Jan 11, 2018

Five women accuse James Franco of sexual misconduct

Actor James Franco speaks onstage during the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for National Board of Review

Five women have accused actor James Franco of behavior they found "inappropriate or sexually exploitative," reports the Los Angeles Times. The allegations largely stem from interactions at two acting schools, environments in which the women felt Franco could directly help their careers through casting in his own projects.

Why it matters: Franco, who won Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy at Sunday's Golden Globes, came under fire for expressing support for the Time's Up movement amid rumors of his own misconduct.

The response: In lieu of a comment, Franco's lawyer disputed the allegations and pointed to the actor's appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Tuesday, where he addressed the rumors. "Look, in my life I pride myself on taking responsibility for things that I have done. ... If I have done something wrong, I will fix it — I have to," Franco said.

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Updated 3 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 6,898,613 — Total deaths: 399,832 — Total recoveries — 3,087,714 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 1,920,061 — Total deaths: 109,802 — Total recoveries: 500,849 — Total tested: 19,778,873 — Map.
Public health: Why the pandemic is hitting minorities harder — Coronavirus curve rises in Florida — How racism threatens the response to the pandemic — Some people are drinking and inhaling cleaning products in attempt to fight the virus.
Tech: The pandemic is accelerating next-generation disease diagnostics — Robotics looks to copy software-as-a-service model.
Business: Budgets busted by coronavirus make it harder for cities to address inequality — Sports, film production in California to resume June 12 after 3-month hiatus.
Education: Students and teachers flunked remote learning.

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Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd updates

Protesters gather north of Lafayette Square near the White House during a demonstration against racism and police brutality, in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been rallying in cities across the U.S. and around the world to protest the killing of George Floyd. Huge crowds assembled in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago for full-day events on Saturday.

Why it matters: Twelve days of nationwide protest in the U.S. has built pressure for states to make changes on what kind of force law enforcement can use on civilians and prompted officials to review police conduct. A memorial service was held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born. Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all flags to fly at half-staff to honor him until sunset.

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Updated 7 hours ago - World

In photos: People around the world rally against racism

Despite a ban on large gatherings implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters rally against racism in front of the American Embassy in Paris on June 6. Photo: Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people have continued to rally in cities across the world against racism and show their support this week for U.S. demonstrators protesting the death in police custody of George Floyd.

Why it matters: The tense situation in the U.S. has brought the discussion of racism and discrimination onto the global stage at a time when most of the world is consumed by the novel coronavirus.

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