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In Myanmar, conversations about the military regime happen on Facebook. On the platform’s groups, pages, and individual profiles, the population is divided between democracy and military supporters. Every social media post carries evolving narratives that shape the makeup of the convulsed nation, yet mainstream media outside Myanmar have failed to report on them. Myanmar researchers have dissected — by combing through Burmese social media — how pro-Junta citizens are justifying the military’s violence against civilians. Why it matters More than a year has passed since Myanmar’s military took over the country and arrested its democratic leaders and about 10,000 civilians. Dozens of people have been sentenced to death. The killings of more than 1,700 people, including children, have been attributed to the army. Hundreds of thousands of young people – students, professionals, and political activists – have fled to neighboring countries or are in hiding inside Myanmar. Because the massive pro-democracy demonstrations were severely repressed last year, thousands of youth took up arms in what can be called guerrilla warfare. Many of them have received training from ethnic militias that have challenged the government for decades. Myanmar went through military rule from 1962 to 2011 — the year that it initiated a period of democratization before falling into the hands of the junta again. The new, decentralized civilian armed resistance, which goes by the name “People’s Defense Forces” (PDF), is mostly funded by donations from the Burmese community. The country’s military supporters, who tend to be on the conservative side of the spectrum, are attempting to discredit and justify violence against the armed resistance. How everyday usage of Facebook works In 2021, Myanmar’s junta banned Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and people access these sites using VPNs. Military sympathizers support this measure as a means of disrupting pro-democracy content on the platform, but they also use VPNs, thereby breaking the rules of their leaders. The Tatmadaw is seeking to ban the usage of VPNs altogether and has cut offinternet access in resistance strongholds.A large portion of pro-military discourse is based on misleading and false content. Propaganda is used to undermine reporting of human rights violations and mass atrocities. Content also varies from happy-go-lucky videos of dancing soldiers to violent and humiliating recordings.Pro-military people tend to not share posts they agree with, but rather copy-paste the content and publish it as separate posts. This helps them avoid Facebook’s content moderators.Pro-democracy and pro-military promoters tend to use different fonts. Mobile users made the switch from Zawgyi to Unicode font for Burmese, but most military supporters continue to use Zawgyi, making it unreadable for other users whose phones cannot decipher it.Myanmar’s pro-military narratives 1.“The People’s Defense Force is a terrorist group and harms people” Since the coup in 2021, the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar’s military is known, has been accused of committing brutal human rights violations. In January 2022, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, stated that the military has “a flagrant disregard for human life.” Many civilians – who are not necessarily linked to the armed resistance – “have been shot in the head, burned to death, arbitrarily arrested, tortured or used as human shields”. For example, last December, a military truck rammed into a crowd of demonstrators, killing five people. Two days later, the military was allegedly involved in burning 11 people alive in the Sagaing region. Facing mounting repression, thousands of pro-democracy civilians have banded together to defend themselves and counterattack. In the past few months, they have targeted police stations, military trucks, and small units and have killed military and police personnel. Many Myanmar people continue to raise funds to support the PDF. This narrative leads to more dangerous ones, such as those that justify lethal violence against the PDF. Lately, this has become more extreme as some army supporters believe that the Tatmadaw has “grown soft”. How this narrative plays out on Facebook April is the month of Thingyan, a water festival in Myanmar. During the festival, people splash water at each other. Some people give out food. The post claims that the PDF has put acid in water bottles and that it is poisoning boiled eggs. The post does not refer to the PDF by name, but it is evident that it is talking about them (in the usage of the words “destruction and disturbances”). Comments and people who shared the post warned others to be careful about alleged PDF attacks. More analysis here. See more analysis of media items. Some Facebook users ask that the army disregard international community standards (MM_124), others blame pro-democracy supporters for disturbances in education, and alleged soldiers say that the military is not appreciated enough. 2.“Young people who join the PDF are misguided and immoral” Junta sympathizers lean toward traditional values like organized religion, nationalism, and formal education. When the country started its democratic shift in 2011, some conservative people felt threatened. In the country’s 2020 general election, pro-democracy activist Aung Suu Kyi’s party won by a landslide, but a few months later, the Tatmadaw deemed the results illegitimate and annulled the vote altogether. “Pro-military supporters, who are nationalist and extreme Buddhists, feel threatened by the progressiveness among Burmese people as the country shifted into a civilian government. They feel secure in their daily lives of religious activities while living under a dictatorship that holds the same values,” our researchers say. The narrative blaming youth for perverseness is closely linked to the discourse that says “Only military supporters value Buddhism and care about the nation” and to Islamophobic sentiment. Junta sympathizers accuse young activists of being under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or Western values. This narrative also encompasses sexist connotations about the sexual lives of young women and provokes sexual violence. How this narrative plays out on Facebook This pro-military Facebook page shared two pictures: the first photo shows a pregnant woman, an alleged member of the armed resistance, and the second portrays Aung Myo Min, the Minister of Human Rights from the National Unity Government (NUG), the political entity of elected politicians from the 2020 elections, now in exile. The text of the image says that “the pregnant PDF woman and the gay minister” are going to appear in a pro-democracy film. More analysis here. See more analysis here of posts that claim tha1 3. “The military regime needs leaders who will take stronger actions against the pro-democracy movement” After the coup in 2021, army sympathizers welcomed the Junta and the new military council led by Min Aung Hlaing. However, a year later, some have expressed their dissatisfaction with the regime for being too soft or indecisive against the pro-democracy movement, despite the violent crackdowns. This view is largely motivated by news of soldiers being killed in clashes against armed rebel groups. Other military supporters say that the army could easily destroy the PDF if it had the will to do so. How this narrative plays out on Facebook A pro-military Facebook page shared a nostalgic post about Myanmar’s past dictatorship. The photo shows previous dictators (former Senior General Than Swe with General Khin Nyut) and the caption reads that the country was peaceful enough during those days. It ends by saying that the author would like those leaders to return. This post implies that the country is losing its stability because of armed resistance and that the current leadership is too soft with its opponents. More analysis here. See more posts that say that the current regime is too weak and which reminisce about the previous dictatorship. This Post by Civic Media Observatory originally appeared in Global Voices: by Civic Media Observatory originally appeared in Global Voices: View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Never a dull moment! Madonna has been keeping audiences entertained for decades, and her ability to raise eyebrows still never ceases to amaze her fans. Since becoming a legend in the industry back in the 1980s, Madonna, 63, has lead a wildly successful music career jam-packed with both iconic and notorious moments. To take a look back at her iconic career, OK! has rounded up some of the Queen of Pop’s wildest and most legendary moments over the years. Scroll through the images below to see our favorite Madonna moments: She Appears On David Letterman In 1994 MEGA In 1994, Madonna appeared on on CBS’ Late Show with David Lettermanin now-infamous interview, where she said the f-word 14 times and even refused to leave the stage. IT’S OVER? MADONNA SPARKS BREAKUP RUMORS WITH TOYBOY AHLAMALIK WILLIAMS AFTER THREE YEARS TOGETHER — DETAILS During the course of the interview, Madonna smoked a cigar and made multiple innuendos after walking on stage with a pair of her underwear, which she asked Letterman to smell. She even called Letterman a “sick f**k,” in the episode, which is has since become of the highest-rated of his career. Her Oscars Appearance With Michael Jackson MEGA Back in 1991, both the King and Queen of Pop made an iconic pair at the Oscars. Madonna asked Michael Jackson to be her plus one for the event, and the pair seemed to have quite the night together. In an interview at the time, Madonna explained how the date came about, saying “Michael was like, ‘Well who are you gonna go with?’ I looked at him and said, ‘I don’t know. You wanna go?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, that’d be great.’ And then, yes, he took me home. You wanna know what happened after that? I’m not gonna tell you.” Her Tense Interview With Courtney Love MEGA Madonna’s famous feud with Courtney Love was on display at the 1995 VMAs. The “Like a Virgin” singer was being interviewed with MTV‘s Kurt Loder when she got a compact thrown at her by Love. “Hi Courtney,” Loder responded. “That’s Courtney Love, everybody’s favorite,” before inviting her up to the stage, to Madonna’s dismay. “Courtney Love is in dire need of attention right now,” she fired in the clip, per MTV, before Love joined them on stage for the rest of the very tense interview. Her Famous Cone Bra MEGA Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour in 1990 was the starting place for many of her most provocative and iconic outfits, including the famous Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra. According to Dazed, Madonna personally sent a letter to Gaultier to request he design all of the costumes for the tour, with the conical bra taking months to create. The legendary garment later sold for $52,000 at the Christie’s Pop Culture auction in London in 2012. The Britney Spears Kiss MEGA In 2003, Madonna took the VMA stage alongside Princess of Pop, Britney Spears, before the two blonde beauties engaged in an unforgettable kiss. The onscreen moment has since become one of the most iconic moments in all of VMA history, as well as Justin Timberlake‘s unamused facial expression in reaction to the smooch. Sex Book MEGA Not only famous for her contributions to the music industry, Madonna also published a book in 1992, which ended up sparking major controversy. The book titled Sex, featuring graphic sexual images, sold as a $50 coffee table book at the time and eventually made it to The New York Times Best Seller list. GIRL GONE WILD: MADONNA SPREADS HER LEGS WHILE WEARING FISHNET STOCKINGS IN EYEBROW-RAISING INSTAGRAM PHOTO Today, the book is still considered the “most radical career move” a popstar has ever made, according to Huffington Post. Kisses Drake At Coachella MEGA In 2015, Madonna once again made headlines after planting a surprise kiss on Drake during his set at the Coachella music festival. After the intense makeout session, Drake famously looked disgusted, which wasn’t exactly the reaction anybody was expecting. But the rapper later clarified the situation, writing via Instagram: “Don’t misinterpret my shock!! I got to make out with the queen Madonna and I feel 100 about that forever. Thank you @madonna,” as Insider reported. View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Timothy Evans On April 9, former President Donald Trump could not have been more effusive in his praise of David McIntosh. At a rally that day in North Carolina, Trump said of the Club for Growth head: “He’s a winner. He’s a fighter. We are undefeated when we work together.” McIntosh tossed the platitudes right back at the former president, saying, “You are a great man. I am proud to partner with you.” Last week, however, that relationship dissolved when McIntosh and his Club for Growth refused to call a halt to its negative ad campaign against Trump-endorsed GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance… Read More View the full article

Published by The Detroit News On the calendar summer is still a ways away, but at the movies summertime is ready to roll. Next weekend’s release of “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” marks the kickoff of the summer box office season, the first true summer movie season in three years, after 2020 was wiped out entirely and 2021 was hobbled by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are some big dogs ready to get out and play in the yard, including Marvel heavy hitters (in addition to “Strange,” there’s a new Thor movie on its way in July), marquee franchise fare (new “Jurassic Park” and “Despicable Me” entries and a “Toy Story”… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story By David Edwards Republican congressional candidate Neil Robinson Kumar of Arkansas told a local newspaper that he is running to combat “the Great Replacement,” a racist theory claiming that immigrants are replacing white Americans. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published the remarks on Tuesday. “What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how would you address it?” the paper asked Kumar. “The most pressing issue facing my constituents is also the most pressing issue facing America: the Great Replacement,” the candidate replied. “Millions of illegal aliens are pouring across o… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP A new survey estimates that nearly 60 percent of the US population had had Covid-19 by February 2022 Washington (AFP) – By February of this year, 58 percent of the US population — more than 190 million people — had been infected with Covid, according to an antibody survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Tuesday. The figure is far higher than the 80 million officially recorded cases, with the majority of infections undiagnosed, asymptomatic or unreported. Roughly 75 percent of people under 18 had been infected, according to a paper based on a nationally representative study of antibody levels. There was a huge surge during the winter Omicron wave, particularly among children. Each month from September 2021 to January 2022, the study examined some 75,000 blood specimens taken from across the country, as well as 45,000 samples in February. The study examined only antibodies created in response to prior infection, not vaccination. National estimates were then produced using statistical methods to weight by age, sex and metropolitan status. “Having infection-induced antibodies does not necessarily mean you are protected against future infections,” said Kristie Clarke, co-lead for the national Covid-19 serology task force, on a call with reporters. “Previous infection has been shown to provide some protection against severe disease and hospitalization — and vaccination, either before or after infection, provides additional protection,” she added. Since the duration of infection-conferred immunity is unknown, it remains vital to stay up to date with Covid vaccination, she stressed. The United States is currently offering fourth shots to people 50 and over, and third shots to people under that age. Pfizer on Tuesday said it had submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a third shot to children ages five to 11, following strong immune response data. Children five and under are the only group not yet eligible for vaccination. “The best way to protect them is to make sure that they are surrounded by people who are taking preventive measures, like staying up to date with our vaccines,” said Clarke. More Covid pills President Joe Biden’s administration meanwhile announced Tuesday it is doubling the number of outlets where at-risk Americans can obtain free Covid-19 therapeutic pills. Oral therapeutics such as Pfizer’s Paxlovid tablet are seen as an important new weapon in the struggle to knock out a virus that at its peak a year ago killed more than 3,000 people per day in the United States alone. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain called Paxlovid a “miracle pill” and tweeted that “almost all Covid deaths can be prevented if people who test positive take” it. With 20 million pill packs ordered for government purchase, they are now “in ample supply” and distribution will be ramped up from the current 20,000 locations to close to 40,000, according to a White House official. Nationwide, cases are ticking up with infections caused by the BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariants — including a rash of cases sweeping through the Washington elite. Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive Tuesday, but is asymptomatic and not considered a current close contact of Biden, the White House said. Upstate New York and the Northeast region are also experiencing an increase in hospitalizations, and the CDC recommends indoor masking in those areas, though mandates have long ceased to be in effect there. Even with rising hospitalizations, there has been a sharp reduction in fatalities, mainly as a result of rising population immunity, but also because the newer variants are intrinsically less severe than those that preceded them. Daily deaths stand at a little over 300 per day. The country is expected to reach the grim milestone of one million deaths in the coming weeks. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Hyunjoo Jin (Reuters) – Tesla Inc lost $126 billion in value on Tuesday amid investor concerns that Chief Executive Elon Musk may have to sell shares to fund his $21 billion equity contribution to his $44 billion buyout of Twitter Inc. Tesla is not involved in the Twitter deal, yet its shares have been targeted by speculators after Musk declined to disclose publicly where his cash for the acquisition is coming from. The 12.2% drop in Tesla’s shares on Tuesday equated to a $21 billion drop in the value of his Tesla stake, the same as the $21 billion in cash he committed to the Twitter deal. Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said that worries about upcoming stock sales by Musk and the possibility that he is becoming distracted by Twitter weighed on Tesla shares. “This (is) causing a bear festival on the name,” he said. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. To be sure, Tesla’s share plunge came against a challenging backdrop for many technology-related stocks. The Nasdaq closed at its lowest level since December 2020 on Tuesday, as investors worried about slowing global growth and more aggressive rate hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Twitter’s shares also slid on Tuesday, falling 3.9% to close at $49.68 even though Musk agreed to buy it on Monday for $54.20 per share in cash. The widening spread reflects investor concern that the precipitous decline in Tesla’s shares, from which Musk derives the majority of his $239 billion fortune, could lead the world’s richest person to have second thoughts about the Twitter deal. “If Tesla’s share price continues to remain in freefall that will jeopardize his financing,” said OANDA senior market analyst Ed Moya. As part of the Tesla deal, Musk also took out a $12.5 billion margin loan tied to his Tesla stock. He had already borrowed against about half of his Tesla shares. University of Maryland professor David Kirsch, whose research focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship, said investors started to worry about a “cascade of margin calls” on Musk’s loans. (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston and Hyun Joo in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Noel Randewich in San Francisco; Editing by Matthew Lewis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Madonna has split from Ahlamalik Williams after three years of dating. The 63-year-old pop star has called time on her romance with the 28-year-old dancer after she decided it wasn’t working out. A source said: “Madonna has thrown herself into a busy social life and has been seeing her friends and family after the split. “She has a packed schedule, working on her upcoming biopic, new music and looking after her family. “Things have been on and off with Ahlamalik for a while. There’s a lot of love but for now they have decided to separate.” Ahlamalik has moved out of Madonna’s house, and the duo are said to be at “different places with their lives” at this point in time. The insider told The Sun newspaper: “They are still on good terms and there are no hard feelings but they are at different places with their lives. “They spent months together on tour and in lockdown, but now he has moved out of her home. “With them both working on other things, it was hard to keep their romance alight.” In 2019, Ahlamalik’s dad Drue hailed his son’s high-profile romance with the pop icon. However, he also observed that Madonna – who was previously married to Guy Ritchie and Sean Penn – is two years older than he is. Drue said at the time: “She told us she is so much in love with him and that we didn’t have anything to worry about as she was going to take care of him. “We know there’s a huge age gap between the two. Madonna is two years older than me. I asked him how he feels about her and he says he has never been happier.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Fox bought her son Noah books penned by transgender children after he told her he wanted to wear dresses. The ‘Jennifer’s Body’ star wanted to make sure her nine-year-old son – the eldest of her three kids with ex-husband Brian Austin Green – knew he could “express” himself however he wants, regardless of sexuality. Speaking to GLAMOUR UK for the April Digital Issue – of which she is the cover star – Megan shared: “I bought a bunch of books that sort of addressed these things and addressed a full spectrum of what this is. “Some of the books are written by transgender children. Some of the books are just about how you can be a boy and wear a dress; you can express yourself through your clothing however you want. And that doesn’t even have to have anything to do with your sexuality.” The 35-year-old actress – who also has Bodhi, eight, and Journey, five, with her former spouse – wanted to make sure all of her children knew from a young age that they should never feel “weird or strange or different” because of their clothing choices. She continued: “So from the time they were very young, I’ve incorporated those things into their daily lives so that nobody feels like they are weird or strange or different.” Megan previously revealed her son was bullied at school for his dress-wearing and admits he “suffers”. She said: “I do have a child that suffers. “So I have a lot of worries about that, because I just wish that humanity was not like this. “Although my kid is so brave and my child is so brave and I know that they’ve chosen this journey for a reason. It’s just hard as a mom.” The ‘Transformers’ star revealed Noah was “laughed” at for wearing a dress to school, but he didn’t care. She said previously: “He came home and I was like, ‘How was it? Did any of the friends at school have anything to say?’ And he was like, ‘Well, all the boys laughed when I came in,’ but he’s like, ‘I don’t care, I love dresses too much.” Read the full interview in the GLAMOUR UK April Digital Issue online now. (https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/megan-fox-digital-cover-interview-april-2022). View the full article

Published by Reuters By Patricia Zengerle and Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress’s official probe into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol by Donald Trump’s supporters plans to hold public hearings in June before issuing a final report in early autumn, its chairman said on Tuesday. The House of Representatives Select Committee on Jan. 6 is “still looking at probably early fall” for releasing the final report, Representative Bennie Thompson told reporters. The committee’s leaders had previously said they were aiming for hearings in early spring. The revised timetable would still allow the panel to release its findings before the Nov. 8 midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress for the next two years of President Joe Biden’s term. Republicans, who are currently favored to reclaim control of the House in that election, are expected to shut the committee down if they do so. The committee had previously planned to issue an interim report followed by a final report, but Thompson said the interim document is no longer in the works. “The progress is coming at a better pace than we anticipated, so in all probability the goal is to produce one report,” Thompson, a Democrat, told reporters. The committee is trying to establish then-President Trump’s actions while thousands of his supporters attacked police, vandalized the Capitol and sent members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence running for their lives. Congress had been meeting to count the electoral votes that gave Democrat Joe Biden victory in the November 2020 presidential election. Some 800 people, including many Trump White House aides, have been interviewed in the committee’s investigation. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Jan Wolfe; Editing by Scott Malone and Lincoln Feast.) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday dismantled a huge Soviet-era monument in the centre of Kyiv meant to symbolise friendship between Russia and Ukraine, a response to Moscow’s invasion, according to the city’s mayor. The eight-metre (27-ft) bronze statue depicted a Ukrainian and Russian worker on a plinth, holding aloft together a Soviet order of friendship. The statue was located underneath a giant titanium ‘People’s Friendship Arch’, erected in 1982 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Soviet Union. “We now see what this “friendship” is – destruction of Ukrainian cities … killing tens of thousands of peaceful people. I am convinced such a monument has an entirely different meaning now,” Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko said. Workmen started by removing one of the two bronze heads, which fell to the ground with a hollow clang. As a crane lifted the monument off its moorings and gradually lowered it to the ground, a crowd of around 100 people cheered and shouted “Glory to Ukraine” and other slogans. “Russia invaded Ukraine … Can we be friends with Russia? What do you think? This is our worst enemy, that is why the monument to Russian-Ukrainian friendship doesn’t make sense any more,” said Serhiy Myrhorodsky, one of the designers. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, has left thousands dead or injured, reduced towns and cities to rubble, and forced more than 5 million people to flee abroad. Moscow calls its actions a “special operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. “We should not have any relations with the nation of aggressors… no friendship, no relations, nothing,” said Diana, a young woman, who did not give her full name. Klitschko said the arch would remain in place but be renamed the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People. (Writing by Mark Porter and David Ljunggren, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Baz Luhrmann has described his ‘Elvis’ biopic as a “superhero film”. The 59-year-old director has helmed the upcoming movie that stars Austin Butler as the King of Rock and Roll and branded the late music icon as the “original superhero”. Speaking at the Warner Bros. CinemaCon event in Las Vegas, Baz explained: “You know, while I was looking at that little reel and I’m thinking it feels a bit like a superhero film. “It is because I actually think Elvis is kind of the original superhero. And I mean that he comes from dirt, and in a few blinding moments, he rises so high, he finds his kryptonite, and also love. And then a beautiful, powerful tragedy ensues.” Luhrmann thinks that the film – which also features Tom Hanks and Olivia DeJonge – is more than a mere biopic and tells the story of America between the 1950s and 1970s. The ‘Great Gatsby’ director explained: “I love biopics, but this is not really a biopic, right? It’s really about, for me, America in the 50s and the 60s and the 70s. “And if you want to talk about America in the 50s and 60s and the 70s at the centre of culture, for the good, the bad and the ugly, is a figure (like) Elvis Presley. “What this movie is about is those three epochs – Elvis the rebel, Elvis the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, and Elvis the living legend, the icon trapped in that hotel not 10 minutes from here, by a man called Colonel Tom Parker.” Baz continued: “But Elvis is at the centre of it. And, you know, I really wanted to also explore this tension between these two great American things, I absolutely love them. “And it’s what defines I think the new of America you know, the fact that it can bring all these different elements together and create something new that’s the artistic gesture, the invention, the inventiveness.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Harry Styles won’t put a “label” on his sexuality. The former One Direction singer has addressed speculation over his love life and insisted the idea of defining his sexuality in a public way is “outdated”. Speaking to Better Homes and Gardens magazine, he said: “I’ve been really open with it with my friends, but that’s my personal experience; it’s mine. “The whole point of where we should be heading, which is toward accepting everybody and being more open, is that it doesn’t matter, and it’s about not having to label everything, not having to clarify what boxes you’re checking.” The 28-year-old star – whose new album ‘Harry’s House’ drops on May 20 – also discussed his experiences with fame, and how he’s been able to remain grounded despite becoming a household name around the world. He laughed: “My producer keeps asking me when I’m going to have my big breakdown. “The most honest version I can think of is, I didn’t grow up in poverty by any means, but we didn’t have much money, and I had an expectation of what I could achieve in life. “I feel like everything else has been a bonus, and I am so lucky.” He candidly admitted there was a long period where he was “terrified” of his career coming to an end because he didn’t “necessarily” know who he was without music. He added: “There were so many years where, for me, especially in the band and the first few years coming out of it, I’d just been terrified of it ending, because I didn’t necessarily know who I was if I didn’t do music.” In 2019, Harry discussed his sexuality and insisted he’s not “sitting on an answer” to keep it from people. He explained: “[It’s] not like I’m sitting on an answer, and protecting it, and holding it back. It’s not a case of: ‘I’m not telling you ’cause I don’t want to tell you.’ “It’s not: ‘Ooh, this is mine and it’s not yours.’ It’s: ‘Who cares?’ Does that make sense? It’s just: ‘Who cares?’ ” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) -Russia’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it had traded Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine held in a Russian jail, for Russian citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was serving a 20-year sentence in the United States. Reed, from Texas, was serving a nine-year sentence in Russia after being convicted in 2019 of endangering the lives of two police officers while drunk on a visit to Moscow, which he denied. The United States called his trial a “theatre of the absurd”. The prisoner swap took place on Wednesday as the result of a lengthy negotiation process, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel. U.S. President Joe Biden, in a statement, welcomed Reed’s release from detention in Russia. Footage from state TV channel Rossiya 24 showed Reed being escorted to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, from where he was flying back to the United States, RIA news agency reported. “Today, our prayers have been answered and Trevor is safely on his way back to the United States”, Reed’s family said in a statement. “While we understand the interest in Trevor’s story – and as soon as he’s ready, he’ll tell his own story, we’d respectfully ask for some privacy while we address the myriad of health issues brought on by the squalid conditions he was subjected to in his Russian gulag,” they said. Reed’s parents said in March he had gone on hunger strike to protest against being put in solitary confinement, and he had not been receiving proper medical care despite fears that he had tuberculosis. Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service in March denied that Reed had been in contact with anyone suffering from TB and said that repeated tests for the illness had come back negative. It described his health as satisfactory and said that medical workers were constantly monitoring him. Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot serving a prison sentence for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States, is expected to arrive back in Russia shortly, his wife told TASS news agency. (Reporting by Reuters, Editing by Mark Trevelyan) View the full article

Published by PopCrush Misha Collins took to Twitter to clear the air after seemingly coming out as bisexual during a fan event over the weekend. The Supernatural actor appeared to identify himself as introverted, extroverted and bisexual while speaking to fans at a convention for the show in New Jersey, according to Out. “I’m all three,” Collins told the audience. However, he set the record straight and in the process came out as straight on social media after video footage from the event appeared online. “My clumsy intention was to wave off actually discussing my sexuality,” Collins wrote. “But I badly fumbled tha… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nate Raymond (Reuters) – President Joe Biden on Wednesday moved to further diversify the federal bench in terms of demographics and job experience with five new judicial nominees, including two women with backgrounds as public defenders selected as appellate judges. Biden nominated Lara Montecalvo, the top public defender in Rhode Island, to serve on the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and U.S. District Judge Sarah Merriam in Connecticut to join the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The nominees also include Ana Reyes, a litigator at law firm Williams & Connolly who immigrated to the United States as a child and would become the first Hispanic woman and openly LGBTQ person to serve as a district court judge in Washington, D.C. Combined with two other district court nominees in New York and Virginia, Biden has nominated 92 federal appellate and district court judges since taking office last year. Senate Democrats are racing to confirm as many of the nominees as they can before the November midterm elections while they retain their narrow 50-50 control of the chamber. A majority of Biden’s picks have been women and people of color. Many have backgrounds other than as corporate lawyers or prosecutors, more traditional career paths for judges, including 27 who were current or former public defenders representing indigent defendants. Those include Ketanji Brown Jackson, who the Senate confirmed this month to become the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Three of Wednesday’s nominees worked as public defenders: Montecalvo, Merriam and Elizabeth Hanes, a magistrate judge nominated to be a district court judge in the Eastern District of Virginia. Biden nominated Merriam last year to her current position, and the Senate confirmed her on a 54-46 vote. Biden also on Wednesday nominated Anne Nardacci, a partner at law firm Boies Schiller Flexner in Albany, New York, to serve as a federal district court judge in the Northern District of New York. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Reuters UK By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union executive proposed on Wednesday laws to curb excessive litigation aimed at silencing critical journalists and rights advocates by governments and businesses, a form of harassment it said was on the rise from Croatia to Poland. In its latest health check of the state of democracy in the 27-nation bloc, the Brussels-based European Commission said last year the so-called SLAPPs – or strategic lawsuits against public participation – were “a serious concern”. “Manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings against public participation… Read More View the full article

Published by The Street By Michael Tedder Marvel has plans for many more LGBTQ characters, starting with its next film. Once again, Disney (DIS) – Get Walt Disney Company Report is finding itself embroiled in a political quagmire owing to its support of the LGBTQ community, after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis punished Disney for denouncing his “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” by seeking to revoke Disney World’s designation as a special tax district (which as we pointed out, is ultimately a meaningless gesture). And once again, the company seems unwilling to back down in support for the LGBTQ community. This time, it comes down to o… Read More View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star A two-thirds majority of the Kansas Senate voted Tuesday to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto on a bill banning transgender students from girls sports as well as a bill ensuring parents can view and challenge classroom content. But the bills’ chances of becoming law are far from certain. It’s unclear if and when the Kansas House will take up the measures or if they’ll have the 84 votes needed. The chamber was 10 votes short of a veto-proof majority when it passed the bill earlier this month. “This week we don’t, we still have members missing,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman said Tuesday when asked w… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Though Jane Fonda looks and feels great, the 84-year-old acknowledged that she doesn’t have a ton of time left on earth — but getting older isn’t something she fears. “I’m super-conscious that I’m closer to death. And it doesn’t really bother me that much,” she revealed while on CBS Sunday Morningalongside Grace & Frankie costar Lily Tomlin. “What bothers me is that my body is, you know, basically not mine! My knees are not mine, my hips are not mine, my shoulder’s not mine. You’re looking at somebody who’s only me from here up.” “The fact is, if you’re alive and relatively healthy at an older – I mean, I’m almost 85,” continued the star. “The fact that I’m still alive and working, wow, who cares if I don’t have my old joints? And I can’t ski or bike or run anymore? You know, you can be really old at 60, and you can be really young at 85. Health!” CELEBRITY TMI CONFESSIONS! MEGAN FOX, SUZANNE SOMERS & MORE WHO OVERSHARED MEGA Another thing that has changed for Fonda is her drinking habits, as she now stays away from alcohol because of the intense hangovers they cause. “Even with one drink, like, if I had a martini tonight, I would be at half-mast tomorrow. Now, that wasn’t true when I was younger. But as you get older, I think alcohol affects you differently. And I only have so many tomorrows left,” she pointed out. “I don’t want to be at half-mast for any of them!” As she and Tomlin, 82, prepare for the final batch of Grace & Frankie episode to drop on Netflix on Friday, April 29, the pair admitted that they never saw themselves having such success at this age, with the comedian confessing, “I was ready to go on the road again!” It was her stand-up routine that brought them together, as Fonda watched her perform while she was first putting together 9 to 5. “I fell in love. I mean, I was blown away,” she insisted. “And when I left the theater that night I said to myself, ‘I’m not making a movie about secretaries unless Lily Tomlin is in it.'” MEGA The women have been tight gals pals ever since, so when they were offered to star in Grace & Frankie together, it was a no-brainer. “I just knew we would do it because it was about something that was important to us, aging women, and them not being marginalized and being treated like human beings and how they would want to be treated and thought of,” Tomlin explained to PEOPLE. “And so it just felt so natural. I didn’t even expect, she didn’t expect it either. We didn’t expect to be on a hit series at this point in our lives.” View the full article

Published by AFP Residents gather in a basement used as a shelter after hearing nearby shelling attack in the frontline town of Hulyaipole, southeast of Zaporizhzhia Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Russia on Monday warned the Ukraine conflict risked escalating into a third world war and accused Kyiv of playing at peace talks a day after visiting US officials said Ukrainian forces could beat back Moscow’s invasion. The conflict has triggered an outburst of support from Western nations that has seen weapons pour into Ukraine to help them wage war against Russian troops. Speaking to Russian news agencies, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised Kyiv’s approach to floundering peace talks, saying the risk of a World War III “is serious”. “It is real, you can’t underestimate it.” While he said talks with Kyiv would continue, Lavrov accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of “pretending” to negotiate, adding: “You’ll find a thousand contradictions.” For months, Zelensky has been asking Ukraine’s western allies for heavy weapons — including artillery and fighter jets — vowing his forces could turn the tide of the war with more firepower. The calls appear to be resonating now, with a host of NATO countries pledging to provide a range of heavy weapons and equipment, despite protests from Moscow. “The first step in winning is believing that you can win,” Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin told a group of journalists after he and Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Zelensky in Kyiv. “We believe that we can win — they can win — if they have the right equipment, the right support.” The highly sensitive US trip by two of President Joe Biden’s top cabinet members came as fighting continued across Ukraine, casting a long shadow over Easter celebrations in the largely Orthodox country. Zelensky hails resistance “Thanks to the courage, the wisdom of our defenders, thanks to the courage of all Ukrainians — our state is a true symbol of the struggle for freedom,” Zelensky said in his evening address vowing victory. Following a weekend full of fighting, at least five people were killed and another 18 injured on Monday after a Russia rocket attack targeted railway infrastructure in the central Ukraine region of Vinnytsia. On Monday, the governor of a Russian region bordering Ukraine accused Kyiv of bombing one of its villages, injuring two civilians and damaging several houses. “A village was targeted… It is already clear that there are injured civilians,” Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. Russia in recent weeks has accused Ukrainian forces of striking targets on Russian soil, including two villages in Belgorod and another in the region of Bryansk. The governor of the Kursk region near Ukraine also said Russian forces had shot down two Ukrainian drones in the early hours of the morning. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced Monday that Britain would send Ukraine armoured vehicles able to fire missiles against Russian warplanes. “These Stormer vehicles will give Ukraine forces enhanced short-range anti-air capabilities both day and night,” he said. The United States has been a leading donor of finance and weaponry to Ukraine, and a key sponsor of sanctions targeting Russia. But it had not previously sent top officials to Kyiv. Several European leaders have already travelled there to underscore their support. “Many countries are going to come forward and provide additional munitions and howitzers. So we’re going to push as hard as we can, as quickly as we can, to get them what they need,” Austin said. Blinken and Austin also said US diplomats would begin a gradual return to Ukraine this week and announced $700 million (653 million euros) in additional military aid. Supply lines hit Forty German diplomats will meanwhile be heading home from Russia after Moscow announced their expulsion, following Berlin’s decision to kick out 40 Russian diplomats earlier this month. From The Hague, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor is to join an EU investigations team to probe “alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine”, officials said. Russia’s air force targeted 82 Ukrainian military sites, including four command posts and two fuel depots, and the army fired high-precision missiles at 27 targets in their latest attacks, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday. The Ukrainian defence ministry said Russia was continuing to hit infrastructure and supply lines bringing military assistance from Ukraine’s partners. Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv remains partially surrounded and Moscow’s forces are regrouping in the south, but a Russian attempt to break through towards Zaporizhzhia in the east failed, the ministry added. Russia on Monday accused Kyiv of preventing civilians trapped with Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks from leaving the besieged industrial centre despite a ceasefire announcement. The defence ministry had said it would allow a civilian evacuation from Mariupol’s sprawling steel plant, which has been sheltering the remaining Ukrainian resistance in the southeastern port city. But the Russian army on Monday evening said no one used the proposed humanitarian corridor. A video posted by the far-right Azov Regiment, whose fighters are based in Azovstal, showed war-weary women and children sheltering in the plant’s underground bunkers, pleading for relief. “There are 600 people here. No water, no food. What are we going to do here? How long will we stay here?” asked one woman. “We haven’t been out for two months now. I don’t even know what the weather is like there. It feels like it’s still February 28,” said another woman. Mariupol, which the Kremlin claims to have “liberated”, is pivotal to Russia’s war plans to forge a land bridge to Russian-occupied Crimea — and possibly beyond, as far as Moldova. burs-ds/bgs/sw View the full article