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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