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LISTEN: Voice of Russia on Chicago School Closures and Violence

Once again I'm wearing yet another hat: Analyst for the Voice of Russia, the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service. Recorded a segment Friday on the racial politics of Chicago school closures and the surge in gun violence among the city's Black and Latino youth. Listen HERE.

Read my two recent reports for EBONY: "Chicago's Black Students Face Massive School Closures" and "Black Students Overwhelmingly Affected by Chicago Public Schools’ Proposed Closures."

This makes my fourth or fifth appearance on VoR. And now there is a Rod McCullom category—with a minor spelling change. Ta-da! More  in the weeks ahead.

LISTEN: Voice of Russia on House GOP, Violence Against Women Act

I'm wearing a new hat this week: Analyst for the Voice of Russia, the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service. Recorded a segment Tuesday for the American Edition on the House Republican leadership's failure to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. LISTEN HERE.

Read my  op-ed from earlier this week at EBONY.com: "GOP FAMILY VALUES: Domestic Violence Act Goes, Anti-Gay Legislation Stays."

This makes my third or fourth appearance on VoR. Look for me again in the weeks ahead.

PHOTOS: Halle Berry is Flawless for "Interview Russia"

PHOTOS: Sean + Seng/INTERVIEW RUSSIA

Halle Berry is fabulous to the tenth degree for INTERVIEW Russia's November 2012 issue. The co-star of Cloud Atlas channels 1970s decadence in a huge Diana Ross-style afro and psychedelic platform shoes. The cover editorial was lensed by London-based fashion photographers Sean + Seng. The duo also photographed the Academy Award-winning actress for INTERVIEW Germany this month.

Berry is interviewed by Tom Tykwer, who co-wrote and co-directed Cloud Atlas with Andy and Lana Wachowski. Berry says that she was intrigued by the film's experimental format and the challenge of playing characters of different races and genders. Rough translation:

"They said, 'You have to play multiple roles.' But then it was aware of only one - the role of Meron, the heroine of stories taking place in the future. I would never have guessed that this is a result of six different characters, one of which is a man! Well at least that I had to play only three."

The gorgeous cover AFTER THE JUMP ...

LISTEN: Voice of Russia 410P/ET on Kenya, Africa and LGBT Rights

Taped an interview for the Voice of Russia, the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service. The segment is on LGBT rights in Africa and advances in Kenya. The interview dovetails on my latest article for EBONY, "Can Kenya Lead Africa Forward on Gay Rights?"

Listen at 410ish HERE.

EURO 2012: Racist Abuse Hurled at Czech Republic 's Lone Black Player

PHOTO: Getty

Keep it classy. Russian soccer fans hurled racist abuse at the Czech Republic's sole Black footballer and attacked game officials at the opening of the European Championship in Poland on Saturday. This is despite the fact that Russia won the Euro 2012 Group A match 4-1 over the Czech Republic, reports CBS News.

Expert spotters from the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network identified verbal insults targeted at Theodor Gebre Selassie, who is black. Fans also displayed a nationalist "Russian Empire" flag which "we take as evidence of far-right sensibilities," FARE executive director Piara Powar said. Film circulating online Saturday also showed some Russian fans attacking stadium stewards after the match.

Four security personnel were treated in a hospital but were not badly injured, a Polish police spokesman said. Police are studying security video footage to identify fans involved. UEFA said in a statement that "around 30 fans" attacked the stewards.

Selassie was born in the Czech Republic to an Ethiopian father and Czech mother. Czech's lone black player said he's experienced "much worse" abuse, reports the AP.

The 25-year-old left back plays in the Czech league for champion Liberec and has been targeted by Sparta Prague fans in the past. Gebre Selassie said he was ready to forget the incident involving Russia fans. "Personally, I'm ready to put it behind me. I see no reason to discuss it with the media," he said, declining to give details about the abuse. He also said he didn't want to officially complain.

Last year, the Czech football association's disciplinary committee investigated Sparta Prague, whose fans were suspected of abusing Gebre Selassie in a league match. In a statement to the committee, the player said he was absolutely sure he was targeted, but wasn't in favour of any punishment for Sparta.

The incident follows another ugly situation in Poland. The Netherlands' four Black players faced racist jeers from on-lookers during training in Krakow on Wednesday.

The EURO 2012 games are hosted by Poland and Ukraine, which was represented last month at Eurovision by a Black contestant. "Of the 20 selected national teams, 8 have at least one black player," reports Afro-Europe. England, France and the Netherlands have the highest number of Black players.

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LISTEN: Voice of Russia 520P/ET on FAMU and Robert Champion

Taped two interviews this afternoon for the Voice of Russia, the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service. The first segment is on the brutal hazing of FAMU's Robert Champion. The segment dovetails on my article at EBONY.com: "Why Has Black Media Ignored the Sexuality of FAMU Hazing Victim Robert Champion?"

Listen at 520ish HERE.

PHOTOS: Ronnie Cash Bulges and Blings in Marco Marco

PHOTOS: Manny Serratos

"I'll never stop looking flawless!" vows Russian-American model hotness Ronnir "Ronnie" Cash, showing (ahem) all of his muscles in briefs by couture designer Marco Marco and lensed by Manny Serratos.

For the deep-pocketed glam-goth fashionistas: Ronnie models this Swarovski crystal neoprene mask designed by Marco Marco. The mask was worn by Chris Brown during his acceptance speech at the 2011 BET Music Awards.

Who wore it better? More goth and more tighties AFTER THE JUMP

 

PHOTOS: Black Russian-American Model Hotness Ronnie Cash

These digitals of Russian-American model Ronnir "Ronnie" Cash should fulfill all of your fantasies involving beefcake, tattoos, strong jawlines, Colgate smiles and five o'clock shadow.

Two more looks plus a close-up of Ronnie's mesmerizing green eyes WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Footballer Samuel Eto'o to Become World's Highest Paid Athlete

Inter-Milan and Cameroon's thigh-tastic and bulging star striker Samuel Eto'o is set to become the highest paid athlete in the world, report the  Wall Street Journal and FOX News.

The 30-year-old Cameroonian forward would be paid a record $485,000 a week by the obscure Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala—located in the war-torn Caucasus region of Dagestan.

In a deal announced Tuesday, Anzhi Makhachkala of the Russian Premier League agreed to pay Eto'o's former club, Inter Milan, a transfer fee of $39 million to acquire the 30-year-old forward.

The team also agreed to a contract with the player that, given Russia's favorable tax rates, would net Eto'o $29 million per season. That not only eclipses the estimated $17.4 million salary Cristiano Ronaldo earns at Real Madrid, it also outstrips the net income of top U.S. stars like Manning, Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant.

The only athlete on earth who might pocket as much is Fernando Alonso, the Spanish Formula One driver for team Ferrari whose contract is worth more than $40 million per year.

The deal is so lucrative because it capitalizes on Russia's ridiculously low tax rate for foreigners, explains WSJ. The tax rate is only 13 percent.

The good news: If Eto'o moves to Anzhi Makhachkala, he wouldn't have to live in the Caucasus! "Because the club is located in Dagestan, which is politically unstable and possibly unappealing to wealthy athletes, the players live and train in Moscow during the week and fly about 1,000 miles to appear in home matches."

Nice work if you can get it.

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MOSCOW: Riot Police Arrest Lt. Dan Choi and Other Gay Activists

PHOTOS: Reuters

Moscow's riot police violently dispersed an "unprecedented" gay rights rally that Russian and international activists attempted to stage near the Kremlin. Former US Army Lt. Dan Choi, British activist Peter Tatchell, Chicago-based Andy Thayer and French Black gay academic and activist Louis-Georges Tin were among those arrested.

"[M]embers of an ultra-Orthodox group had gathered near the Kremlin" to ambush the protesters, reports AFP.

An AFP correspondent saw the police then move in and violently wrestle both activists and members of the religious group to the ground before leading them off in handcuffs to waiting security vans. "We have come here to prevent this event from happening," Orthodox group member Leonid Simonovich-Nikshich said as scuffles raged around him. "God burned down Sodom and Gomorrah and he will burn down Moscow too if we let things like this happen," he told AFP.

Members of the religious group wore black robes and brandished Christian Orthodox cross. An AFP correspondent saw one man rip up a picture of Elton John—the openly gay icon of the global gay and lesbian community.

Eighteen gay activists and 14 anti-gays were arrested, reports UK Gay News, which live-blogged the violent protest.

The gay activists were released this afternoon. Choi also tweeted during his detention and release. More at UK Gay News ...

Russia has been criticized by the State Department for widespread human rights violations. Dozens were arrested when Moscow's riot police violently dispersed a gay rights march in May 2009. The nation's first officially sanctioned LGBT rights protest was November 2010 in St. Petersburg. That was also interrupted by extreme violence.

Choi uploaded video via mobile while in police custody. Watch that, video from the protest and the AP"s report WHEN YOU JUMP ...