very unlikely that this epidemic will last long. The cases can be well isolated via contact tracing and there are also drugs and effective vaccines that can be used if necessary,” he said. There isn’t a specific vaccine for monkeypox, but data shows that vaccines that were used to eradicate smallpox are up to 85% effective against monkeypox, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). British authorities on Thursday said they had offered a smallpox vaccine to some healthcare workers and others who may have been exposed to monkeypox. The WHO committee due to meet is the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential (STAG-IH), which advises WHO on infection risks that could pose a threat to global health. UNUSUAL CASES Since 1970, monkeypox cases have been reported in 11 African countries. Nigeria has had a large outbreak since 2017 – so far this year there have been 46 suspected cases, of which 15 have since been confirmed, according to the WHO. The first European case was confirmed on May 7 in an individual who returned to England from Nigeria. Since then, more than 100 cases have been confirmed outside Africa, according to a tracker by a University of Oxford academic. https://twitter.com/MOUGK/status/1527055553876348928 Many of the cases are not linked to travel to the continent. As a result, the cause of this outbreak is unclear, although health authorities have said that there is potentially some degree of community spread. In Britain, where 20 cases have been now confirmed, the UK Health Security Agency said the recent cases in the country were predominantly among men who self-identified as gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men. The 14 cases in Portugal that were all detected in sexual health clinics are also in men who self-identify as gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men. Health authorities in Spain said 23 new cases were confirmed on Friday, mainly in the Madrid region where most infections were linked to an outbreak in an adult sauna. It was too early to say if the illness has morphed into a sexually transmitted disease, said Alessio D’Amato, health commissioner of the Lazio region in Italy. Three cases have been reported so far in the country. Sexual contact, by definition, is close contact, added Stuart Neil, professor of virology at Kings College London. “The idea that there’s some sort of sexual transmission in this, I think, is a little bit of a stretch,” he said. Scientists are sequencing the virus from different cases to see if they are linked, the WHO has said. The agency is expected to provide an update soon. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover in London; Twitter @NatalieGrover; additional reporting by Emma Pinedo Gonzalez, Emma Farge, Catriona Demony and Patricia Weiss;Editing by Josephine Mason and Nick Macfie) Monkeypox virus gay cases View the full article

Published by Reuters By Deena Beasley (Reuters) -The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Wednesday said it had confirmed a single case of monkeypox virus infection in a man who had recently traveled to Canada. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)said its labs confirmed the infection to be monkeypox on Wednesday afternoon. The state agency said it was working with CDC and relevant local boards of health to carry out contact tracing, adding that “the case poses no risk to the public, and the individual is hospitalized and in good condition.” The Public Health Agency of Canada late on Wednesday issued a statement saying it is aware of the monkeypox cases in Europe and is closely monitoring the current situation, adding no cases have been reported at this time. Monkeypox, which mostly occurs in west and central Africa, is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox, though milder. It was first recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. The number of cases in West Africa has increased in the last decade. Symptoms include fever, headaches and skin rashes starting on the face and spreading to the rest of the body. The Massachusetts agency said the virus does not spread easily between people, but transmission can occur through contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, items such as bedding or clothing that have been contaminated with fluids or sores, or through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact. It said no monkeypox cases had previously been identified in the United States this year. Texas and Maryland each reported a case in 2021 in people with recent travel to Nigeria. The CDC also said it is tracking multiple clusters of monkeypox reported in several countries including Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, within the past two weeks. A handful of cases of monkeypox have recently been reported or are suspected in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Spain. Earlier on Wednesday, Portuguese authorities said they had identified five cases of the infection and Spain’s health services said they were testing 23 potential cases after Britain put Europe on alert for the virus. European health authorities are monitoring any outbreak of the disease since Britain reported its first case on May 7 and has found six more in the country since then. (Reporting by Deena Beasley in Los Angeles; additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa and Juby Babu in BengaluruEditing by Sandra Maler) View the full article

Published by Reuters UK LISBON (Reuters) -Portuguese authorities said on Wednesday they had identified five cases of the rare monkeypox infection, and Spain’s health services are testing 23 potential cases after Britain put Europe on alert for the virus. The five Portuguese patients, out of 20 suspected cases, are all stable. They are all men and they all live in the region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, the Portuguese health authorities said. European health authorities are monitoring any outbreak of the disease since Britain has reported its first case of monkeypox on May 7 and found six more in the country since …Read More Published by Reuters UK By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) – A smattering of monkeypox cases in Britain has prompted authorities to offer a smallpox vaccine to some healthcare workers and others who may have been exposed, as a handful more cases were confirmed in parts of Europe. Monkeypox is a usually mild viral illness, characterised by symptoms of fever as well as a distinctive bumpy rash. There are two main strains: the Congo strain, which is more severe – with up to 10% mortality – and the West African strain, which has a fatality rate of about 1%. First identified in monkeys, the viral disease typically spreads…Read More View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English Taylor Swift was “pleasantly surprised” to receive an honorary doctorate. The ‘Blank Space’ singer was honoured by New York University at their graduation ceremony at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday (18.05.22) and insiders at the event said the 32-year-old star “really blended in” with the other students. A source told E! News: “Taylor really blended in like one of the students. Everyone was really accepting of her and having fun with it.” Taylor took the time to speak to some of the students and asked about their university experiences. The insider added: “She was very sweet and genuine… just listening to different perspectives. “Overall it was a really nice experience and everyone enjoyed it. She was cute and fun and she just seemed really happy. Taylor was telling people how pleasantly surprised she was about the honour.” Taylor delivered a speech to the 2020, 2021 and 2022 graduating classes and joked her cap and gown was “much more comfortable” than the looks she usually wore when performing to similar sized audiences on similar stages. She said: “Last time I was in a stadium this size, I was dancing in high heels and wearing a glittery leotard. This outfit is much more comfortable.” The Grammy winner also quipped that she was only there because one of her 2012 hit single ‘22’, which matched the current calendar year. Taylor said: “I’m 90 per cent sure the reason I’m here is because I have a song called ‘22’.” The ‘I Bet You Think About Me’ singer urged the graduating class that they should “learn to live alongside cringe” as it is an “unavoidable” part of life, citing her fashion choices from a decade ago. Taylor continued: “You will look back on your life and cringe retrospectively. Cringe is unavoidable over the course of a lifetime… You can’t avoid it so don’t try to – for the entirety of 2012 I dressed like a 1950s housewife.” The ‘Love Story’ hitmaker also spoke about the challenges of being a young woman in the music industry, such as “constantly being issued warnings” and how she felt that needed to be the “perfect young female role model” or else she would end up in “pop star jail”. Taylor also mentioned getting “cancelled” – when Kanye West and his then-wife Kim Kardashian alleged that she was a lying about consenting to lyrics on his 2016 track ‘Famous’ – and how it gave her “excellent knowledge” of her wine rack. She said: “Getting cancelled on the internet and almost losing my career gave me an excellent knowledge of all the types of wine.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega The 911 operator who hung up the phone on a Tops Friendly Markets employee while a gunman shot more than 10 people has been placed on administrative leave, Radar has learned. Saturday, as 18-year-old shooting suspect Payton Gendron allegedly opened fire inside the Buffalo supermarket, assistant office manager Latisha Rogers quickly and quietly dialed 911 to report the tragic incident and ask for help. Mega But according to Rogers, the dispatcher who picked up the call allegedly responded with a “nasty tone” and questioned Rogers for whispering before hanging up the call. “I called 911, I go through the whole operator and everything, the dispatcher comes on and I’m whispering to her,” a traumatized Rogers told a local Buffalo news network on Wednesday. “I said ‘Miss, please send help to [Tops Friendly Market] there is a shooter in the store.’” “She says ‘I can’t hear you, why are you whispering? You don’t have to whisper, they can’t hear you,’” the employee recounted. “So, I continued to whisper and I said ‘Ma’am he’s still in the store, he’s still shooting! I’m scared for my life, please send help.’ Out of nervousness, my phone fell out of my hand, she said something I couldn’t make out, and then the phone hung up.” Mega Following the troubling incident between Tops assistant office manager Rogers and the 911 operator, Erie County authorities confirmed they have since obtained the 911 call and were in the process of reviewing the exchange as part of an investigation into the matter. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz also confirmed that the 911 operator in question, who has worked in 911 dispatch for more than eight years, has since been placed on paid administrative leave while his team investigates the incident. A hearing into the matter is scheduled for May 30, at which point the county reportedly plans to “terminate the 911 call taker who acted totally inappropriately and did not follow protocol,” Poloncarz said. As RadarOnline.com reported, Payton Gendron was taken into police custody Saturday afternoon after allegedly murdering 10 people and seriously injuring at least three more after opening fire inside the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets grocery store. Mega Gendron’s diary obtained after the mass shooting revealed that the 18-year-old was radicalized to white supremacist ideology in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic after spending extensive time on a number of different white supremacist websites. “I can’t sleep,” Rogers added while recalling the heartbreaking incident. “I can eat a little bit, but I just keep hearing gunshots and just seeing the bodies.” “I didn’t realize how important it was until I started working there. They love that store. That is just a traumatic experience to have in that community like that.” View the full article

Published by AFP US President George W. Bush addresses his nation aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf on May 1, 2003, in front of a banner reading Baghdad (AFP) – An embarrassing slip of the tongue by former US president George W. Bush may have drawn laughter from his American audience, but it raised the ire of Iraqis. In a speech Wednesday evening in Dallas about Russia’s war on Ukraine, Bush called the invasion of Iraq, which he himself ordered, “unjustified and brutal” — before quickly correcting himself. The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq toppled dictator Saddam Hussein and ushered in one of the bloodiest periods in the country’s modern history, marked by sectarian warfare and the rise of jihadists. Between 2003 and 2011, when the US withdrew its troops, more than 100,000 civilians were killed, according to the Iraq Body Count tracker. The invasion cost the lives of nearly 4,500 Americans. But on Wednesday it was the war in Ukraine that Bush talked about during an event organised by his foundation. “The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq, I mean of Ukraine,” he said in a speech, drawing laughter from the audience. “Anyway — 75,” he added, referring to his own age, to another burst of laughter. Video footage of the gaffe has since gone viral online, with one post on Twitter having been viewed more than 14 million times in less than half a day. It was also picked widely up by Arab media, stoking anger among Iraqis. “The spectre of Iraq’s invasion and destruction haunts Bush Jr. His subconscious exposed it when it took over his tongue,” Iraqi journalist Omar al-Janabi tweeted. “Yes it is a brutal and unjustified invasion which will remain your worst nightmare”, he added. Iraqis also took to Facebook to criticise the former US president. “The moment of truth has come — the invasion of Iraq is a lifelong nightmare that plagues your conscience,” Hamza Qusai wrote. “The crime of your occupation of Iraq and its destruction will remain a nightmare that haunts your sleep and torments your dead criminal consciences,” added Nahedh al-Tamimi. The US-led invasion of Iraq was launched on March 20, 2003 after accusations that the Saddam regime had weapons of mass destruction. None were ever found. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Nicole Kidman failed to be mentioned during a 10-minute-long tribute montage of her ex-husband Tom Cruise at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Despite being married for more than 10 years, and starring alongside Cruise in three movies during their marriage, the 54-year-old The Northman actress wasn’t included in a single clip celebrating the Mission Impossible actor’s 40 years on the big screen. Mega Making Wednesday night’s snub even more insulting is the fact that the three movies the former celebrity couple starred in together – Days of Thunder, Far and Away and Eyes Wide Shut – were all featured in the ten-minute montage, but the scenes included in the tribute reel were all scenes without Kidman. Although it’s not known whether not the 59-year-old Top Gun actor had a hand in the clips selected for the reel or the editing process of the montage, other scenes included in the tribute included a number of costars from Cruise’s nearly 60 movie career – including Kristen Dunst, Penelope Cruz and Dustin Hoffman. Cruise and Kidman first married in 1990 shortly after starring together in the film Days of Thunder, and before divorcing 11 years later in 2001 the couple would go on to star in two more movies together. At the time of their divorce in 2001, rumors were swirling that the Risky Business actor’s commitment to Scientology was causing problems in the pair’s marriage. They divorced shortly after, but still share two adopted children together – daughter Isabella Jane, 29, and son Connor, 27. Mega Following the celebrity couple’s split, both Cruise and Kidman faced their share of ups and down. Most recently, Kidman came under fire after lashing out at a reporter who asked about her and her ex-husband’s marriage while she was promoting her film Being the Ricardos – a film that focused on the marriage and divorce between Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. “This film says you can make an extraordinary relationship thrive and leave remnants of it that exist forever,” Kidman said in December while describing her experience playing the role of Ball. “Yeah, that’s really gorgeous. You can’t make people behave how you want them to, and sometimes you’re going to fall in love with someone who isn’t going to be the person you spend the rest of your life with.” When the interviewer asked the Academy Award winning actress if she was describing her marriage to Cruise, Kidman slammed the interviewer and claimed the question was “almost sexist.” Mega “Oh, my God, no, no. Absolutely not,” she replied. “No. I mean, that’s, honestly, so long ago that that isn’t in this equation. So, no.” “And I would ask not to be pigeonholed that way, either,” Kidman continued, fuming. “It feels to me almost sexist because I’m not sure anyone would say that to a man. And at some point, you go, ‘Give me my life. In its own right.’” As for Cruise, he recently came under fire himself for causing “chaos” at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebration earlier this week after promoting his new film Top Gun: Maverick when he was supposed to be celebrating and commemorating the Queen. View the full article