31 Portraits of Queer Poles in Warsaw From Elska Magazine

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Elton John donates $1million to help fight Australia’s bushfires

 

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A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Dec 23, 2019 at 3:32pm PST

Elton John has pledged to donate $1million to help fight the current bushfire crisis in Australia.

Elton is currently on tour in Australia and he made the announcement to the audience at his Qudos Bank Arena show in Sydney on Tuesday night.

In an Instagram posting, he said, “Seeing the fires raging across Australia have left me heartbroken. This tragedy has taken lives, homes and devastated so much wildlife. At my Sydney show last night, I pledged $1 million dollars to support the Bushfire Relief Fund. God bless, Australia.”

Related: Gay adult performers will slide into your DMs in exchange for Australia relief donation

In the accompanying video, he called the current crisis an “apocalyptic disaster.”

“We should all be in the awe of the work the firefighters are doing, in the face of seven years of drought.

“There are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes; there are people who have lost their lives and their homes.

“And lastly, there’s the plight of the animals, a loss of their habitat that frankly is on a biblical scale and it’s heartbreaking.

“This is a magnificent country that I have been coming to since 1971. I love it here so much. To see what is happening here breaks my heart, so we have to come together and we have to fight, and this is my bit towards it. I love Australia so much. and to those who’ve lost their homes, God bless, I hope your lives will be repaired very, very soon.”

Husband David Furnish added on his own Instagram, “Last night on stage in Sydney, Elton pledged $1 million to support the firefighters in Australia.

“Our family have been living there since November and we have been deeply distressed and heartbroken witnessing the fiery destruction of such a beautiful country. The loss of animal life is incomprehensible. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these devastating fires.”

Related: Golden Globes: Awards for Elton John, Ellen DeGeneres & more queer moments

Other celebrities to have publicly donated to combat the bushfire crisis include Kylie Minogue, Pink, Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban. Chris Hemsworth and Kylie Jenner, like Elton, have also pledged $1million each.

Like John, singer Lizzo is also currently on tour in Australia. Yesterday she took time out between shows to help volunteer pack food parcels with the organization Foodbank Victoria

An estimated 18 million acres of land have been burned in the recent bushfires, with at least 24 people killed and many homes destroyed. Some rural towns and villages have been completely devastated. It’s estimated up to a billion animals may have perished.

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Scorned Patron Arrested After Sending Fake Anthrax, Death Threats to NYC Gay Bar

Ameen Keshavjee, a former customer of NYC’s Nowhere Bar on East 14th Street in Manhattan, was charged this week with one count of mailing a threatening communication and one count of conveying an anthrax hoax threat, after he sent an envelope containing what he said was the deadly agent to an employee at the bar.

Keshavjee was prone to sending bonkers emails to the establishment. An employee at the bar had told him in February 2019 that if he continued sending messages he would no longer be welcome. Keshavjee stopped coming to the bar, but began sending “threatening emails” including death threats. In December, he mailed a letter containing a white powdery substance with a note that read, “It’s called anthrax. Enjoy.” The substance turned out not to be anthrax but authorities had been called in.

According to the complaint, Keshavjee’s messages to the Nowhere Bar employee in February, read, “After the way you 3 sh*ts repeatedly harassed, bullied and intimidated me YOU LOW LEVEL HUMAN garbage decide that **I** crossed a line???? DIE OF AIDS, you leftie, hypocrite, democrat-voting FU–S!!!!! I sincerely hope (the employee’s partner) gives it to you, you f–king disgrace to the planet! I will be there to pee on your individual coffins!”

Two days later he wrote, “You miserable fag sh*t. U r a coward, picking on the quietest person in the shop. I hope (the employee’s partner) gives u AIDS. I miss my little spot. You f**k”

In March, Keshavjee wrote: “What a Shame That you weren’t on the plane the fell out of sky in Ethiopia: 3 fewer judgmental liberals would be SO nice. I hope you 3 die of AIDS soon so that I can get back to my quiet little corner. Please cooperate you miserable, judgemental, pinch-faced cunts. Good Afternoon. A”

In April, this gem: “I would LOVe to attend a funeral featuring you 3 pieces of HUMAN SH*T!!! A. Are u f*cking bullying 3 dead yet? Please reply YES! You in particular, (employee), are a hateful, spiteful, bullying, discriminatory, racist, human sh*t. Get AIDS or cancer and DIE: you (two other employees) leave us quiet people in peace, you human sh*ts. Peace and quiet. A”

Keshavjee’s faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. He has been released on $20,000 bail.

Said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman:  “Today’s arrest makes clear that we will not tolerate anthrax threats.  Thanks to the work of the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service, the defendant will have to answer for his alleged threatening actions.”

Said FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr:  “Even though there was no actual anthrax in the note allegedly mailed by Keshavjee, that doesn’t minimize the consequences of the crime.  Hoax threats not only intimidate the victims they are intended for, they require extensive law enforcement resources that could be better used elsewhere.  For anyone out there who might be contemplating a hoax of this nature, just remember Keshavjee now faces up to 10 years in prison for his alleged actions.”

Added USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Phillip R. Bartlett:  “As alleged, Mr. Keshavjee used scare tactics to show his displeasure with employees at the bar.  Postal Inspectors remind the public that sending threats through the U.S. mail is illegal.  These types of cases are aggressively investigated by Postal Inspectors and those allegedly involved will be arrested and brought to justice for their crimes.”

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Scorned Patron Arrested After Sending Fake Anthrax, Death Threats to NYC Gay Bar