Australian cricketer Maxwell to miss World Cup match with a concussion after falling off golf cart
Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell will miss his team’s Cricket World Cup match against England on Saturday after sustaining a concussion from falling off a golf cart
2023-11-02 08:59
Brewers survive for 7-5 victory after withstanding Phillies' 9th-inning comeback attempt
Carlos Santana had a two-run homer, Mark Canha doubled twice and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 on Saturday
2023-09-03 10:31
All of the claims made against Lizzo, and why they matter
Since her breakthrough album in 2019, Lizzo has been a vocal advocate of body positivity and self love – but now the pop star has been hit with a lawsuit claiming that she weight-shamed her backing dancers. The singer, real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson, is also facing claims of sexual harassment, and of creating a hostile work environment via racial and religious harassment, in a suit filed by three of her backing dancers. The claims, which are not all against Lizzo personally, have taken many fans by surprise. The singer has not commented on the allegations. Here are the details, and why they matter. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Who is making the claims? Two of the claimants are Arianna Davis and another former dancer, Crystal Williams, who began performing with Lizzo after competing on her Amazon reality show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, in 2021. They were fired earlier this year, the suit says. The third dancer involved in the lawsuit, Noelle Rodriguez, was hired the same year after performing in the video for “Rumors”. She resigned earlier this year. What are the claims? The suit accuses Lizzo of calling attention to the weight of one of her dancers, Arianna Davis, after an appearance at South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in 2022. The singer allegedly told the dancer that she seemed “less committed” to her job. The suit describes the comment as a “thinly veiled” concern about Davis’ weight. Amsterdam strip club incident Earlier this year, the suit claims, Lizzo and her dancers went to an Amsterdam strip club called Bananenbar, where the singer allegedly “began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas”. Lizzo then allegedly pressured Davis to touch one of the strippers’ breasts. Davis eventually did, despite being “visibly uncomfortable”, the suit says. A week later, after a performance in Paris, Lizzo allegedly invited her dancers to a club so they could “learn something”, but failed to mention that it was a “nude cabaret bar”. The suit described the performance as “artful,” but the dancers were “shocked that Lizzo would conceal the nature of the event from them, robbing them of the choice not to participate”. Racial harassment claims The racial harassment claim is aimed at comments made by employees of Lizzo’s touring company, which the suit describes as “charged with racial and fat-phobic animus”. The former dancers say they asked to be paid for their downtime at 50 per cent of their weekly pay, but an accountant allegedly declined, offering half of that and calling their request “unacceptable and disrespectful”. “Only the dance cast — comprised of full-figured women of color — were ever spoken to in this manner,” the suit said. ‘Religious harassment’ Meanwhile, Lizzo’s dance captain Shirlene Quigley allegedly harassed the dancers with her religious beliefs. According to the suit, she preached her Christianity and “took every opportunity to proselytize to any and all in her presence regardless of protestations”. After discovering that Davis was a virgin, Quigley discussed the subject in interviews and posted about it on social media, the suit says. When cast members asked her to stop pressuring Rodriguez – who Quigley regarded as a “non-believer,” according to the suit – about her faith, Quigley responded: “No job and no one will stop me from talking about the Lord”. Fractious firings Two of the dancers were fired in April and May 2023. According to the suit, Williams lost her job first, after speaking up in a meeting where Lizzo had allegedly claimed the dancers were drinking before performances. The previous day, Lizzo had forced the group to audition for their jobs again, which resulted in an “excruciating” 12-hour rehearsal. Five days later, on April 26, Lizzo’s tour manager fired Williams in a hotel lobby, the suit says, putting the move down to budget cuts. The suit noted that nobody else was fired in that instance. The next day, Lizzo allegedly raised the incident with the dancers in a meeting, telling them she had “eyes and ears everywhere”. The suit continues that Davis recorded the meeting on her phone, which made Lizzo “furious” when she later found out. When Davis told the singer she hadn’t meant any harm, Lizzo allegedly responded “There is nothing you can say to make me believe you,” and fired Davis. Before Lizzo left the meeting, Rodriguez then told her that she felt disrespected and would resign. As she left, the singer allegedly raised both her middle fingers and yelled a slur. Why it matters Lizzo has long been a beacon of hope for the body positivity movement, and has spoken out against bullying multiple times in public. Earlier this year, she said online videos which fat shamed her were “starting to make me hate the world.” “I’m tired of explaining myself all the time,” she added. She also said that all the talk of her weight made her feel like quitting her music career. Meanwhile, songs including the hit 'Good As Hell' feature lyrics about valuing oneself, which has prompted Lizzo's live performances to be themed around boundless positivity. That is why the claims have taken fans aback. The dancers’ lawyer, Rob Zambrano, said: “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing.” The lawsuit doesn’t say whether Lizzo knew about the behaviour of Quigley, the dance captain. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-08-02 17:01
Eberechi Eze warmly greets England staff and asks their names as he arrives after call-up
Eberechi Eze warmly greeted England staff and asked each person for their name as he arrived for training after call-up. The Crystal Palace star, 24, could make his international debut against Malta on Friday 16 June, or could feature against North Macedonia at Wembley next Monday. Eze was previously denied a spot in England’s Euro 2020 squad after picking up an anchilles injury ahead of the tournament. “I know without setbacks and difficult moments it’s hard to grow and be the person I am today,” he said of previous injuries, after his call-up. “I look back at those memories fondly because I know it has helped shape who I am.” Read More Watch: Lionel Messi and Argentina team bus pulls up alongside delighted driver Grealish says he hasn’t slept for 24 hours as he revels in Man City victory parade Manchester City players take top off during Champions League victory parade
2023-06-14 23:48
Heartbeat sensors on shopping trolleys 'could save lives', new study suggests
New findings have suggested that adding sensors to supermarket trolleys could save people’s lives. Scientists investigated whether installing electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors – designed to check the heart’s rhythm – on the handles of supermarket, trolleys could identify shoppers with atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. The sensors would detect heart conditions that put them at increased risk of stroke. The researchers said that over the course of two months, they identified 39 people who were unaware that they had the condition. Ian Jones, professor of cardiovascular nursing at Liverpool John Moores University, who led the study, said: “That’s 39 people at greater risk of stroke who received a cardiologist appointment.” He added: “This study shows the potential of taking health checks to the masses without disrupting daily routines.” It is estimated that around 1.5 million people in the UK have atrial fibrillation, contributing to one in five strokes. The condition is treatable, but at least another 270,000 people in the UK remain undiagnosed and unaware, according to the British Heart Foundation. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter There are wearable devices that can also spot irregular heartbeat but this would also require people to take responsibility and wear the device. Professor Jones said: “Nearly two-thirds of the shoppers we approached were happy to use a trolley, and the vast majority of those who declined were in a rush rather than wary of being monitored. “This shows that the concept is acceptable to most people and worth testing in a larger study.” He added: “Checking for atrial fibrillation while people do their regular shopping holds promise for preventing strokes and saving lives. “A crucial aspect is providing immediate access to a health professional who can explain the findings and refer patients on for confirmatory tests and medication if needed.” The findings were presented at ACNAP 2023 conference organised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-06-25 16:48
'Succession' Season 4: Viewers predict [SPOILER] will die in Episode 9 after a scathing promo
The devastating preview for Episode 9 has made people believe that a major 'Succession' character is going to die a brutal death
2023-05-16 11:15
Trump dubs Russia coup a ‘big mess’ as fellow presidential candidates weigh in on Wagner rebellion
Former president Donald Trump referred to the armed rebellion in Russia as a “big mess” on Saturday as insurgent leader Yevgeny Prigozhin turned his Wagner paramilitary forces away from Moscow. “A big mess in Russia, but be careful what you wish for. Next in may be far worse!” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. In a separate post, he appeared to invoke news of the latest threats in Russia to baselessly accuse President Joe Biden and his son Hunter of “illegally” collecting money from China and asserting that his rival will “do about Russia whatever President Xi” wants. He went on to claim that the latest assault provides an “unthinkable opportunity” for China to seize “large portions” of Russia. Mr Trump’s rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential race also weighed in on the Wagner crisis which unfolded rapidly on Saturday. By the end of the day, Prigozhin had ordered his forces to halt their march towards Moscow in what Russian officials called an attempted coup. “This is one more piece of evidence that Russia is likely a paper tiger,” GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy alleged in an interview with Fox News. “The idea that Russia has the capabilities that go for Poland or other parts of Western Europe looks increasingly farcical.” Mr Ramaswamy said China remains a “top threat” and the US should remain focused on “deterring Chinese aggression”. He added that if elected president he would urge Russia to end its war in Ukraine on the condition that Russian President Vladmir Putin distance himself from Chinese President Xi Jinping. Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, another long-shot candidate for the GOP nomination, called on the US to help Ukraine implement a no-fly zone to protect the country in the event of an outbreak of civil war in Russia. “In complicated times when our adversaries are trying to displace us as a superpower, it’s common sense to defend the global order that has benefited us and to help our allies,” he tweeted. “Ukraine is not a territorial dispute and Vladimir Putin is a war criminal,” he added. “It shouldn’t be hard to admit this. Even the villainous [Yevgeny] Prigozhin knows this.” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, another long-shot candidate for the 2024 nomination, called on “peace-loving people around the world” to pray for the “freedom-loving people of Russia.” “The next few days will be crucial,” he wrote on Twitter. “Please pray for God to protect the innocent.” Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris along with cabinet officials and top national security officials were briefed on the crisis throughout the day, according to the White House. The president also spoke with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron, and German chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss the situation and “affirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine,” according to a White House readout of the call. Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Prigozhin calls off Wagner coup on Moscow as Kremlin denies Putin has fled Trump news – live: Trump calls Russia coup ‘a big mess’ in rambling statement
2023-06-25 05:23
Thrift store chain case was no bargain for Washington attorney general; legal fees top $4.2 million
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s long-running legal case against the thrift store chain Savers Value Village turned out to be no bargain, as the state has been ordered to pay the company nearly $4.3 million in legal fees
2023-10-19 05:31
Internet dubs 'The Kardashians' star Kylie Jenner's son, Aire, 1, as Stormi's 'twin': 'It's uncanny'
Kylie Jenner shared pictures with her son on July 14 and he looked adorable in a white t-shirt and beige jeans
2023-07-15 09:59
Step up your Halloween game with these tricked-out picks
Everybody loves Halloween — and for good reason. You don’t have to buy any gifts,
2023-09-12 06:14
Warzone 2 TimTheTatman and NICKMERCS Operators Datamined
According to data miners, TimTheTatman and Nickmercs Operators are allegedly coming to Warzone 2 at some point in the future of Call of Duty.
1970-01-01 08:00
Signos Announces Series B Funding Round of $20 Million
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 24, 2023--
2023-10-24 18:01
You Might Like...
CEOs Urge EU to Clear Red Tape Bogging Down Bloc’s Green Shift
'No Labels' movement says it could offer bipartisan presidential ticket in 2024
Ford recalls over 125,000 SUVs, trucks over fire risk - NHTSA
On this day in history, September 7, 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur shot multiple times in drive-by shooting in Las Vegas
Fred appears to confirm new Man Utd signing
Winfrey teams with Arthur C. Brooks on book about happiness
Homer Simpson's best meme has been turned into an Adidas trainer
Historic UK codebreaking base to host 'world first' AI safety summit
