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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

Published by The Kansas City Star WASHINGTON — A day after the Kansas Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto to prohibit transgender women from participating in school sports, White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre walked to the podium in the press briefing room and said it had been one of the worst weeks for anti-LGBT laws in 2023. That same week, she said, the North Dakota Senate had passed 10 anti-LGBTQ laws in one day. In Idaho, the governor signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for transgender kids, as did the governor of Indiana. “Look, this is awful news. Let’s be very clear about that,” s… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story The May 4 conviction of former Proud Boys national chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and three other leaders on charges of seditious conspiracy and dozens of others was made possible by the Proud Boys themselves. Before, during, and after the Jan. 6 insurrection that briefly stopped the congressional certification of Joe Biden as president, the Proud Boys took credit for storming of the U.S. Capitol that resulted in five deaths. Simply put, the Proud Boys thought they could get away it because … they had almost always gotten away with it. Since crashing on to the political scene in 2016 with a t… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michael Holden, Kate Holton and Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) -King Charles III was anointed and crowned on Saturday in Britain’s biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, a display of pomp and pageantry that sought to marry 1,000 years of history with a monarchy fit for a new era. In front of a congregation including about 100 world leaders and a television audience of millions, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, slowly placed the 360-year-old St Edward’s Crown on Charles’ head as he sat upon a 14th-century throne in Westminster Abbey. During the solemn two-hour service, elements of which date back to the time of King William the Conqueror in 1066, Charles’ second wife Camilla was also crowned queen. A huge military procession followed, gun salutes were fired, thousands of soldiers roared three cheers, and there was a scaled-down flypast by military aircraft as the king and queen waved from the balcony of Buckingham Palace to cheering crowds who gathered on The Mall boulevard. While rooted in history, the ceremony – only the second British coronation to be televised – was also an attempt to present a forward-looking institution and to reflect a more diverse country. “I come not to be served but to serve,” Charles said at the start. With Britain struggling to find its way in the political maelstrom after its exit from the European Union and maintain its global standing, the monarchy’s supporters say the royal family provides an international draw, a vital diplomatic tool and a means of keeping it on the world stage. “No other country could put on such a dazzling display – the processions, the pageantry, the ceremonies, and street parties,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. But despite Sunak’s enthusiasm, the coronation took place amid a cost of living crisis and public scepticism, particularly among the young, about the role and relevance of the monarchy. Charles, 74, automatically succeeded his mother as king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms including Canada and Australia when Queen Elizabeth died last September. Saturday’s event was on a smaller scale than that staged for her in 1953, but still sought to be spectacular. There was an array of historical regalia from golden orbs and bejewelled swords to a sceptre holding the world’s largest colourless cut diamond. After the service, Charles and Camilla, 75, departed in the four-tonne Gold State Coach built for George III, the last king of Britain’s American colonies, to ride to Buckingham Palace in a one-mile procession of 4,000 military personnel from 39 nations. Meanwhile hundreds of soldiers in scarlet uniforms and black bearskin hats lined the route along The Mall for what was the largest ceremonial event of its kind in Britain since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Tens of thousands of people ignored pouring rain to mass on the streets to watch what some saw as a moment of history. “When I was a young girl, I was able to watch (the coronation of) Queen Elizabeth on television in Hartford, Connecticut, at a friend’s house because we had no TV,” said retired U.S. teacher Peggy Jane Laver, 79. “So I’m thrilled to be here for the coronation in person.” Not everyone who came to watch was there to cheer Charles, with hundreds of republicans booing and waving banners reading “Not My King”. The Republic campaign group said its leader had been arrested, among 52 people detained as part of a “significant police operation”. SACRED CEREMONY Inside the abbey, which was bedecked with flowers and flags, politicians and dignitaries from around the world such as U.S. first lady Jill Biden took their seats alongside 2,200 others from charity workers to celebrities, including actors Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench and U.S. singer Katy Perry. Charles looked solemn as he swore oaths to govern justly and uphold the Church of England – of which he is the titular head. He was then hidden from watching eyes by a screen for the most sacred part of the ceremony when he was anointed on his hands, head and breast by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby with holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem. After being presented with symbolic regalia, Welby placed the St Edward’s Crown on his head and the congregation cried out “God save the King”. Gun salutes were fired at the Tower of London and across the capital, the nation, in Gibraltar, Bermuda and on ships at sea. Charles’ eldest son and heir Prince William, 40, knelt before his father to pledge his loyalty as his “liege man of life and limb”. Much of the ceremony featured elements that Charles’ forebears right back to King Edgar in 973 would recognise, officials said. Handel’s coronation anthem “Zadok The Priest” was sung as it has been at every coronation since 1727. But the service also included an anthem composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, famed for his West End and Broadway theatre shows, a gospel choir, and an “unprecedented” greeting from faith leaders. However, there was no formal role for either Charles’ younger son Prince Harry, after his high-profile falling out with his family, or his brother Prince Andrew, who was forced to quit royal duties because of his friendship with late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. They sat in the third row behind working members of the royal family and neither appeared on the palace balcony. Camilla’s crowning sealed her rise from a position of deep unpopularity in the period after Charles’ divorced first wife, the popular, glamorous Princess Diana, died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. For the last decade, the royal family has enjoyed massive global media attention, celebrating everything from weddings, births, and significant anniversaries to mourning last year’s death of Queen Elizabeth, and now Charles’ coronation. But, no major event is likely for some years, and with polls indicating a decline in support for the monarchy, especially among the young, commentators say adapting and staying relevant is the greatest challenge to the institution. Neil Edward, 72, a retired salesman who travelled from southwest England to watch, said the experience had been a mixture of pride and nostalgia with a touch of sadness that this might be the last big royal event he attends. “Without them, I don’t know how we would come together to celebrate big events like this,” he said. (Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Sarah Young, Suban Abdulla, Rachel Armstrong, Farouq Suleiman, Muvija M and Paul SandleWriting by Michael Holden and Kate HoltonEditing by Frances Kerry and Janet Lawrence) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine While commentating for CNN’s coverage of King Charles’ coronation on Saturday, May 6, Anderson Cooper made a gaffe regarding Prince George. “We haven’t seen George, but he may be somewhere else,” Anderson said, after he commented on how Prince William, 40, Kate Middleton, 41, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, had arrived at Westminster Abbey. The 55-year-old was quickly corrected by a Btitish cohost, who clarified that Prince George was already been seen completing his Page of Honor duties. “He’s holding the robes,” they told Cooper. Nick Cannon Shuts Down Vasectomy Talk After Anders… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Yellowstone macho man Kevin Costner allegedly plunged into a forbidden love affair with his leading lady Whitney Houston — just like their characters in their movie hit The Bodyguard — as his first marriage crumbled from his cheating scandal, sources told RadarOnline.com. The 67-year-old star of TV’s hottest drama admits he was a notorious skirt-chaser three decades ago leading to the 1994 divorce from his first wife, Cindy, mom of Annie, 37, Lily, 35, and Joe, 33, three of his seven kids. Their 16-year marriage collapsed just two years after he allegedly fell for 28-year-old pop megastar Whitney — on and off screen — in the 1992 blockbuster. Sources say the attraction between the two A-listers was immediate after meeting on the set of the film, which features Costner as the bodyguard of Whitney’s pop star character. In the movie, they end up sizzling in bed. “He couldn’t keep his eyes off her and went her comfortable in her first film role,” spilled a source. “The chemistry between them was immediate and powerful.” Mega Shots Fired? Kevin Costner’s ‘Yellowstone’ Costar Luke Grimes Highlights His Loving Marriage Amid Oscar Winner’s Second Divorce Kevin Costner’s Estranged Wife Must Vacate Actor’s Homes After ‘Blindsiding’ Him With Divorce Papers Due to Ironclad Prenup Kevin Costner’s Estranged Wife Christine Spotted Out Without Her Wedding Ring After ‘Blindsiding’ Him With Divorce Papers At the time, Whitney was set to wed pop star Bobby Brown and shut down her romance with Kevin when the film wrapped, spies dished. Meanwhile, womanizer Kevin — who later called the late Grammy winner “my one true love” — insisted his marriage to college sweetheart Cindy was already in tatters when he signed on for the film. It wasn’t his forbidden pining for Whitney that ended his first marriage. As RadarOnline.com reported, Costner made an $80 million mistake when his ex-wife discovered he had invited an exotic hula dancer to put on a private show for him while he filmed a movie in Hawaii. He learned from his money mishap before his second marriage, allegedly forcing Christine Baumgartner to sign a prenup before their 2004 wedding — protecting his $250 million fortune. Mega Christine filed for divorce on Monday, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split — but RadarOnline.com was told Costner’s grueling Yellowstone schedule was a point of contention for the pair. Costner and Christine share three minor children aged 12, 14, and 15. The actor is seeking joint custody of the kids. Mega Costner’s rep confirmed the news, telling TMZ, “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen, Jack Queen and Padraic Halpin NEW YORK/DOONBEG, Ireland (Reuters) -Jurors in Donald Trump’s civil rape trial on Thursday saw a video deposition in which the former U.S. president defended private comments he made in 2005 about grabbing women sexually without asking. Trump was asked by a lawyer for his accuser, the writer E. Jean Carroll, about the 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape, where he said on a hot microphone that “when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything… Grab ’em by the pussy.” “Historically, that’s true, with stars… if you look over the last million years,” Trump said in the video deposition taken last October and shown to the jury on Thursday, the seventh day of the rape trial in Manhattan federal court. The “Access Hollywood” tape was first made public in October 2016, a month before Trump was elected U.S. president. Carroll, 79, has testified that Trump, 76, raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-1990s, and then tarred her reputation and career by lying about it online. A social media and marketing expert hired by Carroll told jurors on Thursday that the cost to repair the reputational damage of Trump’s statements could range from $368,000 to $2.8 million. Carroll is seeking unspecified damages. Trump’s lawyers rested their case on Thursday without calling any witnesses, paving the way for closing arguments on Monday after a break on Friday. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said he would give Trump until 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) on Sunday to ask to reopen his case for the sole purpose of personally testifying. Trump has not been in the Manhattan courtroom so far, but on Thursday he told reporters during a trip to Ireland that he would probably attend. Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has said he could not have raped Carroll, because “she’s not my type” and has called the case politically motivated. ‘IT’S MARLA,’ TRUMP MISTAKENLY SAYS OF ACCUSER’S PHOTO In an excerpt on Thursday from the October video deposition by Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to Judge Kaplan, Trump also mistook Carroll for an ex-wife in a black-and-white photograph that shows him speaking to people at an event. “It’s Marla,” he said, referring to his second wife Marla Maples. When Kaplan asked him if he was saying the picture depicted Maples, Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba said, “No, that’s Carroll.” Carroll’s lawyers have argued that the episode, made public in January, undermines Trump’s argument that Carroll was not his type. In the deposition, taken last October at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump reiterated his denials of having raped Carroll, whom he called “mentally sick.” “You know it’s not true too,” Trump said, addressing Kaplan. “You’re a political operative also. You’re a disgrace.” Earlier on Thursday, during a visit to a resort he owns in southwestern Ireland, Trump dismissed what he called untrue allegations “against a rich guy.” “I have to go back for a woman that made a false accusation about me, and I have a judge who is extremely hostile,” Trump told reporters while playing golf at the Doonbeg resort. Judge Kaplan warned last week that Trump could face more legal problems if he kept discussing the case. He did not address Trump’s latest comments before trial resumed on Thursday. The trial is expected to extend into next week. Carroll, a former advice columnist at Elle magazine, said during three days of testimony and cross-examination that Trump slammed her against the wall in either 1995 or 1996, put his fingers into her vagina and then inserted his penis. Two of Carroll’s longtime friends have testified that Carroll told them about the attack shortly after it occurred and said they believed her. Two other women have also testified in support of Carroll, saying Trump sexually assaulted them in separate alleged incidents decades ago. Trump has denied those claims as well. He has accused Carroll of making up the story to drive sales of a 2019 memoir in which she made her claims public. (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jack Queen in New York and by Padraic Halpin in Dublin; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Jonathan Oatis, Will Dunham and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by AlterNet Economists once again are praising another strong monthly jobs report, with one calling April’s results “huuuuuge.” Unemployment, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, dropped to tie a more than 50-year low of 3.4%, but it’s the details behind that number that are equally impressive, and some even historic. President Joe Biden, who rarely takes a victory lap, Friday morning tweeted: “We just learned we created 253,000 jobs in April. That’s 12.7 million jobs since I took office, an unemployment rate that is the lowest since 1969, and the highest share of working age people in the workforce s… Read More View the full article

Published by Al-Araby British musician Sam Smith will no longer play a planned show in Tel Aviv after coming under fierce criticism from pro-Palestine groups. Organisers of a two-day series of shows in Tel Aviv’s Park Hayarkon said it was cancelling the entire first day of the event which Smith was headlining, Gay Times reported on Friday. “Due to unforeseeable technical and logistical problems on May 31, the concerts of that evening (including Sam Smith) will not happen,” Gay Times quoted a statement from the organisers as saying. The musician, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, came under f… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story A 17-year-old accused of being part of a mob that kicked, punched, and stabbed a man while yelling homophobic remarks in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood has been arrested, The Villager reported. The teen was charged with assault as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon. He is accused of being part of a group that made homophobic remarks to the victim, then attacked him when he confronted his tormentors. The group was believed to be comprised of males in their teens to early 20s. The victim was later treated at the hospital for injuries that included a stab wound to the t… Read More View the full article

Published by Miami Herald MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Lewis Hamilton often races with a rainbow sticker on his helmet and especially when he’s driving in a place where he feels LGBTQ rights are being infringed upon, including at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April. Florida now qualifies as such a place to the British superstar. Hamilton, who drives the No. 44 car for Mercedes-Benz in Formula One, will don his rainbow sticker once again this weekend at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, making a statement against the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, often referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill by critics. “It’s not g… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tilman Blasshofer COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) – A German artist who is preparing to lay the 100,000th cobblestone commemorating a person who was deported and killed by the Nazis has no intention of giving up making the brass-capped blocks, saying demand is higher than ever. By placing Stolpersteine (“stumble stones”) outside the victims’ last known address, 75-year-old Gunter Demnig aims to draw attention to the fate of individuals in the Holocaust. The project started about three decades ago when Demnig laid the first stones in Berlin and Cologne. Nearly 100,000 cobblestones later, they can be found in 30 countries across Europe, from Finland to Italy, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine. “I never dreamed of this,” Demnig said, saying he had expected a few hundred or maybe 1,000 stones. “I was naive enough to believe that it would have to decrease at some point … but it’s the other way around: interest is getting greater and greater.” He expects to lay his 100,000th stone this year. In his workshop, Demnig embosses the name and date of birth and circumstances of death by hand. He lays most of the stones, which can be requested by anyone, himself, with the costs paid by donations and sponsorship from private individuals as well as companies or institutions. “People ask why I don’t have it done in a factory? I say Auschwitz was a murder factory. That’s why it’s important to me that the writing is hammered into the plaques by hand,” he said. Inspired by the Talmud – a compendium of Jewish thought and commentary – which says a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten, the stones in front of the buildings revive the memory of the people who lived there. They commemorate all groups of the Nazis’ victims, including Jews, Sinti and Roma, political opponents, gay people and “antisocial elements”, or criminals. They have become an integral part of cities across Germany, especially Berlin, where locals and tourists stop to inspect the stones, which shine on grey pavements and sometimes have flowers strewn across them. “Here we have a mother who has been stigmatised for ‘antisocial’. The child was placed in a children’s home. Both were murdered,” said Demnig as prepares to lay two stones outside the house in Cologne where they lived. While determined to continue his work, Demnig is resigned to eventually delegating to colleagues. “As long as my knees are still okay, I’ll keep going,” he said. (Reporting by Tilman Blasshofer; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Alison Williams) View the full article

Published by St. Louis Post-Dispatch For years, Budweiser was the King of Beers and Anheuser-Busch was the King of Marketing. Its commercials on television, radio and print were the envy of the advertising world. Now, a single promotional initiative gone awry threatens the company’s standing as a marketing machine. Bud Light is the top-selling beer in America, but its frothy sales have taken a massive hit in the past month. A short TikTok video by transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, and a single can of beer with her face on it, has brought the once-mighty A-B marketing machine crashing to the ground. “It basically was a post f… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story A medical group behind the effort to ban the abortion drug mifepristone that describes itself as a “secular, scientific medical association” appears to be far less secular and science-oriented than it claims, according tonew reporting from Wired. The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds), which is suing the federal government to limit access to the abortion drug, has for years sought to conceal the extent to which its religious views inform its public policy initiatives, according to a cache of leaked documents obtained by Wired. ACPeds advocates for banning abortion and affirmative care … Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com By Nancy Colasurdo Let’s go here, shall we? This is reportedly the text that got Tucker Carlson fired from Fox News: Tucker Carlson January 7, 2021 — 04:18:04 PM UTC A couple of weeks ago, I was watching video of people fighting on the street in Washington. A group of Trump guys surrounded an Antifa kid and started pounding the living sh- out of him. It was three against one, at least. Jumping a guy like that is dishonorable obviously. It’s not how white men fight. Yet suddenly I found myself rooting for the mob against the man, hoping they’d hit him harder, kill him. I really wanted them to h… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jacqueline Thomsen and Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department asked a federal judge on Friday to sentence Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes to 25 years in prison for his conviction on seditious conspiracy and other charges over the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. The Justice Department is also seeking a sentence of 21 years for another Oath Keepers leader, Kelly Meggs, who was also found guilty in November of seditious conspiracy by a Washington, D.C., jury. Rhodes and Meggs are among 10 members of far-right groups found guilty of seditious conspiracy – a plot to oppose the government with force – for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, which was an attempt to overturn Democratic President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win. If fully imposed, the recommended sentences would be the longest so far for anyone convicted in connection with the Capitol riot. Prosecutors said the defendants “played a central and damning role” in the attack and should be sentenced more severely than other rioters because their conduct was comparable to domestic terrorism. Earlier on Friday, Peter Schwartz, a Pennsylvania man with a lengthy criminal history, was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison for storming the Capitol, the longest prison term handed down so far. Trump, who is now again seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Biden in 2024, continues to falsely claim that his defeat was the result of fraud. Meggs’ lawyer asked for a term of no more than 28 months in prison. Rhodes did not file his sentencing recommendation on Friday. The same Washington jury that convicted Rhodes and Meggs cleared three other co-defendants, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins and Thomas Caldwell, of seditious conspiracy. But all five were found guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding – the congressional certification of the election results – with mixed verdicts on a handful of other charges. Prosecutors said they were seeking 18 years in prison for Watkins, 15 years for Harrelson and 14 years for Caldwell. A lawyer for Caldwell asked the judge to impose no additional prison time and instead credit time he has served in home confinement. A lawyer for Watkins did not make a specific recommendation, but asked the judge to consider Watkins’ personal struggles, including the harassment she said she faced in the U.S. Army for being transgender. Harrelson was given until Monday to file his recommendation with the court. The charges of seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding each carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Sentences are left to the discretion of federal judges and are typically based on factors like past criminal history and the seriousness of the crime. All five are scheduled to be sentenced later this month. Four other members of the Oath Keepers David Moerschel, Joseph Hackett, Roberto Minuta and Edward Vallejo were convicted in January of seditious conspiracy for their roles in the attack. They are awaiting sentence. The Justice Department also filed sentencing recommendations for that group, requesting prison terms of between 17 and 10 years for the four defendants. Another federal jury on Thursday convicted former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three other members of that far-right group of seditious conspiracy, but acquitted a fifth defendant on that count. Five people including a police officer died during or shortly after the riot and more than 140 police officers were injured. The Capitol suffered millions of dollars in damage. Of the more than 1,000 people who have so far been arrested on charges related to the riot, more than 525 have pleaded guilty and more than 65 have been found guilty, according to the Justice Department. (Reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen and Andrew Goudsward; Writing by Jasper Ward; Editing by Caitlin Webber, Scott Malone, Leslie Adler and Kim Coghill) View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Dee Snider has been dropped from the lineup of San Francisco’s official LGBTQ Pride festivities after the Twisted Sister founding member expressed support for a “transphobic statement” shared on social media by fellow ‘80s rocker Paul Stanley of Kiss. The announcement came just as the organization was getting ready to reveal that a Twisted Sister classic would be featured prominently during the city’s 53rd annual rainbow-powered celebration — one of the nation’s largest Pride events. “San Francisco Pride was on the cusp of announcing Twisted Sister’s ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ as the unofficial… Read More View the full article