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Sam Golbach and Katrina Stuart's break-up left many fans shocked
2023-05-21 18:57

Brighton's Premier League hopes could be in serious jeopardy
Brighton were the darling team of the 2022/23 Premier League season, but they will need to show even more grit this season if they want to remain in European competition.
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Meta slapped with record $1.3 billion EU data privacy fine
Meta has been fined a record-breaking €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) by European regulators for transferring data belonging to Facebook's EU users to servers in the United States.
2023-05-22 17:49

Famed restaurant Hamburger Mary’s sues Florida over DeSantis drag ban hurting business
A famous drag show restaurant has filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis, claiming a bill that prohibits children’s attendance at drag shows has hurt its business and is a violation of the First Amendment. Hamburger Mary’s Orlando, a franchise location of the drag show restaurant chain Hamburger Mary’s, is alleging that the state of Florida, “Seeks to explicitly restrict or chill speech and expression protected by the First Amendment” in a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida on Monday. The lawsuit pertains to SB 1438, nicknamed the Protection of Children, which allows for criminal penalties against a food service establishment for admitting children to “an adult live performance.” The bill, which was signed into law by Mr DeSantis last week, prohibits children from attending adult live performances or the establishment can face fines, have their license suspended or revoked and their liquor license suspended or revoked. Hamburger Mary’s Orlando offers “family friendly” drag performances on Sundays, which they say have been greatly affected by the passage of SB 1438. “This bill has nothing to do with children, and everything to do with the continued oppression of the LGBTQ+ community,” Hamburger Mary’s Orlando wrote in a Facebook post. In the lawsuit, Hamburger Mary’s Orlando said “immediately” after the bill passed, 20 per cent of their bookings were cancelled for the 21 May 2023 show as well as future bookings despite the performances being “family friendly.” Hamburger Mary’s Orlando is alleging in the lawsuit that the bill does not serve a compelling governmental interest and is too vague, thus violating the restaurant’s First Amendment right to freedom of expression. “The law and anticipation of it has had a chilling effect on free speech in Florida,” the lawsuit says. The lawsuit names Mr DeSantis, the state of Florida, as well as Melanie Griffin, the Secretary of the State Department of Business and Professional Regulation for Florida, as defendants. The recent Protection of Children bill defines “adult live performance” as any presentation in front of a live audience where a part of it depicts sexual activity, sexual conduct, nudity, lewd exposure, lewd conduct, prosthetic or imitation genitals and more. Hamburger Mary’s Orlando claims, “There is no lewd activity, sexually explicit shows, disorderly conduct, public exposure, obscene exhibition, or anything inappropriate for a child to see” in their family-friendly brunches. The restaurant claims several undercover agents visited a drag brunch in December and did not witness “any lewd acts” that were inappropriate for children. Hamburger Mary’s Orlando is also alleging that the state of Florida has not provided examples of specific conduct that is harmful to children. “The uncertainty about what specific conduct this law prohibits, as well as the threat of police surveillance and criminal charges, is precisely what concerns the Plaintiff in this case,” the lawsuit says. Instead, Hamburger Mary’s Orlando believes this is another example of conservative leaders trying to restrict LGBT+ inclusivity in communities. “Anytime our legislators want to demonize a group, they say they are coming for your children. In this case, creating a false narrative that drag queens are grooming and recruiting your children with no factual basis or history to back up these accusations AT ALL,” Hamburger Mary’s Orlando wrote on Facebook. “They are setting a precedent that the state legislators [sic] can decide what is best for you based on THEIR own values and convictions, and write it into law,” Hamburger Mary’s Orlando added. The Independent has reached out to Hamburger Mary’s Orlando and Mr DeSantis’ office for comment. Read More Why are drag shows being targeted by the state of Tennessee and other republicans? Tampa Pride event cancelled over Ron DeSantis’ latest anti-LGBT+ laws Pride events cancelled across Florida due to ‘climate of fear’ after DeSantis’s anti-LGBT+ laws A famous restaurant chain has sued Florida over DeSantis’s drag ban Florida school bans poem recited by Amanda Gorman at Biden inauguration AP News Digest 3:10 am
2023-05-24 17:29

Hong Kong leader says 8 overseas activists will be 'pursued for life'
By James Pomfret and Donny Kwok HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said on Tuesday eight overseas-based
2023-07-04 10:49

Rape victim featured in ad reemerges as focal point of abortion debate in Kentucky governor's race
Republican Daniel Cameron has expressed sympathy for a woman who discussed the trauma of being raped by her stepfather in a campaign ad
2023-10-05 05:29

Prince Harry, Meghan involved in car chase while being followed by photographers
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan says the couple were involved in a car chase while being followed by photographers
2023-05-17 22:48

Bellingham's efforts lead to 2 goals in Real Madrid's 3-2 win at Serie A champion Napoli
Jude Bellingham’s efforts produced two goals during an eight-minute stretch of the first half in Real Madrid’s 3-2 win at Serie A champion Napoli in the Champions League
2023-10-04 05:52

Natural history museum closes because of chemicals in taxidermy collection
A South Dakota museum is closing after almost 40 years over concerns that the chemicals in its taxidermy collection could endanger visitors and staff
2023-08-19 06:56

'What's a Uyghur?': Miami mayor and 2024 GOP hopeful Suarez fumbles question on China
Miami mayor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Francis Suarez indicated in an interview on Tuesday that he was unfamiliar with the plight of Uyghur Muslims, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in China whose treatment has been the subject of worldwide condemnation for years.
2023-06-28 01:59

3 St. Louis Cardinals rotation targets who made the postseason
The St. Louis Cardinals need pitching, and these three starters from playoff teams could be fits
2023-10-06 00:26

Iowa city hires outside firms to investigate partial building collapse
Two firms have been tasked with investigating the partial collapse of a six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, that left three dead, many injured and dozens displaced
2023-06-15 01:55
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