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Published by AFP A Ukrainian soldier stands on the wreckage of a burnt Russian tank outside of the village of Mala Rogan, east of Kharkiv, on April 1, 2022 Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukraine refused Friday to deny it had carried out an airstrike on Russian soil, as hopes of de-escalation faded in President Vladimir Putin’s war and evacuation operations for besieged Mariupol failed. Peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials resumed via video, but the Kremlin warned the helicopter attack on a fuel depot in the town of Belgorod would hamper negotiations. Kyiv would not be drawn on whether it was behind the attack, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba saying he did “not possess all the military information”. With the prospect of war expanding across Ukraine’s borders, little progress was reported in one of the country’s most pressing humanitarian disasters, in the shattered southern city of Mariupol. The international Red Cross said a team heading to the city was forced to turn back Friday after “arrangements and conditions made it impossible to proceed”. It was the latest among several collapsed missions to establish safe corridors for civilians to escape ferocious Russian shelling in Mariupol, although the Red Cross said its team will try again Saturday. After five weeks of a military campaign that has reduced parts of Ukraine to rubble, Moscow said this week it would scale back attacks on the capital Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv. Russia regrouping? But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was consolidating and preparing “powerful strikes” in the east and south, joining a chorus of Western assessments that Moscow troops were regrouping, not withdrawing. Zelensky on Friday played host to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Kyiv, hailing her “heroism” for visiting the war zone. “We are glad that you are on the side of the light and the good,” Zelensky told Metsola. “Courage, strength, resolve,” Metsola said on Twitter, posting a photograph of her and Zelensky shaking hands. The airstrike in Russia hit energy giant Rosneft’s fuel storage facility in the western town of Belgorod, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border with Ukraine. Oleksiy Arestovych, an aide to Ukraine’s president, said in a Twitter video that “for what’s happening on Russia’s territory, the responsibility lies with Russia, and it’s up to them to deal with.” But the consequence on peace negotiations was swiftly made clear by Moscow. “This is not something that can be perceived as creating comfortable conditions for the continuation of negotiations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Russia launched its invasion on February 24, expecting to quickly take Kyiv and topple Zelensky’s government. A ferocious Ukrainian fightback and Russia’s logistics and tactical problems scuppered such plans, with Russia also battling unprecedented Western sanctions that have led multinationals to quit the country en masse. US officials Friday gave a grim assessment of Russia’s economy, warning it will tumble into a “deep” recession and shrink by 10 percent. On the ground, Ukraine’s troops were beginning to reassert control including around capital Kyiv and in the southern region of Kherson — the only significant city that Russia had managed to occupy. ‘Common grave’ Russian troops “are continuing their partial retreat” from the north of Kyiv towards the Belarusian border, said Ukraine’s defence ministry. Civilians have trickled out of devastated areas as Ukrainian forces liberated areas around Kyiv and Chernigiv. Three-year-old Karolina Tkachenko and her family had walked an hour through a field strewn with burnt-out Russian armoured vehicles to flee their village outside Kyiv. “The shops are closed, there’s no delivery of supplies. The bridge is also blown up, we can’t go for groceries through there,” said Karolina’s mother Karina Tkachenko. “I hope all this will end soon, and I will go back to my work,” she told AFP. In Mariupol, Viktoria Dubovytskaya, who had sheltered in the theatre where 300 people are feared to have been killed in Russian bombardments, said she only grasped the extent of the destruction as she fled. Bodies lay in the rubble, and small wooden crosses were planted in the ground, she told AFP. “When people find their loved ones, they just bury them wherever they can. Sometimes where roses used to bloom,” she said. “The city is now a common grave.” An estimated 160,000 people are still desperately trapped in Mariupol with little water, food and electricity. Radiation risks The UN’s cultural agency said Friday it has confirmed at least 53 Ukrainian historical sites, religious buildings and museums have sustained damage during the invasion. Ukraine also warned that Russian forces who left Chernobyl nuclear plant — site of the world’s worst nuclear accident, in 1986 — after weeks of occupation may have been exposed to radiation. “Russia behaved irresponsibly in Chernobyl” by digging trenches in contaminated areas and keeping plant personnel from performing their duties, said Foreign Minister Kuleba. With his economy crippled by unprecedented international sanctions, Putin has sought to leverage Russia’s status as an energy power. Warning that EU members will need to set up ruble accounts from Friday to pay for his country’s gas, he said existing contracts would be halted if the payments were not made. burs-hmn/mlm/bgs View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Travis Gettys Abigail Disney said she was “delighted” by the right-wing attacks on the iconic entertainment company founded by her grandfather and his brother because the campaign might finally force businesses to confront their support for bigotry. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signaled support for ending the Walt Disney Company’s special status as an independent government around its Orlando-area theme park, and the granddaughter of co-founder Roy Disney took aim at the “radical ideologues” attacking the company for its opposition to anti-LGBTQ legislation in the state. “Like all radical ideo… Read More View the full article

Published by The San Diego Union-Tribune Harvey Mason Jr. had a singular when he became a dues-paying member of the Recording Academy, under whose auspices the Grammy Awards are presented. “I joined because I really wanted to win a Grammy, and I wanted to vote for myself!” the veteran songwriter and record producer said, laughing heartily. Over the course of his career, he has worked with everyone from Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and Beyoncé to Whitney Houston, John Legend and Justin Bieber. Although Mason has five Grammy nominations to his credit, he has yet to take home one of the coveted trophies — despite voting for himself…. Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Emeli Sande is in a relationship with a woman. The ‘Read All About It’ hitmaker has come out and revealed she is dating a female classical pianist. Speaking to Metro.co.uk, she said: “We met through music. And I definitely feel happier than ever. It feels great. “For me, true love and having love in your life makes everything fit into place.” The 35-year-old singer was previously married to marine biologist Adam Gouraguine between 2012 and 2014, while she had a brief romance with rapper Jonathan Kabamba, which ended in 2020. When asked if this means she is bisexual, Emeli replied: “I’m not sure what I identify as but I guess so. I just feel like I should fall in love with whoever I fall in love with.” Emeli previously admitted she would like to start a family at some stage, although she insisted she was waiting for the “right person” to come along. The ‘Next to Me’ hitmaker – who releases her new album, ‘Let’s Say For Instance’, next month – shared: “I’d like to have children – with the right person. I’m a bit shy, so we’ll see what happens. I’m definitely getting back out there. Let’s put it that way.” Meanwhile, Emeli “doubted” whether she should continue as a musician while battling anxiety and depression after she split from her ex-husband. She explained: “I doubted whether I wanted to continue being a musician. I questioned whether people wanted to hear me, because people were saying I was on TV too much. People said I was overexposed, and then I thought, ‘Maybe I don’t have a place in this music industry, and if people don’t want to hear it, what shall I do?’ I was going through my separation, and really trying to get my head around the industry and where I sat in it.” View the full article

Published by New York Daily News The U.S. Department of Justice is reminding all states that there are federal constitutional and statutory provisions in place to protect transgender youth against discrimination, including when they are seeking gender-affirming care. In a letter Thursday addressed to all U.S. state attorneys general, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, reinforced federal nondiscrimination obligations afforded to trans youth. “(The DOJ) is committed to ensuring that transgender youth, like all youth, are treated fairly and with dignity in accordance wi… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK LONDON (Reuters) -The UK government will ban conversion therapy for gay or bisexual people in England and Wales, but not for transgender people, ITV reported on Thursday. Hours earlier the government had confirmed an ITV report it would drop a plan to introduce legislation to ban LGBT conversion therapy and would instead review how existing law could be utilised more effectively to prevent it. That prompted an angry response from LGBT groups and some lawmakers. “The Prime Minister has changed his mind off the back of the reaction to our report and he WILL now ban conversion therapy after all,”… Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — LGBTQ advocacy groups are seeking to block what they call the “don’t say gay” law from taking effect, arguing in a federal lawsuit that it is discriminatory, vague and runs afoul of the free speech rights of students and teachers. Equality Florida and Family Florida filed the suit Thursday against Gov. Ron DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and the Florida State Board of Education in the Northern District of Florida. The groups assert the law violates the First Amendment and the equal protection and due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution. Their legal action… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Caitlyn Jenner has joined Fox News as a contributor. The 72-year-old reality star – who was born as Bruce Jenner and became known for winning Olympic gold in Decathlon during the 1976 games in Montreal before transitioning into a woman whilst starring on ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ – is “humbled” to become part of the news network and to be able to “speak directly” to Americans. In a tweet, she said: “I am humbled by this unique opportunity to speak directly to @FoxNews millions of viewers about a range of issues that are important to the American people.” The former Republican candidate – who ran as a replacement candidate for Gavin Newsom in the state of California but lost out with only 1% of the vote – is thought to be a “tremendous asset” for the news channel because of her “inspirational journey” and impact on the LGBTQ+ community. Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement: “Caitlyn’s story is an inspiration to us all. She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience. She will offer commentary and analysis across Fox News Channel programming and various Fox News Media platforms.” Caitlyn – who has daughters Kylie, 24, and Kendall, 26, from former marriage to Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, as well as Burt and Cassandra with first wife Chrystie Scott and Brandon and Brody with second spouse Linda Thompson – is set to make her first appearance on the broadcaster as a guest on Sean Hannity’s programme on Thursday (31.03.22). View the full article

Published by Reuters By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Americans will be allowed to choose an X for gender on their passport applications and select their sex on Social Security cards, the Biden administration said on Thursday in announcing measures to support transgender Americans against wave of state laws targeting them. The State Department in June said U.S. citizens could select their gender on applications without having to submit medical documentation. In October, it issued the first American passport with an “X” gender marker, designed to give nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming people an option other than male or female on their travel document. “Starting on April 11, U.S. citizens will be able to select an X as their gender marker on their U.S. passport application, and the option will become available for other forms of documentation next year,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. Americans will also be able to select and add their gender to U.S. Social Security cards without medical documentation, beginning in the fall, the Social Security Administration said. The cards currently do not include gender indicators. The changes were among several measures announced by the Biden administration to mark a “Transgender Day of Visibility,” a day after the Republican governors of Oklahoma and Arizona signed bills banning transgender athletes from girls’ sports in schools. They joined a growing list of states that have passed or enacted similar laws on a contentious election-year issue. Transgender rights have been pushed to the forefront of the culture wars playing out in parts of the United States in recent years, together with issues such as reproductive rights. “The administration once again condemns the proliferation of dangerous anti-transgender legislative attacks that have been introduced and passed in state legislatures around the country,” the White House said in a statement on initiatives it would take aimed at taking down barriers for transgender people. They include easing travel, providing resources for transgender children and their families, improving access to federal services and benefits and advancing inclusion and visibility in federal data. The Transportation Security Administration will implement gender-neutral screening at its checkpoints with changes in imaging technology, reducing the number of pat-down screenings, removing gender identification from checkpoint screenings and updating TSA PreCheck to include an “X” gender marker on its application. The Department of Health and Human Services released a new website https://www.hhs.gov/programs/topic-sites/lgbtqi/index.html that offers resources for transgender and LGBTQI+ youth, their parents, and providers. Other agencies will announce new actions to expand the collection and use of sexual orientation and gender identity data, the White House said. “Every American deserves the freedom to be themselves. But far too many transgender Americans still face systemic barriers, discrimination, and acts of violence,” the White House said. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by William Maclean and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA; Fox News/YouTube Don Lemon‘s accuser, Dustin Hice, has been ordered to pay the CNN anchor $77,000 in legal fees as their court battle continues. A federal judge made the ruling on Wednesday, Radar can confirm, less than two years after Hice filed a lawsuit in August 2019 alleging that the CNN star sexually assaulted him at a Hampton’s bar. The latest development in the case comes after Lemon asked the judge to sanction Hice, demanding a total of $106,490.38. Lemon claimed information discovered during discovery highlighted the extent to which Hice went to conceal witnesses and evidence. Fox News/YouTube Hice previously urged the court to “award instead a reasonable amount of attorneys’ fees comprised of documented time expended to draft and present the underlying spoliation motion.” U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Locke now cites more evidence that some of Hice’s claims could be invalid, mentioning two witnesses that Hice listed will now testify for the defense. According to Hice, the alleged incident took place at Murf’s Backstreet Tavern in Sag Harbor in July 2018. Upon spotting the journalist that day, Hice was with friends and apparently offered Lemon a drink, which the anchor denied. Later that evening, Hice claimed he was approached by Lemon, who allegedly rubbed his genitals, and put his fingers on Hice’s mustache while asking, “Do you like pu—- or d–-?” These claims have all been denied by Lemon. MEGA; Fox News/YouTube “Don categorically denies these claims,” a spokesperson for Lemon said on his behalf in 2019. “The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts,” the statement continued. “This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon.” Ron Adar / M10s / MEGA On the other hand, Hice has long stood by his claims. “Lemon will have to testify under oath in the near future, but it’s good to see that there’s finally some accountability happening,” he previously told Fox News Digital. Recently, a judge ordered the case will go to a jury trial despite Lemon’s objections and concerns that public scrutiny may sway the verdict, but he can use Hice’s actions as evidence against him. The case is headed to jury trial later this year. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Although Prince Andrew was recently seen for the first time with Queen Elizabeth since his sexual assault lawsuit settlement with accuser Virginia Giuffre, the Duke of York reportedly did not receive a warm welcome from the rest of the royal family. According to Daily Mail, the 62-year-old prince escorted the Queen to Prince Philip’s memorial on Tuesday, and despite only attending the Thanksgiving of Life service for a short duration, it was reportedly enough time to be “shunned” by the rest of the royals in attendance. Mega “Andrew did not get the same sort of welcome from the other royals,” body language expert Judi James explained to the outlet while comparing the Queen’s treatment towards her son to that of the rest of the family. “Only his mother threw him anything bordering on a ‘welcome back’ smile and, rather than throw him subtle tie-signs of support or encouragement, most of the royals seemed to attempt to act as though they hadn’t even seen him,” she continued. Mega “Taking his place next to Edward he cut an isolated but defiant-looking figure, but there were no glances or even nods of greeting and no discernible eye contact. The eye-avoidance looked deliberate, with most of the Firm staring pointedly ahead as though barely even aware of him.” Besides the Queen and Prince Andrew, there were reportedly 46 other senior royals at Prince Philip’s service Tuesday. The only two senior royals not in attendance were Prince Harry and his wife, Megan Markle. Despite Queen Elizabeth having three other children she could have chosen to escort her to Philip’s Thanksgiving of Life, some believe she specifically chose the Duke of York to show the United Kingdom and the world that in light of his recent sexual assault lawsuit and settlement, her relationship with Andrew is “non-negotiable.” “The message from the Queen about her Prodigal son Andrew looked unequivocal today,” Judi James continued, focusing specifically on the body language of Elizabeth and her embattled son. “As her eldest son, Charles is fond of saying, this is now clearly a ‘non-negotiable’ relationship.” Mega “Not only did she choose her second son to accompany and support her as she walked into the Abbey, making this the first time she has been seen in public accepting assistance from anyone, she also paused before they parted to take their seats and threw him a smile of thanks in front of UK and foreign royalty as well as the eyes of the rest of the world.” This is Andrew’s first formal appearance with the Queen since settling a sexual assault lawsuit with Giuffre for an estimated $10-$16 million on February 15. Before settling the lawsuit, a judge ordered the Duke of York to face his sexual assault accuser in a United States court in connection to Giuffre’s allegations claiming she was forced to have sex with the prince numerous times when she was still a teenager. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega;showtime Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been in the acting business for more than two decades so it may come as no surprise that he’s aged — quite gracefully — over the years. “Recent photos of Joseph Gordon-Levitt have surfaced showing a more mature hairline, with the temples recessed,” Jacques Abrahamian from the LA FUE Hair Clinic tells Radar. Janet Gough / AFF-USA.COM / MEGA Gordon-Levitt, 41, was already well on the road to becoming a household name by 1999. At the time, he had a recurring role in Third Rock from the Sun and got cast in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. Since then, the acclaimed performer has been in several high-grossing films including Inception, Snowden and Knives Out. Over the years, some fans have noticed a slight change in his appearance after seeing him on red carpets and out during public events. MEGA “Hair loss is a very common condition which affects more than 50 percent of men over the age of 30 and roughly around 75 percent in men over the age 50 years old. The cause of hair loss in men majority of the time is genetics which can be blamed on the conversion of testosterone to DHT which is the culprit,” Abrahamian tells Radar, highlighting there are some hair restoration remedies such as the Follicular Unit Extraction method, also known as “FUE” for Short. “Secondary options also available which can reduce hair-loss and shedding includes PRP treatments, Stem Cells along with Topical Medications,” adds the expert. Showtime Gordon-Levitt was spotted on set in Los Angeles earlier this year filming the Showtime series Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, in which he portrays CEO Travis Kalanick. The award-winning actor has also been taking to Instagram with rare photos showing himself behind-the-scenes while filming the gripping series about the ride-sharing app’s start. “It’s an Icarus story,” the actor told Entertainment Weekly. “As you rise and you succeed, then you become surrounded by people who are drafting off of your success, and it’s tempting to just surround yourself with people who tell you that you’re right about everything. And the more you do that, the more you will lose touch with reality.” Gordon-Levitt has since been casted for a new role in the upcoming movie White Night, based on the Jonestown Massacre. He is slated to play cult leader Jim Jones. View the full article

Published by AFP Facebook owner Meta faced questions about a reported campaign to denigrate rival TikTok New York (AFP) – Facebook’s owner Meta has hired a consulting firm to carry out a US campaign denigrating its fierce rival TikTok, according to a Washington Post report Wednesday partially confirmed by AFP. The campaign reportedly includes placing letters in major US news outlets and promoting negative stories about TikTok, allegedly using the type of tough tactics familiar to Washington politics. Meta, which shed hundreds of billions in value earlier this year due to doubts about its future, is in a pitched fight against the video sharing platform popular with young social media fans. “We believe all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success,” Meta told AFP in a one-line statement in response to the article. The consulting firm, Targeted Victory, confirmed having worked for Meta and did not deny having put forward negative information about TikTok. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done to highlight the dangers of TikTok,” the firm’s CEO Zac Moffatt tweeted. Employees at Targeted Victory worked to undermine TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, by promoting an effort to have it portrayed as a danger to American children, the Post reported, citing the firm’s internal emails. The Post quoted one message saying Targeted Victory needed to “get the message out that while Meta is the current punching bag, TikTok is the real threat especially as a foreign owned app that is #1 in sharing data that young teens are using.” One effort reportedly included getting parents to sign on to letters raising concerns that were submitted to US newspapers, some of which published them. Targeted Victory also alerted elected officials and journalists to alleged trends on TikTok that encouraged students to vandalize their school premises, known as “devious licks” or the “slap a teacher” challenge. The “challenge” urging young users to attack teachers did not start on TikTok, but on Facebook, according to an investigation by the “Reply All” podcast, with the investigator unable to find any videos on this topic on TikTok. “We are deeply concerned that the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform could cause real world harm,” TikTok told AFP in a statement. Moffatt, the Targeted Victory CEO, also argued the Post article “mischaracterizes the work we do,” citing examples including the characterization of people who signed the letters sent to newspapers. “The story infers that the words of the letters to the editor were not the authors’ own, nor did they know of Meta’s involvement. That is false,” he tweeted. When contacted by AFP, the people cited as signing the latters did not respond to requests for comment. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Katy Perry is to launch a podcast based on the life of Elizabeth Taylor. The 37-year-old pop star has “always felt a kinship” towards the iconic actress – who died in 2011 at the age of 79 – and will narrate the ten-part audio series ‘Elizabeth the First’. In a statement, Katy said: “Like most people, I was attracted to her glamour, and in my own life, I continue to find myself referencing her through some of my visuals. I’ve always felt a kinship towards her — I’ve even literally bathed in the same bathtub where she made that bar-setting ‘Cleopatra’ deal!” Elizabeth is remembered for starring as the title role in 1963 epic ‘Cleopatra’ – based on the life of the Ancient Egyptian Queen – but was also amongst the first celebrities to participate in HIV/AIDS activism, a move which the ‘I Kissed a Girl’ hitmaker finds “inspiring.” She added: “I’’m inspired by her bold activism, her constant boss moves in business, and through it all, an unapologetic way of loving — all things I try to live in my own life. It’s an honor to be able to share her story in this way.” The series will feature stories from people closest to Elizabeth and premiere exclusive audio interviews from her estate at the House of Taylor and will touch on her then- groundbreaking public announcement that she was seeking help for her alcoholism and drug addiction. House of Taylor said in a statement: “We are proud to announce this truly innovative and unique podcast about Elizabeth. During her lifetime, Elizabeth Taylor was arguably the most famous woman in the world. As such, she was talked about, written about, photographed, referenced and celebrated ad infinitum. She was also judged, analyzed and lived her life under the constant scrutiny of the press and public. What makes ‘Elizabeth the First’ extraordinarily special is that this will be the first narrative that explores Elizabeth as the original multihyphenate.” ‘Elizabeth the First’ will debut later this spring on all major podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English JoJo Siwa is “not single”. The former ‘Dance Moms’ star – who split from Kylie Prew last November – teased she is “a loyal lady” and in in a new relationship, though she didn’t say who she is romancing now. While appearing on the ‘Rachel Uncensored’ podcast on Wednesday (30.03.22), the 18-year-old dancer told host Rachel Ballinger: “We’re not single. I say ‘we’re’ because it’s me and my multiple personalities within myself… I am not single and I don’t want to mingle. No, I’m a loyal lady.” She also said: “I was gonna erase my whole bio but just put the lock [emoji],” to which Rachel replied: “She’s exclusive, ladies and gentleman.” The former ‘Dancing With the Stars’ contestant joked about going “around the block” while dating. JoJo didn’t give any details about the identity of her new paramour but did confess that she was “happy”. In November 2021, the YouTube star shared how she “needed sympathy” when her relationship ended. JoJo said: “I don’t know why I needed this, but I needed sympathy when I was going through my breakup and through heartbreak. I just needed validation that what I was feeling was real and validation that missing was real and validation that feeling empty inside and feeling like I lost something was real.” In the same interview, she revealed how she broke down in tears when Jenna Johnson, her professional dance partner on the ABC latin and ballroom competition played an Adele song that described how her “relationship ended”. JoJo said: “One day, Jenna played ‘All I Ask’ on the car ride home from getting a spray tan, and I was sobbing because it was practically how my relationship ended.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ariana DeBose almost didn’t audition for ‘West Side Story’. The 31-year-old actress – who picked up the Best Supporting Actress gong for playing Anita in the Steven Spielberg remake of the 1961 movie musical – felt she wasn’t “going to be a candidate” for the role because she wasn’t famous enough and didn’t look like Rita Moreno, who played the role in the original movie. Ariana – while in conversation with Nicola Coughlan for Interview magazine – was asked by the ‘Bridgerton star said: “I read that you didn’t want to audition for West Side Story?” In response, Ariana told her: “Well, yes and no. I didn’t feel like I was going to be a candidate, because I didn’t have 500,000 followers. I wasn’t ‘a name.’ I was from Broadway, and typically when they make movie musicals in the States, they aren’t using theater talent, they’re using pop stars. The other thing was that the character, Anita, didn’t look like me—she’s not a Black woman.” Ariana – who was involved with the debut of ‘Hamilton’ on Broadway- shared that she was in New York experiencing “chaotic peace” when she found out she was nominated for the Oscar. She said: “I was walking by the East River in New York City. You’re on this walkway with the highway on one side and the tranquil water on the other. It was absolute chaotic peace, which is exactly how I felt about the news.” After the ‘Derry Girls’ star asked her: “Who was the first person that you told?,” after hearing the great news, Ariana revealed that it was her high school pal Jonathan. She said: “My best friend Jonathan was with me, so I guess him. He was my prom date in school, and he will actually be at the Oscars with me! I got him a ticket.” View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) – On the day Russian troops poured into Ukraine, Russia’s state communications regulator Roskomnadzor put out a statement, demanding that media outlets only use official Russian sources to cover the “special operation” in Ukraine. Otherwise they could be blocked and face a fine of up to 5 million roubles. Russian authorities, which did not comment for this article, have since doubled down on censorship in Russia. On March 4, lawmakers passed amendments that criminalised “discrediting” Russian armed forces or calling for sanctions against Russia. Lawmakers made the spread of “fake” information an offence punishable with fines or a jail term of up to 15 years, a move that led some international news outlets to halt reporting in Russia. Authorities also restricted access to Facebook and Twitter and blocked several independent media and Ukrainian websites. In response, Twitter said people should have free and open access to the internet, particularly during times of crisis. Nick Clegg, president of global affairs for Facebook’s parent company Meta, said millions of ordinary Russians would be cut off from reliable information. Several Russian media outlets suspended their work. Ekho Moskvy, a liberal radio station, was dissolved by its board after the prosecutor general’s office blocked its website over its coverage of the war. Television channel Rain suspended its work after its website was blocked. The Novaya Gazeta newspaper, whose editor Dmitry Muratov was a co-winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, said it would pause its work until the end of Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine. Online censorship was already rising before the invasion. Ahead of the September elections last year, major internet outages were caused by a crackdown on websites linked to jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny and on technology used to circumvent online bans. Around 200,000 websites were blocked in 2021, according to data from Roskomsvoboda, a group that monitors internet freedom in Russia. They included the website of OVD-Info, which has documented anti-Kremlin protests for years. This year, as of March 10, more than 46,000 sites have been blocked, according to Roskomsvoboda. (reporting by Lena Masri; editing by Janet McBride) View the full article

Published by AFP Former White House advisor Jared Kushner was not in the country during the insurrection Washington (AFP) – Former US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top White House aide Jared Kushner is due to answer questions Thursday from the House panel investigating last year’s assault on the Capitol. Kushner, the highest-ranking Trump advisor and the first family member to testify so far, is appearing by video link voluntarily and has not been subpoenaed. He was returning from Saudi Arabia on the day of the January 6 insurrection, and did not spend the night at the White House upon his return to the United States. Kushner’s appearance caps an intense period of almost daily revelations from the investigation. It was revealed last week that Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, sent more than two dozen texts pushing wild conspiracy theories and urging then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to help overturn the 2020 election. Kushner’s name appeared in a message from Thomas dated November 13, 2020, when she told Meadows: “Just forwarded to yr gmail an email I sent Jared this am… improved coordination now will help the cavalry come and Fraud exposed and America saved.” It also emerged that White House logs given to investigators for the day of the insurrection show a gap of nearly eight hours in Trump’s calls, including the period covering the violence. The committee is investigating whether it has the full record and if Trump communicated that day through phones of aides or personal disposable “burner” phones. The select committee has also asked for testimony from Kushner’s wife, former first daughter Ivanka Trump, who was in the White House on January 6 and pleaded with her father to speak out against the violence, according to reports. The White House said on Tuesday it would reject any assertion of “executive privilege” — which allows presidents to keep certain work-related conversations with aides private — from Kushner or Ivanka Trump. The committee is approaching the end of its investigative phase and is planning public hearings this spring. The Department of Justice’s investigation of the attack, which left at least five people dead, “has expanded to examine the preparations for the rally that preceded the riot,” including those who “assisted in planning, funding and executing” the event, The Washington Post reported. View the full article

Published by AFP Campaigners say half of US diabetics have been rationing their insulin during the pandemic Washington (AFP) – US lawmakers were set to vote Thursday on a bill that would limit the cost of insulin to $35 a month, a transformative curb for millions of diabetics who pay hundreds of dollars for the life-sustaining hormone. Drug pricing has vexed politicians for years in the United States, which has the highest annual health expenditure of any industrialized country, at around $11,000 per capita. Insulin costs the 7.4 million American adults who use it to manage their diabetes eight times as much as in other wealthy nations, according to a 2020 study commissioned by the Health and Human Services Department. “A drug that has been off protections by copyright for a long period of time, it still sees prices four, five, six, seven, 10 times the price of production. So we need to deal with that,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters on Wednesday. The bill would require private health insurance companies to set prices for a month’s supply of insulin at no more than $35, or 25 percent of a plan’s negotiated price, whichever is lower, starting in 2023 for some patients and 2024 for all. The cap was a provision in President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” social welfare bill that was torpedoed by Democratic infighting in Congress late last year. Biden brought the issue back into the spotlight during his State of the Union address on March 1, reinvigorating calls for action on pricing from diabetes advocates. The effort is being seen as the only way for Democrats to show they’re capable of acting on sky-high prescription drug prices before November’s midterm elections. ‘Costing a lot’ The upper chamber of Congress, the US Senate, is holding its own cross-party negotiations on driving down insulin costs by targeting the middlemen between health insurance companies and pharmacies. And a separate Democrat-only bill from Georgia’s Senator Raphael Warnock that would also cap the price at $35 is likely to be combined with the effort. “I’m a pastor — I’m on the ground — and so I know that everybody knows somebody with diabetes,” Warnock said in a video promoting his initiative. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters last week he believed a bipartisan bill had a good chance of passing when lawmakers return from a break at the end of April. Research suggests that more than a quarter of Americans with type 1 diabetes have had to ration insulin they could not afford. Campaigners say the proportion went up to 50 percent during the pandemic. It remains unclear if any legislation can gain the 10 Republican votes needed to advance in the Senate, but some opposition lawmakers have shown interest in an issue that affects voters across the board. “I’d be for some kind of regulation where we can help. Too many people (are) paying thousands of dollars a month. I’m not big on regulating process, but that one’s costing a lot of people a lot of money,” Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville told Axios. A three-year congressional probe released in December by the House Oversight Committee’s majority Democrats offered an insight into the tactics of the world’s most profitable drugmakers. For 12 medications the committee examined, the manufacturers raised prices more than 250 times in the five years from 2016, it said — as their chief executives pocketed paychecks totaling almost $800 million. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Will Smith never “refused” to leave the Oscars because he wasn’t asked to go. According to a new report, producers told the King Richard actor he could stay after he slapped Chris Rock on the live broadcast in front of millions. The details conflict with what the Academy of Motion Pictures said in their letter in which it claimed Will “refused” to leave the Dolby Theater when officials attempted to remove him. However, this report backs up what LAPD sources claim. According to insiders, the police officers at the event on standby were never informed anyone wanted Will removed from the building, something they most certainly would have been told. Mega Well-placed sources allege that forcefully removing Will was never an option since the officers on duty were not told any of the Academy Award bosses wanted him to go. The latest report insists that Will never knew there was a conversation about making him leave the event; however, here’s where it gets messy. There are usually two sides to every story, and, in this case, there are three. While sources claim Will was unaware, other insiders insist there was chatter backstage about asking the actor to leave, but the people who make the big bucks couldn’t decide on what to do. Some allegedly wanted him booted, while others wanted him to stay. ABC The third side is this — according to the report, Oscars producer Will Packer and an Academy official approached Will and said, “We do not want you to leave.” Packer allegedly changed his tune, walking up to Will around 8 PM, which was 35 minutes after he assaulted Chris, to tell him he could stay. Five minutes later, Will collected his first Best Actor win. This could get messy for the Academy as all eyes are on the organization that is meeting to decide Will’s punishment for putting his hands on Chris during Sunday’s broadcast. “Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the Academy claimed in their letter, released on Wednesday. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.” Mega As for Chris, he opted not to file a police report against Will. He also is not planning to take legal action against the star. While Will offered the comedian an apology, Chris has yet to speak about the matter. During his first stand-up show on Wednesday evening, he refused to crack jokes about the slap. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Christopher Bing (Reuters) – The U.S. government began privately warning some American companies the day after Russia invaded Ukraine that Moscow could manipulate software designed by Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky to cause harm, according to a senior U.S. official and two people familiar with the matter. The classified briefings are part of Washington’s broader strategy to prepare providers of critical infrastructure such as water, telecoms and energy for potential Russian intrusions. President Joe Biden said last week that sanctions imposed on Russia for its Feb. 24 attack on Ukraine could result in a backlash, including cyber disruptions, but the White House did not offer specifics. “The risk calculation has changed with the Ukraine conflict,” said the senior U.S. official about Kaspersky’s software. “It has increased.” Kaspersky, one of the cybersecurity industry’s most popular anti-virus software makers, is headquartered in Moscow and was founded by a former Russian intelligence officer, Eugene Kaspersky. A Kaspersky spokeswoman said in a statement that the briefings about purported risks of Kaspersky software would be “further damaging” to Kaspersky’s reputation “without giving the company the opportunity to respond directly to such concerns” and that it “is not appropriate or just.” The senior U.S. official said Kaspersky’s Russia-based staff could be coerced into providing or helping establish remote access into their customers’ computers by Russian law enforcement or intelligence agencies. Kaspersky, which has an office in the United States, lists partnerships with Microsoft, Intel and IBM on its website. Microsoft declined to comment. Intel and IBM did not respond to requests for comment. On March 25, the Federal Communications Commission added Kaspersky to its list of communications equipment and service providers deemed threats to U.S. national security. It is not the first time Washington has said Kaspersky could be influenced by the Kremlin. The Trump administration spent months banning Kaspersky from government systems and warning numerous companies to not use the software in 2017 and 2018. U.S. security agencies conducted a series of similar cybersecurity briefings surrounding the Trump ban. The content of those meetings four years ago was comparable to the new briefings, said one of the people familiar with the matter. Over the years, Kaspersky has consistently denied wrongdoing or any secret partnership with Russian intelligence. It is unclear whether a specific incident or piece of new intelligence led to the security briefings. The senior official declined to comment on classified information. Until now no U.S. or allied intelligence agency has ever offered direct, public proof of a backdoor in Kaspersky software. Following the Trump decision, Kaspersky opened a series of transparency centers, where it says partners can review its code to check for malicious activity. A company blog post at the time explained the goal was to build trust with customers after the U.S. accusations. But the U.S. official said the transparency centers are not “even a fig leaf” because they do not address the U.S. government’s concern. “Moscow software engineers handle the [software] updates, that’s where the risk comes,” they said. “They can send malicious commands through the updaters and that comes from Russia.” Cybersecurity experts say that because of how anti-virus software normally functions on computers where it is installed, it requires a deep level of control to discovery malware. This makes anti-virus software an inherently advantageous channel to conduct espionage. In addition, Kaspersky’s products are also sometimes sold under white label sales agreements. This means the software can be packaged and renamed in commercial deals by information technology contractors, making their origin difficult to immediately determine. While not referring to Kaspersky by name, Britain’s cybersecurity centre on Tuesday said organizations providing services related to Ukraine or critical infrastructure should reconsider the risk associated with using Russian computer technology in their supply chains. “We have no evidence that the Russian state intends to suborn Russian commercial products and services to cause damage to UK interests, but the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,” the National Cyber Security Centre said in a blog post. (Reporting by Christopher Bing; editing by Chris Sanders and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by New York Daily News American citizens who do not fit into traditional male or female gender roles will be permitted to choose a third option on their U.S. passports. Starting April 11, applicants who consider themselves transgender, non-binary or others who do not conform to traditional gender definitions can select “X” as an option on their passports. “The Department of State has reached another milestone in our work to better serve all U.S. citizens, regardless of their gender identity,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The official designation on passport forms will read: “Unspecified or another gender … Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Makita Samba (r) as Camille and Noemie Merlant as Nora in “Paris, 13th District,” a black-and-white film that puts the focus on sexuality and female desire with a humorous and light-hearted touch. Neue Visionen Filmverleih/dpa Camille has a lot of intense sex to make up for his frustration with his job as a high school teacher. Emilie, who dropped out from studying political science, works at a call centre and tends to have brief one-night stands. Nora ditched her job as a real estate agent in the countryside and wants to study law in Paris. And Amber Sweet offers erotic services online. Jacques Audiard tells the story of the thirty-somethings whose paths cross in Paris’ 13th arrondissement. In “Paris, 13th District,” (“Les Olympiades, Paris 13e”) they become friends or lovers and sometimes both. Audiard is known for embracing daring new things. After his western “The Sisters Brothers” and the refugee drama “Demons and Miracles,” this film tells the story of young adults who are seeking, grappling with their sexual orientation in the age of dating apps, searching for love – and above all for identity. Emilie is Chinese and has limited contact with her family. After she loses her job at the call centre, she needs to find someone to share her apartment. Camille answers her ad. He’s a frustrated high school teacher who wants uncomplicated sex and is not interested in a committed relationship. Barely has he introduced himself, he becomes her lover and moves in. He moves out again just as fast as Emilie becomes jealous of his new partners, including Nora. In her early 30s, Nora has come to Paris from the provinces to resume her law studies after years of working as a real estate agent for her uncle. She soon abandons her dreams of law. She goes to a party in a blonde wig and is mistaken for camgirl Amber Sweet. She agrees to a selfie that is then widely shared online. At the university, people bully her, calling her a whore. Nora contacts Amber and they start a dialogue online – and a lesbian love affair. Job changes, bullying and loneliness: Audiard portrays a generation that has discarded traditional codes in the age of Tinder and is looking for love and relationships. His film is based on three comics by the well-known New York author Adrian Tomines. Audiard has tended to give us male film heroes in the past but this time he co-wrote the script with Léa Mysius (“Ava”) and Céline Sciamma, who won several awards with “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” about an affair between two women in the 18th century. Their influence is clear to see. The film is a far cry from Audiard’s past works which were usually packed with violence. “Paris, 13th District” is startling for its humour and the lightness with which the film shows sexuality and female desire. Lucie Zhang (l) as Emilie, Noemie Merlant as Nora and Makita Samba as Camille in “Paris, 13th District,” a black-and-white film that puts the focus on sexuality and female desire with a humorous and light-hearted touch. Neue Visionen Filmverleih/dpa Noemie Merlant as Nora in “Paris, 13th District,” a black-and-white film that puts the focus on sexuality and female desire with a humorous and light-hearted touch. Neue Visionen Filmverleih/dpa View the full article