Tag Archives: claims

Jussie Smollett ‘Hoax’ Docuseries Claims Actor Wanted ‘Martyrdom’

Posted on by

Jussie Smollett is back in the news as Fox Nation unveils details of a new five-part documentary series about the actor’s alleged hate crime attack.

Upcoming docuseries titled Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax features the first television interview with Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, the two brothers who testified at Smollett’s 2021 trial that they helped him organize the attack.

“We did it. Yeah, that was us,” the Osundairo brothers say in the recently released trailer.

They later call Smollett “crazy”.

Related story: Jussie Smollett returns to Hollywood on the BET Awards red carpet

The two re-enact the attack and allege that Empire the star paid them to help plan it, right down to the red hat “Make America Great Again.”

“He told us to make sure we had the red hat, for Trump,” they say.

Another interviewee exclaims, “I think he was looking for that civil rights martyrdom.”

Smollett, who is African-American and openly gay, told police he was walking down a Chicago street on the morning of Jan. 29, 2019, when two men approached him and began shouting racist and homophobic slurs. . He said the assailants beat him, doused him with bleach and wrapped a rope around his neck.

Fox describes the docuseries as a “dive into a scam that has reverberated through the worlds of entertainment, pop culture and politics.”

Related story: Jussie Smollett denies staging hate crimes and trying to cash in on ‘black American pain’

The Osundairo brothers finally decided to cooperate with the investigators. Former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in the trailer that some details of the case didn’t match up.

“Most people don’t go out at two in the morning on the coldest night of the year,” Johnson says.

Shortly after the attack, Johnson alleged at a press conference that Smollett staged the attack because he was “dissatisfied with his salary”. Empire.

The actor, who played Jamal Lyon in the Fox series, was cut from the series during his legal saga.

In March 2019, he was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct for making a false report. The charges were later dropped. In response, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx was charged with showing favoritism towards the actor.

Amid the public backlash against the charges being dropped, a special prosecutor was appointed and new charges were filed. In December 2021, a jury found Smollett guilty on five of six disorderly conduct counts. He was sentenced to 150 days in prison.

Related story: Jussie Smollett gives explosive testimony in court: “There was no hoax”

The actor was released in March 2022, pending an appeal of his conviction.

Smollett maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal and did not participate in the docuseries.

The series comes from Pilgrim Media Group. Nicole Rittenmeyer directs and executive produces. Other executive producers include Nicholas Caprio, Craig Piligian, Scott Eldridge and Gloria Rodriguez – the Osundairo brothers’ attorney.

Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax premieres March 13 on Fox Nation, Fox News Channel’s sister streaming platform.

The draft is released just days after Smollett’s legal team formally appealed his conviction on Wednesday, March 1.

#Jussie #Smollett #Hoax #Docuseries #Claims #Actor #Wanted #Martyrdom

Philippines claims Chinese Coast Guard deployed ‘Laser’ to disrupt supply missions

Posted on by

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines on Monday accused the Chinese Coast Guard of trying to blockade one of its vessels supporting a resupply mission for troops stationed on an atoll in the disputed South China Sea by pointing a ” military laser” on the crew led boat.

In a statement, the Philippine Coast Guard said the February 6 incident occurred in the second Thomas Shoal when a Chinese Coast Guard vessel pointed the laser at its vessel, temporarily blinding the crew on deck and performing “dangerous manoeuvres”.

“The deliberate blocking of Philippine government vessels delivering food and supplies to our military personnel…is a flagrant disregard and gross violation of the sovereignty rights of the Philippines in this part of the Western Philippine Sea,” the statement said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China said it was ready to “warmly” settle maritime affairs with the Philippines during President Ferdinand Marcos’ visit to Beijing in January.

Known locally as Ayungin, the Second Thomas Shoal, 195 km (105 nautical miles) off the Philippine province of Palawan, is the temporary home of a small military contingent aboard a rusting vessel.

The 100-meter (330-foot) World War II vessel was intentionally beached on the shoal in 1999 to bolster Manila’s sovereignty claims in the Spratly Archipelago.

China’s reported blocking of a supply mission comes as Marcos said he was open to reaching a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Japan to increase security at sea.

In August, Chinese Coast Guard vessels with Chinese naval militias blocked Philippine Coast Guard vessels securing naval supply boats, according to the Coast Guard statement.

Marcos was in Japan last week for a five-day visit to forge closer security ties with Tokyo, which in December announced its biggest military build-up since World War II, fueled by concerns over aggressive Chinese actions. In the region.

The president’s first visit to Japan since taking office came after he recently granted the United States access to more military bases in the Philippines as part of a VFA, a move which, according to the China, has undermined regional stability and eased tensions. The VFA provides rules for the rotation of thousands of American soldiers inside and outside the Philippines for exercises.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Ed Davies)

Source

#Philippines #claims #Chinese #Coast #Guard #deployed #Laser #disrupt #supply #missions

Young Toronto family claims housing management is threatening to evict their service dog

Posted on by

Varun Mutneja has relied on his service dog, Nala, to support his mental health for years. But now he and his pregnant wife say the board of their recently purchased condo is threatening to evict the four-year-old golden retriever.

“We just bought a condo and were like, ‘Awesome, this is a great step in our lives’ and with the baby coming on board, the thought of losing the dog only adds to any anxiety,” Mutneja told CTV. Toronto News.

Nala has been with Mutneja since 2018 and even attended the presentation of the Etobicoke condo he and Periana would end up buying in May of last year.

The young couple said they knew before moving in that the council had a pet restriction policy for animals over 20lbs (Nala weighs 50lbs), but they said their bylaws made no mention of accommodation or inclusion of service animals.

Because of this, Mutneja and his wife, Samantha Periana, went out of their way to educate Nala’s caretaker and her importance as a service animal.

“We were open and honest from the start. We informed them as soon as possible. We gave them all the Nala documents, their service dog requirements, their certification, everything,” Periana said.

According to Mutneja, Nala is registered with Assistance Dogs Canada and has successfully completed the organization’s training program.

Additionally, Mutneja has a medical certificate detailing his need for a service animal, as well as a statement from his therapist saying the dog is “necessary” for his emotional and mental health and that Nala will “relieve symptoms.” , from which he currently suffers.

This photo shows Varun Mutneja, his wife Samantha Periana and service dog Nala. (provided)

After all of these documents were submitted when the couple moved in in July, Mutneja took it a step further and wrote a statement to the condo board in August explaining that he needed a service dog, a step he would take. he is pursuing his own information had been made on the recommendation of the syndic of the co-ownership.

In October, however, the couple said they received a letter from the council’s legal department requesting these documents, which they provided.

Mutneja and Periana said the board and its legal team responded by “questioning the integrity of the letter” the doctor submitted and which CTV News Toronto viewed and other related documents.

“They requested Varun’s personal medical records or the immediate removal of the service animal from the property. It took a toll on his sanity,” Periana said.

According to the couple, the board said it had until February 1 to get rid of Nala or the company would file a lawsuit with the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) to evict him.

As of this writing, Nala is still at the Etobicoke apartment with the couple.

In a statement released to CTV News Toronto, Kings Gate Condo Corporation’s board of directors said it “complies and will continue to comply with its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code and its housing policy.

In a follow-up email to Kings Gate, CTV News Toronto asked if council still intended to evict the dog, but received no response.

The couple added that there are other residents in the building with dogs over 20 pounds who are not service animals. The council approved these animals and granted them an exemption because they paid a $650 fee to design a pet shelter with their attorney, the couple said.

According to the code, provincial law grants everyone equal rights and opportunities without discrimination in areas such as work, housing and services.

“The purpose of the Code is to prevent discrimination and harassment based on race, gender, disability and age, to name just a few of the 17 grounds,” according to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. “In Ontario, the law protects you from discrimination and harassment in these areas based on mental disabilities and addictions.

In an interview with CTV News Toronto, real estate attorney Bob Aaron said Mutneja was eligible for housing because of his disability.

“It’s not a pet. We do not take animals. And we’re not talking about a $650 compliance waiver,” Aaron said.

“This is an accommodation under the Human Rights Act, which supersedes all other laws. It trumps the condo law, it trumps the condo rules. If they continue with this nonsense, [Mutneja could] go to [Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario] and get compensation from the condominium company… It’s a matter of principle. He has the right to housing. Human rights law takes precedence. No money. No charges. Zero.”

Source

#Young #Toronto #family #claims #housing #management #threatening #evict #service #dog