UN expert on human rights has now called out the staggering repression of rights of women in Afghanistan, describing it as a move towards authoritarianism. The statement was made by UN special rapporteur on human rights, Richard Bennett while addressing a human rights council meeting in Geneva on Monday.

UN Rights Expert: Afghanistan tipping towards 'authoritarianism'

The Twitter-Musk saga continues amid this. Reports suggest that a majority of Twitter shareholders have voted in favor of Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover of the company. However, Musk has previously said that he wants to call off the deal early.

US: Twitter shareholders vote in favour of Elon Musk's deal, deal worth $44 bn signed in April

A month after deadly clashes erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two countries have broken ceasefire again and engaged in another round of armed hostilities.

A month after deadly clashes erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two countries have broken ceasefire again and engaged in another round of armed hostilities. According to Russian news agencies, the clashes broke out on Tuesday over hostilities related to the decades-old Nagorno-Karabakh territory dispute. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that 49 service personnel died during the attack while the Azerbaijan side was yet to release a figure. "At 00:05 am (2005 GMT) on Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched intensive shelling, with artillery and large-calibre firearms, against Armenian military positions in the direction of the cities of Goris, Sotk, and Jermuk," Armenia's defence ministry said in a statement released. "Azerbaijani forces continue using artillery, trench mortars, and drones...striking military and civilian infrastructure. The enemy is trying to advance (into Armenian territory)," the statement further read. WION Fineprint: Why are Armenia and Azerbaijan fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh? × Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's defence ministry returned the favour by stating that it was the Armenian army that fired the arms and ammunition. "Several positions, shelters and reinforced points of the Azerbaijan armed forces ... came under intense shelling from weapons of various calibres, including mortars, by units of the Armenian army." said the ministry. In the skirmish last month, two Armenian servicemen lost their lives while 14 others were wounded. As reported extensively by WION, after the conflict between the two nations reached a crescendo in 2020, they fought a 44-day war where Baku came on top, primarily due to its use of drones and modern military machinery. Reportedly, Azeri troops regained swathes of the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh that year which has been controlled since the 1990s by ethnic Armenians even though the mountainous territory inside Azerbaijan. Russia brokered a ceasefire between the two countries following which they agreed to work on a peace plan but periodically accuse each other of firing shells across the border. However, since 2021, the clashes have erupted on multiple occasions with both sides trading blows and later blaming each other for starting the attack. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Armenia and Azerbaijan engage in another deadly clash; 49 Armenian soldiers killed

Scientists from Seoul National University and the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy have made a major breakthrough in their pursuit of clean nuclear energy by creating an 'artificial sun' at the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) reactor.

Scientists from Seoul National University and the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy have made a major breakthrough in their pursuit of clean nuclear energy by creating an 'artificial sun' at the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) reactor. Reportedly, the reactor reached temperatures upward of 100 million degree Celsius for 30 seconds. Comparatively, the core of the sun hits temperatures around 15 million degrees. It is pertinent to note that nuclear fusion is considered the holy grail of energy and it is what powers our sun. It merges atomic nuclei to create massive amounts of energy, which is the opposite of the fission process used in atomic weapons and nuclear power plants, which splits them into fragments. × By mimicking the natural reaction of the sun, scientists are hoping that the technology may help humanity harness vast amounts of energy and help battle the energy crisis. “We usually say that fusion energy is a dream energy source – it is almost limitless, with low emission of greenhouse gases and no high-level radioactive waste – [but the latest breakthrough] means fusion is not a dream,” said Yoo Suk-jae, president, Korea Institute of Fusion Energy. Read more: China conducts nuclear fusion experiment for 'artificial sun' Unlike fission, fusion emits no greenhouse gases and carries less risk of accidents or the theft of atomic material. The scientists at KSTAR are not sitting on their laurels and have already put their sights on operating the reactor for five minutes or 300 seconds. “This is not the end of the story, we must move on to 300 seconds – 300 is the minimum time frame to demonstrate steady-state operations, then this plasma can work forever,” However, this is not the first time that an artificial sun has been created in laboratories. As reported by WION, Chinese scientists have been working on developing smaller versions of the nuclear fusion reactor since 2006. Reportedly, last year in December, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) fusion energy reactor created an artificial sun, reaching temperatures of 70 million degrees Celsius for 1,056 seconds, which is five times hotter than the sun. Prior to that in May, the same reactor ran for 101 seconds at a temperature of 20 million degrees Celsius. Read more: Hotter than the real Sun?: China's 'artificial Sun' sets massive record for plasma fusion (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

South Korean scientists create an 'artificial sun' in pursuit of unlimited clean energy

China is demolishing apartments and pausing construction of buildings that can house as many as 75 million people. According to one estimate - at least 50 million homes in China remain unoccupied. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: 50 million homes are empty in China

Europe's energy crisis is getting worse. Reports are predicting a bleak winter with many EU nations in deep recession. Interestingly, American firms stand to benefit from Europe's crisis. Molly Gambhir tells you how.

Gravitas: Europe's power crisis is getting out of control

A wild kangaroo reportedly killed an elderly man in Australia who was keeping it as a pet, police said, in the first fatal kangaroo attack in 86 years.

The kangaroo's species was not identified but is believed to be the western grey. It can be found in Western Australia's Great Southern region. Western grey males grow up to nearly 2.2 metres (more than seven feet) and weigh about 70 kg (154 pounds).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-this-is-how-australian-people-reacted-when-a-kangaroo-walked-into-a-bar-473783">Also read |&nbsp;Watch | This is how Australian people reacted when a kangaroo walked into a bar</a>

A police officer stated that the unidentified man was discovered by a relative on Sunday (September 11) afternoon at his home in the southern town of Redmond, Western Australia, with severe injuries.

The officer said that the kangaroo is thought to have assaulted the man earlier in the day. The man passed away at the spot despite the medical crew's fast arrival. Because of the kangaroo, the ambulance personnel were unable to reach the injured man.

The animal was posing a continuous threat to emergency responders and had to be shot and killed, said police. The department believed that the man was keeping a wild kangaroo as a pet.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/dogs-get-more-teary-eyed-after-being-reunited-with-their-owners-study-509392">Also read |&nbsp;Dogs get more teary-eyed after being reunited with their owners: Study</a>

One such incident happened in 1936, according to Australian media. William Cruickshank, 38, was killed in the incident while trying to save two dogs from a huge kangaroo.

Similar reports of attacks by pet dogs have also been reported.

A recent attack in Noida, India was reported where a 10-year-old boy was attacked by a labrador. The CCTV footage was then upheld by the local police authorities and the owner was then arrested.

Another similar incident took place in Lucknow, where a retired teacher was fatally assaulted by her American Pit Bull Terrier. The woman died from her injuries in the ambulance on her route to the hospital.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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A wild kangaroo reportedly killed an elderly man in Australia who was keeping it as a pet, police said, in the first fatal kangaroo attack in 86 years. The kangaroo's species was not identified but is believed to be the western grey.

A wild kangaroo reportedly killed an elderly man in Australia who was keeping it as a pet, police said, in the first fatal kangaroo attack in 86 years. The kangaroo's species was not identified but is believed to be the western grey. It can be found in Western Australia's Great Southern region. Western grey males grow up to nearly 2.2 metres (more than seven feet) and weigh about 70 kg (154 pounds). Also read | Watch | This is how Australian people reacted when a kangaroo walked into a bar A police officer stated that the unidentified man was discovered by a relative on Sunday (September 11) afternoon at his home in the southern town of Redmond, Western Australia, with severe injuries. The officer said that the kangaroo is thought to have assaulted the man earlier in the day. The man passed away at the spot despite the medical crew's fast arrival. Because of the kangaroo, the ambulance personnel were unable to reach the injured man. The animal was posing a continuous threat to emergency responders and had to be shot and killed, said police. The department believed that the man was keeping a wild kangaroo as a pet. Also read | Dogs get more teary-eyed after being reunited with their owners: Study One such incident happened in 1936, according to Australian media. William Cruickshank, 38, was killed in the incident while trying to save two dogs from a huge kangaroo. Similar reports of attacks by pet dogs have also been reported. A recent attack in Noida, India was reported where a 10-year-old boy was attacked by a labrador. The CCTV footage was then upheld by the local police authorities and the owner was then arrested. Another similar incident took place in Lucknow, where a retired teacher was fatally assaulted by her American Pit Bull Terrier. The woman died from her injuries in the ambulance on her route to the hospital. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Australian man killed by pet wild kangaroo in first fatal attack in 86 years

Ukraine claims to have taken back control of nearly 2000 sq. km. of land from Russian troops, including 20 villages and towns and the strategic city of Izium. Russian troops continue to control nearly a fifth of Ukraine. Is this a turning point in the war? Listen in to Molly Gambhir.

Gravitas: Ukraine claims to have taken back control of nearly 2000 km of land

Is the SCO gearing up to welcome Iran? SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming has said that a memorandum on Iran's accession will be signed this week. What are the implications of admitting Iran to the SCO? What does Iran's entry mean for India? Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Iran set to join SCO?

Britain is mourning the demise of its monarch & bracing itself for the era of King Charles III. His address to UK's parliament was followed by the recital of 'God save the King'. This anthem has made a comeback after 70 years. Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: UK lawmakers sing 'God save the King' after 70 years

In May, Elon Musk has his bankers to "go slow" on the Twitter takeover. Musk believed the takeover won't make sense if the world "was heading into World War 3". Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Elon Musk "delayed" Twitter deal over World War Three concerns

Ethereum plans to make a radical technological shift. It intends to merge it blockchain with a separate one through the 'Ethereum Merge' upgrade. The network claims this will lower its energy consumption by 99.95%. Will it? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Why the Ethereum Merge matters

A Bengaluru doctor decided to abandon his car at a traffic jam and run for 3 kilometers to make it on time for an emergency surgery. It is a rare story of dedication in the age of Quiet Quitting. Molly Gambhir brings you the details.

Gravitas: Monday Motivation: Bengaluru doctor runs 3 kilometers to make it on time for a surgery

Two weeks after Elon Musk vowed to buy Twitter for $44 billion, he wrote in a May 8 text message to one of his Morgan Stanley bankers that he was thinking of exiting the merger agreement due to the possibility of World War III.

WION Fineprint | Elon Musk cited possible “World War III” as reason to break Twitter deal

In China, censors have reportedly been ordered to flood social media with harmless posts about Xinjiang which is under lockdown for more than a month. This is done to control mounting complaints of food and medical shortages.

China: Censors told to flood social media with harmless posts

Ukraine's military says its forces have retaken over 3,000 square km during a rapid counter-offensive in eastern Ukraine. Will this end up being a potential breakthrough in the war?

Ukrainian troops claim 20 settlements recaptured in 24 hours

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will come under one roof for the first time since 2020 Galwan clashes for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet at Uzbekistan on 15-16 September. Indian and Chinese troops have also completed the disengagement process in the Gogra-Hot Springs area along the LAC.

SCO Summit 2022: Shanghai cooperation organization meets amid stoked tensions

Cryptocurrency is rife with scams but there’s a new type of fraud going around and it sounds very weird. It’s called “pig butchering”. Eric Njoka tells you why you should steer clear of it.

WION Fineprint | Decoding the crypto scam that is costing investors millions

WION Fineprint | Russia loses key Ukrainian city, may prove to be war's turning point

The crisis in China's property sector is going from bad to worse. As per reports, in the country, a demolition campaign is gaining speed.&nbsp;

As the world's second-largest economy struggles under the weight of a faltering real estate market, indebted Chinese developers have been forced into a crisis. After massive quantities of debt-fueled construction, China now has enormous, uninhabited "ghost cities," and when builders run out of money, demolitions happen.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: 50 million homes are empty in China

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According to a report in the Telegraph, analysts have warned Beijing has adopted a "build, pause, demolish, repeat" policy as Chinese officials try to limit supply to prevent a drop in property prices and increase economic activity through additional construction.

In an effort to revive the slumping real estate market, the Chinese government is reportedly demolishing tower blocks and halting work on structures that could accommodate 75 million people or more than the entire UK population.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/economy/economic-experts-fear-queen-elizabeth-iis-funeral-will-further-damage-the-uks-economy-515503" hreflang="en">Economic experts fear Queen Elizabeth II's funeral will further damage the UK's economy</a>

Citing figures by researchers at Fathom Consulting, the Telegraph reported that in recent years around three billion square metres of housing in China has been paused or demolished.

In mainland China millions of apartments remain unoccupied, reports News Track Live.&nbsp;Due to the oversupply of vacant properties, the already unstable housing market in China may experience challenges with prices dropping even more.

The Chinese property research institute Bic Research Institute (BRI) has issued a warning in its most recent study, noting that China has no scarcity of homes, sitting unoccupied, and that "such high vacancy is risky."

“A large potential supply is represented by vacant homes. When predictions for the housing market turn negative, a significant number of vacant homes will be put on the market, which could add to downward pressure on home prices," it added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-property-crisis-forcing-families-to-live-in-unfinished-dangerous-flats-505227">China property crisis forcing families to live in unfinished, dangerous flats</a>

The average vacancy rate on the Chinese mainland is 12.1 per cent, according to the&nbsp;BRI report that was released earlier this month.&nbsp;This is much higher than in the UK, where only 0.9 per cent of homes are vacant, in Australia, the proportion is 11.1 per cent, and in the United States, it is 9.8 per cent.

That figure amounts to nearly 50 million vacant units, according to a study done last year by Ren Zepping, a former economist at the Center for Development Research.&nbsp;As per government statistics, there are roughly 400 million homes in mainland China.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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The crisis in China's property sector is going from bad to worse. As per reports, in the country, a demolition campaign is gaining speed. As the world's second-largest economy struggles under the weight of a faltering real estate market, indebted Chinese developers have been forced into a crisis.

The crisis in China's property sector is going from bad to worse. As per reports, in the country, a demolition campaign is gaining speed. As the world's second-largest economy struggles under the weight of a faltering real estate market, indebted Chinese developers have been forced into a crisis. After massive quantities of debt-fueled construction, China now has enormous, uninhabited "ghost cities," and when builders run out of money, demolitions happen. Watch | Gravitas: 50 million homes are empty in China According to a report in the Telegraph, analysts have warned Beijing has adopted a "build, pause, demolish, repeat" policy as Chinese officials try to limit supply to prevent a drop in property prices and increase economic activity through additional construction. In an effort to revive the slumping real estate market, the Chinese government is reportedly demolishing tower blocks and halting work on structures that could accommodate 75 million people or more than the entire UK population. Also read | Economic experts fear Queen Elizabeth II's funeral will further damage the UK's economy Citing figures by researchers at Fathom Consulting, the Telegraph reported that in recent years around three billion square metres of housing in China has been paused or demolished. In mainland China millions of apartments remain unoccupied, reports News Track Live. Due to the oversupply of vacant properties, the already unstable housing market in China may experience challenges with prices dropping even more. The Chinese property research institute Bic Research Institute (BRI) has issued a warning in its most recent study, noting that China has no scarcity of homes, sitting unoccupied, and that "such high vacancy is risky." “A large potential supply is represented by vacant homes. When predictions for the housing market turn negative, a significant number of vacant homes will be put on the market, which could add to downward pressure on home prices," it added. Also read | China property crisis forcing families to live in unfinished, dangerous flats The average vacancy rate on the Chinese mainland is 12.1 per cent, according to the BRI report that was released earlier this month. This is much higher than in the UK, where only 0.9 per cent of homes are vacant, in Australia, the proportion is 11.1 per cent, and in the United States, it is 9.8 per cent. That figure amounts to nearly 50 million vacant units, according to a study done last year by Ren Zepping, a former economist at the Center for Development Research. As per government statistics, there are roughly 400 million homes in mainland China. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Build, pause, demolish, repeat': China to demolish buildings that could accommodate 75 million people

Britney Spears has released a series of audio clips on her Instagram page in which she discusses her estrangement from her two sons, Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden, 15.

WION Fineprint | Britney Spears reflects on sons leaving: 'A huge part of me has died'

The Iran Nuclear Deal is still in limbo despite months of back and forth negotiations. In the latest developments, Iran says it is ready for nuclear cooperation but has condemned the United States.

Iran accuses US of 'slowing down' nuke talks

Here's what's special about Queen Elizabeth II's 'royal' coffin

Switzerland's nuclear waste authority has identified a site for setting up the country's first permanent nuclear waste storage facility near the German border.

WION Fineprint | Switzerland picks site near German border for nuclear waste storage

Slavery is a scourge in human history, where people were held by someone else or treated as their property without the privileges of a "free person". Surely this menace doesn't exist in the modern world, does it? According&nbsp;to the United Nations, it does and it is called "modern slavery".

The UN's International Labour Organization (ILO) announced Monday that 50 million people worldwide are subject to forced labour or forced marriage, and warned that the number of these people has substantially increased in recent years.

AFP reports that as per the new report, despite the United Nations' 2030 deadline to end all forms of modern slavery, the number of individuals subjected to forced labour or forced marriage increased by 10 million between 2016 and 2021.

The most recent statistics show that in 2021, there were 27.6 million people who were forced into forced labour, more than 3.3 million of whom are children, and 22 million who were forced into forced marriage. That means that almost one in every 150 individuals worldwide is a victim of modern-day slavery.

One in five people who are compelled to work are children, and the survey stated that more than half of them are engaged in commercial sexual exploitation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-navy-will-not-release-ufo-videos-citing-national-security-admits-it-has-several-more-515069" hreflang="en">US Navy says it has several UFO videos, won't release them due to 'national security'</a>

The most vulnerable groups are by far women and children as per the report. It also issued a warning that this is a persistent issue because estimates show that forced labour can last for years and forced marriage is frequently "a life sentence."

According to the ILO, migrant workers were more than three times more likely to experience forced labour than domestic workers, with more than half of all cases occurring in upper-middle-income or high-income nations.

In the lead-up to the FIFA soccer World Cup, which begins in November, Qatar was mentioned in the report. The nation is under fire for allegedly violating labour laws in relation to migrants working there.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-crisis-may-increase-trafficking-and-slavery-says-report-414659">Climate crisis may increase trafficking and slavery, says report</a>

The ILO study also made mentioned concerns regarding forced labour in several regions of China.

"Nothing can justify the persistence of this fundamental abuse of human rights," said Guy Ryder, head of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

(With inputs from agencies)

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You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Slavery is a scourge in human history, where people were held by someone else or treated as their property without the privileges of a "free person". Surely this menace doesn't exist in the modern world, does it?

Slavery is a scourge in human history, where people were held by someone else or treated as their property without the privileges of a "free person". Surely this menace doesn't exist in the modern world, does it? According to the United Nations, it does and it is called "modern slavery". The UN's International Labour Organization (ILO) announced Monday that 50 million people worldwide are subject to forced labour or forced marriage, and warned that the number of these people has substantially increased in recent years. AFP reports that as per the new report, despite the United Nations' 2030 deadline to end all forms of modern slavery, the number of individuals subjected to forced labour or forced marriage increased by 10 million between 2016 and 2021. The most recent statistics show that in 2021, there were 27.6 million people who were forced into forced labour, more than 3.3 million of whom are children, and 22 million who were forced into forced marriage. That means that almost one in every 150 individuals worldwide is a victim of modern-day slavery. One in five people who are compelled to work are children, and the survey stated that more than half of them are engaged in commercial sexual exploitation. Also read | US Navy says it has several UFO videos, won't release them due to 'national security' The most vulnerable groups are by far women and children as per the report. It also issued a warning that this is a persistent issue because estimates show that forced labour can last for years and forced marriage is frequently "a life sentence." According to the ILO, migrant workers were more than three times more likely to experience forced labour than domestic workers, with more than half of all cases occurring in upper-middle-income or high-income nations. In the lead-up to the FIFA soccer World Cup, which begins in November, Qatar was mentioned in the report. The nation is under fire for allegedly violating labour laws in relation to migrants working there. Also read | Climate crisis may increase trafficking and slavery, says report The ILO study also made mentioned concerns regarding forced labour in several regions of China. "Nothing can justify the persistence of this fundamental abuse of human rights," said Guy Ryder, head of the International Labour Organization (ILO). (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

It's 21st century and yet 50 million people across the world are still bound in 'modern slavery': UN

Monarchs will get the first opportunity to pay their respects to queen Elizabeth II at the same St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh today. King Charles III will preside over a vigil at the cathedral. Thousands are expected to visit the Queen's coffin. Just one week before her funeral in London, the coffin will be brought to the cathedral in a procession from the Holyrood house palace.

Queen Elizabeth II death: King Charles leads procession in Edinburgh

Record monsoon rainfall and floods have been wreaking havoc in Pakistan. Nearly 1400 people have lost their lives in this catastrophe, hundreds and thousands of them have been rendered homeless and now to avoid further loss of life and property, authorities are planning to breach the countries.

WION Climate Tracker: Pakistan to breach Indus highway

Few days have passed since apple launched its latest flagship lineup. Multiple things have been said about whether the iPhone 14 is worth spending hundreds of dollars or not.

WION Climate Tracker: iPhone 14 accounts for 61 kg of carbon dioxide emissions

Cryptocurrency mining is a process to create new digital coins and verify transactions on the blockchain and as we understand cryptocurrency mining consumes a great deal of energy because miners use powerful computers to solve complex Maths puzzles and earn new crypto tokens.

WION Climate Tracker: Why the Ethereum merge matters

Sri Lanka is also witnessing an economic crisis. Top officials are in talks with the International Monetary Fund over a fresh $2.9 billion program. The two parties are trying to set out an ambitious primary surplus target of 2.3 percent of GDP by 2025 that will mean having to increase state revenue significantly.

Sri Lanka: Colombo continues talks with the IMF, fresh $2.9 bn programme in talks

On the sidelines of Disney's D23 expo, the company CEO Bob Chapek, in an interview opened up about the 'Don't Say Gay' bill controversy that erupted earlier this year when Disney was found donating to&nbsp;some of the bill’s backers in the state legislature.

Stating that it was a complex social issue, the Disney boss added that trying to please every side becomes very difficult in such cases.

"These are complex social issues where we absolutely, positively want to represent the needs and the expectations of our cast members, but we also realize that sometimes in such a divided world, there’s not alignment between what possibly large constituencies of our guest and consumer base are looking for in terms of the kind of content that they want to show their kids at this particular time,"

"What we try to do is be everything to everybody. That tends to be very difficult because we’re the Walt Disney Company. When you’re a lightning rod for clicks and for political podium speeches, the essence of our brand can be misappropriated or misused to try to fit the needs of any one particular group’s agenda. We want to rise above that." added the Disney CEO.

The Disney boss asserted that he didn't want the company to be caught up in any 'political subterfuge' but at the same time wanted to represent&nbsp;"a brighter tomorrow for families of all types, regardless of how they define themselves."

As reported by WION, after the Florida senate&nbsp;passed the&nbsp;Parental Rights in Education bill in March earlier this year, Disney initially failed to take a stand for the&nbsp;LGBTQ+ community.

Read more<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/disney-faces-backlash-after-emerging-as-fund-donor-for-dont-say-gay-bill-461676">:&nbsp;Disney faces backlash after emerging as fund donor for 'Don't Say Gay' bill</a>

After the controversy snowballed, Disney changed its course and stopped funding political leaders in the state. It also released a statement where it stated that the 'Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed.

"Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country." Disney said in the statement.

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While Democrats and Walt Disney have called the passing of legislation immoral and dubbed it as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, contrary to its formal name, the Republicans sternly disagree.

The GOP lawmakers have stated that the bill does not outrightly ban discussion on gay or transgender people in schools, albeit it bans classroom discussion for students in third grade or younger.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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On the sidelines of Disney's D23 expo, the company CEO Bob Chapek, in an interview opened up about the 'Don't Say Gay' bill controversy that erupted earlier this year when Disney was found donating to some of the bill’s backers in the state legislature.

On the sidelines of Disney's D23 expo, the company CEO Bob Chapek, in an interview opened up about the 'Don't Say Gay' bill controversy that erupted earlier this year when Disney was found donating to some of the bill’s backers in the state legislature. Stating that it was a complex social issue, the Disney boss added that trying to please every side becomes very difficult in such cases. "These are complex social issues where we absolutely, positively want to represent the needs and the expectations of our cast members, but we also realize that sometimes in such a divided world, there’s not alignment between what possibly large constituencies of our guest and consumer base are looking for in terms of the kind of content that they want to show their kids at this particular time," "What we try to do is be everything to everybody. That tends to be very difficult because we’re the Walt Disney Company. When you’re a lightning rod for clicks and for political podium speeches, the essence of our brand can be misappropriated or misused to try to fit the needs of any one particular group’s agenda. We want to rise above that." added the Disney CEO. The Disney boss asserted that he didn't want the company to be caught up in any 'political subterfuge' but at the same time wanted to represent "a brighter tomorrow for families of all types, regardless of how they define themselves." As reported by WION, after the Florida senate passed the Parental Rights in Education bill in March earlier this year, Disney initially failed to take a stand for the LGBTQ+ community. Read more: Disney faces backlash after emerging as fund donor for 'Don't Say Gay' bill After the controversy snowballed, Disney changed its course and stopped funding political leaders in the state. It also released a statement where it stated that the 'Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed. "Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country." Disney said in the statement. Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation: pic.twitter.com/UVI7Ko3aKS — Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) March 28, 2022 × While Democrats and Walt Disney have called the passing of legislation immoral and dubbed it as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, contrary to its formal name, the Republicans sternly disagree. The GOP lawmakers have stated that the bill does not outrightly ban discussion on gay or transgender people in schools, albeit it bans classroom discussion for students in third grade or younger. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'We try to be everything to everybody', Disney CEO on 'Don't Say Gay' bill controversy

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