Kelly Clarkson wows in white at Rockefeller Center's Christmas Tree Lighting event as fans obsess over her fur trimmed coat
Kelly performed two songs, one of which was her song 'Underneath the Tree'
2023-11-30 16:28
Donald Trump to appear by video as judge reinforces ban on attacking witnesses
The judge in Donald Trump’s criminal case is holding a hybrid hearing Tuesday to make sure that the former president is aware of new rules barring him from using evidence to attack witnesses
2023-05-23 12:16
Republican blockade of Ukraine aid and Slovakia's election play into Putin's hands
Republicans opposed to the US funding Ukraine's lifeline against Russia scored their first major success when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy didn't include a $6 billion request for aid in a stopgap bill that averted a government shutdown.
2023-10-02 17:59
World not ready yet to 'switch off' fossil fuels, COP28 host UAE says
By Valerie Volcovici and Leah Douglas WASHINGTON The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday that countries should agree
2023-05-10 05:51
Hawaii economists say Lahaina locals could be priced out of rebuilt town without zoning changes
Economists in Hawaii warn that residents who survived the wildfire that destroyed much of the Maui community of Lahaina might not be able to afford to live there after it is rebuilt unless officials alter the zoning laws and make other changes
2023-09-23 06:27
Oklahoma governor blocks funding to PBS station over LGBT+ characters
Oklahoma’s governor is joining the messaging war against gay, lesbian and transgender Americans with an announcement on Monday that he would veto a bill set to fund the state’s PBS station through 2026. Kevin Stitt made the news on Friday, and expanded on his decision in an interview with Fox News. He told the right-wing network that Oklahoma’s local PBS station OETA was responsible for the “sexualization” of children. “OETA, to us, is an outdated system. You know, the big, big question is why are we spending taxpayer dollars to prop up or compete with the private sector and run television stations? And then when you go through all of the programing that's happening and the indoctrination and over-sexualization of our children, it's just really problematic, and it doesn't line up with Oklahoma values," he said. “I mean, some of the programming that we're seeing… it just doesn't need to be on public television.” he continued. “Oklahoma taxpayers are going, 'Hey, hang on, time out for just a second. That's not my values.” His office provided numerous examples of supposedly objectionable instances of PBS programming to Fox News. Some were typical of the recent anti-transgender panic: A reading of The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish by drag queen Little Miss Hot Mess, while others were more in line with the typical efforts by conservative Republicans to paint any mention of LGBT persons as “propaganda” in support of some sinister political agenda. In that vein, the governor’s office took issue with a PBS Newshour segment where persons who supported the use of puberty blockers were interviewed, as well as a depiction of a same-sex marriage on the show Odd Squad. He argued that the prevalence of digital technology in contemporary life made the concept of a publicly-funded broadcast channel obsolete. Republicans have long made that argument from a government spending standpoint. During the 2012 presidential election, funding for PBS was among the federal programs that would-be president Mitt Romney would have cut had he defeated then-President Barack Obama. At the time, the Obama campaign savaged Mr Romney over his suggestion. “There’s so much television, there’s so much media,” the governor told Fox News. “Maybe in 1957 you could have made an argument that you needed a public television station. That’s totally outdated at this point.” His critics, including some Republicans, argue that his explanation displayed a critical lack of understanding regarding rural life in his home state. “Our broadcast towers are how we inform a lot of rural Oklahoma about disasters like tornadoes and thunderstorms,” said Kenneth Busby, a board member of Friends of OETA and CEO of the Route 66 Alliance. His concerns were highlighted on an MSNBC segment hosted by Joy Reid over the weekend. Mr Stitt dismissed concerns that rural Oklahomans without access to cable news or internet would be adversely affected by a cut to the channel’s broadcast infrastructure. Oklahoma is largely enveloped by an informal section of the American midwest known as “Tornado Alley”, where particularly violent storms are known to form with regularity. "All those towers and our communications, that's all owned by the state and whether we continue to fund an outdated public television station with taxpayer dollars, or we let the free market work, we're still going to have the same capabilities, the same assets, the same towers," he said. "Our DPS system is what rolls out the Amber Alerts, for example. None of that's going away," the governor continued. "So that's just people confusing the issue, not being clear with their mission, trying to make excuses of why the tax dollars should still fund this outdated system. His effort to make his own personal contribution in the campaign to smear content that features LGBT persons or supports their basic rights as the “sexualization of our children” doesn’t appear to be headed for success. If it does, members of his own party (not to mention Democrats) say it will hurt the state’s Department of Public Safety — specifically, the state’s early emergency alert system. A number of Republicans are reportedly against the governor’s veto and told local publication Tulsa World that they plan to override the veto. Doing so would take two-thirds of Oklahoma’s legislature, which leans heavily Republican. The state House speaker and president of the Senate both say they support OETA’s funding. The Oklahoma Senate Pro Tem, Greg Treat, told Tulsa World that he had been reprimanded by his predecessor over his support for a previous attempt to cut OETA’s funds, and was informed at the time about OETA’s importance for the state’s early warning system. “Ever since then, I have supported its continuation,” he told the publication. Read More Turkey’s Erdogan attacks ‘pro-LGBT’ opposition in tight election race To improve kids' mental health, some schools start later Lewis Hamilton criticises Florida’s anti-LBGTQ measures ahead of Miami Grand Prix LOCALIZE IT: States push raises to address teacher shortages Supreme Court blocks Richard Glossip’s execution in Oklahoma Drag queen fronting US Navy’s recruitment drive claps back at critics: ‘They only hate when you’re winning’
2023-05-09 00:48
Lisa Rinna cheers on daughter Amelia Gray as she walks for Versace, fans call it her 'mini-me moment'
As Amelia Gray wowed the Versace runway, Lisa Rinna stood proudly in support
2023-05-24 08:59
Witness in Trump documents case reached deal with prosecutors, ex-attorney says
By Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON A key witness in the case accusing former U.S. President Donald Trump of mishandling
2023-09-07 00:51
UK Migration Soars to Record Despite Sunak’s Vow to Cut Arrivals
The UK said a record number of migrants arrived last year, a trend that lays bare the divides
2023-05-25 18:45
Idaho murders – latest: Suspect Bryan Kohberger refuses to enter plea over quadruple student stabbings
Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger refused to enter a plea at his arraignment on four counts of first-degree murder and burglary. The 28-year-old criminology PhD student’s arraignment was scheduled for 9am PT in Latah County Court in Moscow, Idaho. Mr Kohberger was expected to enter a plea but instead his attorney Anne Taylor said that he was “standing silent” on the charges, leaving the judge to enter not guilty pleas on his behalf. Mr Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on 13 November in a horror attack that rocked the college town of Moscow and sent shockwaves across America. The four victims were stabbed to death in an off-campus home that the three women shared with two surviving roommates. Six weeks later, Mr Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania on 30 December. Investigators say that Mr Kohberger’s DNA was found on a knife sheath left behind at the crime scene. A white Hyundai Elantra – matching his – was also captured on surveillance footage driving away from the area at the time of the murders. Read More Bryan Kohberger’s sister searched his car for evidence before police swooped in There was a glaring mistake at the Idaho murders hearing Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders Who is Bryan Kohberger? The criminology graduate being arraigned over the Idaho college murders
2023-05-24 15:15
At recovery summit, UK's Sunak to unveil major Ukraine support
LONDON British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will unveil a major package for Ukraine, including $3 billion of additional
2023-06-21 06:16
Cambodia election: 'This was more of a coronation than an election'
Prime Minister Hun Sen's son is expected to take over within weeks of the vote.
2023-07-23 23:54
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