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Published by AFP While large swathes of the global population remain unvaccinated because of a lack of access, other people who do are choosing not to get them Paris (AFP) – Governments and scientists around the world are championing vaccination as the way to end the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet while large swathes of the global population remain unvaccinated because of a lack of access, other people who can get their jabs are choosing not to. French sociologist Jerome Gaillaguet, who has spent years speaking to those who choose not to vaccinate, told AFP their reasons can be diverse and surprising. His answers have been condensed and edited for clarity. Is there an anti-vax phenomenon? The influence of a loosely-defined activist anti-vaccine movement cannot be discounted but it has to be separated from hesitation. The way the media frames it you get the impression that there is an anti-vax phenomenon that is widespread with people firmly opposed to vaccination. Those movements exist and are highly visible and noisy on social media. But the reality is not at all the same: it’s doubt. The vast majority of people are feeling real hesitation or even indifference and there are as many reasons behind the hesitation as there are states of mind. As soon as you start talking to people you realise that doubt comes from experience and it comes in many different forms. And when you start to follow people over time you can see how things can evolve. Media buzz around a controversy will change attitudes, and I’ve also seen people change their minds after becoming parents. You also find a huge amount of defiance among people with bad experiences with healthcare. For example, some people may hesitate if they have gone to doctors who minimise their problems while failing to offer any solutions. Have you seen attitudes change? One woman I talked to was about 60 years old, we met in 2017 and she was pretty hesitant about vaccines. When she was younger she worked as a pharmaceutical salesperson who sold medicines to doctors. She came to the conclusion that lab profits were far more important than people’s health and eventually she got sick of that life and left everything behind to open a pizzeria. Yet a year into the pandemic she went to get vaccinated without hesitation because she had been in constant contact with customers and had seen many people get sick or die. She made friends with a nurse who worked in a hospital that was greatly affected. It can also work the other way. One person when I first met her was pretty mistrustful. Then, over the course of a few years, the issue kind of disappeared from the media. She began to have friends and acquaintances with children and she had friends who were doctors and a grandfather at home and she began to think about getting the flu vaccine to protect him. She began to think: “I was young and rebellious but I can see that risks linked to vaccination are very rare.” But then the vaccine became mandatory to get a health pass and she completely turned again. She said: “I do not accept being told what to do.” Is the health pass counter-productive? In the short and middle term, the health pass [in France] helped force people who were hesitant to get vaccinated by restricting their day-to-day lives. Of course it did: we were telling them they would no longer be able to travel or go to a restaurant. But we replaced the health concerns with social concerns. We took people out of a situation where they had to think in terms of pandemic risks — like whether someone close to them might be fragile, whether they could get sick or whether they might be at high risk. Acting like these questions did not enter into it when they concern a huge part of the population does nothing to solve the problem of trust in vaccination. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Peter Eisler (Reuters) – Two Georgia election workers targeted by former U.S. President Donald Trump in a vote-rigging conspiracy theory have sued a far-right website that trumpeted the false story, alleging it incited months of death threats and harassment against them. The defamation suit against The Gateway Pundit was filed Thursday by Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, a voter registration officer in the Fulton County elections office, and her mother, Ruby Freeman, who was a temp worker for the 2020 election. The women were featured in a Reuters report published Wednesday on their ordeal. The lawsuit names the Pundit, its founder and editor Jim Hoft, and his brother, writer Joe Hoft. It alleges they repeatedly published demonstrably false claims that portrayed the women as “traitors” who conspired to “steal the presidential election in Georgia.” A lawyer for Jim Hoft and The Gateway Pundit did not immediately respond to a comment request Thursday morning. Joe Hoft did not respond to a comment request. The lawsuit, filed in St. Louis Circuit Court, alleges that the Pundit’s “lies” about Freeman and Moss “devastated” their reputations and “instigated a deluge of intimidation, harassment, and threats that has forced them to change their phone numbers, delete their online accounts, and fear for their physical safety.” the suit says. Freeman went into hiding. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, revolves around false allegations first raised by a volunteer Trump campaign attorney at a Dec. 3 hearing of Georgia state legislators. Freeman and Moss worked in heavily Democratic Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, where a strong showing by Democrat Joe Biden helped give him a narrow Georgia victory. Trump, a Republican, and his surrogates falsely alleged that Freeman and Moss pulled “suitcases” full of fake ballots for Biden and processed them late at night on Election Day, Nov. 3, after most poll workers and election observers left. State officials including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger quickly and forcefully debunked the allegations, explaining that the “suitcases” were standard ballot containers and the votes were properly counted under the watch of an independent monitor and a state investigator. The Gateway Pundit covered the false allegations in multiple stories, including one that identified Freeman by name with the headline: “What’s Up, Ruby? Crooked Operative Filmed Pulling Out Suitcases of Ballots in Georgia IS IDENTIFIED.” The Pundit identified Moss in another story. The Pundit stories continued through the summer, even as multiple audits and reviews confirmed the accuracy of Fulton County’s vote results. “I couldn’t have imagined the lies that The Gateway Pundit would tell about me, pushing people to harass me and my family and to threaten us with violence,” Freeman said in a statement issued by her lawyers. (Reporting by Peter Eisler; editing by Brian Thevenot) View the full article

Published by AFP US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to members of the press as her press secretary Symone Sanders (R) looks on in Greer, South Carolina on June 14, 2021 Washington (AFP) – The White House confirmed Thursday that Kamala Harris’s chief spokeswoman will be leaving the job at the end of the year, at a time when the vice president is hitting a patch of political turbulence. Confirming press reports, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said there had been an announcement “about Symone Sanders departing” and noted that “she’ll always be a part of this Biden-Harris family, and it’s only natural after a couple of years to be ready for something new.” “Working in the first year of a White House is exciting and rewarding, but it’s also grueling and exhausting,” Psaki said. “It’s all of those things at once.” She added that such departures were “also an opportunity, as it is in any White House, to bring in new faces, new voices and new perspectives.” Harris, pressed about the departure on Thursday, said, “I love Symone.” “I can’t wait to see what she will do next. I know that it’s been three years jumping on and off planes going around the country,” she said. Psaki declined to comment on media reports that Harris’s communications director Ashley Etienne might also be leaving. The vice president is going through a difficult period politically, with media reports that she is struggling to find her place in the White House while also being charged with particularly delicate issues such voting access for minorities and the migration crisis on the southern border. Her team has reportedly been laboring under internal tensions and suffering from strained relations with members of President Joe Biden’s team. In Washington, political commentators have started to speculate openly about the vice president’s political future. Harris made history by becoming the first woman, as well as the first Black person and Asian person, to hold the vice presidential post, which in theory could make her heir to 79-year-old Biden in an upcoming presidential election View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Thursday ordered Sidney Powell and other lawyers who sued in Michigan to overturn Democratic President Joe Biden’s election victory to pay a $175,000 penalty, reiterating an earlier finding that the lawsuit was frivolous. U.S. District Judge Linda Parker in Detroit ruled in August that Powell, Lin Wood, and other lawyers aligned with former President Donald Trump were to be sanctioned, but had not determined the dollar amount. Thursday’s order set the amount at approximately $175,000. Parker said the money should be awarded to Michigan and the City of Detroit to compensate for time government lawyers spent defending against the case. “Plaintiffs’ attorneys filed this lawsuit without conducting the required degree of diligence as to the truth of the allegations made or the merits of the legal claims asserted,” Parker said in Thursday’s order. In her August ruling, Parker formally requested that disciplinary bodies investigate whether the law licenses of the pro-Trump lawyers should be revoked. The judge also ordered the lawyers to attend classes on the ethical and legal requirements for filing legal claims. Donald Campbell, a lawyer for Powell and her co-counsel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Powell represented Trump’s campaign when he tried to overturn last Nov. 3’s presidential election in the courts. His campaign distanced itself from Powell after she claimed without evidence at a Nov. 19 news conference that electronic voting systems had switched millions of ballots to Biden. In a written decision last December, Parker said Powell’s voter fraud claims were “nothing but speculation and conjecture” and that, in any event, the Texas-based lawyer waited too long to file her lawsuit. Powell has argued in court filings that her conduct was reasonable, saying she had vetted her election fraud claims before suing. Starting in January 2020, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and other government lawyers asked the judge to discipline the pro-Trump lawyers, saying they had filed a frivolous lawsuit full of typos and factual errors and should be held accountable. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Additional reporting by David Thomas; Editing by Dan Grebler) View the full article

Published by Reuters ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Friday released a decree on women’s rights which said women should not be considered “property” and must consent to marriage but failed to mention female access to education or work outside the home. The Taliban has been under pressure from the international community, who have mostly frozen funds for Afghanistan, to commit to upholding women’s rights since the hardline Islamist group took over the country on Aug. 15. “A woman is not a property, but a noble and free human being; no one can give her to anyone in exchange for peace…or to end animosity,” the Taliban decree, released by spokesman Zabihillah Muhajid, said. It set out the rules governing marriage and property for women, stating women should not be forced into marriage and widows should have share in their late husband’s property. Courts should take into account the rules when making decisions, and religious affairs and information ministries should promote these rights, the decree said. However, it made no mention of women being able to work or access facilities outside the home or education, which have been major concerns from the international community. During its previous rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban banned women from leaving the house without a male relative and full face and head covering and girls from receiving education. The Taliban say they have changed and high schools for girls in some provinces have been allowed to open. But many women and rights advocates remain sceptical. The international community, which has frozen billions in central bank funds and development spending, has made women’s rights a key element of any future engagement with Afghanistan. The country, which is also suffering from a banking liquidity crisis as the cash flow dries up due to sanctions, is facing the risk of economic collapse since the Taliban took over. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Angus MacSwan) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Cardi B has joined Playboy as the company’s first-ever creative director in residence. The ‘WAP’ hitmaker – whose role will involve providing “artistic direction” across the iconic brand – will work on “co-branded fashion and sexual wellness merchandise collections, digital editorial, experiential activations and more”. In a statement, she said: “It’s a dream come true to officially join the Playboy family. I can’t believe this is real. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt connected to Playboy. “It’s truly the original platform for uncensored creativity and I’m inspired by its incredible legacy of fighting for personal freedoms. I have so many ideas already – I can’t wait!” Meanwhile, the 29-year-old star is also helping Playboy to launch a new creator-led platform called CENTERFOLD. She added: “Creators today deserve to express themselves freely and unfiltered. They deserve to feel safe in their creativity and sexuality. And they deserve to own their future. “This is what CENTERFOLD is all about. For all those creators out there doing bold, revolutionary, truly culture-shifting things, come join me.” CENTERFOLD is reportedly expected to launch this month, and it will serve as Playboy’s social content platform to offer creators tools to directly interact with fans. A press release outlining her responsibilities stated: “Cardi will provide artistic direction across co-branded fashion and sexual wellness merchandise collections, digital editorial, experiential activations and more. “In addition, Cardi B will serve as the Founding Creative Director and a founding member of Playboy’s upcoming creator-led platform, CENTERFOLD.” Sharing the news on Instagram, she said: “Introducing the FIRST EVER Creative Director In Residence at the legendary @playboy, it’s ME!!! Joining the @playboy family is a dream and I know y’all are going to love what we put together. “I’m startin this party right as the Founding Creative Director and a founding member of CENTERFOLD the new creator-led platform from Playboy coming soon!! We’re going to have soooooo much fun. (sic)” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Ford is finding life “very hard” without his husband. The 60-year-old designer-and-filmmaker’s spouse Richard Buckley – who he married in 2014 after 27 years together – passed away in September at the age of 72 and the ‘Nocturnal Animals’ director admitted he’s still struggling to adjust to the journalist not being around any more. He told WSJ magazine: “It’s been hard after 35 years, very hard. I keep thinking, oh, God, I have to call Richard, or I need to send him a note about this. And he’s not here.” Tom finds the mornings a “challenge” these days because he has to look after the couple’s nine-year-old son Jack alone, though he’s found a positive in the struggle. He said: “Until recently, I had Richard to help me out in the mornings. “It’s been a little bit of a struggle the last month because he would normally get [Jack’s] breakfast on school days while I was getting dressed. “It’s a challenge to get him up, dressed, get his lunch made, get his lunch packed, get his breakfast done, get all my things done, and then I drive him to school at 7:45. “But it also means I’m at my office by 8:10, so I get a good start to the day.” Tom and Richard met at a fashion show in the 80s, and it was love at first sight. The designer previously recalled: “I went to a fashion show and this silver-haired guy was staring at me with these piercing water-blue eyes. “It scared me because I absolutely saw and knew my entire future. “About 10 days later, someone asked if [Richard] was seeing anyone. He said, ‘No, there was this guy I had seen at a fashion show,’ and at that moment, the elevator door opened and there I was. Richard jumps in the elevator and he’s practically tap dancing. “We had three dates. We were living together four weeks later. He gave me the keys to his apartment, and we have lived together ever since.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Kathy Griffinis back stronger than ever after undergoing a medical procedure following her lung cancer diagnosis this year. She joined The View’s panel on Thursday to unload the latest updates on her life following the surgery. Griffin also shared her return to the industry after going through a series of tragic life events to the point that she almost took her own life. Kathy Griffin Reveals She And Mary Trump Are Set To Accompany Donald Trump’s Rape Accuser E. Jean Carroll To Court For Support Kathy Griffin Is Joining Donald Trump’s Niece Mary Trump To Support His Rape Accuser E. Jean Carroll In Court The comedian also appeared to stick by her stance about former President Donald Trump. In 2017, Griffin came under fire when she posted a photo holding a model of Trump’s bloody, decapitated head after the president prematurely declared victory in the 2020 presidential election. The scandal cost her multiple jobs, including her New Year’s Eve hosting stint at CNN with Anderson Cooper. She also claims it got her blacklisted from Hollywood. mega During the interview onThe View, Griffin revealed she and Trump’s niece Mary Trump are accompanying E. Jean Carroll to court for a hearing regarding her defamation suit against the former president. Griffin said she believes all women should support each other against misogynistic treatment. mega Carroll came forward in 2019, alleging Trump sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in the ’90s. She claimed she kept the outfit she was wearing 23 years ago when Trump allegedly attacked her. The journalist detailed her accident in the suit, saying Trump first asked her for advice to look for a gift. According to the court document, while shopping, they both ended up in a dressing room together after teasing each other to try on a see-through lilac gray bodysuit. That was when Trump allegedly closed the door, pushed her against a wall, bumped her head twice against a wall, and pulled down her tights before reportedly raping her. Trump denied Carroll’s accusation while taking a dig at her appearance, claiming she’s “not my type,” which prompted her to sue him for defamation. Bloomberg‘s latest reports on the account indicated Trump will countersue Carroll for violating New York’s law discouraging the filing of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPP, cases. In a court filing, Trump’s lawyers described such cases as “ill-intentioned lawsuits – particularly those meant to discourage public participation or chill the free speech of others.” However, Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, believes Trump’s latest strategy to take down his client “will not work.” “Trump sat on his hands for a year after the anti-SLAPP law was passed,” he said in response. “While Trump may be notorious for using the courts to attack women he has assaulted, his latest gambit will not work – when it comes to E.Jean Carroll, the truth will prevail.” mega View the full article

Published by DPA Beyond the arched gate “Arco de la Estrella” stretches a labyrinth of narrow alleys. Manuel Meyer/dpa German art collector Helga de Alvear enjoys star status in Caceres, the small town in southern Spain where she has opened her own museum, which has been responsible for bringing thousands of culture lovers to the charming town. Despite only opening in February, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Helga de Alvear has quickly established a reputation for itself as an international contemporary art hotspot counting some 70,000 visitors so far this year alone, despite pandemic restrictions placing strict limits on visitor numbers. Recently, Caceres even set a new record for visitor numbers this summer, thanks largely to the new museum. The heiress to a German plastics fortune, de Alvear has spent years amassing one of the largest private art collections in Europe, which today includes over 3,000 separate works. Born in the Rheinland, de Alvear has lived in Madrid since 1957 where she founded and ran one of Spain’s most renowned art galleries for many years. Over the decades, de Alvear built up a contemporary art collection that is second to none. Works by Picasso and Ai Weiwei Entering the museum’s garden, a giant pink sausage by Viennese artist Franz West stands out among palm trees. Passing an almost 200-metre-long installation made by Fernando Sanchez Castillo from the remains of Spain’s former dictator Franco’s yacht, you reach an aluminium olive tree by the Swiss sculptor Ugo Rondinone. The entrance area is one of the highlights: On the floor is the gigantic chandelier “Descending Light”, made with 60,000 pearls, with which the Chinese art star Ai Weiwei stages the decline of communism. Next to it hang works by the German photographer Frank Thiel, British art enfant terrible Damien Hirst and the Colombian Doris Salcedo. The work of dozens more renowned artists can be seen on the four floors of the museum, ranging from Pablo Picasso to Louise Bourgeois. With just under 200 works, the museum’s debut exhibition provides the public with just a glimpse into de Alvear’s collection. Art museum awarded architectural prizes Attaching great importance to finding the “right shell” for her collection, de Alvear eventually had the museum’s premises designed and built to her own specifications. Architect Emilio Tunon has already been awarded numerous international architectural prizes for his design, in which snow-white reinforced concrete pillars form the open skeleton of a cube-shaped building, which connects the medieval Old Town with the New Town some 24 metres below via a publicly accessible staircase. Despite this modernist cube being a stark contrast to the rest of Caceres’ historic old town, the museum actually manages to blend harmoniously into its surroundings with its clean lines and light-flooded rooms. Indeed, in architectural terms at least, Caceres is the polar opposite of modern, as a walk through its old town, which was given UNESCO World Heritage status back in 1986, will immediately reveal, being more like a journey back in time to the Middle Ages. The thick city walls and the mighty fortress towers that soar above them date to the Arab rule of Spain during the twelfth century. Behind the imposing star-arched city gate, the Arco de la Estrella, a labyrinth of narrow streets, stone staircases, arcades, old churches and convents spreads out before your eyes. More than 40 Renaissance palaces characterize what is known to be the best-preserved medieval city centre in Europe after those in Tallinn and Prague, and with its combination of Roman, Islamic, Gothic and Renaissance influences, it is certainly the most diverse. Award-winning local cuisine The alluring combination of centuries of history with contemporary art and culture moved Time magazine to include Caceres on its list of “World’s 100 Greatest Places 2021.” But beyond the new museum, there are several other traveller draws in Caceres, such as the Mercedes Calles y Carlos Ballestero Foundation, a cultural centre and exhibition space, or the Provincial Museum in the Palacio de las Veletas, whose cellar contains the world’s second-largest Arabic cistern, which dates from the 15th century. Gastronomically too, Caceres is no slouch, with some exquisite eating opportunities in the town, not least ham from the black Iberico pigs that graze in the forests surrounding the town. In 2015, the Association of Spanish Hoteliers and Restaurant Critics even chose Caceres as Spain’s gastronomic capital, citing the Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish and Jewish influences that can still be found on menus today. A walk through the old town of Cáceres, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, is like a journey back in time to the Middle Ages. Manuel Meyer/dpa Churches, monasteries and narrow streets characterise the medieval town centre of Cáceres. Manuel Meyer/dpa The chandelier “Descending Light” by renowned artist Ai Weiwei, made with 60,000 pearls, stages the decline of communism in the museum entrance. Manuel Meyer/dpa It’s a hub of contemporary art – and yet, architecturally, Cáceres seems anything but modern. Manuel Meyer/dpa The “Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Helga de Alvear” by Emilio Tuñón has already been awarded numerous international architectural prizes. Manuel Meyer/dpa Katharina Grosse’s colourful “Faux Rocks” reach almost to the ceiling of the museum. Manuel Meyer/dpa In the garden of the “Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Helga de Alvear”, the sculpture of a giant pink sausage by the Viennese artist Franz West stands out between palm trees. Manuel Meyer/dpa View the full article

Published by AFP Leonard Bernstein (R), who died in 1990, had not expected the score to have such a long life Paris (AFP) – Leonard Bernstein’s score for “West Side Story” has become so ubiquitous in Western culture that it has popped up in such unlikely places as Metallica and Wu-Tang Clan albums. The original play first appeared on Broadway in 1957, before transferring to the silver screen in 1961, and early reviews suggest that Steven Spielberg’s new film version proves the music still resonates today. Three decades after its appearance, Metallica used a clip from one of its biggest tunes, “America”, as the surprise intro to “Don’t Tread On Me” on their seminal “Black Album”. One of the pioneers of hard rock, Alice Cooper, also mined the musical for inspiration on his “Gutter Cat vs The Jets” in 1972, using the theme song from one of the rival gangs in the story. The inclusions were less obvious when it came to the Wu-Tang Clan sampling elements for “Maria” in 1997, from the song of the same name in “West Side Story”. The Wu-Tang’s lyrics over the sample — “Knew this bitch named Traj, she had a hella fine ashcan ass” — seem rather distant from the vibe of the original, though that only emphasises how deeply the musical had embedded itself in American culture. Bernstein, who died in 1990, had not expected the score to have such a long life. Having never actually conducted his own score — either for the stage or screen versions — he was invited to re-record it with opera singers in 1984. “In the documentary about the recording, you can hear him saying that he thought it would have aged badly, but it hadn’t at all,” said Laurent Valiere, host of a new podcast about the movie. “The music of ‘West Side Story’ transcends classical music, with elements of jazz, be-bop and Latin rhythms,” he added. Although the operatic recording went down as a classic of the genre, it was a fraught process, with Bernstein famously throwing a tantrum at Spanish star tenor Jose Carreras as he struggled with the pronunciation and pacing of playing the all-American Tony. ‘An albatross’ The irascible Bernstein, who was head of the New York Philharmonic by then, also grew tired of constantly being reminded of his most famous work. “It became a sort of albatross around his neck,” his daughter told Britain’s Radio Times. “He had to work all the harder to get people to focus on his other works, especially his symphonic works.” She said he spent his whole life “wishing he could write the great American opera… However, many people will say that ‘West Side Story’ is the great American opera.” The idea for “West Side Story” supposedly came about when Bernstein and playwright Arthur Laurents were sat around a pool in Hollywood and came across a newspaper story about gang warfare. It struck them as the perfect framing for the updating of “Romeo and Juliet” that they had been searching for. The racial element — with the Puerto Rican Sharks taunted by the white Jets — resonated with Bernstein, who had struggled through anti-Semitism as a younger man. The Puerto Rican element also allowed him to introduce a mambo — which gives the score a “hyper-contemporary” feel, said Valiere. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Britney Spears is known as the Princess of Pop, but she may have actually had a chance at becoming a real royal if her alleged relationship with Prince William took off. According to biographerChristopher Anderson, the Duke of Cambridge had an online connection with Spears and Lauren Bush prior to his marriage to Kate Middleton. Anderson made the claim in his new book Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan, released Tuesday, November 30. “[William and Spears] tried to get together back when they were young, and he also had a kind of similar cyber relationship with Lauren Bush, the model and the niece of President [George W.] Bush,” Anderson reportedly spilled to Us Weekly. PRINCE CHARLES & PRINCE WILLIAM TOLD PRINCE HARRY HE WAS ‘OVERREACTING’ TO THE ALLEGED BABY SKIN COLOR REMARKS, CLAIMS AUTHOR While the “Toxic” songstress, 40, and royal, 39, were in contact, their relationship apparently never escalated beyond a few phone calls and online exchanges. “There may have been phone conversations, but I don’t recall that they ever actually managed to get together during that period,” Anderson alleged, per the outlet. Back in 2002, Spears reportedly revealed on the ITV1’s Frank Skinner Show thatsheandWilliam “exchanged emails for a little bit, and he was supposed to come and see [her] somewhere but it didn’t work out.” MEGA Prior to his apparent friendship with the Grammy Award winner, William also allegedly took a liking to another Hollywood celebrity — who the father-of-three’s mom Princess Diana seemed to approve of, claimed the author. “William had a huge crush on Cindy Crawford. I think it’s very cute,” Andersen shared. “So [Princess] Diana, being the kind of person she [was], she arranged for a meeting with him when he was, like, 14.” Though William didn’t end up with one of Hollywood’s elites, his marriage to the Duchess of Cambridge didn’t come as a shock either. Anderson pointed out it’s very telling that both William and Prince Harry ended up with “commoners,” something he speculated their mom “would have loved — the fact that they stepped outside of everybody’s comfort zone.” BRITNEY SPEARS TURNS 40 — TAKE A LOOK AT HER BEST FASHION MOMENTS OVER THE YEARS William and Kate, 39, began dating in 2003 after first meeting as students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001. The lovebirds got engaged in 2010, and wed the following year before they went on to welcome children: Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3. MEGA As for Spears, she was briefly married to Jason Alexander in 2004 before tying the knot with Kevin Federline later that year. The former flames — who share sons Preston, 16, and Jayden, 15 — split in 2007. The “Circus” singer confirmed her engagement to Sam Asghari in September after five years of dating. Spears shared the exciting news amid her bombshell conservatorship trial that came to an end last month — with the legal bind officially being terminated after more than 13 years. View the full article

Published by AFP A volunteer collects plastic waste on an island of the Etang de Berre, France Washington (AFP) – The United States is by far the biggest contributor to global plastic waste in the world, according to a new report submitted to the federal government Wednesday that called for a national strategy to tackle the growing crisis. Overall, the US contributed around 42 million metric tons (MMT) in plastic waste in 2016 — more than twice as much as China and more than the countries of the European Union combined, according to the analysis. On average, every American generates 130 kilograms (286 pounds) of plastic waste per year, with Britain next on the list at 99 kilos per person per year, followed by South Korea at 88 kilos per year. Entitled “Reckoning with the U.S. Role in Global Ocean Plastic Waste,” the report was mandated by Congress as part of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, which became law in December 2020. “The success of the 20th century miracle invention of plastics has also produced a global scale deluge of plastic waste seemingly everywhere we look,” wrote Margaret Spring, who chaired the committee of experts that compiled the report. Global plastic production rose from 20 million metric tons in 1966 to 381 MMT in 2015, a 20-fold increase over half a century, the report said. Initially, attention to ocean waste focused solely on ship and marine-based sources, but it is now known that almost any plastic on land has the potential to reach the oceans via rivers and streams, the report added. Research has shown nearly a thousand species of marine life are susceptible to plastic entanglement or to ingesting microplastics, which then make their way through the food web back to humans. The report said an estimated 8 MMT of plastic waste enters the world annually, “the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck of plastic waste into the ocean every minute.” At the current rate, the amount of plastics discharged into the ocean could reach up to 53 MMT per year by 2030, roughly half of the total weight of fish caught from the ocean annually, it said. Part of the reason is that while the generation of plastic waste in municipal solid waste has exploded, particularly since 1980, the scale of recycling has not kept up, resulting in more and more plastic finding its way into landfills. The report offered a number of steps to address the crisis — especially reducing virgin plastic production. Reduce single-use plastics Other suggested actions include using materials that degrade more quickly and are more easily recycled, the reduction of certain single-use plastics, and improved waste management, such as techniques to remove microplastics from wastewater. Improving waste capture technology would stop plastics in waterways, while stemming plastic disposal directly into the ocean itself also remains a priority. “This is the most comprehensive and damning report on plastic pollution ever published,” said Judith Enk, president of the Beyond Plastics nonprofit. “It is a code red for plastics in the ocean and documents how litter cleanups are not going to save the ocean,” she continued, adding it was urgent that policy makers and business leaders read the report and take action. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Alec Baldwin said he did not pull the trigger of the gun that killed a cinematographer on the movie set of “Rust,” while investigators in New Mexico zeroed in on how live ammunition may have found its way to the set. Baldwin, who was holding a gun he was told was safe when it went off, spoke in his first full interview about the Oct. 21 shooting. “Well, the trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger,” the actor told ABC television journalist George Stephanopoulos, according to an excerpt released on Wednesday of the interview, which is to be broadcast on Thursday. “I would never point a gun at anyone and pull a trigger at them. Never,” Baldwin added. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded in what Baldwin has previously called a tragic accident on the set of the Western movie he was making near Santa Fe. The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department said on Wednesday it had no comment on Baldwin’s statement. It was not known whether authorities are pursuing an accidental discharge scenario. No criminal charges have been filed. Investigators have been focusing their efforts on how live bullets, rather than dummies, got onto the set. Court documents released on Wednesday showed they found “Rust” documents and suspected live ammunition for a revolver like the one Baldwin was using during a search this week at the premises of an Albuquerque supplier of props and weapons for movie sets. The supplier, named as Seth Kenny, earlier told police he believed the live bullets found on the set may have been “reloaded ammunition” that he previously had acquired from a friend, according to the documents. Reloaded ammunition is made up of recycled components, including bullets. Kenny could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Baldwin, best known for playing an egotistical TV network executive on the TV comedy series “30 Rock,” has kept a low profile since the accident at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe. Baldwin, who was the star and also a producer on the low-budget Western, “went through in detail what happened on the set that day,” Stephanopoulos said on Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” show ahead of the interview broadcast. Two crew members have filed civil lawsuits accusing Baldwin, the producers and others on the production of negligence and lax safety protocols. The producers have said they are conducting their own internal investigation. (Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by AFP Facebook takes aim at anti-Covid vaccine campaign harassing doctors and journalists San Francisco (AFP) – Facebook’s parent company Meta said Wednesday it had derailed an anti-vaccine campaign that harassed medical workers, journalists and elected officials, in a signal of the ongoing pressure from coronavirus pandemic-tied misinformation. The social media giant took down accounts in France and Italy that were linked to a conspiracy movement called “V_V”, which inundated pro-vaccine posts with potentially tens of thousands of comments. “V-V” supporters also “mass-harassed” people on YouTube, Twitter, VKontakte and other online platforms, using swastikas or other images as well as calling doctors and media workers “Nazi supporters” for backing vaccines, Meta said. The company’s update regarding efforts to counter misinformation and harassment on its platform comes as the tech giant battles accusations that it puts profit over user safety. The firm changed its parent company name to “Meta” in October as it tries to move past the reputation of Facebook as a scandal-plagued social network to the company’s virtual reality vision for the future. A report by social network analysis firm Graphika offered additional information on “V_V,” which it says touts itself as engaged in guerilla “psychological warfare” that targets vaccine supporters. Graphika estimates that “V_V” has about 20,000 followers and said the group has been linked to vandalism of hospitals and efforts to disrupt vaccination programs by repeatedly booking and canceling medical appointments. The group’s campaign used messaging service Telegram to train recruits and spread word of who to target, according to Meta head of emerging harms investigations Mike Dvilyanski. Using media to spread misinformation “While we aren’t banning all V_V content, we’re continuing to monitor the situation and will take action if we find additional violations,” Meta said. Since the start of the pandemic, misinformation has taken many forms, from false and dangerous health advice to so-called miracle cures, conspiracy theories, racist rhetoric and online scams. The United States in March denounced what it called a Russian disinformation campaign against US-made Covid-19 vaccines, saying Moscow was putting lives at risk. Meta also reported taking down a “sprawling and unsuccessful” network out of China that used fake accounts to promote a bogus claim that a Swiss biologist contended the United States was putting pressure on World Health Organization scientists to blame China for the pandemic. Investigators on the Meta security team equated the campaign to a “hall of mirrors, endlessly reflecting a single fake persona” with even Chinese state media citing the fabricated claim. “Clusters of fake accounts attempted post-amplification, which only took root when media picked up the stories,” Meta head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in the briefing. “But, that was quickly debunked and fizzled out quickly,” he added. The tactic reflected a trend of trying to get legitimate news outlets to spread misinformation promoted by networks of fake accounts, Gleicher noted. “Operations like these will also target media, marketers and influencers, who need defenses against these kinds of campaigns,” he said. Meta found links to employees of people associated with Chinese state infrastructure companies based around the world. “This is the first time we have observed an operation that included a coordinated cluster of state employees to amplify itself in this way,” Meta said. “Our investigation also found that a number of Chinese government officials began interacting with the operation’s content less than an hour after it first posted.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Stephanie Beatriz hates how bisexual people are sometimes portrayed on TV. The 40-year-old actress came out as bisexual in 2016, but she resents how various shows have peddled myths about the community over the years. Reflecting on her experience of watching one particular episode of ‘Sex and the City’, Stephanie explained: “It sucked watching one of my favourite shows talk about bisexuality in this super s***** way for jokes. It felt yuck.” Stephanie thinks the portrayals are often wildly inaccurate and, ultimately, unhelpful for bisexual people like herself. She told The Independent: “We’re so often presented to be like these super-promiscuous beings. Like we’re using our sexuality to manipulate people. “It’s like nah, I’m just living my life.” Stephanie believes that her personal situation is complicated by her Latin background. The ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ star – who has a Colombian father and a Bolivian mother – explained: “I’m in that intersection of Latinx, woman and queer, and there’s a lot of cultural norms you feel pressured to complete, like get married, have kids… “As a bisexual woman, people think like ‘Oh you could still fall in love with a man and do all those things.’ People think it’s a phase or that it’s not even real.” Stephanie has enjoyed success on stage and on screen during her career. However, her parents were initially unconvinced about her career choices – particularly as her family had no links to the entertainment industry. She said: “It’s very risky pursuing the arts, especially if you don’t know anyone who has done it before. It’s really unknown. “I didn’t know how people got on TV or in a play. There was no one in my family who could tell me how to get an agent.” Stephanie Beatriz Bisexual Myths Towleroad Not Just A ‘Gala’: New York Met Donation, $125 Million, is Museum’s Biggest Ever; Will Go To Renovate Modern and Contemporary Art Spaces More White House asks government to buy more from small disadvantaged businesses More Prince Harry pens letter to mark World AIDS Day More Donald Trump Reportedly Tested Positive For COVID 3 Days Before 2020 Debate Against Joe Biden, Former Chief Of Staff Claims More Stacey Abrams announces second bid for governor of Georgia state More Biden marks World AIDS Day with plan to eradicate disease More Ivanka Trump Turns On Charm, Mingles With Rich Pals In First Outing Since Dad Donald Trump Was Accused Of Being Jeffrey Epstein’s Sex ‘Wingman’ More US Supreme Court appears likely to roll back abortion rights More Hungary parliament clears way for government’s LGBT referendum as election nears More New York City opens first U.S. sites for supervised narcotics injection More National Guard who refuse to get vaccinated could lose funding- Pentagon chief More Load More View the full article

Published by AFP New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the city’s top tourist attractions, has received a record $125 million donation to renovate its modern and contemporary art spaces New York (AFP) – A Chinese-American couple has donated a record $125 million to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to renovate the space that houses its collection of modern and contemporary art, the institution said Tuesday. The donation by Oscar Tang and his wife Agnes Hsu-Tang is the largest capital gift the Met — one of New York City’s biggest tourist attractions — has ever received in its 151-year history. In return, the newly renovated space will bear their names, the museum said. The injection of funds will allow the museum to carry out a long-postponed project offering a multidisciplinary “re-envisioning” of 80,000 square feet (7,400 square meters) of galleries and public space that house its collection of modern and contemporary art. “The Modern Wing will encompass a full renovation of the current modern and contemporary galleries, which The Met has been seeking to renovate for more than a decade,” the museum said. “With this remarkable gift, Oscar and Agnes are enabling The Met to realize its ambitious mission for future generations,” said Daniel Weiss, president of the iconic museum located next to Central Park. Tang, an 83-year-old retired financier who has acted as a trustee for the museum for three decades, has financed previous exhibitions, art acquisitions, room extensions and other expenses over the years. He has also donated works of art, including 20 Chinese paintings from the 11th to 18th centuries and the 10th century Song dynasty masterpiece “Riverbank,” the museum said. af/jh/sst/mlm Met Donation Met Gala on Towleroad White House asks government to buy more from small disadvantaged businesses More Prince Harry pens letter to mark World AIDS Day More Donald Trump Reportedly Tested Positive For COVID 3 Days Before 2020 Debate Against Joe Biden, Former Chief Of Staff Claims More Stacey Abrams announces second bid for governor of Georgia state More Biden marks World AIDS Day with plan to eradicate disease More Ivanka Trump Turns On Charm, Mingles With Rich Pals In First Outing Since Dad Donald Trump Was Accused Of Being Jeffrey Epstein’s Sex ‘Wingman’ More US Supreme Court appears likely to roll back abortion rights More Hungary parliament clears way for government’s LGBT referendum as election nears More New York City opens first U.S. sites for supervised narcotics injection More National Guard who refuse to get vaccinated could lose funding- Pentagon chief More Sex & The City Reboot ‘And Just Like That…’ Trailer Reveals The Status Of Carrie & Big’s Relationship, New Ventures & More! More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House on Thursday unveiled plans to ask federal agencies to direct at least 11% of contract dollars spent to disadvantaged small businesses next year, up from an average of 9.8% over the last five years. The small increase, which would go well beyond the 5% required by law, is part of a bid to harness the federal government’s hefty buying power to boost equity, the White House said. “President Biden’s committed to leveraging every tool available to him and helping level the playing field for small and underserved businesses … as a way to narrow the racial wealth gap,” a senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call prior to the announcement. He said the federal government is the single largest buyer of goods and services in the world with $600 billion a year. “Federal government can be a powerful driver of equity and wealth building in underserved communities,” he added, noting that the overall goal was to reach 15% by 2025. Small disadvantaged businesses are a category under federal law for which Black-owned, Latino-owned and other minority-owned businesses “are presumed to qualify,” the White House said. The move comes after a recent report found that the number of new small business entrants to federal procurement decreased by 60% over the past decade, the White House said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Prince Harry has praised AIDS activists for “leading the call for COVID-19 vaccine equity”. The 37-year-old royal has written a letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – the director-general of the World Heath Organization – and UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima to mark World AIDS Day on Wednesday (01.12.21). In the letter, Harry – who has previously undergone public testing for HIV – says: “It is striking to now see the world’s leading AIDS activists are also leading the call for COVID-19 vaccine equity. “Vaccinating the world is a test of our moral character and we are experiencing a spectacular failure when it comes to global vaccine equity. Similar to the AIDS crisis, we’ve yet again revealed over the past year, that the value of life depends on whether you were born and/or live in a rich nation, or a developing country.” In his letter, Harry paid tribute to people who have lost their lives to AIDS. The prince also referenced Princess Diana’s efforts to break the stigma surrounding AIDS and HIV in the 80s and 90s. Harry – who now lives in the US with his wife and their two children – wrote: “We honour those whose lives have been cut short and reaffirm our commitment to a scientific community that has worked tirelessly against this disease. “My mother would be deeply grateful for everything you stand for and have accomplished. We all share that gratitude, so thank you.” Earlier this year, Harry blamed “mass-scale misinformation” for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The royal – who has Archie, two, and Lilibet, five months, with the Duchess of Sussex – explained: “Until every community can access the vaccine and until every community is connected to trustworthy information about the vaccine, then we are all at risk.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Mega Donald Trump allegedly tested positive for COVID just three days before he faced off against President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential debate, according to a new book written by his former chief of staff. In an excerpt from The Chief’s Chief — obtained by The Guardian — Mark Meadows claimed the 75-year-old learned he had tested positive on September 26 after boarding Air Force One en route to a rally in Middletown, Penn. MELANIA TRUMP DIDN’T WANT ELECTION NIGHT PARTY AT WHITE HOUSE AS COVID-19 PANDEMIC RAGED ON, KNEW DONALD TRUMP WOULD ‘DO IT ANYWAY’: AUTHOR Hours earlier, the ex commander-in-chief attended the infamous Rose Garden event honoring Supreme Court then-nominee Amy Barrett at the White House, in which 11 attendees contracted the disease. Mega Meadows, who worked under Trump for two years, alleged that 45’s response to hearing the news that he tested positive “rhyme[d] with ‘Oh spit, you’ve gotta be trucking lidding me,'” per the Guardian.He alsonoted that the father-of-five’s initial test had been done with an old model. A second test resulted in a negative outcome, in which, as Meadows tells it, he could “almost hear the collective ‘Thank God’ that echoed through the cabin.” Meadows claims Trump’s negative test allowed him to carry on with business as usual, which included meeting with military families, appearing at a rally — and facing off with Biden at the presidential debate against in Ohio. Mega (For his part, Meadows explains he “didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks, but I also didn’t want to alarm the public if there was nothing to worry about — which according to the new, much more accurate test, there was not.”) On the day of the debate, Meadows noted that Trump looked “slightly” better, but “the dark circles under his eyes had deepened” and “he was moving more slowly than usual.” On October 2, Trump announced via his former Twitter account that he and his wife Melania Trump “tested positive for COVID-19” that night. Melania took to Twitter to reassure her followers that the couple were “are feeling good and I have postponed all upcoming engagements”. Mega Fox News‘ Chris Wallace — who moderated the debate — later admitted that both Trump and Biden were believed to have tested negative prior to the event, based on an “honor system”. CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE HAD CORONAVIRUS — STARS EXPLAIN THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH COVID-19 According to Yahoo! News, Trump blasted Meadows’ claims in a statement: “The story of me having COVID prior to, or during, the first debate is Fake News. In fact, a test revealed that I did not have COVID prior to the debate.” President Biden, 79, remarked “I don’t think about the former President” when asked about claims that Trump had tested positive prior to their debate, per CNN. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Fauci also insisted he “certainly was not aware of Trump’s test positivity or negativity” when asked by reporters. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Alexandra Ulmer and Joseph Ax (Reuters) – Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams said on Wednesday that she is running again for governor of Georgia, setting up a potential rematch against Republican Governor Brian Kemp in a state that has become a key battleground in U.S. elections. “Opportunity and success in Georgia shouldn’t be determined by your ZIP code, background or access to power,” Abrams, a Democrat, said in a video https://twitter.com/staceyabrams/status/1466140248887418885?s=20 launching her campaign. “If our Georgia is going to move to its next and greatest chapter, we’re going to need leadership.” Abrams, 47, a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, lawyer, entrepreneur and romance novelist, became a national Democratic figurehead after losing a hard-fought governor’s race to Kemp in 2018 by just 55,000 votes. Since that defeat, which many Democrats blamed on voter suppression, Abrams has built a national reputation as a voting rights advocate, founding the organization Fair Fight. She was credited by many Democrats with boosting the party’s turnout in 2020, when President Joe Biden became the first Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election in nearly three decades. Two months after Biden’s victory, Democrats swept two Senate races in Georgia to give them control of the U.S. Senate. A matchup between Abrams and Kemp next year would offer a test of whether those wins reflect a more permanent Democratic edge in a diversifying and growing Southern state or whether they were driven by antipathy toward Republican former President Donald Trump. Georgia hasn’t had a Democratic governor since Roy Barnes left office in 2003. If she wins next November, Abrams, whom Biden at one point considered as a potential running mate, would be the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state. Kemp, who is running for re-election, reacted on Wednesday by saying that Abrams would have shut down the state over COVID-19 and allowed “woke politics” to be part of school lessons. “I’m in the fight against Stacey Abrams, the failed Biden agenda, and their woke allies to keep Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Kemp said on Twitter. Kemp could face a difficult primary battle within his own party after resisting Trump’s requests that he convince the Georgia state legislature to overturn the 2020 presidential results showing Biden had beaten Trump. Kemp has since signed into law sweeping voting restrictions sponsored by Republicans, with potentially big implications for how elections are administered in Georgia in 2022 and the U.S. presidential contest in 2024. Proponents say the legislation is needed to safeguard elections and restore voters’ faith in the process. Opponents say it was born out of the Republican Party’s “Big Lie,” the false claim that Biden’s defeat of Trump in November 2020 was the result of widespread fraud. In an interview released earlier on Wednesday at the Reuters Next conference, Abrams said she remains optimistic that Congress will pass federal legislation to advance and protect voting rights, despite Republican opposition. Georgia is set to vote in congressional and gubernatorial general elections next November. Raphael Warnock, a Baptist preacher from Martin Luther King Jr.’s former church who was elected to the Senate in January in a special election, is also up for re-election for a six year-term. (Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer and Joseph Ax; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by AFP US President Joe Biden is joined by Marguerite Wheeler-Lara, mother of HIV/AIDS advocate Gabriel Maldonado, during a World AIDS Day commemoration at White House Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden marked World AIDS Day on Wednesday with a speech declaring that an end to the epidemic in the United States is within reach. “It’s not hyperbole to suggest that we are within striking distance,” he told an audience of activists and political supporters at the White House. Biden’s speech outlined what the White House said was an administration plan for “redoubling efforts to confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic,” bringing it effectively to a close by the end of the decade. The target is for a 75 percent reduction in new infections by 2025 and 90 percent by 2030. Biden said the approach is centered on “innovative community solutions… to make sure that the latest, latest advances in HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment are available to everyone.” Biden also promised “aggressive action,” backed by a “historic” budget target of $670 million, to make sure the HIV response was more fair to people who had before been left out or suffered discrimination. “As we look back in the past 40 years, where there’s been so much pain and suffering, it’s a testament… (that) we can do this. We can eliminate HIV transmission, we can get the epidemic under control in the United States and countries around the world.” In the 40 years since US researchers encountered the first cases of what later became known as AIDS, there have been 700,000 US dead and more than 36 million fatalities worldwide. Today, there are 1.2 million people in the US living with the disease, but “we celebrate the remarkable gains we have made,” the White House said in a briefing paper on the 2030 plan. Between 2015 and 2019, new HIV infections fell eight percent, “a hopeful sign,” the White House said. The shift Biden is ordering will aim to “aggressively reduce new HIV cases, while increasing access to treatment.” Lessons from Covid According to a senior Biden administration official, one of the innovations will be to accelerate the private sector’s participation in a “national effort.” Focus will also be put on “addressing social determinants of health that influence an individual’s HIV risk or outcomes.” According to the official, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic could ultimately strengthen the health care system in the even lengthier struggle against AIDS. The response to the coronavirus crisis has spurred advances in self-testing at home and telehealth, as well as boosting the role for pharmacies — all ways to engage the public in a complex health care endeavor. Top US infectious diseases specialists, including Biden’s lead medical advisor Anthony Fauci, brought years of experience from fighting AIDS to the Covid-19 crisis. Now, new lessons gained during the pandemic may be applied to AIDS. “We’re looking forward to seeing what additional insights and knowledge and expertise researchers have gained through fighting this virus that can now be applied to our search for a vaccine and a cure for HIV,” the senior official said. The United Nations said Monday that HIV infection rates are not slowing fast enough around the world to reach the goal of eradicating AIDS everywhere by 2030. View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Ivanka Trump put on a happy face and acted like nothing was wrong when she attended an A-list event alongside Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The former first daughter turned on her charm and mingled with her rich pals just hours after her father Donald Trumpwas accused of letting late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein be his sex “wingman.” Trump’s 40-year-old daughter appeared to be in good spirits despite the cringe-worthy accusations about her dad that were brought to light amid Ghislaine Maxwell‘s sex trafficking trial. The British socialite is accused of recruiting and grooming young girls for Epstein to abuse. Jeffrey Epstein Was Donald Trump’s Sex ‘Wingman,’ Claims Woman Who Accused Ex-Prez Of Sexual Abuse Ivanka wasted no time jumping back into the elaborate world of the fashion industry. Mixing it up with the best of them, the blonde mom flashed a smile and greeted everyone with money at Louis Vuitton’s tribute show to Virgil Abloh. Miami was filled with New York and Hollywood’s elite on Tuesday night to remember Virgil after he passed away over the weekend. The late creative director died after a private cancer battle. Virgil was beloved by many, and Kanye’s best friend. Pete Davidson All Smiles Courtside At Knicks Game With Sister As Girlfriend Kim Kardashian Reunites With Estranged Husband Kanye West MEGA Trump’s favorite daughter didn’t try to hide her wealth at the show titled, “Virgil Was Here.” Instead, she flaunted it by wearing a simple bubble gum pink LV dress that cost more than most people’s rent. Ivanka slipped into the $3,500 chic number to make her splash back into the fashion world after years of going political. Blending in with the likes of Kimye, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, and more, Ivanka didn’t appear to be sweating the allegations against her dad — and neither did those around her. As Radar reported, Trump’s alleged close relationship with Epstein was exposed by celebrity makeup artist Jill Harth, who accused #45 of sexual abuse. In an interview with Daily Mail, Jill called the former president a “girl hound,” adding that Epstein was his “wingman” with the ladies. According to the former pageant organizer, Trump and the late pedophile were “definitely close friends.” She alleged they used their wealth, power, and status in a world of vulnerable, young women to get what they wanted. Jill also claimed that Trump knew Epstein’s fetish for young and sometimes underage girls but allegedly didn’t care. MEGA View the full article

Published by AFP Demonstrators gathered outside the US Supreme Court as the justices heard a case that could roll back abortion rights Washington (AFP) – The conservative-dominated Supreme Court appeared poised Wednesday to roll back abortion rights in the United States by upholding a law in the southern state of Mississippi that would ban the procedure after 15 weeks. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the imposing court in Washington as the nine justices heard two hours of arguments in the most pivotal abortion case to reach the nation’s highest court in 50 years. Mississippi Solicitor General Scott Stewart urged the court to uphold the state’s 15-week ban and strike down the landmark cases that enshrined a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. While acknowledging abortion is a “hard issue,” Stewart argued that individual states should be allowed to set their own rules. “When an issue affects everyone and when the Constitution does not take sides on it, it belongs to the people,” he said. “This court should overrule Roe and Casey and uphold the state’s law.” In a 1973 ruling, Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court, by a 7-2 vote, held that access to abortion is a constitutional right until the fetus is viable outside the womb, typically 22 to 24 weeks. In a 1992 ruling, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the court upheld Roe and said states cannot impose an “undue burden” on a woman’s ability to get an abortion. The law passed by the Republican-led legislature in Mississippi, a Bible Belt state, would ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and makes no exception for rape or incest. Should the Mississippi law be upheld, more than two dozen other US states are expected to seek to restrict abortion. The court is expected to render its decision in June. ‘Flatly unconstitutional’ At least four of the six conservative-leaning justices — including two nominated by Donald Trump — seemed receptive to overturning Roe v. Wade. The other two conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Neil Gorsuch, also a Trump nominee, appeared to favor a more cautious approach — upholding the Mississippi law while not going so far as to strike down Roe. “The thing that is at issue before us today is 15 weeks,” Roberts said. Attorney Julie Rikelman, arguing for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Mississippi law is “flatly unconstitutional.” “For a state to take control of a woman’s body and demand that she goes through pregnancy and childbirth — with all the physical risks and life-altering consequences that brings — is a fundamental deprivation of her liberty,” Rikelman said. Rikelman argued for maintaining viability as the legal cutoff point for an abortion. “Without viability, there will be no stopping point,” she said. “States will rush to ban abortion at virtually any point in pregnancy.” Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the administration of President Joe Biden, said the court “has never revoked a right that is so fundamental to so many Americans.” “The real world effects of overruling Roe and Casey would be severe and swift,” Prelogar said. Speaking to reporters after the court session, Biden said Roe v. Wade is a “rational position” and he will “continue to support it.” ‘Alarming’ Elena Kagan, one of the three liberal justices on the court, said abortion rights are “part of the fabric of women’s existence in this country.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor, another liberal, said “the right of a woman to choose, the right to control her own body, has been clearly set.” Overturning Roe would give the impression the court is a political body, Sotomayor said. “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception, that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?” she asked. Amy Coney Barrett, who was nominated by Trump, asked repeatedly why adoption cannot be considered a viable alternative to abortion. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, also nominated by Trump, made it clear he believed access to abortion should be regulated by the states. “Why should this court be the arbiter rather than Congress, the state legislatures, state supreme courts, the people,” Kavanaugh said. “There’ll be different answers in Mississippi, in New York. Different answers in Alabama than California,” he said. “Why is that not the right answer?” Prelogar, the solicitor general, said it was not the right answer because the court has recognized that abortion is a “fundamental right of women” and it is “not left up to state legislatures to decide whether to honor them or not.” Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a leading abortion provider, expressed concern for abortion rights after the court session. “It was alarming, though not surprising, that the majority of the Supreme Court justices appeared prepared to allow politicians to control what we can do with our bodies,” McGill Johnson said. As the court heard arguments, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside carrying signs reading “Abortion Is Murder” or — on the other side — “Abortion Is Health Care.” Public opinion polls have found most Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. But a segment of the population, particularly on the religious right, has never accepted the Roe v. Wade ruling and campaigned to have it overturned. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Krisztina Than BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary’s parliament passed a resolution on Tuesday which will empower the government to hold a referendum on LGBT issues, raising Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s anti-LGBT campaign to a new level as he heads into a tough election race next year. Orban, a nationalist who has been in power since 2010, this year proposed a referendum on ruling party legislation that limits schools’ teaching about homosexuality and transgender issues, stepping up a culture war with the European Union. Facing his first competitive election in more than a decade, nationalist Orban has sought to promote social policies that he says safeguard Christian values against Western liberalism, putting gender issues and what he calls LGBTQ propaganda at the centre of his campaign along with migration. Parliament voted on four referendum questions one by one, passing them with Fidesz’s ruling majority. “The Hungarian government proposes that citizens should have a chance to express their stance on the issues of gender propaganda,” deputy minister Balazs Orban told parliament. “We are committed. We believe that we …have to say no to LGBTQ propaganda in schools carried out with the help of NGOs and media, without parental consent.” He said holding the referendum on the same day as the parliamentary vote would save taxpayers money but it is up to President Janos Ader to set the date. Ader, an ally of the government, has not yet fixed a date for the parliamentary elections which are expected to be held in April. In the referendum, Hungarians will be asked whether they support the holding of sexual orientation workshops in schools without parents’ consent and whether they believe gender reassignment procedures should be promoted among children. They will also be asked whether media content that could affect sexual orientation should be shown to children without any restrictions. The law passed in June, which the government says aims to protect children, has caused anxiety in the LGBT community. (Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves, editing by Ed Osmond) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Maria Caspani NEW YORK (Reuters) – The first sites in the United States that allow narcotics users to inject drugs under the supervision of trained staff opened in New York City on Tuesday, a move aimed at stemming a surge in overdose deaths. The city’s health department said two sites, both located in Upper Manhattan, may begin operations as of Tuesday. They are run by two existing Syringe Service Providers, organizations that offer a range of services including access and disposal of injection equipment. “Overdose Prevention Centers are a safe and effective way to address the opioid crisis,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in the statement. “I’m proud to show cities in this country that after decades of failure, a smarter approach is possible.” Citing research, proponents say the sites provide clean, safe places that save lives and can help curb addiction. “This is a watershed milestone in the fight to end overdose deaths in New York,” Melissa Moore, director of civil systems reform at Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), said in a statement. “If we want to save lives, reduce criminalization, and curb racial disparities, we need comprehensive, innovative, and forward-thinking approaches like Overdose Prevention Centers.” Opponents of the sites say they threaten communities in which they are located by facilitating drug use. De Blasio, who leaves office in January after two terms as mayor, has long supported the opening of such sites, following an innovation that Canada and other countries implemented years ago. Incoming mayor Eric Adams voiced support for the concept during his campaign. In addition to allowing users to inject narcotics under supervision, the sites are to provide users with syringes and other supplies, as well as medications to reverse overdoses and treatment options. Last year, overdose deaths in New York City jumped to more than 2,000, the highest number since tracking began in 2000. Nearly 600 people died in the first quarter of 2021, according to preliminary city data, the most in a single quarter. Across the country, the opioid epidemic – which worsened since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States in early 2020 – has ravaged the lives of millions. More Americans than ever – more than 100,000 – died from overdoses over a recent 12-month period, federal data released earlier this month showed. The supply of illicit drugs on the streets has become deadlier, mostly due to widespread availability of fentanyl, which is increasingly mixed with other drugs. Drug consumption services currently operate in 10 countries around the world, according to DPA. Other U.S. cities including San Francisco have plans to open safe injection sites, but none have opened yet. Legal barriers at the federal and state level have hindered efforts to establish supervised consumption services. Earlier this year, a coalition of mayors sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking clarity on the position of the Department of Justice on a section of the U.S. Controlled Substances Act that says it is illegal to maintain any place for the use of controlled substances. (Reporting by Maria Caspani; Editing by Leslie Adler) View the full article