Morning! While you were sleeping (or staying up to binge-watch Friends for the tenth time, or pulling an all nighter in the library), a few things went down that you’ll probably want to know about. So grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and get scrolling.
Rumor Has It
Everyone compose yourselves because Beyoncé is not only working on new music, but she also has a Netflix special in the works!
Queen Bey is bringing a special to @Netflix! ? https://t.co/BjXoxAuy3N
— POPSUGAR (@POPSUGAR) April 3, 2019
According to Us Weekly, it looks like Queen Bey has a busy summer ahead of her, as a source said the singer is currently working on new music. However, it might not be the new album that everyone was hoping for. Apparently, Beyoncé is releasing a “couple of new tracks [for] a deluxe album filled with old songs.”
Her new music will be her first solo since her 2016 visual album, Lemonade, PopSugar reports. In 2018, she and husband Jay-Z released their joint album, Everything Is Love, and coheadlined the On the Run II stadium tour.
While it isn’t a full, new album, you can still expect us to have the songs, old and new, on our summer playlist.
What’s more? Beyoncé also has a Netflix special on the way. Another insider told Us Weekly that 23-time Grammy winner will be working with Netflix on a documentary that “will be tied to her Coachella 2018 performance,” with additional footage.
The 37-year-old singer’s 2018 Coachella performance was unforgettable, and, even more, was broadcasted live on YouTube to a record-breaking 498,000 people, Refinery29 reports.
In the meantime, we’ll be gearing up for the highly anticipated release of Disney’s The Lion King remake on July 19th, where Beyoncé will voice Nala.
News You Can Eat
Name a more iconic duo than Starbucks and Disney. We’ll wait. Well, anyway, it looks like dreams really do come true because the two companies have collaborated on and released a brand new Disney mug series.
Disney fan blog AllEars.net reported about the new “Been There” mug series, adding that it’s part of the Starbucks “Pin Drop Collection.”
The new line contains six mugs that are specially designed for the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Disney California Adventure, and the one and only Disneyland, Hello Giggles reports.
The mugs have plenty of nods to their respective parks.
The Magic Kingdom mug features the castle, Mickey ears, Alice in Wonderland-inspired tea cups, the “It’s A Small World” clock, Dumbo and a Dole Whip cup. The Epcot mug says “The 21st Century Begins Today” and features sketches of the monorail, Spaceship Earth, sushi and chopsticks and a spaceship blasting off.
According to WDW News Today, the mugs retail for $19.99, and are only available in their respective parks.
If you’re wanting to get your hands on these gorgeous mugs, but can’t visit the parks, Delish reports that they might eventually make their way onto ShopDisney like previous Disney x Starbucks mugs have.
Time for a Disney vacation anyone?
Then This Happened
The House passed legislation Thursday reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the United States’ landmark legislation that funds programs to prevent and prosecute abuse against women, adding language that will prevent dating partners convicted of stalking or abuse from buying a gun.
The bill, backed by Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), the only Republican lawmaker to co-sponsor it, passed 263-158. Thirty-three Republicans broke party lines to vote for the bill, and only one Democrat, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), voted against the measure.
According to Vox, the law currently forbids former or current spouses who were convicted of abuse or are under a restraining order from purchasing a gun. The new language expands the restriction to include dating partners who were never legally married, eliminating the “boyfriend loophole.”
BREAKING: #VAWA19 just passed in the House! This landmark legislation will reauthorize & strengthen #VAWA, investing in prevention, improving protections and access to safety and justice for all survivors ✊ On to the Senate! pic.twitter.com/mGjEDXpcW1
— Democratic Women’s Caucus (@HouseDemWomen) April 4, 2019
“According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, on average, nearly 20 people every minute — 20 people every minute — are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. That is a tragedy and a crisis,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said on during the floor debate. “One in 4 women experience severe intimate partner physical violence, and 1 in 7 have been stalked by an intimate partner to the point at which she felt very fearful, or believed that she or someone close to her would be harmed or killed. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk — hear me — increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent.”
“That is why we aim to close gun loopholes by expanding the definition of intimate partners to include dating or former dating partners,” he added. “It is also why this bill has language preventing anybody convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking from obtaining a gun.”
But the new measure had received criticism from top Republicans and gun rights groups, particularly the National Rifle Association (NRA), who say the bill is an assault on Americans’ Second Amendment rights and could potentially prevent victims of abuse from obtaining a gun to protect themselves, The Hill reports.
“Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I want to find a solution that helps victims, prevents domestic violence and strengthens programs that serve vulnerable populations. We stand willing and ready to discuss ways to do that,” Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said on the floor. “But I cannot and will not support a bill that undermines and jeopardizes due process, that curtails prosecutorial discretion, that makes it more difficult for victims in rural areas to find housing, that could weaken programs for female victims, that could re-victimize abused women and that undercuts Second Amendment rights.”
“The gun control lobby and anti-gun politicians are intentionally politicizing the Violence Against Women Act as a smokescreen to push their gun control agenda,” NRA spokesperson Jennifer Baker told NPR, explaining the organization’s opposition.
The NRA urged members of the House to vote against the bill and said it would be posting scores regarding the lawmakers’ vote online.
But Democrats have stood behind the new measure, arguing that closing the loophole would ensure that the law is effectively protecting women.
“There’s very discrete provisions that relate to protecting women’s safety. And they’re against it,” Pelosi said of the NRA’s opposition, according to Roll Call. “I don’t see that it has much impact on the passage of the bill in the House of Representatives.”
VAWA’s reauthorization will now be considered by the Senate, which is currently working on its own version of the legislation.
Happy Thoughts
Today is National Deep Dish Pizza Day! And Happy Friday!