Mario

(CNN)Harvey Weinstein, the man once synonymous with Hollywood whose alleged behavior started one of the most important conversations in the industry's history, began his epic fall from power one year ago. It all started with a few brave women coming forward about mistreatment at the hands of the Oscar-winning producer. As it stands, the allegations against Weinstein range from harassment to rape, include the stories of more than 80 women and span several decades. (Through a spokesperson, Weinstein has repeatedly denied "any allegations of non-consensual sex.") He has pleaded not guilty to six sex crime charges in New York, including two counts of rape. Weinstein remains under investigation by authorities in Los Angeles and London. Read More The stories about Weinstein's alleged mistreatment snowballed into a movement against abuse that reverberated across industries. To date, thousands of people have raised their voices to say, "me too." Dozens of once powerful men -- from … [Read more...] about The year since the Weinstein scandal first rocked Hollywood

By Motez Bishara, CNN Updated 1041 GMT (1841 HKT) December 12, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. London (CNN)The day after Donald Trump won the US election, Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy didn't hold back. "I don't think anybody can deny this guy is openly and brazenly racist and misogynistic," he told reporters during a shoot around before a game in Phoenix. "We have just thrown a good part of our population under the bus, and I have problems with thinking this is where we are as a country." Van Gundy's outspokenness, echoed by fellow NBA coaches Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich, is emblematic of a rise in political activism within American sports unseen since the Vietnam War. Images of Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem, Carmelo Anthony joining a civil rights march, and LeBron James stumping for Hillary Clinton hardly raise eyebrows anymore. Read More Curiously, however, their cohorts in … [Read more...] about As American sports figures sound off on politics, their European counterparts stay silent

There's no denying the Kingsman franchise is fun. Its lead Taron Egerton is so damn likeable on screen that it's no wonder his star continues to rise. But beyond how good he looks in a finely tailored suit, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a mess and its treatment of its female characters is abysmal. The first film in the franchise, Kingsman: The Secret Service, was a riff on James Bond movies with a bit of cartoony satire thrown in. It didn't have a ton of female roles in it, but Sophie Cookson's turn as secret agent Roxy earned her an Empire Award nomination for Best Female Newcomer. It was almost enough to make you overlook the crass joke at the end of the film, where prisoner Princess Tilde (Hanna Alström) offered Egerton's character Eggsy, "If you save the world, we can do it in the asshole?" Egerton has defended director Matthew Vaughn's need for vulgar shock value to make his films conversation pieces: "It’s what Matthew does, it’s his signature thing. He likes … [Read more...] about ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ Is a Misogynistic Mess

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we see how the whip issue is dealt with at the CHRB meeting.The big news on Thursday will probably not be the racing at Los Alamitos but the California Horse Racing Board meeting that precedes it. Most of the stuff is procedural, as usual, and there are only 12 items before public comment.But, it’s item 12 that should bring the most interest: “12. Discussion and action by the Board regarding the proposed addition of CHRB Rule 1688, Use of Riding Crop.”Talk about an undersell, like: “12. Violation of Nuclear Treaty 1234, foreign country launches missile at U.S. coast.” Advertisement Here’s what I think you can expect on Thursday. I don’t believe either of the proposed new rules will be passed, but they will be discussed. The Board wants to get it right the first time and, I believe, is open to other ideas and proposals.And, of course, any action that changes the … [Read more...] about Racing! Last racing week before Dec. 26