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Published by AlterNet In Republican Governor Ron DeSantis‘ “Free State of Florida,” as of July 1 it will be illegal for physicians and other medical professionals to refuse to treat unvaccinated patients. It will be illegal to mandate vaccines. It will be illegal to mandate the wearing of masks. It will be illegal to require a “vaccine passport.” But, also in Ron DeSantis’ “Free State of Florida,” it will be legal for a physician or other medical professional to refuse to treat a patient who is LGBTQ for a “specific health care service” if it violates their “conscience.” And legal for insurance companies to refuse … Read More View the full article

Published by AFP George Santos, shown here in New York in April, confessed to stealing the checkbook in Brazil Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Scandal-plagued US congressman George Santos, indicted this week on 13 charges, has agreed to a plea deal to settle a separate case over using a stolen checkbook in Brazil in 2008, officials said Friday. The first-term Republican from New York, who has admitted to lying about much of his biography, confessed to the crime and agreed to pay around $5,000 in fines and damages to avoid criminal prosecution, said the court hearing his case in Brazil. Santos, the son of Brazilian parents who immigrated to the United States, was charged with fraud in Brazil for stealing the checkbook of a deceased elderly man his mother had helped care for. He used it buy some $700 in merchandise as a 19-year-old in the city of Niteroi, near Rio de Janeiro. Under the plea deal he agreed to pay a fine of 10,000 reais (around $2,030), plus inflation-adjusted damages of 14,121 reais ($2,865) to the shopkeeper he purchased the merchandise from, a spokeswoman for the second-circuit state criminal court for Niteroi told AFP in an e-mail. Santos, who appeared via WhatsApp video call at the closed-door hearing Thursday, has one month to comply. It is the latest drama around the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress, whose fabrications have made him fodder for late-night comedy shows and landed him in big legal trouble in the US. Santos, 34, was arrested and charged Wednesday by US prosecutors with wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. The lawmaker, who pleaded not guilty, was released on bail of $500,000. Santos is accused of stealing money from donors who contributed to his campaign, lying on financial disclosure forms and collecting unemployment benefits while earning $120,000 a year at a Florida-based investment firm. The congressman has admitted to lying about much of his life story, including claims he graduated from university, worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and is Jewish. The case against him in Brazil had been shelved for years after investigators were unable to locate him. But prosecutors reinstated the charges after Santos was elected to Congress last year, saying that meant he now had a verified address. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dannii Minogue doesn’t think of herself as a gay icon. The 51-year-old pop star has developed a big following among the gay community during her career, but Dannii doesn’t see herself as a gay icon. She told the BBC: “I’ve heard Cher say ‘you don’t wake up thinking you’re a gay icon.’ You don’t think about yourself like that.” Dannii launched her debut album in the early 1990s, and she admits that the social landscape was very different at the time. She explained: “It was drilled into [artists] by record companies and management that you can’t be gay, that will ruin your career.” Dannii has been amazed by the support she’s received from the gay community over the years. Asked when she first noticed that she had a lot of gay fans, Dannii replied: “It’s when people come up and start recounting stories. ‘I met my partner when your song was playing in the club’ or ‘this album was the soundtrack to me getting through difficult times.’ It’s also spending time over the years being involved with people in the community and charities and stuff. You start to feel accepted by the community, which feels amazing.” Dannii’s career reached a crossroads in the mid-1990s, and she admits that posing for Playboy magazine changed her life. The pop star stands by her decision to pose for the magazine, calling it a “complete feminist move”. Danni – who has Ethan, 12, with model Kris Smith – told the Guardian newspaper: “It was personally empowering to me. “I still stand by those photos. I still think it’s awesome. My son’s 12, he and his friends are all on their phones, they’ll be Googling, pictures will come up – but I still absolutely 100 percent stand by that as a complete feminist move. “Anyone can look at those pictures and you can say whatever you want about them. My body, my choice, my space. I controlled everything about the photos, the shoot, everything. And it just made me feel powerful.” View the full article

Published by AFP US Congressman George Santos speaks to reproters as he leaves Federal Court on May 10, 2023 in Central Islip, New York Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – A day after being arrested on 13 charges in the United States, Congressman George Santos faced more legal headaches in Brazil, where a court hearing was scheduled for Thursday in a fraud case against him. The first-term Republican from New York, who has been embroiled in scandal for lying about much of his biography, has been summoned for a hearing over accusations he used a stolen checkbook to buy some $700 in merchandise from a clothing store outside Rio de Janeiro in 2008. The closed-door hearing will be held by video conference, but it is not known whether Santos, 34, will participate, a court spokesman told AFP. The congressman, who has admitted to lying about his name, religion, education and work resume, was arrested and charged Wednesday by US federal prosecutors with wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. Santos, who pleaded not guilty, was released on bail of $500,000. He was ordered to appear in court again on June 30 to face accusations he stole money from donors who contributed to his campaign, lied on his financial disclosure and collected unemployment benefits while earning $120,000 a year at a Florida-based investment firm. In Brazil, Santos, the son of Brazilian parents who immigrated to the United States, is accused of stealing the checkbook of a deceased elderly man his mother had helped care for and using it to go on a spending spree when he was staying with her as a 19-year-old in the city of Niteroi. The case had been shelved when investigators were unable to locate Santos. But prosecutors reinstated the charges after Santos was elected to Congress last year, saying that meant he now had a verified address. They will offer him a plea bargain at Thursday’s hearing, enabling him to avoid criminal prosecution, given that his crime was non-violent and carries a minimum sentence of less than four years, according to court filings. Convicts are typically given alternative sentences such as community service in such cases. Santos did not immediately respond to a request for comment. View the full article

Published by AFP Animal rights activists protesting outside the US Supreme Court Washington (AFP) – The US Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a California animal cruelty law that bans the sale in America’s most-populous state of pork from pigs raised in confined conditions. Justice Neil Gorsuch, in the 5-4 majority opinion, said “companies that choose to sell products in various states must normally comply with the laws of those various states.” Pork producers who brought the legal challenge against the California law were asking the nation’s highest court to impose “constitutional restrictions on the ability of states to regulate goods sold within their borders,” Gorsuch said. “We decline that invitation,” he said. “While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list.” Californians passed an animal welfare measure, Proposition 12, in a referendum in 2018 that bans the sale of pork from pigs raised in overly confined pens. The pork industry went to court accusing California — which produces little of the pork it consumes — of restricting interstate commerce and claiming that the state’s animal welfare standards would raise ham and bacon prices for consumers. After being rejected by state courts, the pork producers turned to the Supreme Court, which heard arguments in the case in October. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Donald Trump has found himself tangled in a complicated web of legal drama over the years — and it only appears to be growing. In March, a grand jury voted to indict the former POTUS on 34 felony charges of falsifying business filings in connection with an alleged hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels to cover up their 2006 affair. stormy danielsmega On Tuesday, May 8, Trump was also found liable for sexual abuse against 79-year-old journalist E. Jean Carroll, who sued the controversial politician for allegedly raping her in Manhattan in the 1990s and later defaming her when he denied the allegations. But Daniels and Carroll are far from the only women who have accused the embattled ex-prez of sexual improprieties and subsequent cover-up attempts. 26 women in total have come forward to slam the 76-year-old for many types of harassing behaviors, from leering at teen girls to forcefully kissing reporters. E.Jean Carrollmega One of the earliest accusations came from Jessica Leeds, who claimed that Trump assaulted her while they were on the same flight to New York in the late 1970s. Leeds served as a witness for Carroll, and in her deposition she stated she had been bumped to first class and seated beside the business mogul when Trump suddenly lifted his arm rest so he could touch her breasts and further attempted to move his hand up her skirt. “I managed to wheel my way out of the chair and grabbed my purse, and I went back to my seat in the back,” she told the court. mega Actress Amy Dorris alleged the father-of-five grabbed her and kissed her while watching tennis in his private box at the 1997 U.S. Open, reportedly going on to fondle her backside and chest. Ex yoga instructor Karena Virginia accused Trump of groping her breast the following year at the 1998 U.S. Open. “He walked up to me and reached out his right arm and grabbed my right arm. Then his hand touched the right side of my breast. I was in shock. I flinched,” she recalled at a later press event. “‘Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know who I am?’ – that’s what he said to me. I felt intimidated and I felt powerless.” That same year, makeup artist Jill Harth filed a suit against The Apprentice host for allegedly groping and sexually harassing her back in the early ’90s, and author Cathy Heller also claimed Trump kissed her without her consent during a Mother’s Day luncheon at his Mar-a-Lago resort in 1997. Melinda McGillivray spilled to The Palm Beach Post that Trump grabbed her backside at another event at Mar-a-Lago that took place in 2003. Health food entrepreneurLisa Boyne alleged Trump once “paraded” a group of women in front of their table at a restaurant and proceeded to look under their skirts and make sexual comments about them during a disturbing incident that allegedly occurred in the mid-90s. An ex Trump campaign staffer by the name of Alva Johnson and former Fox News anchor Juliet Huddy both alleged Trump had kissed them both without their consent in separate situations. karen macdougalmega In 1997, Temple Taggart, a beauty queen from Utah, stated that Trump once “directly” kissed her on the lips twice without permission while he was still married to Marla Maples. Six women — Victoria Hughes, Tasha Dixon, Mariah Billado, Cassandra Searles, Samantha Holvey and Bridget Sullivan — also accused Trump, who owned the Miss USA beauty pageant at the time, of walking in to their dressing room unannounced while they didn’t have any clothes on. They were all aged 15-years-old to 19-years-old at the time of the alleged event. ‘You’re a Nasty Person!’: Donald Trump Lashes Out at Kaitlan Collins After She Asks About His Handling of Classified Documents President Joe Biden Takes Aim at Donald Trump With Snarky One-Liner After Town Hall Joe Scarborough Rips Apart Donald Trump’s ‘Disgraceful’ Town Hall, Compares It to January 6 Riot Trump later appeared to verify that this was a habit of his in a 2005 interview with Howard Stern. “I’ll go backstage and everyone’s getting dressed,” he told him. “You know, no men are anywhere, and I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant and therefore I’m inspecting it.” Former Miss Finland Ninni Laaksonen also claimed the disgraced businessman once grabbed her backside before an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Then-aspiring model Kristen Anderson alleged a strange man that she believed to be Trump put his hand up her skirt and touched her privately through her underwear. She later told the Washington Post that she recognized him by a very specific facial feature. “He was so distinctive looking — with the hair and the eyebrows,” she said at the time. “I mean, nobody else has those eyebrows.” mega It hasn’t only been various models, actresses, staff members and journalists who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct. The former president’s first wife, Ivana Trump, stated in her 1990 divorce deposition that he had raped her. Trump harshly denied the claim, calling it “obviously false.” She later appeared to backtrack her charge in a released statement that said: “I referred to this as a ‘rape,’ but I do not want my words to be interpreted in a literal or criminal sense.” jessica drakemega Similarly to Daniels, adult film star Jessica Drake alleged the now ex-president pressured her to have sex with him in 2006, further stating he supposedly non-consensually kissed herself and two of her friends on the mouth. Ex Playboy model Karen McDougal also claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump in 2006. 10 years later, American Media Inc. reportedly purchased McDougal’s story detailing their fling for $150,000 with the alleged intention of never running it as a favor to Trump. McDougal’s name was mentioned in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s years-long investigation that lead to Trump’s recent indictment. summer zervosmega Two women who previously appeared on The Apprentice, Jennifer Murphy and Summer Zervos, also accused Trump of misconduct. Murphy claimed he tried to kiss her and Zervos said he once tried to get her to lay down on a bed with him and then sexually assaulted her. Zervos sued Trump in 2017, but dropped the case in 2021. Rachel Crooks, who once worked at a real estate firm in Trump Tower, said the entrepreneur kissed her on the lips without permission when she was 22-years-old, later telling her story because she believed “people should know” that this kind of behavior from him was “pervasive” and “real.” As OK! previously reported, journalist Natasha Stoynoff, who also testified to the court in Carroll’s sexual abuse case, told the jury that Trump pinned her against a wall and forcefully kissed her at Mar-a-Lago in 2005 while she was there to cover a story on his and wife Melania‘s anniversary. Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! View the full article

Published by New York Daily News The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is changing its blood donation policy and easing restrictions for gay and bisexual men who want to donate blood, health officials said Thursday. The updated policy — which was initially proposed in January and is based on scientific evidence and policies already in place in countries including the United Kingdom and Canada — changes the screening process for blood donation to include the same set of questions for all potential donors, independent of their sexual orientation, sex or gender. The announcement follows years of campaigning by LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK By Nell Mackenzie and Sinead Cruise LONDON (Reuters) – There are few jobs Robyn Grew has not mastered at the $145 billion hedge fund Man Group, where money keeps rolling in to a fast-growing business she helped to transform. Grew, named incoming CEO on Thursday, has held executive positions in compliance, trading, legal and operations over 14 years, as Man has evolved from a disparate group of siloed businesses to a big, technology-driven investment manager. As she becomes one of the most powerful women in fund management, Grew must apply her insights to a host of challenges from mounting comp… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Mpox causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions Geneva (AFP) – The World Health Organization declared that mpox no longer constitutes a global health emergency on Thursday, almost exactly a year after the disease formerly known as monkeypox started spreading globally. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision was prompted by sharply falling case numbers worldwide, but emphasised that the disease remains a threat, particularly in areas of Africa where it has long been endemic. The announcement comes a week after the UN agency also declared that Covid-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), its highest level of alarm. “However, as with Covid-19, that does not mean that the work is over,” Tedros told an online press conference. “While the emergencies of mpox and Covid-19 are both over, the threat of resurgent waves remains for both. Both viruses continue to circulate and both continue to kill,” he added. Though some countries in Central and West Africa have suffered local outbreaks for decades, in May last year mpox cases started emerging in Europe, North America then elsewhere, mostly among men who have sex with men. The WHO declared mpox was a PHEIC in July. The number of people infected with the disease — which causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions — has consistently fallen since. More than 87,000 cases and 140 deaths have been reported from 111 countries during the global outbreak, according to a WHO count. The countries with the most cases during the global outbreak have been the United States, Brazil, Spain, France, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and the UK, according to the count. ‘Steady progress’ Almost 90 percent fewer cases were recorded over the last three months compared to the previous three-month period, Tedros said. “We now see steady progress in controlling the outbreak based on the lessons of HIV and working closely with the most affected communities,” Tedros said. Because the global cases were overwhelmingly among men who have sex with men, there were fears that discrimination would mar the response to the outbreak. “While stigma has been a driving concern in managing this epidemic and continues to hamper access to care for mpox, the feared backlash against the most affected communities has largely not materialised,” Tedros said. “For that, we are thankful.” For non-endemic countries, infections spread by travellers represent an ongoing threat, Tedros said, calling on countries to maintain surveillance of the disease and access to tests and vaccines. People who have untreated HIV are at particular risk of severe forms of mpox, he added. “While we welcome the downward trend of mpox cases globally, the virus continues to affect communities in all regions, including in Africa, where transmission is still not well understood,” Tedros said. Mpox continues in Africa The monkeypox virus — which causes mpox disease — was first discovered in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. Until a year ago, its spread among humans had been mainly limited to certain West and Central African nations, where local outbreaks are thought to be caused by the virus jumping over to humans from small animals. Rosamund Lewis, the WHO’s technical lead on monkeypox, said these countries “were dealing with mpox long before this outbreak began and will continue dealing with it for some time to come”. WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said he was “shocked” that little international funding had been donated for the fight against mpox in the African countries where it is endemic. “Maybe it’s an issue of the continued prejudices that exist in this world,” he said. The virus is transmitted through close contact with infected humans or animals, as well as via materials such as contaminated sheets. After the emergency status was lifted for Covid and mpox, there is now just one WHO-declared PHEIC — for poliovirus, which was declared in May 2014. View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Council is aiming to make the city a “safe haven” for those seeking gender-affirming health care. A new resolution passed out of committee unanimously to cheers from dozens of supporters gathered in council chambers Wednesday morning. It will go to the full council next. The resolution, sponsored by Mayor Quinton Lucas and council members Andrea Bough and Eric Bunch, would instruct city personnel not to participate in the enforcement of several laws and an emergency order targeting transgender people in Missouri. Kansas City has become a battleground of sorts for… Read More View the full article

Published by Hong Kong Free Press Sign-ups for the upcoming Gay Games in Hong Kong are currently more than 90 per cent below target, organisers have said, adding that the city’s Covid-19 rules had previously hampered publicity efforts. However, a source familiar with the matter told HKFP that they believed leadership changes may also be impacting organisation efforts. “The pandemic related travel restrictions for Hong Kong made it very difficult for us to plan our promotional activities, so we lost valuable time last year where we could not promote aggressively,” the organisers told HKFP. They said they had achieved “close to … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Charlize Theron has threatened to “f*** up” anyone who criticises drag queens. The 47-year-old actress, whose adopted child Jackson, 11, was born male but identifies as female, issued the warning while appearing at the ‘Drag isn’t Dangerous’ telethon, designed to oppose laws attempting to block children from viewing cross-dressing performances. She said: “We love you queens! We’re in your corner, and we’ve got you, and I will f*** anybody up who is, like, trying to f*** with anything with you guys. “In all seriousness, there are so many things that are hurting and really, killing our kids right, and we all know what I’m talking about right now… if you’ve ever seen a drag queen lip sync for her life, it only makes you happier, it only makes you love more. It makes you a better person.” Referencing a popular drag move, Charlize – who also has seven-year-old daughter August– went on: “F***, if I could do a death drop right now I would, but I would probably like, break my hip.” The ‘Prometheus’ star also appealed for viewers to back “all the great organisations that are out there” helping “all of this nonsense” go away “like it should” and branded attempts to stop children watching drag acts part of a set of “incredibly stupid policies”. Charlize was joined at the ‘Drag isn’t Dangerous’ event by drag acts including Bob the Drag Queen, Divina De Campo and Jinkx Monsoon, as well as a raft of celebrities such as Elizabeth Banks, Margaret Cho, Whitney Cummings, Marcia Gay Harden, Melissa McCarthy, Kelly Osbourne, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman and Ali Wong. Anti-drag bills have been introduced in at least 15 US states, from Tennessee to Kentucky, Texas and Missouri, with Tennessee defining “adult cabaret” as “adult-oriented” performances”. Charlize previously revealed Jackson first declared she was “not a boy” when she was just three years old. She told DailyMail.com about Jackson identifying as female: “Yes, I thought she was a boy, too. “Until she looked at me when she was three years old and said, ‘I am not a boy!’ “So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Big yikes! JoJo Siwa revealed she unfortunately called her dad while getting down in dirty in the sheets! “It’s my third night with this partner. Things are escalating, it’s really fun, I’m happy, I’m having the time of my life,” the 19-year-old said in a new podcast interview. “Cut to the next day, my dad comes up to me and he’s like, ‘You guys had fun last night.’ My parents are very supportive. And I have a lot of my dad in me, I’m very comfortable with my parents – but not that comfortable,” she continued. “He goes, ‘Oh, I heard.’ But we were not loud. Our rooms are far apart. I can scream and you wouldn’t hear me. So I’m like, ‘What?’ and he was like, ‘Last night you called me!’” mega Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! Candace Cameron Bure’s Biggest Controversies: Bigotry Accusations, Snubs & More John Stamos ‘Devastated’ By Broken ‘Full House’ Family After Cast Has Been Plagued By Scandal & Tragedy JoJo Siwa Under Fire For Making Fans Believe She Was Pregnant: ‘So Disgusting & Disrespectful’ The blonde beauty’s dad picked up the phone, but after five seconds, “I realized that you were having s** and I hung up the phone so fast,” he recalled. Co-host Maddie Wiener couldn’t help but giggle at the interesting scenario. “He thinks you’re in trouble, he picks up the call and he’s like, ‘She’s drowning!’ Oh my god!” she said as Siwa interjected, exclaiming: “Well, she kinda is!” “So now I have a rule that no matter what, phones are put to the side because I butt dialed my dad,” she quipped. “Before anything happens, where’s your phone? ‘Cause if things start heating up, we put them to the side.” In January 2021, the TV personality, who recently teased she’s seeing someone new after her split from Avery Cyrus, came out as gay, and she couldn’t be happier. mega “I still don’t know what I am. It’s like, I want to figure it out. And I have this joke. Her name is Kylie. And so I say that I’m Ky-sexual,” she said of not labeling her sexuality. “But like, I don’t know, bisexual, pansexual, queer, lesbian, gay, straight. I always just say gay because it just kind of covers it or queer because I think the keyword is cool.” “I like queer,” she added. “Technically I would say that I am pansexual because that’s how I have always been my whole life is just like, my human is my human.” View the full article

Published by The Sacramento Bee California may be a Democratic stronghold, but it has also become a hotbed of right-wing, white supremacist and antisemitic activity, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL report, which looks at incidents in 2021 and 2022, found significant increases in white supremacist and antisemitic incidents, including collaboration between the two groups. Among the extremist organizations continuing to operate openly in the Golden State are the Proud Boys and the Rise Above Movement, a white supremacist group based in Southern California. “The state is home to the country’s h… Read More View the full article

Published by Grazia USA Just as she sings in the song “ALIEN SUPERSTAR,” Queen Bey is a “mastermind in haute couture.” Beyoncé kicked off her highly anticipated Renaissance World Tour in Stockholm, Sweden on Wednesday. She belted out favorite hit tracks and was decked out in the most surrealist and club-ready fashions from the industry’s top designers, courtesy of stylist Shiona Turini. The record-breaking Grammy winner began the night wearing a custom Alexander McQueen gunmetal bodysuit with silver bugle beads and “crystal anatomical embroidery,” according to the brand. The silhouette featured strong shoulders and s… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Actor Elliot Page feels “joy” thanks to gender-affirming care — and just in time for summer. “Dysphoria used to be especially rife in the summer,” the 36-year-old transgender actor wrote on Instagram, along with a shirtless photo that proudly displayed scars from his chest masculinization surgery. Prior to undergoing his treatment, Page said he spent his summers wearing layers and being “oh so sweaty — constantly looking down, readjusting my oversized T.” Now, “it feels so f—ing good soaking in the sun.” “I never thought I could experience this, the joy I feel in my body,” Page added. “I am so… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Actress Charlize Theron threatened that she would “f— up” any anti-drag critic, RadarOnlne.com has learned. She issued the fiery warning at the “Drag Isn’t Dangerous” telethon event. Prerecorded messages and live performances from celebrities and members of the drag community were put on display as the event aimed to drum up awareness for legislation that attacked the art of drag, performers, and consumers. mega As the mother of a transgender child, Theron didn’t hold back when she was given the spotlight to address the anti-drag legislation and critics. Theron put the energy being poured into the anti-drag laws into perspective by calling out other severe issues plaguing communities in the country. The actress said that children faced a greater danger from gun violence than drag queens. mega ‘Scrawny’ Charlize Theron Wasting Away From Strict Diet & Torturous Exercise Regimen Charlize Theron Demanded Protection On Set Of ‘Mad Max Fury Road,’ Didn’t ‘Feel Safe’ Around Tom Hardy Kylie Jenner Responds After Charlize Theron Pokes Fun at Her Makeup Skills “We love you, queens!” Theron told the crowd. “We’re in your corner, and we’ve got you. And I will f— anybody up who is, like, trying to f— with anything with you guys.” After Theron joked about going after those who targeted drag queens, the Mad Max star shifted her speech to a more somber tone as she addressed bigger issues. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. mega “In all seriousness, there are so many things that are hurting and, really, killing our kids, right, and we all know what I’m talking about right now,” Theron continued. “If you’ve ever seen a drag queen lip sync for her life, it only makes you happier, it only makes you love more. It makes you a better person,” Theron said. In the tense moment, Theron tried to add a bit of laughter by joking about her inability to do a popular drag performance move. “F—, if I could do a death drop right now I would, but I would probably like, break my hip,” the actress teased. mega The outspoken ally ended her speech by asking attendees and viewers to “support all the great organizations that are out there helping all of this nonsense going away like it should, all of these incredibly stupid policies.” Theron’s message came four years after she revealed that her child was transgender. “Yes, I thought she was a boy, too,” the actress told the Daily Mail in 2019. “Until she looked at me when she was three years old and said, ‘I am not a boy!” “So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive,” the proud mother added. View the full article

Published by Raw Story Although Florida’s legislature has typically acted as a rubber stamp for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of his nominees for the board of trustees at the New College of Florida was a bridge too far. Florida Politics reports that the Florida State Senate this week declined to confirm Eddie Speir to the board of trustees at the college after some members raised questions about his stated determination to preach the teachings of Jesus to students. During his confirmation hearings, this stance earned skepticism from State Sen. Tina Polsky, who is Jewish. “There are several, quite a few, other relig… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that the global outbreak of monkeypox which initially baffled experts when the smallpox-related disease spread to more than 100 countries last year, is no longer an international emergency, after a dramatic drop in cases in recent months. Last July, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared monkeypox, also known as mpox, to be an “extraordinary” situation that qualified as a global crisis. In doing so, he overruled WHO’s expert committee, which didn’t recommend the emergency designation. Tedros said the novel way mpox was infecti… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP In February, Beyonce made history by becoming the most successful artist in the history of the Grammys Stockholm (AFP) – Ecstatic Beyonce fans sang and danced in feverish excitement in Stockholm Wednesday as the superstar kicked off her first solo tour in seven years with a futuristic spectacle featuring a lunar rover, an airborne horse and wall-to-wall rhinestones. Hours before the doors opened hundreds of people were thronging outside the stadium, including some who had travelled halfway around the world to catch the show, anxious to see the global music icon — one of the world’s best-selling artists. Once the concert was about to begin, the tens of thousands of fans in the 60,000-capacity Friends Arena — filled to the brim — erupted in cheers as their “queen” emerged on stage. “Just want to say: Y’all make me so happy,” Beyonce said as the concert began. “I see familiar faces, people that flew from very, very far to come see the first show tonight,” she told the audience at the outset of the three-hour space and science fiction themed show. The show features Beyonce performing atop a lunar vehicle, playing the role of a news anchor while dressed as a queen bee, and suspended above the crowd as she sits on a model horse completely covered in sparkling rhinestones. “This was another level. Amazing, I can’t wait for the rest of the tour,” Abdul Ibraimoh, a 33-year-old artist manager from London, told AFP after the show. “There was a lot of anticipation for what she was going to do, and yes I’m speechless, it was just incredible,” Shane Barkey, a 31-year-old radio host from Ireland, said. Beyonce, who has a record 32 Grammy awards; is in the top 10 biggest grossing female artists. She is also a fashion icon, with designers queueing up for her attention. Many of the fans in Stockholm sported cowboy hats and rhinestones, mimicking the look of the performer’s outfit in the ads announcing the 57-stop European and North American tour. Julie Vargas, who flew in from Houston, Texas — Beyonce’s hometown — confessed to having a “shrine” dedicated to the star at home. “I don’t want any spoilers, I wanted to be the first to see it and take the news back to H-town baby!” the 38-year-old surgical technologist told AFP as she waited in line in the early afternoon. ‘The queen’ The “Renaissance World Tour”, announced in February after being teased last autumn, is the star’s first solo tour since 2016. Tickets sold out so quickly for the opening show that tour organisers added a second concert at the same venue for Thursday. From there, she goes to Brussels this weekend. The tour, which continues until September, is expected to earn the international artist nearly $2.1 billion, according to business magazine Forbes. She is already a multi-millionaire. “We love Beyonce, she’s the queen, that’s why we are here of course,” 36-year-old artist Kasher Bloom from Riga told AFP. “Beyonce is the queen! Our mother, everything! I would do anything for her,” Jarra Jatta, a 21-year-old fan from Helsingborg in southern Sweden. In February, Beyonce made history by becoming the most successful artist in the history of the Grammys, surpassing the late classical conductor Georg Solti’s long-standing record of 31 lifetime trophies. But despite winning another four Grammys, fans were disappointed that she missed out on the award for album of the year for her seventh studio album, the house-tinged “Renaissance”. The 16-song 2022 album was an instant hit and earned wide praise for its deep ambition. Decades at the top Born Beyonce Giselle Knowles, the now-41-year-old has been in the upper echelons of pop music since her teenage years. She initially rose to fame as part of Destiny’s Child — whose smash hits included “Survivor” and “Say My Name” — before embarking on a wildly successful solo career. From setting the standard for the overnight album drop to delivering her earth-shattering “Homecoming” show at Coachella in 2018, Beyonce has long bucked the industry’s conventional wisdom. She is simultaneously one of music’s most private and most watched stars. Her paradigm-shifting 2016 album “Lemonade,” which emphasised Black womanhood against the backdrop of America’s heritage of slavery and culture of oppression, remains one of the most venerated musical projects in recent memory. Then she dropped the critically acclaimed song “Black Parade” in June 2020, amid nationwide protests ignited by the murder of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a white police officer. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Todrick Hall has been slapped with a brand-new lawsuit accusing him of refusing to pay for furniture that was delivered to him in 2021, RadarOnline.com has learned. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, a company called Showroom Interiors has filed a lawsuit against Rodrick for breach of contract. mega In the complaint, the company said Todrick entered into a written ‘Furniture Purchase’ agreement on May 20, 2021. Showroom Interiors said it provided furniture, artwork, accessories, and other home goods as requested by Todrick for a home in Sherman Oaks, California. Showroom Interiors said Todrick agreed to pay $196,748 in exchange for the furniture. The company said it delivered the furniture. mega ‘Big Brother’ Star Xavier Prather’s XXX Penis Pictures Leaked, Milwaukee Attorney Exposed! Todrick Hall Refused To Do Interviews After Losing ‘Big Brother,’ Threw A ‘Tantrum’ ‘Big Brother’ Star Mike Malin Accused Of Fraud By TV Producer In Bombshell Lawsuit However, it said Todrick breached the deal by failing to make the payment due on October 21, 2021. It said he once again breached the deal by missing the payment due in November. Eventually, Todrick paid $70k on the debt but Showroom said he still owes $126k on the bill. Todrick has yet to respond to the lawsuit. mega Back in March 2022, Todrick was sued by the landlord for his rental home in Sherman Oaks. The lawsuit accused Todrick of owing $60k in back rent. The suit said the ex-Celebrity Big Brother contestant had agreed to pay $30k per month in rent but was 60 days behind at the time the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit shocked fans who believed Todrick had purchased the home in question. The dancer posted a YouTube video where he made it appear he bought the pad. “I have been wanting to buy a home for a very very long time, and this is a dream come true,” he said. Todrick did not respond to the lawsuit. In September, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered Todrick to pay $102k to his ex-landlord. mega Todrick was last seen in the MTV series The Real Friends of WeHo. Todrick tried to defend the show from a boycott from the LGBTQ+ community. He said, The fact that our community is boycotting the show is a shame.” View the full article

Published by New York Daily News West Virginia University basketball coach Bob Huggins will not be fired despite using a homophobic slur during a radio interview but will take a $1 million cut to his salary. Huggins, 69, called Xavier basketball fans “Catholic f–s” on the radio Monday while speaking with Cincinnati, Ohio station 700 WLW. Rather than letting him go, West Virginia hit Huggins with a “significant suspension” and a $1 million pay cut, ESPN reported Wednesday. He’ll also have to undergo sensitivity training. Before taking the West Virginia job in 2007, Huggins coached at the University of Cincinnati for 16 years…. Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet A newly released poll taken by The Washington Post and KFF (formerly Kaiser Family Foundation) supports the GOP’s recent aggressive attempts to pass anti-trans legislation across the country, Media Matters for America reports. Per MMFA, the poll does not contain particularly new information, as it was conducted in November 2022, “six months ago and well before this year’s legislative onslaught of over 450 bills targeting LGBTQ people.” Furthermore, the publication adds the survey serves as “political jet fuel for Republicans in state legislatures and Congress who are pushing measures restricti… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA (L-R) Raphael Gross, President of the German Historical Museum Foundation, Baerbel Bas, President of the German Bundestag and Fritz Backhaus, Director of Collections of the German Historical Museum Foundation stand during the handover of the first rainbow flag hoisted on the Reichstag building at the German Historical Museum. Annette Riedl/dpa About a year ago, a rainbow flag was hoisted at the German parliament for the first time, and now the flag is to be brought to a museum. Bundestag President Bärbel Bas presented the flag to the German Historical Museum in Berlin on Wednesday. “The first-ever raising of the rainbow flag on the German parliament building was an important moment for German history,” said museum director Raphael Gross. The flag with its colourful stripes was hoisted on a tower of the Reichstag building in July for Berlin’s Pride festival. Bas announced that the German Bundestag would continue to set an example in the fight against discrimination against queer people and for tolerance and respect. The term “queer” includes, for example, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. According to the statement, the Reichstag building will again fly the rainbow flag – both on May 17 for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia and on July 22 for the next Berlin Pride celebration. View the full article

Published by The Street By Daniel Kline Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger does not want to play Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ game or abide by his narrative. The Mouse House boss isn’t looking for a fight, but he’s also not walking away from one. Iger has made it very clear that his company was never looking to take on the governor, even when it objected to legislation that many of its employees found deplorable. DeSantis, however, has used Walt Disney’s (DIS) – Get Free Report public opposition to his so-called “don’t say gay” legislation, an objection raised by Iger’s predecessor Bob Chapek, as a way to make the company a foil… Read More View the full article