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Published by AFP The windows of Milan's Pirelli tower are illuminated to commemorate World AIDS Day in December 2017 Paris (AFP) – Forty years after the discovery of HIV, AFP looks at how far we have come in fighting a deadly virus that was once shrouded in fear and shame but is now treated as a manageable chronic condition. 1981: First alert In June 1981, US epidemiologists report five cases of a rare form of pneumonia in gay men in California. It is the first alert about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), still unknown and unnamed. Doctors then identify “opportunistic infections” among intravenous drug users and in haemophiliacs and Haitian residents in the United States. The term AIDS appears for the first time in 1982. The disease is wrongly presented as a “homosexual disorder”. 1983: Identifying HIV In January 1983, researchers in France, Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Jean-Claude Chermann, working under Luc Montagnier, identify the virus that “might be” responsible for AIDS. Their discovery is published on May 20 in the journal Science. The following year, US specialist Robert Gallo is said to have found the “probable” cause of AIDS, the retrovirus HTLV-III. The two viruses turn out to be the same, and in May 1986 it becomes officially known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV. 1987: Anti-retroviral treatment In March 1987, the first anti-retroviral treatment known as AZT is authorised in the US. It is expensive and has severe side effects. The United States and France agree that Gallo and Montagnier should get joint credit for discovering HIV. But the 2008 Nobel prize goes to Barre-Sinoussi and Montagnier. Early 1990s: Fallen stars In July 1985, US actor Rock Hudson announces he has AIDS. His death three months later is the first high-profile AIDS death. A host of other stars succumb to the disease, including legendary pianist Liberace (February 1987), British singer and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury (November 1991), and the Russian dancer and choreographer Rudolf Nureyev (January 1993). In 1994, AIDS becomes the leading cause of death among Americans aged between 25 and 44. 1995-96: New approach Two new classes of drugs signal the start of combinations of different anti-retroviral therapies. Called tri-therapies, they provide the first effective treatment for HIV. 1996 is the first year in which the number of AIDS deaths declines in the United States. While US numbers decline, they rocket in Africa, where AIDS is the biggest killer by 1999. 2001: Generic medicine In 2000, UNAIDS and five major drug companies sign a deal to distribute affordable treatments in poorer countries. A year later, the World Trade Organization changes intellectual property rules to allow developing countries to make generic versions of patent-protected HIV treatments. In 2004, the country with the world’s highest HIV caseload, South Africa, ends years of AIDS denialism and makes anti-retroviral treatments available through the public health system. 2010: First cure Timothy Ray Brown, an American man who had been living with HIV for over a decade, is cured of the virus after undergoing cancer treatment. Brown underwent two bone marrow transplants containing a mutation of a gene that blocks HIV from attacking host cells. 2012: Preventive pill In July 2012, the first-ever daily pill to help prevent HIV infection is approved by US regulators. Truvada is a pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, taken by high-risk people who are HIV-negative in order to prevent them from being infected. 2017: Treatment spreads For the first time, more than half of all people living with HIV are receiving anti-retroviral treatment. The proportion rises to three-quarters: 28.7 million people are being treated out of 38.4 million who are infected, according to UNAIDS in 2021. 2020-2021: Covid setback The Covid-19 pandemic disrupts access to health systems, testing and treatment, slowing progress in the fight against AIDS, which in 40 years has killed 40.1 million people. In 2021, 650,000 AIDS deaths and 1.5 million new infections are recorded. UNAIDS hopes to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. View the full article

Published by New York Daily News “Gay Lives” by Robert Aldrich; Thames & Hudson (304 pages, $29.95) ——— Gay Pride events are always about celebration. But expect next month’s activities to have a note of brave defiance, too. That’s because, after years of legal victories, LGBQT+ people face severe challenges and increased attacks. New laws are pushing them, and their stories, out of libraries, out of classrooms, and even out of public performances. As “Gay Lives” by Robert Aldrich proves, we’ve seen this sort of erasure tried before. It didn’t work. Aldrich, a veteran historian, profiles more than 80 LGBTQ people from antiqui… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) – Republican U.S. Representative George Santos, who has resisted calls to resign for lying about his resume, was charged with fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds, the Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday. He was expected to appear later in the day at a federal court in New York. Santos’ attorney and his congressional office did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters late Tuesday, after CNN first reported the news about the charges. An Associated Press reporter who reached him by phone Tuesday quoted Santos as saying: “This is news to me. You’re the first to call me about this.” Shortly after the election of the 34-year-old Santos in November, in a district largely comprising a wealthy area of New York’s Long Island, the New York Times and other media outlets revealed that Santos had fabricated almost every aspect of his personal and professional history. Among other claims, Santos said he had degrees from New York University and Baruch College, despite neither institution’s having any record of his attending. He claimed to have worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, which also was untrue. He said falsely that he was Jewish and that his grandparents escaped the Nazis during World War Two. Santos, who identifies as gay, also failed to disclose that he was married to a woman for several years ending in 2019. He has since admitted to fabricating large parts of his resume. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York and Sarah N. Lynch in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jack Queen and Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump sexually abused magazine writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and then defamed her by branding her a liar, jurors decided on Tuesday, dealing the former U.S. president a legal setback as he campaigns to retake office in 2024. The nine-member jury in Manhattan federal court awarded about $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The jury deliberated for just under three hours. It rejected Trump’s denial that he assaulted Carroll and ruled in her favor. To find him liable, the jury of six men and three women was required to reach a unanimous verdict. Carroll, 79, testified during the civil trial that Trump, 76, raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan in either 1995 or 1996, then harmed her reputation by writing in an October 2022 post on his Truth Social platform that her claims were a “complete con job,” “a hoax” and “a lie.” President from 2017 to 2021, Trump is the front-runner in opinion polls for the Republican presidential nomination and has shown an uncanny ability to weather controversies that might sink other politicians. It seems unlikely in America’s polarized political climate that the civil verdict will have an impact on Trump’s core supporters, who view his legal woes as part of a concerted effort by opponents to undermine him. “The folks that are anti-Trump are going to remain that way, the core pro-Trump voters are not going to change, and the ambivalent ones I just don’t think are going to be moved by this type of thing,” said Charlie Gerow, a Republican strategist in Pennsylvania. Any negative impact is likely to be small and limited to suburban women and moderate Republicans, he said. Jurors were tasked with deciding whether Trump raped, sexually abused or forcibly touched Carroll, any one of which would satisfy her claim of battery. They were separately asked if Trump defamed Carroll. Because this was a civil case, Trump faces no criminal consequences. Carroll was seeking unspecified monetary damages. Trump’s legal team opted not to present a defense, gambling that jurors would find that Carroll had failed to make a persuasive case. Trump had said Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist and a registered Democrat, made up the allegations to try to increase sales of her 2019 memoir and to hurt him politically. Because the case was in civil court, Carroll was required to establish her rape claim by “a preponderance of the evidence” – meaning more likely than not – rather than the higher standard used in criminal cases of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” Carroll had to show “clear and convincing evidence” to prove her defamation claim. The trial featured testimony from two women who said Trump sexually assaulted them decades ago. Former People magazine reporter Natasha Stoynoff told jurors that Trump cornered her at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in 2005 and forcibly kissed her for a “few minutes” until a butler interrupted the alleged assault. Another woman, Jessica Leeds, testified that Trump kissed her, groped her and put his hand up her skirt on a flight in 1979. Jurors also heard excerpts from a 2005 “Access Hollywood” video in which Trump says women let him “grab ’em by the pussy.” “Historically, that’s true, with stars … if you look over the last million years,” Trump said in an October 2022 video deposition played in court. He has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual misconduct. Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, told jurors during closing arguments on Monday that the 2005 video was proof that Trump had assaulted Carroll and other women. The federal trial, presided over by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is not related to Carroll’s lawyer, began on April 25. Citing the uniqueness of a civil case against a former president, the judge decided that the names, addresses and places of employment of the jurors would be kept secret. Carroll testified that she bumped into Trump at Bergdorf’s while he was shopping for a gift for another woman. Carroll said she agreed to help Trump pick out a gift and the two looked at lingerie before he coaxed her into a dressing room, slammed her head into a wall and raped her. Carroll testified she could not remember the precise date or year the alleged rape occurred. Carroll faced questions from Trump’s legal team attacking the plausibility of her account including why she had never reported the matter to police or screamed during the alleged incident. Two of Carroll’s friends said that she told them about the alleged rape at the time but swore them to secrecy because she feared that Trump would use his fame and wealth to retaliate against her if she came forward. Carroll told jurors she decided to break her silence in 2017 after rape allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein prompted scores of women to come forward with accounts of sexual violence by powerful men. She went public with her account while Trump was still president. She said Trump’s public denials wrecked her career and instigated a campaign of vicious online harassment by his supporters including various threatening messages and social media posts. While Trump did not testify at the trial, a video clip from the October 2022 deposition showed him mistaking Carroll for one of his former wives in a black-and-white photo among several people at an event. “It’s Marla,” Trump said in the deposition, referring to his second wife Marla Maples. Previously Trump had said he could not have raped Carroll because she was not “his type.” Trump has cited the Carroll trial in campaign fundraising emails as evidence of what he portrays as a Democratic plot to damage him politically. His poll numbers improved after he was charged in New York in March with falsifying business records over a hush money payment to a porn star before his victory in the 2016 presidential election. That indictment, filed in New York state court, made him the first U.S. president past or present to be criminally charged. Trump has pleaded not guilty and said the charges are politically motivated. (Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Nathan Layne; Editing by Will Dunham, Noeleen Walder and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega; Fox News Tucker Carlson is reportedly growing increasingly “antsy” to return to Fox News and has launched a “coordinated pressure campaign” from some of his biggest supporters to help make it happen, RadarOnline.com has learned. In the latest development to come two weeks after Carlson was abruptly axed from the Rupert Murdoch-owned conservative news network, the 53-year-old former host is reportedly set to “hit Fox News hard” in an effort to get back on the air. Also surprising are reports that Carlson has called on his “rogues gallery of surrogates” – such as former NFL star Brett Favre, former Fox News colleague Megyn Kelly, and MAGA House Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene – to help him reach his demands. That is the revelation shared by Daily Beast on Monday after Carlson’s purported “pressure campaign” was launched with a tweet from Favre calling for a boycott of Fox News until Carlson is reinstated. “I’m with Tucker,” Favre wrote on Monday afternoon. “Time to boycott Fox until they come to their senses and let the man speak.” Kelly, House Rep. Greene, and GOP Senator J.D. Vance have also called for a boycott of Fox News following Carlson’s firing in April and, according to Daily Beast, more Carlson supporters are expected to speak out in his defense in the coming days. ‘It’s Funny’: Tucker Carlson Jokes About Being Fired in First Appearance Since Fox News Departure Don Jr. Claims He Was ‘Warned’ by Fox Insiders to ‘Expect Retaliation’ From Network for Criticizing Tucker Carlson’s Firing Tucker Carlson ‘Preparing for War’ Against Fox News, Demands Release From January 2025 Contract “This is like putting some smelling salts under Fox’s nose,” one insider familiar with Carlson’s “coordinated pressure campaign” told the outlet. Meanwhile, Lachlan Murdoch is scheduled to report Fox Corp’s quarterly earnings on Tuesday morning and network analysts are reportedly anxious to inquire “what a post-Carlson Fox will look like.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the network’s prime-time ratings have plummeted since Carlson’s departure on April 24 with millions of viewers leaving Fox News alongside the former Tucker Carlson Tonight host. Fox News Tonight – the program that replaced Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8 PM – garnered 1.5 million fewer viewers than Carlson after it was confirmed he was out at Fox News. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. Carlson’s “coordinated pressure campaign” also came just hours after one of the former host’s closest friends revealed Carlson is “preparing for war” against Fox News in the wake of his firing. “We’re going from peacetime to Defcon 1,” Carlson’s friend told Axios over the weekend. “His team is preparing for war.” “He wants his freedom,” the source added, while another Carlson insider claimed the former Fox News host “knows where a lot of bodies are buried.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Sexual abusers are disgusting “enemies” who deserve to be condemned and punished – but also deserve Christian love and pastoral care because they too are children of God, Pope Francis said. Francis made his comments on April 29 in a private conversation with Jesuits while he was visiting Hungary. Francis is also a Jesuit and the comments were published on Tuesday in the Italian Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica, as is customary after such meetings. Abuse scandals have shredded the Church’s reputation and have been a major challenge for the pope, who has passed a series of measures over the last 10 years aimed at holding the Church hierarchy more accountable, with mixed results. During Francis’ visit, a Hungarian member of the Jesuits religious order asked Francis how it was possible to follow Jesus’ commandment to love enemies when the enemy was a sexual abuser. “How do we approach, how do we talk to the abusers for whom we feel disgust? Yes, they too are children of God. But how can you love them? It’s a powerful question,” Francis responded. “The abuser is to be condemned, indeed, but as a brother,” Francis said, calling it “a form of loving the enemy”, although he acknowledged that such an attitude was difficult to live out because of the effect abusers have on people’s lives. “The abuser is an enemy. Each of us feels this because we empathise with the suffering of the abused … even talking to the abuser involves revulsion; it’s not easy. But they are God’s children too. They deserve punishment, but they also deserve pastoral care,” he said. Last week the pope praised the work of an international Vatican commission on sexual abuse prevention and encouraged it to move forward, following the recent acrimonious resignation of a high-profile member who accused it of lacking transparency. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by AFP Indigenous Mapuche women of Chile weave on a loom; a new study has linked an ancient Asian lineage with the First Americans Washington (AFP) – As the last continents to be settled by humans, the question of how and when people first came to the Americas has long intrigued scientists. A new genetics study published Tuesday in Cell Reports finds that some of the first arrivals came from China during two distinct migrations: the first during the last ice age, and the second shortly after. “Our findings indicate that besides the previously indicated ancestral sources of Native Americans in Siberia, the northern coastal China also served as a genetic reservoir contributing to the gene pool,” Yu-Chun Li, one of the report authors, told AFP. Li added that during the second migration, the same lineage of people settled in Japan, which could help explain similarities in prehistoric arrowheads and spears found in the Americas, China and Japan. It was once believed that ancient Siberians, who crossed over a land bridge that existed in the Bering Strait linking modern Russia and Alaska, were the sole ancestors of Native Americans. More recent research, from the late 2000s onwards, has signaled more diverse sources from Asia could be connected to an ancient lineage responsible for founding populations across the Americas, including Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and California. Known as D4h, this lineage is found in mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited only from mothers and is used to trace maternal ancestry. The team from the Kunming Institute of Zoology embarked on a ten-year hunt for D4h, combing through 100,000 modern and 15,000 ancient DNA samples across Eurasia. They eventually landed on 216 contemporary and 39 ancient individuals who came from the ancient lineage. By analyzing the mutations that had accrued over time, looking at the samples’ geographic locations and using carbon dating, they were able to reconstruct the D4h lineage’s origins and expansion history. The results revealed two migration events. The first was between 19,500 and 26,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum, when ice sheet coverage was at its greatest and climate conditions in northern China were likely inhospitable. The second occurred during the melting period, between 19,000 and 11,500 years ago. Increasing human populations during this period might have triggered migrations. Coastal migration In both cases, the scientists think the travelers were seafarers who docked in America and traveled along the Pacific coast by boats. This is because a grassy passageway between two ice sheets in modern Canada, known as the “inland ice-free corridor,” was not yet opened. In the second migration, a subgroup branched out from northern coastal China to Japan, contributing to the Japanese people, especially the indigenous Ainu, the study said, a finding that chimes with archeological similarities between ancient people in the Americas, China and Japan. Li said a strength of the study was the number of samples they discovered, and complementary evidence from Y chromosomal DNA showing male ancestors of Native Americans lived in northern China at the same time as the female ancestors, made them confident of their findings. “However, we don’t know in which specific place in northern coastal China this expansion occurred and what specific events promoted these migrations,” he said. “More evidence, especially ancient genomes, are needed to answer these questions.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Mega Marcia Gay Harden just revealed why she’s incredibly inspired by her three kids. While attending the Drag Isn’t Dangerous: A Digital Fundraiser over the weekend, the 63-year-old revealed her children, Eulala, 24, as well as 19-year-old twins Julitta and Hudson, are all queer. Harden shares her brood with ex-husband Thaddaeus Scheel — from whom she split in 2012. Instagram/@mgh_8 “What drives me is because it’s right, and what’s happening right now is wrong,” Harden explained of the political climate to co-host Adam Shankman. “What drives me is — my children are all queer.” “My eldest child is non-binary. My son is gay. My youngest is fluid,” the Oscar-winning actress clarified. “And you know, they are my kids and they teach me every day.” mega Marcia Gay Harden Files for Divorce “This is so fear-based and it’s spreading that kind of fear and hatred among other people,” Harden noted of Republican’s attempted take-down of LGBTQIA+ rights and drag show performances. “I believe this country will fight that.” The So Help Me Todd star later took to Instagram on Monday, May 8, to share photos from the event, along with a heartfelt caption about why the cause was so important to her. 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! “The only thing dangerous about drag is how hot these Queens are!,” Harden penned about the event. “Join the @dragisntdangerous fundraiser in support of LGTBQ+, which basically means in support of all of us! Our nation, our neighbors, our children, artists, our singers, our dancers, our better leaders, ceo’s, writers, spiritual leaders, basically our humanity. Gay is here to stay. Drag is here to stay. Donate what you can, and join us in spreading the love.” Fans applauded the proud mom in the comments section, with one writing, “Thank you for doing this it means more to us than you’ll ever know ,” and a second user adding, “the name says it all, you really are the one true gay icon! thank you for everything you do for our community .” People first reported on Harden’s comments from the fundraiser. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Donald Trump’s absence from a trial where writer E. Jean Carroll accuses him of rape and defamation shows that “he did it,” a lawyer for Carroll said on Monday, while Trump’s lawyer told jurors the case was “outrageous.” “He never looked you in the eye and denied raping Ms. Carroll,” lawyer Mike Ferrara told jurors as the civil trial in Manhattan federal court neared the end of an eighth day. “You should draw the conclusion that that’s because he did it.” The six-man, three-woman jury was expected to begin deliberating on Tuesday. Carroll, 79, sued Trump, 76, alleging he raped her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996 and then defamed her by denying it happened in an October 2022 post on Trump’s Truth Social platform. In that post, he called her claims a “complete con job” and “a Hoax and a lie.” The former Elle magazine advice columnist is seeking unspecified monetary damages. Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021 and is the front-runner for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination in 2024, waived his right to testify at trial and opted not to present a defense, gambling that jurors will find that Carroll failed to make a persuasive case. He told reporters in Ireland last week that he would “probably” attend, but did not show up. Trump has accused Carroll of making up the story to drive sales of a 2019 memoir in which she made her claims public. In a video deposition played for the jury on May 3, Trump denied raping Carroll. “It’s the most ridiculous, disgusting story,” Trump said in the video. “It’s just made up.” In his closing argument on Monday, Trump’s lawyer Joseph Tacopina said Carroll’s inability to recall the date of the alleged incident made it impossible for Trump to defend himself by citing an alibi, and called the case an “affront to justice.” “This is an absolutely outrageous case,” Tacopina said. “The facts in evidence make plain here that E. Jean Carroll’s story is not worthy of your belief, not even close,” he said. TRUMP’S 2005 ‘GRAB ‘EM’ VIDEO FEATURES AT TRIAL Earlier on Monday, Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan said a 2005 “Access Hollywood” video in which Trump says women let him “grab ’em by the pussy” bolstered the accounts of Carroll and other women who have accused Trump of sexual assault. “He admitted on video to doing exactly the kinds of things that have brought us here to this courtroom,” Kaplan said. During three days of testimony and cross-examination, Carroll said that during the attack Trump slammed her against the wall, put his fingers into her vagina and then inserted his penis. Two of Carroll’s longtime friends testified that she told them about the attack shortly after it occurred and said they believed her. Jurors also heard from two other women who said Trump sexually assaulted them in separate incidents decades ago. Trump denies those claims as well. Kaplan did not specify the amount of money jurors should award Carroll in compensatory and punitive damages. She said Carroll had been unable to sustain a romantic relationship since the alleged rape, and that Trump’s public criticism had harmed her client’s reputation. “For E. Jean Carroll, this lawsuit is not about the money,” Kaplan said. “This lawsuit is about getting her name back.” (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Will Dunham, Noeleen Walder and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Mac World Macworld Apple on Tuesday revealed the new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, designed to commemorate the equality movement for the LGBTQ+ community. Apple also released an Apple Watch face and iOS wallpaper that matches the band. The watch face and wallpaper are available next week and require watchOS 9.5 and iOS 16.5 or later, both of which are still in beta. The watch face can be accessed through App Clips on the Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band packaging, in Apple Store locations, in the Apple Store app, or it can be downloaded from Apple’s website. According to a press release, no … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tom Hals WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) – Walt Disney Co and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have been embroiled in an increasingly bitter dispute, starting when the company criticized a Florida law last year, which has led to dueling lawsuits. THE DISNEY LAWSUIT AGAINST DESANTIS The entertainment giant sued the Republican governor on April 26 in federal court, claiming he was “weaponizing” state government in retaliation for the company’s criticism of a law that banned classroom discussion of sexuality and gender identity with younger children. Opponents labeled the measure the “don’t say gay” law. The company alleged DeSantis rallied the Republican-controlled legislature to strike back at “woke Disney” and seize control of an administrative district, created in 1967, that helped Disney develop theme parks and resorts. The district, originally known as Reedy Creek Improvement District, was also named as a defendant. FLORIDA’S LAWSUIT AGAINST DISNEY Rather than responding in federal court, the administrative district, which lawmakers put under DeSantis’ control and renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, fired back on May 2, countersuing Disney in state court. The new district leadership accused the company of striking last-minute “backroom” deals with the prior board, just before the legislature changed the board structure. The new board asked the state court to void those Disney-friendly deals, which gave the company control over development in the district for decades and which limited the new board’s authority. HOW THE LAWSUITS DIFFER Disney’s lawsuit was filed in federal court and alleges that DeSantis violated the company’s protections under the U.S. Constitution, including its First Amendment right to free speech. It also alleges the new district board violated of the Due Process, Contracts and the Takings Clauses of the U.S. Constitution by declaring void the company’s development agreements that were struck with the old board. Disney is asking the court to strike down laws that created the new board and that voided the agreements with Disney. In contrast, the state court lawsuit against Disney focuses on the procedures the old board followed in approving the agreements with Disney. It alleges those deals were approved at meetings that failed to follow state rules for things like giving the public advance notice. The Florida district is asking the state court to void the Disney agreements. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN LAWSUITS? Disney’s case is proceeding before U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee, who previously has struck down some laws that define the governor’s conservative agenda. The Florida district’s case is in state court before Circuit Judge Margaret Schreiber in Orlando. The district could file a motion in federal court to ask Walker to dismiss or pause Disney’s federal case while the state court proceeds. Legal doctrines hold that federal judges should refrain from hearing a case where there is a related state court proceeding, particularly when a state court decision could resolve the federal lawsuit. But Walker might still allow Disney’s federal lawsuit to proceed because the company is claiming a major Constitutional violation, which is the kind of claim a federal judge is inclined to hear. COULD THERE BE CONFLICTING RULINGS? Both cases could proceed simultaneously. While the legal theories are different, both courts were asked to decide if the agreements between Disney and the prior board were valid, so it’s conceivable that the judges could reach conflicting answers. In that scenario, it is likely that the side that prevails first would ask the other judge to respect that ruling. The prevailing party would likely cite the doctrine of res judicata, which says that a claim that reaches judgment in one court should not be relitigated in a second. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Amy Stevens and Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine megaa It looks like Britney Spears fans will have to wait a bit longer for her anticipated memoir to be released, as it is delayed due to legal concerns. According to The Sun, a source claimed the pop star, 41, is getting pushback after she made claims she had “flings with two massive Hollywood stars.” “Britney is brutally honest in the book — there are a lot of nervous A-listers,” the insider claimed of the “Toxic” songstress who has dated Justin Timberlake, Jason Trawick, Kevin Federline and more. “Strongly worded legal letters have been sent to the publishers by people who know Britney and who fear what she has written. There is no movement at the moment and there are concerns over when it will eventually be able to come out.” mega The book, which will cover he controversial conservatorship, her marriage to Sam Asghari and other hot topics, is now likely to come out at the end of the year. Britney Spears Questions Whether One Of Her ‘T***’ Would Pop If She Claps Them Together in Since-Deleted Post Britney Spears’ Ex-Husband Jason Alexander Remarries Days After Posting About Pop Star’s ‘Cry For Help’ Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz Recall ‘Vacant’ Britney Spears’ ‘Glee’ Appearance Two Years Into Her Conservatorship “Britney wants this to be her moment she talks to the world, to tell her side of the story and set the record straight,” the insider dished. “There’s a fair amount of throwing people under the bus, talking about past relationships, some of whom will be revealed for the first time ever.” The insider added, “Britney lived her life in the public eye but there are relationships and people she had encounters with who she managed to keep under the radar, including some massive film star names and people from the music world. She has wanted to go all out with this book and tell her truth, and that’s what has people worried.” mega The singer enlisted Sam Lansky as a ghostwriter. AsOK! previously reported, the tome is sure to be juicy. 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! “Britney’s book is a story of triumph. It will cover her most vulnerable moments, her childhood – being a little girl with big dreams – her breakup with Justin Timberlake, the moment she shaved her head, and her battle with her family over her conservatorship,” one source said. “It is also a story of survival, finding her way out of the crippling conservatorship to finding happiness with her husband Sam Asghari,” they continued. View the full article

Published by uInterview video Frankie Grande says his new movie is not about “gay trauma” #shorts #lgbtq | Watch more Frankie: https://bit.ly/3os9FEm Join the uInterview channel for access to exclusive videos & opportunities to ask our celebrity guests your questions: https://bit.ly/40F7coQ LEAVE A COMMENT OR A REACTION so we know how you really feel! Follow us: IG: @uinterview Twitter: @uInterview Facebook: @uInterview Read More View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star Dr. Candice Moran, 37, fanned their two young children in the shade of Ilus Park Saturday afternoon as over 150 protesters rounded the corner of Oak and East 10th Street in a sea of rainbow flags and picket signs. “Trans rights matter!” said the crowd. Like Moran, many of the Kansas Citians marching had braved the 90 degree heat for this rally, organized by eight metro-area medical students, to push back against restrictions on gender affirming care proposed by Missouri lawmakers. On April 13, the House voted in favor of banning transition surgeries, hormone therapy and puberty blockers for mi… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan accused the opposition of being “pro-LGBT” at a rally in Istanbul on Sunday, as he stepped up his rhetoric against his opponents a week before what is expected to be a tight election. Elsewhere, protesters threw stones at Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), during an election rally in the eastern city of Erzurum, a stronghold of Erdogan’s AK Party (AKP). Imamoglu later claimed nine people had been injured at the event. Turkey is due to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14 and opinion polls show that Erdogan faces his biggest electoral challenge in his two decades in power. At his rally in Istanbul, the president was appealing to his conservative Muslim voter base. “AK Party and other parties in our alliance would never be pro-LGBT, because family is sacred to us. We will bury those pro-LGBT in the ballot box,” he told the crowd. Erdogan has toughened his rhetoric against the LGBT community in recent years, frequently labelling members “deviants”. On Sunday, he also attacked his key election rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who heads the main opposition alliance. “My people will not allow drunks and boozers to take the stage,” Erdogan also said. “Mr. Kemal, you can drink barrels of it, nothing can cure you,” he said. “My nation will make the necessary response on May 14. We will not allow Kilicdaroglu, who is hand in hand with terrorists, to divide our homeland,” Erdogan said. Erdogan has also accused Kilicdaroglu of getting support from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency since the 1980s in which more than 40,000 people have been killed. It is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The opposition has previously denounced claims by Erdogan linking them to terrorists as divisive and dangerous campaign rhetoric. At the event in Erzurum, Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, who would become vice president if Kilicdaroglu wins the election, was addressing his supporters from the top of an open air bus when some members of the crowd threw stones at him and his supporters in the crowd, video footage showed. Imamoglu cut short his speech and left the scene in the bus. “We are leaving for your safety,” Imamoglu told his supporters, adding that he would file a criminal complaint against the Erzurum governor and police chief for allowing the violence. Footage showed at least one person wounded in the face. “Erzurum’s governor called and told me that seven people were wounded. I spoke to nine wounded people at this time,” he later said in a tweet. In the 2018 presidential election Erdogan won 72% of votes in Erzurum. (Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Susan Fenton) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tan France is feeling “stressed and nervous” about the imminent arrival of his second child. The ‘Queer Eye’ star and his husband Rob are expecting baby number two via surrogate over the summer but the 40-year-old TV star has admitted he doesn’t feel organised ahead of the birth. He told PEOPLE: “[I am] very excited [but also] stressed and very nervous about it. We’re only a few months away. I’m not prepared. The only thing I’m prepared for is knowing that it’s going to be difficult.” The couple are already parents to son 21-month-old son Ismail and Tan says the tot is “going to get the shock of his life in a few months” when his sibling arrives. He added: “All he knows is that he’s obsessed with monster trucks and cars. That’s all he knows. He doesn’t want to know anything else.” Tan went on to reveal the couple have picked out a name for the new baby – and it’s one he’s been thinking about using for more than a decade. He explained: “I always knew these two names that I loved the most. And so thankfully, Rob loves them also. We’re on track to call our baby this name.” Tan and Rob confirmed their happy news about baby number two last month – revealing their second child will arrive almost exactly two years after Ismail arrived in August 2021. The couple confirmed they found out about the pregnancy over the Christmas holidays, adding to PEOPLE: “We were over the moon. It was the best feeling ever. I mean, it felt almost as shocking as the first time. I was overjoyed, in tears, I couldn’t believe that it had finally happened again. It was just the most incredible feeling.” View the full article

Published by Knewz Anheuser-Busch, already embattled, is facing even more controversy as members of the LGBTQIA+ community are boycotting it. The 2Bears Tavern Group in Chicago, which owns four outlets around the city, has released a statement announcing that they will not stock Anheuser-Busch merchandise. In their public statement, they noted that their decision was based on the beer giant’s “abandonment of Dylan Mulvaney”, the company’s “reprehensible and divisive” remarks, and the fact that they sacked at least two marketing employees who were involved with the Mulvaney campaign. The statement refers to comme… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Keanu Reeves has aged like a fine wine over the span of his career! The Constantine actor has been through his fair share of struggles throughout his decades in Hollywood, but he’s always managed to maintain his charm! Besides his impressive work in film, Reeves has always kept his reputation as such a nice guy and a true romantic — especially when it comes to longtime girlfriend Alexandra Grant. When asked what his last moment of bliss was, the 58-year-old gushed, “A couple of days ago with my honey.” “We were in bed. We were connected. We were smiling and laughing and giggling. Feeling great,” he said of the special moment with his longtime friend turned lover. “It was just really nice to be together.” According to insiders, Reeves has been so taken with the visual artist that he’s been on the verge of asking her to marry him for a while now. “He has the ring and the proposal speech all ready, but just can’t follow through,” an insider claimed earlier this year. “He also worries about jinxing something that’s already so perfect.” “It’s been so much fun hanging out because she’s so cool and intellectual. Sheconstantly astounds him,” the source continued. “Alexandra thinks the world of him. They’ve been inseparable these past few years. She’s accompanied him on his shoots, including Berlin for The Matrix 4, and she’s been a tireless supporter of his other endeavors, like his writing and music.” “It’s really all in his head,” the insider said of his nerves about the proposal. “No one but Keanu really thinks she’ll say no. He just needs to build up his confidence — and shake those jitters.” Scroll through the gallery to see Reeves’ most handsome moments throughout the years. 1997mega A young Reeves smoldered for the cameras at a press event in 1997. Unkempt Keanu Reeves Checks Out Hollywood Guitar Shop as He Continues to Ignore Matthew Perry Drama Cops Called to Keanu Reeves’ Home to do Welfare Check on Mysterious Woman Keanu Reeves & Girlfriend Alexandra Grant Talking About Tying the Knot, Insider Says: ‘He Deserves a Happy Ending!’ keanu 1998mega The multi-talented star concentrated while playing the guitar in 1998. keanu 2005mega Reeves looked clean shaven as he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005. keanu 2009mega The Matrix actor kept warn in a gray scarf and matching blazer while stepping out in 2009. keanu 2023mega Reeves stepped out looking dapper at the John Wick Chapter 4 premiere in 2023. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Michael Shannon “feels for” ‘The Flash’ co-star Ezra Miller. The 48-year-old actor has reprised his role as DC’s villainous General Zod Andy Muschietti ‘The Flash’, which stars Ezra, who was arrested multiple times last year, as the titular character. When asked about the controversy surrounding the movie, Michael told Vanity Fair: “If you’re talking about Ezra [Miller], I thought Ezra was lovely — very kind to me when I was there. It’s difficult to talk about, but I always give people a lot of slack in this business, because there’s a lot of people in this business that have issues. And some people have more privacy than others. “Any time somebody is out in the spotlight getting picked on, I feel for them. Even if it’s warranted, it’s still a horrible situation.” Michael also revealed that he didn’t spent too much time filming the upcoming movie. He said: “‘Flash’, I was in and out of there in a couple of weeks. But I hear there’s been some – I’ve got to admit, I’m not looking at the trades every morning, keeping my finger on the pulse of things, but I know there’s been some issues. It seems like they’re ready to let it out.” Miller, who goes by they/them pronouns, has previously been hit with allegations of grooming after the parents of Native American activist Tokota Iron Eyes, 18, filed a protection order against the actor. Miller was also arrested twice in Hawaii in March last year and charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault. They were accused of shouting and swearing at customers as they sang karaoke at a bar, as well as grabbing a microphone from a 23-year-old woman. Miller pleaded no contest to one count of disorderly conduct and paid a $500 fine over the incident. A married couple also took out a restraining order against them after Miller burst into their bedroom and threatened to kill them then left, stealing her passport and his wallet. And in April 2022 the star was accused of throwing a chair at a 26-year-old woman and hitting her at a private party. A video of Miller appearing to choke a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland, also surfaced in April 2020, but did not result in any charges. Last year, Miller announced that they were seeking treatment for “complex mental health issues”, saying in a statement: “Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Renowned comedian and actor John Cleese sparked backlash on social media yesterday after tweeting a comparison between the newly-crowned King Charles and former president Donald Trump, RadarOnline.com has learned. mega Cleese posted a tweet early Saturday morning that read: “The pledge of allegiance idea would certainly please Donald Trump. But, since we no longer live in a feudal society, our pledge of allegiance should be to the Rule of Law, not to an individual.” mega The post was met with a mixed response, with some people agreeing with Cleese’s sentiments while others were quick to criticize the comparison. “Relax,” one user wrote. “The pledge is a pledge to the King only in his capacity as a proxy for the rule of law and this system of democracy. It’s not a pledge to an individual.” Another Twitter replied, “You’re the one introducing Trump into the conversation, John. Respectfully, maybe you should consider if you’re a little too focused on him.” Snubbed: Prince Harry Seated Several Rows Behind Brother Prince William During King Charles’ Royal Coronation First Lady Jill Biden Mocked for Horrible Seating Placement at King Charles’ Coronation: ‘Back by the Toilets’ Revealed: King Charles III’s Coronation Will Cost Millions Despite Being a ‘Smaller, Less Expensive’ Ceremony mega Although the Monty Python comedian has been a vocal critic of Trump in the past and is known for using his platform to voice his opinions on politics and current affairs, other Twitter users criticized him for using the Coronation to air his views on US politics. mega The comparison between the former President and the new King was likely meant to stir the pot, with many people seeing the two figures as diametrically opposed in terms of their politics and personality. While Trump is notorious for his inflammatory rhetoric and divisive policies, King Charles is seen by many in the UK as a more moderate figure who is likely to take a more measured approach to his role as Monarch. This isn’t the first time Cleese took aim at the royal family. The 83-year-old actor has turned down several honors offered to him over the years, calling the late Queen Elizabeth and her family “silly” after declining a life peerage for political services in 1999. More recently, he took a potshot at King Charles after “evicting” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from Frogmore Cottage and allegedly offering it to his brother, Prince Andrew. The Flying Circus star tweeted: “Surprising that the Royal Frogmore Cottage is being converted into a holding facility for people accused of sex offenses.” Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kesha is “sick of pretending everything is all good”. The 36-year-old singer / songwriter – who sued music producer Lukasz Gottwald in 2014 in a bid to get out of her recording contracts after accusing him of sexual assault and battery, while he subsequently filed a countersuit for defamation – admitted that there are days when she struggles and she doesn’t want to fake being fine. She told The Guardian newspaper: “Sometimes I’m incredibly happy, and then sometimes I have panic attacks. That’s the truth. I’ve been so sick of pretending everything is all good.” Gottwald’s – who is also known as Dr. Luke – long-running defamation lawsuit against Kesha will go to trial in July and she admitted that there is a “lot of fear” about the future. She said: “I have a big year coming up. There’s a lot of fear. Happiness is always going to be my goal and something I’m working towards. I have a beautiful family and a bunch of gorgeous cats, and that makes me happy. I have wonderful friends. But I’m in a lot of emotional pain. The whole point of this [new] album is: ‘Some things are not OK, and I’ve been through some stuff that is not OK.’” Kesha worked with producer Rick Rubin on her upcoming album ‘Gag Order’ and she revealed it was an emotional experience. She said: “I would walk in every day and for approximately two hours I would cry and he would just create space. He never once asked me to stop crying, or to get it together. It just took me a minute to put a voice to these really unpleasant, embarrassing emotions. I don’t want to be seen as weak, or f***** up, or unhappy, because overall in my life … I have all the emotions.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega There’s more than what meets the eye with controversial Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as RadarOnline.com can reveal that the Republican lawmaker has a shocking past. While the governor’s political opponent Donald Trump seized the opportunity to expose DeSantis’ odd preference towards eating pudding with his fingers, DeSantis continues to surprise voters. The same former congressional colleagues, who outed DeSantis’ strange eating habits, also claimed that the Yale graduate was a socially awkward “loner” who kept to himself. mega Adding to DeSantis’ eyebrow-raising past was his stint as a young Navy lawyer at Guantanamo Bay. The governor often dodged reporters when asked about his time working for the notorious prison camp. When DeSantis served as a judge advocate general (JAG) at Guantanamo Bay, his job was ensuring that military personnel and prison guards followed the law. 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 Ron DeSantis’ Office Overtaken by Protestors Demanding Meeting with Florida Governor Ex-Trump Advisor Rips His Current Staff as ‘Chronically Unemployable Losers’ From the ‘Swamp’ 14 Protestors Arrested After Storming Florida Statehouse to Confront Governor Ron DeSantis As a JAG, DeSantis was tasked with investigating the gruesome death of three prisoners. They were discovered hanging in their cells, bound at the feet and hands, with their mouths gagged. Despite the state that the prisoners were found in, then-Naval officer Harry Harris claimed the prisoners killed themselves. DeSantis upheld Harris’ suicide theory and the investigation concluded after only 11 days, leaving the deaths a mystery to this day. Additionally, DeSantis was accused by a former Guantanamo prisoner of overseeing guards barbarically force-feeding him during a hunger strike in 2006, which the governor denied. mega A year before he was elected governor in 2019, DeSantis came under fire for a Facebook group he was an administrator of. DeSantis was exposed as a member of The Tea Party Facebook page. DeSantis attempted to distance himself from the page. On the campaign trail, he alleged he was added to the group without his consent, and he removed himself from the group. Making matters worse for DeSantis was that it was not the first time during his campaign for governor that he was accused of being racist. mega In August 2018, DeSantis appeared on Fox News to discuss his campaign against Democrat Andrew Gillum. He warned Florida voters to not “monkey this up.” Florida Democrats accused the future governor of using a racist dog whistle against Gillum, a Black man. The DeSantis campaign responded to allegations but failed to provide any apology. “Ron DeSantis was obviously talking about Florida not making the wrong decision to embrace the socialist policies that Andrew Gillum espouses. To characterize it as anything else is absurd,” said Stephen Lawson, then-communications director for the DeSantis campaign. View the full article

Published by Hong Kong Free Press Despite being a churchgoer, Alvin Cheung never prays. Hymns send a chill down his spine, and the last time he touched a Bible was over 10 years ago. The 38-year-old is a regular at his LGBTQ-friendly church, but avoids weekly worship meetings as he finds them triggering, a reminder of the darkest period in his life. In 2005, as a university student, he was desperate to change his sexual orientation and attended counselling sessions run by a Christian organisation that said he could be “straightened.” Over the course of a year, he attended one-to-one and small-group counselling sessions at the … Read More View the full article