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Published by Raw Story Non-lawyer and clean water crusader Erin Brockovich spoke to TMZ when arriving home at LAX from Ohio and sounded the alarm about residents being lied to in Ohio. “Residents are very frustrated,” she said. “They’re very concerned. I just got a text from one of the residents who have private wells and they confirmed it’s contaminated. But they weren’t too concerned it was a high level.” While local and state officials claimed that the Ohio River was safe, there have been ongoing concerns about the chemicals seeping into the groundwater. Rural residents oftentimes have water wells pumping their o… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tim Reid SIMI VALLEY, CA (Reuters) – Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took his fight against liberalism deep into the Democratic territory of California on Sunday, part of a national road show as he lays the ground for an expected White House bid. DeSantis has been meeting with wealthy donors in recent days and burnishing his national credentials in a series of speeches boasting about his achievements in Florida while lambasting the “woke ideology” of leaders in Democratic strongholds including California and New York. DeSantis, who is expected to announce a presidential run in the next few months, has made a war on liberalism a central theme of his governorship and a way to appeal to the Republican base. While he has not yet announced a White House bid, one candidate who has – former Republican President Donald Trump – clearly views DeSantis as a major potential threat as the Republican nominating contest kicks into gear. Trump has already launched personal and political attacks on DeSantis as the race for the Republican Party’s 2024 White House nomination begins to heat up. DeSantis, speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library about 50 miles north of Los Angeles, made a veiled reference to the chaos of Trump’s presidency and his defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden in 2020. “You don’t see drama and palace intrigue,” DeSantis said of his governorship in Florida. “You see surgical precision and execution.” DeSantis, who narrowly won election to the governor’s mansion in 2018, touted his landslide re-election in November. He attacked Democratic governors and leaders as being infected with a “woke mind virus.” The term “woke” has become shorthand among opponents as left-wing ideology run amok. He decried their policies on tax, vaccine mandates, and classroom “indoctrination.” DeSantis also took aim at the Walt Disney Co, which opposes a Florida law that restricts classroom instruction of gender and sexual orientation. Last month he signed a bill that takes control of a special tax district surrounding Walt Disney World that for half a century allowed it to operate with a high degree of autonomy. “There’s a new sheriff in town,” DeSantis declared, referring to what he has called the end of Disney’s “corporate kingdom.” Other candidates expected to jump into the Republican primary race include former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Nikki Haley, Trump’s former ambassador to the United Nations, declared her candidacy last month. (Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Richard Chang) View the full article

Published by AlterNet Lindy Li, the Women’s Co-Chair and Mid-Atlantic Regional Chair at the Democratic National Committee, tore into the notable lack of “Christian family values” on display at the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland this past weekend during an appearance on MSNBC early Sunday afternoon. Li opined to MSNBC Reports host Yasmin Vossoughian that CPAC has been using coded language to push a racist agenda. Li also noted that many of the featured speakers at the annual event – like former President Donald Trump – do not embody the morality that they preach. “Let’s be… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) One Pakistani screenwriter and director made a huge impact on the 75th Cannes Film Festival last year. Saim Sadiq presented Joyland and left the Croisette with two main prizes: the Jury Prize of the Un Certain Regard section and the Queer Palm award. Not too shabby for the first Pakistani film to be selected at the prestigious French festival. But beyond accolades, the film addresses some topics that makes it a vital watch. “Trans people are very visible in Pakistani society – particularly in Lahore where I grew up,” Sadiq tells Euronews Culture. “When you go for a drive… Unfortunately, see … Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Education and creativity are two very valuable things in life and can take effort to strike a good balance between them. There are a lot of challenges for young creators who want to follow their passion while still going to school, whether it’s acting, modeling, online content, or all of the above. American model, social media star, and actor Marco Donatelli is balancing both. He says combining a love of the spotlight with a promise to his mother is crucial to future success. “I’m getting a degree because I promised my mother,” he says, “but at the same time, I want to be different. Anyone can go to college, but I want a career that helps me stand out, that helps me stretch the line. I want a career that some people only dream about.” Marco’s success may be just beginning, but the self-made social media celeb turned-model knows what he wants and will stop at nothing to get it. Originally from Youngstown, OH, he and his sister were raised by his father Mark, and his late mother, Maria Donatelli. Though his childhood was filled with obstacles, Marco believes this has only made him more resilient and more determined than ever to achieve success. He moved away for college in his teens before returning in 2020 when COVID lockdowns brought lessons to a halt. During this time, he became interested in online trends and, in turn, fame. He became an overnight TikTok star by fluke, with his father by his side, when they went to Walmart during the pandemic wearing scuba masks instead of covid masks. The video became viral overnight and 5 million views. This was the start of Marco’s social media career, allowing him to work with different social media stars and influential people. Over time, he became a well-known face for several brands worldwide and has worked with well-known photographers like Rick Day. More recently, he’s been hitting auditions for roles in TV and film. Marco says that one of the most important things to remember is time management. He balances an intense study schedule while at the same time allowing himself the chance to do his creative work. “I want to go to chiropractic school so I can become a chiropractor as my backup plan,” he says. “Right now, I‘m traveling every other weekend [for modeling and castings], so my grades aren’t as high as expected. But I’m not going to give up. I’ll get my degree, and at the same time, I’ll keep pushing content and auditioning.” It is easy to become overwhelmed when juggling multiple commitments at once, so it is important to break these down into manageable chunks and create a plan outlining what needs to be done first and foremost. And, of course, having friends and family members who understand your goals and can provide helpful advice or assistance makes all the difference in reaching success. Outside of his family, Marco Donatelli’s best friend, Isaiah Proctor, is also his manager. Isaiah Proctor has played a huge role in Marco’s rise to success in the industry. Proctor has set up jobs all over the country for Marco, including photo shoots in Miami, Vegas, and New York. Aside from his best friend, he is also seeking advice from industry professionals. His acting coach is Anthony Corone, known for appearing in films like Bad Boys 2, We Own The Night, and Act of Valor. “He’s been my coach for a few months now, and I’ve been taking his classes very seriously and doing pretty well.” Photographer “PhotosbyAlexS” has also been a great support, providing exciting opportunities for photoshoots. “He invited me out to Vegas to shoot in the desert, so that was pretty cool. He’s a very talented guy,” says Donatelli. Donatelli says that balancing creative pursuits with academic commitments may not always be easy, but it is achievable with disciplined habits and an understanding support system, and he strongly believes young creators should never feel discouraged from doing what they love. View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Kellyanne Conway and her husband George have decided to divorce, RadarOnline.com has learned. Sources revealed the couple, who have been married for 22 years, have hired lawyers and are in the process of finalizing a settlement. MEGA Page Six, who broke the story, said sources claim the two tried to work out their issues but George “just wants out.” During the marriage, Kellyanne praised her boss Donald Trump while George publicly criticized the ex-President. Back in May 2022, Kellyanne admitted her marriage was on the rocks. She said if she had to pick between her marriage and her job, she would pick “love anytime.” However, she added, “love must come with respect, and it must come with privacy. And it must come with a modicum of class and dignity.” MEGA Joe Biden Fires Back At Marjorie Taylor Greene After She Blames Him For Fentanyl Deaths That Took Place Under Trump Administration: ‘Isn’t She Amazing? Oof’ Donald Trump Supporters Protesting Ron DeSantis Ordered To Leave Florida Governor’s Book Signing Two Tiers Of Justice? Fox News Probes FBI Boss Christopher Wray On Why Trump Faced ‘Show Of Force’ In Classified Doc Raid — And Biden Didn’t The couple married in 2001 and share four children. Back in 2020, the two dealt with their daughter Claudia spilling their dirty laundry on TikTok. She accused her parents of trying to “silence her.” She said, “my parents, particularly my mother, are trying to silence me by getting me to delete my social media.” MEGA At one point, Claudia claimed she was trying to become emancipated from her parents. Trump was never a fan of George. He once tweeted, “I barely know him but just take a look, a stone-cold LOSER & husband from hell!” In her book, Kellyanne discussed her husband and Trump’s feud. She wrote, “I had two tweeting men in my life … my husband and my boss. But one is my job. The other is my marriage. I don’t conflate them because I don’t relate to them the same way. That job is term-limited. Presidencies are term-limited. Marriage and the vows I took are not supposed to be.” MEGA Earlier this week, Kellyanne meet with prosecutors as part of the Manhattan district attorney’s office’s investigation into Trump and his alleged payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors are looking into a $130k payment that Stormy received from Trump’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen. A spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to comment on Conway’s appearance. Trump previously called the investigation a “witch hunt.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Prince Harry says marijuana helped him cope with his mental trauma. The Duke of Sussex, 38, opened up about his life and family in a 90-minute online chat with Dr Gabor Maté, 79, on Saturday (04.03.23) and also admitted cocaine didn’t do “anything” for him when he was struggling mentally. He said during the £19-a-ticket live-streamed question and answer session: “(Cocaine) didn’t do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point. “Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me. It was the cleaning of the windscreen, cleaning of the windshield, the removal of life’s filters just as much as on Instagram, these layers of filters. “It removed it all for me and brought me a sense of relaxation, release, comfort, a lightness that I managed to hold on to for a period of time. “I started doing it recreationally and then started to realise how good it was for me, I would say it is one of the fundamental parts of my life that changed me and helped me deal with the traumas and pains of the past.” Reports say Dr Maté is an outspoken supporter of legalising, and has allegedly used the Amazonian plant ayahuasca to treat patients suffering mental issues. Harry also used his memoir ‘Spare’ to talk about how he used partying and hallucinogenics to blot out pain, including traumas over the 1997 car crash death of his mother Princess Diana and spending his life in the global spotlight. He said in the book he and an unnamed actor got so high on a stash of “black diamond mushroom chocolates” they found in ‘Friends’ actress Courteney Cox’s house during a house party he thought her kitchen bin looked like it had developed a head. Harry said: “My mate and I grabbed several, gobbled them, washed them down with tequila.” He added about hallucinating over Courtney’s kitchen bin after he downed the drugs: “I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth. A huge open grin. I laughed.” Courteney recently insisted she never supplied Harry with the magic mushrooms, and added she was still to read his memoir ‘Spare’ as his drugs anecdote had “gotten back to” her. View the full article

Published by AFP Marianne Williamson, the first Democrat to announce her candidacy in the 2024 presidential election, is seen in Clear Lake, Iowa on August 9, 2019 Washington (AFP) – Marianne Williamson, a self-help author, activist and spiritual advisor, announced Saturday that she is a candidate for the US presidency in 2024, four years after an earlier run for the office drew little support. Now 70, the iconoclastic author has become the first Democrat to officially enter the 2024 race — even before President Joe Biden — calling on her fellow Americans to reject cynicism and “conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.” Other Democrats have held off announcing their candidacies pending a decision from Biden, who at 80 has said he has “the intention” to run again but has yet to formally enter the race. In her televised announcement, Williamson summarized her candidate positions, denouncing mass incarceration, economic inequity and racial injustice and calling for “an emergency-level transition from a dirty economy to a clean economy.” “Government of the people by the people and for the people is perishing,” she said, referring to an Abraham Lincoln quote. “This government is now a government of the corporations by the corporations and for the corporations.” After her 1992 book “A Return to Love” became a best-seller, Williamson was a frequent guest of talk-show superstar Oprah Winfrey, offering advice on personal development while raising her own profile. Then four years ago, the unconventional Williamson took on Biden and some 20 other Democratic candidates for the presidency. During televised debates, she drew attention with her denunciations of the “dark psychic force” that she said Donald Trump represented. She repeated that sentiment Saturday, with an added caution. “I’m so glad that President Trump did not win the last election. That means we didn’t go over the cliff. But I’ll tell you something, we’re still six inches away from it.” Before her first run, Williamson vowed that as president she would establish a federal Department of Peace, push for reparations for slavery and “harness love for political purposes.” But Williamson — at one point among the most Googled Democratic candidates — never managed to rise above low single digits in opinion polls. She finally dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Prince Harry was unofficially diagnosed with ADD, PTSD, anxiety and depression during a Saturday, March 4, sit-down with world renowned physician Dr. Gabor Maté. The Hungarian-Canadian doctor claimed he’d made his discoveries regarding the royal’s mental health after reading his memoir, Spare. mega “Reading the book, I diagnose you with ADD. I see it as a normal response to normal stress, not a disease,” the expert said, to which the Duke of Sussex quipped, “Thanks for the free session.” Regardless of the diagnoses, Harry shared he’s felt a sense of freedom since separating himself from his high profile family, further explaining, “When the book came out I felt incredibly free.” The interview was scheduled as a promotion for the 38-year-old’s controversial memoir release, pinpointing moments of trauma in his life. The former soldier confessed he’d always felt like an outsider in his own family, revealing he used therapy to try and work through his childhood hardships, but it never seemed to work. “I suddenly realized that I learned a new language and the people that I was surrounded by didn’t speak that language — I actually felt more pushed aside,” he said. The medical professional confirmed the prince had a “lot of trauma” even though he was “a scion of one of the richest families in the world, gilded with power and privilege.” mega King Charles Has ‘Drawn A Line’ With ‘Spoiled Brat’ Prince Harry: Report Prince Harry Should Be Reimbursed $3 Million For Frogmore Cottage Renovations Following Eviction, Fans Insist Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Frogmore Eviction Threatens To Overshadow King Charles III’s Coronation: ‘They Hold The Upperhand’ The father-of-two — who shares Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, with wife Meghan Markle — then described how he’d been “in a state of shock” since the day his mother, Princess Diana, was killed, adding he’d been stuck in “fight or flight” mode his entire life. The pair also delved into the lack of affection King Charles III expressed during Harry’s childhood. More specifically, he noted Charles did not even give him a hug after his mother’s death. As a father, Harry said he now “smothers” his kids with love. 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! mega Despite ongoing familial struggles, the Duke of Sussex was happy he was able to “break free” from the chains of the royal family — adding that he “can’t imagine” raising his kids in that environment. “I’ve lost a lot, but I’ve gained a lot to see my kids growing up here and how they are,” the philanthropist said. “Once you recognize the trauma, you can be healed at any age,” Dr. Maté told Harry. “It starts with acknowledgment.” The Sun reported the quotes from Harry and Dr. Maté’s interview. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Rebel Wilson got banned from Disneyland. The ‘Pitch Perfect’ actress – who got engaged to Ramona Agrum at the California theme park last month – claimed she was asked to stay away from the tourist attraction for a month after taking a photo inside a “secret bathroom”. Speaking on ‘The Daily Show with Hasan Minhaj’, she said: “I did get banned from Disneyland for 30 days because I took a photo inside a secret bathroom, which is illegal, at Disneyland.” But Rebel admitted Disneyland bosses worked the punishment around her schedule. She added: “I got officially banned for 30 days. They called me up and said, ‘Rebel what 30 days did you not want to come to Disneyland because you’re away filming a movie or something?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, well, June would be fine.’ “ As well as teasing the existence of “secret bathrooms”, the 42-year-old actress also claimed the theme park is home to “gangs of adults” with “cool names like the White Rabbits and the Children of Thanos, Coco Locos.” She claimed: “They wear matching vests and walk around and do gang stuff around Disneyland. “One of the initiations was you had to steal the apple from the Snow White ride, and the apple kept getting stolen so many times they had to make it a hologram. “But don’t ask me how I know about Disneyland gangs, because I will not say.” Rebel recently revealed she asked Disney CEO Bob Iger for permission to propose to her girlfriend – with whom she has three-month-old daughter Royce – at Disneyland. She said: “He’s the big, big boss and I thought, ‘Well, if he says yes, then it was meant to be, and I was meant to propose that day at Disneyland.’ “I had to get special permission to get a special area roped off and get the topiary trees in and, you know, I had a violinist playing like Disney classics, and it was very, really romantic.” View the full article

Published by PsyPost The world is currently grappling with a mental health crisis, with millions of people reporting depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. According to recent estimates, nearly half of all Australians will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime. Mental health disorders come at great cost to both the individual and society, with depression and anxiety being among the leading causes of health-related disease burden. The COVID pandemic is exacerbating the situation, with a significant rise in rates of psychological distress affecting one third of people…. Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — As he declared victory over Walt Disney Co. on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis lectured the corporate leaders of the state’s biggest employer in its lifeblood tourism industry. He suggested new board members who will overseeDisney World’s reconstituted special district might want toinfluence the corporation’s new attractions, movies and other shows. His appointees included the CEO of a Christian ministry and a leader in the conservative parental rights movement. “All these board members very much would like to see the type of entertainment that all families can appreciate,” … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday announced a gender equality law that will require more equal representation of women and men in politics, business and other spheres of public life. The Equal Representation Law will apply gender parity measures to electoral lists, the boards of directors of big companies and governing boards of professional associations. Sanchez made the announcement during a Socialist party rally ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8. It will be approved during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting before going for debate in parliament. He said … Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Comedian Jon Stewart did not mince words with his recent remarks condemning Republican lawmakers’ support of measures that would ease restrictions on gun violence. During the recent segment of his Apple TV show, “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” Stewart laid out his concerns in an intense exchange with Oklahoma State Sen. Nathan Dahm (R). In addition to expressing concern about the latest Republican proposal, Stewart asked Dahm why lawmakers had not considered incorporating a more extensive gun registry and more restrictions and requirements for gun ownership. READ MORE: ‘This is blowing my mind… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Idris Elba says it is his “prerogative” to stop referring to himself as a “black actor”. The ‘Luther’ star, 50, was hit with a flood of online criticism last month when he revealed in an interview with Esquire he no longer applies the label to himself as he felt it put him in “a box” and promoted the world’s obsession with dividing people into races. He has now hit out at being trolled over the comments, telling The Guardian on Friday (05.03.23): “Me saying I don’t like to call myself a black actor is my prerogative. “That’s me, not you. So for you to turn around and say to me, I’m ‘denying my blackness.’ “On what grounds? Did you hear that? Where am I denying it? And what for? It’s just stupid. Whatever.” Idris added the backlash against his “black actor” remarks is proof social media can be a “conflict incubator”. Days after his chat with Esquire, Idris clarified on Twitter about his remarks on race: “There isn’t a soul on this earth that can question whether I consider myself a BLACK MAN or not. “Being an ‘actor’ is a profession, like being an ‘architect’, they are not defined by race. However, If YOU define your work by your race, that is your Perogative. Ah lie?” Idris, who married for the third time in 2017 in Marrakech to the Canadian Somali model Sabrina Dhowre, 34, and who has two children from previous relationships, also told The Guardian despite his fame he lives a quiet existence and shies away from creating drama. He added: “Contrary to popular belief, I live a quite sheltered life. “I feel as I get older – I’m 50 now – we all have fears of saying too much, oversharing and whatnot. “And in this day and age, it’s really difficult to have an opinion if you’re in the public eye because it gets overly scrutinised, taken out of context, thrown into some sort of bull****, zeitgeisty social media argument.” Idris has previously tackled racism by calling for a crackdown on bigoted social media trolls by forcing everyone to be registered on platforms by their real verified identities instead of allowing people to use online handles. View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Luke Evans is a Welsh actor and singer. He is best known for his roles in Dracula Untold, Beauty and the Beast and Echo 3. LUKE EVANS BIOGRAPHY: AGE, EARLY LIFE, FAMILY, EDUCATION Luke Evans was born on April 15, 1979 (Luke Evans: Age 43) in Pontypool, Wales to Yvonne and David Evans. When Evans was 17 he left school and moved to Cardiff to study under the singing coach Louise Ryan. In 1997 he won a scholarship to London Studio Centre and graduated three years later. LUKE EVANS BIOGRAPHY: CAREEREvans started his career on the stage in productions of La Cava, Taboo, Rent, Avenue Q and Small Cha… Read More View the full article

Published by Tribune News Service Avoiding Fox News is my self-care. (Time is tight. You do what you can.) But a friend recently shared an article about the network’s hosts losing their marbles over a new line of Legos, and I couldn’t resist. I clicked. Legos were such a formative part of my kids’ childhood. Rainbow Loom and Orbeez and Play-Doh and slime (dear God, the slime) all came and went. But Legos? Legos stayed the course. Year after year after year. I still find little bricks in a couple of my purses. My mom still puts Legos in my brother’s Christmas stocking. He’s 52. Anyway, the new line of Legos includes characters … Read More View the full article

Published by BOOM Live By Hazel Gandhi A doctored video showing US President Joe Biden mocking transwomen and making derogatory transphobic remarks at a recent address is circulating with claims that he has come out against the trans community. Several Facebook posts have lauded Biden for the comments that he can be heard making in the morphed video. BOOM found that the video has been edited and overlaid with an audio where Biden is heard making the transphobic remarks; in the original clip, Biden is talking about the aid offered to Ukraine by US and NATO. In the morphed viral video, Biden can be heard saying, “You … Read More View the full article

Published by Fadeaway World By Aikansh Chaudhary Magic Johnson explains why he is extremely proud of his son, EJ. Magic Johnson is one of the biggest superstars to ever play in the NBA. He was the heart and soul of the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers and helped them win five NBA Championships during his career. Following his career in the NBA, like most NBA players, Magic Johnson decided to shift his focus toward his family. Speaking of his family, Magic recently revealed to ‘PEOPLE’ how he is extremely proud of his son EJ. “I love EJ’s career,” Magic revealed. “I think that EJ is really taking charge of his career and makin… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a far-right Christian nationalist extremist, kicked off her speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Friday morning by telling the room filled with many empty seats that the left is “coming for our children,” in her hate-filled, lie-filled, fear-mongering, anti-LGBTQ speech portraying her cause as virtuous because, she preached, “our God is bigger.” That God, she promised, would help her pass anti-transgender legislation that “will make it a felony to perform anything to do with gender-affirming care on children.” “The left has told… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP The New York Times headquarters in Manhattan, photographed in 2018 New York (AFP) – The New York Times — a torchbearer for the liberal left in America — is facing flak for its coverage of transgender people, a criticism the newspaper flatly rejects. Thousands of contributors and LGBTQ activists have accused the daily of giving too much coverage to concerns about treatments for transgender teenagers, fueling “panic” on the subject. The allegation may surprise those who know the Times as a bulwark for gender and race rights during Donald Trump’s presidency and for helping spur the #MeToo movement against sexual violence with its investigation of Harvey Weinstein. The accusation also highlights the internal debates that sometimes go on within one side of America’s so-called culture wars. GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization, has accused the Times of “irresponsible, biased coverage of transgender people” going back more than a year. Last month it co-launched a campaign, backed by more than 100 other organizations, against the newspaper’s coverage. More than 1,000 New York Times contributors and another 34,000 media employees and readers of the newspaper have signed a separate open letter calling for the Times to improve its coverage. They accuse the newspaper of writing multiple articles that exaggerate ethical and medical fears about treatments such as puberty blockers. They allege that the Times has given too much credence to suggestions that the number of teenagers identifying with a gender different to the one assigned at birth — 300,000 in the United States, according to one study — is the result of a social trend or fad. The activists also accuse the paper of focusing too much on the idea that some people regret transitioning. “Our complaint is about editorial bias,” Jo Livingstone, a 35-year-old literary critic who co-authored the letter and identifies by the pronouns they and them, told AFP. “It’s not necessarily about each individual article,” Livingstone said. “But about where the NYT is placing emphasis and resources over time. It’s a cumulative phenomenon of bias.” A. G. Sulzberger, the Times’s chairman and publisher, backed staff in a speech Thursday. He said they had “documented the worrying wave of anti-trans legislation advancing in statehouses across the country” and “detailed the horrific violence and discrimination trans people face.” Times journalists have also defended their right to highlight debates within the scientific community about treatments. “Our duty is to be independent,” dozens of editorial staff wrote in a letter to their union, reported by Vanity Fair. “We pursue the facts wherever they may lead. We are journalists, not activists. That line should be clear,” they added. ‘Complicated’ The campaign against the Times aims to influence news angles taken by the paper, which is a huge player in the American media and political scene and boasts around ten million subscribers to its website. The debate comes within the context of several conservative-run states having passed laws banning care and treatment for transgender adolescents. GLAAD notes that some Times articles have been used by elected officials in Texas, Alabama and Arkansas to argue their case. “The New York Times could always be better (but) I actually found their articles are trying to cover a very complicated subject, and showing more than one side of the story,” said Jack Drescher, a clinical psychiatry professor at Columbia University known for his work on gender identity. However, he warns against a tendency to portray issues as controversial when they are not. “In the United States, the medical community is clearly on the side of transition services,” said Drescher. “This is a clinical issue that has become a culture war issue,” he added. For its part, the New York Times appears committed to providing space for differing views. Two days after GLAAD criticized the Times, the paper published an opinion piece by its columnist Pamela Paul entitled “In Defence of J.K. Rowling.” The article said accusations of transphobia against the Harry Potter author were unfair. The following day it published mixed reactions from readers. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Gram Slattery, Tim Reid and Alexandra Ulmer LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – In Las Vegas, Nevada, Republican activists want to recapture the party from a local leader who backs former President Donald Trump’s false election fraud claims. In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a battle for control of the local Republican party’s assets has wound up in court. In North Carolina, party activists are seeking to punish Republican Senator Thom Tillis for his support for same-sex marriage rights. As the 2024 presidential race kicks into gear, local Republican party organizations in many parts of the United States are consumed by rebellions, infighting and court battles that some officials and strategists said could damage the party’s chances of winning back the White House. Reuters spoke to more than 50 operatives, activists and party officials in competitive states Arizona, Georgia and Nevada, which Trump narrowly lost in 2020; North Carolina, which he won; and in the key early primary state of South Carolina. Nevada also holds an early presidential nominating contest. While Republican divisions in Congress have been widely covered, Reuters looked at grassroots battles, especially in the small handful of states that remain truly competitive, that have not been closely examined. Some strategists and officials warned the spectacle of a party at war with itself in electoral battlegrounds and early primary states risks turning off voters and donors. “The degree to which we can manage this will determine how well our presidential candidate does,” said Maurice Washington, the chair of the Republican Party in South Carolina’s Charleston County, a regular campaign stop for presidential candidates, and himself a target of right-wing challengers. “There’s always that potential of behavior patterns turning off middle-of-the-road voters,” Washington said. Although it is too early in the election cycle to see a direct impact of these fights, and these feuds could subside once a presidential nominee is chosen, Ronna McDaniel, the head of the Republican National Committee, the party’s central governing body, has called for unity. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic who left office in January after serving two terms as the Republican governor of Maryland, told Reuters it was crucial for the party to move beyond the former president if it wanted to win the 2024 elections. Democrats outperformed expectations and avoided a Republican “red wave” in the November 2022 midterm elections, in part because voters shunned a slew of Trump-backed, hard-right candidates. “Voters sent a clear message in the last three elections: they want competence and common sense solutions, not more crazy,” Hogan said. “If we want to start winning again, then we have to start listening.” Not everyone agrees. North Carolina State Representative Mark Brody, who supports censuring Sen. Tillis, says it is better to address differences directly. “I think one of the things that we fight against is that there is a tendency to say: Maybe we should just leave this alone. One side says: don’t bring this up because some people might turn away,” he said. “My side is: Let’s address that, and let’s set the record straight.” IN NEVADA, A PARTY REVOLT In Nevada’s Clark County, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the state’s population, Margaret White, a former chief of staff for county Republicans, is leading about 50 current and former party members in a rebellion against the current county party leader Jesse Law in the swing state. White said that Law’s support for Trump’s false election fraud claims and his backing for far-right candidates in last November’s midterm elections are damaging Republicans’ prospects in 2024. Most state and local candidates backed by Law lost in the midterms. The activists filed paperwork last month to launch a non-profit organization called “Las Vegas Voices of Reason.” White and Drew Hirsty, the county party member who made the filing, told Reuters that formalizing the structure will allow them to raise funds among independent voters as well as Republicans. The group is contacting 400 Republicans, who resigned or were expelled from the party since Law took over in 2021, asking them to register to vote so they can remove him in the summer leadership contest, White said. “We want normal people in charge who can appeal to moderates, independents and minorities, and that’s not Jesse Law,” White told Reuters. White said the party needs to appeal to a broader set of voters; otherwise it will keep losing elections. About half of White’s core group of 50 are Black, Hispanic or Asian, reflecting the diverse demographics of Nevada. Law backed several far right candidates that lost in November’s midterms. Law, who served as a senior member of Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns in Nevada, and the county party did not respond to requests for comment. John Bruchhagen, a Republican podcaster who says he is friends with people in both factions, said Law has worked hard to boost voter turnout and promote candidates but has an “impossible” job because the local party has become so factionalized. The fighting in Clark County escalated in January when White was involved in a standoff with party members at the county party’s central committee meeting in Las Vegas. White, who quit her post last year in protest at Law’s leadership, showed up with two bodyguards, one of whom was retired Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Randy Sutton, who told Reuters he carried a concealed firearm to the meeting. White was ordered to leave by a security guard. Sutton told Reuters he was challenged to a fight by one Republican at the meeting who was part of a group that objected to White’s presence. Law and the county party did not respond to questions about the standoff. ARIZONA: A BID TO CHANGE PRIMARY RULES In Arizona, a former conservative stronghold that is now a swing state, a group of Republicans dismayed by hard-right candidates who deny the 2020 election are raising money and gathering signatures to force a referendum on an amendment to the state constitution that would open primary elections to all voters, according to Beau Lane, a Republican businessman who is involved in the effort. Lane, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Arizona Secretary of State last year, said his Save Democracy AZ group wants more moderate, less polarizing figures to emerge from the primary process. SOUTH CAROLINA: FIGHTING OVER PARTY ASSETS In one of South Carolina’s most populous counties, a breakaway far-right faction of the party led by Roger Slagle and Chad Caton who support the former president’s false claims of election fraud, reject candidates they say are insufficiently conservative. These include former two-term South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who announced in February she was running for president; South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who is widely expected to run for the presidency as well; and the former Vice President Mike Pence. When the party prepared to host Pence at an event – which the former vice-president subsequently canceled – Caton criticized the effort in a text message to Reuters as part of a “plan to push Trump out.” Scott’s office declined to comment. Ken Farnaso, a spokesperson for Haley, did not respond to a request for comment. HAVE REQUESTED PENCE COMMENT The split dates back to last September when Slagle and his allies briefly quit the party but maintained control of the county party’s website, bank account, and folding tables and chairs. A judge last month ordered Slagle’s group to hand over the chairs. Both sides acknowledge a legal fight over the bank account is likely. “Is it something you want to spend party funds on? No,” said Reese Boyd III, who is the recognized party county leader. “We’re all inside the big tent, and we’re shooting machine guns at one another. It’s not productive for anyone.” CENSURE FOR NORTH CAROLINA SENATOR In North Carolina, Republican party committees in about a third of the state’s counties have voted to censure Republican Senator Tillis for his support for same-sex marriage rights. They are now seeking a state-wide condemnation, which would block Tillis’s access to party resources and funds in a potential Senate primary. Although Tillis retains support among the party establishment, Jim Womack, a county party chair, says the Senator’s critics are gaining strength. “The North Carolina Republican party will eventually be decentralized to the point where the grassroots will actually run the party,” Womack said. Tillis did not respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Gram Slattery in Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Tim Reid in Las Vegas and Alexandra Ulmer in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Hillsdale, Michigan. Editing by Ross Colvin and Suzanne Goldenberg) View the full article

Published by Raw Story A man appointed to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Disney oversight board has a history of making anti-LGBTQ comments, including a claim that tap water could be turning people gay, CNN reported. Ron Peri, an Orlando-based former pastor and the CEO of a Christian ministry, is one of five people who will oversee the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the government body that has given Disney unique powers in Central Florida for more than half a century, according to CNN. In a January 2022 Zoom call, Ron Peri asked, “So why are there homosexuals today?” “There are any number of reasons, you know, that … Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet In a largely-empty room at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, now running against her former boss for the Republican presidential nomination, told base voters that Donald Trump lost the last election, and Republicans have lost the popular vote in the last seven out of eight presidential elections, America is not racist, and “wokeness is a virus” more dangerous than COVID. Haley’s campaign is built on numerous falsehoods she apparently believes will resonate enough with the base that Trump built that she can grab the nomination. “America is not… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Parents would be allowed to kidnap their children and take them out of state if they are receiving gender-affirming care or are considered “at risk” of receiving such care under a proposed Florida law, Vice News reports. Under the bill Republican state Sen. Clay Yarborough introduced Friday, any court could intervene if a child is receiving gender-affirming care, the report said. The bill is part of a package of so-called “parental empowerment and child safety legislation” that includes a ban on instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity for students through Grade 8, and requiring li… Read More View the full article