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Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday further undermined campaign finance restrictions and handed a victory to Senator Ted Cruz, striking down as a free speech violation part of a bipartisan 2002 law challenged by the Texas Republican that federal officials had called an anti-corruption provision. The justices, in a 6-3 ruling, found that a $250,000 cap on the amount of money political candidates can be reimbursed after an election for personal loans to their own campaigns ran afoul of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech by unjustifiably burdening political expression. In the ruling authored by Chief Justice Roberts, the court’s conservative justices were in the majority and liberal justices in dissent. Roberts wrote that the law in question “burdens core political speech without proper justification.” Roberts wrote that the government had failed to show that the measure “furthers a permissible anti-corruption goal, rather than the impermissible objective of simply limiting the amount of money in politics.” In a blistering dissenting opinion, liberal Justice Elena Kagan said the court was effectively aiding and abetting corruption in Washington by allowing donors to contribute to a campaign after an election in a way that benefits the candidate personally. “In striking down the law today, the court greenlights all the sordid bargains Congress thought right to stop,” Kagan wrote. Politicians will know that such payments will go directly to them via the campaign, Kagan added, and the donors will hope for something in return. “The politician is happy; the donors are happy. The only loser is the public. It inevitably suffers from government corruption,” Kagan said. Cruz had sued the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the agency that enforces election laws. Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration, acting on behalf of the FEC, had appealed a Washington-based three-judge panel’s 2021 ruling unanimously striking down the provision on free speech grounds. Cruz was backed by some fellow Republicans in the case. The provision at issue was part of a major campaign finance law that already has been chipped away at by the Supreme Court including in a landmark 2010 ruling https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-politics/landmark-supreme-court-ruling-allows-corporate-political-cash-idUSTRE60K3SK20100121 that allowed unlimited independent spending by corporations and unions during elections as constitutionally protected free speech. In finding that the limit was not justified to deter corruption, Roberts said restrictions already exist on how much money individuals can donate during an election cycle, currently capped at $2,900. Roberts added that the status quo likely benefited incumbents over challengers because new candidates often have to loan money to their campaigns and can find it more difficult to attract donations. Cruz, first elected to represent Texas in the Senate in 2012, sued the FEC after his successful 2018 re-election race against Democratic rival Beto O’Rourke. Cruz had lent his campaign organization $260,000 but was limited by the law to a $250,000 reimbursement from his campaign. The Supreme Court has struck down various provisions of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), often called the McCain-Feingold law in recognition of its main Senate sponsors, John McCain and Russ Feingold. Cruz unsuccessfully sought his party’s 2016 presidential nomination, later becoming a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Representative Liz Cheney called on fellow Republicans to reject white supremacism, days after a teenage gunman motivated by the right-wing “great replacement” theory allegedly killed 10 people in a racist shooting in western New York state. “The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism,” Cheney, an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump and his allies in the House of Representatives, wrote on Twitter. “History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them,” she tweeted. Political fallout from the weekend shooting could become a new hurdle for Republicans, as they try to minimize infighting over party fealty to Trump in the run-up to the Nov. 8 midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. A 180-page manifesto that circulated online, believed to have been authored by the 18-year-old white man accused in the killing spree, outlined the “Great Replacement Theory,” a racist conspiracy theory that white people were being replaced by minorities in the United States and elsewhere. Cheney is one of two Republicans on a congressional committee that has subpoenaed House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and four other party lawmakers to testify about the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by hundreds of Trump supporters. Cheney was joined by Representative Adam Kinzinger, a fellow maverick Republican who is also on the committee, in blaming the party’s leadership for not condemning the racism that fueled the attack in Buffalo, New York, where 11 of the 13 wounded were Black Americans. “Here is my replacement theory: we need to replace @EliseStefanik, @GOPLeader, @RepMTG, @CawthornforNC and a number of others,” Kinzinger said Sunday in a tweet referring to McCarthy, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and hard-line Trump supporters Marjorie Taylor Greene and Madison Cawthorn. “The replacement theory they are pushing/tolerating is getting people killed,” said Kinzinger. Cheney and Kinzinger maintain that House leaders are pandering to Trump allies and supporters who advocate white nationalism as the party tries to take control of the House in November’s midterm elections. Stefanik’s office in a statement rejected that criticism. “Any implication or attempt to blame the heinous shooting in Buffalo on the Congresswoman is a new disgusting low for the left, their Never Trump allies and the sycophant stenographers in the media,” said Alex DeGrasse, a senior adviser to Stefanik. Stefanik, who represents a New York state congressional district, replaced Cheney as the No. 3 House Republican last year after Cheney condemned Trump for the January 2021 Capitol attack by his supporters. Greene on Twitter said that responsibility for the shooting lay only with the gunman. The offices of McCarthy and Cawthorn did not respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by AFP McDonald's in March closed all of its restaurants in the country, where it says it employs 62,000 people New York (AFP) – American fast-food giant McDonald said Monday it will exit Russia in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, ending a more than three-decade run begun in the hopeful period near the end of the Cold War. The restaurant chain, which launched in Moscow in January 1990 to great fanfare almost two years before the Soviet Union was dissolved, characterized the withdrawal as difficult but necessary. “The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values,” the company said in a statement. The chain is looking to sell “its entire portfolio of McDonald’s restaurants in Russia to a local buyer.” The burger giant is one of numerous foreign firms that have pulled out of the country or suspended operations following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. Earlier on Monday, French automaker Renault announced it had handed over its Russian assets to the government, marking the first major nationalization since the onset of Western sanctions against Moscow’s military campaign. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into pro-Western Ukraine on February 24, triggering unprecedented sanctions and sparking an exodus of foreign corporations including H&M, Starbucks and Ikea. In March, citing “unspeakable suffering to innocent people,” McDonald’s closed all of its 850 restaurants in the country, where it says it employs 62,000 workers. But on Monday the “Big Mac” maker went a step further, saying the company “is pursuing the sale of its entire portfolio of McDonald’s restaurants in Russia to a local buyer.” After the sale, the restaurants would no longer be able to use the McDonald’s name, logo, branding or menu, though the company will retain its trademark in the country, the company said. Russia currently accounts for nine percent of the company’s revenue and three percent of its operating profit. McDonald’s expects to a one-time charge of $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion to write off the investment. A ‘new era’ The withdrawal offers a stark contrast to the optimism that surrounded the arrival of the quintessentially American brand in Russia in the waning days of the Cold War. The company began discussing the Russian business at the 1976 Olympics in Canada where the McDonald’s let Russian athletes use the “Big Mac Bus” in a sign of good will. That led to 14 years of negotiations, “culminating in the glorious day in January of 1990 when the first McDonald’s opened to so much hope and excitement in Pushkin Square,” recalled McDonald’s Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski in a message to employees. “In the history of McDonald’s, it was one of our proudest and most exciting milestones,” Kempczinski said. “After nearly half a century of Cold War animosity, the image of the Golden Arches shining above Pushkin Square heralded for many, on both sides of the Iron Curtain, the beginning of a new era.” In the subsequent decades, McDonald’s operations in Russia expanded far beyond Moscow as the company invested billions of dollars and grew its supply chain. But Kempczinski said the Russia investment was no longer viable in terms of business, or consistent with company values. Still, he closed his message on a hopeful note, saying, “let us not end by saying, ‘goodbye’… (but) ‘Until we meet again.'” The company’s decision to divest “underlines a view that relations with Russia will not soon be normalized,” said Neil Saunders, a retail expert at GlobalData. The conditions of the exit, including the financial challenges facing prospective Russian buyers means “it is unlikely the sale price will be anywhere near the pre-invasion book value of the business,” said Saunders, adding that the departure “will leave a hole” in McDonald’s growth plans “that is not easily filled in the near-term.” Shares of McDonald’s fell 0.4 percent to $243.24 in mid-morning trading. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega The 2022 Billboard Music Awards show is here! Streaming live from the MGM Grand Garden Area in Las Vegas and hosted by music legend Sean “Diddy” Combs, the annual awards event will be honoring some of the biggest names in music and feature performances from Travis Scott, Machine Gun Kelly, Ed Sheeran , Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. Before the show started, these celebs hit the carpet in style! TRAVIS SCOTT RETURNS TO THE STAGE, DIDDY TAKES OVER AS HOST & MORE: EVERYTHING TO EXPECT AT THE 2022 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS Scroll through the gallery below to see some of the hottest celebs hitting the red carpet for the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. DJ Khaled mega DJ Khaled sported a lavender suit and matching purple sneakers as he prepared to present an award at this year’s show. Dove Cameron mega Liv and Maddie star Dove Cameron looked stunning in a floor length, strapless red dress showing off her toned abs. ‘POWERPUFF GIRLS’ STAR DOVE CAMERON REFLECTS ON HER STRUGGLES COPING WITH FAME & DATING AFTER COMING OUT AS BISEXUAL Ty Dolla $ign mega Ty Dolla $ign arrived at the show in a stylish metal Natalia Fender tank top and black jacket, accessorizing the look with a pair of black shades. Florence Welch mega “Drumming Song” singer Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine looked gorgeous in her ruffled purple gown and lacy black gloves. Jack Harlow mega Kentucky born rapper Jack Harlow arrived at the Billboard Awards in a sleek black Musika suit and tie. Lainey Wilson mega Country star Lainey Wilson — who was awarded Top New Country Artist Of 2021 last year — was feeling floral! She rocked a patterned jacket adorned with large cream and blue flowers. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Kris Humphries, who infamously was married to Kim Kardashian for just 72 days, is said to be “furious” that his ex-wife has again questioned his sexuality, Radar has exclusively learned. In the latest episode of the hit Hulu series The Kardashians, the three-times married reality star, 41, joked she hadn’t been to a gay wedding “since my second wedding.” “I love a gay wedding,” Kardashian, a mother of four, quipped to Scott Disick and friend Chris Reda in front of cameras. Humphries, a one-time NBA star who played for the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and Utah Jazz, among others during a distinguished career, was left to relive a decade old feud, the insider added. In the wake of their 2011 divorce, Humphries was forced to swat away speculation that the reason for the quick demise of their marriage was because Kardashian began to question her husband’s heterosexuality when, after their Italian honeymoon, his interest in sex began to fade. “At first Kim thought that was ridiculous,” an insider reported, at the time. “But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered. There were signs.” “Kris has moved on,” a source close to him told RadarOnline.com. “He does not understand why Kim continues to think he’s gay. It’s infuriating. Kim needs to move on, just like he has. She really should not drag his name through the mud after all of these years.” On December 1, 2011, Humphries filed to annul the marriage on the grounds of fraud or a decree of legal separation rather than a divorce. Guests at Kardashian’s wedding to Humphries included Hollywood stars like Ryan Seacrest, Lindsay Lohan, Serena Williams, and Eva Longoria. Kim wore three different gowns designed by Vera Wang. She was previously married to rapper Kanye West and Damon Thomas. Kardashian filed for divorce from the “Gold Digger” rapper — they share kids North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2 — in February 2021 after seven years of marriage. She’s been dating Saturday Night Live comic Pete Davidson since sparking rumors of romance late last year after her SNL hosting debut. View the full article

Published by AFP Demonstrators in New York march during the abortion rights rally in reaction to the leak of the US Supreme Court draft abortion ruling that would reverse a landmark statute guaranteeing federal abortion access New York (AFP) – Thousands of activists chanting, banging drums and wielding placards flooded streets across the United States on Saturday in a national day of action calling for safe and legal access to abortion. The mass demonstrations were a response to a leaked draft opinion showing the Supreme Court’s conservative majority is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark 1973 ruling guaranteeing abortion access nationwide. “Nobody has the right to make a decision on somebody else’s body,” said Hanna Williamson, 20, who drove three hours to join several thousand protesters in Washington. Thousands more people assembled in a central square in Brooklyn, New York, to carry a giant pink banner that read: “Our Bodies. Our Futures. Our Abortions.” The protestors, who included Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other influential Democrats, were of all genders and ages and many wore green, a symbolic color of abortion rights activism. “We’re gonna keep fighting until we win,” Schumer told AFP. “America is on our side.” Allison Easter, 58, called the turnout “encouraging.” “There’s so many young people, so many mothers wheeling their babies, so many people with their husbands or boyfriends, so many men — so many different kinds of people support this cause,” she told AFP. She said that the political push to restrict or ban abortion was “about power and control.” “There are a lot of people who have very traditional values, and are frightened by women who can make choices about their own body,” Easter said, as a crush of demonstrators flooded into lower Manhattan. “I know there are people who think it’s about religion, but if you look at the things they’ve done in the name of religion, it doesn’t bear true.” ‘Contrary to our founding’ Thousands of people also rallied in Texas and Kentucky, with smaller events elsewhere in the country. “These are a group of people in this country who are working to dismantle 60 years of civil rights and civil liberties of the United States of America,” Linda Sarsour, a prominent political activist, told AFP in New York. “We respect everybody’s right to hold whatever religious belief or whatever opinion they have on an issue like abortion,” she continued. “What we want you to know is that you can do you — and allow people to still have access to safe, affordable, women’s reproductive rights.” The leak of the draft opinion ignited fury over the potential rollback of abortion rights ahead of November’s key midterm elections, when control of both congressional chambers is at stake. Democrats have pushed to codify abortion rights into federal law, a bid to pin down Republicans on the divisive issue ahead of the polls. The House-passed Women’s Health Protection Act would assure health care professionals have the right to provide abortions and that patients have the right to receive them. But Republicans and one Democrat in the US Senate tanked the effort to advance the measure earlier this week. Nanette Rosenbaum, 64, told AFP she demonstrated in New York as an adolescent: “I never expected that 50 years later I’d be back on the streets again.” Calling the Supreme Court “too politicized and much too partisan,” Rosenbaum said that “in a country like America, who fought for individual rights,” restricting legal abortion access “seems contrary to our founding.” “I feel as strongly now as I did when I was a teenager, and I hope — I fervently hope — that we’ll make a difference.” ‘Women want choices’ A new Politico/Morning Consult poll has 53 percent of voters saying Roe should not be overturned, up three percentage points since last week, while 58 percent said it was important to vote for a candidate who supports abortion access. Republican-controlled states have taken steps to restrict abortion rights in recent months, and overturning Roe v. Wade would grant them greater latitude to restrict or ban the procedure. The right to access abortion has long triggered activism, but the Supreme Court leak has spurred an uptick in demonstrations, including outside the homes of justices. The largely peaceful protests have drawn Republican criticism over privacy rights of court members, but activists have responded by pointing to years of often violent protests outside abortion clinics and at the homes of doctors providing the medical procedure. In Washington, protesters, many dressed in pink and wielding placards, marched near the Supreme Court on Saturday. “It’s very important to be here to take a stand and really say to the people who are making these decisions that women want choices and they want freedom to have that choice,” said Viesha Floyd, 32. “The reason I’m here is for those women, the future generations.” View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — In a speech in Orlando on Saturday, U.S. Senate hopeful Val Demings touted her pro-choice stance and attacked Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s position on abortion as “radical.” Rubio, who’s seeking a third term, has long supported bans on abortion with no exceptions, most recently saying a failed Senate bill to codify Roe v. Wade would legalize ”the killing of unborn children right up to the day of delivery.” The 1973 Supreme Court ruling is on the cusp of being overturned, according to a draft opinion obtained by Politico. His campaign described his likely opponent in November a… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli police officers charged at Palestinian mourners carrying the coffin of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on Friday, before thousands led her casket through Jerusalem’s Old City in an outpouring of grief and anger over her killing. Packed around Abu Akleh’s coffin, dozens of Palestinians, some waving Palestinian flags and chanting, “With our soul and blood we will redeem you Shireen,” began walking toward the gates of St. Joseph’s Hospital. Israeli police officers, in an apparent bid to stop them proceeding by foot rather than taking the coffin by car, burst through the courtyard gates and charged at the crowd, some beating pallbearers with batons and kicking them. At one point the group carrying her coffin backed against a wall and almost dropped the casket, recovering it just before one end hit the ground as stun grenades detonated. The violent scenes, which lasted only minutes, added to Palestinian outrage over Abu Akleh’s killing, which has threatened to fuel violence that has surged since March. Abu Akleh, who had covered Palestinian affairs and the Middle East for more than two decades, was shot while reporting on an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Palestinian authorities have described Abu Akleh’s killing as an assassination by Israeli forces. Israel’s government initially suggested Palestinian fire might have been to blame, but officials have also said they could not rule out it was Israeli gunfire that killed her. Israeli police said a group of Palestinians outside the hospital, whom they described as rioters, had begun throwing stones at officers. “The policemen were forced to act,” they added. The White House found the images disturbing, press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, and U.S. officials will remain in close contact with Israeli and Palestinian authorities in the aftermath of Akleh’s funeral. Egypt, Qatar and Al Jazeera condemned the police’s conduct. Deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said the scenes were “very shocking” and the EU said it was appalled. A few minutes after police intervened, Abu Akleh’s coffin was placed in a vehicle that headed toward the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin in Jerusalem’s Walled Old City, where the funeral ceremony proceeded peacefully. Crowds of Palestinians lined the narrow alleyways of the Old City as the coffin was carried to the Mount Zion Cemetery nearby. Her grave was covered in wreaths and the Palestinian flag draped over the grave cross as mourners surrounded it solemnly, paying tribute to Abu Akleh. “We’re here because we are screaming for justice. Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh and justice for Palestine,” said one mourner, who did not want to be identified by name. INVESTIGATIONS AND RAIDS The Israeli military said on Friday that its initial investigation “concluded that it is not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the gunfire which hit and killed Ms. Abu Akleh.” She may have been killed by shots fired by Palestinian militants shooting at Israeli military vehicles or been hit inadvertently by an Israeli soldier returning fire, it said. The Palestinian Attorney General’s office issued a statement on Friday in which it said initial investigations have found that the sole source of gunfire in the area where Abu Akleh was hurt was Israeli. Israeli forces on Friday resumed raids on the outskirts of Jenin, where Abu Akleh was killed, and the Palestinian Health Ministry said 13 Palestinians had been wounded. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group meanwhile claimed responsibility for the death of an Israeli police officer in an exchange of gunfire in Jenin. A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said events in Jerusalem and Jenin could push the sides into serious escalation. Abu Akleh’s death has drawn widespread condemnation. Video footage from the moments after she was shot showed Abu Akleh, 51, wearing a blue vest marked “Press”. At least two of her colleagues who were with her said that they had come under Israeli sniper fire and that they were not close to militants. Israel, which has voiced regret at Abu Akleh’s death has proposed a joint investigation with the Palestinians, asking them to provide the bullet for examination. The Palestinians have rejected the Israeli request and have called for an international investigation. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Rami Amichay in Jerusalem; Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Andrew Mills in Doha, Michelle Nichols in New York and Steve Holland and Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Jon Boyle and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brad Brooks and Maria Caspani LUBBOCK, Texas (Reuters) – The Texas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that neither Governor Greg Abbott nor the state’s attorney general had the authority to order child abuse investigations of families that provide certain medical treatment for their transgender children. In its ruling, the top court said the state could not investigate the family of a 16-year-old transgender child at the center of the case while the family’s lawsuit was pending before lower courts. The court did not go so far as to order a blanket ban on all such investigations, saying a decision on carrying out inquiries was up to the Department for Family and Protective Services (DFPS). “The Governor and the Attorney General were certainly well within their rights to state their legal and policy views on this topic, but DFPS was not compelled by law to follow them,” the court wrote in its ruling https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1454197/220229.pdf. The DFPS said in an emailed statement it was reviewing the ruling and had no comment. Texas is one of dozens of states where conservative politicians have sought to criminalize provision of medical treatments used to help young people transition away from the gender they were assigned at birth. Critics of such proposals have accused Republicans of seizing on gender identity as a wedge issue for political gain. In its ruling, the Texas Supreme Court noted that DFPS officials, through press statements the agency made, appeared to think it was bound by the Republican governor or attorney general’s opinions on the matter, but that “nothing before this Court supports the notion that DFPS is so bound.” After the decision did not result in a blanket ban, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the ruling was a victory. He wrote on Twitter that he had “just secured a win for families against the gender ideology of doctors, big pharma, clinics trying to ‘trans’ confused, innocent children.” Neither Paxton nor Abbott responded to requests for further comment. The ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal — both of which represent the family of a transgender teenager targeted for investigation — applauded the ruling as “a win for our clients and the rule of law.” The child, identified in the ACLU and Lambda lawsuit only as “Mary Doe, a minor,” has taken puberty-delaying medications and hormone therapy. The lawsuit says no other state treats gender-affirming medical care as a form of child abuse. There is wide agreement among mainstream medical and mental health professionals that gender-affirming care saves lives by reducing the risk of depression and suicide. The DFPS has said it has opened at least nine child welfare inquiries under Abbott’s policy. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas, and Maria Caspani in New York; Editing by David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by DPA Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi was made famous around the world by the Hollywood film "The Beach". Carola Frentzen/dpa Traditional longboats bob up and down in the crystal-clear water, palm trees sway gently in the tropical breeze, a few white clouds drift lazily by in the sky. What sounds like a picture from a calendar is a real place: the Phi Phi Islands. The Ko Phi Phi archipelago in southern Thailand has long been on the bucket list of many a traveller. Mass tourism therefore hit the islands hard – but the long travel break caused by the pandemic has changed that. There are no plastic bottles or other rubbish to spoil the picture-perfect scene. This is surely one of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful spots. A face mask floating in the sea But wait, what’s that? As the passengers head ashore at Loh Ba Kao Bay, two signs of the times suddenly float into view: a negative coronavirus test and a green face mask. Bart Callens, general manager of the SAii Phi Phi Village hotel, fishes them out of the sea and shakes his head. “Corona has created a whole new kind of rubbish.” However, such finds around the islands are fortunately still rare. Tourism in Thailand is just starting up again, and the rules for entering have long been difficult and complicated compared to other places – even if they have been considerably relaxed as of May. So far, however, the new start, which is so important for the hospitality industry, has not quite succeeded. Those who have gone to the trouble of entering the country are richly rewarded. And they still have many a beach almost to themselves. Those looking for a party, however, will be disappointed: Tonsai Village, once known for its nightlife, still looks rather sleepy. The devastating consequences of “TheBeach” hype The islands became world-famous at the turn of the millennium. When the Hollywood drama “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio hit cinemas in 2000, the paradise-like ambience of Ko Phi Phi triggered a global hype. While director Danny Boyle tells the story of life away from civilisation, the film had exactly the opposite effect – with devastating consequences. For years, legions of tourists made the pilgrimage to the otherwise uninhabited island of Phi Phi Leh to marvel at the heavenly Maya Bay. Around 6,000 people ended up coming every day. As so often happens to famous places, paradise became an overcrowded nightmare. Dozens of boats dropped their anchors into the once intact reef every day, the corals broke, the sharks disappeared, the rubbish piled up. In the end, even the selfies were no longer fun. When paradise closed Mainly at the insistence of prominent marine biologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat, the bay was surprisingly closed in June 2018 – despite the financial losses involved. Guests from abroad are “very important for our country, but the most important thing are our national resources,” the environmentalist said at the time. “We have to preserve it and hand it over to the next generation.” The closure ended up taking considerably longer than initially planned because of the pandemic. But for Maya Bay, Corona was almost a blessing. The borders were closed and the beach got two more years of respite. Swimming forbidden in the dream bay After being closed for three and a half years, the natural wonder has only been open again since January – complete with newly planted corals, strict rules of conduct and limits on visitor numbers. Swimming is prohibited. Boats now moor on the opposite side of the island. For most, the visit lasts little more than 30 minutes. But at least we can now take photos like in Leonardo DiCaprio’s day. “The blacktip sharks came back after only one year. Nature recovering was like a miracle we had not expected,” says Sirithon Thamrongnawasawa, who is responsible for sustainability concepts at the local Singha Hotel Group. To preserve the paradise for posterity, more and more hotel complexes around the 390 square kilometre “Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi Marine National Park” are now also focusing on sustainable tourism. “Consumer behaviour has changed fundamentally in recent years,” says hotel general manager Bart Callens. “Holidaymakers today are increasingly paying attention to environmental friendliness.” Hotels and resorts in particular need to set a good example. Solar power, sustainable water and waste management, and possibly electric speedboats for transfers in the future – these are some of the approaches for the Phi Phi archipelago. And, most importantly, outreach and education. To promote it, SAii Phi Phi Village has opened a Marine Discovery Centre on its grounds. It is the only one of its kind in the region. The fragile habitat of the ocean is explained in vivid detail, including its diverse inhabitants from sharks to coral. But overfishing and the dangers of ocean warming are also addressed. Hopes for an enlightened tourism Many Thai people have lost their entire livelihoods due to the pandemic and the shutting down of the important tourism sector. They hope that visitors will soon return in droves. And so the balance between mass and quality tourism remains a difficult tightrope walk in the Phi Phi islands. The pandemic has given nature a chance to heal. But what will happen when visitors from all over the world start flocking to paradise again? “We need the tourists, no question,” says hotel manager Callens. “But we need enlightened tourism that is in harmony with nature.” Where there were once crowded parties, holidaymakers now have the beach of Loh Ba Kao Bay on Phi Phi Don almost to themselves. Carola Frentzen/dpa Maya Bay has reopened after being closed for several years. However, boats now have to anchor on the opposite side of the island. Carola Frentzen/dpa The traditional longboats are also often used for diving trips. Carola Frentzen/dpa The underwater world of the Phi Phi archipelago is a paradise for snorkellers. Carola Frentzen/dpa Tourists still have most of Loh Ba Kao Bay's dream beaches to themselves. Carola Frentzen/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Billionaire Elon Musk made clear on Thursday that even though he wants Twitter to lift its permanent ban on former President Donald Trump, that doesn’t mean he supports Trump in a prospective 2024 presidential campaign. Musk, the world’s richest person and CEO of Tesla, is attempting to close a deal to acquire Twitter. Musk told a Financial Times conference on Tuesday that Twitter’s decision to ban Trump was “morally bad.” He followed up on those remarks in a tweet on Thursday evening, stressing he does not back Trump as a presidential candidate. “Even though I think a less divisive candidate would be better in 2024, I still think Trump should be restored to Twitter,” he said. Trump has said he does not want to return to Twitter, but instead wants to build up his own Truth Social platform. He was banned from Twitter permanently in January 2021 because of the “risk of further incitement of violence” following the storming of the U.S. Capitol, the company said then. Trump is considering another run for the presidency in 2024 after losing his re-election bid in 2020. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Bradley Perrett) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jarrett Renshaw and James Oliphant PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – The Democratic Party’s hopes of picking up a much-needed U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania are likely tethered to a 6-foot, 8-inch tall tattooed and goateed liberal who eschews suits for hoodies and once met with President Joe Biden wearing basketball shorts. John Fetterman, 52, the state’s lieutenant governor, is surging in opinion polls ahead of the May 17 Democratic Senate primary, shocking political observers who had predicted a close contest with U.S. Representative Conor Lamb, a moderate who party insiders view as having the best chance against Republicans in November’s general election. The state presents Democrats with perhaps their best opportunity for adding an additional Senate seat in November and blocking Republicans from winning a majority. The Senate is currently split 50-50, but Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote gives Democrats a majority. “People right now don’t want a typical candidate. They want a rock and roller, and he’s a rock and roller,” Ed Rendell, a former governor of Pennsylvania, said of Fetterman. Fetterman’s favored campaign outfit of a hoodie and gym shorts makes him relatable in rural working-class regions of the state – areas that Democrats had largely ceded to Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump. He has also proven to be an adept fundraiser and is a social media force, with more than 420,000 followers on Twitter, where he has cultivated a punchy persona. He recently used the platform to ding fellow Democrat Senator Joe Manchin for blocking the party’s legislative agenda in Washington. The Harvard University masters graduate sports tattoos on both arms, including a long list on his right arm of the dates of people killed in the small town of Braddock when he was mayor from 2006 to 2019. “I do not look like a typical politician, nor do I look like a typical person. I don’t mean to look scary, it’s just kind of what I have to work with,” Fetterman said in a blog post last year. He declined to be interviewed for this story. When Fetterman met with Biden at the site of a bridge collapse in Pittsburgh in the midst of winter earlier this year he wore his trademark shorts and hoodie, drawing attention on social media. He supports a long list of progressive items, such as government-run universal healthcare and taxing the wealthy to pay for expanding the social safety net. He is a long-time supporter of legalizing marijuana and backs suspending the federal gas tax to help consumers wrestling with inflation. The state party establishment views Lamb, a former federal prosecutor and ex-Marine, as a safer choice to take on the Republican nominee in the battle to replace retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey. Lamb received major endorsements from party stalwarts, while Fetterman has received almost none. But a statewide poll by Franklin & Marshall College in May had Fetterman up almost 40 points over Lamb, with 22% still undecided. Lamb has tried to paint Fetterman and his more progressive views as an easy target for any Republican opponent. A super PAC supporting Lamb derided Fetterman as a “democratic socialist” in the mode of progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, although Fetterman does not describe himself that way. One clear sign of the grassroots enthusiasm for Fetterman is in the almost $15 million he has raised for his campaign. About 64% has come from donors contributing $200 or less, according to the Federal Election Commission. Of the $5.7 million Lamb has raised, only about 12% came from small donors. CELEBRITY OPPONENT? Should Fetterman win the primary, he could face celebrity surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz in the general election, making it a race of two anti-establishment candidates. Polls show the Trump-endorsed Oz with a slight lead over Republican challengers, who include political commentator Kathy Barnette and former hedge fund manager David McCormick. Jared Leopold, a Pennsylvania-based political consultant, said Fetterman was presenting himself as an “underdog outsider who talks about ignored communities.” A Fetterman TV ad refers to “ghost towns” in the state, with the candidate saying, “No one deserves to be abandoned.” “His outsider message is a good message for Democrats in a tough year,” Leopold said, adding that Fetterman’s down-to-earth persona has helped him to bridge a gap in his party between moderate and progressive voters. “His campaign has been focused on telling a story rather than getting in ideological fights.” One question dogging Fetterman is whether he can galvanize Black voters, a critical voting bloc for any Democrat hoping to win statewide in Pennsylvania. Black leaders and his rivals for the nomination have questioned a 2013 incident when Fetterman chased a black jogger with a shotgun after hearing gunshots outside his home in Braddock. Fetterman held the man until police arrived. Fetterman has said he thought the individual might be fleeing a shooting and did not know the race or gender of the jogger at the time. He noted that he was re-elected afterward as mayor of Braddock, a majority-Black community. The jogger, Christopher Miyares, who is serving time in prison, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last month that he hopes Fetterman wins the Senate race. Rendell said Republicans might think Fetterman will be easier to beat than Lamb because they can characterize him more easily as a leftist. “But if they think he’s gonna be easy to beat, they are sadly mistaken,” he said. (Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw and James Oliphant; Editing by Ross Colvin and Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Paris Jackson says her “free-love, hippie-type dude” father, the late Michael Jackson, inspired her to keep an “open mind” when it comes to beauty. The 24-year-old musician-and-model – who is the daughter of The King of Pop and Debbie Rowe – says it was drummed into her that “beauty comes from the inside”, and so she’s always up for experimenting with her appearance. Speaking to POPSUGAR, she said: “I try and always keep an open mind – not just with makeup, but with everything. “I was raised by a free-love, hippie-type dude, so we were taught that beauty comes from the inside – and to this day, I still believe that.” Paris’s signature look is a smokey eye. She shared: “My go-to look is just a little bit of eyeliner at the very edge of my eye, like a wing, but I don’t really touch the eyelids as much. “I feel like a smokey [eye] is somewhere between that and ’80s rock and roll.” Meanwhile, the ‘Let Down’ singer – who is the face of KVD Beauty’s latest campaign – admitted it’s only more recently that she’s felt “good about myself and my body” as a result of practicing self-love. She said: “Recently, I’ve learned how to cope with it all by practicing self-love and affirmations and diving deeper into my spiritual life. “It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I’ve started feeling really good about myself and my body, and feeling comfortable and everything. Those moments of self-love aren’t 24/7, but the bad moments are fewer and further between.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Queen Elizabeth reportedly chose to skip the first day of the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show, opting instead to pay a “secret visit” to her own horses who are set to compete in the show this coming weekend, Radar has learned. In a surprising development that came amid growing concerns regarding the 96-year-old queen’s heath and mobility issues, Her Majesty called off her appearance at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Thursday at nearly the very last minute. Mega But while many suspected the queen’s failure to appear for the event was a result of her ongoing mobility issues, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace insisted Queen Elizabeth “simply changed her mind” and sent Princess Beatrice in her place instead. That is the startling revelation from a recent Daily Mail report that claimed Queen Elizabeth has not missed the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show in 79 years, and while she skipped the week-long show’s first day on Thursday, the queen is fully expected to make an appearance for the show’s competition and activities Sunday night. Mega Princess Beatrice, who is expected to remain in the queen’s place until Elizabeth changes her mind, said she was “delighted to be asked to play the role of the Queen” and would make sure the horse show proceeds “without a hitch should Her Majesty wish to attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in this way.” As RadarOnline.com reported, this is just the latest event Queen Elizabeth has missed in recent weeks and it came just days after Her Majesty was forced to forgo the State Opening of Parliament for the third time in more than 60 years. Buckingham Palace cited the queen’s ongoing mobility issues as the reason for the sudden withdrawal, and Prince Charles – accompanied by Prince William – read Elizabeth’s speech instead. “At Her Majesty’s request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities, The Prince of Wales will read The Queen’s speech on Her Majesty’s behalf, with The Duke of Cambridge also in attendance,” Buckingham Palace’s statement said Mega The statement also admitted that Queen Elizabeth “continues to experience episodic mobility problems” and she “reluctantly” agreed with her doctors to skip the State Opening of Parliament out of an abundance of concern for her health. Concerns over Elizabeth’s health and mobility also come just weeks before her Platinum Jubilee celebration – marking 70 years on the throne – is set to kick off in June. Her Majesty is fully expecting to attend the Platinum Jubilee celebration and festivities, and is reportedly “looking forward” to the highly-anticipated and historic event. View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star It’s becoming clearer by the day that the Republican Party is betting that animus toward LGBTQ Americans is a big winner this election year. Now Kansas’ junior senator is taking his culture war fight to Hollywood — and making it about kids. Roger Marshall led four fellow GOP senators in sending a letter to the board of the TV Parental Guidelines — a congressionally mandated consortium that provides content ratings for television shows — asking it to update its criteria for the warnings it puts on children’s programming. Citing “parents raising legitimate concerns on sexual orientation and gend… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP US President Joe Biden (center) and leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pose for a group photo on the South Lawn of the White House Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed Southeast Asian leaders to Washington with promises to support clean energy and maritime security, hoping to showcase a US commitment as China makes wide inroads. Top leaders from eight of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) flew to Washington for the two-day summit, which opened with a closed-door White House dinner of thyme poached chicken and vanilla ice cream. The Biden administration, which took office describing China as the top international challenger, is eager to prove it is still prioritizing Asia despite months of intense focus on repelling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The White House announced some $150 million in new initiatives — a modest sum compared with a $40 billion package for Ukraine and with the billions pumped into the region by China, which has also flexed its muscle in the dispute-rife South China Sea. But the United States said it was working with its private sector and it plans to unveil a broader package, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, when Biden travels next week to Tokyo and Seoul. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, welcoming ASEAN leaders to lunch earlier in the day, drew a link as she encouraged Southeast Asia to stand firm against Russia’s invasion. “If left unchecked, we leave the door open to additional aggression, including maritime issues and other issues in the South China Sea,” she said. ‘Candor’ over rights Pelosi called the summit “another manifestation of America’s commitment to be a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia.” In a contrast to China’s hands-off approach, Pelosi said she believed in “candor” and urged the Southeast Asian leaders to respect human rights, voicing particular concern about LGBTQ people. “Let me be clear: when we hear about torture of LGBTQ people, that is unacceptable to the American people — and continues to be an obstacle to the full respect in our relationship,” she said. Pelosi did not single out countries but Brunei and Indonesia’s Aceh province have both triggered uproars with laws that allow for physical punishment over consensual gay sex. In the biggest chunk of the new funding, the White House said it was committing $60 million to new maritime initiatives that will include the deployment of a Coast Guard cutter and personnel to fight crime including illegal fishing. The White House said it was also devoting $40 million to invest in clean energy in the climate change-vulnerable region and was working with the private sector to raise up to $2 billion. Another initiative — launched as Biden separately held a virtual summit on Covid — includes a project to test for emerging respiratory diseases through a new office in Hanoi of the US Centers for Disease Control. “I hope this meeting can build a momentum for the return of the US presence in the region,” Indonesian President Joko Widodo told a sideline forum of the US-ASEAN Business Council. Meeting Myanmar opposition Southeast Asia has often been seen as a victim of its own success, with the United States focused elsewhere for lack of pressing problems in the region. But in Myanmar, once hailed as a democratic success story, the United States has been ratcheting up pressure since the junta in February last year toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. The United States symbolically represented Myanmar with an empty chair at the summit. The democratic leadership in exile was invited to Washington and met Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman but did not represent Myanmar in talks. The Philippines also did not send its leader and was represented by its foreign minister after holding elections on Monday. Leaders who are participating include Cambodia’s veteran strongman Hun Sen, who is ASEAN’s current chair, and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the former army chief who led a 2014 coup. Human Rights Watch said the United States needed to raise democracy in more countries than Myanmar. “If the US doesn’t publicly raise human rights concerns during meetings, the message will be that human rights abuses are now tolerated in the name of forging alliances to counter China,” said John Sifton, the group’s Asia advocacy director. View the full article

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Published by Radar Online Mega Vladimir Putin reportedly suspended, fired or arrested a number of his top military commanders in a devastating move that, if true, would mark one of the largest purges of Russian military command to take place since the nation invaded Ukraine nearly three-months ago. In a frightening show of force illustrating just how furious Putin is over his forces’ failure to take Ukraine, the 69-year-old Russian leader suspended top commander General Valery Gerasimov on Wednesday after a series of military blunders General Gerasimov committed in their nation’s war against Ukraine. Mega That was the shocking claim made Oleksiy Arestovych – a Ukrainian military intelligence veteran and close advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – who revealed the suspension of Gerasimov while speaking to the anti-Putin lawyer and politician Mark Feygin Wednesday night. “According to preliminary information, Gerasimov has been de-facto suspended,” Arestovych told Feygin during the discussion that was uploaded to YouTube. “They are deciding whether to give him time to fix things, or not.” “The commander of the first tank army of the western military district Lieutenant General Sergei Kisel has also been arrested and fired after the first tank army was defeated near Kharkiv,” Arestovych added. Making Arestovych’s recent report even more startling is the fact that, besides general Gerasimov and Lieutenant General Kisel, Putin has also allegedly fired or arrested a slew of other Russian commanders whose forces suffered heavy losses and dramatic defeats across the battlefields of Ukraine. Mega “After the failure in Ukraine – repressions and purges in the Russian army,” Kyiv’s interior ministry also revealed Wednesday night, echoing Arestovych claims. “The Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Igor Osipov, was removed from his post and arrested,” Ukrainian’s interior ministry further revealed, before claiming there are ongoing “investigative actions in relation to first deputy commander of the fleet, Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk.” But the reports of Putin’s purge of top military officials did not end there, because the Ukrainian government continued to name nearly five more Russian commanders either fired or arrested for their highly-consequential failures in the war against Ukraine. “Due to the large losses of personnel, weapons and military equipment, [Putin] fired: Commander of the 6th Army, Lieutenant General Vladislav Ershov; Commander of the tank army of the western military district, Lieutenant General Sergei Kisel; and one of the deputy commanders.” Mega Putin also reportedly fired Major General Arkady Marzoev, a commander in charge of the 22nd Army Corps of the Southern Military District – a unit of Russian troops nearly obliterated by resisting Ukrainian soldiers. As Radar reported, Putin’s suspected purge of high-ranking military officials came just days after rumors started swirling suggesting the Russian leader has “no future” in Russia should his forces fail to successfully complete their invasion and taking of Ukraine. “He’s all about staying in power,” former U.S. Army General Jack Keane revealed earlier this month. “That’s his motivation. He will do anything to stay in power.” “The alternative, he knows full well, by a successor who doesn’t agree with him, could mean the end of him – his demise,” General Keane continued. “He’s fighting to stay in power and he’s determined, I think, to still accomplish his goals even though his focus is in the south [of Ukraine].” View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will host a rally for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on the eve of his re-election race, setting up a direct clash with former President Donald Trump as Republicans vie to keep control of the key southern state. The move is a marked split between Trump and his former vice president as Trump continues to air his grievances aimed at re-litigating the 2020 election and repeat his false claims of widespread voter fraud, as Republicans weigh their path forward. “I am proud to offer my full support for four more years of Brian Kemp as governor of the great state of Georgia!” Pence said in a statement released by Kemp’s campaign for the May 23 event. Trump has endorsed former U.S. Senator David Perdue in the Georgia primary race to unseat Kemp and face voters in November. Purdue, who lost his re-election bid in January 2021, has focused his campaign on Trump’s 2020 loss and faulted Kemp for not doing more to reverse the results. “The worst ‘election integrity’ governor in the country,” Trump called Kemp in a statement on Thursday. Trump has also blamed Pence for not helping to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in which he secured the Electoral College and took 81 million popular votes to Trump’s 74 million. The winner of the May 24 Republican primary will face the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, with voting rights activist Stacey Abrams the top candidate, and provide perhaps the clearest assessment yet of Trump’s ability to play kingmaker in the 2022 elections. An April opinion poll commissioned by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed Kemp with a substantial lead over Perdue. Georgia has been a conservative stronghold but saw its two U.S. Senate seats go to Democrats early last year following Biden’s presidential victory. It is also the focus of a special grand jury investigation into Trump’s alleged efforts to influence the U.S. state’s 2020 election results. Neither Trump nor Pence has formally declared they will seek the White House in the 2024 presidential election. (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Mark Heinrich) View the full article

It’s ok we’re very serious — and not about Orlando Bloom’s abs –most of the week View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was taken into custody by Russian authorities in February, has had her pretrial detention extended by one month as calls for the basketball player’s safe return to the United States continue to grow, Radar has learned. In a shocking development that has no doubt left Griner, the WNBA, and the Biden Administration reeling, a Russian court ruled on Friday that the 31-year-old basketball star will remain in Russian custody for at least one more month as she awaits trial. Mega That was the bombshell announcement made by Griner’s lawyer on Friday, who also revealed that despite the setback, the one-month extension suggests the WNBA player’s trial will take place sooner than later. “We did not receive any complaints about the detention conditions from our client,” Alexander Boykov, Griner’s lawyer, told the Associated Press during an interview on Friday after suggesting the “short” one-month extension indicated his client’s case will go to trial soon. Photos obtained by the outlet from Friday’s hearing show Griner handcuffed and dressed in a red hoodie with the hood covering her head and dreadlocks. She also kept her head down throughout the entire hearing, making it so her face could not be seen as the court announced their latest ruling. As RadarOnline.com reported, Griner has been detained in Russian custody for nearly three months after she was arrested around mid-February at a Moscow airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle a marijuana hash oil pen into the country from New York City. BRITTNEY GRINER WAS EARNING $1.5 MILLION PLAYING FOR MOSCOW TEAM PRIOR TO ARREST FOR ALLEGED ‘DRUG SMUGGLING’ Mega Both the WNBA and President Joe Biden’s Administration have condemned Griner’s “wrongful detainment,” and U.S. officials have reportedly been working diligently to see Griner released and returned to the United States swiftly and safely. “The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S government,” the State Department said earlier this month. “The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner.” “The U.S. government will continue to undertake efforts to provide appropriate support to Ms. Griner,” the State Department added. After Biden’s Administration and the State Department designated Griner as being “wrongfully detained,” the WNBA star’s teammates and fans became hopeful that her issues would resolve quickly and she would released from custody and returned home. Mega “It has been 75 days that our friend, teammate, sister, Brittney Griner, has been wrongfully detained in Russia. It is time for her to come home,”, WNBA players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike said in a statement at the time. “Having learned that the U.S. government has now determined that BG is being wrongfully detained we are hopeful that their efforts will be significant, swift and successful.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Mega Britney Spears is still getting used to pregnancy life, and so far, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Telling her 41 million Instagram followers about her latest getaway to a “Spanish paradise,” the princess of pop wrote in the caption of several shots seemingly from Spears and fiancé Sam Asghari‘s trip: “Being pregnant my hormones are kinda stupid … but it’s weird I want to jump out of the car and run naked like Will Ferrell in ‘Old School.'” @britneyspears/Instagram “yep pregnant lady running through don’t mind me and I’m hot as f**k here,” Spears continued. And while the pizza topped with pepperoni in her photo swipe looked delicious, the expecting mama, who announced in April she was pregnant, sadly confirmed it was anything but. “thought pizza looked great but it tasted like salami !!! I hated it, but the looks of it can be deceiving … I will say it tasted like s**t … goodnight … it’s pickle time !!!” GOING TO THE CHAPEL! SAM ASGHARI & FIANCÉE BRITNEY SPEARS TEASE WEDDING UPDATES Apart from photos of her disappointing meal, Spears shared a quote from Ernest Hemingway that read: “We would be together and have our books and at night be warm in bed together with the windows open and the stars bright.” Spears also shared a gruesome photo of a nasty cut she got on her knee, which she addressed in her caption, explaining: “my bloody knee sprinkled over to my dog’s paws … security said Sawyer is hurt and I said no it’s me … I think my dog and I became one at that moment like some sort of weird vampire.” Though Spears recently declared she’d be taking a social media hiatus shortly after announcing her third pregnancy, making her bun in the oven the couple’s first child together, the songstress appears to be back to her old ways, posting several random posts within hours. @britneyspears/Instagram Shortly before teasing her latest sweet escape, the “Toxic” performer showed off her toned tummy in several snaps of her “favorite fashion finds,” seemingly taken before she was with child. The blonde babe also offered a glimpse of her and Asghari’s recent trip to Mexico via Instagram sharing a video from one night where they enjoyed a bonfire on the beach while a Mariachi band played as they lovingly danced together. Putting his muscles to good use, the video shows Asghari holding Spears, who wrapped her legs around his waste, as they moved to the music. Prior to sharing the adorable video of the two enjoying their slice of paradise, Spears appeared to comically poke fun at her handsome hunk, who often shows off his stellar muscles and intense workout regimes on his respective Instagram. SPORTY GAL! PREGNANT BRITNEY SPEARS JET SKIS ALONGSIDE SAM ASGHARI IN CANCUN Spears shared a meme of a baby holding up their middle finger alongside the text: “When someone says they enjoy cardio.” Mega Spears’ social media posts are often a hot topic, given she’s taken to the platform countless times to troll her famous family for their alleged roles in her “abusive” near-14-year-long conservatorship, as well as throw shade at her ex-husband and father of her two sons, Kevin Federline. And if her lengthy social media captions are any indication of what she’s going to spill in her upcoming memoir, Spears’ fans are in for quite a treat — though it’ll likely be a nightmare for her family. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega R&B legend Bobby Brown visited the graves of his ex-wife Whitney Houston and their late daughter Bobbi Kristina, and while there, he claimed the singer would still be alive if the couple had remained together. In a leaked clip obtained by Daily Mail from A&E’s upcoming docuseries Bobby Brown: Every Little Step, the 53-year-old music icon spoke at length about his superstar ex-wife, her battle with drug addiction, and her tragic passing at just 48 years old. Mega “I think we could have helped each other out,” he said while visiting the graves of Houston and Bobbi Kristina in Westfield, New Jersey, for the first time ever. “I think she would still be here if we hadn’t divorced.” “I wasn’t there. I beat myself about it because I wasn’t there,” Brown continued. “I wish I could have been there for her.” Houston was found dead in a bathtub on February 11, 2012. The coroner’s report detailing the I Will Always Love You singer’s passing revealed that she died after drowning which was, in part, caused by heart disease and cocaine abuse. Although Brown also spoke about his own battles with drug and substance abuse addiction in the newly-leaked clip, he revealed that his efforts to get clean caused a rift in his marriage with Houston, which ultimately resulted in their divorce. Mega Nearly three years after the death of her mother, Bobbi Kristina was eerily found face down in a bathtub in her Alpharetta, Georgia, home. The 22-year-old was rushed to the hospital and placed into an induced coma after doctors determined her brain function was “significantly diminished.” Brown spoke about this heartbreaking incident in the docuseries clip, revealing that Houston came to him in a dream and instructed him to “let [Bobbi Kristina] go.” “They told me she would not live a normal life,” he said while fighting back tears. “I was prepared to care for her for the rest of my life, being a vegetable. But my daughter would not like to live like that.” Mega “Whitney came to me in dreams [and said] ‘let my baby go!’… And that is what I had to do.” “Being her father meant everything to me. To know how special she was can only be seen through love,” he added after saying he believes Houston and their daughter are watching over him. “My daughter is with me every day. She is one of my angels.” View the full article

Published by DPA A general view of the G7 meeting of Agriculture Ministers at Hohenheim Palace. Bernd Weißbrod/dpa Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky has voiced his fears of “great losses” in the year’s wheat harvest during talks with his G7 counterparts in the German city of Stuttgart on Friday. Russia’s war on Ukraine has prompted fears of global food shortages, as the country is one of the world’s most important producers of wheat as well as a major supplier of corn. “The situation with corn is a bit better,” Solsky noted, before appealing to G7 ministers for support in exporting Ukraine’s grain, with Russia blockading the country’s ports. The war has led to a massive surge in grain prices, with the impact being felt in developing countries in particular. German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir accused Russia of using hunger as a weapon by blocking Ukrainian wheat exports, in comments to German public radio on Friday. Putin’s warfare was “particularly perfidious,” Özdemir argued, as Ukraine is so important to the global food chain, noting that half the wheat used in World Food Programme aid alone came from the country. The shortage and resulting price increase were a deliberate military strategy, the minister argued. An overall 25 million tons of grain are currently stuck in Ukrainian ports, mainly Odessa, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Thursday. The ministers discussed how to export the Ukrainian grain to the rest of the world. Solsky suggested using underutilized ports in the Baltic States. Özdemir mentioned the overland route, the railways or the Danube. “The port of Odessa must be secured, it must not fall,” he said. Germany currently holds the presidency of the G7, which also includes the United States, Canada, France, Britain, Italy and Japan. Ukraine has been invited to attend this year’s meetings. Mykola Solskyj, Ukraine’s Minister of Agriculture, attends the G7 meeting of Agriculture Ministers at Hohenheim Palace. Bernd Weißbrod/dpa Cem Oezdemir (L), Germany’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, welcomes Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Agriculture, ahead of the G7 meeting of Agriculture Ministers at Hohenheim Palace. Bernd Weißbrod/dpa Cem Oezdemir (R), Germany’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, greets Julien Denormandie, France’s Minister of Agriculture, ahead of the G7 meeting of Agriculture Ministers at Hohenheim Palace. Bernd Weißbrod/dpa Cem Oezdemir, Germany’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, with his counterparts during the G7 meeting of Agriculture Ministers at Hohenheim Palace. Bernd Weißbrod/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Social media companies including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok must act now to blunt the effect of false information – including Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” that his 2020 defeat was the result of fraud – in this year’s U.S. midterm congressional elections, rights groups said on Thursday. Social media platforms backed away from policies designed to fight election disinformation after the 2020 presidential race won by Democratic President Joe Biden, more than 100 advocacy groups, led by Common Cause, said in a letter to social media executives. A surge of disinformation then led to the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Trump and that disinformation continues to multiply, they said, citing research and public reporting. “High-profile disinformation spreaders and other bad actors are continuing to use social media platforms to disseminate messages that undermine trust in elections,” read a letter sent to chief executives and signed by more than 100 groups lead by Common Cause. “Candidates are using the Big Lie as a platform plank to pre-emptively declare voter fraud in order to dispute the results of the 2022 election,” they wrote. “This is damaging American democracy by undermining faith in the integrity of our elections.” The letter, also sent to the CEOs of Google, Instagram LLC and Snap Inc, urged the companies to take steps, including prioritizing fact-checking and providing real-time access of data to external researchers and watchdogs. Priority must be given to fighting the “Big Lie” that voter fraud cost Trump the White House in 2020, the letter said. The groups also sought greater transparency on political advertisements, enforcement practices and algorithmic models. Others that signed include voting rights and election integrity groups as well as the Center for American Progress, the League of Women Voters, Greenpeace, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Arab American Institute. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Scott Malone, Bernard Orr) View the full article