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Published by Reuters By Michela Moscufo (Reuters) – Columbia University will add historical markers to four residence halls to acknowledge legacies of slavery and racism and to commemorate African American students, a university professor said on Tuesday. The markers, part of a university-wide project initiated by President Lee Bollinger after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, include signs at residence halls John Jay Hall and 50 Haven Avenue, formerly Bard Hall, noting that slave owners John Jay and Samuel Bard had close ties to the university. A marker at Furnald Hall will tell the story of a morning in 1924 when men in Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods burned a seven-foot-tall wooden cross near the dormitory. Furnald was home at the time to law student Frederick W. Wells, the first Black student to live on-campus at Columbia during the academic year. While the cross burned, students ran outside his door shouting racist insults. The high percentage of students of color, among them poet Langston Hughes, who lived at Hartley Hall in the early 20th century will be commemorated with a plaque there, according to Columbia Professor Thai Jones, who taught a “Columbia & Slavery” course and has led the effort to erect the markers. Columbia will join Harvard Law School, Rutgers University, the University of Mississippi and the University of South Carolina in erecting plaques in recent years acknowledging the institutions’ relationship to slavery. Columbia’s markers will be installed in the fall initially as digital monitors and could become permanent plaques, according to Jones. (Reporting by Michela Moscufo; Editing by Donna Bryson and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ezra Miller has been arrested after allegedly throwing a chair at a woman. The ‘Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore’ actor was apprehended by police in Hawaii at around 1.30am on Tuesday (19.04.22) morning for second-degree assault after being found during a traffic stop, 20 minutes after cops had responded to reports of an alleged incident at a get-together at a private residence in the Leilani Estates subdivision in lower Puna. The Hawaii Police Department issued a news release which read: “During the course of their investigation, police determined that the individual, later identified as Ezra Miller, became irate after being asked to leave and reportedly threw a chair, striking a 26-year-old female on the forehead, resulting in an approximate half-inch cut.” The woman refused treatment for her injury, while Ezra was released after 4am pending further investigation. The ‘Flash’ star’s arrest came three weeks after they were charged with disorderly conduct and harassment following an incident at a karaoke bar. At the time,police said: “Miller began yelling obscenities and at one point grabbed the microphone from a 23-year-old woman singing karaoke and later lunged at a 32-year-old man playing darts. The bar owner asked Miller to calm down several times to no avail.” On the same evening, the ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’ actor was accused of “threatening to bury” a couple he’d been staying with. The unnamed couple also accused the star of stealing their belongings and filed for a restraining order against Ezra, but later dropped their application to order the actor to stay away. In addition, Ezra is also involved in a separate case relating to an alleged traffic violation in Hilo until April 26, where the actor was said to be being “uncooperative and refused to leave the area and continued to obstruct the sidewalk.” View the full article

Published by AFP Marijuana is seen at the Sneaker Headz cannabis store April 15, 2022, in Washington, DC. Los Angeles (AFP) – Tens of thousands of Americans will gather in parks and city plazas under a fog of marijuana smoke on Wednesday to celebrate a drug that remains illegal in much of the country. April 20th has become synonymous with pot, a day when THC-infused clouds drift, people play bongos, and everyone feels a bit of love for each other. But why did 4/20 become so important? What is 4/20? Basically a day that celebrates all things Mary Jane. In more than a dozen US states where weed is legal, big rallies will take place in public spaces, with participants lighting up everything from regular spliffs to bongs to joints the size of a baby’s arm. If you can imagine it, there’s someone smoking it. Outside of the big gatherings, smaller groups of people will get together to indulge in a collective toke. Aficionados insist these more intimate smoke-ins are more in keeping with the origins of 4/20, which began as something off-the-grid but has grown into full-size festivals, complete with sponsors and the option of purchasing VIP tickets. Why April 20th? In the US system of dates, April 20 is 4/20, and the day-long celebration of reefer seems to have metamorphosed from the number. There are a few competing theories where the number came from, and none of them is commonly accepted. One holds that 420 is the number of chemicals in marijuana, though this seems to be an undershoot (it’s closer to 500, according to Vox), or an overshoot (“scientists have successfully isolated 113 discrete cannabinoids,” weed bible High Times reported.) Another theory has it that 420 is the California penal code for possession of the drug (it’s not; Penal Code 420 explains that it’s a misdemeanor to prevent access to public lands in the state, according to findlaw.com, a website for legal professionals). Many suggestions involve well-known pot heads The Grateful Dead in some way, and include the claim that 420 was the favored hotel room number on their psychedelic tours. Was it implausible for all six musicians (plus hangers-on) to be in the same room? Yes, and a band spokesman is widely quoted as saying it’s not true. Nor is 4/20 the date that Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, or Janis Joplin died. While they all passed at age 27, their deaths were in July, September and October, respectively. One of the more satisfying theories about 4/20 is that 4:20pm was the time that a group of stoners in 1970s California would gather to get high. The Waldos describe themselves as “a group of five wisecracking friends…who originated the term ‘420’ in 1971 at San Rafael High School.” Their website offers what they say is proof of the term being used as code for these gatherings and the act of smoking, in the form of letters exchanged after they left school. Whatever the truth, the term has entered the lexicon — the Oxford English Dictionary acknowledges that it is “North American slang” for marijuana, while the Encyclopaedia Britannica, no less, notes the expression is “in current use” (and also gives us “hippie lettuce” as an alternative term for the drug). View the full article

Published by AFP An activist smokes out of a glass pipe during the annual New York City Cannabis Parade and Rally in May 2021 Los Angeles (AFP) – As pot smokers prepare to light up for “4/20” — the annual counter-cultural celebration of cannabis held on April 20 — the United States’ legalization experiment blazes ahead. Here are five things to know about marijuana in America: Where is it legal? – Eighteen of the 50 US states, plus the capital Washington, have so far legalized recreational weed use for adults. Most states allow at least some medical use — ranging from oils with low levels of the active ingredient THC to near-legalization. Just a few conservative states such as Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska have held off. Oddly, marijuana remains illegal under federal law — in fact, it is technically a “schedule one” controlled substance, on par with heroin. So in theory, a cannabis user is still breaking the nation’s laws. But in practice, federal prosecutors do not pursue people or businesses that are complying with their state’s marijuana laws, nor have they challenged those laws in court. Where could be next? – While New Jersey has already legalized recreational weed, legal sales will only begin this Thursday. Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Louisiana and Oklahoma are the states considered most likely to allow cannabis use next. But that could soon be moot, if efforts to decriminalize marijuana nationwide work out. A Democrat-led bill to eliminate punishments for possessing or selling the drug was approved by House lawmakers this month. It faces a sterner test in the Senate, where the Democratic majority is as thin as a rolling paper. It would also need President Joe Biden’s signature. How much is legal weed worth? Legal weed is already big business — worth around $25 billion in the United States last year — and is only expected to grow faster. Efforts are under way to clear financial red tape for legal cannabis operators, who often struggle to secure basic services such bank accounts, loans and even credit card machines at checkouts due to the sector’s “grey zone” legal status. States reported $3.7 billion in cannabis tax revenue from sales last year. And the recent House bill projected that annual legal sales will pass $40 billion by 2025. What about the illegal industry? As big as the legal sector has grown, it is still dwarfed by illegal marijuana sales. Illicit cannabis was estimated to be worth $65 billion in 2020 across the nation. This is not just confined to states where weed remains illegal. Even in California, the first US state to approve medical marijuana use back in 1996, as much as 80 percent of cannabis sales remains outside the law. These range from loyal customers sticking with their original dealers — either from preference for the product, or lower prices thanks to the lack of taxes — to counterfeit operations that consumers may assume are legitimate. Who supports it? Overall, the US public is strongly behind legalization. A Pew Research poll found last year that 91 percent of adults think marijuana should be legal, either medically, recreationally or both. Roughly half of US adults last year told Gallup they had tried cannabis, up from one-third in 1999. Legal cannabis companies have drawn celebrity funding or endorsements, from musicians Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa to actor Seth Rogen and former boxing champ Mike Tyson. Billionaire Elon Musk is also a fan, controversially lighting up a joint during a “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast livestream, and tweeting his outrage about prisoners who are still behind bars for the historical offence of selling weed. View the full article

Published by AFP 'Business is great!' declares Forest 'Ty' Hayward, 41, the proud co-owner of Sneaker Headz — one of several 'gifting shops' that have sprung up in a city now known for the everpresent fragrance of the flower Washington (AFP) – Buy a T-shirt, get a “gift” of weed: that’s how some stores operate in Washington, exploiting a perceived loophole to sidestep a ban on selling cannabis in the US capital. The situation is but one example of the hazy legality surrounding marijuana in America, despite a trend in recent years towards normalization. “Business is great!” declares Forest “Ty” Hayward, 41, the proud co-owner of Sneaker Headz — one of several “gifting shops” that have sprung up in a city now known for the everpresent fragrance of the flower. Many are African-American owned, and are seeing a lively trade ahead of national marijuana day on April 20. Hayward sees his work as “a turning point for the Black community,” which historically suffered a disproportionate rate of cannabis convictions. Since 2014, Washington residents have been allowed to possess paraphernalia and two ounces of weed, gift some to others, use it on private property, and grow up to six plants. But Congress — which approves the city’s budget — has barred legal sales. Instead stores sell items like T-shirts and stickers, starting at around $30, with which customers also receive “presents” in the form of weed buds or gummies. Cannabis was first outlawed at the federal level in 1937, “largely along racial reasoning, as well as to keep out immigrant workers or find ways to criminalize them,” Morgan Fox, political director of advocacy group NORML, told AFP. The 1970s brought the “War on Drugs,” which likewise disproportionately hit minorities — before the medical marijuana movement took root in the 1990s, and in 2012 the first states made recreational cannabis legal for adults. Today, 18 of the 50 US states plus Washington have legalized recreational weed use, while 37 have medical cannabis laws on the books. But since the drug remains a controlled substance at the national level, everyone involved is still technically breaking the law of the land. The ban makes it difficult to access banking services, stops federal funding for medical marijuana research, prevents interstate commerce, and federal regulation on best practices and protocols for marijuana. What’s more, a future presidential administration unsympathetic to legalization could go after businesses and consumers even in states where the plant is legal. Former president Donald Trump’s attorney general Jeff Sessions wanted to do this, but federal prosecutors ultimately decided it was a waste of their time. Legal trouble Still, sticky situations can arise. After Canada fully legalized cannabis in 2018, US Customs and Border Patrol officers began issuing lifetime entry bans to Canadians who answered “yes” when asked at checkpoints if they had ever consumed the drug. The same agency this month issued a warning to residents in New Mexico that it would continue to prosecute offenders caught with the substance at highway checkpoints, even after the state had legalized it. Native American nations also encounter raids with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, despite the fact they live on nominally self-governing territories. And in Washington, those caught smoking on federal grounds — including iconic monuments like the Lincoln Memorial — may have a run in with federal agents. That’s why it’s vital to pass legislation at the national level, said Fox. The House of Representatives has passed some bills, including as recently as this month, but it has yet to be brought before the Senate, where Republican opposition would likely nix it. Fox believes framing the issue in terms of states’ rights, personal freedoms, and increased tax revenue is the best way to win over Republicans, and younger conservatives who will eventually replace their elders are more cannabis friendly. For now, the community is celebrating the progress they have won. “I want to have a whole shebang, just remind everybody we’re still here to give back to the community, get high and have a wonderful life,” says Sneaker Headz’ co-owner Kashous Solomon, 22. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Bryan Cranston is set to be godfather to Aaron Paul’s newborn son. The ‘Breaking Bad’ star shared photographs of his little boy, who is named Rydin, during his appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ on Tuesday (19.04.22), where he revealed his co-star and good friend has accepted his offer to take on the special role in his son’s life. Aaron told the host: “Yes, a new baby boy. Yeah, his name is Rydin, and I love him.” Fallon asked: “I know Bryan Cranston is a good friend of yours. Has he seen the baby yet?” To which Aaron replied: “He has. He has met the baby. “Ya know, I asked Bryan on his birthday if he would be our baby’s godfather.” Fallon reacted: “I’m assuming…” Aaron then quipped: “He said no.” Before he continued: “No, he’s very excited, very honoured. I love the man to death. He’s one of my best friends in the world, and, so yeah, it was just a no brainer.” Aaron’s spouse Lauren Paul – with whom he also has four-year-old daughter Story – announced they were set to welcome their second child in December. The 42-year-old actor previously admitted he couldn’t wait to have more kids, after fatherhood had changed his life. He said: “It’s easily the best chapter of my life. I think if I maybe was single, didn’t have a job and was struggling and I turned 40, it would be a lot harder, but I feel I’m in a good place. I can’t wait to have another baby, and I’m so excited to see what 40 has to offer. I’m just excited to be around, to be alive. I’m just happy to be here. Life is good. “Fatherhood has definitely changed me. Having a child is the closest thing to magic that anyone can have. I see why people rush home to be there when they get home from school. You don’t want to miss any of it.” The ‘Westworld’ actor gushed over his wife Lauren, too, saying his spouse – who he married in 2013 – is a “beacon of kindness”. He said: “[Lauren] completely changed my life, saved my life. She’s such a beacon of kindness and hope and love.” Aaron has also admitted that being a father is “a dream come true”. He said: “The fact that I have just a beautiful, healthy, happy daughter that runs and screams at me and throws her arms around me and calls me, ‘Daddy,’ is such a dream come true.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Olly Alexander is smitten with his mystery man. The Years and Years star previously revealed he has a “paramour” and though he wouldn’t name his partner, he revealed he had known him for years before they got together romantically. The ‘It’s A Sin’ actor – who was previously in a relationship with former Clean Bandit star Neil Milan – gushed that he’s never felt love like this before. He said: “I’m in love. I feel like this is a new feeling for me as well, even though I’m with someone who, we were together quite a long time ago, but now we’re kind of in a sequel. “This one has turned out to be really, really good. It’s also a bit of a pandemic rekindle.” The 31-year-old singer-and-actor loves having someone to “lean on” after years of being single. Speaking on ‘Charli XCX’s Best Song Ever’ podcast, he spilled: “I haven’t been in one place for so long, so just having this experience with someone I really love and being able to lean on someone has been amazing. “I was single for quite a while.” Olly feeling secure with his partner comes after he admitted he finds it harder to “trust” people because it’s difficult for him to have any sort of anonymity – while he also struggled to form intimate relationships. Discussing the inspiration behind the songs on his most recent album, ‘Night Call’, he said: “I was lacking a lot of things in my life like fun and connections with strangers, sex, intimacy in general. “[The songs talk about how] a hook-up could be the most transcendent, beautiful experience. I felt like it was just something that I couldn’t experience any more in my life for different reasons. Trusting people became harder . . . there are definitely places in the world where I’m anonymous, but it can feel like that’s sort of taken away from you. “It was almost getting into character and saying things that I would never have said in real life. Just pushing this more confident part of my personality.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Pamela Anderson says starring in ‘Chicago’ on Broadway is a “pretty hard” workout. The former ‘Baywatch’ actress – who is mother to model Dylan, 24, and Brandon, 25, with ex-husband Tommy Lee – is now starring as Roxie Hart in the classic musical, and she’s revealed how she keeps in shape for the energetic dance routines. Asked what her fitness regime is, the 54-year-old star replied: “I get regular massage, body work. I love Pilates. I’m working out pretty hard on Broadway right now. My walks in the park and some stretching is enough for me to keep up my stamina.” When she is in need of some self-care, the former Playboy bunny heads to her favourite facialist in the Big Apple. She told E! Online: “While we push our limits out of our comfort zone, self-care is important. I’m lucky. I go to Klara Beauty Lab anytime I’m in New York. She’s the best. She takes great care of me. Her facials are custom- always different- nurturing, rejuvenating, cleansing.” The blonde bombshell also opened up about her mantras on life and is a firm believer beauty comes from “within”. She said: “I believe all beauty comes from within. Happiness is the best beauty trick. Being brave is sexy. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Fighting for freedom starts with one’s own freedom. It is a condition when fighting for others freedom. It is a political statement to be happy, to be alive. Life is a privilege not to be taken lightly.” Pamela’s son Dylan recently congratulated his mother on her stellar opening night. He wrote: “Mother killed it.” And the ex-glamour model’s oldest son Brandon shared a snap of his world-famous mother as she posed for photos with fans at the stage door and signed autographs. Pamela previously spoke about how her role in ‘Chicago’ – which tells the story of two women who end up in jail accused of murder and become tabloid sensations – could be the beginning of a “new career” in theatre as she thanked her sons for their support. She said: “This is the beginning of the rest of my career — maybe. It is a real big deal but I’m leaning on my support system and my kids.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn is in hot water with his own constituents after it was revealed the young politician spent upwards of $5,000 in what he claims was “legislative planning food and beverage” while at a luxurious North Carolina hotel over the summer. In a surprising development that has left North Carolina citizens outraged, the 26-year-old representative reportedly spent $2,950 on August 9 while residing at Skylaranna – an opulent getaway resort in Cawthorn’s hometown of Hendersonville. Mega That is the bombshell revelation from a recent Washington Examiner report that obtained the North Carolina representative’s expense reports and analyzed the amount of money spent using funds from Cawthorn’s Members’ Representational Allowance, an allowance authorized to Cawthorn for what should only be used for official and representational duties. Making the Examiner’s report even more stirring is the fact that Cawthorn billed taxpayers in his district upwards of $2,000 that very same week for “food and beverages” from establishments like Chick-fil-A, Bojangles chicken, Joey’s NY Bagels, as well as a number of non-detailed payments to the politician’s government credit card. The grand total for the “legislative planning food and beverage” expenses added up to just under $5,000, causing many of citizens Cawthorn represents to question what exactly was going on that week in August and if the expenses were professional – as Cawthorn claims – or actually personal and picked up by the taxpayers. Furthermore, in just another shocking development to the story, while Cawthorn was spending thousands of dollars in taxpayer money he also took the time to write a tweet complaining about the Democrats and how they “love wasting” our “hard-earned tax dollars.” Mega “Democratic politicians certainly love wasting your hard-earned tax dollars while forcing your businesses to shut down,” he tweeted while reportedly relaxing at the luxurious North Carolina resort. Following the backlash for the recently analyzed expense report from early August, a spokesperson speaking on behalf of Cawthorn released a statement reiterating the claim that the expenses were used for a “district retreat.” “Our district retreat occurred on those dates; those expenses were for the district and D.C. staff on the retreat,” Cawthorn’s spokesperson, Luke Ball, told the outlet. “Nearly every office on Capitol Hill has a district retreat and a budget specifically designated for one.” This is just the latest controversy surrounding Cawthorn who, just weeks ago, was forced to backtrack on claims he made suggesting that he was once invited to an orgy at a fellow congressman’s home. Mega “The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington…being kind of a young guy in Washington where the average age is probably 60 or 70, I look at all these people – a lot of them who I’ve looked up to throughout my life…then all of a sudden you get invited to like, ‘well hey we’re going to have kind of a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come,’ like, what did you just ask me to come to?” Cawthorn claimed last month. “And then you realize they’re asking you to come to an orgy,” he added, before admitting he had exaggerated his claims after mounting backlash from House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and other members of Congress. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kaley Cuoco reveals Sharon Stone “b**** slapped” her three times during ‘The Flight Attendant’ filming. The 36-year-old actress has recalled working with the 64-year-old star on her series, and Sharon – who plays her mother on the show – improvised a slap during an intense scene. Appearing on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’, Kaley said: “Before we started the scene, she sat me down and said, Hey how do you feel about me touching you in this scene?’ “I said, ‘Whatever you want to do, you are Sharon Stone.’ “ The ‘Big Bang Theory’ actress explained that they did the scene, and Sharon said her line as planned before grabbing her co-star’s face. She added: “Then she whacks me… It was real. First of all, the reaction was about as real as you could get. “I had snot coming out and I’m crying, and literally shaking and ‘Cut’. No one moves. No one makes a sound. “No one knows if Kaley is happy, did she tell Sharon to slap her?” Sharon apologised and told the actress she loved her, insisting the slap “just felt right for the scene”. Kaley quipped: “I just got b**** slapped.” Producers then came over and suggested telling Sharon they got everything in the first take, but Kaley suggested they just went again. She explained: “I said ‘Listen, I’m going to bet that woman is not slapping me again’. Do not tell Sharon Stone not to slap me. She is not going to do it again. “We do another take. I’m crying. She comes up to me and she wails on me again and they get another incredibly real reaction because I just got slapped a second time. “She comes back and she’s like ‘I’m sorry it just felt right for the take.’ “ Her team joined her outside while she was holding her face and suggested saying something, but Kaley was adamant Sharon wouldn’t slap her “a third time”, joking that “there’s no way”. She found herself pulling back during the third take, and added: “‘Just get in there Kaley, she is not going to slap you again’. Get in there, she slaps me again. Three times I got slapped… “Now I need to ice. It was insane but one of the best stories I have ever had.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The Biden administration will no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation, after a federal judge in Florida ruled that the directive was unlawful, overturning a key White House effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Airlines welcomed the move on Monday by saying they would no longer require masks: ALASKA AIRLINES “Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years — you couldn’t fly without one. But, as of today, masks are optional in airports and onboard aircraft, effective immediately.” “While we are glad this means many of us get to see your smiling faces, we understand some might have mixed feelings. Please remember to be kind to one another and that wearing a mask while traveling is still an option.” AMERICAN AIRLINES “Face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights. “Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements.” DELTA AIR LINES “Effective immediately, masks are optional for all airport employees, crew members and customers inside U.S. airports and onboard aircraft.” “We are relieved to see the U.S. mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as COVID-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus. Thank you for your support in complying with the federal mask mandate and keeping each other, and our customers, safe during the pandemic.” UNITED AIRLINES “Effective immediately, masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country’s mask requirements) or at U.S. airports. “While this means that our employees are no longer required to wear a mask – and no longer have to enforce a mask requirement for most of the flying public – they will be able to wear masks if they choose to do so, as the CDC continues to strongly recommend wearing a mask on public transit.” JETBLUE “Mask wearing will now be optional on JetBlue. While no longer required, customers and crewmembers are welcome to continue wearing masks in our terminals and on board our aircraft.” SOUTHWEST AIRLINES “Southwest employees and customers will be able to choose whether they would like to wear a mask, and we encourage individuals to make the best decision to support their personal wellbeing.” ALLEGIANT TRAVEL CO “Allegiant will no longer enforce the federal mask mandate. Should the guidance change, we will adjust our policy accordingly. Passengers and employees still have the option to wear masks in airports and on aircraft if they so choose.” HAWAIIAN HOLDINGS INC “Effective immediately, face masks are optional for our guests and employees onboard Hawaiian Airlines flights.” SPIRIT AIRLINES “Face coverings are now optional for Spirit Team Members & Guests onboard our flights following the federal court ruling and TSA guidance.” [https://bit.ly/3xDZAXp] FRONTIER GROUP HOLDINGS INC “Masks are now optional on domestic flights, however, certain airports or countries may still require masks,” [https://bit.ly/3OmQF2D] AIRLINES FOR AMERICA (INDUSTRY TRADE GROUP) “The high level of immunity and widespread vaccine accessibility in the U.S. coupled with the hospital-grade cabin air on aircraft provide a strong, science-based foundation for passengers to travel with confidence as restrictions are lifted on our nation’s airlines.” “We look forward to welcoming millions of travelers back to the skies this summer to reunite with loved ones, attend conferences or to take a vacation.” (Compiled by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago, David Shepardson and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles, Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Edited by Heather Timmons, Stephen Coates, Bernard Orr and Anil D’Silva) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Russia launched its long-awaited all-out assault on east Ukraine, unleashing thousands of troops in what Ukraine described as the Battle of the Donbas, a campaign to seize two provinces and salvage a battlefield victory. FIGHTING * Ukraine’s defence ministry said the aim of Russia’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine was to seize all of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, establish a land link between those territories and Crimea, and destroy Ukraine’s armed forces. * An aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine will fail because Moscow’s forces lack the strength to break through Ukrainian defences. * A senior U.S. official said the latest offensive was the prelude to a much larger assault. * Russia’s defence ministry said it had opened a corridor for Ukrainian forces who wanted to lay down their arms and safely leave the Azovstal steel works in the besieged city of Mariupol. * Russian forces seized Kreminna, a city of over 18,000 people in eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces withdrew, the regional governor said. * Russia handed over 60 soldiers and 16 civilians to Ukraine in the fifth such exchange of prisoners of war, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said. * At least three people were killed and 16 wounded in Russian shelling of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, the regional governor said. DIPLOMACY * U.S. President Joe Biden held a nearly-90-minute video call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the leaders of France, Germany, Britain, Poland, Japan and Italy. * “There was broad consensus on the need to step up pressure on the Kremlin, including by adopting further sanctions, and to increase Moscow’s international isolation,” the Italian government said. * German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the allies were cooperating to provide more financial and military support to Ukraine, including long-range artillery and anti-tank and air defence weapons. * Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters it was hard to say when the next direct peace talks would be possible as Russia was now “seriously betting” on its offensive in eastern Ukraine. * U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a four-day humanitarian pause over the Orthodox Easter to allow civilians to leave areas of conflict and humanitarian aid to reach hard-hit areas. ECONOMY * Russia’s invasion has damaged or destroyed up to 30% of Ukraine’s infrastructure at a cost of $100 billion, a Ukrainian minister said, adding reconstruction could be achieved in two years using frozen Russian assets to help finance it. * World Bank President David Malpass will host a meeting on Thursday with Ukraine’s prime minister and finance minister to discuss further financial assistance. He said Ukraine’s debt burden had to be “reduced substantially” because of the pressures from Russia’s invasion. * Russia flagged a likely further cut in interest rates and more budget spending to help the economy adapt to biting Western sanctions as it heads for its deepest contraction since 1994. QUOTES “Of course there are morons who draw ‘Z’, but 10% of any country are morons. 90% of Russians are AGAINST this war! … Dear ‘collective West’ please give Mr Putin a clear exit to save his face and stop this massacre” – wealthy Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov “What has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cost? A crisis on top of a crisis, with devastating human costs and a massive setback for the global economy,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina told a food security panel. (Editing by Kevin Liffey) View the full article

Published by Miami Herald TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he has expanded the Legislature’s special session on redistricting this week to cut to the core of his latest political enemy and announced he wants lawmakers to repeal the law that allows the Walt Disney World Resort to operate as a self-governing body. “I am announcing today that we are expanding the call of what they are going to be considering this week,’’ DeSantis said at a news conference in The Villages. “Yes, they will be considering the congressional map, but they also will be considering termination of all special districts that… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA Going strong! Hugh Jackman‘s wife of 26 years, Deborra-Lee Furness, squashed longtime rumors that her husband is gay, even laughing off the speculation about his sexuality. “I mean, hello guys — if he was gay, he could be gay!” Furness, 66, said on the Not an Overnight Success podcast. LRNYC / MEGA The actress pointed out that Hugh could get whoever he wanted and would know “he didn’t have to hide in the closet anymore,” she continued. “And he’d be dating Brad Pitt, or whatever. Not that Brad’s gay, but you know what I’m saying!” “It’s so silly, and then people perpetuate silly things and it’s boring,” the Australia-born star added. The Wolverine actor, 53, has often celebrated his relationship with Deborra, calling it “destiny” for them to end up together after crossing paths nearly three decades ago. Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA “Every single day is filled with so much laughter, joy and backgammon!!!! Deb, you light up my life. I love you with all my heart!” he gushed alongside a photo of them cozying up at the beach together while ringing in their 26th wedding anniversary this April. Deborra and Hugh met on the set of the Australian TV series Correlli back in 1995 and quickly hit it off. They tied the knot in 1996 and went on to welcome two children together: Oscar, 21, and Ava, 16. The mom of two said it has been awkward to see each other in sex scenes over the years, but they both know how to keep it strictly business. RCF / MEGA “It’s so weird — I suppose because I’ve done it so many times before, it’s not really romantic,” she said of herself, revealing it’s not as steamy as one may think. “You’ve got the light in your face, you’ve got to hit a mark and so, it’s not really sexy.” The same goes for Hugh when his character is getting handsy on the big screen. “When I’m sitting in the theater watching — especially if I’m with the kids — I feel a little uncomfortable,” she admitted. “Also, a lot of the time, I’m very good friends with the actress he’s making out with as we’re making a film, we all get to know each other.” View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden’s administration plans to rescind a rule devised under his predecessor Donald Trump that was intended to make it easier for healthcare providers including doctors and nurses to avoid performing abortions or other medical services on religious or moral grounds, Politico reported on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2018 unveiled what it called the “conscience rule,” but it never took effect due to litigation. States including California and New York and abortion providers filed suit to challenge it, leading a federal court to block the measure in 2019. The rule enabled the federal government to punish hospitals, clinics, universities and other healthcare providers that stopped healthcare workers from doing what their “conscience” dictated and refusing to carry out certain procedures. Trump’s HHS said the rule fulfilled his “promise to promote and protect the fundamental and unalienable rights of conscience and religious liberty.” Religious conservatives were a key constituency for Trump. Politico, quoting sources familiar with the matter, reported that HHS could act to rescind the rule as soon as the end of this month. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Some states and municipalities argued that the rule could undermine their ability to provide effective healthcare and upend their efforts to accommodate workers’ beliefs. Critics also have said the rule could deprive gay, transgender and other patients of needed healthcare because some providers, citing religious beliefs, might deem them less worthy of treatment. Biden, a Democrat, promised during his 2020 election campaign to reverse many of the measures restricting reproductive rights introduced or backed by Trump, a Republican. Republican-governed states have passed a series of laws in recent years restricting abortion rights. The U.S. Supreme Court is due to rule by the end of June in a case from Mississippi that gives its conservative majority a chance to overturn its landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion nationwide. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House announced on Tuesday that it has finalized regulations guiding environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects like highways and pipelines that would consider their climate impacts and other factors. The White House Council for Environmental Quality has now officially restored key provisions of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations that had been in place before the Trump administration overhauled the rules last year for the first time in decades. The change will require federal agencies to consider the “direct,” “indirect,” and “cumulative” impacts of proposed projects or actions, including a full evaluation of climate change impacts and assessment of the impact of releasing additional pollution in communities that are already choked by polluted air or dirty water. “Restoring these basic community safeguards will provide regulatory certainty, reduce conflict, and help ensure that projects get built right the first time,” said CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory. In addition to requiring an analysis of climate impacts, the final rule empowers federal agencies to consider alternative designs or approaches for a company’s proposed projects and allows agencies to adopt reviews that are more stringent than CEQ’s regulations. The council also announced on Tuesday that it plans to propose a “phase 2” NEPA rulemaking in the coming months that will improve the efficiency of the review processes. Former President Donald Trump in 2020 revamped NEPA in an effort to fast-track major projects like the now-cancelled Keystone XL oil pipeline that he said got caught up in red tape and interfered with his focus on U.S. “energy dominance.” His NEPA overhaul allowed federal agencies to exclude the climate impact of a project, allowing major fossil fuel projects to sail through the approval process and avoid legal challenges. Over the last few years, however, federal courts had ruled that NEPA required the federal government to consider a project’s carbon footprint in decisions relating to leasing public lands for drilling or building pipelines. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Bernadette Baum) View the full article

Published by AFP In his new series, Fox News host Tucker Carlson (pictured March 2019) worries about 'the total collapse of testosterone levels in American men' Washington (AFP) – Tucker Carlson, star Fox News anchor and bow-tied darling of the American right, has become a laughingstock among Twitter users for his new series on masculinity, which according to him is under growing threat. In the trailer for “The End of Men,” Carlson worries about “the total collapse of testosterone levels in American men,” which he says is “a huge story that no one covers.” The short clip, set to the grandiose theme music from “2001: A Space Odyssey,” shows muscular young white men wrestling shirtless, milking a cow, preparing a barbecue, doing push-ups and drinking what appears to be raw eggs. Others chop wood or carry tractor tires, always bare-chested. In the midst of these images appears a naked man, arms outstretched, standing high on a rock at sunset in front of a small machine that is emitting an orange light on his crotch. The voiceover, meanwhile, talks about “men who are tough, men who are resourceful, men who are strong enough to survive.” The excerpt has triggered an avalanche of mockery on social networks, with many users commenting on what they call the “homoeroticism” of the footage, in stark contrast to the professed traditional family values widely propounded on Fox News. “You could literally just change the voiceover and make this an ad for Grindr,” the gay hook-up site, commented one Democratic activist. In another teaser clip, Carlson talks to a sports coach from Ohio who is the promoter of “red light therapy,” a practice that, he says, includes “testicle tanning.” Without explicitly defending this practice, which has not been endorsed by medical professionals, Carlson insists on the need to “seek a solution” to the drop in testosterone levels. View the full article