Netflix suspends 'House of Cards' production

Yahoo – AFP, Jennie MATTHEW, October 31, 2017

Netflix's announcement came two days after actor Anthony Rapp alleged Kevin 

Spacey made a "sexual advance" when he was a 14-year-old boy more than 

30 years ago (AFP Photo/Nicholas Kamm)

New York (AFP) - Production of award-winning "House of Cards" sixth season has been suspended indefinitely in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against its star Kevin Spacey, Netflix announced Tuesday.

The suspension was "until further notice, to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew," said producer Media Rights Capital and the streaming giant in a joint statement.

Season six, which Netflix had already confirmed on Monday would be the final edition of its flagship production, had been scheduled to air in 2018. It is not yet known whether this will change.

The move came two days after actor Anthony Rapp alleged double Oscar winner Spacey made a "sexual advance" when he was a 14-year-old boy more than 30 years ago, speaking out in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Spacey, 58, came under a torrent of criticism over the claims and for appearing to deflect the story by finally confirming that he is gay -- an open secret in Hollywood for years.

On Monday, Netflix and MRC said they were "deeply troubled" by the allegations against Spacey, who was not currently scheduled to be on set.

"In response to last night's revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported," the statement said.

In London, The Old Vic theatre -- where Spacey was artistic director from 2004-2015 -- said Tuesday it was "deeply dismayed" by the allegations levied against Spacey and called on anyone connected to the institution who may have a complaint to get in touch.

"Inappropriate behavior by anyone working at The Old Vic is completely unacceptable," it said. "We aim to foster a safe and supportive environment without prejudice, harassment or bullying of any sort, at any level."

Spacey apology

Rapp, 46, told Buzzfeed that in 1986, while both he and Spacey were performing on Broadway, Spacey invited the then 14-year-old to a party at his New York home. Spacey would have been 26 at the time.

Rapp said he was in Spacey's bedroom watching TV when Spacey, apparently drunk, came in after all the other guests had left, and lay on top of him.

"He was trying to seduce me," Rapp told Buzzfeed. "I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."

Rapp said he squirmed free after a brief period of time and went into the bathroom, before leaving Spacey's apartment and going home.

Spacey posted on his Twitter account that he was "beyond horrified" by Rapp's revelation, which he claimed not to remember before apologizing.

"I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior," Spacey wrote.

He went on to say that Rapp's accusation "encouraged me to address other things about my life," and that "I know that there are stories out there about me."

"I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior," Spacey wrote.

Some reports have suggested that Spacey may face other accusers.

Rapp said he felt compelled to speak out after the recent accusations against disgraced Hollywood mogul Weinstein sparked an examination of abuses committed by powerful men in the entertainment industry.

S.African pair jailed for forcing black man into coffin

Yahoo – AFP, Maryke VERMAAK, October 27, 2017

Willem Oosthuizen, left, and Theo Jackson filmed themselves forcing a black
man into a coffin and threatening to burn him alive (AFP Photo/WIKUS DE WET)

Middelburg (South Africa) (AFP) - A South African judge on Friday handed down jail terms of 19 and 16 years to two white farmers who filmed themselves forcing a black man into a coffin and threatening to burn him alive.

Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson, who both shifted nervously in the dock, laid their heads on the bench after their sentencing while female family members wept in the public gallery.

"The conduct of the accused was most dehumanising and disgusting," said judge Segopotje Mphahlele, handing down sentence in the High Court sitting in Middelburg, 165 kilometres (100 miles) east of Johannesburg.

They had pleaded not guilty over the incident last year in the eastern province of Mpumalanga, saying they only intended to scare Victor Mlotshwa whom they accused of stealing copper cables from their farm.

They were convicted on August 25 of attempted murder as well as kidnap, intimidation and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Oosthuizen, 29, was sentenced to a 16-year term with five years suspended, while Jackson, 30, was jailed for 19 years, with five also suspended.

"The most appalling act of the accused was to put the complainant in a coffin against his will," said Mphahlele.

"Whilst in the coffin they threatened to set it alight. They asked him how he wanted to die -- quickly or slowly."

The judge said it was not the first time that the men had forced someone into a coffin against their will, saying their behaviour "raised and fuelled racial tension" in South Africa.

'Lack of remorse'

The judge ruled that the convicted men could not appeal the sentence following a bid by their legal team.

A lawyer for the men, Wayne Gibbs, called the jail terms "shockingly inappropriate," arguing that they were a result of intense media attention and public pressure.

Two clips of footage taken on their mobile phones showed the assailants shoving Mlotshwa down into the wooden coffin and pressing the lid closed with their boots as he begged for mercy.

Victor Mlotshwa, pictured on Monday, begged for mercy as the two farmers

thrust him into a coffin and threatened to set it on fire (AFP Photo/WIKUS DE WET)

When the first phone footage emerged several months ago, it triggered national outrage and led to the arrest of the two men.

"Please don't kill me," Mlotshwa begged the men while in the coffin, the footage showed.

"Why shouldn't we, when you are killing our farm?" one of the convicted men replied.

Throughout the case, the men denied that their actions had caused the victim to fear for his life.

"The evidence of the accused and the conduct of the accused during their trial clearly displays a lack of remorse," said Mphahlele.

Mlotshwa was in court to hear the sentences against the two men, who had alleged that he had threatened to kill their families and burn farm crops before being forced into the coffin.

He said he was simply walking to the town of Middelburg to buy provisions for his mother and had decided to use a short cut when the two men spotted him.

On the phone footage, which was shown in court during the trial, one of the men said "Come, come. We want to throw the petrol on".

They are also seen threatening to put a snake in the coffin.

Mlotshwa, who sat in court directly behind the families of the convicted men, smiled following the sentencing.

Members of rival political parties -- including ruling African National Congress -- celebrated inside the courtroom and outside, where some activists held up a cardboard coffin to protest against the crime.

Others brandished placards emblazoned with slogans calling for lengthy sentences for the accused and for better treatment of labourers.

South Africa is beset by deep-rooted racial inequality 23 years after the end of white-minority rule and racist incidents regularly erupt on social media.

Workplace harassment blights industries across board

Yahoo – AFP, October 25, 2017

The Harvey Weinstein scandal illustrates the problem at its most extreme: the
disgraced Hollywood producer stands accused by around 40 actresses of charges
ranging from harassment to assault to rape (AFP Photo/STAFF)

New York (AFP) - Sexual harassment in the workplace is a global scourge. From sport to cuisine, from fashion to finance, here is a round-up of industries in the United States dogged by revelations in the wake of Harvey Weinstein's disgrace.

Cinema

Since early October, more than 50 women have accused the Hollywood mogul Weinstein of sexual misconduct ranging from inappropriate touching to rape and stretching back decades. His accusers include Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow.

This week actress Dominique Huett filed a lawsuit charging that The Weinstein Company was complicit in the abuse in knowing for years of its co-founder's "repeated acts of sexual misconduct with women."

Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon has said she was 16 when she was assaulted for the first time by an unnamed director, saying she felt "anger" at "the agents and the producers who made me feel that silence was a condition of my employment."

Dozens of accusations have been made against director James Toback for unwanted sexual encounters. Pop singer Bjork also said she was harassed by an unnamed director, saying "it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it".

Fashion

Conde Nast this week axed Terry Richardson, a 65-year-old New York photographer famed for sexually explicit images, effectively blacklisting his work from some of the biggest magazines in the world.

The media company acted only after a British newspaper called him the "Harvey Weinstein of fashion" despite the years of allegations.

US model Cameron Russell launched an Instagram campaign called #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse that swiftly garnered more than 70 anonymous accounts of abuse, lewd behavior and harassment.

Finance

Fidelity Investments, one of the biggest finance firms in the world, sacked two senior executives including one who ran a $16 billion tech fund, over sexual harassment allegations, it has emerged post-Weinstein.

The company is presided over by CEO Abigail Johnson, widely considered the most powerful woman in the male-dominated world of US finance.

"We simply will not, and do not, tolerate this type of behavior," a company spokesman told AFP by email.

Food

Celebrity chef John Besh, who fed world leaders and appeared on television, stepped down from his company on Monday following complaints of sexual harassment at his restaurants.

But he denied an abusive culture at his company where women alleged co-workers and supervisors engaged in unwanted touching, made inappropriate comments, and at times tried to coerce women for sex.

"The beginning of the end of institutionalized Meathead Culture in the restaurant business," tweeted celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain.

Media

Fox News has long been rocked by allegations that its late former chairman Roger Ailes and ex-star presenter Bill O'Reilly settled multiple allegations of sexual harassment brought by female colleagues.

The New York Times reported last week that O'Reilly, who has since been fired, settled one harassment claim for $32 million in January.

"What on Earth would justify that amount? What awfulness went on?" former Fox anchor Megyn Kelly said on her NBC morning show on Monday.

Leon Wieseltier, a prominent editor at The New Republic, apologized this week after women accused him of sexual harassment, The New York Times reported.

"I am ashamed to know that I made any of them feel demeaned and disrespected," he reportedly wrote.

Music

Shock rocker Marilyn Manson announced late Tuesday that he had "decided to part ways" with longtime band member Jeordie White, whose former girlfriend accused him of rape. "I wish him well," Manson tweeted, offering no further details.

Politics

Former US president George H.W. Bush, 93, issued an apology on Wednesday after an actress accused him of groping her from his wheelchair four years ago and telling a dirty joke with his wife Barbara by his side.

"President Bush would never -- under any circumstance -- intentionally cause anyone distress," said a spokesman.

An open letter is circulating in Illinois that, without naming individuals outlines incidents of powerful male politicians making inappropriate advances toward female staff in the midwestern state.

More than 140 female politicians and staffers signed a similar open letter in California last week.

In Europe, lawmakers debated ways to end all forms of sexual harassment and were due to vote on a resolution on the subject Thursday.

Sport

Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast McKayla Maroney revealed on October 18 that she was molested throughout her career, starting at the age of 13, by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.

Nassar, who is facing trial on more than 20 counts of assault, molested her at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, she said.

More than 350 gymnasts were reportedly abused, according to the Indianapolis Star and the scandal forced the resignation of USA Gymnastics chief Steve Penny earlier this year. 

Journalist murder sparks push to heal politically-polarised Malta

Yahoo – AFP, Robin MILLARD, October 22, 2017

Flowers and candles were placed at a shrine outside Valletta's Palace of Justice
(AFP Photo/Matthew Mirabelli)

Valletta (AFP) - Citizens mourning the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia are calling for Malta's deeply-ingrained tribal politics to be put aside so the shaken island nation can begin healing its wounds.

The initial shock at Monday's car bomb assassination is now turning into demands for a united front -- with tens of thousands, party allegiance aside, expected at a national rally on Sunday demanding justice for the journalist.

Caruana Galizia's anti-corruption blog shone a light into the murky corners of Maltese politics, rattling the Labour government -- and, more recently, their sworn enemies in the Nationalist opposition.

On Saturday, the government offered an award of 1 million euros ($1.2 million) for information leading to the arrest of those responsible, saying it was "fully committed to solving the murder" and to "bringing those responsible to justice".

"As we are seeing protests develop, we become aware of what has been fought for in terms of maintaining democracy," said Geraldine Spiteri, one of many paying her respects to Caruana Galizia at a growing tribute of flowers, candles and messages in Malta's capital Valletta.

"People in Malta politicise every issue," the lawyer said, citing the "deep-rooted tribal mentality, which is very worrying".

"But certain things go beyond that. I am encouraging people to attend on Sunday to show the powers that be, on both sides, that people are concerned."

Maltese politics is split between Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's centre-left Labour Party, and the centre-right Nationalists.

Family party loyalty is strong. Come election time, families can expect personal visits to ensure turnout. With votes pretty much secure, partisan point-scoring can take priority over upholding the tiny Mediterranean islands' democratic institutions.

Caruana Galizia's grisly assassination has added further fuel to the politicians' tribalist bickering.

'Crocodile tears'

Carmelo Pace, a retired factory worker, was a self-confessed "avid" reader of Caruana Galizia's blog.

"I don't support the government, I support the opposition, but they are just pointing fingers at each other," the 74-year-old said, adding that politicians lamenting her loss were shedding "crocodile tears".

Caruana Galizia, 53, made searing allegations of financial corruption against Muscat's inner circle, largely based on the Panama Papers leak, forcing him to call a snap election in June -- which he won comfortably.

She had recently turned her spotlight on Adrian Delia, the new leader of the Nationalist Party, which hitherto had sought to capitalise on her allegations.

Kurt Sansone, online editor of the Malta Today newspaper, said that following her murder, the country's long-running political divisions now had to be addressed.

"The polarisation does not help because our institutions need to be beefed up. This is not a situation that started a few years ago," he told AFP.

"The hope is now that the police and the magistrate can get to the bottom of this. The country needs closure in order for us to move forward."

Newspapers in the European Union's smallest state are running a common front page on Sunday, under the slogan "the pen conquers fear".

Hours after they hit the newsstands, the community-organised national demonstration for justice will march through Valletta's historic streets.

Young generation unsure

"People need to go. It's important. If no-one goes, nothing will change," said Marie, 22, a teaching student.

"Something is definitely wrong in Malta. If people our age do nothing, that means the future will be the same. Let's try and think positive."

At the impromptu memorial to Caruana Galizia, sun-seeking cruise ship tourists photograph the flowers.

Older Maltese sit on the shady benches and debate the aftermath, while younger residents do likewise on their smartphones.

An air of fatalism has swept around online forums where young people have been discussing the murder, leaving the next generation unsureabout where Malta goes from here -- a duty, in a country of only 430,000 people, that will inevitably fall into their hands.

"Unfortunately, especially on social media, a lot of people are saying that this is the end of democracy and freedom of speech," said Robert Napier, president of the University of Malta students' council, who has been trying to bolster undergraduates' morale and resolve.

"No matter how far people are willing to go, nothing should silence our students, who are ultimately the leaders of tomorrow."

Shock at murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia now turning to demands for justice https://t.co/M9ptv7YYsY pic.twitter.com/yjW9NDOKlx

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 22, 2017

Related Articles:

Slain Malta journalist's sons dismiss reward, tell PM to quit

Thousands rally in Malta to demand justice for murdered journalist #caruanagalizia pic.twitter.com/2FcoNmnqan

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 23, 2017

WHO chief 'rethinking' after Mugabe honour outrage

Yahoo – AFP, Ben Simon, October 21, 2017

WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had praised Zimbabwe's health
coverage -- but announced a rethink after critics observed its president tends to get
 his treatment abroad (AFP Photo/MIGUEL ROJO)

Geneva (AFP) - The head of the World Health Organization said Saturday that he was "rethinking" his decision to name Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe a goodwill ambassador, as global outrage over the move mounted.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the UN health agency, had this week asked Zimbabwe's 93-year-old authoritarian leader to serve in the role to help tackle non-communicable diseases like heart attacks, strokes and asthma across Africa.

The decision triggered confusion and anger among key WHO member states and activists who noted that Zimbabwe's healthcare system, like many of its public services, has collapsed under Mugabe's regime.

"I’m listening. I hear your concerns. Rethinking the approach in light of WHO values. I will issue a statement as soon as possible", Tedros, a former Ethiopian health minister, said on Twitter.

Tedros took charge of WHO in July, becoming the first African to lead the powerful UN agency.

In announcing the appointment in Uruguay's capital this week, Tedros had praised Zimbabwe as "a country that places universal health coverage and health promotion at the centre of its policies to provide health care to all."

'Sickening'

Britain on Saturday joined the widening chorus of critics, calling the decision "surprising and disappointing, particularly in light of the current US and EU sanctions against him."

"We have registered our concerns with WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus," a foreign office spokesperson said in an email.

"Although President Mugabe will not have an executive role, his appointment risks overshadowing the work undertaken globally by the WHO on Non-Communicable Diseases", the spokesperson added.

Zimbabwean activist and human rights lawyer Doug Coltart said on Twitter that a "man who flies to Singapore for treatment because he has destroyed Zimbabwe's health sector is WHO's goodwill ambassador."

Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, is in increasingly fragile health and makes regular trips abroad for medical treatment.

"Mugabe doesn’t trust Zimbabwe health care he destroyed (he travels abroad) but @WHO’s Tedros names him ambassador", the head of Human Rights Watch, Ken Roth, added in a tweet.

UN Watch, a group primarily known for defending Israel at the world body, called the decision "sickening."

"Amid reports of ongoing human rights abuses, the tyrant of Zimbabwe is the last person who should be legitimized by a UN position of any kind," the group's executive director Hillel Neuer said in a statement.

WHO had earlier on Saturday pointed to Zimbabwe's record on tobacco, NCDs and Tedro's desire to engage senior politicians as justifications for the Mugabe honour.

"Dr. Tedros has frequently talked of his determination to build a global movement to promote high level political leadership for health," spokesman Christian Lindmeier said in an email.

"Zimbabwe has ratified the WHO FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) in 2014 and the government has launched a levy fund for NCDs to generate revenues for health promotion, including NCD prevention and control," he added.

UN agencies often name high profile personalities as goodwill ambassadors to draw attention to their work, including actress Angelina Jolie with the refugee agency UNHCR.

The naming of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador for the 

World Health Organization has triggered widespread outrage (AFP Photo/Phill Magakoe)

Related Articles:

WHO chief rescinds Mugabe ambassador role after outcry - New

"Dual Channeling" + "Unexpected Change" (4) - Mar 18 - 19, 2017 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Text version "Change")

"...Light and Dark Balance

The light and dark balance on the planet is starting to rearrange itself and is going to create more wild cards. Wild cards are "unexpected shifts", things that are often shocking in ways that are not positive or negative, but rather are changes in the paradigm of what was. They often push the future, both in consciousness and science.

There are several coming in the form of Human Beings making changes in ways and in places you don't expect. There's one that is way overdue in New York City at the United Nations. It's an old organization with wonderful ideas about helping the planet, but stuck in its own old-energy politics. What will happen there? If you don't see much soon, it may actually cease functioning. Wildcards are not guaranteed. They are timed to match the free choice of those around them. That's what makes a wild card - totally unexpected events. Think of this: An organization set out to create peace on Earth may become more dysfunctional and even fail, or a wild card may come and restructure it all at great controversy and almost no funding. That's what wild cards do.

You may find it in business, in banking or in politics. New ideas never tried before that are radical may exist soon. Expect these kinds of things, but they have to grow on you. There may be some starts and stops. There may be seed planters who don't make it. Then others may come in and make the seeds start growing. That means ideas that were not accepted yesterday may actually be accepted now or in the future. This is because as you evolve, you will see the new wisdom in them. This is all part of the growth process through time.

So this is where you are currently in the change pattern. You are at the beginning of the growth process. All this with a new grid, with very few time fractals to undo, and with a clean slate from historic energies. Are you ready?

Listen: No prophecy at all has been written about what is happening on your planet now. Zero. There are no elders anywhere or channellers anywhere at the moment giving you good, solid prophecy about what's next. This is because you just went through the tunnel of old energy, the old prophecies, and are barely free of them. This is a new energy that you have never experienced before on the planet. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go read the prophecies.

According to the best and most popular and accepted prophecies of your time, where are you supposed to be right now? The answer is "dead".

Where is the earth supposed to be right now? The answer is "radioactive". No one can exist on a planet that has had a massive nuclear exchange, no matter what your movies say. It's "goodbye" to Humans on the planet. The whole idea of a post-apocalyptic earth is a fantasy. You don't live when there's that much radiation. It affects everything in the air, in the oceans and the very dust that would have been kicked up by thousands of nuclear explosions would be circling the planet and blocking the sun for decades. Dark - life gone.

Dear one, that is the apocalypse that never took place. Instead, you stand here with your kids and a new planet with hope. You may wonder why I'm enamored with all of you, but you don't really know it, not yet.

In a generation or two, somebody will raise a hand and say, "I couldn't help but notice we're different from those before." This is how long it takes, especially to rewrite the old consciousness of expected doom. Two generations may have to go by before someone raises a hand to say, "Look, the sun's coming out [a metaphor]. It's different." Humans are slow to change, but they may notice attitudes changing and that they have a new road to walk on.

So you want to know what your task is at the moment, dear old soul? Your task is to encourage those around you using your compassion and balance. When you hear them talk about the fact that they cannot get ahead, or that things are horrible on the planet, or what the news said last night, speak up in a loving way. When timed correctly. you can say, "I'm really not onboard with that. I feel we have a positive time ahead. Things are different. Can't you feel it, can't you see it? I think we've got a brighter future. We just need to be patient with it and stop wallowing in the drama others are giving us that influences us and makes us fear everything."   .."

Two more Weinstein accusers go public with sex assault claims

Yahoo - AFP, Frankie TAGGART, October 21, 2017

Attorney Gloria Allred, left, comforts her client Heather Kerr, who says disgraced
Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein unzipped his pants and forced himself on
her when she was an aspiring actress in her 20s

A former actress accused Harvey Weinstein of exposing his genitals and forcing himself on her as a separate alleged victim publicly repeated rape allegations against the movie mogul who reportedly plans to stay in rehab for another month.

Heather Kerr, who appeared on 1980s US sitcom "The Facts of Life," claims Weinstein attacked her during a private meeting with the producer when she was an aspiring actress in her 20s.

"He asked me if I was good. I started to tell him about my training and my acting experience and he said, 'No. I need to know if you're good,'" Kerr, who is now 56 and lives in Washington state, told a news conference.

"He said that if he was going to introduce me around town to directors and producers, he needed to know if I was any good. He kept repeating that word."

Kerr described 65-year-old Weinstein's "sly, sleazy smile" as she offered to provide a reel of her acting work, recalling how she started to get a sick feeling in her stomach.

"The next thing I knew, he unzipped his fly and pulled out his penis," she said, adding that Weinstein forced her hand onto his genitals.

"I was frozen with fear, trying to remain calm, trying not to freak out, because, after all, there was nobody else in the office," she said during an emotional statement, consoled by her attorney Gloria Allred as she broke down.

Weinstein resigned from the board of his company this week, having already been 

sacked as its co-chairman, and has denied all allegations of forcing himself on his accusers

'Greatest regret' 

Kerr described how she pulled her hand away "as casually as possible," but said Weinstein told her that "this is how things work in Hollywood," and that all actresses who'd made it did it this way.

The veteran producer, who resigned from the board of The Weinstein Company this week, having already been sacked as its co-chairman, has so far denied all allegations of forcing himself on his accusers.

An Italian model and actress who says Weinstein raped her after dragging her into the bathroom of her hotel suite in Beverly Hills in 2013 also spoke out about the attack Friday, through her lawyer Dave Ring.

The incident occurred at the Mr. C Beverly Hills hotel after she attended the 8th annual Los Angeles, Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest in February 2013, according to the attorney.

"He bullied his way into her room. She has told me that obviously her greatest regret is opening that door. She had no idea what was coming," Ring told a news conference in downtown LA.

The actress, who is exercising her right to anonymity, first spoke of the attack to the LA Times on Thursday, saying Weinstein had turned up at her hotel "without warning".

"Once inside, he asked me questions about myself, but soon became very aggressive and demanding and kept asking to see me naked," the Times quoted her as saying.

"He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to do something I did not want to do. He then dragged me to the bathroom and forcibly raped me."

Dave Ring, the attorney representing the unnamed Italian actress and model who 

told Los Angeles police detectives that Weinstein raped her in a hotel room near

 Beverly Hills in 2013, speaks at a press conference in Los Angeles

'Extremely scared'

Ring told reporters the incident "had a humongous, huge impact" on the mother-of-three, who is now 38.

"In a sense, she's relieved to have come forward now, to be able to share what happened with the LAPD, but she's also extremely scared, and rightfully so. She's a mom. She has young children."

He didn't elaborate on the details given in the newspaper interview, however, saying he did not want to jeopardize the investigation.

Los Angeles police have confirmed they are looking into the case -- the sixth rape allegation against Weinstein -- adding to criminal investigations already underway in New York and London.

The latest case deepens the producer's potential legal woes as it falls within the 10-year statute of limitations for the crime, while previous accusations have dated back to a decade or more ago.

Weinstein has become a Hollywood pariah since allegations about his sexual misconduct first emerged last week and he was kicked out of Hollywood's motion picture academy.

The Television Academy's governors voted late Thursday to begin "disciplinary proceedings" that could see Weinstein ousted from that organization as well, leaving him with no voting rights for either the Oscars or the Emmys, while the Producer's Guild is considering following suit.

A representative for Weinstein told the celebrity news website TMZ that after completing a one-week program at rebab in Arizona, that the disgraced producer would "stay in Arizona for another month or so because he doesn't want excessive distractions and wants to continue working with his doctors."

Weinstein's lead psychologist told the website with his permission that he had been "dealing with his anger, his attitude toward others, boundary work and the beginnings of work on empathy."

Director Weinstein was "invested in the program," the psychologist told TMZ.

Former actress accuses Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault pic.twitter.com/Pr5QGsGY6S

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 21, 2017

Slain Malta journalist's sons dismiss reward, tell PM to quit

Yahoo – AFP, Robin MILLARD, October 19, 2017

Matthew Caruana Galizia (C) and Peter Caruana Galizia (2ndL), son and husband
of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and policemen walk past the wreckage of the car
bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia (AFP Photo/STR)

Valletta (AFP) - The sons of a murdered Maltese journalist on Thursday dismissed Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's offer of a reward to help find her killers and called for him to quit.

Muscat has ruled out quitting and has vowed to bring those responsible for killing a reporter he has described as his "greatest adversary" to justice, with the help of FBI investigators.

On Wednesday Muscat told parliament that the government would put up a "substantial and unprecedented reward," for information leading to a conviction over Monday's car bomb killing of anti-corruption campaigner Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Her sons revealed that the government was putting up a million euros, but said they would not bow to pressure to endorse the idea.

"We are not interested in a criminal conviction only for the people in government who stood to gain from our mother's murder to turn around and say that justice has been served," they said.

"The Prime Minister asked for our endorsement. This is how he can get it: show political responsibility and resign."

Caruana Galizia had used her widely-read blog to highlight numerous cases of suspected corruption, including several scandals implicating Muscat's inner circle which had left her facing a string of legal suits.

Daphne Caruana Galizia had used her widely read blog to highlight numerous 

cases of suspected corruption (AFP Photo/Matthew Mirabelli)

Her sons, Matthew, Andrew and Paul, said Muscat should resign because he had worked to "cripple our mother financially and dehumanise her so brutally and effectively that she no longer felt safe walking down the street.

"And before resigning he can make his last act in government the replacement of the Police Commissioner and Attorney General with public servants who won’t be afraid to act on evidence against him and those he protects."

Muscat called and won an early election in June after the late journalist said she had evidence that his wife Michelle was the beneficiary of a secret Panama bank account.

Caruana Galizia, 53, alleged the account was used to stash kickbacks from Azerbaijan's ruling family linked to an Azeri bank gaining a licence to operate in Malta.

Muscat asked a magistrate to investigate the claims and has vowed to quit if any link is established between him and hidden offshore accounts.

The investigation, which the opposition has derided as rigged, is ongoing.

The journalist's killing has caused shock around the world and prompted much soul-searching in Malta over whether the country is becoming a cesspit of corruption against the backdrop of an economic boom which some see as having allowed both organised crime and a kickbacks culture to flourish.

Sexual abuse stories from around the world pour out on social media

Yahoo – AFP, Cyril JULIEN, October 17, 2017

Alyssa Milano sparked an outpouring of tweets recounting painful personal accounts
of sexual abuse in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal (AFP Photo/CHRIS DELMAS)

Washington (AFP) - Celebrities and everyday people flooded social media with personal accounts of sexual assault and harassment Monday, responding to calls to break the culture of silence around such abuse.

The massive global response was triggered by allegations recently made public against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, who is accused of rape and abuse dating back decades.

People shared stories and offered support under multiple hashtags, including #MeToo in English, #balancetonporc ("Rat out your pig") in French, and #quellavoltache ("That time that") in Italian.

American actress Alyssa Milano sparked the outpouring with a simple Twitter request Sunday that women respond "me too" if they have also been sexually harassed or assaulted.

Tens of thousands of people replied, making #MeToo the top trending topic.

The posts continued to accumulate Monday, with the intensity of the social media response sharply underscoring the problem's breadth -- implicating fashion, entertainment, politics and the lives of everyday people.

Monica Lewinsky -- who was at the center of the White House sex scandal in the 1990s leading to the impeachment trial of former US President Bill Clinton -- simply tweeted the hashtag #MeToo without comment.

More celebrities chime in

Responding to Milano's call, Lady Gaga and Sheryl Crow were among those from the music world tweeting their support.

Crow shared her experience of improper behavior by a manager "on my first big tour as a backup singer."

Actress Evan Rachel Wood joined the tens of thousands of 

people sharing experiences of sexual abuse (AFP Photo/

VALERIE MACON)

"When I went to a lawyer, he told me to suck it up bc the guy could do a lot for me," Crow tweeted, "so I wrote songs about it on my first record."

Actress Evan Rachel Wood wrote of being raped more than once, writing, "I instinctually shut down. My body remembered, so it protected me. I disappeared. #metoo."

Prior to Milano's call, American fashion model Cameron Russell took to Instagram last week asking her followers to share experiences of sexual abuse in her industry, using the hashtag #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse.

She has been tweeting some of the hundreds of responses, anonymous stories ranging from recent experiences to some dating back two decades -- primarily involving women, sometimes minors and occasionally men.

"Hearing about #harveyweinstein this week has sparked conversations about how widespread and how familiar his behavior is," the model and activist wrote.

"We are speaking to each other, we are speaking up, we are speaking to lawyers, and we are speaking to well-resourced reporters."

A common refrain in the accounts by people both famous and not was that no one believed the accusers when they spoke out.

"Molested by a family member. Raped as a kid and an adult. Became a drug addict and then overcame. Don't ever give up. I'm here#MeToo," wrote a woman identified as Amy Christensen on her Twitter account.

There were many sympathetic responses from men.

Vinay Ramesh, a tech entrepreneur, encouraged "all my fellow men to learn about #MeToo. The responsibility to stop sexual violence is absolutely on us."

Italian actress Asia Argento is among the women accusing disgraced Hollywood 

mogul Harvey Weinstein of rape, and took to Twitter to share other stories of 

sexual abuse (AFP Photo/VALERY HACHE)

Around the world

Italian actress Asia Argento, who has accused Weinstein of sexual abuse, offered another bombshell, saying a Hollywood director had raped her and that an Italian director had exposed himself to her when she was a minor.

"Hollywood big shot director with Napoleon complex gave me GHB (the "date rape" drug) and raped me unconscious. I was 26 years old," she tweeted using the hashtag #quellavoltache, in remarks that sparked outrage in her home country.

Argento did not name either of the men she accused.

In France, the top-trending hashtag #balancetonporc, started by journalist Sandra Muller, brought forth stories from women of being sexually harassed at work or in the street.

Muller began the hashtag recounting how her former boss had called her "my type of woman" and then commented on her breasts.

Muller -- who has been living in New York for four years and said she was "very shocked" by the Weinstein affair -- told AFP she had not "been looking for buzz" and was "overwhelmed" by the avalanche of reactions.

In Britain, Labour Party lawmaker Stella Creasy tweeted her own claims of harassment, "like millions of women & girls all around the world. Shame is on the attackers, not me."

Similar stories spread in the Arab world, from Tunisia to Egypt and Dubai, describing incidents suffered by women at work or in public spaces, and denouncing "rape culture."

More than 20 women -- a who's who of Hollywood -- have come forward to accuse Weinstein of rape, assault and sexual harassment.

Weinstein, who insists any sexual encounters were consensual, was expelled last week from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Producers Guild of America -- a film industry group representing thousands of workers -- on Monday began expulsion proceedings against Weinstein, who will have a chance to respond before the Guild makes its final decision on November 6.

Producer Harvey Weinstein attends the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood,
California in March 2014 (AFP Photo/ROBYN BECK)

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