“Star Wars: The Acolyte” showrunner Leslye Headland expressed her enthusiasm when an interviewer who called the new series “the gayest ‘Star Wars’” said she thinks it’s “canon” that the character R2-D2 is a lesbian. Headland made the remarks during an interview with The Wrap. The 44-year-old filmmaker seemed surprised that infusing the show with LGBTQ themes would be a big deal. “Is it going to be a talking point?” she asked the interviewer.  “Acolyte” actress Amandla Stenberg chimed in, “Because nerds are gay.” We are happy to report that #TheAcolyte is “arguably the gayest #StarWars” yet. ? Happy Pride Month! ? pic.twitter.com/3oJSykc4Kq — TheWrap (@TheWrap) June 4, 2024 TheWrap’s interviewer replied, “Well, some nerds are very not gay and are very threatened by gay stuff.”  “Well, that’s true. But in my world nerds are gay,” Stenberg said. The interviewer asked if this was meant to be a “fun element,” and Headland replied, “No, I don’t think so, and yet people have told me it’s the gayest Star Wars, and I am frankly … into it.” “I think Star Wars is so gay already. I mean, have you seen the ‘fits? We’d be like, ‘Look how gay this is,’ and send each other a reference photo,” Stenberg said. Headland next shared her thoughts on the sexuality of fictional Star Wars robots. “And are you telling me with a straight face that C-3PO is straight?” she joked. TheWrap interviewer agreed, saying, “They’re a couple. That’s what I think.”  “I think it’s canon that R2-D2 is a lesbian,” Headland replied.  This isn’t the first time the showrunner has brought up LGBTQ themes in Disney entertainment. Earlier this year, a video from the 2023 Star Wars Celebration captured Headland saying how “The Acolyte” would be “coded queer” like the animated children’s film, “Frozen.”  “When I saw Frozen as a grown a** woman, I cried through the entire movie,” she said at the time. “There was just something about the relationship between the sisters, the like devillainization of the classic kind of fairy tale ‘bad guy,’ you know, the concept of true love being between two sisters and not a heterosexual relationship. It just destroyed me, completely.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP She continued, “And I thought, ‘Gosh, I would love to make something like this, for lack of a better term, Disney.’ Meaning something that like my parents would have allowed me to see when I was younger as a queer person, but I would have been able to understand as a queer person. And I think I would have had a completely different life. And so I really was inspired by it and was like, ‘God, I would love to make a story like this.’” In 2021, Headland spoke to The Advocate about having representation on “The Acolyte” and fully intending “to allow her own personal experiences as a queer woman shine through in the finished product.” “In the same way that the original ‘Star Wars’ film, ‘A New Hope,’ is about a young man living in Modesto, California, who doesn’t want to take over his dad’s hardware store,” Headland said. “There’s just no way that me being a queer woman is not going to be reflected in my work. I could try not to do it, but why would I? It just feels like a natural extension of what I do.”

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to address illegal immigration at the southern border, outlining areas where an immigrant can claim various fears to avoid deportation. An internal memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement obtained by the Washington Free Beacon states that Biden’s Presidential Proclamation, Securing the Border, was followed by an Interim Final Rule (IFR) from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland “establishing certain limitations on asylum eligibility and revising certain standards and procedures associated with the expedited removal process.” The document said that the IFR “makes key changes to asylum processing that will be in place whenever encounters are at levels that impede DHS’ ability to apply timely decisions and consequences to the majority of noncitizens encountered at the southern border, as described in the Proclamation.” “These changes include: deeming certain noncitizens who enter across the southern border during circumstances of high encounters at the border to be ineligible for asylum, with limited exceptions; applying a manifestation of fear requirement for those processed for expedited removal to be referred to USCIS for a credible fear interview,” it continued. CBP “will refer the impacted noncitizen for a credible fear interview before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) only if the noncitizen manifests a fear of return, or expresses an intention to apply for asylum or protection, expresses a fear of persecution or torture, or expresses a fear of return to his or her country or the country of removal,” the document states, adding, “a fear may be manifested verbally, non-verbally, or physically.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The document then listed examples of “verbal, non-verbal, and physical indicators” “indicative of fear of persecution or torture.” Those included stating “I am afraid to go to (country);” “statements that the noncitizen was previously harmed in their home country or country of removal,” “Statements that, if traveling in a family unit or family group, the noncitizen’s family member was previously harmed in home country or proposed country of removal,” “Evidence of physical injury consistent with abuse (e.g., bruises, scars),” “Evidence of self-harm,” and “Non-verbal actions that may indicate fear such as hysteria, trembling, shaking, unusual behavior, changes in tone of voice, incoherent speech patterns, panic attacks, or an unusual level of silence.”

Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s arch-foe, gave his usual articulate common-sense answer and cogent criticism of Trudeau when a questioner asked him about the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation saying the country needs 5.8 million homes to address its housing crisis. The questioner said Trudeau’s Liberal Party has claimed that it already has that in the budget and that Poilievre disagreed. “I don’t disagree; the math disagrees,” Poilievre stated bluntly. “They promised they’re going to double homebuilding. Their own housing agency said since they made that promise, homebuilding has gone down and that it will go down next year and the year after that. Look at my exchange with Trudeau in the House of Commons last week. To get to 3.9 million — forget to 5.9 million — to get to 3.9 million new homes by the scheduled deadline of 2031 that Trudeau promised, he needs to build 550,000 homes a year.” “I asked him six times in the House of Commons, ‘Are we going to build 550,000 homes this year?’” Poilievre recalled. “He wouldn’t answer. Well, the truth is, he’s on track right now to building about 200,000 homes, not even half of what he’s promised. This is not a matter of me disagreeing; it’s a mathematical fact. He’s not delivering. It’s a mathematical fact that nine years ago when I was Housing Minister, the average rent for a one-bedroom was $973. Now it’s $2,000. These are the facts.” “Has he spent a lot of money on housing programs? Yes,” Poilievre acknowledged, but pointed out, “He spent $89 billion on housing affordability and the result is that housing costs have doubled. The problem is he’s putting the money into bureaucracy. Government bureaucrats don’t build homes; private sector builders do. Government bureaucrats are in the way. So we need to get the government bureaucracy out of the way and deliver fast, affordable permits to build the homes.” He got down to bare facts: “One-third of the cost of every newly-built home in Ontario is government permits and taxes. One-third. That’s more than we spend on the labor to build the home. So we’re spending more on the bureaucrats, who don’t build anything, than we do on the carpenters, framers, plumbers, and electricians who build. Isn’t that insane?” “Like when you buy a house, do you not find it incredible — you have this beautiful house and you say, ‘well, where did the money [go]?’” he said. “I’m buying the house, now say it’s a million dollars. What does the million dollars go to? You know, you break it down: lumber, materials. You think: More money goes to people sitting in government offices than goes to the people swinging the hammers, fitting the pipes, framing the lumber. It doesn’t make sense.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “We need to cut the bureaucracy,” he declared. “And that’s why my common sense plan will require cities [to] free up land, speed up permits, cut development charges and fees, as a condition of getting federal funds. If they don’t hit my targets, they won’t get their money, and they’ll be less of those bureaucrats in those corner offices. So, if they beat the target, they’ll get more money. We’re going to pay our municipalities the way we pay realtors and builders: for the number of homes.” The math disagrees with Trudeau. pic.twitter.com/u5wLixn56A — Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) June 4, 2024  

The diamond industry faces significant turmoil as the rise of lab-grown gemstones continues to push prices down further. The surge in demand for lab-grown diamonds, combined with a series of economic factors, has created a challenging environment for natural diamond producers. Lab-grown diamonds, once a niche market, now make up about 20% of global diamond jewelry demand. This shift has been driven by consumers seeking more affordable alternatives to natural diamonds, which can cost significantly more. The result has been a dramatic drop in prices for both lab-grown and natural diamonds​. Diamond industry 'in trouble' as lab-grown gemstones tank prices further https://t.co/EWAQof2ZzO — CNBC (@CNBC) June 5, 2024 In recent years, the price of lab-grown diamonds has plummeted. What was once a 20% discount compared to natural diamonds has now ballooned to as much as 80%. This significant price difference is due to advancements in technology that have made it cheaper and faster to produce high-quality lab-grown diamonds. The price for polished lab-grown stones in the wholesale market has dropped by more than half in the past year alone. The impact on the natural diamond industry has been severe. Companies like De Beers have had to drastically reduce prices to remain competitive. De Beers, which once dominated the diamond market, has seen its profits fall sharply. In an unprecedented move, De Beers cut prices for rough diamonds by over 40% in the past year, including a 15% cut in July​. De Beers ditches lab-grown diamonds and shifts focus to natural stones—as it looks beyond mining giant Anglo. https://t.co/CQcXumL3Zv — FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) June 5, 2024 The pandemic initially boosted demand for luxury items, including diamonds, as affluent shoppers sought to brighten lockdowns with high-end purchases. However, as economies reopened, demand shifted towards experiences and travel, leaving diamond producers with excess stock and declining sales​​. Additionally, economic slowdowns in key markets like the U.S. and China, coupled with sanctions on Russian diamonds, have compounded the industry's challenges. India's natural diamond sector, for instance, reported a 25% drop in sales and was forced to implement a voluntary import ban on rough diamonds to stabilize the market​. Despite the declining prices, lab-grown diamonds have found a stable niche. They appeal to consumers who value affordability and ethical considerations, as lab-grown diamonds avoid the environmental and social issues associated with mining. Retailers like Walmart and Pandora have aggressively marketed these stones, further mainstreaming their acceptance​. As the diamond market navigates these turbulent times, the future may see continued integration of lab-grown diamonds, not only for their cost-effectiveness but also for their customizable and high-quality offerings. The industry is adapting by focusing on premium quality and distinctive designs to cater to evolving consumer preferences​. The post Lab-Grown Diamonds Tank Prices, Rocking the Diamond Industry appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

You never know what unexpected moments will take place on the day of a wedding. There are many we want to avoid, of course, but there are also plenty of amazing moments we would never even dream of happening. Thankfully, one that falls under the latter category took place during the wedding of Eric Fredin and Jade Lavallee. Their beautiful ceremony took place somewhere in Italy. Here, there was no shortage of options when it came to gorgeous backdrops for their wedding photos. One location they chose was a quaint but gorgeous alley. Little did the couple, or photography team, know that this truly was the perfect location. As everyone worked hard to get the best photos possible, an Italian man who lived nearby took notice of what was happening. Seeing the happy couple inspired him to do something so kind an unexpected — watch what happens in the video below! @dxbcreative.co This sweet Italian man was watching us take photos in the alley beside his house, and brought them a flower #destinationweddingphotographer #italyweddingphotographer #destinationwedding ♬ original sound – DARIA ︎ Photography Tips How sweet is this man!? As you can see, both Eric and Jade couldn’t be more surprised by this unexpected act of kindness. Not only did the sentiment behind the action mean the world to them, but the flowers themselves truly added the perfect touch to their picture-perfect wedding in Italy. Couple Getting Married in Italy Are Delighted By a Kind Stranger’s Gift of Flowers TikTok In the video, the photographer shares that none of them understood what the kind man said in Italian. That said, once this video went viral, loads of folks from all over the world were happy to interpret his words. “I’m Italian!” one of these kind commenters writes. “He said ‘I wish you happiness & Congratulations!'” How simple, sweet, and perfect — just like the unexpected flowers that truly made this wedding in Italy one to remember! You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Photographer Captures Touching Moment Of Humanity Between Bride & Stranger appeared first on InspireMore.

Throughout the years, America’s Got Talent has given a stage to some of the most dangerous acts. Just when we think we’ve seen it all, another person or group proves that humans are capable of so much more than we can imagine. This is certainly the case for the acrobatic group Hakuna Matata. Coming all the way from Tanzania, they were prepared with an act that will have you on the edge of your seat! As Simon Cowell points out, their act is similar to others they’ve seen on the show. But he also explains that Hakuna Matata’s performance is “a step up” when compared to them. That’s because, in Hakuna Matata’s audition, all four members attempt to balance on a rolling platform. If this feat sounds impossible, you’re not far off! This skilled group nearly topples over multiple times — but they never fail to keep going. Each time one of the men almost falls down, the judges can’t help but express how nervous they feel for them. The audience is also holding their collective breath — and so are we! In the end, though, they pull off every stunt they created. Best of all, it seems their mishaps only made the overall performance even better! Acrobatics Group Hakuna Matata Has the America’s Got Talent Audience on the Edge of Their Seats! “This was a classical example of actually the getting there was as good as being there — because you could see how difficult it was and you never gave up,” Cowell tells them. “Respect, because that’s what the show is all about.” Hakuna Matata’s audition truly shows the power of never giving up, no matter how many setbacks you face. We can’t wait to see what they manage to pull off next! Because, seriously, if this is what they do for their audition, can you imagine what stunts Hakuna Matata will come up with as this season of America’s Got Talent progresses!? You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post “America’s Got Talent” Contestants Narrowly Avoid Disaster In This Gravity-Defying Performance! appeared first on InspireMore.

Many of us have stories that require a level of forgiveness that seems impossible.

'Fear of persecution'

Calling all Patriots!

'This piece is so tilted, so off the mark'