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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

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