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Published by AFP US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Russia appeared on the brink of invading its neighbor Ukraine, and said President Joe Biden was ready to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin at 'any time' to prevent a war Washington (AFP) – US President Joe Biden is willing to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin “at any time” to prevent a war in Ukraine, according to his top diplomat who said Sunday Russia appeared on the verge of invading its neighbor. In a rapid-fire round of US talk shows, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN “everything we’re seeing suggests that this is dead serious, that we are on the brink of an invasion.” Aggressive military action has already begun in and around Ukraine, which is facing increased shelling from Russian-backed separatist rebels and a force of what Blinken and Western capitals say is more than 150,000 Russian troops on its borders. “But until the tanks are actually rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from carrying this forward,” Blinken said. He told CBS’s “Face the Nation” Biden has made “very clear that he’s prepared to meet President Putin at any time, in any format, if that can help prevent a war.” The two leaders last spoke by telephone on February 12, according to the White House. In Ukraine, more bombardments were heard by AFP reporters overnight close to the frontline between government forces and the Moscow-backed rebels who hold parts of the districts of Lugansk and Donetsk. And in Belarus, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, Russian military exercises were continuing, Minsk announced Sunday, further ramping up the pressure on an already tense situation. Blinken said that was just one of several signs that Moscow is gearing up for an invasion, with Putin “following the script almost to the letter.” “It tells us that the playbook that we laid out, I laid out at the UN Security Council last week, about Russia trying to create a series of provocations as justifications for aggression against Ukraine, is going forward,” Blinken said. Biden was hosting a rare weekend meeting of his National Security Council on Sunday to address the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile US Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking to reporters Sunday after addressing the Munich Security Conference, said Western allies were prepared to hammer Russia with massive sanctions should they invade Ukraine. “We still sincerely hope that there is a diplomatic path out of this moment,” Harris said, although she acknowledged that such a window is “absolutely narrowing.” “We are talking about the real possibility of war in Europe,” she said. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Peter Nicholls WINDSOR, England (Reuters) -Queen Elizabeth tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, sharpening concerns about the health of the world’s longest-reigning monarch two weeks after she marked 70 years on the British throne. The 95-year-old queen, who has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, quipped just four days ago to Palace staff that she could not move much, and she spent a night in hospital last October for an unspecified ailment. “The Queen has today tested positive for COVID,” the Palace said. “Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.” “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines,” the Palace said. A number of staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at Windsor, the ancient castle where Elizabeth, the world’s oldest monarch, spent much of her time during lockdowns designed to contain the pandemic. Philip, the queen’s husband of more than 70 years, died in April last year, aged 99. Their son, Charles, 73, the heir to the throne, earlier this month contracted COVID-19 for a second time. He had met the queen days before. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has said he nearly died from COVID-19 in 2020, was due to scrap coronavirus self-isolation rules as part of a “living with COVID” strategy that aims to achieve a faster exit from the pandemic than other major economies. “I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from COVID and a rapid return to vibrant good health,” Johnson said on Twitter. DEVOTION TO DUTY The queen quietly marked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the British throne in early February. Elizabeth became the queen of Britain and more than a dozen other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand on the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, while she was in Kenya on an international tour. She is the first British sovereign to spend seven decades on the throne in a dynasty that traces its origins back almost 1,000 years to Norman King William I and his 1066 conquest of England. Elizabeth’s achievement has been to maintain the popularity of the British monarchy in the face of seismic political, social and cultural change that threatened to make the world’s most famous royal family an anachronism. When she ascended the throne, Josef Stalin, Mao Zedong and Harry Truman were running the Soviet Union, China and the United States, respectively, while Winston Churchill was British prime minister. Including Churchill, she has been served by 14 prime ministers – a quarter of the number in Britain since Robert Walpole 300 years ago. During her reign, there have been 14 U.S. presidents, all of whom she has met bar Lyndon Johnson. Elizabeth’s quiet devotion to duty has won her support and respect in the United Kingdom, and the broader Commonwealth, in contrast to the scandals that have engulfed other members of the royal family. “She’s an icon, she’s an icon of the UK: she is an epitome of the UK in some ways, most people in the country have never known any monarch other than her,” Steven Stepanian, who works as a consultant in London, told Reuters. Shashi Vandrevala, a 72-year-old retiree, said: “She has to get better, we can’t afford to lose her yet.” ROYAL FUTURE The queen has in recent years attempted to pass more duties to her heir, Charles, and to his eldest son, Prince William, and his wife, Kate. There are, though, concerns about the future. Such is the depth of respect for the queen that while she lives, the institution will be safe. What will follow is less certain. Supporters see the queen as a unifying figure who bolsters Britain’s prestige and economy. Opponents say the institution is a bastion of undeserved privilege, funded in part by taxpayers and undermined by some members’ behaviour. Prince Andrew, Elizabeth’s second son, last week settled a lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. Andrew, a former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has denied accusations that he forced Giuffre to have sex at age 17 more than two decades ago. Meanwhile, Prince Harry, once the Windsors’ most popular member, and his American wife Meghan gave up their royal duties to move to Los Angeles. Meghan last year said concerns within the family had been raised over the skin colour of their son. She also accused the family of neglect, saying she ended up with suicidal thoughts after pleading for help and getting none. The queen said some recollections may vary. British police said last week they had begun an investigation into allegations in media reports that honours were offered to a Saudi national in return for donations to one of Prince Charles’s charities. For many British people, though, the queen is very special. As news of her COVID-19 infection spread, message boards in the London underground stations carried a goodwill message to the monarch, urging her to relax with her dogs. “Get better soon Your Majesty – chill out with the Corgis,” the message read. “Get plenty of rest. You’re simply the best. Thanks for being such a wonderful queen.” (Writing by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Kate Holton and Barbara Lewis) View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English Beyonce and Zendaya are in talks to star in a remake of movie ‘Imitation Of Life’. The drama film was first released in 1934 – based on Fannie Hurst’s 1933 novel of the same name – and then remade in 1959, starring Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, John Gavin and Sandra Dee. It’s thought if Zendaya does sign up for the remake of the classic motion picture, which dealt with issues of race, class and gender, it could take her movie stock “to the next level”. An insider said: “‘Imitation Of Life’ is renowned in the film world because of the issues it tackled — and they seem more relevant than ever right now. “Everyone wants Zendaya in their films at the moment but it feels like this could be the movie to take her to the next level and really get some awards buzz.” ‘Lion King’ star Beyonce is said to be keen to “really sink her teeth into” a juicy role. The insider added to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Beyonce has dipped her toe in a few projects, like Disney’s ‘Lion King’, voicing the part of lioness Nala. “But now she wants a project she can really sink her teeth into, so she is very interested.” Should Beyonce and Zendaya team up for the film, it wouldn’t be the first time they have joined forces. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ star Zendaya starred in Beyonce’s ‘All Night’ music video in 2016, and she previously admitted to being a huge fan of the ‘Single Ladies’ hitmaker. During a 2017 discussion about the stars who inspire her, Zendaya said: “Beyonce. She took it to the next level with ‘Lemonade’. She’s got twins, and she’s banging. She’s killing it.” In 2016, Zendaya said: “I’m just obsessed with Beyonce and have been since my birth. “Just to be there and really learn from her and see how amazing she is, how detail-oriented, it was cool to just sit back and watch.” View the full article

Published by DPA A file photo taken on September 10, 2014 shows the Sante prison in Paris. – Former French model agent Jean-Luc Brunel, accused of rape by several former models, was found hanged in his cell in Paris’ Sante prison last night. Joel Saget/AFP/dpa Modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who was in pretrial detention in Paris in the wake of a human trafficking and underage sex scandal focused on deceased US billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead, the AFP news agency reported on Saturday. The French judiciary had opened investigations into the agent for the rape of minors and for sexual assault. The 76-year-old had been in pretrial detention for more than a year. Newspaper Le Parisien reported, citing judicial sources, that Brunel was discovered hanged in his cell some time during the night. Brunel was also suspected of having contacted and organized young girls for Epstein. Prosecutors had already launched an investigation into Brunel in the summer of 2019 and raided his Paris-based modelling agency. Epstein, who killed himself in a New York prison in August 2019, was charged in the US with abusing dozens of underage girls. He was accused of setting up a sex-trafficking ring with accomplices. Epstein owned a luxury flat in Paris near the Champs-Elysees. Brunel, who was one of Epstein’s close confidants, was arrested at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport in December 2020 as he was about to leave the country. Most recently, a court in the US found Epstein’s ex-partner Ghislaine Maxwell guilty at the end of December. The jury in New York decided that Maxwell, as Epstein’s aide, had played a central role in setting up Epstein’s ring for the sexual abuse of young girls. The 60-year-old faces several decades in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28. Her lawyers have requested a retrial. View the full article

Published by XXL Mag It’s no secret that there’s been a longstanding stigma when it comes to homosexuality in hip-hop. Some artists have even had their rap careers tarnished by rumors that they were connected to someone of the same sex. As a new generation of hip-hop consumers emerge and artists are living in their truth when it comes to their sexuality, the culture is proving to be more open-minded than ever before. One of the biggest examples of hip-hop’s growth when it comes to LGBTQ+ acceptance is Lil Nas X. The Georgia-bred artist had the biggest song on the planet when he came out on the last day of Pride Mo… Read More View the full article

Jorgeous has a dramatic moment *fart sound* on RuPaul’s Drag Race.Nothing about last night’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race should have worked. A group challenge wringing comedy from overacting in a poorly-written parody? No, thank you. Twists designed to appeal to Ru more than the audience? Pass. Chaps on the runway?! And yet? Although it was an acting challenge, I had a ball! It’s a Drag Race episode that requires viewers to turn off even more of their brains than typically necessary, because things get, well, stupid. Not just in the way these parody sketches always get stupid with shrieking and an unnecessarily sexual lesbian love affair. This week’s RuPaul’s Drag Race ascends (descends?) to a whole new level of stupid, and, reader, it surprisingly doesn’t stink. Though, there is still a bit of a funk hanging in the air at the start of the episode. After another week safe, Daya continues to simmer with resentment. She can’t resist making passive-aggressive (and a few plain aggressive) digs at Jorgeous’s expense. She calls her unconventional materials outfit a “napkin” and dismisses it as nothing more than bric-a-brac glued onto a bodysuit. (Way harsh, Tai.) Jorgeous, to her credit, is relatively unbothered by Daya’s misdirected anger. She already got her win, and now she’s got some real power. Thanks to winning the Glamazon Prime challenge, she gets to assign the roles in this week’s production of The Daytona Wind. It’s a silly soap in the tradition of daytime staples, like As the World Turns and Days of Our Lives, and primetime pulp, like Dynasty and Dallas. Jorgeous and Willow on RuPaul’s Drag Race. The “plot” hardly matters, and the jokes are a loose collection of pop-culture references, funny faces and screaming. Jorgeous plays it mostly kind when giving out roles, only denying DeJa her first choice so Jorgeous could snatch that part. The gals film with Ru, and there’s not much to report here. Ru really emphasizes the importance of going big and stupid, and, importantly, he tells everyone to leave lots of room for big, dramatic, pregnant pauses in the delivery. It seems like the kind of note he would give to yield the campy soap parody we’re working on. Angeria and DeJa struggle a bit with their lines, but everyone else gives a strong showing. Jasmine Kennedie manages to be the best and worst part of the day, delivering an absolutely gut-busting performance in some indiscernible dialect. I can’t say it better than Bosco, who describes the scene as “Jasmine is somehow so f—ing terrible at acting, that it has turned itself around, and it has become my favorite thing I’ve ever seen.” Just imagine Alyssa Edwards doing an impression of Goofy reading for True Blood. That’s the vibe. The real gag isn’t Ru-vealed until the runway. Mama Ru stayed up all night cutting fart sounds into the video during all those pauses. Combined with the queens’ clownish reaction shots, it’s an irresistible good time. Not only is it great to see the gals react in real time, but there are a slew of jokes in the script that take on new meaning if everyone is suffering from loud gas. Even if you consider fart jokes the lowest form of humor, everyone’s having such a blast (pun intended), it’s impossible not to chuckle. Drag Race host, soap opera director, foley artist … is there anything RuPaul can’t do? It also makes it harder to pin down any flops. Ms. Paul ru-covers from her hysterical fit of laughter to declare Kerri, DeJa and Angeria all safe; everyone else is a top. I agree with Michelle when she says Jorgeous was good, but could have been great if she just gave 25 percent more. She looks beautiful on the runway, but her racy, lacy outfit doesn’t really fulfill the “chaps on the runway” assignment. Of course the judges love Jasmine’s bizarre choices in Daytona Wind. Coupled with neon, graduation-inspired chaps, it’s a good week for the young queen. Daya also finally gets her moment in front of the judges, impressing Michelle with her bootcut, business-bitch chaps. She gives her all in the sketch, packing the performance with small, smart choices that are funny without the sound effects. Willow wows on the runway in an outfit that looks right out of The Matrix and features a second set of fake arms holding her pigtails (while giving her an atomic wedgie). Of course, Willow is great in the video, but Michelle thinks she’s playing too close to Catherine O’Hara’s Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek. It’s not really a fair criticism, considering Moira was a rich, Californian on a soap opera. That was sort of the ask? Bosco gets heaps of praise (and looks hot AF) in a millennial pink, studded biker ensemble. More importantly, she sniffs out all of the pop-culture references in her character, delivering a Reba McEntire by way of Jackie Collins by way of The Walking Dead. This is one sharp queen. Lady Camden won’t let Angeria stink up a scene alone on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Finally, the real superstar this week is Lady Camden. A trained actress, she imbues almost too much gravitas into this silly sketch. But she’s not afraid to get silly, either! It’s a clear top performance, but what makes her an icon this week happens on the runway. First appearing in a white wig and gown, she falls forward — hard — at the start of the runway. I immediately get a PTSD flashback of Farrah Moan. The judges are thrown. Time stops. Then she slowly rises, no wig, slicks her hair back, reveals a mustache and a full Freddie Mercury inspired presentation. It’s a stunt! It’s a reveal! It’s genderf—k! It’s so good! Even after the delightful surprise, she just rocks the whole runway. It’s androgynous and sexy and still thoroughly drag. I never want it to end. In lieu of a lip sync for your life, Camden and Daya lip sync for the win (and $5,000 tip) to Blondie’s “One Way or Another.” It’s a banger. Daya is no slouch, but Lady Camden is punk perfection. The outfit could not work better for this, and Camden even throws in a little gag by removing her big fake mustache, only to reveal the exact mustache painted underneath. Her pro dance training is clear, and she punctuates the whole thing with little moments of humor. So, so good. Ru agrees and awards Camden the cash. It’s a satisfying end to a very satisfying episode. This season’s queens have cracked the Drag Race code, and they are slaying these challenges and runways. The casts get stronger every season — and, I know I say this a lot — but I think this could be our tightest race yet. Let’s review where the gals stand in our completely subjective weekly ranking. Tell us your rankings in the comments! Willow may not have made the top two this week, but it’s clear Ru is completely enamored with her. What’s not to love? She is clever, creative and very funny. Although her fashions skew more costume than couture, they are well-made, fully-realized and always a little unexpected. Is her Drag Race run a bit too similar to her inspiration, Yvie Oddly? Maybe. But there’s enough unique flavor here for Willow to carve out her own legacy.I’m glad to see Angeria survive a rocky reading in the challenge, if only to see her reaction to more makeup mirror conversations about Folsom Street Fair. She still brought it to the runway, looking stunning in a disco diva, Solid Gold outfit. She’s got that “something” Ru is always after, and I expect to see her stick around until the end.Lady Camden surges ahead after back-to-back weeks of excellence. That fall on the runway was a thrill, and my little gay brain is still crackling at the thought of it. It wasn’t just a gimmicky garment, it also looked great. Camden ate up every second on that stage. She can act, she can dance, she can sew and she can rock a pussy bow (bussy bow?) in confessionals. I can’t wait to see what she does for Snatch Game.Bosco is right there, mixing it up with the top queens. It was good to see a queen zero in on all the little pop culture references in these scripts. She spotted the Reba McEntire/”Fancy” reference right away, and she didn’t let mama down. Keep an eye on Bosco in the coming weeks, as the Werk Room is whittled down a bit, she’ll get more space to shine.It’s good to see Jorgeous get her confidence back after last week’s win. She certainly seemed more comfortable on camera this time. I do think we’re seeing her ceiling, but, as Michelle noted, with a little extra oomph, the next level is right there.I much prefer the ditzy, kooky Jasmine to the narcissistic Jasmine that never shuts up. Her, um, Southern(?) accent was a hoot, and she served a side of camp on the runway. I like this lane for her. She can avoid some of Michelle’s more scathing critiques if she doesn’t position herself as a fashion queen.Maybe I’m being unkind to Daya, because she really did a good job this week. She’s still getting the villain edit, which doesn’t give me a lot of confidence she’ll make it all the way. We’ve trimmed all the fat off this cast, so really anyone could take the lead, including Daya. Hopefully, this week’s top placement will placate her anxiety and let her focus … and maybe show a softer, more likable side.DeJa left a big impression during the previous acting challenges, so it was a bummer to see her fade into the background here. I really appreciated her runway. It should be in the dictionary next to the definition for “proportionizing.” The hips were perfectly sculpted, the wig was just the right size. Excellent stuff. In a season this talented, any one of these top 9 could make the finale, so don’t count her out just yet.Kerri may have been safe the last few weeks, but she’s proven to be more than just a pretty face (and smokin’ hot body-ody-ody). The problem is everyone else is so strong, so multi-dimensional, so multi-talented, Kerri is getting left behind. There’s still time to make an impact, but she’s got to do it soon.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 Crystal Hefner is set to write a memoir about her 10 years with the Playboy founder — and promising not to hold back any details. On Thursday, the 35-year-old announced the news on Instagram. “I was with him through wild times, calm times, and all the times in between up until the day he passed in September 2017.” Mega “I choose to be more private over the years because I’m an introvert at heart and while the mansion was in some ways was a sanctuary in other ways I was exploited like never before.” Crystal says she’s been on the fence about telling her story “because it’s complicated and conflicting in ways.” “But I think the best way to tell it is to be 100% honest and transparent so my lessons can hopefully help you too.” Crystal met Hugh at a Halloween party at the mansion and ended up moving in soon after. Mega In her post, Crystal revealed one of her therapists said “it’s like you went trick or treating at a house and then wasn’t let back out for ten years.” “I will share how power, greed, narcissism, and a girls guest to feel loved, powerful, important and have a sense of belonging led her down a dangerous path.” The Playmate says she is still trying to heal what she went through. Crystal started dating Hef when he was 60 years her senior. She jointed The Shannon Twins as one of his three girlfriends in 2009. In 2010, Crystal got engaged to Hefner. However, days before the 2011 wedding she called it off and left the mansion. Mega The two ended up reconciling and ended up getting married on December 31, 2012. Crystal’s decision to speak out comes after A&E released a 10-hour documentary on the secrets of Playboy. Many of Hef’s former girlfriends including Holly Madison spoke out about the horrific conditions they endured. The Shannon Twins — Kristina and Karissa — spoke to Radar exclusively telling us they were forced to have gross sex and follow strict rules while with Hef. They told us, “We are completely ruined by him mentally, he had signs hanging all over the house in the mansion saying what we were allowed to do, eat or drink.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Amazon has suspended Black Lives Matter from their charity platform AmazonSmile due to the organizations’ failure to prove where up to $60 million in donations was spent. According to Daily Mail, Amazon suspended the BLM organization on Tuesday due to their inability to disclose where the millions of dollars donated to their cause had gone. While this is hardly the first time the social justice organization has been scrutinized in regard to their financial transparency, they will reportedly be without funds raised by AmazonSmile “until they’re back in compliance,” a spokesperson for the charity platform recently revealed. Mega The suspension also reportedly comes following an incident in which auditors for the Amazon charity became alarmed after the social justice organization was hesitant to disclose who was handling their finances. BLM was also reportedly hesitant to hand over their financial records to the AmazonSmile auditors. “People have to know we didn’t go out and solicit the money,” Patrisse Cullors, the BLM co-founder who resigned in May, said last week regarding the missing millions. “This is money that came from white guilt, white corporation guilt, and they just poured money in.” But the financial scrutiny BLM is currently under from AmazonSmile is just the least of the group’s problems, because in early February they were reportedly issued legal threats from both California and Washington in connection to the millions and millions of dollars the organization received in donations in 2020. Mega “Charitable organizations must meet the requirements outlined in our participation agreement to be eligible for AmazonSmile,” an Amazon representative recently revealed following BLM’s suspension. “Among other eligibility requirements, organizations are required to be in good standing in their state of incorporation and in the states and territories where they are authorized to do business,” the spokesperson continued. “Organizations that don’t meet the requirements listed in the agreement may have its eligibility suspended or revoked. Charities can request to be reinstated once they are back in good standing.” Mega Due to California and Washington’s legal threats, the social justice group has reportedly been deemed not “in good standing” in either state, leading AmazonSmile no choice but to suspend the organization until they legally and properly disclose who is currently in charge of their finances, and where the $60 million in donations went to. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nathan Layne (Reuters) -A Minnesota judge on Friday sentenced former police officer Kimberly Potter to two years in the fatal shooting of Black motorist Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, a lighter sentence than the roughly seven years in prison sought by prosecutors. Potter, 49 — who mistook her handgun for her Taser in firing on Wright, 20, as he resisted officers who pulled him over in a Minneapolis suburb last April — was found guilty by a jury in December of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter. “This is a cop who made a tragic mistake,” said Judge Regina Chu, who became emotional as she handed down the 24-month sentence, two-thirds of which is to be served in prison and the remaining third on supervised release. Chu said Potter was required to make a split-second decision during a “chaotic and tense” encounter with Wright and that the evidence presented at trial justified the veteran policewoman’s intended use of a Taser to protect another officer at the scene. But she said a sentence of probation, which Potter’s lawyers had argued for, was not enough to account for the loss of life. “In this case, a young man was killed because Officer Potter was reckless,” Chu said, calling the case one of the saddest in her career. “Rightfully, there should be some accountability.” The shooting in Brooklyn Center triggered multiple nights of protests there. It occurred just a few miles north of where Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was standing trial for killing George Floyd, a Black man whose 2020 death during an arrest helped set off demonstrations around the nation and the world over racism and killings by police. In rendering her decision, the judge made a point of distinguishing Potter’s actions from those of Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes and was convicted of murder. Both former officers are white. Daunte Wright’s mother Katie Wright expressed anger that Chu was emotional in delivering the sentence but not during Wright’s victim-impact statement in court on Friday. She blasted the two-year punishment as too lenient and questioned the sincerity of Potter’s tearful testimony at trial. “Kim Potter murdered my son, and he died April 11. Today the justice system murdered him all over again,” Wright said outside the courthouse. “White woman tears trumped justice.” Prosecutors had sought a sentence of seven years and two months, in line with state guidelines for first-degree manslaughter. Under state law, defendants facing multiple charges for the same act are sentenced only for the most serious count. But Judge Chu appeared to side with the arguments for leniency put forward by Potter’s lawyers, who cited her lack of a prior criminal record and her complaint-free 26 years on the police force. One of her attorneys, Paul Engh, said on Friday that Wright had been an “aggressor” in resisting arrest. Chu also said she believed that Potter, who broke down in giving brief remarks on Friday, had shown deep remorse. “I am so sorry that I hurt you so badly,” Potter said in court on Friday in comments directed at Wright’s family. “My heart is broken and devastated for all of you.” Potter has not appealed her conviction, and has not indicated she plans to appeal. Potter and a second officer pulled Wright over because there was an air freshener illegally hanging from his mirror and his vehicle registration tab had expired. They then learned of a warrant for his arrest on a misdemeanor weapons charge and tried to detain him. Wright resisted, breaking free from the second officer. Potter then shouted, “Taser, Taser, Taser!” and fired at Wright with her handgun, video from her body-worn camera showed. Potter testified that she feared for the life of a third officer who had entered the car through the passenger side. (Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut, Doina Chiacu in Washington and Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by AFP Guacamole lovers can relax: the US government has allowed avocado imports from Mexico to resume Washington (AFP) – Avocado imports from the western Mexican state of Michoacan have resumed following a week-long suspension after steps were taken to ensure the safety of American inspectors, the US government said Friday. Shipments were halted after a US inspector received a threatening phone call a week ago, prompting fears among lovers of guacamole and avocado toast that prices could spike. But the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said security and industry organizations “have enacted additional measures that enhance safety for APHIS’ inspectors working in the field.” As a result, the avocado inspection program “has restarted and avocado exports to the United States have resumed,” APHIS said in a statement. Michoacan is the world’s largest avocado producer, with 85 percent of its crop exported to the United States, but it is also one of the Mexican states hardest hit by violence linked to organized crime. Last year a group of avocado producers formed a self-defense group they said was needed to prevent kidnapping, extortion and theft by criminal groups. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that “economic and political interests” afraid of competition also played a part in the US decision to pause exports. In the statement Friday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said employee safety “is of paramount importance” and noted the “positive, collaborative relationship” between the neighboring nations to resolve the issue. In 2021, 92 percent of the $3 billion in avocados imported into the United States came from Mexico, and Michoacan is the only Mexican state with approval to export to the US market, which it has done for some 25 years, according to APHIS. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Ottawa police officers have begun arresting leaders of the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa — with police doing a massive sweep of the bridge this morning. Mega Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned the truckers parked on the Ottaway bridge — that links Canada to the United States — they would be removed weeks ago. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost. A fleet of tow-trucks began removing big rigs, campers, and other vehicles blocking passage across the bridge. Ottawa Police released a statement to reporters in the area covering the protest. “All media who are attending the area, please keep a distance and stay out of police operations for your safety. Anyone found within areas undergoing enforcement may be subject to arrest. There will be a media availability later today.” Some of the protesters have been surrendering while others struggle with the police as they’re being arrested. Mega Footage of truckers being detained was captured with one trucker smiling as he yelled to a friend filming “Call my wife!” Trudeau originally needed Parliament approval to continue using his executive powers under the Emergencies Act. The vote had been scheduled for Monday but has since been moved to be held sometime next week. Trudeau is taking advantage of the postponement and is doing what he can to restore the flow of trade the blockade was causing. Mega The leaders of the trucker revolt Tamara Lich, 47, and Christopher Barber, 46, were arrested the night before the removal of the trucks. Both have been charged with “counseling to commit the offense of mischief.” Police are doing everything in their power to bring an end to the three-week long blockade over Canada’s vaccine mandates. The truckers have been garnering a lot of attention from both countries through their protest splitting support down the aisles. Several big name conservatives like senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul have voiced their support for the blockade – Democrats in power such as President Joe Biden have been working with Trudeau and the Canadian government to bring an end to it and bring trade back to where it was before the protest View the full article

Published by Reuters By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump took classified information to his Florida home after leaving the White House, the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration said in a letter to Congress on Friday about the 15 boxes of documents it recently recovered. The Archives said it had informed the Department of Justice, which would handle any investigation. “NARA has identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes,” David Ferriero, the archivist of the United States, said in a letter to Democratic U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, chair of the House of Representatives oversight committee. Maloney’s committee has been looking into Trump’s handling of records by the Republican president, who left office in January 2021. “These new revelations deepen my concern about former President Trump’s flagrant disregard for federal records laws and the potential impact on our historical record,” Maloney said in a statement. “The National Archives did not ‘find’ anything, they were given, upon request, presidential records in an ordinary and routine process to ensure the preservation of my legacy and in accordance with the Presidential Records Act,” Trump said in a written statement. “If this was anyone but “Trump,” there would be no story here.” The letter from Ferriero also said that some White House staff conducted official business using nonofficial electronic messaging accounts that were not copied or forwarded into official electronic messaging accounts and that it was in the process of obtaining some of those missing records. The Washington Post reported last week that some of the documents taken to Trump’s home were marked as classified, which could intensify the legal pressure Trump or his aides could face. The Presidential Records Act requires the preservation of memos, letters, notes, emails, faxes and other written communications related to a president’s official duties. Claiming executive privilege, Trump sued unsuccessfully to stop the release of records from his White House, including to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Dan Whitcombl Editing by Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis & Simon Cameron-Moore) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega;netflix The show everyone cannot stop talking about has been Netflix‘s Inventing Anna. The hit Shonda Rhimes series follows the inspired-by-true-events crime story of Anna Vadimovna Sorokina, who posed as wealthy German heiress Anna Delvey to scam her way into the most elite circles of New York society. Each episode of the drama begins with the disclaimer: “This whole story is completely true, except for all the parts that are totally made up,” which begs the question — who was the real life Anna Sorokin? The woman who managed to swindle wealthy investors as well as an established New York City banks to put together the art-focused social club entitled the Anna Delvey Foundation was actually a 31-year-old woman from Russia who grew up in a working class family. But what else was she up to? Scroll through the gallery to see who the real Anna Sorokin is: Sorokin Allegedly Had A Boyfriend Named Hunter Lee Soik mega Following the public’s fascination with the case and series, many speculated who the character Chase was based off of. In an Instagram post this week, Sorokin — who was released from Albion Correctional Facility in February and is now being held by ICE — offered to reveal the name of the man who inspired the character for a whooping $10,000. However, according to Page Six, her ex-boyfriend is allegedly entrepreneur Hunter Lee Soik. “Hunter is the person who got her into the scene,” a source told the outlet. “He is a social person globally. No one knew what he did, but he was always giving advice on how to climb the corporate ladder.” ‘INVENTING ANNA’ REAL LIFE COUNTERPART RACHEL WILLIAMS CALLS ANNA SOROKIN ‘SOCIOPATH,’ QUESTIONS NETFLIX FOR PROMOTING ‘DANGEROUS’ NARRATIVE Sorokin Comes From A Humble Working Class Family In Russia mega Sorokin was raised in Russia — despite claiming that she is of German descent — by her father, Vadim Sorokin, who ran a heating and cooling business in Moscow. In 2007, her family made the move to Eschweiler, Germany. However humble her beginnings, her scamming ways were not learned, according to Vadim. “I do not have any influence on her life and what she does,” her dad told the Daily Mail in 2019. “She has a selfish personality, we can’t do anything about it. We raised her well.” Sorokin Loved Fashion & Worked In The Industry mega From a young age, Sorokin knew she wanted a lavish and fabulous life. “She always loved fashion and bought glossy magazines from the age of 13,” a friend from her younger years told the British outlet. “She didn’t want to be a model, she wanted to be a [magazine columnist].” The aspiring writer then moved to Paris in 2013, where she became an intern at the French fashion magazine Purple before making her infamous venture to New York. Sorokin’s Favorite Movie Was ‘Mean Girls’ mega According to her former friend, Sorokin saw herself in quite a favorable light — even liking herself to characters from the infamous 2004 Lindsay Lohan film Mean Girls. “Our favorite film was Mean Girls,” her pal dished to the outlet. “She liked that they were mean, she and I were the brightest and the most popular at school, she found similarities between us and the film characters.” ‘INVENTING ANNA’ REAL LIFE COUNTERPART RACHEL WILLIAMS CALLS ANNA SOROKIN ‘SOCIOPATHIC,’ QUESTIONS NETFLIX FOR PROMOTING ‘DANGEROUS’ NARRATIVE Sorokin’s Strange & Unidentifiable Accent Is Real netflix In the series, actress Julia Garner evokes a strange shrill voice that sounds to be part Russian and part British, but unidentifiable as a whole. According to Sorokin herself, the actress was pretty accurate in her portrayal. “Some of it she gets right — but not everything,” the real-life scammer told Insider of the Ozark breakout star. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jacqueline Thomsen and Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday lost a bid to dismiss lawsuits accusing him of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In a lengthy written ruling https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/akpezndgovr/Mehta%20order%20Jan%206%202022.pdf, Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said three lawsuits by Democratic members of Congress and two police officers could proceed toward trial. Mehta agreed to dismiss Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani and Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr., who were named as co-defendants, from the lawsuits. Looming large in the litigation is a Supreme Court case from 1982 holding that presidents are shielded, or immune, from lawsuits over their official acts. Mehta ruled Trump was not immune from the lawsuits, determining that the then-president’s fiery speech before the Capitol attack was not within the scope of his official presidential duties. “To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step. The court well understands the gravity of its decision,” Mehta ruled. “But the alleged facts of this case are without precedent, and the court believes that its decision is consistent with the purposes behind such immunity.” Jesse Binnall, a lawyer for Trump, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump and his co-defendants have argued that their remarks preceding the Jan. 6 attack were free speech protected by the U.S. Constitution. The Democratic lawmakers, including U.S. representatives Eric Swalwell and Jerry Nadler, have invoked an 1871 law passed to fight the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan that prohibits political intimidation. The lawsuits alleged a conspiracy between Trump and rioters to halt Congress’s certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory. Without ruling on the merits of that theory, Mehta said the allegation was sufficiently detailed to proceed toward discovery, a process in which litigants exchange evidence and take testimony. “From these alleged facts, it is at least plausible to infer that, when he called on rally-goers to march to the Capitol, the President did so with the goal of disrupting lawmakers’ efforts to certify the Electoral College votes,” Mehta wrote. Joseph Sellers, an attorney representing the Democratic lawmakers, said the ruling breaks new legal ground and “demonstrates the extraordinary nature of the conduct of which then-President Trump was engaged.” (Reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington and Jan Wolfe in West Palm Beach, Florida; Editing by Howard Goller and Alistair Bell) View the full article

“Ram Ranch: Weaponizing naked gay cowboys“Freedom Convoy Vs. Ram Ranch Cowboys A new weapon involving the naked gay cowboys of the Ram Ranch has emerged for Canadians pushing back against the so-called “Freedom Convoy” that has occupied Ottawa and other Canadian municipalities over the last month: a hardcore ballad about 18 gay cowboys getting it in the showers titled “Ram Ranch.” The 2015 track all about “naked cowboys in the showers at Ram Ranch” was originally written by Grant MacDonald as a thumb to the eye of the Nashville country music scene after song submissions focused on gay love were rejected. But the song has taken on new life as Canadian citizens continue to combat the convoy led by white nationalists, Canadian separatists and anti-vaxxers under the guise of protesting personal freedoms. “I couldn’t have been happier when I heard it was the anti-convoy group using the song. I love how it plays with (the truckers’) heads,” MacDonald told the Ottawa Citizen. “I appreciate my anti-convoy fans in Ottawa and all across Canada so much.” Thank you for your interest in Ram Ranch Citizen Weaponry.Ram Ranch Tactical Audio: A Perfect Weapon Cheap. Easy to Deploy. More Effective As Enemy Learns DetailsReflexive, performative disgust around gay content immediately seizes your truckers. “No homo” takes clear precedence over maintaining, expanding protest blockades. With repeated use, just a few notes — wherever, whenever — drives them to make an immediate and involuntary cry of disgust (or that looks involuntary). Contagious homo panic leads to mass exodus. Ram Ranch Resistance So valuable and successful has been the use of the song as a tool to disrupt the trucker blockade that citizens working to drive the truckers out now organize as the “Ram Ranch Resistance.” Their goal is to rid their city of the small group of truckers that has effectively shut down downtown Ottawa and greatly hindered citizen and business activities in other Canadian cities over the last month. The Resistance has infiltrated the truckers enough that “Ram Ranch” disrupts many of the Truckers’ group chats on Zello, the walkie-talkie app used by convoy supporters to organize and communicate. The explicit tune plays on conservative sensibilities and homophobic tendencies, trolling and disrupting communications and coordination of those demanding the Canadian government lift its vaccine mandates. One user even took it upon themself to rename a convoy supply center outside of Ottawa baseball stadium RCGT Park to Ram Ranch Cafe on Google Maps. MacDonald himself is lending his voice to the movement, producing a version of “Ram Ranch” specifically addressing the convoy with lines like “Trucker boys in their big rigs, in their sleepers, stark naked. Holy jeepers creepers.” The various uses of the song as a counter-protest tool generated plenty of humorous reactions online, but, at the same time, it has proven effective in actually fighting back against the radicalized convoy participants. Product Info: Ram Ranch Tactical AudioPerfect Weapon for your Citizens: Zero danger for user. Enemy can’t toss back or use on you. Even makes your citizens healthierAn impossibly perfect weapon: Zero danger even at lethal volume to citizen resisters raised right. Repeated exposure has no negative effects. Residual traces raise community immunity to homophobia. Soldiers go home entertained, empowered. Ram Ranch Satisfaction Survey. Excerpt: Most Start with “grudging but ignorant admiration.” After seeing it up close: They are “Ready to celebrate the mystical, explosive power of sex-positive cowpokes” Infiltration Teagan McLean utilized “Ram Ranch” as part of his efforts to break up the Ambassador Bridge convoy offshoot in Windsor. According to the Ottawa Citizen, McLean infiltrated the group’s Zello chats over a five day span earlier this month. He quickly rose in rank and trust with convoy supporters in their Zello channel, becoming a channel moderator and briefly meeting with the group in person. When others opposing the convoy began disrupting the Zello channel, including multiple uses of “Ram Ranch,” McLean shepherded the group into another Zello channel he created that became the go-to spot for convoy participants in Windsor. Shortly before a court injunction against the convoy was set to go into place last Friday, McLean quietly removed moderator status from all but himself and reassigned those roles to fellow convoy opponents. “Ram Ranch” echoed into the app from every direction minutes before police broke up the protest. “It was definitely a lot of fun and almost too easy,” McLean said. “I had moderators turning against moderators, supporters turning their back on the moderators and what they stood for. It was priceless. It was comedy gold.” Though using “Ram Ranch” is definitely funny, its use in cooperation with other anti-occupation tactics provides a partial blueprint for pushing back against the convoy. “These people have overstayed their welcome. They need to stop terrorizing the citizens of Ottawa and go home,” McLean said. “They can go peacefully – they say they’re peaceful protesters – or the police can come in. What happened in Windsor is going to happen in Ottawa.” Something Stronger? thanks for your inquiryRam Ranch Dressing : Thanks for asking about other products— Ram Ranch Randy Rick Rolls and Video bombs prove Ram Ranchers are naked and flexible. Current model: “Naked Cowboy Chorus: Together Forever Through the Decades”. Best Use: slip into church or class YouTube queue. Anarchists, Nihilists might set randomly acdross internet. For Outdoor use, request a Ram Ranch Flat Sheet. Best Use: NASCAR parking, Public park, Truck Stops. — RRCowboys Care, WE GIVE BACK: (and front) Ram Ranchers sleep naked under duvets. We donate our extra top sheets to your video program. Around holidays we send impossibly hard fruit candy to make you all Happy Ranchers. — For the Biggest Ram Ranch Bang, qualify for A Ram Ranch Discovery Weekend. Intense hands-on learning. You will be exhausted but you will know all you need to mount the Ram Ranch X Live Show (Like “Ted X”, but with “XXX” quality). Take over streets, stages. Guaranteed Cringe Strafing and bombs for maximal impact. –And finally, an encore. A Neutron Battering Ram Ram Ranch Naked Gay Cowboys Canada: Previously on Towleroad 18 Naked Gay Cowboys of ‘Ram Ranch’ Offer Effective Antibody Protection vs. Annoying, Unpopular Uprising by Mutating Anti-Vax Trucker Variant Brian Bell February 18, 2022 Read More Canada Conversion Therapy Ban Goes Into Effect; European Court Declines Gay Marriage Cake Case; New Study on Blood Donations By Gay Men Underway: NEWS Brian Bell January 10, 2022 Read More Repeated Misgendering Of Employees On Purpose is a Human Rights Violation in Canada. ‘Like a Name, Pronouns are… part of a Person’s Identity’ Brian Bell October 5, 2021 Read More Canada Transgender Pastor Sues Former Church For Being Fired After Coming Out During Pride Month Sermon Brian Bell August 12, 2021 Read More Soccer Star Quinn is First Out Trans Nonbinary Olympic Gold Medalist as Canada Tops Sweden in 3-2 Shootout Brian Bell August 6, 2021 Read More U.S. Extends Severe Travel Restrictions On Land Border Crossings to Canada, Mexico Through Aug. 21 Towleroad July 22, 2021 Read More Photos courtesy of Maksim Sokolov/Creative Commons, YouTube View the full article

Published by Radar Online Chet Hanks/YouTube; Mega Chet Hanks seems to be on a better path. Taking to his YouTube channel to promote his new “self-mastery program” called HanxFit, the 31-year-old often-troubled son of beloved actor Tom Hanks and actress Rita Wilson posted a lengthy video in which he got candid about “the truth about growing up as a Hanks.” Chet Hanks/YouTube; Mega As Radar previously reported, 2021 was a tumultuous year for Chet; it was marked by an apparent fall from the sobriety wagon, an abuse lawsuit from an ex-girlfriend, and his controversial single, White Boy Summer. But Chet looks and sounds clean and sober these days, and he’s pouring all of his energy into documenting his journey toward healing. When we spoke to the ex who sued him, Kiana Parker, back in July, she described Chet as angry and said she believed he had returned to drinking and drugging to mask childhood traumas she said he would often talk to her about. “He’s been – he’s still to this day, I don’t care what anyone says, I know him – he’s fighting a lot of childhood demons. A lot,” Parker shared with us at the time. “That’s the main problem with him is his parents. It’s not perfect like the world thinks. So he’s dealing with that and was dealing with trying to stay sober with no drinking, but he’s back doing that.” She told us that Chet began drinking again in early 2020, around the time the coronavirus pandemic began making its way across the country. When Tom and Rita found out, Kiana told us they stopped paying for his things, which she believes affected his treatment of her. Chet Hanks/YouTube Without naming his ex, Chet did say in his straight-to-camera video that he was “a lot different” from the man who filmed White Boy Summer. “I’ve come a long way,” he claimed. He said repeatedly he felt “blessed” and “grateful” to have the parents he has but admitted that being the son of such an adored man is a “double-edged sword.” According to Chet, no drug on Earth is more powerful than fame. And to make his situation more “complicated,” he wasn’t even the one who was famous. Mega With that came expectations from everyone around him – family, friends and the public. People automatically assumed he was an “arrogant,” “entitled,” “spoiled brat.” He explained how those “preconceived notions” resulted in bullying and therefore a lack of trust on his part in basically everyone around him. And all of that, said Chet, created a lot of “contempt,” “disdain” and “animosity.” Chet said what he really felt inside was “shame” for how “privileged” and “sheltered” he grew up, embarrassment over how “unprepared” he felt to “deal with real life,” and insecurities about his self-worth. But he chose to conceal the truth with a “hard exterior” rooted in “anger” and “hostility.” He built his wall high so that he didn’t have to be honest with himself or others. Mega With that came the self-destruction. Chet said he went in the complete opposite direction of how he grew up out of numerous resentments he just wasn’t equipped to manage. However, he says he’s done a lot of work to unmask the anger and process everything underneath. Though uncharacteristically “vulnerable,” Chet was still Chet. He said in his video that he always felt he had the “it factor;” he was handsome, talented, popular and “good with girls.” He feels jealously was also a huge factor in his negative experiences growing up and wishes he had had “a strong male role model” to tell him that his haters were likely just envious. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Police are officially investigating Prince Charles‘ charity, The Prince’s Foundation. It was announced by Metropolitan Police on Wednesday, February 16, that detectives have launched a probe into the organization following cash-for-honors allegations. MEGA According to People, the foundation has been under speculation since allegations arose earlier this year, accusing the charity of receiving donations in order to secure official honors and British citizenship for a Saudi businessman. “The decision follows an assessment of a September 2021 letter. This related to media reporting alleged offers of help were made to secure honours and citizenship for a Saudi national,” Wednesday’s announcement read. “The Special Enquiry Team has conducted the assessment process which has included contacting those believed to hold relevant information.” PRINCE CHARLES INVITED PRINCE HARRY TO STAY WITH HIM AHEAD OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S PLATINUM JUBILEE, HE HOPES TO ‘GENTLY TALK’ TO HIS SON ABOUT UPCOMING MEMOIR, SOURCE SAYS “Officers liaise with The Prince’s Foundation regarding the findings of an independent investigation into fundraising practices,” the statement continued. “The Foundation provided a number of relevant documents.” “These documents have been reviewed alongside existing information. The assessment determined an investigation will commence,” however: “there have been no arrests or interviews under caution,” thus far, per the announcement. MEGA While the charity is believed to be complying with the investigation, a spokesperson for the foundation said, “It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation” at this time. Charles’ office also released a statement in response to the probe, maintaining: “The Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities,” which was similar to his initial statement when the allegations made headlines last year. PRINCE CHARLES’ NOD TO PRINCE HARRY IN CLIMATE CHANGE ESSAY COULD BE ‘A PEACE OFFERING,’ ROYAL EXPERT SPECULATES At the time, the foundation’s Chief Executive, Michael Fawcett,temporarily resigned from his position at The Prince’s Foundation in light of the allegations. MEGA “Michael Fawcett offered to step down temporarily from active duties as Chief Executive of The Prince’s Foundation while the Trustee’s investigation is ongoing. The Prince’s Foundation has accepted this offer,” the foundation claimed in a statement at the time, per People. “Michael fully supports the ongoing investigation and has confirmed that he will assist the investigation in every way.” Only weeks later, the charity was hit with yet another scandal, leading the chairman of the foundation to step down amid claims of a six-figure offer from a Russian donor. The Prince’s Foundation reportedly accepted more than $100,000 from the businessman before their ethics committee declined the remaining sum. View the full article

Post Backlash, “Sims 4” LGBTQ Wedding DLC Gets Russian Release Electronic Arts reversed course Wednesday, saying it will release the latest game pack for the popular life-simulator game “Sims 4,” “My Wedding Stories,” in Russia after initially announcing the pack, which allows players to marry same-sex partners, wouldn’t release in the nation. “We’ve been listening to the outpouring of feelings from our community including both support for our decision and concern for their fellow community members,” The “Sims 4” development team said in a blog post. “It’s equally important for us to stand by our values, including standing against homophobia, and to share stories like this with those who want and need it most.” The team promised the Russian release of the pack will be “unaltered and unchanged” from those released in other regions. The change of heart comes after prominent members of the game’s online community spoke out in opposition to the initial decision to exclude Russia. The dev team cited Russia’s laws against “gay propaganda” as the reason for omitting the nation from its release schedule, stating that it didn’t want to release the pack “where our storytelling would be subject to changes because of federal laws.” But the law in question focuses on content directed at minors, whereas “Sims 4” is rated 18+ in Russia. According to Waypoint, members of the game’s online community criticized EA for excluding Russian players and depriving LGBTQ Russians of needed representation due to the nation’s staunch anti-LGBTQ stance. Others downplayed the severity of the law and boiled the whole issue down to anti-Russian bias on the part of EA. A number of “Sims” influencers also stated they wouldn’t make pre-release content for the wedding pack, which heavily features an LGBTQ couple in its marketing, in response to EA’s initial decision. The announcement also stated that game pack will be delayed slightly, moving the release date to Feb. 23 so that all ‘Sims’ players can “celebrate together.” “Crusader Kings III” Adds Gay Marriage Paradox Interactive’s feudal-era strategy game “Crusader Kings III” now allows players to marry same-sex characters following the release of the game’s robust 1.5 update. Those wishing to marry their regal avatars with a member of the same-sex will be able to do thanks to a customization slider when starting a game. The update also adds a number of customization options related to same-sex relationships as well, including making every religion in the game accept same-sex marriages and allow for same-sex relationships with concubines. Unfortunately, the game still won’t allow characters to have children with members of the same sex, which is important in a game where building a legacy through the player’s kingdom is vital. The update also does nothing to address trans and gender-diverse identities within the game, especially since individuals that identify as such can have children. Check out Gayming Magazine’s full breakdown on how the game’s same-sex marriage system works for more details. Gayming Awards Nominees Announced Speaking of Gayming Magazine, nominees for the publication’s second-annual Gayming Awards have been announced, with Kitfox Games’ dating sim/dungeon crawler “Boyfriend Dungeon” and Deck Nine’s empath adventure “Life is Strange: True Colors” leading the field with four nominations each. Both titles are up for Game of the Year alongside “Psychonauts 2” and “Unpacking,” and “Boyfriend Dungeon” is also up for the fan-voted Gayming Magazine Readers award and Best LGBTQ Indie Game. Both are nominated for the Authentic Representation award, which highlights the best authentic portrayals of the LGBTQ community in video games, as well. Two characters from “Life is Strange: True Colors,” Alex Cen and Steph Gingrich, are nominated for the Best LGBTQ Character award. The complete list of nominees, including those in categories celebrating comics, tabletop games, streamers and advocacy groups, is available here. The 2022 Gayming Awards will air live on Twitch on April 25. Sims 4: Previously on Towleroad EA, Paradox Heed Calls For Same-Sex ‘Crusader Kings’ Weddings; And To Keep Them in ‘Sims 4’ Russia Editions; Plus Gayming Award Noms — ROUNDUP Brian Bell February 18, 2022 Read More Writer Of Bisexual Superman Has Perfect Way Of Dealing with Those Protesting Too Much; Also Brockhampton Splits Up; G4 Host Blasts Boys Who Belittle and Sexist Viewers: Entertainment Roundup Brian Bell January 18, 2022 Read More Wonder Woman’s 1st Trans Amazon; ‘Battlefield’s 1st Non-Binary Specialist; ‘Superman’ Colorist Quits Offended By New Motto. Brian Bell October 26, 2021 Read More China Bans Games With LGBTQ, Effeminate Men or Nazi Characters; Activision Blizzard Settles; ‘Life Is Strange’ Promotion Benefits Community Brian Bell October 4, 2021 Read More ‘Frat Boy’ Culture at Activision Blizzard: Groping, Junk-Grab ‘Gay Chicken’ Game, ‘The Cosby Suite,’ Cited in California Suit. Employees Walk Out Brian Bell July 28, 2021 Read More E3 News 2021 is Gayer Gaming: Romance ‘Boyfriend Dungeon’; Kiss Nonbinary ‘Frogsong’; ‘Just Dance’ with Todrick Hall, And More Brian Bell June 20, 2021 Read More Image courtesy of Electronic Arts View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Prince William has bitten his tongue when it comes to his true feelings about Hollywood’s fascination with his late mother, Princess Diana. But with the hoopla surrounding the new Diana biopic Spencer — and Kristen Stewart’s best actress Oscar nomination — a source says William is finally ready to give Tinseltown a piece of his mind. mega “He’s sick of these tacky, factually incorrect portrayals about the royals as a whole,” dishes the source. “He wants to put an end to his family being used as film fodder.” KATE MIDDLETON STUNS IN GOLD WITH HUBBY PRINCE WILLIAM ALONGSIDE PRINCE CHARLES & CAMILLA FOR LONDON ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ PREMIERE William, 39, who’s set to visit the U.S. this fall with his wife, Duchess Kate Middleton, for the second Earthshot Prize awards, “intends to meet with some of Hollywood’s most powerful movers and shakers and make his case,” spills the source, adding that his wife, 40, is firmly behind him. mega “Spencer was like rubbing salt in old wounds, and it pains her to see William so agitated,” the source adds. “If it weren’t for the queen imploring him not to kick up such a fuss, he’d have gone public on this matter long ago.” PRINCE HARRY AVOIDING KRISTEN STEWART AFTER THE ‘TWILIGHT’ STAR’S PRINCESS DIANA ROLE ‘STRUCK A SOUR NOTE’ WITH THE ROYALS While William isn’t holding the Spencer buzz against the Charlie’s Angels star personally, the source says he wasn’t happy with her promotion surrounding the movie. “It grieves William that people who never knew Diana personally talk about her on such an intimate level, like they know what she was thinking and feeling,” explains the source. “William certainly won’t be making any effort to meet with her.” mega Still, the source figures the Twilight star, 31, would be upset to learn the film caused William such pain. “She really threw herself into this project, body and soul,” says the source, noting that the star doesn’t see any harm in portraying a public figure. “At the end of the day, this was an acting opportunity Kristen couldn’t pass up.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York judge ruled on Thursday that former U.S. President Donald Trump and two of his adult children must answer questions under oath within 21 days in the state attorney general’s civil probe into their family company. Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan ruled in favor of Attorney General Letitia James in directing Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr and his daughter Ivanka Trump to testify. Engoron said James had “the clear right” to issue her subpoenas and question the Trumps after having uncovered “copious evidence of possible financial fraud.” Failing to issue subpoenas “would have been a blatant dereliction of duty,” Engoron wrote. “Today, justice prevailed,” James said in a statement. “No one will be permitted to stand in the way of the pursuit of justice, no matter how powerful they are. No one is above the law.” The decision followed a two-hour hearing in which the Trumps’ lawyers accused James of doing an end run around their clients’ constitutional rights by seeking testimony she could then use against them in a parallel criminal investigation. Trump attorney Alina Habba accused James of “selective prosecution and prosecutorial misconduct that this country has never seen,” citing what she called Democratic attorney general’s “vile disdain” for Trump, a Republican. “If he was not who he is, she would not be doing this,” Habba said. “This court can help stop this circus.” Trump in a statement issued later on Thursday called the accusations false and accused James of a political agenda in targeting him and his family. “It is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in history – and remember, I can’t get a fair hearing in New York because of the hatred of me by judges and the judiciary. Its not possible!,” Trump said in the statement. Last month, James said her nearly three-year investigation into the Trump Organization had uncovered significant evidence of possible fraud https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ny-attorney-general-details-possible-fraud-donald-trumps-family-business-2022-01-19. She described what she called misleading statements about the values of the Trump brand and six properties, saying the company may have inflated real estate values to obtain bank loans and reduced them to lower tax bills. The Trumps have not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. Engoron declined the Trumps’ request to put James’ case on hold while the criminal case, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, is pending. James joined that probe last May. The criminal investigation, begun by Bragg’s predecessor Cyrus Vance, resulted last July in tax fraud charges against the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg. Both pleaded not guilty. ‘COMPLETELY MISSES THE MARK’ Engoron said the argument that James was trying to bypass grand jury protections, which would give the Trumps immunity, by issuing civil subpoenas “completely misses the mark.” He said the Trumps could refuse to answer questions, noting that Donald Trump’s other adult son Eric Trump invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination more than 500 times when the attorney general’s office questioned him in 2020. The judge also rejected the Trumps’ claim that James’ sometimes aggressive public statements about investigating Donald Trump, including a pledge that “we’re definitely going to sue him,” illustrated the “impropriety” of her probe. Engoron said the spark for the investigation was not James’ dislike of the former president, but rather congressional testimony from Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen that the Trumps were “cooking the books.” The judge also noted Trump’s history of investigations by the attorney general’s office, including “significant settlements” with James’ predecessors concerning a namesake university and charitable foundation. Trump is suing to try to stop James’ investigation. He has not said whether he will run for president again in 2024. Engoron ruled after Trump’s longtime accounting firm Mazars USA decided last week to cut ties with him and the Trump Organization, saying it could no longer stand behind a decade of financial statements despite finding no material discrepancies. The Trump Organization said Mazars’ findings effectively rendered James’ and Bragg’s investigations “moot.” Washington D.C.’s attorney general is separately suing the Trump Organization and Trump’s inaugural committee over the alleged misuse of $1.1 million of charitable funds. A Sept. 26 trial date was set on Thursday. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Luc Cohen and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Will Dunham and Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Elliot Page is penning a memoir The ‘Juno’ star – who came out as transgender in December 2020 on the cover of Time magazine- is releasing ‘Pageboy’, which will “delve into” his feelings about “body, experiences as one of the most famous trans people in the world,” along with other themes, such as mental health, dating and the toxic culture of the film industry. The 34-year-old actor’s publisher Flatiron said “The memoir will delve into Page’s relationship with his body, his experiences as one of the most famous trans people in the world, and will cover mental health, assault, love, relationships, sex, and the cesspool that Hollywood can be.” The news was also shared on both the publisher’s and Elliot’s Instagram Stories. In April last year, the ‘Umbrella Academy’ star shared about his life and the reasons why he was open about his decision to transition to veteran broadcaster Oprah Winfrey, calling it “an interesting dichotomy”. He said: “Well, it’s this interesting dichotomy in a way where on some level it feels just like the most miraculous, amazing thing — and it’s also just the experience of, ‘Oh, there I am.” Elliot felt he had been through “such a freeing experience” but it hadn’t been an easy ride. He said: “A part of me was like, ‘Oh my god, why was that so hard? Why? Why has society made getting to this place of my life — because that’s the situation we’re facing. And yeah, it was probably driving my friends crazy, sending them profile photos of me post having top surgery and how different I felt after that and all this space. “You and I talked about this on the Zoom, just sort of this newfound energy because it is such a freeing experience.” The Academy Award nominee spoke about how he “wanted to share” about his decision to have top surgery – a procedure to remove breast tissue – to Oprah. Elliot said: “I wanted to talk about it for a couple of reasons. I wanted to share with people just how much it has changed my life. And I want people to know that not only has it been life changing for me, I do believe it is life saving and it’s the case for so many people… and because there is such an attack on trans health care right now, when already there is such a lack of access or trans people who don’t even want to go to the doctor.” View the full article

Published by AFP Penn State's transgender swimmer Lia Thomas competes in the 500-yard freestyle Cambridge (United States) (AFP) – Transgender US swimmer Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle race at the 2022 Ivy League women’s championships Thursday, defying critics who have called for her to be barred from competing. Thomas has dominated US collegiate women’s swimming recently as a student athlete at Penn State, where just a few years ago she competed as a man. Her case has divided opinion, with some arguing she has an unfair physiological advantage while others say she should be allowed to compete freely as a woman. This month the governing body of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming, unveiled new guidelines which include a more stringent threshold for athletes’ testosterone levels — widely seen as making it harder for Thomas to be able to compete in major meets. But she got the go-ahead to compete in the prestigious Ivy League championships, and came in first place with a time of 04 mins 37.32 secs Thursday — a record for Harvard University’s Blodgett Pool. She was among three swimmers from Penn State to make the finals. Thomas beamed and flashed a peace sign as she received the medal. Also competing Thursday was fellow transgender swimmer Iszac Henig, who won first place in the women’s 50-yard freestyle race. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Joseph Ax and Moira Warburton (Reuters) – Thousands of Texas voters’ mail-in ballots for midterm primary elections have been rejected for failing to comply with new Republican-backed identification requirements passed in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud, county officials said. Election officials in six of the state’s largest counties, which are collectively home to about a third of Texas’ population, are reporting unprecedented rates of invalid ballots, almost entirely because voters are neglecting to include an ID number on the envelope as the new law demands. That has officials scrambling to try to help voters correct the errors, less than two weeks before the state holds the nation’s first primary election in which the Democratic and Republican voters will choose their candidates for the Nov. 8 midterm elections that will determine control of the U.S. Congress for the next two years. In Harris County, home to Houston and 4.7 million people, 3,475 ballots representing about 35% of those received by Tuesday could not be accepted because voters did not fill in the correct number. In past years, the overall rejection rate was between 5% and 10%. The vast majority of ballots appeared to have been cast by registered voters who simply made an honest mistake, officials said. “These layers don’t provide more security, but they are providing more rejection,” said Isabel Longoria, the top election official in Harris, the state’s most populous county. “Election administrators are in this very bizarre situation where it’s our job to help voters vote … and we’re having to reject ballots at a rate we’ve never seen before.” The number of rejected votes is certain to rise, given that the majority of mail-in ballots have not yet arrived at clerks’ offices ahead of the March 1 primary. Officials in Dallas County, the state’s second-most populous with 2.6 million residents, said they were sending back 26% of mail-in ballots, much higher than in previous elections. In Collin County, a district just north of Dallas with roughly 1 million people, 25% of mail-in ballots are being rejected, according to Bruce Sherbet, the county’s election administrator. Among other large Texas counties, Hidalgo election officials reported sending back 189 ballots of the 3,189 they had received, while at this time in the 2018 elections they had returned none. In El Paso County, 270 of the 581 ballots – 46% – received on Tuesday were missing an ID number, said Lisa Wise, the elections administrator. In Williamson County, north of Austin, about a quarter of ballots have arrived with no ID number, Christopher Davis, the election administrator, said. Reuters reached out to officials in Texas’ 12 most populous counties. The others either did not respond to requests for comment or said they did not yet have data to share. The findings present an early look at how a wave of new restrictions on voting over the past year, largely passed by Republican-held legislatures, could affect turnout in the Nov. 8 elections. “We’ve never heard of anything near as high as this,” said James Slattery, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project. Texas lawmakers approved the voting restrictions last September after a months-long effort by Democrats to block it that included lawmakers fleeing the state. It was one of many efforts in Republican-controlled states to pass new limits after Trump falsely claimed he lost the 2020 election because of widespread fraud. When asked about the higher than usual rejection rates, Texas Secretary of State John Scott’s office referred Reuters to a statement it issued on Wednesday that laid out voters’ options for correcting rejected ballots. Some county election officials said they thought the early problems would prove short-lived as voters get accustomed to the new requirements. “I think it’s gonna improve,” said Sherbet, of Collin County, noting that the law does give voters who failed to fill out the number an opportunity to. “It was just a rough start.” REMEMBERING DECADES-OLD APPLICATIONS The increased rejection rate follows a similar rise in the number of rejected mail-in ballot applications, which also carried a new ID requirement this year. Under the law, known as SB 1, absentee voters must include either a driver’s license number or a partial Social Security number on both the application and the ballot itself. If the number doesn’t match what is in a voter’s record, the paperwork must be fixed. Voting rights advocates have cited cases in which older voters may not recall which number they used at the time they first registered, perhaps decades ago. Republican lawmakers argue the bill, which also imposed other restrictions such as barring drive-through voting, prevents election fraud and ensures public confidence. Democrats and civil rights groups point out voter fraud is exceptionally rare in the United States and say the bill is intended to depress turnout. “Anytime you add a step to the process … you lose voters who are making a good-faith effort to cast their ballot,” said Katya Ehresman, the grassroots organizer for Common Cause Texas, a nonpartisan group that advocates for government reform. Texas limits voting by mail to voters who are over 65 years old, disabled, ill, in jail, due to give birth immediately or out of their home county on Election Day. Administrators said they have added temporary staff to call voters and alert them to the missing ID numbers, as well as mail rejected ballots back to voters so they can fix the defect. TIME RUNS SHORT But the March 1 election is fast approaching. Harris County on Thursday stopped returning rejected ballots, due to concerns that there wasn’t time for a ballot to go back and forth through the mail by election day, Longoria said. Williamson County and Collin County have stopped sending ballots back this week as well, instead relying on calls to try to reach voters. But not everyone can be reached by phone. “We’re trying to triage them as best as we can,” Davis said. The newly designed envelopes for mail-in ballots utilize a secrecy flap that covers up the ID number to protect voters’ privacy. Officials said they fear voters are not seeing that part of the form as a result. The new law has also left some county clerks unclear on exactly how defective ballots can be fixed. Davis said he understood that voters could use the state’s online voting portal to do so, but Longoria said she believed voters either had to send in a new envelope or come to an office. “The bigger issue is not who’s right or who’s wrong, but even election administrators are confused about how the system works,” Longoria said. (Reporting by Joseph Ax in Princeton, New Jersey, and Moira Warburton in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) View the full article