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Published by AFP Activists on both sides of the abortion issue collided in December 2021 protest in New York in connection with a Supreme Court hearing on a case that is expected to be decided this spring New York (AFP) – Citigroup plans to provide travel benefits to workers who live in states that have passed laws to restrict abortion rights, such as Texas. The big US bank said in light of “changes in reproductive healthcare laws in certain states,” it will provide travel benefits to “facilitate access to adequate resources,” according to a securities filing published Tuesday. The document, prepared in connection with the bank’s annual shareholder meeting in April, does not specifically mention abortion. But the new policy comes as several US states enact new restrictions. These include the Texas Heartbeat Act, which bans abortions after a heartbeat can be detected in the womb, normally around six weeks — before many women even know they are pregnant — and which makes no exceptions for rape or incest. In Missouri, a state lawmaker recently introduced legislation intended to block residents from traveling out of state for abortions. The Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice research group, has said that 26 states are “certain or likely” to ban abortion if the US Supreme Court overturns the “Roe vs. Wade” decision later this spring in a ruling on a law in the state of Mississippi. In 2021, 19 states enacted restrictions on abortion rights, the institute said. Legal analysts believe the 1973 Supreme Court ruling, which protects abortion rights, could be overturned following recent court appointments. At a December oral argument, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared largely sympathetic to Mississippi, but it was unclear how far a majority would go in striking down earlier rulings. View the full article

Published by uInterview.com A new clip from Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore, the third in the new series, includes the first canon mention of Dumbledore’s sexuality 15 years after Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said the character was gay in 2007. In the clip, Jude Law as Dumbledore and Mads Mikkelson as series antagonist Grindelwald talk in a cafe. Dumbledore tries to persuade the dark wizard from carrying out a sinister plan that they both apparently set in motion, according to Grindelwald saying “it was you who said we would reshape the world.” Dumbledore then responded with, “Because I was in love with y… Read More View the full article

Published by Knewz By David Wetzel New York (Knewz) — A California state lawmaker has introduced legislation that, if passed, would make the state a sanctuary for transgender youth and their families, according to the Los Angeles Times. Authored by Sen. Scott Weiner, D-San Francisco, the bill would protect transgender youth and their families from legal action in other states if they come to California. Under the bill any out-of-state judgements attempting to remove children from their parents’ custody because of gender-affirming surgeries, hormone therapy and other transgender medical care would be rendered une… Read More View the full article

Daya Betty is ready to rumble on RuPaul’s Drag Race’s LaLaPaRuZa Lip Sync Smackdown. On its own, RuPaul’s Drag Race format-breaking LaLaPaRuZa Lip Sync Smackdown was a needed jolt in the show’s sagging midseason. But, once the last traces of Jasmine’s shablam are mopped off the mainstage, are we really any further along? Last week’s cataclysmic Snatch Game certainly warranted special circumstances, and in that regard, the episode delivers. The LaLaPaRuZa structure is indeed thrilling, but the conclusion made the whole experience feel less like dramatic twists and more like the scenic route. If you recall, seven of our eight ladies are in danger of elimination. DeJa’s perfectly fine Lil Jon earns her a safe spot, but, in hindsight, it feels like a missed opportunity to show up and show out at a time when all the season’s standings are being recalibrated. She gets to kick it in the Werk Room and watch the battles with the winning queens from each round. The other seven girls stand quaking on the runway while Ru unveils the rules. First, the inexplicably hot Pit Crew guy, Calix (whose Instagram is worth losing yourself in for a spell), picks a gal via lotto drum. That queen picks her opponent. However, her opponent gets to pick the song. It’s a diabolical layer of strategy to spring on the queens during an already stressful time, and I am living for it. The available tracks for RuPaul’s Drag Race’s LaLaPaRuZa Lip Sync Smackdown. Round 1: Jasmine v. Daya For a queen that was already eliminated earlier this season, Daya sure is salty Jorgeous and Jasmine have escaped the chop for so many weeks. She’s in a full-blown tizzy early in the episode, so when Calix picks Jasmine Kennedie for the first lip sync, it’s no shocker whom she chooses to face. As the first queen drawn, Jasmine isn’t expecting the additional twist of Daya choosing the song. (The other competitors immediately take note.) Daya wisely picks Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” hoping to limit Jasmine’s stuntability (a word I think I just invented and will not remove). Joke’s on Daya, because Jasmine still finds ways to slam her taint on the runway like a jackhammer. Outdanced, Daya is still not outdone. Instead, looking like a scene girl right out of Myspace in 2004, Daya uses the opportunity to demand the “respect” she’s been clamoring for all season. Jasmine does have the dancing skills, but, if you look closely, she struggles to stay consistent with the lyrics when there’s more than one part singing. This is a tight lip sync though, and every little thing counts. Daya manages to eke out the win, and Jasmine must lip sync again later. There’s “Never Too Much” Willow Pill on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Round 2: Willow v. Bosco Calix, who only somehow gets hotter throughout the episode, pulls Willow’s ball next. Willow knows the queen she chooses picks their track, so she’s keen to choose a queen she believes will select the song she most wants to sync to. Still with me? That’s why she chooses Bosco, another comedic queen (and the one most likely to choose the campiest option). Bosco plays right into Willow’s plan, selecting “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross. Willow seems to settle into the song about midway through, but once she hits her stride, it’s really fun to watch. She masterfully toes the line between sexy and stupid, punctuating a slinky, sultry sync with just a few perfect moments of levity. I’m a bit disappointed seeing Bosco in more underwear on the runway, decked out in another kooky, spooky Bettie Page-inspired look. She gives her all to the performance, but it ends up feeling one-note. It’s a good note, but it fails to ride the sexy vibes of the song the way Willow does. Ru declares Willow the winner and sends a shocked Bosco to await her next challenger. Round 3: Jorgeous v. Camden v. Angeria I appreciate how Ru and crew don’t get tripped up on the odd number of competitors and flow seamlessly into a three-way sync with the remaining gals. Because we still need an excuse to cast our gaze upon Calix, he draws a ball to pick the song. When he pulls Jorgeous’ ball, everyone assumes Jorgeous will pick the available J. Lo track, but she shocks everyone by selecting “Radio,” by Beyoncé. On a night full of strong lip sync battles, this one still stands out. The song is a banger from the jump, and all three queens kick things off at 11 and keep the energy going the whole way through. The spectacle is so unrelenting, it’s like watching a three-ring circus. There’s something exciting happening everywhere you look. The argument could be made for any of these queens to be declared victor, but Jorgeous’ unstoppable lip sync streak continues. Even the other safe queens have no choice but to STAN when Jorgeous triumphantly enters the Werk Room. RuPaul’s Drag Race LaLaPaRuZa Lip Sync Smackdown put Bosco through the wringer. Round 4: Camden v. Bosco Camden gets to pick her opponent next, opting for a clearly still shook Bosco. Like Daya before her, Bosco tries to a pick a track that will limit her competition’s dancing strength. Unfortunately, the closest available song to a snoozer is En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go.” Although it’s a slow jam, the song is, scientifically speaking, an absolute atomic bomb of emotion. If The Daytona Wind taught us anything, it’s that Camden is not only a dancer; she’s also an actress. It’s that skillset that shines brighter here than her kicks and splits. She’s the one giving the song the intense emotion it demands, despite Bosco’s best efforts. It feels a bit of more of the same from Bosco, and Ru unfortunately agrees. Camden is declared safe, and Bosco faces a third lip sync. Round 5: Angeria v. Jasmine The last two remaining queens for this round battle it out to the last remaining track, “Love Don’t Cost a Thing.” Angeria is fond of dipping into a deep squat repeatedly, but those unmistakable eyes are hypnotizing. It makes it hard to look away from her, adding to her already striking presence. The safe queens spectating all seem agree, and so does Mama Ru. That means Angie is safe, and Jasmine faces her sixth sync of the season. Round 6: Jasmine v. Bosco It all comes down to this. For a final showdown, Ru demands the girls perform Diana Ross’ “Swept Away.” Finally, Bosco breaks through, pushes through the ceiling she struggled against all night to go full-out on the last number. She tells us she’s busting out all her stripper moves, but there’s more oomph overall. Jasmine, to her credit, pulls out moves that could only be possible by replacing one’s spine with a pool noodle. There are backbends scientists are still straining to explaining. It’s good, but just not good enough. Ru keeps Bosco, sends home Jasmine, and … wait, couldn’t we have just done this last week? Jasmine was one of the (if not THE) weakest in this season’s cursed Snatch Game, so why not just eliminate her then and move on? I have no problem with how it played out, Ru’s choices round-to-round, but it feels like just another way we’re stretching this season. With the LaLaPaRUZa in the rearview, where do the queens stand? Let’s review in our rankings, and leave yours in the comments! If anything is certain now, it’s Willow‘s clear ascent to frontrunner. After one of the most disappointing Snatch performances, Willow reminded everyone why she’s not only a talented queen, she’s a savvy one. And savage. She expertly played the cards she keeps famously close to her chest. She looked great and reminded everyone that, in addition to her creative, comedy and design skills, she’s also a great lip syncer.Angeria‘s confident performance tonight all but erases the bad memory of her miserable Tammie Brown impression. Instead, she reminded us of the charismatic queen who introduced herself with a killer lip sync to her own original track in the beginning of the season. Did she accomplish what she needed this week? Check!It goes to show how strong these lip syncs were this week when Lady Camden‘s excellent performances are hardly even remarked upon. She gave plenty of face, tons of technique and even some comedy in there. (I particularly enjoyed her interpretation of Beyoncé’s line “Then I hear vibrations all up in my trunk.”) It looks like another acting challenge on the horizon, which favors the fair Lady, so it’s looking good for Camden in the near term.I hope Daya defeating Jasmine serves as the conclusion to their mini-rivalry and Daya’s general sour attitude. Her look on tonight’s runway brought me right back to the studded belt rack at Hot Topic in 2003, but in a good way? Although her lip sync wasn’t spectacular, it sent a strong message and may give her the confidence she needs to transcend the desperation dripping off her over the last few weeks.This was a great night for Jorgeous. Oh, you’re just asking her to dance to a Beyoncé song? That seems like a warm-up for Jorgeous on any other night. Even the other queens can’t help but compliment Jorgeous on her effortlessly fierce performance. She seemed genuinely reenergized when she got safely back to the Werk Room, so I hope she’s turning a corner with her own confidence in the competition.It’s hard to place DeJa this week, which may be a bigger issue for her in the competition/fandom more broadly. Without question, the other seven girls all impressed tonight, which makes DeJa (whose Snatch win wasn’t that impressive in the first place) start to fade away at a really inopportune time.What a precipitous fall from grace for the once surging Bosco. Coming right on the heels of a deeply disappointing Snatch, her repeated defeats in the lip sync smackdown feel all the more devastating. These should have been displays of Bosco’s strength, but they were flops. Plus, again, we see her in Bettie Page undies on the runway. The pacing of this season is all over place, but seeing Bosco attempt to weather three lip syncs in a row was tough.Jasmine made a valiant effort this week to stave off an elimination that probably should have happened weeks ago. I’m glad she got to show off what she loves to do one last time (OK, three last times), but it was her time to go. She also seems to be leaving a little bit humbler than she arrived, which will only serve the immensely talented young queen going forward.What did you think of the episode? Catch up on our RuPaul’s Drag Race coverage. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Kathy Griffinis finding humor in her pill addiction that almost drove her to suicide. The 61-year-old comedian is opening up about her internal struggles, claiming it’s “almost comical.” “I think — well, look, I think that I’m probably an addictive person, you know,” Griffin declared on The New York Times’ Sway podcast Thursday. “But you have to admit, it’s almost comical,” she joked. “I went in the hospital for pill addiction at 59 years old. Who the hell becomes a junkie in their late 50s? Me.” Griffin said she fell into a dark depression after being blackballed in Hollywood over her 2017 glory shot showcasing her holding the decapitated head of then-president, and her archenemy, Donald Trump. Mega According to Griffin, the move caused her to lose out on work, receive death threats, and adopt a serious prescription pill addiction. After hitting rock bottom, her suicidal thoughts became “obsessive.” “I didn’t know what to do with myself,” the comedian admitted. “I was just such a crazy workaholic, and all of a sudden, I had this time on my hands, and then I was depressed, and things just weren’t looking up.” She even put plans into place for her departure. “And then you fall into the ‘Life will be better for my husband without me around,’ and you then call the estate attorney and the whole thing,” Griffin revealed. She said she was at peace with her decision to end her life. “It just came to a point where I was convinced that I had a good run on this planet and now it’s time for me to go,” she continued. “It’s been good. I’ve done a lot of great stuff and so you know, it gets pretty crazy.” Thankfully, her husband, marketing executive Randy Bick, came to her rescue. Mega Griffin was admitted into the hospital and put on a psychiatric hold. She later sought treatment for her pill addiction. After entering the hospital once again in March 2020, this time for COVID-like symptoms, Griffin recalled her desire to live. “The irony is not lost on me that, a little over a year ago, all I wanted to do was die,” she said at the time. “And now, all I wanna do is live.” Griffin’s addiction and attempted suicide haven’t been her only struggles. In 2021, she revealed she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. After undergoing surgery to remove half of her left lung, she is cancer-free. Kathy Griffin Misogyny Cancer, Addiction, Suicide on Towleroad Same-sex kiss restored in Pixar’s Lightyear More Dead buildings tower over uncollected corpses in Mariupol, on the front line of Ukraine’s war More Texas man pleads guilty to assaulting police at U.S. Capitol riot More Putin’s warning to ‘traitors’ sends chilling message More ‘House Of Cards’ Crew Members Dragged Into Kevin Spacey’s Sexual Assault Battle More NASA rolls out its mega Moon rocket — here’s what you need to know More Florida ‘Don’t say gay’ bill spells headache for Disney More Florida state senator apologizes for comments she made during ‘don’t say gay’ debate More More ‘Don’t Say Gay Bills’ Are Being Prioritized In Multiple States As The Anti-Gay Bill in Florida Passes to Governor More Analysis-U.S. gamble on China over Ukraine raises tensions with rival superpower More Gabrielle Union slams Walt Disney Co More Biden calls Putin a war criminal as Russia says mission ‘going to plan’ More Ellen DeGeneres Handing Out ‘Millions Of Dollars’ In Bonuses As Talk Show Nears End Following Toxic Work Environment Accusations More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English A same-sex kiss has been restored in Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ following outcry from the company’s LGBTQ employees and allies. The upcoming movie – which stars Chris Evans as the real-life inspiration for ‘Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear – features a female character Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) who is in a relationship with another woman. Variety reports that a kiss between the two characters had been cut from the movie but after Pixar employees’ recent statement to Walt Disney Company leadership claiming that Disney executives had censored “overtly gay affection” in its films, the kiss has been restored. Meanwhile, Chris previously shared his joy at signing on to voice Buzz Lightyear in the movie. He tweeted: “I don’t even have words. “And just to be clear, this isn’t Buzz Lightyear the toy. This is the origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is based on.” The movie will be “the definitive story of the original Buzz Lightyear” and “an action film” unlike anything Pixar has ever done before, with Pixar creative chief Pete Docter promising “a new twist to an iconic character”. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Pavel Klimov MARIUPOL, Ukraine (Reuters) – In Mariupol daily life is a series of harrowing escapes from bomb blasts and basic survival rituals, amid the rubble that lies everywhere. Uncollected corpses wrapped in blankets, coats or any available covering lie in courtyards cleared of debris. Those killed are often buried in common graves. All around are the blackened shells of the sprawling tower blocks typical of Soviet-era dwellings. Twisted metal on balconies, shattered windows, woods, metal and other wreckage scattered between buildings and in streets. Some 400,000 people have been trapped in the strategic port city on the Sea of Azov for more than two weeks, sheltering from heavy bombardment that has severed central supplies of electricity, heating and water, according to local authorities. Russia’s defence ministry said on Friday that its forces were “tightening the noose” around Mariupol and that fighting had reached the city centre. With no running water or heating, women crouch around make-shift barbecues to cook whatever food they can find. As spring approaches, there is no longer any snow to melt for drinking water. Residents say no one expected this in post-Soviet Ukraine — an unrelenting onslaught from what was once thought of as a “fraternal” Russia — though some have lived through other upheavals that jolted the country back under Soviet rule. “She had a Russian passport, Russian citizenship, lots of medals,” said a downcast Alexander, 57, gesturing toward the place in the open where the body of his wife’s mother lies for now. “My mother-in-law was born in 1936. She survived through the siege of Leningrad,” he said, referring to the 900-day Nazi encirclement of the city now known as St. Petersburg. “She was an honoured worker of fish farming in the Russian Federation. So that is where she is.” Officials in Mariupol say 2,500 people have died since Russian forces poured across the Ukrainian border on Feb. 24. Donetsk region governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Friday that around 35,000 had managed to leave the city in recent days, many on foot or in convoys of private cars during the rare moments when Russian shelling subsides. Those left occasionally verge on despair — the cold and the anxiety taking their toll. “I feel terrible. I don’t want to blame anyone, but I’m disgusted and scared. And I’m cold,” said one woman, Olga, who wore a pink hat under a hoodie and a big coat. “I just don’t have any words. I wasn’t ready for my life to become like this.” Russia denies targeting civilians and has accused Kyiv of using them as human shields, something Ukrainian officials deny. Mariupol is seen as a strategic prize for the Russian invaders to create a bridge between Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, and two separatist enclaves in eastern Ukraine. A maternity hospital was bombed last week, sending patients fleeing into the street. A theatre used to shelter families forced from their homes was also struck – despite the word “children” being written outside in letters big enough to be read by pilots. A sense of solidarity among residents fearing for their lives has taken hold. Strangers take in other strangers. “We spent two days in the basement. She couldn’t move. I thought she wouldn’t survive,” said one middle-aged resident, gesturing to her elderly mother. “Then we managed to leave the basement. This is the first time I have seen these people. But they sheltered us. And here we are sitting here, covered in blankets. It’s very cold here. We just want to go home.” Children, look on, uncomprehending. “Don’t worry, my little darling. Everything will be all right,” said one unsmiling young mother, hugging her two school-age children. Out in the courtyard, groups of men milled about aimlessly, surveying the shattered buildings. And around them lay the bodies. The only identifying markers are scraps of paper, appended to makeshift crosses, each bearing a name and a date of birth and death. And no indication when they will be collected. (Reporting by Pavel Klimov; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) – An Iraq war veteran who allegedly formed a militia he dubbed the “Proud Boys of North Texas” pleaded guilty on Thursday to a single count of assaulting or resisting police, a charge related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol in an effort to block Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election. The plea from Lucas Denney, 44, of Texas, marked an abrupt shift in the case. Earlier this week, prosecutors had signaled they supported his emergency request to release him from jail and drop criminal charges because they had violated his rights to a speedy trial by failing to secure an indictment until about three months after his December 2021 arrest. In a surprise move, Denney opted to withdraw his emergency request to have the case dismissed, and pleaded guilty instead. He did so even as federal prosecutors warned in a virtual hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that they had not ruled out filing additional criminal charges against him in the future. After that revelation, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss urged Denney to briefly take a recess and confer with his lawyers. After the recess, Denney said he had not changed his mind, and admitted to intentionally hitting a police officer with a pole as the officer was protecting the Capitol grounds. “It was a plastic pole. It was like a PVC tube,” Denney said. Denney is one of more than 775 people facing charges for their role in attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The government’s criminal complaint alleges that before the attack, Denney and a co-conspirator who also faced charges discussed organizing a militia to go to Washington, D.C. “The 6th is going to be bigger than the last rally. I can’t tell you everything I know over media here but it’s gonna be big,” Denney allegedly wrote in a message. “We will need linking up with proud boys though. I’ve been in contact with a few different chapters.” The complaint says that after Denney arrived at the U.S. Capitol, he started grabbing metal barricades and trying to pull them from police, screaming “Who ya’ll protecting?” Investigators said that after a police officer sprayed crowd control spray, Denney grabbed a metal pole and tried to swing it at the officer. He eventually managed to make his way into the lower west terrace of the Capitol, where the crowd pushed back against police riot shields while screaming “Heave-ho!” In a court filing earlier this week, prosecutors urged the judge to sentence Denney to a prison term somewhere between 57 to 71 months, while Denney’s lawyers are asking for a range of 41 to 51 months. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Graffiti warnings daubed on the doors of activists in Moscow. A food blogger threatened with up to 15 years in jail for “discrediting” Russia’s army. A call to sack a senior former official for “treachery” for opposing the war in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin issued a venomous warning to “traitors” on Wednesday, saying the West would try to use them as a fifth column to destroy Russia, but that Russians would be quickly able to tell the “patriots from the scum”. Within hours of Putin’s speech, Dmitry Ivanov, a Moscow-based activist, said his mother found a graffiti message on the door to their apartment landing: “Don’t betray the motherland Dima”. The graffiti bore several of the “Z” signs used to drum up support for what Moscow calls its “special military operation” to disarm and “denazify” Ukraine. The motif is from markings on Russia’s armoured vehicles and tanks. Ivanov, who has protested against the war, said he had no idea who was behind the graffiti, but that he knew of at least three other people, including activists and a journalist, whose doors had been defaced in the same way on Wednesday evening. “I don’t know their aims: to frighten, not to frighten, or just to spoil your mood. It’s hard to scare us with such actions: we’re used to this kind of attention,” the 22-year-old told Reuters. “It’s possible this action was to complement Putin’s speech, I think that’s possible. Especially considering how shoddily, and cheaply these markings were done. It was done in a hurry,” he said. Thousands of people have been detained across Russia since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. “SELF-CLEANSING” Putin, in his comments to government ministers on Wednesday, said Russians would spit out traitors “like gnats”, and society would be the better for it. “I am convinced that this natural and necessary self-cleansing of society will only strengthen our country, our solidarity, cohesion and readiness to meet any challenge,” he said. Asked about the remarks on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said many people were showing themselves to be traitors. “They are vanishing from our lives themselves. Some people are leaving their posts, some are leaving their active work life, some leave the country and move to other countries. That is how this cleansing happens,” he said. After Putin spoke, the Investigative Committee, a law enforcement body, announced the name of the first person, a food blogger, under investigation for spreading “false information” about Russia’s army on her blog. That crime is now punishable by up to 15 years in jail after Russia adopted a law on March 4 following a ripple of protest activity against the invasion. In an interview with Reuters, Veronika Belotserkovskaya who lives in southern France said that despite being apolitical she was not surprised she had been singled out as she likely fitted the image of a person whom the average Russian might loathe. “You know, there’s this fat spoilt woman living on the Cote D’Azur, in Provence, or in Italy, who makes foie gras and eats lobsters, who also dares to blather on from over there… I have all of these qualities that the average person would see as disgusting,” she said. After Putin spoke on Wednesday, a senior member of the ruling United Russia party called for the immediate sacking of former deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich from his position as head of a foundation that promotes economic innovation. Dvorkovich, who now heads the International Chess Federation, condemned the war in comments to Western media. “He has made his choice,” said the parliamentarian, Andrei Turchak. “This is nothing but the very national betrayal, the behaviour of the fifth column, which the president spoke about today.” (Reporting by Reuters, editing by Mark Trevelyan and Gareth Jones) View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Actor Anthony Rapp is attempting to gather additional evidence to build his case against Kevin Spacey before they head to trial — and he wants records from the confidential legal battle between the disgraced star and his former bosses on House of Cards. According to court documents obtained by Radar, a federal judge in New York ruled Rapp — who is suing Spacey over an alleged encounter in 1986 when he was only 16 — can reach out to people who previously testified against Spacey. House of Cards producers and Spacey were involved in a lengthy arbitration battle. The 60-year-old actor was fired from the hit Netflix show after “a number of people involved in the show had complained of sexual harassment.” The producers “asserted claims for breach of contract stemming from “dozens of explosive allegations…accusing Spacey of systematically preying upon, sexually harassing, and groping young men that he had worked with throughout his career on film, television, and theater projects,” including on the set of House of Cards,” Several crew members from House of Cards testified about their interactions with Spacey on set. mega Rapp has been trying to get his hands on transcripts of depositions and hearing testimony by several witnesses involved in the case. However, all the witnesses who testified in the proceedings “allegedly expressed concern” that they might suffer if their names were to become public. They were assured at the time their names would remain sealed. The judge has ruled Spacey is to reach out to each witness and inform them of the issue. The witnesses are then allowed to object to whether their names or testimony is turned over to Rapp. The decision comes after the judge set the trial date in the case for October 4, 2022. In his suit, Rapp claims he was claims a 26-year-old Spacey invited him over to his apartment in 1986 when he was only 14. Rapp claims the actor ended up grabbing him by his backside without permission. He allegedly proceeded to life him on to a bed and got on top of him without consent. mega He is suing for unspecified damages. Spacey initially released a statement after the suit was filed apologizing to Rapp. He claimed to not remember the alleged incident but said if it happened, he brushed it off as drunken behavior. “I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years,” he said. Recently, in court, Spacey’s stance changed a smidge. He wrote, “I categorically deny [Rapp’s] claim that I sexually assaulted him or otherwise made a “sexual advance” on him. I met [Rapp] several decades ago. I never had a sexual encounter with Mr. Rapp. Nor did I harbor any sexual interest or desire in Mr. Rapp at that time or any time.” mega View the full article

Published by AFP NASA's massive new Moon rocket is illuminated at dusk atop a mobile launch platform en route to Launch Pad 39B from the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida March 17, 2022 Washington (AFP) – NASA’s massive new rocket eased onto its launchpad Friday, ready for a battery of tests that will clear it to blast off to the Moon this summer on an uncrewed flight. It left the Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building Thursday evening and began a nearly 11-hour journey on a crawler-transporter to the hallowed Launch Complex 39B, arriving at 4:15 am. Around 10,000 people had gathered to watch the event. Huge rocket, huge cost – With the Orion crew capsule fixed on top, the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 stands 322 feet (98 meters) high — taller than the Statue of Liberty, but a little smaller than the 363 feet Saturn V rockets that powered the Apollo missions to the Moon. Still, it will produce 8.8 million pounds of maximum thrust (39.1 Meganewtons), 15 percent more than the Saturn V, meaning it’s expected to be the world’s most powerful rocket at the time it begins operating. Having reached the iconic launchpad, where 53 Space Shuttles took off, there are roughly two more weeks’ worth of checks before what’s known as the “wet dress rehearsal.” The SLS team will load more than 700,000 gallons (3.2 million liters) of cryogenic propellant into the rocket and practice every phase of launch countdown, stopping ten seconds before blast off. “From this sacred and historical place, humanity will soon embark on a new era of exploration,” NASA administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement Friday. A symbol of US space ambition, it also comes with a hefty price tag: $4.1 billion per launch for the first four Artemis missions, NASA Inspector General Paul Martin told Congress this month. To the Moon and beyond – NASA is targeting May as the earliest window for Artemis-1, an uncrewed lunar mission that will be the first integrated flight for SLS and Orion. SLS will first place Orion into a low Earth orbit, and then, using its upper stage, perform what’s called a trans-lunar injection. This maneuver is necessary to send Orion 280,000 miles beyond Earth and 40,000 miles beyond the Moon — further than any spaceship capable of carrying humans has ventured. On its three-week mission, Orion will deploy 10 shoebox size satellites known as CubeSats to gather information on the deep space environment. Its “passengers” will include three mannequins collecting radiation data, and a plush Snoopy toy, long a NASA mascot. It will journey around the far side of the Moon, using thrust provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) thruster, and finally make its way back to Earth, where its heat shield will be tested against the atmosphere. Splashdown takes place in the Pacific, off the coast of California. Artemis-2 will be the first crewed test, flying around the Moon but not landing, while Artemis-3, planned for 2025, will see the first woman and first person of color touch down on the lunar south pole. NASA wants to build a permanent presence on the Moon, and use it as a proving ground for technologies necessary for a Mars mission, sometime in the 2030s, using a Block 2 evolution of the SLS. SLS v Starship NASA calls SLS a “super heavy lift exploration class vehicle.” The only currently operational super heavy rocket is SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which is smaller. Elon Musk’s company is also developing its own deep space rocket, the fully reusable Starship, which he has said should be ready for an orbital test this year. Starship would be both bigger and more powerful than SLS: 394 feet tall with 17 million pounds of thrust. It could also be considerably cheaper. The tycoon has suggested that within years, the cost per launch could be as little as $10 million. Direct comparisons are complicated by the fact that while SLS is designed to fly direct to its destinations, SpaceX foresees putting a Starship into orbit, and then refueling it with another Starship so it can continue its journey, to extend range and payload. NASA has also contracted a version of Starship as a lunar descent vehicle for Artemis. Other super heavy rockets under development include Blue Origin’s New Glenn, China’s Long March 9 and Russia’s Yenisei. View the full article

Published by AFP Friction between leadership and employees at Disney began with an internal memo from Executive Director Bob Chapek on March 7, 2022 after a meeting with members of the company's LGBT community Miami (AFP) – Discontent is afoot at the happiest place on Earth, as Disney employees this week protested the company’s reaction to Florida’s so-called “Don’t say gay” bill, which would prohibit discussing LGBT topics in classrooms. The proposed law, which critics call discriminatory, has been a headache for Disney since before the southern US state’s legislature passed the measure last week, with the entertainment giant employing more than 75,000 people at its theme park in Orlando. A group of LGBT employees at the company has asked their coworkers to join them in walking out of their workplaces during their breaks every day since Tuesday to demand Disney “protect employees and their families in the face of such open and unapologetic bigotry.” The friction began with an internal memo from Disney Executive Director Bob Chapek on March 7 after a meeting with members of the company’s LGBT community. In the note, cited by local media, Chapek said he was hesitant for Disney to speak out against the Florida bill, which has received condemnation for impeding students’ access to “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” information at elementary schools. Corporate statements “do very little to change outcomes or minds” and instead are “often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame,” Chapek wrote. His statements were met with a barrage of objections, as they were seen as a lack of support for the LGBT community. A campaign to boycott Disney circulated on social media. Emerging as one of the strongest detractors of Chapek’s stance was Abigail Disney — the granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, who cofounded the cultural behemoth with his brother Walt. “Many LGBTQI people and their allies work for or look to Disney for ally-ship,” the activist and documentary producer wrote on Twitter. “But Chapek is more worried about right-wing backlash than about his own loyal fans and employees.” ‘Utterly failed’ Chapek tried to quickly dampen the controversy. During the company’s annual shareholder meeting March 9, he announced Disney’s plans to donate $5 million to pro-LGBT groups. He also assured he had called Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — who has signalled support for the bill — “to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kids and families,” the Los Angeles Times reported. But Chapek’s comments could not extinguish the already burning controversy over the legislation, which is part of a nationwide effort by Republicans who feel they are wresting back control from liberal policies they say undermine traditional family values. The same day as the shareholder meeting, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the most prominent US LGBT-rights organization — rejected any donations from Disney, as long as the company fails to work against “dangerous laws” such as Florida’s from being passed in the first place. And entertainment magazine Variety published a letter signed by LGBT employees of animation studio Pixar, denouncing the fact that “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in its movies “is cut at Disney’s behest.” As the displeasure online grew, media reports revealed that Republican state senators who had supported the restrictive education law were among the politicians who had received donations from Disney in Florida. On Friday, Chapek announced that there would be a freeze on political donations from the company in Florida until further notice. But the decision didn’t convince the group of LGBT Disney employees and allies who organized this week’s protests. In an online statement, the group demanded the permanent suspension of donations to the politicians who had supported the Florida law, and criticized the company leadership’s “apathy.” “The recent statements and lack of action by TWDC (The Walt Disney Company) leadership regarding the ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation,” the statement said. Disney, they added, should reaffirm its commitment to protecting and advocating for its staff, “even in the face of political risk.” The group, which they say is made up of corporate, television, movie studio, streaming and other employees, has called for an all-day work stoppage to conclude the week of protests next Tuesday at Disney offices and other locations nationwide. View the full article

Published by Miami Herald Sen. Ileana Garcia, a Miami Republican who recently faced national criticism for saying “LGBT is not a permanent thing” while debating a contentious bill in the Florida Legislature, apologized on Thursday to anyone who was offended by what she said. In a statement posted on Twitter, Garcia said she did not intend to “generalize or disregard the experiences of any member of the LGBT+ community” when arguing why she supported the “parental rights in education” bill — which critics have dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill. The bill, which has drawn national attention, would prohibit school lessons in… Read More View the full article

Don’t Say Gay Bill Passes in Florida Legislature. The situation in Florida has garnered due attention throughout the journey of it’s Don’t Say Gay Bill. Lost with the focus on Ukraine and Florida are the collection of bills similar to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill that are currently being advanced in multiple states. Idaho and Alabama Followed Texas’ Anti-Trans, so… Just as states including Idaho and Alabama took lead from Texas to criminalize providing gender-affirming care to trans and gender-diverse minors, a number of state legislatures are falling in line with the conservative leaders of Florida to silence LGBTQ-centric conversations in schools. (Idaho’s anti-trans bill KILLED by State Senate earlier this week. ) Georgia “Don’t Say Gay”: BLOCKED Georgia lawmakers made headlines last week by introducing its own version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the Common Humanity in Private Education Act. Unlike Florida’s bill, the measure focuses squarely on private and nonpublic schools. The bill states that those schools cannot “promote, compel or encourage classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the student.” It also mentions Critical Race Theory as a topic that should be removed from school curriculums, saying it encourages the notion that “an individual, solely by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.” “The Georgia Don’t Say Gay bill is government sanctioned censorship, explicitly targeting LGBTQ students,” Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, told WSB-TV. The bill made little movement prior to the end of Georgia’s legislative session on Tuesday, but it did help solidify the issue as one that will likely be revised as Gov. Brian Kemp runs for reelection later this year. Impact is Likely Huge Florida’s bill is drawing the most eyes and outcry, but, as with any new push to limit the civil liberties of LGBTQ minors and adults, the legislative web it belongs to runs much deeper. And it threatens far more than just LGBTQ students. “We know that what happens in schools impacts mental health and suicide risk,” said The Trevor Project director of advocacy and government affairs Sam Ames in an interview with Changing America. “We know that youth learning about themselves, being able to see themselves reflected in their curriculum, being able to speak openly about who they are to their classmates and their teachers reduces suicide risk significantly.” “We are seeing entire chapters of textbooks being erased. Do you not talk in a civics class about Pete Buttigieg? Do you not talk in a history class about Harvey Milk or Marsha P. Johnson,” Ames said. “These are fundamental moments, not just in LGBTQ history, but in American history, that are being written out of existence.” Don’t Say Gay bill: Previously on Towleroad Sponsor of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Says Quiet Part Out Loud — Too Many [Damn] Gay Kids Nowadays; Herald Editorial Nails “reminiscing of a Grandpa” Towleroad March 9, 2022 Read More Disney Employees Furious CEO Bob Chapek Touts Disney Pride, Recent Characters of Color, Won’t Condemn ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill, And Can’t See That Makes It Worse Towleroad March 7, 2022 Read More ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Passes Florida House, 69-47; Law Would Limit School Discussions; Reps Voting in Favor Told: ‘You Are Voting To Be An Opponent’ Of LGBTQ Community Towleroad February 24, 2022 Read More Amid Book Challenges Predominantly Against LGBTQ Materials — One A Memoir By a Black and Gay Writer–Parents, Activists Sound The Alarm in Florida Towleroad February 16, 2022 Read More Florida’s Peekaboo Republicans Used Toddler Logic To Craft Their ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Legislation — In Effect A Gag-Order-Plus-Eye-Cover Mandate To Make Gays Disappear. Good Luck. Brian Bell January 27, 2022 Read More Well-Known Florida Marriage Plaintiff Found Dead In Landfill; Investigations Ongoing To Identify Who Killed Jorge Diaz-Johnston Brian Bell January 19, 2022 Read More Photo by Mercedes Mehling on Unsplash View the full article

Published by Reuters By Trevor Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) -The Biden administration made a carefully orchestrated gamble this week, issuing a series of public and private threats to Beijing that it will face consequences if it supports Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The strategy was capped by a tense, seven-hour meeting in Rome on Monday between U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi. Having fired loud diplomatic salvos at Beijing, Biden administration officials are still debating the next steps to take to ensure China does not help Russia evade Western sanctions or supply weapons to Moscow as casualties mount in Ukraine. One result of the Rome meeting was announced on Thursday – Chinese President Xi Jinping will speak with Biden on Friday about “managing the competition between our two countries as well as Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the White House said. It is not likely to be an easy conversation. Beijing was combative in the Rome talks, people briefed on the interactions say. One U.S.-based person briefed on the meeting described Chinese officials’ response as “tough” and “offensive.” Another said simply that the talks did not go well. Washington is now sorting through a host of unanswered questions, including where any “red line” regarding Ukraine that China would need to cross to trigger a U.S. response is, and what exactly that response would be, administration officials say. The Biden administration is waiting to see what China does before deciding on a course of action. “We’re going to be watching closely,” said White House spokesperson Jen Psaki on Monday. A senior U.S. official said they would be looking at what military, economic, or other support is being provided to Russia. The United States on Monday told allies in NATO and several Asian countries that China had signaled its willingness to provide military and economic aid to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, an accusation that China denies. Sullivan had warned before the talks that China would “absolutely” face consequences if it helped Moscow evade sweeping sanctions over Ukraine. China, which announced a “no limits” strategic partnership with Russia in February, may find it hard to change course and back down after a threat was made public, said Kevin Gallagher, who leads the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University. “This wasn’t a good strategic move,” he said. “Like the United States, China has a domestic constituency.” He Weiwen, senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Beijing’s Renmin University said: “The U.S. has an intention to crackdown on China, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict provides a reason for it to do so,” describing the U.S. warnings as “blackmail.” Sources in the Biden administration and diplomats in Washington and Europe say Western countries had been sending private warnings to Beijing about China’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin for weeks before the Rome meeting. Russia has denied asking China for military assistance, and China warned this week of “false information,” in apparent reference to U.S. statements. “China firmly opposes any words and deeds that spread false information and distort and smear China’s position,” Yang said, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Beijing’s official newspaper, the People’s Daily, carried a column noting the inaccurate U.S. intelligence that led to the Iraq invasion. Some U.S. allies also quietly questioned the intelligence Washington was relying upon regarding the Russian and Chinese conversations, several European diplomatic sources said. SANCTIONS DISCUSSIONS NOT ADVANCED Discussions between the United States and its military allies of any coordinated sanctions that could apply to Beijing are not advanced, according to one person involved in those conversations. A move to sanction China over Ukraine would have potentially dire consequences, not just for China, but for the U.S. and global economies, analysts say. China trades vastly more with the United States and its NATO than it does with Russia, and the Chinese economy relies heavily on international markets and capital. However, the talks between Sullivan and Yang did not focus on trade, one U.S. official noted. Biden entered office regarding China as the key foreign policy challenge of the era, one that required a more hardline defense of democratic values against autocratic competitors. But Biden hoped that his candid personal relationship with China’s leader could defuse the likelihood of a Cold War or a direct military clash between the world’s current superpower and its rising superpower, including over the status of Taiwan. “China is either going to side with Russia and reinforce the sense that it has joined an ‘axis of autocracy,’ or it is going to put significant space between Moscow and Beijing and demonstrate that it genuinely cares about preserving even a basic relationship with the rest of the world,” said Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “If it turns down this opportunity, it’s not clear to me there will be a next time to meet and set aside differences. The ball is entirely in Beijing’s court.” (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Andrea Shalal, Michael Martina, Steve Holland, David Brunnstrom, Alexandra Alper, Humeyra Pamuk, Phil Stewart, and the Beijing bureau; Writing by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Gabrielle Union has blasted the Walt Disney Company’s soft stance regarding Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. The ‘Cheaper By the Dozen’ actress hit out at the studio – who are facing walkouts from staff in protest at their lack of response to the controversial bill, which bans teachers in classes up to third grade in the state from discussing LGBTQ+ issues with their students – and voiced her dismay following the news the company had donated money to every sponsor and co-sponsor of the legislation. She told Variety: “Somebody asked me, ‘Are you disappointed?’ I’m disappointed when my order isn’t right at In-N-Out. I don’t even think that’s a word that you could use for something like this, where children’s lives are literally hanging in the balance. “We need to own that if you truly are taking stands against hate and oppression, you should not fund hate and oppression. Period. The damage is done.” And Gabrielle – whose stepdaughter, Zaya, is trans – warned the lack of public challenge to the bill in Florida will see other states follow suit. She said: “There are so many states that are following suit [with Florida’s legislation], because there is no pushback, because no one in positions of power [or] corporations are taking a hard stance. “Let’s look who’s donating to what and let’s call people out… I think a lot of people like to confuse accountability and consequences for cancel culture. And as long as you have a microphone and a stage that’s not cancel culture, honey… We have to campaign and fund for those people who stand for all of us.” Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek reportedly received a letter from LGBTQ+ employees at the firm requesting he publicly condemn the bill, and Gabrielle thinks he has had a “lot of people” voice their objection. She said: “I think a lot of people reached out to him. And if you have to see my child for that to be to be the difference maker, that’s not enough. There’s a lot of kids out there, not just famous ones.” Bob previously wrote to Disney employees to apologise for letting them down, but has yet to publicly criticise the legislation, which was passed by the state’s House of Representatives on 24 February and the state Senate earlier this month. He wrote: “Thank you to all who have reached out to me sharing your pain, frustration and sadness over the company’s response to the Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. “Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was. It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights.” He added, “You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry.” The executive pledged $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) LGBT advocacy group, but the organisation rejected the donation and called on Disney to take “meaningful action” against the bill instead. View the full article

Published by Reuters By James Mackenzie, Natalia Zinets and Oleksandr Kozhukhar KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a war criminal in comments the Kremlin said were “unforgivable” as it insisted the war in Ukraine was “going to plan” amid talk of compromise at peace talks. Kremlin forces kept up their bombardments of besieged cities, including intensified shelling of the capital Kyiv, and civilians waiting in line for bread and sheltering in a theatre were killed, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials Moscow has yet to capture any of Ukraine’s biggest cities following its invasion that began on Feb. 24, the largest assault on a European state since World War Two, raising fears of wider conflict in the West. Putin on Wednesday said he would discuss neutral status for Ukraine and that what he calls a “special military operation” to demilitarize the country was “going to plan”. Kyiv and allies say his actions are an unprovoked incursion, and more than 3 million Ukrainians have fled and hundreds have died. The United States announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine to fight Russia, with the new package including drones, anti-armour and anti-aircraft systems. “More will be coming as we source additional stocks of equipment that … we are ready to transfer,” Biden said, later condemning Putin. “He is a war criminal,” he told reporters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the comment was “unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric”, according to Tass news agency. Ukraine still hopes for a diplomatic solution. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said negotiations were becoming “more realistic” and Russia said proposals under discussion were “close to an agreement.” The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said Russian forces had shot dead 10 people waiting in line for bread in Chernihiv, northeast of Kyiv. Russia denied the attack and said the incident was a hoax. Emergency services said rescue workers had found the bodies of five people during searches of shell-hit buildings. In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the city council said Russian forces bombed a theatre where civilians were sheltering. The number of casualties was not known. Russia denied it had carried out an air strike against the theatre. Reuters could not independently verify the information. Maxar Technologies, a private U.S. company, distributed satellite imagery that it said was collected on March 14 and showed the word “children” in large Russian script painted on the ground outside the red-roofed Mariupol Drama Theatre. FACEBOOK POSTS REMOVED The governor of Zaporizhzhia region said Russian forces had fired artillery at a convoy of evacuees from Mariupol, wounding five people on Wednesday. Three people were killed and five wounded after shelling caused a fire at a market in eastern Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, emergency services said. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 400 staff and patients were being held hostage at a Mariupol hospital that Russian forces captured on Tuesday. Moscow denies targeting civilians. Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian shelling caused a fire and damaged private homes and a gas line in the evening after early morning barrages. Russian troops have halted at the gates of the capital after taking heavy losses. Ukraine handed over nine captured soldiers to secure the freedom of the mayor of the city of Melitopol, who was detained last week, the Interfax Ukraine news agency quoted a senior official as saying on Wednesday. And as an information battle goes on alongside fighting, Facebook on Wednesday removed official Russian posts that falsely claimed reports of Russia bombing a children’s hospital in Ukraine were a hoax. Russia has shifted its stance over the bombing that caused outrage around the world with a mix of statements that veered between aggressive denials and a call to establish clear facts. ‘DARKEST TIME’ In a speech to the U.S. Congress by video link, Zelenskiy repeated a request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something the West won’t introduce. “In the darkest time for our country, for the whole of Europe, I call on you to do more,” he said. NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels pledged more arms supplies to help Ukraine. The U.N. Security Council is due to vote on Friday on a Russian-drafted call for aid access and civilian protection, but diplomats say the measure is set to fail because it does not push for an end to the fighting or withdrawal of troops. Delegations from the two sides were meeting via video conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday as efforts continued for a diplomatic solution. The Kremlin said negotiators were discussing a status for Ukraine similar to that of Austria or Sweden, both members of the European Union that are outside the NATO military alliance. Ukraine’s chief negotiator said Kyiv was still demanding a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops, with guarantees. Zelenskiy has said Ukraine could accept international security guarantees that stopped short of its longstanding aim to join NATO. That prospect has been one of Russia’s primary concerns. “Neutral status is now being seriously discussed along, of course, with security guarantees,” Lavrov said. “There are absolutely specific formulations which in my view are close to agreement.” Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s chief negotiator, told state TV: “Ukraine is offering an Austrian or Swedish version of a neutral demilitarised state, but at the same time a state with its own army and navy.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the idea “could really be seen as a compromise”. Austria and Sweden, the biggest of six EU members outside NATO, both have small militaries that cooperate with the alliance. DAMAGE TO RUSSIA’S ECONOMY Ukrainian forces have withstood an assault by a much larger army but the humanitarian toll is rising. Ukraine said about 20,000 people had escaped besieged Mariupol in cars, but hundreds of thousands remain trapped. The economic fallout is also being felt around the world. The Biden administration has authorized additional exports of liquefied natural gas from Texas-based Cheniere Energy in a move that could help Europe deal with a worsening crunch. Meanwhile, Russia was due to pay $117 million in interest on dollar-denominated sovereign bonds but may pay in roubles instead, amounting to its first default on foreign debt since the Bolshevik revolution. Moscow said it had the money, and Washington would be to blame if it cannot pay. In his most explicit acknowledgment of the pain inflicted by Western sanctions, Putin said inflation and unemployment would rise, and structural changes to the economy would be needed. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan and Costas Pitas, Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Philippa Fletcher, Grant McCool and Cynthia Osterman) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Ellen DeGeneres is making sure her staff is well taken care of after her syndicated talk show ends. The 64-year-old comedian is allegedly gifting the employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show nearly $3 million in bonuses, depending on how long they’ve been apart of her team. This comes nearly one year after her career nearly tanked after she was accused of running a toxic work environment. According to Deadline, DeGeneres’ bonuses are structured like this: staff members who have worked one-four years on her show will reportedly receive an extra two weeks of pay. Those who have served 5-8 years under her wing will get three weeks of pay, and so on. Veterans of the long-standing show will be capped at 6 weeks of additional pay. The outlet also notes that 30% of DeGeneres’ staff has been with her for 10 or more years. Mega Bonuses aren’t the only thing employees are getting. Warner Bros./Telepictures allegedly sent letters to staffers informing them that the company was extending their healthcare for 6 months after the program ends. They will also enjoy a condensed work schedule as the season comes to a close. Besides bonuses, healthcare coverage, and a shorter production schedule, DeGeneres’ talk show employees will also get free workshops on how to tailor their resumes and one-year memberships to free LinkedIn Learning. While that sounds fine and dandy, not everything smelled like roses behind the scenes at The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Mega Radar spoke with an ex-staffer who said their time as an employee of the show was “emotional psychological abuse.” “It’s a relief because, I was there for multiple seasons, and I could tell a majority of the staff was very unhappy. I could tell that the allegations, of course, were transpiring; they were true,” the source told us after DeGeneres announced her show was ending. “From my perspective, a lot of what wasn’t reported was verbal harassment and emotional psychological abuse, and I know that takes a very large toll on people. I’m really happy that that’s finally coming to an end.” DeGeneres later addressed the allegations but seemed to do more harm than good. “When it started, with that stupid ‘someone couldn’t look me in the eye’ or whatever the first thing was, it’s like a crest of a wave,” she stated. “Like, ‘This isn’t going to be that big of a wave.” And then it just keeps getting bigger and bigger until it was out of control.” She doubled down on her innocence, claiming, “And I really, honestly, felt like, ‘I don’t deserve this. I don’t need this. I know who I am. I’m a good person.’ And I was sitting back going, ‘If I was someone watching this, I would think, Well, there must be some truth to it because it’s not stopping.'” The Ellen DeGeneres Show‘s last episode is set to air on May 26. View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] The Essentials A parody of “Dentist” from “Little Shop of Horrors” Target: Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert … and a few others. Most Risky Lyric: “Your privilege is whiter than Anderson Cooper” YouTube Reviews: “Another masterpiece of comedic musical scathing tell-it-like-it-is parody extravaganza!!! ” –Blathering Bear Love the line about accusing non—Nazis of being Nazis while honoring the actual Nazis. Sad and sick but true. Gazpacho indeed. ” –Harry Hart-Browne “I’m glad someone finally gave a complete definition of a Karen, and no one could’ve done a better job than Randy. I love it , and I love your videos, thank you for lifting my day, and keep it up.” –Gartheo Breeding “Watching Randy’s brilliance made it tolerable to have to see&think about these vile creatures.Thank you Randy for being our light in these dark times ” –Diana Swan Connect with Randy Rainbow: Pre-order Randy’s new MEMOIR “Playing with Myself” (Available 4/19/22) TICKETS TO SEE RANDY LIVE! (Book Tour & Pink Glasses Tour): Book Randy Rainbow on CAMEO: Buy official t-shirts and other fun merch here (new merchandise coming soon): Support Randy’s Patreon page and get lots of fun rewards: LIKE Randy on Facebook for more:… Follow @RandyRainbow on TWITTER: Follow @RandyRainbow on INSTAGRAM: Randy on TikTok!@randyrainbowofficial Randy Rainbow Qaren Gurl You’re a Karen on Towleroad Beyoncé’s Mom Tina Knowles Goes Off About Jussie Smollett’s Jail Sentence: ‘They Want To Destroy This Man’ More Netflix brings back hit Ukrainian comedy show starring Zelensky More Biden: It’s time to change U.S. culture on violence against women More Idaho Senate halts healthcare bill targeting trans youth More Jaden Smith recalls ‘beautiful’ experience on psychedelic mushrooms More Jussie Smollett moved off psych ward More Billie Lourd honoured Mother Carrie Fisher, Grandmother Debbie Reynolds at her wedding More Britney Spears wants to be ‘feared’ rather than loved More Matt Bomer in early talks to board Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic More More than 10,000 couples marry in Ukraine since start of war More State TV protester tells Russians: open your eyes to Ukraine war propaganda More Ukraine President Zelenskiy asks U.S. Congress to help ‘protect our skies’ More Megan Rapinoe Changes the Game in More Ways Than One More Load More View the full article