Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts after dunking against the Washington Wizards during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)2025-01-31T17:29:08Z The NBA All-Stars have been selected. Next up: Assigning them to teams.The 10 players designated as starters were announced on Jan. 23, the remaining 14 players designated as reserves were revealed Thursday and now, those 24 players will be drafted onto eight-player teams for the games that will be played on Feb. 16 in San Francisco.TNT analysts and basketball greats Shaquille ONeal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will draft the teams on Feb. 6. The eight-player teams will bear their names Team Shaq, Team Charles and Team Kenny.Theyll pick from this pool of players: LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves James Harden of the Los Angeles Clippers Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs How the tournament worksThe games will be fast. Games are to 40 points; first one to reach that total wins. The two semifinal winners will meet in the All-Star final, that game also goes only to 40 points.Voting formatThere was a weighted formula to pick the 10 players designated as starters. It was 50% fan vote, 25% media panel vote, 25% current player vote. NBA head coaches picked the 14 players designated as reserves.But the starter and reserve columns wont mean much on game night, since there will be 15 different players starting five from each of the three teams and only nine players coming off the bench in those semifinal games. How the tournament worksThe Rising Stars event winner that tournament will be held Feb. 14, another four-team event made up of first- and second-year players will be the fourth team in the All-Star games on Feb. 16. That team will be called Team Candace, for Candace Parker.Why the changeNBA Commissioner Adam Silver has wanted a more competitive All-Star event for some time, and this change comes after the teams combined to score a record 397 points 211-186 was the final in last seasons game at Indianapolis.The teams combined to take 289 shot attempts in last years game, 94% of those being either inside the paint or beyond the 3-point line.Coaching staffsKenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers will coach one All-Star team, Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder will coach another, and two of their assistants one from each team will have the other teams under their direction.Cleveland and Oklahoma City are sending their staffs to the game because those are the teams with the best records in the Eastern and Western Conferences. Prize moneyThere is a prize pool of $1.8 million for the All-Star Game.Each player on the All-Star champion team gets $125,000, each player on the runner-up team will get $50,000 and the players on the teams eliminated in the semifinals will each get $25,000.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba TIM REYNOLDS Reynolds is an Associated Press sports writer, based in South Florida. twitter mailto

Marshmallow, with her enigmatic charm, bold style, and unwavering confidence, has long captivated fans and cemented her status as a fan favorite. However, her portrayal has also been at the center of conversations about representation in animation. For years, the charactera Black trans woman and sex workerwas voiced by a cisgender man, perpetuating stereotypes that [...]The post Rewriting the Script: How Jari Jones is Expanding Marshmallows Story first appeared on GLAAD.

Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend. 1.) Warner Bros psychological sci-fi thriller Companion hit theaters today! Featuring Lukas Gage and Harvey Guilln as a couple, the film centers on a weekend getaway that turns [...]The post The GLAAD Wrap: Companion and Love Me in Theaters, Trailers for The Wedding Banquet and Running Point, New Music by Lady Gaga, Vienna Vienna and More! first appeared on GLAAD.

Sometimes the straights are the ones doing the coming out...While a straight person confirming their heterosexuality is definitely not the same as a closeted queer person building up the courage to finally announce who they are to the ones they love (in a world that doesn't always accept them), sometimes there are circumstances where straight people find themselves having to talk about their sexuality and, for lack of a better phrase, "come out as straight." And these straight celebrities had to do just that...Carn LenMexican singer Carn Len came out as straight after an AI-generated video that made him appear to kiss fellow singer Espinoza Paz went viral. I havent developed any symptoms, I dont think, I havent developed any kind of attraction to people of my own sex yet, so I still have heterosexual behaviors, he said in Spanish, in a video on Instagram I want people who suffer from homosexuality to tell me when the first symptoms appear, so that they dont catch me off guard and catch me out of the blue with makeup, do you understand?He followed this up with an additional message to his LGBTQ+ fans saying, Long live the community. You know that I love you very much... I think that the sexual orientation of any person is now secondary. We see so many people with very varied and very different sexual preferences who are super-mega-hyper-successful.Nicholas GalitzineSorry gays but our No. 1 baby girl is tragically, officially, straight. While speaking with GQ the Mary & George star discussed playing gay roles. I identify as a straight man, but I have been a part of some incredible queer stories, Galitzine told GQ. I felt a sense of uncertainty sometimes about whether Im taking up someones space, and perhaps guilt. At the same time, I see those characters as not solely their sexuality.Michele MorroneFans of 365 Days got very excited when its star posted a very steamy photo of himself cozied up poolside with his costar Simone Susinna. The photo quickly went viral with fans assuming that the photo's caption, "I'm a liar," was code for coming out. This all prompted the actor to come out out as straight on his Instagram stories. "I woke up with my team calling me saying, 'There's a lot of articles saying that you came out,' because of the picture I took with Simone," Morrone wrote in an Instagram Story. He went on to explain the photo: "He became a very good friend of mine, we're like brothers. We're shooting a movie together. It was just a picture. Nothing more.""So, I'm so sorry for the confusion," he continued. "As I said, I'm a big supporter of the LGBT community."Noah BeckTikToker Noah Beck may have recently sent the gays into a panic by getting cozy with a male friend at Coachella, but they were in fact, just friends.In July 2023 Beck opened up about his sexual identity, setting the record straight during a YouTube interview with Zach Sang. The two were discussing a video of him during a burlesque performance where a performer referred to him as gay. People were like, Is this a coming-out video? And I was like, no, its just a funny video, Beck recalled.I grew up with two sisters, I grew up playing soccer, and I grew up in a very female-dominated household and Im just not afraid to be in touch with my feminine side, he further clarified.Austin VictoriaThe current season of Selling the OC is pure bisexual chaos, thank gawd, but it also led to one of its stars coming out straight, straight, straight.The drama began with out bisexual castmate Sean Palmieri alleging that costar Austin Victoria had propositioned him. Victoria denied it on camera and followed up with a statement on Instagram. "Love is Love! I agree with this 100%. I love my LGBTQ+ friends and I have and always will support them. Period," he wrote. "Lastly, I'm a straight man." he continued in his statement. "I love my wife and we have never and will never 'experiment.' I can care less what you do in your personal life. Zero judgment here, do what makes YOU happy!"Meek MillRapper Meek Mill would like you to know that he is very straight and to prove it he is sharing TMI.Following speculation about his sexuality, in connection with the lawsuit filed against Sean Diddy Combs Mill took to X to clarify his sexuality. When I got a girl around me Im f#%king her twice a day lol ask some of ya favorites pussy dont control me but its like a high, he wrote on X. One love to gay people, but that juicy p#%sy do it for meeeeeee. I done ran red lights to get that feeling yall weird on here like devils lol.Well ok then. Go off sis, we guess.AdeleSinger and icon Adele came out as straight during one of her Weekends with Adele shows in Las Vegas, when a queer fan asked the "Hello" singer proposed. You cant marry me, Im straight, my love, she said. And my husbands here tonight. Hes here.Ooop did Adele also just come out as married to her longtime boyfriend sports agent Rich Paul?When the queer fan suggested that perhaps Adel ive it a try the singer joked, No, I dont want to try. Im with Rich, Youre crazy, leave me alone!Tyler James WilliamsAbbott Elementary star Tyler James Williams came out as straight during a powerful message of allyship to kick off Pride Month. Confused? Keep reading.The actor took to his Instagram stories to address rumors about his sexuality and to point out how dangerous it can be for actual queer people to engage in this kind of speculation. Usually I wouldnt address stuff like this, but I feel like it as a conversation is bigger than me. Im not gay, but I think the culture of trying to find some kind of hidden trait or behavior that a closed person let slip is very dangerous, he wrote in his Instagram Story.Overanalyzing someones behavior in an attempt to catch them directly contributes to the anxiety a lot of queer and queer-questioning people feel when they fear living in their truth, he continued. It makes the most pedestrian of conversations and interactions in spaces feel less safe for our gay brothers and sisters and those who may be questioning."It also reinforces an archetype many straight men have to live under that is oftentimes unrealistic, less free, and limits individual expressing, he added. Ive been very clear about the intentionality I try to put into my platform to push against those archetypes every chance that I get. Being straight doesnt look one way. Being gay doesnt look one way. And what may seem like harmless fun and conversation may actually be sending a dangerous message to those struggling with real issues, he explained. I refuse to inadvertently contribute to that message.Happy Pride to all of my queer and questioning brothers, sisters, and individuals, wrote Wiallms I pray that you feel seen in ways that make you feel safe in the celebration that is this month.As an ally, I continue to be committed to assisting in that where I can and helping to cultivate a future where we are all accepted and given permission to be ourselves.Brandon RouthDuring the press tour for Superman: Returns Brandon Routh addressed comments about the sexual identity of both himself and the Man of Steel. Speaking with the Sydney Morning Herald Routh said he is prepared for fame: It will be different. Every day I am learning how to deal with it and make it work for me I dont have any secrets so it will be fine. That includes his sexuality. You find whatever message you want. Everybody is going to interpret the film differentlyPeople will see the movie and realize that Superman is certainly not gay. And I am not (gay) as well, but people will have that discussion as much as they want it is a topic for people to talk about.Straight and unbothered. Daniel RadcliffeMr. Harry Potter himself discussed rumors of his sexuality to MTV News back in 2010 while filming an announcement for The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that focuses on preventing LGBTQ+ youth suicide. The actor also said gay sex was really f**king painful when he filmed a gay sex scene for the film Kill Your Darlings.I was talked through it by the director, he said. He would be telling me what I would be feeling in each take.Zac EfronZac Efron burst onto the scene with High School Musical in his teens and has continued to be a rising star ever since. He had his first gay press interview with The Advocate in 2012, where he said all the attention from the gay community was very flattering.After High School Musical and Hairspray, I've always felt embraced by the gay community, and I feel incredibly grateful and honored," he said. "This is actually a very special interview for me. I'm extremely aware of the support I've gotten from you guys over the years, and it's amazing that it's taken this long to sit down and actually discuss it, but please know that it hasn't gone unappreciated. I'm so excited to be talking to you."Eric StonestreetEric Stonestreet is one half of our favorite Modern Family gay couple, but the actor himself is openly straight. His onscreen hubby, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who is gay, jokes that Stonestreet is gay-for-pay, nodding to the times they have to kiss onscreen.Stonestreet started dating pediatric nurse Lindsay Schweitzer in 2016, and the couple became engaged in 2021.Misha CollinsThis Supernatural fan-favorite had a long-running joke on the show between his character, Castiel, and one of the main brothers, Dean, in a ship often known as Destiel.After seemingly coming out as bisexual himself, Collins took to Twitter in 2022 to clarify that his intentions were misspoken. "I want to deeply apologize for misspeaking this weekend. At a fan convention in New Jersey, when I was talking with the audience I said that I was 'all three' things: an introvert, an extrovert, and a bisexual," he wrote. "My clumsy intention was to wave off actually discussing my sexuality, but I badly fumbled that and understand that was seen as me coming out as bisexual."He added that, even though it was not his intention to misspeak, hes still a fierce LGBTQ+ ally.Taron EgertonAfter posting a photo of his male friend with the caption "Cutie. My boy to Instagram in October of 2018, many fans thought that the Robin Hood and Kingsman star had come out as queer. Unfortuntely that wasn't the case, and in an interview the following month with the Radio Times, he cleared up rumours about his sexuality, telling people he isn't gay."One of the lads was at my London flat and I Instagrammed a picture of him and said, 'Look at this cutie,' and a million outlets reported I was coming out as gay," he said. "Im not gay but two of my mates came out when I was 15 and it was a joy to support them because, as a group, we are all secure in who we are.""Im certainly not going to stop calling my mates cuties and gorgeous because they are cuties and they are gorgeous."Ansel ElgortThe Baby Driver actor set the record straight on Twitter back in 2014 after rumours of his sexuality started circulating. "Just in case it isn't clear...I like girls. A lot," he tweeted. "Also let me say if I was gay I wouldn't hide it. Being gay or straight isn't bad or good it just IS. U are who you are. Be true to yourself."Just in case it isn't clear... I like girls. A lot. Ansel (@AnselElgort) December 18, 2014Also let me say if I was gay I wouldn't hide it. Being gay or straight isn't bad or good it just IS. U are who you are. Be true to yourself. Ansel (@AnselElgort) December 18, 2014Kendall JennerDespite internet rumors that the reality TV personality turned fashion model was queer, Kendall Jenner set the record straight about her sexuality in a March 2018 interview with Vogue."I think its because Im not like all my other sisters, who are like, Heres me and my boyfriend!" she said when asked why fans on the internet think she's gay. "So it was a thing for a minute because no one ever saw me with a guy. I would always go that extra mile to be low-key with guys, sneaking around all the time. You dont want to, like, look crazy."She continued:"I dont think I have a bisexual or gay bone in my body, but I dont know! Who knows?! Im all down for experiencenot against it whatsoeverbut Ive never been there before. Also, I know I have kind of a...male energy? But I dont want to say that wrong, because Im not transgender or anything. But I have a tough energy. I move differently. But to answer your question: Im not gay. I have literally nothing to hide."Darren CrissThe Emmy-winning actor who played gay serial killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story spoke about his sexuality in a 2011 interview with OUT. (Questions about Criss' sexuality surfaced soon after he got the breakout role of Blaine (Kurt's love interest) in FOX's popular musical series Glee.)"I think it's more empowering to everybody, including myself, if I'm articulate about identifying myself as a straight male playing a gay character," he said when asked about being comfortable playing gay characters. "Ultimately, that's more powerful for both communities." Jake GyllenhaalDuring a 2013 appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, Jake Gyllenhaal addressed the rumors of him being gay that followed him after his iconic role in Ang Lee's 2005 Oscar-winning, queer-themed film Brokeback Mountain. "It's a huge compliment," he told host James Lipton about people thinking he's gay. Jack FalaheeHow to Get Away with Murder star Jack Falahee, who plays a gay character on the show, came out as a straight ally to LGBT people on Twitter following Donald Trump's election in 2016. "While Im not gay, on HTGAWM I play a character whos in an interracial relationship with an HIV positive man," he wrote. "However, in the past Ive declined to discuss my own sexuality in an attempt to try and dismantle the closet. Opponents to my ambiguous answers to questions surrounding my sexuality argued the importance of visibility. Ultimately, I think that my stance has been unhelpful in the fight for equality. I feel that Ive sacrificed my ability to support the community for a more theoretical discussion about sexuality. Now more than ever, I want to offer my support to the community as an ally."(1/2) sorry for the small font, but I wanted you all to read this. pic.twitter.com/9BAKHJMTdJ Jack Falahee (@RestingPlatypus) November 15, 2016Andrew GarfieldIn response to controversy that was sparked when The Amazing Spider-Man actor said he was "gay, just without the physical act," Andrew Garfield confirmed his heterosexuality in July of 2017 during an interview with BBC's Newsbeat.Garfield has made headlines before for kissing other celebrity men, the likes of which include Stephen Colbert and Ryan Reynolds. Cory Booker"I'm heterosexual," the New Jersey senator and former 2020 presidential candidate told The Philadelphia Inquirer in a December 2018 interview. "Every candidate should run on their authentic self, tell their truth, and more importantly, or mostly importantly, talk about their vision for the country."According to The Advocate, Booker has been asked questions about his sexuality before because of his (at the time) single relationship status. He is currently dating actress Rosario Dawson.Shawn MendesPop singer Shawn Mendes has had to "come out" as straight multiple times. After already addressing the rumors of him being gay back in 2016, he had to, once again, reiterate his heterosexuality in a November 2018 interview with Rolling Stone and a April 2019 interview with The Guardian."I thought, You fucking guys are so lucky Im not actually gay and terrified of coming out," Mendes told Rolling Stone, speaking about he was accused of being "too feminine." "Thats something that kills people. Thats how sensitive it is. Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if Im gay?"He continued:"Maybe I am a little more femininebut thats the way it is. Thats why I am me."Mark RonsonThe Oscar-winning music producer and Lady Gaga collaborator made headlines in September of 2019 when he seemingly came out as sapiosexual during an appearance on UK morning talk show Good Morning Britain, but in a follow-up interview with Rolling Stone, the DJ clarified that his comments were not a coming out. "I do not consider myself part of any marginalized community and I apologize if anybody misunderstood or took offense to it," Ronson said, admitting he was not totally informed about what exactly it means to identify as sapiosexual, which Psychology Today defines as "someone who finds intelligence and the human mind to be the most sexually attractive feature for a potential sexual relationship."He continued: "It sounds like I went on a TV show to be like, Guys, I have some big news! And the fact that I would go on and sort of declare myselflike as a heterosexual white malepart of any marginalized community was terrifying to me, or just embarrassing."Pradhyuman MalooRumors about the artist and designer's sexuality started circulating online after he appeared in Netflix's addictive (and very problematic) reality dating series Indian Matchmaking in July 2020. Shortly thereafter, Maloo took to Instagram to confirm that he is not part of the LGBTQ+ community. "And for those of you who are curious, I am not gay nor bisexual," the Indian Matchmaking star wrote emphatically.Nicki MinajAlthough she had previously told fans that she identified as bisexual in the early days of her music career, hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj confirmed that she now identifies as straight in May 2020 after rapping about it in her verse for the remix of Doja Cat's viral track "Say So.""Tell Mike Jordan send me my Retros," Nicki raps in the song. "Used to be bi, but now I'm just hetero." Eric TrumpAfter an on-screen gaffe during a September 2020 appearance on Fox & Friends where he said he was "part of" the LGBTQ+ community, Donald Trump's third offspring Eric (thankfully) had to clarify to The New York Post that he is, in fact, not gay or bisexual. "To clarify, many of our close friends are part of the LGBT community, which was the intent of my statement the left has taken that vote for granted for a long time and support from the gay community for my father is incredible. As to me personally, as I think you know, I am a happily married man to my wife, Lara," Eric, whose father's administration has a long and horrible anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ political track record, told The Post.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators examine cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder recovered from the American Airlines passenger jet that crashed with an Army helicopter Wednesday night near Washington, D.C, Thursday, Jan.30, 2024. (NTSB via AP)2025-01-31T19:11:32Z Its one of the most important pieces of forensic evidence following a plane crash: The so-called black box. There are actually two of these remarkably sturdy devices: the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. And theyre typically orange, not black. Federal investigators on Friday recovered the black boxes from the passenger jet that crashed in the Potomac River just outside Washington on Wednesday, while authorities were still searching for similar devices in the military helicopter that also went down. The collision killed 67 people in the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 2001. Here is an explanation of what black boxes are and what they can do: What are black boxes? The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder are tools that help investigators reconstruct the events that lead up to a plane crash. Theyre orange in color to make them easier to find in wreckage, sometimes at great ocean depths. Theyre usually installed a planes tail section, which is considered the most survivable part of the aircraft, according to the National Transportation Safety Boards website. Theyre also equipped with beacons that activate when immersed in water and can transmit from depths of 14,000 feet (4,267 meters). While the battery that powers the beacon will run down after about one month, theres no definitive shelf-life for the data itself, NTSB investigators told The Associated Press in 2014. For example, black boxes of an Air France flight that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 were found two years later from a depth of more than 10,000 feet, and technicians were able to recover most of the information. If a black box has been submerged in seawater, technicians will keep them submerged in fresh water to wash away the corrosive salt. If water seeps in, the devices must be carefully dried for hours or even days using a vacuum oven to prevent memory chips from cracking. The electronics and memory are checked, and any necessary repairs made. Chips are scrutinized under a microscope. What does the cockpit voice recorder do? The cockpit voice recorder collects radio transmissions and sounds such as the pilots voices and engine noises, according to the NTSBs website. Depending on what happened, investigators may pay close attention to the engine noise, stall warnings and other clicks and pops, the NTSB said. And from those sounds, investigators can often determine engine speed and the failure of some systems. Investigators are also listening to conversations between the pilots and crew and communications with air traffic control. Experts make a meticulous transcript of the voice recording, which can take up to a week. What does the flight data recorder do? The flight data recorder monitors a planes altitude, airspeed and heading, according to the NTSB. Those factors are among at least 88 parameters that newly built planes must monitor. Some can collect the status of more than 1,000 other characteristics, from a wings flap position to the smoke alarms. The NTSB said it can generate a computer animated video reconstruction of the flight from the information collected. NTBS investigators told the AP in 2014 that a flight data recorder carries 25 hours of information, including prior flights within that time span, which can sometimes provide hints about the cause of a mechanical failure on a later flight. An initial assessment of the data is provided to investigators within 24 hours, but analysis will continue for weeks more.What are the origins of the black box? At least two people have been credited with creating devices that record what happens on an airplane. One is French aviation engineer Franois Hussenot. In the 1930s, he found a way to record a planes speed, altitude and other parameters onto photographic film, according to the website for European plane-maker Airbus. In the 1950s, Australian scientist David Warren came up with the idea for the cockpit voice recorder, according to his 2010 AP obituary.Warren had been investigating the crash of the worlds first commercial jet airliner, the Comet, in 1953, and thought it would be helpful for airline accident investigators to have a recording of voices in the cockpit, the Australian Department of Defence said in a statement after his death. Warren designed and constructed a prototype in 1956. But it took several years before officials understood just how valuable the device could be and began installing them in commercial airlines worldwide. Warrens father had been killed in a plane crash in Australia in 1934. Why the name black box?Some have suggested that it stems from Hussenots device because it used film and ran continuously in a light-tight box, hence the name black box, according to Airbus, which noted that orange was the boxs chosen color from the beginning to make it easy to find. Other theories include the boxes turning black when they get charred in a crash, the Smithsonian Magazine wrote in 2019. The truth is much more mundane, the magazine wrote. In the post-World War II field of electronic circuitry, black box became the ubiquitous term for a self-contained electronic device whose input and output were more defining than its internal operations. The media continues to use the term, the magazine wrote, because of the sense of mystery it conveys in the aftermath of an air disaster. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Israeli captive Arbel Yehoud, 29, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as she is handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-01-31T18:37:04Z JERUSALEM (AP) It was a day of wrenching emotions: Relief, joy, anger and trauma all spilled out as Hamas released a new round of hostages and Israel freed more Palestinians from its prisons.In the latest in the series of exchanges under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal Thursday, three Israeli hostages, five Thai workers who had also been held captive by militants in Gaza and 110 Palestinians were freed. Red Cross vehicles, left, wait for the hand-over of Israeli soldier hostage Agam Berger at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammad Abu Samra) Red Cross vehicles, left, wait for the hand-over of Israeli soldier hostage Agam Berger at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammad Abu Samra) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Freed hostage Shani Goren, right, and friends of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud react as they watch the broadcast of her being released from Hamas captivity, in Carmei Gat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Freed hostage Shani Goren, right, and friends of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud react as they watch the broadcast of her being released from Hamas captivity, in Carmei Gat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Israeli captive Arbel Yehoud, 29, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as she is handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Israeli captive Arbel Yehoud, 29, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as she is handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Friends of Arbel Yehoud gripped each others hands, tears in their eyes, as they gathered at a home in southern Israel to watch on TV as the 29-year-old emerged surrounded by masked Hamas fighters with their green headbands and automatic rifles.After more than 470 days of captivity, Yehoud looked stunned, surrounded by a giant crowd of Palestinians in the ruins of the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis gathered to witness her handover. The fighters marched her through the crowd to vehicles of the Red Cross. The scenes were similar as militants freed Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man, and female soldier Agam Berger, 20. Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters contain the crowd as cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters contain the crowd as cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has turned each round of hostage releases into a combination of spectacle and ceremony with large crowds, flags and stages. For the militants, its a chance to show off their survival as a fighting force to Israelis and Palestinians alike, as well as to highlight the devastation wreaked by Israel in Gaza during its 15-month campaign of retaliation over the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks in which the hostages were snatched. But the images of hostages being led through the crowds have unnerved and angered Israelis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the shocking scenes and called on international mediators to ensure the safety of hostages in future releases a commitment he said he later received. People surround the cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as they are escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) People surround the cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as they are escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Israeli soldier Agam Berger waves to the crowd as she is handed over to the Red Cross by masked Islamic Jihad militants at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Israeli soldier Agam Berger waves to the crowd as she is handed over to the Red Cross by masked Islamic Jihad militants at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People react as they watch broadcast of the release of Israeli soldier Agam Berger, one of eight hostages set to be released today as part of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) People react as they watch broadcast of the release of Israeli soldier Agam Berger, one of eight hostages set to be released today as part of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More For more than 15 months, Israelis have been riveted by the ordeals of the hostages. Each release has brought an outpouring of relief, intertwined with frustration and sorrow over the dozens who remain captive. For Palestinians, the releases of those imprisoned by Israel bring an end to years of separation. Palestinians view the prisoners released as heroes who have sacrificed for the cause of ending Israels decades-long occupation of their land.In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a cheering crowd lifted Zakaria Zubeidi onto their shoulders after his release. Zubeidi thrilled Palestinians and stunned the Israeli security establishment with a dramatic jailbreak alongside other prisoners in 2021, though they were all soon recaptured. Zaharia Zubeidi , former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular Fatah party, center, is greeted upon his arrival after being released from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Zaharia Zubeidi , former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular Fatah party, center, is greeted upon his arrival after being released from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Zubeidi once headed an armed militia and was imprisoned in the early 2000s for attacks on Israelis. After serving his time, he said he set aside militancy for political activism and opened a theater for cultural resistance in the Jenin refugee camp. Israel arrested him again in 2019 for alleged involvement in attacks on settlers, though in the six years since he was not tried.Those released included 30 serving life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis, all but seven of whom were immediately sent into exile. Hamas fighters are greeted as they arrive in pick-up trucks to the site of the hand over of hostage Agam Beger to the Red Cross at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Hamas fighters are greeted as they arrive in pick-up trucks to the site of the hand over of hostage Agam Beger to the Red Cross at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People surround the cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as they are escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) People surround the cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as they are escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters contain the crowd as cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters contain the crowd as cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Israeli soldier Agam Berger walks next to masked Islamic Jihad militants as she is handed over to the Red Cross at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Israeli soldier Agam Berger walks next to masked Islamic Jihad militants as she is handed over to the Red Cross at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Hamas fighters arrive in a pick-up truck to the site of the hand over of hostage Agam Beger to the Red Cross at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Hamas fighters arrive in a pick-up truck to the site of the hand over of hostage Agam Beger to the Red Cross at the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A crowd surrounds Red Cross cars as they arrive at the site for the handover of Thai and Israeli hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) A crowd surrounds Red Cross cars as they arrive at the site for the handover of Thai and Israeli hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters hold their weapons as cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters hold their weapons as cars carrying Israeli Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yahoud, who have been held hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Two Thai captives, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted by Hamas fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Two Thai captives, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are escorted by Hamas fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Freed hostage Shani Goren, fourth left, and friends of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud react as they watch the broadcast of her being released from Hamas captivity, in Carmei Gat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Freed hostage Shani Goren, fourth left, and friends of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud react as they watch the broadcast of her being released from Hamas captivity, in Carmei Gat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Gadi Moses, 80, center right, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as he is handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Gadi Moses, 80, center right, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as he is handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants secure the area as Red Cross representatives wait for the handover of Thai and Israeli hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants secure the area as Red Cross representatives wait for the handover of Thai and Israeli hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More An Israeli military helicopter carrying five Thai hostages released from Gaza lands at Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Beer Yaakov, Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) An Israeli military helicopter carrying five Thai hostages released from Gaza lands at Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Beer Yaakov, Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Crowd greets Palestinian prisoners after being released from Israeli prison following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) Crowd greets Palestinian prisoners after being released from Israeli prison following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A Palestinian prisoner is greeted after being released from an Israeli prison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday January. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) A Palestinian prisoner is greeted after being released from an Israeli prison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday January. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A freed Palestinian prisoner waves as he arrives in the Gaza Strip after being released from an Israeli prison following a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) A freed Palestinian prisoner waves as he arrives in the Gaza Strip after being released from an Israeli prison following a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Zaharia Zubeidi , former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular Fatah party, center, is greeted upon his arrival after being released from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Zaharia Zubeidi , former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular Fatah party, center, is greeted upon his arrival after being released from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A Palestinian prisoner is greeted upon his arrival after being released from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) A Palestinian prisoner is greeted upon his arrival after being released from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025.(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Headquarters is seen in Washington, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)2025-01-31T20:00:28Z WASHINGTON (AP) Trump administration officials are moving to fire FBI agents engaged in investigations involving President Donald Trump in the coming days, two people familiar with the plans said Friday.It was not clear how many agents might be affected, though scores of investigators were involved in various inquiries touching Trump. Officials acting at the direction of the administration have been working to identify individual employees who participated in politically sensitive investigations for possible termination, said the people who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.The terminations would be a major blow to the historic independence from the White House of the nations premier federal law enforcement agency and would reflect the Trumps determination to bend the law enforcement and intelligence community to his will. Its part of a startling pattern of retribution waged on federal government employees, following the forced ousters of a group of senior FBI executives earlier this week as well as a mass firing by the Justice Department of prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smiths team who investigated Trump. The FBI Agents Association called the planned firings outrageous actions by acting officials are fundamentally at odds with the law enforcement objectives outlined by President Trump and his support for FBI Agents. Dismissing potentially hundreds of Agents would severely weaken the Bureaus ability to protect the country from national security and criminal threats and will ultimately risk setting up the Bureau and its new leadership for failure, the association said in a statement. The FBI and Smiths team investigated Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Both of those cases resulted in indictments that were withdrawn after Trumps November presidential win because of longstanding Justice Department policy prohibiting the federal prosecution of a sitting president. The Justice Department also brought charges against more than 1,500 Trump supporters who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, though Trump on his first day in office granted clemency to all of them including the ones convicted of violent crimes through pardons, sentence commutations and dismissals of indictment.A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment, and an FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.The firings would be done over the will of the acting FBI director Brian Driscoll, who has indicated that he objects to the idea, the people said. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Richer is an Associated Press reporter covering the Justice Department and legal issues from Washington. twitter mailto

Boys sit next to a mural of Shiite clerics Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr, left, and Mohammad Sadiq al-Sadr, right, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, April 6, 2013, painted over a portrait of former dictator Saddam Hussein. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim, File)2025-01-31T18:57:25Z BAGHDAD (AP) Iraqs National Security Agency said Friday it arrested a former high-level security official for his involvement in the 1980 execution of a prominent Shiite cleric and his sister during Saddam Hussein s brutal crackdown on religious opposition.Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr was a leading Iraqi Shiite cleric and political critic who opposed the secular Baathist government of the former Iraqi president. His opposition intensified following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, which heightened Saddams fears of a Shiite-led uprising in Iraq.In 1980, as the government moved against Shiite activists, al-Sadr and his sister Bint al-Huda a religious scholar and activist who spoke out against government oppression were arrested. Reports indicate they were tortured before being executed by hanging on April 8, 1980. The government refused to return their bodies, fearing their graves would become rallying points for resistance. Al-Sadrs execution deepened Shiite opposition to Saddam, fueling movements that contributed to the Baathist governments eventual downfall. The primary suspect in al-Sadrs execution, Saadoun Sabri Jamil Jumaa al-Qaisi, was among five people detained five months ago, a security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press. Al-Qaisi held high-ranking positions under Saddam, including director of state security and director of security in the port city of Basra as well as the central city of Najaf. He is accused of overseeing al-Sadrs detention and execution. After the 2003 fall of Saddams government, al-Qaisi fled to Syria, assuming the alias Hajj Saleh to evade prosecution, the security source said. He returned to Iraq on Feb. 26, 2023, and was arrested in Erbil 44 years after the execution.According to the Iraqi National Security Agency, al-Qaisi faces a potential death sentence. A final verdict is expected next week.Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani praised the arrest on X, saying, We reaffirm our commitment to tracking down criminals, no matter how long they have been on the run.

It's Malik Delgaty's world.2024 was the star's biggest year yet in the adult entertainment industry as he secured the title as the most-watched performer on Pornhub. Plus, he took home the award for Favorite Dom at the 2025 GayVN Awards.Dom is the key word as Delgaty creates a lot of rough and sexy content for his fan's pleasure, which he'll be doing for many more years to come."[I love] hardcore. That's what I like to give and in my personal life, it's also that. I've done so many scenes. When I have a hot scene in mind, I just make it," Delgaty tells PRIDE. See on Instagram Although his dominating films have earned millions of views around the world, Delgaty even tried bottoming on camera this year, which is something he doesn't wish to repeat again."I'm such a bad bottom. This is not for me. My holes are too tight! It doesn't work. Papi Kocic and Dom King are big!"In many ways, Delgaty is just getting started. As one of the biggest porn stars in the world, the model will continue cranking out steamy movies for the foreseeable future."I live in the moment. Who knows? Maybe I'll do this for 20 years, but I want a family. We'll see what happens. I can't see a dead end." Fans can keep up with Malik Delgaty by following him on Instagram here. To see the full interview, check out the video at the top of the page.

Drama on The Traitors is going beyond the roundtable.Season three has been nothing short of chaotic as the power players are already backstabbing each other, fan-favorite contestants are going home, and there's still plenty more mayhem in store.On the most recent episode of the hit Peacock show, Survivor legend Boston Rob and his fellow traitors decided to murder The Biggest Loser star and queer icon Bob Harper."Let me tell you. He had it in for me! I'm going to say something a little controversial and maybe it's just me being slightly bitter and overly analytical, but why does he gotta be taking out the two queers on the show? Why you gotta be taking out Bob the Drag Queen and the other queer Bob in the house? I don't know," Harper tells PRIDE. See on Instagram This reunion is sure to be very spicy as Harper is ready to confront Rob and call him out on his aggressive gameplay all season."Girl, do you need to wear that hat backwards all the time? I'm over it. I can't look at that. You better watch your back!"Although it's been hard for LGBTQ+ fans to see so many of their favorite stars already eliminated, there's still quite a few queer contestants to root for: Survivor's Carolyn Wiger, Selling Sunset's Chrishell Stause, The Bachelor's Gabby Windey, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten."I think that it's important now more than ever to just be a little bit more in-your-face. I have a place here in this world. I'm an American just as much as the next person. This is my world and I'm going to take ownership."The Traitors airs Thursday nights on Peacock. To see the full interview with Bob Harper, check out the video at the top of the page.

Mifepristone tablets are seen in a Planned Parenthood clinic Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)2025-01-31T18:37:19Z BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A New York doctor was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury on Friday for allegedly prescribing an abortion pill online in the Deep South state, which has one of the strictest near-total abortion bans in the country. Grand jurors at the District Court for the Parish of West Baton Rouge issued an indictment against Dr. Margaret Carpenter; her company, Nightingale Medical, PC; and a third person. All three were charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, a felony.The case appears to be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, at least since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door for states to have strict anti-abortion laws.Carpenter was also sued by the Texas attorney general in December under similar allegations of sending pills to that state. That case did not involve criminal charges. Carpenter did not immediately return a message.The indictment comes just months after Louisiana became the first state with a law to reclassify both mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. The drugs are still allowed, but medical personnel have to go through extra steps to access them. Under the legislation, if someone knowingly possesses mifepristone or misoprostol without a valid prescription for any purpose, they could be fined up to $5,000 and sent to jail for one to five years. The law carves out protections for pregnant women who obtain the drug without a prescription to take on their own. I have said it before and I will say it again: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, said in a statement on Friday. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, Louisiana has had a near-total abortion ban, without any exceptions for rape or incest. Under the law, physicians convicted of performing an illegal abortion, including one with pills, face up to 15 years in prison, $200,000 in fines and the loss of their medical license. Make no mistake, since Roe v Wade was overturned, weve witnessed a disturbing pattern of interference with womens rights, the Abortion Coalition of Telemedicine, where Carpenter is one of the founders, said in a statement. Its no secret the United States has a history of violence and harassment against abortion providers, and this state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care should alarm everyone.Fridays indictment could be the first direct test of New Yorks shield laws, which are intended to protect prescribers who use telehealth to provide abortion pills to patients in states where abortion is banned.We always knew that overturning Roe v. Wade wasnt the end of the road for anti-abortion politicians. Thats why I worked with the Legislature to pass nation-leading laws to protect providers and patients, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a prepared release.Attorney General Letitia James, who would enforce the shield law, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Pills have become the most common means of abortion in the U.S., accounting for nearly two-thirds of them by 2023. Theyre also at the center of political and legal action over abortion. In January, one judge let three states continue to challenge federal government approvals for how one of the drugs usually involved can be prescribed.___Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press reporter Michael Hill in Albany, New York, also contributed. GEOFF MULVIHILL Mulvihill covers topics on the agendas of state governments across the country. He has focused on abortion, gender issues and opioid litigation. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump listens to a question as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-01-31T18:43:55Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump will put in place 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on goods from China effective on Saturday, the White House said, but it provided no word on whether there would be any exemptions to the measures that could result in swift price increases to U.S. consumers.Trump had been threatening the tariffs to ensure greater cooperation from the countries on stopping illegal immigration and the smuggling of chemicals used for fentanyl, but he has also pledged to use tariffs to boost domestic manufacturing and raise revenues for the federal government.Starting tomorrow, those tariffs will be in place, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. These are promises made and promises kept by the president.The tariffs carry both political and economic risks for Trump, who is just two weeks into his second term. Many voters backed the Republican on the promise that he could tamp down inflation, but the possibility of tariffs could trigger higher prices and potentially disrupt the energy, auto, lumber and agricultural sectors. Trump had said he was weighing issuing an exemption for Canadian and Mexican oil imports, but Leavitt said she had no information to share on the presidents decision on any potential carveouts. The United States imported almost 4.6 million barrels of oil daily from Canada in October and 563,000 barrels from Mexico, according to the Energy Information Administration. U.S. daily production during that month averaged nearly 13.5 million barrels a day. Trump has previously stated a 10% tariff on Chinese imports would be on top of other import taxes charged on products from the country.Shortly after Leavitt spoke, the S&P 500 stock index sold off and largely erased its gains on the day.Both Canada and Mexico have said theyve prepared the option of retaliatory tariffs to be used if necessary, which in turn could trigger a wider trade conflict that economic analyses say could hurt growth and further accelerate inflation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that Canada is ready is a respond if Trump goes ahead with the tariffs, but he did not give details.Were ready with a response, a purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate response, he said. Its not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act.Trudeau said tariffs would have disastrous consequences for the U.S, putting American jobs at risk and causing prices to rise. Trudeau reiterated that less than 1% of the fentanyl and illegal crossings into the U.S. come from Canada.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that Mexico has maintained a dialogue with Trumps team since before he returned to the White House, but she emphasized that Mexico has a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C for what the United States government decides.Now it is very important that the Mexican people know that we are always going to defend the dignity of our people, we are always going to defend the respect of our sovereignty and a dialogue between equals, as we have always said, without subordination, Sheinbaum said.___AP writers Jim Morris in Vancouver, Canada, and Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed. ZEKE MILLER Zeke is APs chief White House correspondent twitter mailto AAMER MADHANI Aamer Madhani is a White House reporter. twitter mailto JOSH BOAK Boak covers the White House and economic policy for The Associated Press. He joined the AP in 2013. twitter mailto

Alexis Floyd has been living her best queer life for years and this week she was ready to share that publicly with the world for the first time on an episode of the Made it Out podcast.The conversation began with host Mal Glowenke asking Floyd about her upbringing in a military family. Floyd shared that while her father didn't serve in the military it heavily influenced his parenting style. There's a sense of formality and protectiveness that has a positivity to it. I think where it becomes challenging is when you internalize that sort of systematic way of relating, and then it makes being self-expressive, especially for someone like my dad, who's the youngest of five, black military family in Texas discovers that they're gay and does not feel like that fits the framework that makes the family function, she recalled. Adding that what she didn't know growing up was that her father was gay. It really never is too late and it took an extraordinary amount of bravery for him to come out in his fifties to his family and he continues to exercise that bravery now. My mom is the same way, so I give them so much credit.In some ways, his story echoed her own. So funnily enough, I was pretty closeted growing up, she said of her queer journey. I've had relationships with people of all sorts of gender identities. So I myself, I'm still looking for a definition. I love the word queer because it sort of holds it all, she continued. I had connections with men, women, non-binary folks, trans folks because I was in the theater community. And so I was blessed to have a whole community of people who were just colorful, you know. And when you're younger, too, you don't necessarily have the words for it or need them yet.While she has long been out to her family, she struggled with opening up publicly. I still and something I'm still navigating is this internalized feeling of not being queer enough to like, like to be honest, like this is the first time I'm really publicly speaking about my queerness on a formal platform.It was finding the word queer that ultimately allowed her to embrace her truth. What I love so much about the word queer again is like it is, it is like an ever expansive sort of container, which is just to say like, you can be embraced here if you want to be embraced here. And that is kind of the end of it, you know?She recalled that her queer awakening happened in stages. , I was pretty young, like probably fifth grade. I remember having a crush on a girl and hanging out with her and kissing at a playdate, she recalled. Then that just sort of continued through my life where in college, again, like, yeah, I would date trans folks, non-binary folks, like all sorts of folks.But truly it was doing work for the Trevor Project that solidified things for Floyd. when I started working at the Trevor Project, that was one of my sort of survival jobs, which ended up being a survival job on a very deep level, she recounted. It was during training to be a phone counselor that she had a final epiphany. I could have just walked away from the training, having had tools like a human being, navigating the world that would have changed my life. Like before I even got on the phone with anyone for the first time, which is a whole nother level. But the way that you learn how to hold space and use words that again are expansive and not limiting. It's as simple as that.Everyones coming out journey is different, and no matter how you get here the LGBTQ+ community is glad to welcome you. Floyd's story and its emphasis on bravery, exploration, and expansive acceptance is particularly poignant in this moment and a reminder of why coming out whenever, however remains so powerful. .

Its no secret that Donald Trumps latest executive order banning gender-affirming care for trans youth under 19 is yet another blow to an already embattled community. The policy not only blocks access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery but also sends a chilling message: Trans youth are not welcome in America.While legal battles will undoubtedly follow, the emotional and psychological toll is already setting in. We previously spoke with LGBTQ+ activists about the impact of this order. Now, we turn to LGBTQ+ therapists for insight on how to support trans youth, their families, and ourselves in this moment of crisis.The mental health impact of this ban is immediate and devastatingThe moment this executive order was signed, the damage was doneregardless of whether it holds up in court. The fear and uncertainty it has unleashed are already shaping the lives of trans youth across the country.This executive order leaves trans youth and their loved ones in a state of panic, uncertainty, and a great loss of choice when it comes to their health and well-being, says Dr. Jenna Brownfield, a licensed psychologist in Minneapolis who specializes in therapy for queer and trans people. Regardless of whether the executive order is enacted or gets blocked, the emotional and psychological impact is already being done.See on InstagramThe message this policy sends is both clear and dangerous. Beyond the threat of immediate loss of essential care, policies like this send a devastating message to trans youththat there is something inherently wrong with them and that they do not belong in this country, says Rebecca Minor, MSW, LICSW, Gender Specialist, and author of the forthcoming Raising Trans Kids: What to Expect When You Werent Expecting This. It makes clear that their existence is not valued and that their rights are constantly up for debate.The fallout is already measurable. Following the recent election and subsequent executive orders, crisis hotlines have reported significant increases in calls from LGBTQ+ youth, Minor notes. The Trevor Project experienced a 700% surge in crisis contacts the day after the election. Similarly, the Rainbow Youth Project reported receiving over 1,400 calls on Inauguration Day alone, compared to their usual monthly average of approximately 3,765 calls.How to support trans youth right nowWith fear and distress at an all-time high, showing up for trans youth in tangible ways is more critical than ever. The therapists we spoke with shared actionable steps for supporting young trans people in this moment, including, but not limited to:Acknowledging the executive order and recognizing their feelings about it.Reaffirming your support. Remind them of your continued love and support for them and all trans people, says Brownfield.Honoring their autonomy. Listen deeply and validate their fears, pain, and griefdo not minimize their experiences, says Melody Li, LMFT, a mental health justice activist and founder of Inclusive Therapists. When the nervous system is overwhelmed, it is natural to feel frozen or detached. Offer to lighten the load by taking action, such as researching resources, peer-support groups, or ways to mobilize in solidarity.Helping them access resources. Whether its a support group, an affirming therapist, or advocacy organizations, helping trans youth find alternative pathways to care can make all the difference.Creating a space of belonging. Facilitating peer connectionswhether through online groups, mentorship programs, or supportive networkscan offer trans youth a sense of belonging and shared experience, says Minor.Supporting parents and caregiversThe pain of this moment is not limited to trans youthit extends to their families and loved ones as well. Many parents are grappling with fear, frustration, and uncertainty, wondering how they can protect their children in a country that seems intent on stripping away their rights.There is no right or wrong way to process this, says Minor. Parents and caregivers need to know that they are allowed to feel whatever they are feeling, and they dont have to go through it alone.For those supporting loved ones of trans youth, Brownfield advises:Validate their fears and feelings of helplessness.Remind them they are not alone. Even with the federal governments anti-trans hostility, you and many others love their trans kid and love that they affirm their kid, she says.Encourage community connection. Minor suggests joining support groups like PFLAG, where parents can share experiences, gain reassurance, and learn advocacy strategies.How allies can show up without burning outFor those fighting alongside trans youth and their families, self-preservation is essential. Advocacy is a long-term battle, and sustainable activism requires balance.Find your balance between taking action and taking time for yourself, says Brownfield. This will not be a short fight. We need to take action and offer support to each other in sustainable ways.Minor echoes the importance of avoiding burnout while maintaining engagement. Being an ally is a lifelong commitment, and taking care of ourselves allows us to show up for trans youth and their families in meaningful and sustainable ways, she says.Resources for trans youth and their familiesDespite the governments attack, resources remain available.Many trans youth are understandably afraid to seek help, fearing that the police or the oppressive state will pose further harm or danger to them, says Li. It is essential to equip the trans community with crisis resources that divest from the police, that center on collective care and peer support.See on InstagramHere are some of her recommendations for where trans youth and their families can turn for support:Finding affirming therapists: Inclusive Therapists and the National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color NetworkCrisis services that dont involve police: Trans Lifeline (US: 1-877-565-8860) and Thrive LifelineSupport groups for parents and families: PFLAGLegal and advocacy organizations: ACLU, Gender Justice, Advocates for Trans EqualitySuicide prevention and mental health resources: The Trevor Project (1-866-488-7386)The fight isnt over! We keep goingThe Trump administrations executive order is a direct assault on transgender lives, but history has shown us that resistance is powerful.We are not the first people to fight these battlesthere are leaders who came before us who have paved the way, says Minor. The fight for trans rights has a long history, and we are part of a much larger movement that will continue, no matter what obstacles arise.As this moment unfolds, we keep fighting, we keep showing up, and we keep making it clear that trans youth are loved, valued, and here to stay.

An American Airlines plane passes in the foreground as a member of a dive team and a Coast Guard vessel with a crane work near the wreckage of a Black Hawk helicopter in the Potomac River from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-01-31T22:04:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) Airline pilots flying into Washington, D.C., have reported nearly a dozen near misses that were scarily similar to this weeks midair collision that killed 67 people the type of close calls that led one aviator to complain that Reagan National Airport was probably the most dangerous in the nation.An Associated Press review of a federal database that catalogs such concerns found scores of reports of near-misses and warnings about congested skies over the nations capital, with pilots repeatedly complaining about military helicopters getting too close to passenger jets. Last May, one of those helicopters passed just 300 feet (91 meters) below a commercial airliner, triggering a cockpit collision avoidance alert and prompting the jets pilot to file a report in the Aviation Safety Reporting System, a database maintained by NASA that allows pilots and crew to submit voluntary, anonymous and confidential safety concerns. I never saw it, the jetliner pilot wrote, adding that he never received a warning about the helicopter from air traffic controllers. Such complaints highlighted the tension that has developed between commercial airline pilots unnerved by the helicopters and the military units that have critical national security duties and must maintain flying skills to execute them. It is not clear if federal authorities were aware of such concerns or took any steps to mitigate the risks. But on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration paused almost all helicopter flights from operating near the airport, with exceptions for police and emergency response. The presidents helicopter transport, Marine One, is also exempt. The pause came after an Army Black Hawk helicopter on a nighttime training run collided with an American Airlines jet that was about to land at the airport Wednesday night, plunging both into the dark, cold Potomac River. No one survived. Investigators are examining whether the helicopter was flying higher than its allowed limit and whether control tower staffing was an issue. A preliminary FAA report noted that one controller was performing duties typically handled by two people at certain times of the day.In the days since the crash, some officials have questioned why the military flies so close to the airport. I have not yet heard a good reason why military helicopters are doing training exercises in the same airspace as commercial airliners at night and with peak congestion. I hope these exercises in Reagan airspace will be suspended indefinitely until the investigation is complete, Sen. Josh Hawley, Missouri Republican, tweeted. More than a half dozen military, federal and local agencies operate helicopters in the airspace near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and they need those same air routes to train for and execute their missions, current and former Army pilots said. The Black Hawk lost in the collision was part of Fort Belvoirs Virginias 12th Aviation Battalion, which has had some classified, very important missions related to our nations worst day, said Brad Bowman, a Black Hawk pilot who served in 12th Aviation Battalion for two years, referring to 9/11. You want to have training be as realistic as possible. And that means trying to replicate what youre actually going to be doing when you conduct your mission. In an attack, the unit is tasked with ensuring continuity of government by getting officials to secure locations, which means being able to fly officials from the White House, Pentagon and other locations. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Bowman took part in managing some of those flights, he said.Anyone who suggests that we cant have military helicopters flying in Washington, D.C., doesnt understand national security and the threats we confront and what is necessary to defend our citizens, Bowman said.The unit also ferries high-ranking military and government officials around the region, missions that are flown every day by multiple aircraft, said Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation. The Pentagons right there. And we have to go in and pick up Pentagon leaders. Wednesdays crash and the reports in the federal database highlighted the unique challenges of flying into Reagan National Airport. It has been described by some as a postage stamp of an airport, with water on three sides and constant congestion along the busy Potomac River corridor.Though its been upgraded with modern terminals and other amenities, the bustling airport is an aviation relic dating to the era before World War II, when all planes had propellers and airstrips were built on small footprints close to downtowns.The APs review of the NASA database found that commercial airline pilots repeatedly lodged concerns about the congested airspace and the risks of helicopters and planes flying in close proximity. Reagan Airport is probably the most dangerous airport in the United States, one pilot wrote in 2015. The controllers are pushing, pushing, pushing in an attempt to handle the traffic they have.Low-level military helicopter traffic in the area complicates matters, the pilot said.In another 2015 incident, a jetliner pilot reported a near-midair collision with a helicopter after being instructed to land on Runway 3-3 instead of Runway 1, the airports main north-south landing strip. It was the same type of scenario that preceded Wednesdays crash.The co-pilot took the controls and maneuvered the plane to prevent it from becoming a midair collision, the pilot wrote, adding that a wider approach to the airport would have almost definitely ended in the collision of two aircraft.After frantically working to avoid a similar collision in 2013, an air traffic controller wrote in the database that our helicopter operation is an abomination of the picture of safe aircraft movement.Such incidents and repeated warnings about helicopter traffic near the airport had led pilots and others in the aviation industry to grow complacent about the risks, another pilot wrote in the database. What would normally be alarming at any other airport in the country, the pilot reported, has become commonplace.___AP reporter Michael Biesecker contributed from Washington. TARA COPP Copp covers the Pentagon and national security for the Associated Press. She has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, throughout the Middle East, Europe and Asia. twitter mailto MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement and courts in New York City, including former President Donald Trumps criminal and civil cases and problems plaguing the federal prison system. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-01-31T22:09:57Z NEW YORK (AP) President Donald Trump wasted little time this week trying to assign blame for the nations deadliest air disaster in more than two decades. Among his chief targets: An FAA diversity hiring initiative he suggested had undermined the agencys effectiveness.But certainly for an air traffic controller, we want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest. We want somebody thats psychologically superior, Trump said at a news conference Thursday.No evidence has emerged that rules seeking to diversify the FAA played any role in the collision Wednesday between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people.Nevertheless, Trumps comments drew attention to the agencys attempts to address its most pressing and long-standing problem a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers who are critical to keeping the nations skies safe. How has Trump tied diversity hiring to the collision?Trump is using this weeks disaster as another opportunity to push back against diversity programs, after signing executive orders that banned such initiatives across the federal government. That included one specifically for the secretary of transportation and the federal aviation administrator.During the White House press briefing, Trump said the FAA diversity program allowed for hiring people with hearing and vision issues, as well as paralysis, epilepsy and dwarfism.The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agencys website, he said.The FAAs own data shows people with such disabilities make up only a tiny fraction of air traffic controllers. And there is no indication that investigators into the crash are focused on diversity hiring or staffers with disabilities.Later Thursday, Trump doubled down on his criticism by signing a presidential memorandum on aviation safety he said would undo damage done to federal agencies by the Biden administrations diversity and inclusion initiatives. Are FAA diversity initiatives part of the investigation?Asked Thursday about Trumps comments, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said her team examines all factors in any investigation, the human, the machine and the environment. She said that means looking at the people involved, the aircraft and the environment in which they were operating.That is standard, she said.Trumps remarks drew strong rebukes from Democrats and civil rights leaders.There are still bodies being pulled from the Potomac River. Families are grieving the loss of loved ones. Yet Donald Trump is baselessly blaming DEI for last nights tragic collision, said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who lost both legs while flying Black Hawk helicopters in the Iraq War, referring to diversity, equity and inclusion policies.Absolutely shameful, Duckworth said on the X social media platform.Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine veteran, was blunt in his response to Trumps remarks. DEI did not cause this tragedy, he said on X. Groups representing disabled workers issued a joint statement saying they were dismayed by the scapegoating, noting that anyone hired under the FAAs diversity initiative had to meet its stringent qualifications.The implication that people are being hired to do a job for which they are unqualified is an unfounded lie that further reinforces harmful stereotypes against disabled people, it said.Whats behind the FAAs recruitment strategy?The FAA has long-faced a shortage of air traffic controllers, which was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Homendy told a Senate panel in 2023 that a surge in close calls between planes at U.S. airports that year was a clear warning sign the aviation system was stressed.The FAAs diversity efforts arent new and were not started under the Biden administration.Before Trump removed them from the agencys website after taking office this month, they had been promoted since at least 2013, including during Trumps first term. Similar language seeking candidates with disabilities was on the site during both Bidens term and Trumps first term. Disabilities identified for special emphasis in hiring included conditions such as paralysis, epilepsy or missing extremities. The FAA during Trumps first term launched a pilot program to prepare people with disabilities for jobs in air traffic operations.A 2019 announcement detailed a program to enroll up to 20 people with targeted disabilities in up to a year of training at air traffic control centers, with the potential to be appointed to a temporary position at the FAAs academy. It noted candidates were subject to the same rigorous standards for aptitude, medical and security qualifications as any other candidates. A federal report from 2023 describes the qualifications. What do aviation experts say about the FAAs recruitment program?The FAA says its Aviation Development Program for hiring diverse candidates into mission critical occupations required them to meet the same qualifications as any other applicant.Former FAA administrator Michael Whitaker said last year that the FAA seeks qualified candidates from a range of sources who must meet rigorous qualifications that vary by position.Paul Hanges, a professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Maryland, helped compile a report for the FAA in 2013 documenting barriers for women and minorities. The agency followed up by hiring a consulting firm to find the root causes, which led to changes in the testing and hiring process but Hanges said that did not lower hiring standards.It was the same kind of protocol, the same cognitive test, but a different version of it, he said. One thing I know about the FAA is they take public safety very seriously. So Id be surprised that they systematically did stuff that would have put the flying public in danger. I always got the impression that was job one.He called Trumps assertion that this weeks crash is related to diversity efforts an illogical leap.It is something that is consistent with his message, but we dont have the data, he said.How have the FAAs recruitment efforts worked?The agencys recruitment programs have resulted in a modest deepening of its workforce diversity over the years. Progress has been especially slow in roles it considers mission critical, including air traffic controllers.The FAAs overall workforce of more than 44,000 employees remains predominately male, according to a 2023 FAA report on the status of its Equal Employment Opportunity program.Among its nearly 18,000 air traffic controllers, more than 80% were men. White men constituted the biggest percentage of air traffic controllers at 64%, the report said.The FAAs overall workforce also remained predominately white, with racial minorities making up 30% of its employees.About 2% of the FAAs overall workforce are people with more severe disabilities. Among air traffic controllers, less than 1% are people with such disabilities.The claims that diversity efforts factored into this weeks crash come after Trump surrogates blamed other recent crises, including the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles, on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, although there has been no evidence to support that.Its a focus that has generated anger among those who feel Trump and his allies are quick to use horrific disasters to further their political agenda.Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin specifically called out Trump for quickly pointing the finger this week at the FAAs diversity programs: The American people deserve real answers, not narcissistic speculations.__Associated Press writers Graham Brewer in Norman, Oklahoma, Wyatte-Grantham-Philips in New York, Haleluya Hadero in South Bend, Indiana, Angeliki Kastanis in Los Angeles and Claire Savage in Chicago contributed to this report. MELISSA GOLDIN Goldin debunks, analyzes and tracks misinformation for The Associated Press. She is based in New York. twitter mailto ALI SWENSON Swenson reports on election-related misinformation, disinformation and extremism for The Associated Press. twitter ALEXANDRA OLSON Olson is a business reporter for The Associated Press, focusing on women in the workplace. She has spent many years as a correspondent in Latin America. twitter mailto

A gay OnlyFans creator has become the center of a controversy following a domestic violence awareness campaign.Rossy Rankin recently appeared in a TikTok that followed a familiar format in which couples go through 10 questions and have to decide which of them is best described by each one. This particular video took an intentionally dark turn as the questions shifted to things like, "Who is more likely to lose their temper?" and "Who demands to know where the other one is at all time?" before they simply cut the video off."Controlling behaviour can turn a loving relationship into an abusive one," reads a screen at the end. "Is your behavior becoming a problem?"The video was scripted and Rankin is an actor hired to play the role as part of a Police Scotland campaign against domestic violence. But Rankin is also an OnlyFans creator, and apparently that discovery led to backlash from certain groups who took issue with the fact that some of Rankins content involves harder but consensual kinks."How can the public trust Police Scotlands commitment to tackling the escalating harm of abuse through non-fatal strangulation when they fail to vet out those who normalise such dangerous practices from their own domestic violence campaigns?" Alba MSP Ash Regan asked. "If we are serious about protecting victims, there can be no mixed messages safeguarding must be prioritised."But Police Scotland capitulating to critics and take the video down sends a message that isnt sitting well with everyone."So police Scotland think that bondage and kink between two consenting adults is domestic abuse," one person replied to Rankin on X. "Surely the message is consent is healthy and its abuse when not consensual? Until people stop seeing sex as dirty and not to be talked about true victims wont be treated with respect."Rankin agreed, blasting the decision and pointing out that if Police Scotland didnt want an OnlyFans creator in their video, even a minimal amount of vetting ahead of time should have solved that, as he is very open about what he does on social media."If you see what I do, and you dont know the difference between consent and no-consent, then youre an idiot," he told The Telegraph. "A porn creator is exactly the kind of person who knows the difference."

Karla Sofa Gascn, the trailblazing trans actress known for her role in Emilia Prez, has deactivated her X (formerly Twitter) account following the resurfacing of controversial posts from her past. The actress, who made history as the first openly trans woman to be nominated for an Oscar, faced intense backlash after her previous statements on social media sparked widespread criticism.As of Friday, January 31, 2025, Gascns X account, previously under the handle @karsiagascon, has been fully deactivated. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, she explained the decision, citing the harassment and abuse she has endured since the posts came to light.Im sorry, but I can no longer allow this campaign of hate and misinformation to affect me and my family, so at their request I am closing my account on X, Gascn wrote. I have been threatened with death, insulted, abused and harassed to the point of exhaustion. I have a wonderful daughter to protect, whom I love madly and who supports me in everything.The controversy surrounding Gascns social media posts began earlier this week, when a series of old tweets resurfaced. The posts, which were originally shared several years ago, contained inflammatory and divisive opinions on sensitive subjects such as religion, race, and social justice movements, including Black Lives Matter.In one post, Gascn expressed strong disdain for organized religions, writing, I am so sick of so much of this sht, of islam, of christianity, of catholicism and of all the fcking beliefs of morons that violate human rights. In another post, she made controversial remarks about George Floyds death, calling him a drug addict swindler and implying that his death was being exploited by certain groups to further their agendas. I really think that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider Black people to be monkeys without rights and consider policemen to be assassins, she wrote.The posts, which were translated by Variety, caused an immediate uproar, particularly among fans and advocates of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as those who support marginalized communities. Critics quickly denounced Gascns remarks as harmful and insensitive, prompting many to call for her to address the comments publicly.In response, Gascn issued an apology on Thursday, acknowledging the hurt her posts had caused. I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness, she wrote in a statement.Despite the apology, the controversy surrounding her past posts continued to escalate, with many calling for more accountability from the actress. The situation worsened as additional backlash emerged across social media platforms, and Gascns X account was flooded with negative comments and threats.In addition to her apology, Gascns decision to deactivate her account came after several media outlets, including Out and Variety, reached out for comment. As of now, neither Gascn nor Netflix, where she stars in Emilia Prez, has issued further statements regarding the incident.Gascns public apology and account deactivation come at a time when social media scrutiny of public figures has reached new heights, particularly for those in the entertainment industry. For many, the resurfacing of old, problematic posts has raised questions about the accountability of public figures and the potential harm that certain opinions can have on marginalized communities.Despite the controversy, Gascn remains a significant figure in the LGBTQ+ community. As the first-ever out trans woman to be nominated for an Academy Award, her achievements have been groundbreaking. However, this latest controversy underscores the complexities of being in the public eye, especially when past actions come under intense scrutiny.The situation is still unfolding, and it remains to be seen how Gascns career and reputation will be affected by the backlash. As of now, her social media presence is on pause, leaving many to wonder about the long-term impact of this incident on her professional life.The post Karla Sofa Gascn Deactivates X/Twitter Account After Controversial Past Posts Resurface appeared first on Gayety.

As Super Bowl LIX approaches, the spotlight is on the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, two NFL powerhouses who will battle it out for the championship. Both teams were the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, the AFC and NFC, and each triumphed in their Conference Championship games to earn a spot in the Super Bowl. Yet, while these teams are both formidable on the field, only one will bring a unique presence to the sidelines: the Eagles have a male cheerleader.James, a cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles since 2021, is set to be the only male cheerleader at Super Bowl LIX. The Eagles previously made it to the Super Bowl after the 2022 season, only to lose to the Chiefs in a heart-pounding 38-35 game. This year, theyll try to secure their second Super Bowl victory, but regardless of the outcome, James will be the only male cheerleader in the spotlight when the game airs on Fox.View this post on InstagramA post shared by James Christian LeGette (@jameschristianlegette)James, who is openly gay, confirmed his sexuality in an interview with Outsports and has been a proud advocate for LGBTQ visibility within sports. His journey to becoming a cheerleader for the Eagles is part of a growing trend in the NFL, with male cheerleaders becoming more prominent across the league. James celebrated his teams Super Bowl appearance with some signature backflips, showing just how much pride he takes in supporting his team.In addition to cheering on the Eagles, James is a coach for various sports. On the Eagles cheerleading website, he explains that he coaches gymnastics, cheerleading, dance, basketball, and soccer. Outside of sports, James is also deeply involved in his community, serving as a big brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. His commitment to giving back to Philadelphia, along with his passion for inspiring young people, is a significant part of his identity.Jamess social media reveals his love for Disney, and his posts often feature his trips to Disney World. Its a fitting hobby for someone who embodies both a love for sports and a childlike enthusiasm. James has even shared photos of himself enjoying Sesame Street, showing his playful side that connects with kids and fans alike.View this post on InstagramA post shared by James Christian LeGette (@jameschristianlegette)If the Eagles clinch the victory in Super Bowl LIX, it would be particularly fitting for James to join in the celebration with the classic line, Im going to Disney World! That iconic moment has long been a tradition for Super Bowl champions, and for James, who is an avid Disney fan, it would be the cherry on top of what has already been a remarkable journey.Working with children has always been a central motivator for James. Working with kids has always been my inspiration; their energy and potential drive me to make a positive impact in their lives every day, he said. This passion for mentoring and empowering the next generation reflects the deeper impact of his role as a cheerleader, beyond just cheering on the Eagles.Jamess role as the only male cheerleader in the Super Bowl follows a growing trend in the NFL. More teams than ever before are building gender-inclusive cheer squads, with about a quarter of NFL teams now featuring male cheerleaders. James joins a list of other male cheerleaders who have recently made it to the Super Bowl, including those with the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. The visibility of men on NFL cheerleading squads signals a broader shift in how the role of cheerleaders is being redefined, embracing diversity and breaking away from traditional gender norms.View this post on InstagramA post shared by James Christian LeGette (@jameschristianlegette)As for the game itself, the Kansas City Chiefs enter as the favorite to win the Super Bowl. If they succeed, they would make history as the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. However, no matter who comes out on top, the presence of James on the sidelines will be a standout moment, emphasizing how the cheerleading world is evolving and embracing inclusivity.For James, his role goes far beyond the football field. His impact on the community, his work with kids, and his visibility as an openly gay male cheerleader contribute to a legacy that transcends sports. His story is a testament to the changing face of the NFL and the broader world of sports, where inclusion and representation are making an ever-growing impact.Fans of the Eagles and the Chiefs alike will be watching the big game closelywhether rooting for their team or simply enjoying the spectacle of the Super Bowl. But for James, this moment represents something even more significant: the opportunity to continue breaking down barriers and inspiring others to embrace their true selves, both on and off the field.The post Super Bowl LIX: Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader James Stands Out as Only Male Cheerleader in the Big Game appeared first on Gayety.

Zoe Saldana, star of Emilia Prez, addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding her co-star Karla Sofa Gascn during a recent Q&A session in London, calling the situation really sad. The fallout from Gascns past racist, Islamophobic, and anti-LGBTQ+ social media posts has dominated headlines, prompting Saldana to reflect on the issue publicly for the first time.Saldana, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Prez, was attending a promotional event for the film, alongside director Jacques Audiard. The conversation shifted to Gascns controversial social media posts when Saldana was asked about the situation. While she did not directly mention Gascn by name, her comments offered insight into her feelings about the controversy.Im still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days, and Im sad, Saldana said. It makes me really sad because I dont support and I dont have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group.January 15, 2025, Mexico City, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico: Actress Karla Sofa Gascon attends the red carpet for Emilia Perez film Premiere at Cinepolis Plaza Carso. on January 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Photo: Ismael Rosas/eyepix via ZUMA Press WireThe Avatar star continued to emphasize that her personal experience working with the Emilia Prez cast was centered on inclusivity, collaboration, and respect. I can only attest to the experience that I had with each and every individual that was a part of this film, and my experience and my interactions with them were about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural, and gender equity, Saldana explained. It just saddens me.Saldana expressed her gratitude toward those continuing to support the film, despite the public distraction. It saddens me that we are having to face this setback right now, she added. But Im happy that youre all here and that youre still showing up for Emilia Prez because the message that this film has is so powerful. The change that it can bring forward to communities that are marginalized day in and day out is important.She concluded her statement by reaffirming the films core message of love, respect, and unity. All that I can attest is that all of us that came together to tell this story, we came together for love and for respect and curiosity, and we will continue to spread that message. Thats all we can say right now. Thank you.The remarks come in the wake of a firestorm sparked by Gascns previous social media posts. The actress, who recently made history as the first openly trans woman nominated for an Oscar, has faced severe backlash after controversial tweets from 2021 resurfaced earlier this week. The posts included derogatory comments about Islam, LGBTQ+ communities, and Black Lives Matter, causing widespread outrage among fans, activists, and colleagues alike.In one of the resurfaced posts, Gascn criticized the Oscars diversity efforts, writing, More and more the #Oscars are looking like a ceremony for independent and protest films. I didnt know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration, or the 8M. Apart from that, an ugly, ugly gala.Karla Sofa Gascn at the Golden Globes. Photo: CBSAnother post sparked anger when Gascn commented on George Floyds death, calling him a drug addict swindler and undermining the significance of his death in the fight for racial justice. I really think that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider Black people to be monkeys without rights, she wrote.The controversy expanded when Gascns past comments about LGBTQ+ individuals and Muslims were uncovered. In one tweet, she used offensive language to refer to LGBTQ+ people and expressed disdain for their political discourse. In another, she suggested that Islam should be banned, making derogatory remarks about the Muslim community.As the fallout grew, Gascn deleted her X (formerly Twitter) account and issued a public apology. I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain, she wrote. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.While Gascns apology has been met with some attempts at reconciliation, the controversy has cast a shadow over her Oscar campaign and the film Emilia Prez. Despite the public scrutiny, the films message of inclusivity and social change remains central to the ongoing promotion of the project.Saldanas comments reflect the complex situation facing Emilia Prez and its cast, as they balance their commitment to the films values with the need to address the fallout from Gascns past actions. With the Oscars approaching, the controversy is unlikely to fade quickly, leaving many to wonder how the situation will evolve in the coming weeks.As the story continues to develop, the films campaign team remains focused on spreading the positive message of Emilia Prez and supporting the films underlying themes of unity and progress for marginalized communities.The post Zoe Saldana Responds to Karla Sofa Gascn Controversy During Emilia Prez Campaign: It Makes Me Really Sad appeared first on Gayety.

Federal employees across multiple agencies were instructed to remove pronouns from their email signatures by Friday afternoon, in compliance with directives linked to executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office. The orders sought to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government.Internal memos obtained by ABC News reveal that staff at agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) were given explicit instructions to comply with the policy by 5 p.m. ET on Friday.Pronouns and any other information not permitted in the policy must be removed from CDC/ATSDR employee signatures by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, read one such message sent to CDC staff on Friday morning. The directive was part of a broader effort to implement Trumps first-day executive orders aimed at limiting the influence of DEI-related language in federal government discourse.At the Department of Transportation, which was grappling with the fallout from the D.C. plane crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, employees received a similar order the day before. According to sources familiar with the matter, the Transportation Department instructed staff to remove pronouns from email signatures, government grant applications, and other official communications.Similarly, employees at the Department of Energy were given a similar mandate, with officials citing Trumps executive order calling for the removal of DEI language in federal communications. The directive required employees to eliminate any language considered to be part of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts from their email signatures.The orders were tied to a broader initiative spearheaded by the Trump administration to curtail DEI efforts across federal agencies. On his first day in office, Trump signed two executive orders that aimed to terminate what his administration deemed radical and wasteful DEI programs. The orders also sought to restore biological truth to the federal government, emphasizing policies that were in line with Trumps conservative views on issues such as gender and diversity.Trumps Executive Orders and Their Impact on Federal AgenciesThe executive orders signed by Trump have had lasting implications for federal government practices and communications. One key provision in the directives focused on the removal of radical diversity-related content from government operations. This included prohibitions on promoting DEI language in official communications, as well as restricting the use of gender-neutral pronouns in email signatures.Sources familiar with the internal memos say that the orders were referenced in the Friday instructions to agencies. The memos included specific guidelines for how employees should alter their email signatures, with some agencies offering step-by-step instructions on how to edit the signature settings in their email systems.For example, one memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) earlier in the week instructed agencies to review agency email systems such as Outlook and turn off features that prompt users for their pronouns. This was part of the administrations ongoing efforts to limit the visibility of pronouns in federal communications.While employees at some federal agencies received the directive, it remains unclear whether the mandate was issued across all federal departments. Spokespeople for the CDC, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, and Health and Human Services (HHS) did not immediately respond to ABC News requests for comment on the matter.Mixed Reactions to the DirectiveThe mandate to remove pronouns from email signatures has been met with mixed reactions from federal employees. One CDC employee, who spoke to ABC News on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, expressed frustration at the order. In my decade-plus years at CDC, Ive never been told what I can and cant put in my email signature, the employee said. Its just another example of overreach that undermines the way we communicate in a modern workplace.The directive has sparked broader debates about workplace inclusivity, with some questioning whether such policies undermine efforts to promote a more inclusive and diverse environment within federal agencies. Advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and diversity often argue that using pronouns in email signatures is a way to foster respect and recognition for individuals identities, particularly for those who are transgender or non-binary.However, the Trump administrations stance on DEI initiatives, which it labeled as wasteful and politically motivated, led to significant changes in how federal agencies approached issues of diversity and inclusion. The new policies issued under Trumps leadership were part of a larger push to reverse what his administration considered progressive overreach.The Future of Diversity Initiatives in GovernmentThe decision to remove pronouns from email signatures is just the latest in a series of policy changes affecting DEI programs in the federal government. While the Trump administration aimed to significantly reduce the scope of such initiatives, it is unclear how future administrations will approach the issue.President Joe Biden, upon taking office, has made clear his commitment to restoring diversity and inclusion efforts within the federal government. The Biden administrations stance could lead to a reversal of some of Trumps policies, especially those that limit the use of pronouns and other diversity-related language in government communications.For now, the removal of pronouns from email signatures serves as a reminder of the ongoing tension surrounding DEI programs in government workplaces. As federal agencies continue to navigate the legacy of Trumps executive orders, the debate over diversity and inclusion is likely to remain a contentious issue, with differing views on how best to promote inclusivity in the workplace.The post Federal Employees Ordered to Remove Pronouns from Email Signatures Amid Trump-Era Policy Shift appeared first on Gayety.

Demonstrators against transgenders rights protest during a rally outside of the Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Washington, as arguments begin in a case regarding a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)2025-01-31T21:44:34Z Public health data disappeared from websites, entire webpages went blank and employees erased pronouns from email signatures Friday as federal agencies scrambled to comply with a directive tied to President Donald Trumps order rolling back protections for transgender people.The Office of Personnel Management directed agency heads to strip gender ideology from websites, contracts and emails in a memo sent Wednesday, with changes ordered to be instituted by 5 p.m. Friday. It also directed agencies to disband employee resource groups, terminate grants and contracts related to the issue, and replace the term gender with sex on government forms. Some parts of government websites appeared with the message: The page youre looking for was not found. Some pages disappeared and came back intermittently. Asked by reporters Friday about reports that government websites were being shut down to eliminate mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion, Trump and said he didnt know anything about it but that hed endorse such a move. I dont know. That doesnt sound like a bad idea to me, Trump said, adding that he campaigned promising to stamp out such initiatives. Much public health information was taken down from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions website: contraception guidance; a fact sheet about HIV and transgender people; lessons on building supportive school environments for transgender and nonbinary kids; details about National Transgender HIV Testing Day; a set of government surveys showing transgender students suffering higher rates of depression, drug use, bullying and other problems. Eliminating health resources creates dangerous gaps in scientific information, disease experts said. The Infectious Diseases Society of America, a medical association, issued a statement decrying the removal of information about HIV and people who are transgender. Access is critical to efforts to end the HIV epidemic, the organizations leaders said. A Bureau of Prisons web page originally titled Inmate Gender was relabeled Inmate Sex on Friday. A breakdown of transgender inmates in federal prisons was no longer included.The State Department on Friday removed the option to select X as a gender on passport applications for nonbinary applicants. It also replaced the word gender from the descriptor with the word sex.All State Department employees were ordered to remove gender-specific pronouns from their email signatures. The directive, from the acting head of the Bureau of Management, said this was required to comply with Trumps executive orders and that the department was also removing all references to gender ideology from websites and internal documents.All employees are required to remove any gender identifying pronouns from email signature blocks by 5:00 PM today, said the order from Tibor Nagy. Your cooperation is essential as we navigate these changes together.An official from the U.S. Agency for International Development said staffers were directed to flag the use of the word gender in each of thousands of award contracts. Warnings against gender discrimination are standard language in every such contract. The official spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, under a Trump administration gag order prohibiting USAID staffers from speaking with people outside their agency. The official said staffers fear that programs and jobs related to inclusion efforts, gender issues and issues specific to women are being singled out and possibly targeted under two Trump executive orders.Some Census Bureau and National Park Service pages were also inaccessible or giving error messages. Trumps executive order, signed on his first day back in office, calls for the federal government to define sex as only male or female and for that to be reflected on official documents such as passports and policies such as federal prison assignments. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the military to immediately stop recognizing identity a day before the start of Februarys Black History Month, saying they erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution. ___Mike Stobbe in New York and Amanda Seitz, Matthew Lee, Will Weissert and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. CARLA K. JOHNSON Johnson covers research in cancer, addiction and more for The Associated Press. She is a member of APs Health and Science team. twitter mailto

First responders work the scene after what witnesses say was a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)2025-02-01T00:19:36Z PHILADELPHIA (AP) A small plane crashed in Northeast Philadelphia 30 seconds after it took off as crews respond to a fiery scene, Pennsylvanias governor said Friday.Gov. Josh Shapiro said he is offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly.The crash happened less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights. Photos taken at the crash site appear to show residential homes on fire.Philadelphias emergency management office said there was a major incident at the location of the crash site and that roads are closed in the area.Flight data showed a small jet taking off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. and disappearing from radar about 30 seconds later after climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 meters). A photo posted on the social platform X by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management showed a thick cloud of smoke in the sky near the Roosevelt Mall, where first responders were blocking traffic and onlookers crowded onto a street corner.The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center with dozens of stores and restaurants in the residential neighborhood of Rhawnhurst. The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were aboard the plane, which was a Learjet 55. The plane, a small, business-type jet, was en route to Springfield, Missouri. The plane appeared to be a medical transport jet. The plane that took off and quickly disappeared from radar was registered to a company operating as Med Jets.The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. The NTSB, which investigates air crashes, said it was gathering information about the crash. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Companion hits theaters this weekend, and for those seeking relief from the anxiety of, well... *waves arms in every direction*... youre going to want to find your closest theater and buy a ticket. Because this near future, queer-inclusive, sci-fi horror film is like a pastel-hued balm for what is ailing you. The film, which stars beloved out actors Harvey Guilln and Lukas Gage alongside queer faves Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, and Megan Suri, sees three couples Iris (Thatcher) and Josh (Quaid), Eli (Guilln) and Patrick (Gage), Kat (Suri) and Sergey (Rupert Friend) spending a weekend together at the latter characters remote lakeside mansion. After a night of partying and fellowship, the dream getaway turns nightmarish as Iris is forced to defend herself to the death against unwanted advances, only to learn a shocking secret about herself: that she is not human, but is instead a companion robot whose epic love (and love story) with Josh is simply programming. This spurs an existential crisis, and, in turn, a fight for her existance. It makes for a fascinating and unexpected spin on the AI anxiety that is steadily growing as the tech advances and looms ever larger in our day-to-day lives. It was this anxiety that writer-director Drew Hancock sought to turn on its head by recontextualizing AI not as the bad actor, but rather a product of the fallible humans putting it to use. AI is a thing. It could be used for evil, it could be used for good, and it's all up to how we use it because it is a tool like social networking, like Instagram and Facebook, Hancock tells PRIDE. There are some characters that treat it well and there are some characters that treat it poorly. It's just about this future that's probably going to happen. What would it look like? What would it look like if your phone looked like a human being? That could change your relationship with all humans.In an earlier version of the film, Hancock considered making Iris the antagonist, but that would have robbed the film of the thematic depth that the final cut boasts and of its many surprises. One of the ways Hancock sought to hide his hand in the opening beats of the film was through the inclusion of a queer couple. In the first act of this movie, I wanted to lure people into a sense of something that is very familiar. You're presented with all of these genre tropes, and you make your judgments, and then something happens, and it twists. Suddenly, no, this movie is not what you expected. So for the beginning, it was very important for me to fill it with the gay couple that could just easily be there [and] just be like comic relief on the side. But no, actually, their love for each other is way stronger. It's like the only real love story within the movie, Hancock explains.This is helped along by how well-written Patrick and Eli are and how sweet their love story is. They serve as a contrast to the other couples toxic dynamics, which for Guilln felt really meaningful.I do feel like their love in the story is probably the most organic...it was nice to see this queer couple, and not the way that we see a lot of in queer media, being represented in queer communities that don't look like a cookie cutter, Guilln tells PRIDE. It ends up being the most organic love out of all these stories, which was really lovely to play. At the time it was very meta for me, because I was very madly in love at the time when we shot this, and you were as well, I think, he says to Gage, who nods in agreement. So we were feeding off of what we were coming from, like weekend getaways from our significant others, and coming to set and working with each other, and bringing that love to the scene. And so I think it now lives on forever in this film. It's been captured, which we are so lucky that we filmed it then and not now, he recalls as both he and Gage laugh in agreement. Tech plays a powerful role in queer culture: the advent of dating apps has impacted everyone, but the rise of hookup apps have, arguably, done even more so for queer folks. They offer users the opportunity to connect with their community and find love but the endless swiping can also have a dehumanizing effect. In many ways, the story Companion tells is the most extreme version of that arc, and Gage once again highlights the duality of technology and the way we use it.I think that we rely upon these apps. Think back to 10 years ago, just a decade ago, when we didn't have the opportunity to find people at the swipe of our fingertips. There is something that I think is beautiful about that, and people can find connection and love around the world, and especially in places where they don't have a lot of people in their community or queer people around them, he tells PRIDE. But then there's also that kind of instant gratification that sometimes I feel like can cut off a very organic way of meeting someone in a natural environment where it's just face to face, and that there's an immediate chemistry there. So there are pros and cons in both. Just like in this movie.Eli and Patrick and their organic love story represent the positive end of that contrast which, as Hancock explains, speaks to the way technology can shift the way we see each other as people. The way I look at Josh and how he objectifies Iris, he also objectifies everyone. The line between robot and human is blurred, and so suddenly, when you don't know what you're looking at is literally an object, suddenly your friends could look like objects, too. So he objectifies everything. And that's just one version of how that could go, he says. This extends to Joshs longtime friend, Kat, and also speaks to the misogyny at the heart of this kind of thinking, something that, again, feels particularly relevant for both women and queer folks today. Kat's the only human woman in this entire movie, and yet she's treated in a lot of ways just like Iris, Suri tells PRIDE. She really sees the impact of just how toxic people can get when you're so disconnected from reality and humanity at its core. And I just think it's a real reflection of how certain people might value or might not value, for that matter, in any way, as women and what we bring to the world.Despite the dark subject matter and how it relates to our current cultural climate, the film still manages to be a cathartic watch. Thats in part because the film sees and reveals Josh and his nice guy type for the mundane cis white male monster he is. I think a lesser movie makes Josh the protagonist, and Iris is going on a rampage, and Josh needs to save the day, Quaid tells PRIDE. I think you can learn a lot of lessons of what not to do [from] my character. He's one of the most insecure people I've ever played, he says.That's not to say Quaid didnt see any humanity in Josh, but as an actor he had to find a way in. I eventually found empathy towards him as I think he's a guy whos not heard the words I love you a lot in his life. I think that is what kind of motivates him to be in a relationship like this, where he needs another person to make himself feel special. You have to have empathy for your characters while you play them. But now that I'm not playing him anymore, screw Josh. He sucks and I don't like him, laughs Quaid.This film also gives you a hero to root for in the most unexpected place: a bloodied, confused, and ultimately resolute Iris. Call it programming, call it socializing, but many in the audience will immediately relate to a character whos been told to sublimate their own needs and happiness for those of a partner, worthy or not.Thatcher immediately connected with this element of the character. This movie really is about toxic relationships and one-sided relationships, and [Iris] goes in just wanting to give her all and her everything to Josh, that she loses herself and she doesnt know who she is. So when her world is completely shifted, she doesnt know who she is and she doesnt know where the hell to start, she tells PRIDE. Unlike in the character of Josh, Thacher hopes audiences come away with ideas from Iriss journey. Its really relevant right now in the time that we live in, where it feels like, as women and as anybody other than a straight white man...you feel like you dont have power, but you can, and you do. Its about finding yourself and grouping together. In a week where it feels like we are slipping and sliding into a near-future tech dystopia led by misogynists and homophobes, Companion lands a swift and clever punch right into the throat of those ideologies. If AI is inevitable and cultural norms remain on this path, then this movie is the future we want.

Brazilian soccer player Neymar waves to fans during his presentation ceremony after signing a six-month contract with Santos FC at Vila Belmiro Stadium in Santos, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)2025-01-31T19:02:58Z SANTOS, Brazil (AP) A tearful Neymar was welcomed back to his boyhood club on Friday by thousands of Santos fans and a concert in the home stadium beneath an electronic sign saying, The prince is back. The 32-year-old signed a six-month contract, which he said could be extended.Neymar later admitted his return was also due to his feeling unhappy at Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal earlier this year as he struggled to get playing time. He said he would be ready to play for Santos at least 30 minutes in a match scheduled for Saturday if he was given the go-ahead by local soccer authorities.About 20,000 raucous Santos fans filled their Vila Belmiro Stadium in the rain outside Sao Paulo to celebrate the Brazilians return.His evening arrival highlighted by fireworks capped a three-hour fiesta which also featured local singers.I am very happy. We lived great moments here. Theres still a lot that could come, Neymar said on the pitch. Neymar said at a media conference that he and his family had adapted well to Saudi Arabia, but his lack of playing time since his return from an ACL injury he hasnt played since November forced his move. Some decisions are not about soccer logic, Neymar said. I started getting sad in training sessions (at Al-Hilal), and it wasnt good for my head. So there was the chance to come back and I did not think twice. Since the first day I decided I wanted to come back, I told my father (and agent) and it all worked. The striker signed his contract upon arrival and added it is too soon to speak about extending his deal until the 2026 World Cup, which he says will be the last he will play in his career. He also said his return home is a rescue for his own soccer soul.Santos gave me the chance to come back. I gave away a lot of things to be here. It was a perfect marriage at an unimaginable moment for both parts. Still, it happened, Neymar said. We have a six-month contract that can obviously be extended. Two weeks ago I didnt even think I would be here. Neymar also said he has one more thing to win, a mission that will be the last.I am going after this World Cup trophy in any way I can. I have goals, said Neymar, who is Brazils all-time top goal scorer with 79 goals in 125 matches.Shortly before, Neymar greeted his future teammates and club executives at the Santos training ground.Neymars private jet landed in the Sao Paulo state countryside from Saudi Arabia in the morning but he requested a few hours of rest before being flown into Santos by helicopter.Banners reading The prince is back were selling for 10 reais ($1.50) outside the 20,000-seat Vila Belmiro Stadium.Graffiti inspired by artificial intelligence outside the stadium showed Neymar looking more mature and with a crown on his head no small feat in a city where Pel was king for decades until he died in December 2022 at age 82.Video posted by Santos on social media showed Neymar not wearing the No. 11 that was his during his first spell from 2009-13. He will wear Pels No. 10. It will be an honor to wear this sacred jersey, Neymar said in the video.Saudi club Al-Hilal terminated Neymars contract with mutual consent this week, six months early, after playing only seven matches and scoring once since September 2023. The ACL injury sidelined him for a year until October. Al-Hilal said Neymar could no longer perform like he used to.Neymar also left Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain to criticism, even though he delivered silverware and goals. On Thursday, he said he hopes to get some love back home, where he is revered.Former teammates appeared in a video to congratulate Neymar on the move, including Luis Surez, Gianluigi Buffon, Andres Iniesta and Rodrygo.Neymar played 225 matches for Santos in his first spell. He scored 138 goals, many of them key to winning six titles at the Brazilian giant, which was relegated in 2023 and returned to the top division last year.For us, Neymars return is a rebirth, said Victor Hugo Arantes, 45, an event producer in Santos. We werent expecting this. Neymar could play anywhere else, he has the level to be in top leagues. I think his heart spoke louder. Neymar was the most expensive player in soccer history when he transferred from Barcelona to PSG for 222 million euros (then $262 million) in 2017. He was sold to Al-Hilal in 2023 for 90 million euros ($94 million).Anderson Souza, 43, lives in Santos and is not a supporter of the club. But he is one of those who believes Neymar will put the city back on the map after some tough times.Pel died, the team was relegated, there was a lot of gloom. I hope he is bringing some energy back, people need it, Souza said. But he needs to know that people will want him to perform, to make an effort for them, to be at his best. Santos fans love him, but they are not fools.Neymar said soccer fans like Souza do not need to worry.I am not here to take a stroll, I didnt come to stay home on my couch, Neymar said. I came after my happiness as a soccer player and to help Santos.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer MAURICIO SAVARESE Savarese is a reporter since 2004, with a vast experience covering soccer and politics. English, Espaol, Portugus, some French and a bit of Italian. twitter instagram facebook mailto

First responders work the scene after what witnesses say was a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)2025-02-01T04:40:09Z A medical transport jet carrying a child patient, her mother and four others slammed into a Philadelphia neighborhood and exploded in flames. The child had been treated in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition and was being transported home to Mexico, according to Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the planes operator. The flights final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri. All six people aboard were from Mexico. The plane crashed Friday 30 seconds after takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights. Heres what to know about air medical transport: What is an air ambulance?An air ambulance provides transportation to people in critical or life-threatening situations when a ground ambulance cant reach a patient or wouldnt get to them fast enough.They help boost a patients odds of surviving and recovering, particularly in rural areas that dont have trauma or burn centers, according to a 2017 U.S. Government Accountability Office report. Theyve grown in importance as more rural hospitals have closed, according to a medical journal report from 2022. Air ambulances can be either a helicopter or a fixed wing aircraft. Helicopters are generally used to take patients between hospitals or from the scene of an accident to a hospital. The airplane versions fly longer distances between airports. Helicopters make up 74% of all air ambulances, according to the GAO report. The Philadelphia crash involved a Learjet 55, a small business jet. Who rides air ambulances? People with traumatic injuries, pregnancy complications, heart attacks, strokes and respiratory diseases are the most common users of air ambulances, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. More than 550,000 patients in the U.S. use them every year. In Hawaii, for example, they are frequently used to take patients from less populated islands, where health care is more limited, to Honolulu, where the states biggest hospitals are located. The owner of the plane that crashed in Philadelphia, Jet Rescue, flew baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republican in 2019. What are they equipped with?Air ambulances will often have similar life-saving equipment like ventilators and blood transfusion devices. They will have stretchers and incubators.The Mayo Clinic, for example, said its air ambulances will have an external defibrillator, an external pacemaker and more than 60 medications.Paramedics and emergency medical technicians care for patients on board. Sometimes doctors and nurses are on board.What does an air ambulance cost?The average air ambulance trip is 52 miles (84 kilometers) and costs between $12,000 and $25,000 per flight, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The medical condition of the patient and the staff on board can influence the price. Many insurers will pay what they believe to be a reasonable but sometimes they will disagree with the air ambulance provider and in these cases the patient may have to pay the difference. Insurance experts say big invoices are becoming more common as costs rise and coverage shifts. Have there been other fatal crashes with air ambulances? Yes, there were 87 accidents that led to 230 deaths from 2000 to 2020, according to a study in the journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Nearly three-fourths of those accidents were on helicopters. Human factors that can include pilot error or disorientation, impairment and fatigue contributed to 87% of the fatal crashes. The Philadelphia crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue. In 2023, five crewmembers were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Activists sit on a road with white umbrellas during a protest calling for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, in front of the U.S. Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)2025-02-01T05:30:36Z DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Hamas-led militants are set to free three more hostages all men on Saturday, and Israel will release dozens of Palestinian prisoners as part of a fragile agreement that has paused fighting in the Gaza Strip after more than 15 months of war.The hostages to be released, according to Hamas and Israel, are: Yarden Bibas, 35; American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65; and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54. All were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.It will be the fourth swap of hostages for prisoners since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19. Fifteen hostages and hundreds of prisoners have already been freed in that time. Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing. The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory. The imminent release of Bibas has brought renewed attention to and concern for the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two redheaded boys Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months old at the time.Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on Oct. 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates. Yarden Bibas is believed to have been held separately from his family. Photos taken during his abduction appeared to show him wounded.Like Bibas, Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His two children and ex-wife, Hadas, were also taken, but they were freed during the 2023 ceasefire. Keith Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences. More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in Nov. 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire are dead.Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached. Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Netanyahus coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.Hamas says it wont release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.In the Oct. 7 attack that started the war, some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels retaliatory air and ground war, over half of them women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.The Israeli military says it killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because its fighters operate in residential neighborhoods. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Vendors selling groceries wait for customers at a local market Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)2025-02-01T04:20:46Z BANGKOK (AP) Peace prospects look bleak in Myanmar as a civil war rages despite international pressure on the military four years after it seized power from an elected civilian government.The political situation remains tense with no negotiation space in sight between the military government and the major opposition groups fighting against it.The four years after the armys takeover on Feb. 1, 2021, have created a profound situation of multiple, overlapping crises with nearly half the population in poverty and the economy in disarray, the U.N. Development Program said.The U.N. Human Rights Office said the military ramped up violence against civilians last year to unprecedented levels, inflicting the heaviest civilian death toll since the army takeover as its grip on power eroded.The army launched wave after wave of retaliatory airstrikes and artillery shelling on civilians and civilian populated areas, forced thousands of young people into military service, conducted arbitrary arrests and prosecutions, caused mass displacement, and denied access to humanitarians, even in the face of natural disasters, the rights office said in a statement Friday. After four years, it is deeply distressing to find that the situation on the ground for civilians is only getting worse by the day, U.N. human rights chief Volker Trk said. Even as the militarys power wanes, their atrocities and violence have expanded in scope and intensity, he said, adding that the retaliatory nature of the attacks were designed to control, intimidate, and punish the population. The United States, United Kingdom, European Union and others criticized the military takeover in a statement that also called for the release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. They said nearly 20 million people need humanitarian assistance and up to 3.5 million people are displaced internally, an increase of nearly 1 million in the last year. They also expressed concern about increased cross-border crime in Myanmar such as drug and human trafficking and online scam operations, which affect neighboring countries and risk broader instability.The current trajectory is not sustainable for Myanmar or the region, the countries said in the joint statement that also included Australia, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. The status of the fightingThe militarys 2021 takeover prompted widespread public protests, whose violent suppression by security forces triggered an armed resistance that has now led to a state of civil war. Ethnic minority militias and peoples defense forces that support Myanmars main opposition control large parts of the country, while the military holds much of central Myanmar and big cities including the capital, Naypyidaw.The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which keeps detailed tallies of arrests and casualties linked to the repression of the military government, said that at least 6,239 were killed and 28,444 were arrested since the takeover. The actual death toll is likely to be much higher since the group does not generally include deaths on the side of the military government and cannot easily verify cases in remote areas. Aung Thu Nyein, director of communications for the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar think tank, told The Associated Press that Myanmars current situation is at its worst with peace and development being pushed back.Whats worse is that the sovereignty which ever-proclaimed by the military is losing, and the countrys borders could even shift, Aung Thu Nyein said in a text message.Myanmars army suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past year, when a coalition of ethnic armed groups won victories in the northeast near the Chinese border and in the western state of Rakhine.The ethnic rebels were able to quickly capture several towns, military bases and two important regional commands, and their offensive weakened the armys grip in other parts of the country.The ethnic minorities have been fighting for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmars central government and are loosely allied with the Peoples Defense Force, the pro-democracy armed resistance formed after the armys 2021 takeover.The U.N. Human Rights Office and rights groups including Amnesty International also made rare allegations in recent statements that armed groups opposing the military have also committed human rights violations in areas under their control. The status of election plansIn pursuit of a political solution, the military government is pushing for an election, which it has promised to hold this year. Critics say the election would not be free or fair as civil rights have been curtailed and many political opponents imprisoned and the election would be an attempt to normalize military control.On Friday, the military government extended a state of emergency another six months because it said more time was needed to restore stability before the election, state-run MRTV television reported. No exact date for the polls was given.Tom Andrews, a special rapporteur working with the U.N. human rights office, said it wasnt possible to hold a legitimate election while arresting, detaining, torturing and executing leaders of the opposition and when it is illegal for journalists or citizens to criticize the military government.Governments should dismiss these plans for what they are a fraud, Tom Andrews said. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

First responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)2025-02-01T06:38:23Z PHILADELPHIA (AP) A medical transport jet transporting a child who had just completed treatment for a life-threatening condition, her mother and four others crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes.Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which operated the Learjet 55, said in a statement: We cannot confirm any survivors. There was no immediate word whether anyone on the ground was killed, but at least six people were treated for injuries at a hospital.Everyone aboard the flight was from Mexico. The child was being transported home, according to Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold. The flights final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.The patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members. Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training. When an incident like this happens, its shocking and surprising, Gold told The Associated Press. All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference late Friday that officials expected fatalities in the awful aviation disaster.We know that there will be loss, he said.A spokesperson for Temple University Hospital-Jeanes, Jennifer Reardon, said they had treated six people with injuries from the crash. Three of those people had since been released and the others were in fair condition. She wasnt able to provide information about their injuries or where the people were when they sustained them. The plane was registered in Mexico. Jet Rescue is based in Mexico and has operations both there and in the U.S.The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation. On Wednesday night, an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors. The Philadelphia crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue. In 2023 five crewmembers were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.In Philadelphia, a doorbell camera captured video of the plane plunging in a streak of white and exploding as it hit the ground near a shopping mall and major roadway. All we heard was a loud roar and didnt know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume, said Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera.The crash happened less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.The Learjet 55 quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 meters). It was registered to a company operating as Med Jets, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.Shortly after 6 p.m., audio recorded by LiveATC captured an air traffic controller telling Medevac Medservice 056 to turn right when departing. About 30 seconds later it repeats the request before asking, You on frequency? Minutes later, the controller says, We have a lost aircraft. Were not exactly sure what happened, so were trying to figure it out. For now the field is going to be closed. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, President Donald Trump said: So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia.More innocent souls lost, he added. Our people are totally engaged.A continuous stream of police vehicles and fire trucks initially responded at the crash site, taking over business parking lots. Within about an hour, the cry of sirens and shouted orders had faded into relative quiet at the edges of the closed-off area, and darkness settled in as drivers passing by peered out trying to see what was happening.The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center in the densely populated neighborhood of Rhawnhurst. One cellphone video taken by a witness moments after the crash showed a chaotic scene with debris scattered across the intersection. A wall of orange glowed just beyond as a plume of black smoke rose into the sky and sirens blared.Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair, a nearby neighborhood, when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera, it looked like a missile came down. There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second, he said.Jet Rescue, which provides global air ambulance services, flew baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republic in 2019 and was involved in transporting patients critically ill with COVID-19.The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. The NTSB said an investigator arrived and more officials would be there Saturday. ___Associated Press writers Rio Yamat, Hallie Golden and Josh Cornfield contributed to this report. MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement and courts in New York City, including former President Donald Trumps criminal and civil cases and problems plaguing the federal prison system. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

United Nations and Red Crescent workers prepare the aid for distribution to Palestinians at UNRWA warehouse in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Eslaiah, File)2025-01-31T13:45:00Z Support has surged for the U.S. nonprofit that raises money for UNRWA, the U.N. agency that serves Palestinian refugees, since the start of the war in Gaza. That is despite the U.S. government cutting off funding for UNRWA and accusations from Israel that it supports Hamas.Giving to nonprofits is one way Americans have reacted to the war that broke out on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities on the other side of the Gaza border wall, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. With the recent ceasefire, the work of humanitarian organizations like UNRWA is kicking into high gear. However, a new Israeli law cutting ties with the organization could greatly hinder its ability to operate in Gaza and the West Bank. Its unclear how it would be replaced if forced to close.Supporters of Israel have also seen a surge in donations for what they say will be a lengthy rehabilitation and reconstruction process there as well. Some 139,000 people have given to UNRWA USA since October 2023, said Mara Kronenfeld, its executive director, a huge jump from the 7,000 people it counted among its donor base before the current war. Those donors, and some institutional funders, gave $32 million in 2023 and she expects the total raised in 2024 to reach over $51 million. Previously, the nonprofit raised around $4 million annually, she said. UNRWA USA is a separate but affiliated nonprofit that supports UNRWAs mission through advocacy and fundraising. Providing humanitarian aid to PalestiniansUNRWA has been the main agency providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, though Israel has accused it of employing hundreds of militants and allowing Hamas to operate out of its schools and other facilities. UNRWA denies those accusations. It fired several employees suspected of taking part in the Oct. 7 attack. Its hard to provide an overall view of U.S. donors response to the war. Typically, there is a lag of more than a year before researchers can access the grant information that nonprofit organizations report on their tax forms. Polarized responses to the war among the public likely also deter some donors and organizations from publicizing their support. That stands in contrast with Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when researchers tracked philanthropic contributions. Donors to UNRWA USA who spoke with The Associated Press expressed dismay with U.S. policy, which has staunchly backed Israel with both weapons and diplomatic cover. Other donors have poured funds into nonprofits that support organizations in Israel, providing services for displaced people, mental health support and money to rebuild. The U.S. had been the UNRWAs largest funder, sending $422 million in 2023 and $343 million in 2022. The funds raised by UNRWA USA certainly do not replace the amount withheld by the U.S. government, Kronenfeld said, but she sees the donations from individuals as evidence that people have not given up hope trying to save lives in Gaza.The American people really stepped up. They stepped up to provide essential, lifesaving, critical humanitarian support when our government stepped aside, Kronenfeld said. In the initial weeks after the Oct. 7 attack, the Jewish Federations of North America tapped its network with a campaign to raise $500 million. It surpassed that goal, raising $862 million by the end of 2024. The federations immediately started moving money to benefit survivors of the Hamas attack and Israelis displaced by the war and have allocated $707 million so far to organizations in Israel.Dont worry about the moneyEric Fingerhut, the CEO and president of the organization, said his donors have also traveled to Israel to communicate support with their presence and cited an instance when the federation talked with farming communities that were attacked. They needed millions to replace farming equipment that militants had burned and the federations were able to tell them, Dont worry about the money, well take care of it, Fingerhut said.Donors more than doubled the amount they gave to P.E.F Israel Endowment Fund, which facilitates donations to Israeli charities. In the 12 months after the war broke out, the fund gave out $330 million, up from the $160 million it typically had granted out annually, said Geoffrey Stern, its president. When asked about the surge in support for UNRWA USA, Stern said, There is tragedy, there is hurt and pain, there is need on both sides of the conflict.The vast majority of humanitarian funding comes from governments or multilateral organizations like the United Nations. But Patricia McIlreavy, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, said the support individual donors give to humanitarian organizations is very important.I dont think you would find a humanitarian organization that didnt wish that they had more flexible funding from private sources, she said. Philanthropic funds from small donors or foundations can plug budget gaps, allow for innovation and help organizations operating in dangerous environments to keep their workers safe, she said. No brakes for PalestineLast summer, Riley Brookshire, who lives near San Francisco, raised more than $2,100 through a crowdfunding campaign for UNRWA USA, mostly from his friends and other people he knew. It was his first time donating to the organization. Over about a month, he biked more than 40 miles a day after he got off work, logging almost 1,270 miles. He called the fundraiser, No brakes for Palestine, in reference to the fixed gear bike he rode, which has no gears and no brakes. Cycling is not apolitical, Brookshire said. He was moved to start the fundraiser in part by posts he saw online from the war, which has now killed more than 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities. Brookshire said that he wanted to do something more than going to protests and calling his representatives, but he had doubts along the way about whether the fundraiser was working. It was the early nights like that when some of the donations were kind of small at the beginning where I was like, What the hell am I doing? This might be futile. I know that I want to help. Maybe this isnt an effective way to do it, he said.After posting screenshots of his daily ride to the fundraiser for about two weeks, donations started to pick up. He said he felt a lot of gratitude to his friends who helped him reach his goal of first $1,200 and then, $2,000. But he also said the money was a drop in the bucket. Theres a weird contradiction there, right? Brookshire said. If you do something, its not going to help very much. But if you dont do anything, then youre not helping at all.McIlreavy said across the board, humanitarian responses to conflicts are underfunded even as the number of conflicts and displaced people have grown. Her advice for donors is not to expect that that their gift will solve a conflict or totally restore a community thats been hit by disaster. We need to get more comfortable with saying, I dont need to be there for everything, but doing something is better than nothing, she said. ___Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. THALIA BEATY Beaty reports on philanthropy for The Associated Press and is based in New York. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Rebel leader of rebel group of Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) including M23, Corneille Nangaa, addresses a news conference in Goma, Democratic republic of the Congo, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)2025-02-01T07:03:52Z KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) After Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took control of the biggest city in eastern Congo this week, the man who emerged from the shadows to assert his leadership was not the groups long-time military leader.Sultani Makenga, an ethnic Tutsi rebel leader sanctioned by both the U.S. and the U.N., was nowhere to be seen in Gomas Serena Hotel as the bearded Corneille Nangaa, in military fatigues, was ushered into the hall. Nangaa, who is not a Tutsi and who analysts say brings a more diverse, Congolese face to the group, told reporters of his plan to fight all the way to Kinshasa, the national capital a thousand miles away.The spectacle was significant because it captures the evolution of M23 from an ethnic Tutsi-dominated outfit more than a decade ago to one thats now actively seeking to be seen as a Congolese nationalist group. Thats the case despite the military support it gets from neighboring Rwanda, according to observers and analysts in Africas Great Lakes region. From election chief to rebel leaderNangaa is the former head of Congos electoral body who oversaw the 2018 presidential election won by President Flix Tshisekedi. He has been a controversial figure in Congolese politics for years. As the election commission chair, he oversaw the heavily criticized vote that elected Tshisekedi and led the U.S. to sanction him in 2019 for undermining Congos democracy.A falling-out with Congolese authorities, including a dispute over a mining concession, sent Nangaa into exile in Kenya. In 2023, he joined the Congo River Alliance, a political-military coalition including 17 parties and rebel groups opposed to the government of Tshisekedi and became a top political figure. Besides the mining, his grievance is also believed to be due to the presidents alleged refusal to advocate for the U.S. dropping Nangaa from its sanctions list, according to Christian Moleka, a political scientist at the Congolese think tank Dypol. His perception that he had been mistreated by the authorities is what pushed him towards radicalization, Moleka said. An unholy matrimonyLast year, Makengas M23 joined Nangaas Congo River Alliance and with Nangaa at the helm of the revamped outfit, the M23 looked even more menacing to Congolese authorities, analysts say.M23 is more of a threat now because the group is trying to decouple the question of self-determination in eastern Congo from evidence of Rwandan support, said Angelo Izama, an analyst with the Uganda-based Fanaka Kwawote think tank.The rebels want to provoke a national discussion on widespread feelings of neglect in eastern Congo while gaining as much territory as possible such that they can force the Congolese state to deal with questions of genuine autonomy and to force some kind of negotiation, he said.Forcing political negotiations is a smart move for the rebels, the only path out of this crisis, he added. M23 forcing local alliances in CongoUnlike in 2012, when the M23 took Goma in a campaign led by Kinyarwanda-speaking fighters pushing mainly for their full integration into the Congolese army, this time it has a national agenda, the Crisis Group think tank said of M23 in a recent assessment.With Nangaas Congo River Alliance as the political umbrella for the M23, the think tank said the rebels have accumulated resources and allies that made them attractive partners not only to armed groups in eastern (Congo) but to others aiming to undermine Tshisekedi.This is in line with (Rwandas) probable strategy of creating a deniable but powerful Congolese front to exact the maximum leverage over Kinshasa and confirm its dominance of North Kivu (province), at a minimum, the think tank said.United Nations experts have asserted that some 4,000 Rwandan troops back M23 rebels in North Kivu. To take Goma, which is strategically located close to the Rwanda border, the rebels defeated Congolese government troops who long had been supported by local militias known as Wazalendo as well as U.N. and regional peacekeepers and mercenaries from Europe. M23 was once defeated but regrouped after a failed amnestyM23 has about 6,500 fighters, according to U.N. estimates. It emerged in 2012 as a rebel group led by Congolese ethnic Tutsis who said a 2009 agreement signed to look after their interests including integration into the army and the return of refugees from elsewhere in east Africa had been violated by Congos government.Led by Makenga, a Congolese Tutsi, M23 took Goma in a November 2012 offensive and pulled out days later under international pressure. They were later repulsed by U.N. forces fighting alongside Congolese government troops in a military campaign that forced hundreds of them to flee to Rwanda and Uganda. Makenga, a self-appointed major-general often seen wielding a herders staff in the bush, was among those who fled to Uganda.In December 2013, with hundreds of the rebels cantoned in a remote forested area of western Uganda, M23 signed an agreement with Congos government that called for the repatriation of the rebels to Congo within a year. That proved difficult to achieve because of a dispute over the rebels demand for a blanket amnesty while Congos government wanted commanders such as Makenga tried for their alleged crimes against civilians. In 2016, hundreds of M23 rebels fled custody in Uganda, from where they were to be airlifted back to Congo. The rebels resurfaced in 2021 and became the most potent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control in the mineral-rich territory. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates mineral deposits there to be worth $24 trillion, most of them crucial to global technology.A new face politically motivatedUnlike in 2012, Nangaas selling point as the face of M23 is that he is from the Haut-Uele province and not Tutsi, said Moleka with the Dypol Congolese think tank. This allows M23 to give itself a new, more diverse, Congolese face, as M23 has always been seen as a Rwanda-backed armed group defending Tutsi minorities, said Moleka.The Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies, in an analysis published Wednesday, cited a shifting political calculus by sponsors of M23. Efforts to establish a parallel civilian administration and expand the illicit exploitation of minerals suggests that the rebel group and their regional backers have longer-term objectives in holding and potentially expanding their territorial control, according to the assessment by Paul Nantulya, a Ugandan analyst with the group. At an M23 news conference in Goma on Thursday, Nangaa said the rebels aim to set up a new administration in the city of 2 million people thats now home to hundreds of thousands of displaced Congolese. The rebels spoke to reporters of their plans to return displaced people to their homes, presenting a major challenge to Tshisekedi. We are here in Goma to stay as Congolese, Nangaa said. We will continue the march for liberation all the way to Kinshasa.___Associated Press writer Mark Banchereau in Paris contributed to this report.

Israeli Yarden Bibas, 34, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. Photo/Abdel Kareem)2025-02-01T06:25:48Z Hamas released three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel, while Palestinian authorities say Israel has agreed to release dozens of prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.The six-week phase one truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory. Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.Palestinian health authorities in Gaza also announced that the long-shuttered Rafah border crossing with Egypt would reopen on Saturday for thousands of Palestinians who desperately need medical care a breakthrough that signals the ceasefire agreement continues to gain traction. Heres the latest: Hamas hands over U.S.-Israeli hostageHamas has handed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, over to the Red Cross, the third hostage to be released Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.Siegel walked onto a stage set up by the sea in Gaza City before militants handed him over to waiting Red Cross officials.Earlier, the militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in similar scenes in the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. All three had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war. Macron hails release of French citizenFrench President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the release of French-Israeli citizen Ofer Kalderon, while noting that another French citizen remains a hostage.Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his family after 483 days of unimaginable hell, Macron posted on X.Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything in its power to secure his immediate release. Red Cross vehicles arrive in Gaza City for planned hostage releaseRed Cross vehicles have arrived in Gaza City where Hamas is set to release American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, as part of the fourth round of hostage releases in its ceasefire deal with Israel.Two other hostages Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54 were released earlier Saturday in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. In return for the three, Israel is to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.2 freed hostages return to IsraelTEL AVIV, Israel Two released hostages, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas, have arrived in Israel and are on their way to an initial reception point. Along the road leading to the military base, small groups of supporters waited for the convoys waving Israeli flags.The two hostages were freed Saturday as part of the fourth such release in Israels ceasefire with Hamas. One more, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, is set to be released in Gaza City later Saturday morning. Hamas hands 2 hostages over to Red CrossKHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip Hamas handed two hostages over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel.The militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, in a highly stage-managed and orderly handover to the Red Cross. Both had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.Another hostage, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was also set to be released Saturday and was expected to be handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City to the north.Red Cross vehicles arrive at site of planned hostage handoverRed Cross vehicles arrived in a location in the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip Saturday where Hamas was set to release hostages in its ceasefire deal with Israel. Who are the Israeli hostages expected to be freed today?The hostages to be released, according to Hamas and Israel, are: Yarden Bibas, 35; American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65; and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54. All were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.News that Yarden Bibas, 35, is among the hostages set to be freed on Saturday brought renewed attention to the uncertain fate of the Bibas family. Hamas says his kidnapped wife and two young boys were killed in an Israeli airstrike, but Israel has not verified the claim.A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two redheaded boys Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months old at the time. Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on Oct. 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.Like Bibas, Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His two children and ex-wife, Hadas, were also taken, but they were freed during the 2023 ceasefire. Keith Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages. Ceasefire holds for now but next phase will be harderTodays exchange is part of a deal that paused fighting in Gaza on Jan. 19. Israeli forces have pulled back from most of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to return to what remains of their homes and humanitarian groups to surge assistance.It calls for Hamas to release a total of 33 hostages, including women, children, older adults and sick or wounded men, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the hostages to be released in this phase are dead.The initial Phase One ceasefire paused fighting for six weeks, calling for the sides to use that time to negotiate a second phase in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages and the ceasefire would continue indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.Negotiating a phase two deal could be difficult. Hamas says it wont release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, after reasserting its rule over Gaza within hours of the truce. Meanwhile, Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, and a key far-right partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition is already calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.

Afghans walk by the Serena hotel in downtown Kabul, Afghanistan, March 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)2025-01-31T20:50:03Z The Taliban are taking over the operations of Afghanistans only luxury hotel in Kabul, more than a decade after they launched a deadly attack there that killed nine people.The Serena Hotel said Friday it was closing its operations in the Afghan capital on Feb. 1, with the Hotel State Owned Corporation taking over. The corporation is overseen by the finance ministry.The finance ministry wasnt immediately available for comment. Neither the Serena nor the government clarified the terms under which the hotel was changing hands.The Taliban first targeted the Serena in 2008 and again in 2014. Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani acknowledged planning the 2008 attack, which killed eight, including U.S. citizen Thor David Hesla.A statement from the Serena, a brand owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, said it had trained thousands of Afghan nationals, hosted large numbers of foreign guests and delegations, and set high international benchmarks in hospitality standards. It asked people to direct their queries to the Hotel State Owned Corporation. Kabul no longer appears as a destination on the Serena website. According to information on the finance ministry website, the corporations mission is to revive and develop Afghanistans hotel industry. It operates three other hotels in Afghanistan, two in Kabul and one in the eastern city of Nangarhar. Tourism official Mohammad Saeed told The Associated Press last year that he wanted Afghanistan to become a tourism powerhouse. At that time, in a sign the country was preparing for more overseas visitors, the Serena reopened its womens spa and salon for foreign females after a monthslong closure, only to shut them again under pressure from authorities.The Taliban have barred women from gyms, public spaces including parks, and education. Last year, they ordered the closure of beauty salons, allegedly because they offered services forbidden by Islam.

Barleycorn's, a restaurant, bar and live music venue, uses its marquee to express its sympathy for friends and family of the victims of a deadly crash involving a commercial airliner flying from Wichita and an Army helicopter in Washington, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas. (AP Photo/John Hanna)2025-02-01T05:03:36Z WICHITA, Kan. (AP) When American Eagle Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, the Midwest city with a proud aviation history was glowing from a big moment.It had just hosted the next generation of Olympic hopefuls at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the kind of major sporting event that leaders of the largest city in Kansas had envisioned when they opened a 15,000-seat arena in 2010. For Wichita, which once built many of the nations aircraft, the skating showcase was another way of putting the community in Americas heartland on a larger stage. Then came the horror of learning the flight never made it. We were so proud to see these high-level athletes, their families, their friends, fans, coming to our community and sharing their skills and talents so that the whole world could see, Mayor Lily Wu said. To end it with this type of tragedy just truly breaks my heart. The midair collision Wednesday night between the plane and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., has left Wichita grieving. The worst U.S. air disaster in a generation killed 67 people, including young figure skaters who had attended a national development camp in Wichita following the championships. No one survived. The city of nearly 400,000 residents has deep connections to Americas aviation history and is a regional hub for oil companies, engineers and drillers, riding the industrys boom-and-bust cycles. It was unclear how many of the victims may have been Wichita residents. Authorities have not released a list of the passengers, who included hunting buddies, an attorney on a business trip and a college student returning from her grandfathers funeral.Following the collision, city and religious leaders held a prayer vigil that turned out hundreds of people who prayed for victims families and pledged to provide comfort.This unity cannot just stay in sadness. It has to elicit something greater, something brighter, something that can shine forth, said Rabbi Shmulik Greenberg of Chabad, a Hasidic synagogue and community center in Wichita. An aircraft hub in the Midwest Wichita started as a trading post after the American Civil War, had a short life as a cattle drive town and boomed in the 1940s and 1950s, with military and civilian aircraft production.Passengers moving through security at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, named for the president who grew up in Abilene, first walk past a display describing Wichita as the Air Capital of the World. The industry has a history of more than a century in the area, with storied founders such as Clyde Cessna and Walter and Olive Ann Beech, who gave their names to aircraft companies. During World War II, Boeing made more than 1,700 bombers in Wichita, said Logan Daugherty, curator of the Kansas Aviation Museum. The industry employs tens of thousands of area residents, who work for major manufactures such as Spirit AeroSystems, as well as a network of more than 350 suppliers, according to an economic development agency called the Greater Wichita Partnership.The community has had its share of other strivers: The first White Castle restaurant opened here in 1921, beginning one of the first fast-food hamburger chains. Two Wichita State University students opened the first Pizza Hut in 1958. Koch Industries the energy, agriculture and manufacturing conglomerate with 121,000-plus employees has its leafy headquarters grounds in the north part of the city. The city recently celebrated the first anniversary of the start of the single daily commercial American Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington.The manufacturer of the passenger airline that went down, Bombardier, has its U.S. headquarters in Wichita. Jim Howell, who serves on the local county commission, said the plane had been certified in the city. Theres a lot of connections to this plane. Theres a lot of connections to Bombardier as a company, said Howell, who spent two decades working in flight testing, including a stint with Bombardier in the early 1990s. We have a lot of employees who work for Bombardier who are still involved in testing and maintaining those types of planes here in Wichita. A growing cityWichitas population more than doubled between 1940 and 1960 and has since grown steadily and more diverse. The public school system the largest in the state, educating roughly 11% of all Kansas students says it has families from more than 100 nations, speaking more than 110 languages and dialects other than English.Its also a politically diverse city. Although President Donald Trump has carried Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, three times, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has won it twice. Rushing to help The city has mourned other aviation tragedies, including in 1970, when a plane carrying players, coaches and fans of Wichita State Universitys football team crashed in Colorado, killing 31 of the 37 people on board.Following the tragedy in Washington, the citys nonprofit Wichita Community Foundation almost immediately set up a fund to collect donations for victims families, to cover burial expenses and provide mental health or other services. Shelly Prichard, the foundations president and CEO, said on the night of the crash they started having people reach out to us about how they could help.Kristin Anneler, who attended the vigil in Wichita following the collision, said she was impressed that people of different faiths and views came together to mourn the victims.Its just a tiny little bite right? Of the cross section of humanity that we often forget about because we run in our own circles and we think our own thoughts, she said. ___ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. JOHN HANNA Hanna covers politics and state government in Kansas for The Associated Press. Hes worked for the AP in Topeka since 1986. twitter mailto

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing for his pending confirmation on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)2025-02-01T05:03:31Z PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) A letter submitted to the U.S. Senate that states it was sent by physicians in support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services includes the names of doctors who have had their licenses revoked, suspended or faced other discipline, The Associated Press has found.The letter was meant to lend credibility to Kennedys nomination, which has faced strenuous opposition from medical experts due to his two decades of anti-vaccine activism. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a medical doctor who boasts on his official website of an effort he created to vaccinate 36,000 children against hepatitis B, expressed hesitancy about Kennedys nomination and is seen as a key vote.The AP found that in addition to the physicians who had faced disciplinary action, many of the nearly 800 signers are not doctors. The letter with the names of those who signed was provided to the AP by Sen. Ron Johnsons office after he entered it into the Congressional Record on Wednesday during the first of Kennedys two confirmation hearings. Among those who signed it were a self-described journalist, a certified public accountant, a firefighter/paramedic, a certified health coach and someone who said they had a bachelors degree with an emphasis on Jungian Psychology. The signers include at least 75 nurses, as well as physicians assistants. More than 90 did not include any credentials at all. Over 20 were chiropractors, representing an industry that has funded Kennedys work. An AP investigation found that donations from a chiropractic group represented one-sixth of the revenues collected by Kennedys anti-vaccine nonprofit in 2019. The letter was organized and submitted by MAHA Action, which is run by Del Bigtree, who worked for Kennedys presidential campaign and is a longtime anti-vaccine activist. The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Kennedy transferred the trademark for the MAHA slogan to an limited liability company run by Bigtree. Kennedy reported that he received $100,000 in income from licensing the slogan and said in his financial disclosures that he had transferred the trademark for no compensation. MAHA stands for Make America Healthy Again, a play on President Donald Trumps Make America Great Again.Emma Post, a MAHA Action spokesperson, said in an email that the letter was shared and circulated organically in a grassroots manner with explicit instructions that it was for physicians only to sign on to. She did not address the APs questions about what further steps the group took to verify credentials, if any. Bigtree and Kennedy did not return messages seeking comment. A White House spokesman, Kush Desai, said the administration looks forward to the Senates swift confirmation of Kennedy.The letter includes the header Doctors for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and begins with the words, We, the undersigned physicians. It says lower down that it reflects the collective voice of physicians and medical professionals committed to addressing chronic disease. The APs review found that at least 10 doctors who signed the letter had run into trouble with state medical boards or their board certification body for a variety of alleged misconduct. Sanctions they faced included having their license revoked or suspended, being put on probation, receiving a reprimand or other action. One received a warning letter from the Federal Trade Commission, which said he was unlawfully advertising products as treatments or prevention for COVID-19, including intravenous nutrient therapy and vitamins.Among the signers was Paul Thomas, an anti-vaccine doctor who voluntarily surrendered his medical license in 2022 after Oregons medical board found he had engaged in repeated and gross negligence in the practice of medicine. Thomas did not admit or deny the finding. NBC News reported that Thomas was part of a team assembled by Kennedy who remotely advised an anti-vaccine activist in Samoa during a measles outbreak there on how to treat children with vitamins. A person who responded on behalf of Thomas, DeeDee Hoover, said the information the AP had was inaccurate but did not reply when asked what specifically was wrong. Other signers included Dr. Simone Gold, who was reprimanded by Californias medical board after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for her conduct at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Gold was recently pardoned by Trump and told the AP in an email that her reprimand and other disciplinary action were overturned by a judge prior to her pardon.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an honorable and honest person with vast subject matter knowledge and experience who values the health of the American people, and furthermore because he is willing to challenge corporate interests where they conflict with the best interests of those citizens, Gold wrote in an email. Meryl Nass, whose medical license was suspended in Maine over her treatment of COVID-19 patients, also signed. She told the AP she is appealing the decision and expects to be fully vindicated.At least two of the doctors were disciplined, prior to the pandemic, for improperly giving out vaccine waivers, including one who had his license revoked and another who was put on probation. Another doctors license was revoked for refusing to follow COVID-19 guidelines. Post said MAHA Actions letter was just one of several provided to the Senate supporting Kennedy, including one that she provided a link to that she said was signed by 17,000 medical professionals. That letter stated it was from international medical providers and did not include the names of those who signed.Opponents of Kennedys nomination sent their own letter with signatures from what they said were more than 18,000 vetted and verified doctors. The group, the Committee to Protect Health Care, said that the letter was initially circulated among verified physicians and that as additional signatures were added, their credentials were checked. The group provided the list of signatories to the AP but with anonymized names that included the first initial of their first name along with the first three letters of their last name, as well as their medical credentials. They said doctors names were anonymized for their privacy and to protect them from harassment.__Contact APs global investigative team at [emailprotected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/ MICHELLE R. SMITH Smith reports for APs global investigations team. She is based in Providence, Rhode Island. instagram mailto

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shows a red pouch containing budget documents, as she arrives to present the federal budget in the Parliament in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo)2025-02-01T08:25:30Z NEW DELHI (AP) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis government presented an annual budget to Parliament on Saturday that focused on wooing the salaried middle class with tax cuts and spurring economic growth by boosting agriculture and manufacturing.In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government is focused on boosting private investment to strengthen growth, increasing funding in the agriculture sector and enhancing the spending power of Indias middle class.The focus of the budget is taking everyone together on an inclusive path, Sitharaman said, adding that the government is aiming for a fiscal deficit of 4.4% of Indias gross domestic product for the 2025-26 financial year.The worlds fifth-largest economy is expected to post its slowest growth in four years due to a sluggish manufacturing sector, persistent food inflation, stagnant job growth and weak urban consumption. The countrys chief economic advisor, in a report released on Friday, forecast Indias economy would grow 6.3% to 6.8% in the next fiscal year.Here are some takeaways from the budget: Income tax cuts for the salaried middle classSitharaman said her government will initiate reforms in sectors like finance, power, urban development and mining, with transformative reforms in taxation. She raised the starting point for income tax to $14,800 from $8,074 and said the government will introduce a new income tax bill next week.The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment, Sitharaman said.Modi, who is now in his third term as the countrys prime minister, has been under pressure to allay discontent among the countrys middle class and generate more jobs to help sustain growth. Many economists had suggested his government make tax cuts on individuals income and implement job creation programs to mitigate rising unemployment.According to the Center for Monitoring the Indian Economy, youth unemployment was at 7.5% in January, underscoring the challenge of delivering jobs in a country of more than 1.4 billion people. Agriculture sector and gig economy gets a boostTo boost productivity across the agriculture sector, the Indian government will launch a nationwide program to push high-yielding crops, focusing on the cultivation of pulses and cotton production. Sitharaman said the program will target at least 17 million farmers and raise the limit for subsidized credit offered to them from $3,460 to $5,767.The government also plans to formally register Indias gig workers and ease their access to health care. Sitharaman said the government will issue them identity cards and maintain a national registry that will ensure their inclusion in welfare initiatives.Indias gig economy could employ more than 23 million people by 2030, according to estimates by government think tank NITI Aayog. Investments in new startup funds and energy sectorSitharaman announced a new fund for startups and said the government will provide more money to promote innovation in partnership with the private sector and launch programs to push manufacturing and exports. The share of manufacturing in Indias economy is close to 17%, short of its aimed goal of 25%.The government will infuse more money to increase tourism-led employment in several Indian states and help with building infrastructure and boosting air connectivity to 120 new destinations over 10 years, Sitharaman said. She also announced the Nuclear Energy Mission to drive Indias transition toward clean energy, with a goal of developing at least 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047. SHEIKH SAALIQ Saaliq covers news across India and the South Asia region for The Associated Press, often focusing on politics, democracy, conflict and religion. He is based in New Delhi. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-02-01T05:01:26Z President Donald Trump has targeted transgender and nonbinary people with a series of executive orders since he returned to office.He has done it with strong language. In one executive order, he asserted medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a childs sex.Thats a dramatic reversal of the policies of former President Joe Bidens administration and of major medical organizations that supported gender-affirming care.American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Sruti Swaminathan said that to be put into effect, provisions of the orders should first go through federal rulemaking procedures, which can be years long and include the chance for public comment.When you have the nations commander-in-chief demonizing transgender people, it certainly sends a signal to all Americans, said Sarah Warbelow, the legal director at Human Rights Campaign.Things to know about Trumps actions: Recognizing people as only men or womenOn Trumps first day back in office, he issued a sweeping order that signaled a big change in how his administration would deal with transgender people and their rights.It questions their existence by saying the government would recognize only two unchangeable sexes: female and male.The stated purpose is to protect women. Efforts to eradicate the biological reality of sex fundamentally attack women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being, the order says. The document calls on government agencies to use the new definitions of the sexes, and to stop using taxpayer money to promote what it calls gender ideology, the idea broadly accepted by medical experts that gender falls along a spectrum.Federal agencies have been quick to comply. Andrea Lucas, the acting chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for example, announced this week that she would remove identity pronouns from employees online profiles and disallow the X gender marker for those filing discrimination charges. Biology is not bigotry. Biological sex is real, and it matters, Lucas said in a statement.On Friday, information about what Trump calls gender ideology was removed from federal government websites and the term gender was replaced by sex to comport with the order. The Bureau of Prisons stopped reporting the number of transgender incarcerated people and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed lessons on building supportive school environments for transgender and nonbinary students.Researchers have found less than 1% of adults identify as transgender and under 2% are intersex, or born with physical traits that dont fit typical definitions for male or female. Requests denied for passport gender markersIn the order calling for a new federal definition of the sexes, Trump included some specific instances in which policy should be changed, including on passports.The State Department promptly stopped granting requests for new or updated passports with gender markers that dont conform with the new definition.The agency is no longer issuing the documents with an X that some people who identify as neither male nor female request and will not honor requests to change the gender markers between M and F for transgender people.The option to choose X was taken off online passport application forms Friday.The ACLU says its considering a lawsuit.Transgender women moved into mens prisonsTrumps initial order called for transgender women in federal custody to be moved to mens prisons. Warbelow, from Human Rights Campaign, said her organization has received reports from lawyers that some have been.The Federal Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to requests for information about such moves.There have been at least two lawsuits trying to block the policy. In one, a federal judge has said a transgender woman in a Massachusetts prison should be housed with the general population of a womans prison and continue to receive gender-affirming medical care for now. Opening the door to another ban on transgender service membersTrump set the stage for a ban on transgender people in the military, directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to come up with a new policy on the issue by late March.In the executive order, the president asserted that being transgender conflicts with a soldiers commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in ones personal life.Trump barred transgender service members in his first term in office, but a court blocked the effort.A group of active military members promptly sued over the new order this week. Defunding gender-affirming medical care for transgender youthTrump called for halting the use of federal money to support gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth under 19 years old.The care in question includes puberty blocking drugs, hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery, which is rare for minors.If fully implemented, the order would cut off government health insurance including Medicaid and TRICARE, which serves military families, for the treatments.It also calls on Congress to adopt a law against the care, though whether that happens is up to lawmakers.Twenty-six states already have passed laws banning or limiting gender-affirming care for minors, so the change could be smaller in those places.Some hospitals have paused some gender-affirming care for people under 19 following the executive order while they evaluate how it might apply to them.Barring schools from helping student social transitioningAnother executive order this week seeks to stop radical indoctrination in the nations school system.It calls on the Education Department to come up with a policy blocking schools from using federal funds to support students who are socially transitioning or using their curriculum to promote the idea that gender can be fluid, along with certain teachings about race.The order would block schools from requiring teachers and other school staff to use names and pronouns that align with transgender students gender identify rather than the sex they were assigned at birth.Some districts and states have passed those requirements to prevent deadnaming, the practice of referring to transgender people who have changed their name by the name they used before their transition. It is widely considered insensitive, offensive or traumatizing. GEOFF MULVIHILL Mulvihill covers topics on the agendas of state governments across the country. He has focused on abortion, gender issues and opioid litigation. twitter mailto

A Palestinian girl wounded in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip waits inside an ambulance before crossing the Rafah border into Egypt, as wounded and sick Palestinians are allowed to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment, in Khan Younis, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)2025-02-01T10:57:24Z RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt (AP) A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began crossing to Egypt for treatment through Gazas Rafah crossing on Saturday, the first opening of the border since Israel captured it nearly nine months ago.The reopening of the Rafah crossing represents a significant breakthrough that bolsters the ceasefire deal Israel and Hamas agreed to earlier this month. Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female hostages in Gaza.Egyptian television showed an Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side. Gazas Health Ministry said around 60 family members were accompanying the children.The children are the first in what are meant to be regular evacuations of Palestinians through the crossing for treatment abroad. Over the past 15 months, Israels campaign against Hamas in retaliation for the militants Oct. 7, 2023 on southern Israel has decimated Gazas health sector, leaving most of its hospitals out of operation. Care for the population has been crippled, even as tens of thousands of Palestinians were wounded by Israels bombardment and ground offensives. Mohammed Zaqout, the director of hospitals in Gazas Health Ministry, said more than 6,000 patients were ready to be evacuated abroad, and more than 12,000 patients were in urgent need of treatment. He said the small numbers set to be evacuated will not cover the need, and we hope the number will increase. Rafah is Gazas only crossing that does not enter into Israel. Israeli forces closed the Rafah crossing in early May after seizing it during an offensive on the southern city. Egypt shut down its side of the passage in protest. Even before the Gaza war began, the Rafah crossing represented a crucial escape valve from the territory. An Israeli-Egyptian blockade aimed at containing Hamas has crippled health facilities and infrastructure in Gaza for the past 15 years. Palestinians routinely applied for permission to travel outside the territory for lifesaving treatments not available in Gaza, including chemotherapy. It took some diplomatic gymnastics to reopen the crossing and overcome security disputes between Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian officials. Hamas had overseen the border since 2007, when it took control of Gaza from its rival, the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, or PA, after winning parliamentary elections in 2006.Management of the crossing is a sensitive issue. Israel accused Hamas of using its control of the border to smuggle weapons a claim Egypt has denied. Israel has also refused to allow the Palestinian Authority to officially take over management of the crossing.Instead, the crossing will be staffed by Palestinians from Gaza who previously served as border officers with the PA, but they will not be allowed to wear official PA insignia, a European diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to brief the media. Israel has screened the officers to ensure they have no affiliation with Hamas, the European diplomat added. European Union monitors will also be present, as they were before 2007. Negotiations on the second phase of the deal which calls for a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of any remaining hostages are supposed to begin Monday. Israel has resisted the notion that the PA would control postwar Gaza.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, moves the ball while defended by Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vsquez, File)2025-02-01T11:24:08Z Aging athletes such as LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lindsey Vonn are similar to racing cars maintained by tinkering mechanics, data analysts, and shelves of replacement partsIf you look at many elite athletes now, they have an army of supporting staff like a Formula 1 team, Hirofumi Tanaka, a Japan-born exercise physiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, told The Associated Press in an interview.Los Angeles Lakers star James and World Cup skier Vonn just turned 40, and soccers Ronaldo hits the Big-Four-Oh on Feb. 5. Add seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who turned 40 just a few weeks ago as he moves this season to Ferrari.They have physical therapists, dietitians, massage therapists, strength coaches, and so on, Tanaka added. With this holistic approach these elite athletes are helped to maintain their performance. Others like quarterback Tom Brady, hockeys Jaromir Jagr, and pitcher Nolan Ryan retired at the top and well into their 40s. Martina Navratilova won the U.S. Open mixed doubles title in 2006 just a month short of turning 50.Then theres Gordie Howe, who finished his last National Hockey League season (1979-80) at 52. Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura turns 58 in February and plans to play with fourth-tier club Suzuka his 40th professional season. And dont forget Hall of Famer Satchel Paige, who didnt allow a run pitching three innings in a Major League game at 59 with the Kansas City Athletics in 1965. This isnt exactly new, but it used to be rare. Whats changed is the frequency, the array of aides supporting the stars, and the reality the expectation that athletes can compete longer and produce.Watch any Grand Slam tennis tournament. The winner and losing finalist inevitably thank their teams as a half-dozen staffers rise to stadium applause. Peak performance at the OlympicsTanaka analyzed Olympic data starting with the first modern Games in 1896, and hes found the peak-performance age for men has remained stable between 20-30 depending on the discipline. But gradually all Olympians are getting older, and the statistics for women bear this out.Womens peak performance age was much younger 20 or 30 years ago, he said. But now that peak-performance age is becoming very similar to men.Tanaka attributed this partly to cultural change in regard to marriage and child-bearing, which used to prompt women to drop out earlier from elite competition.Of course, there are exceptions like Syrian Hend Zaza. At 12, she was the youngest in the Tokyo Olympics, delayed a year until 2021.The best evidence that athletes are staying longer and maintaining performance is seen in so-called Masters athletes. There is no standard age as each sport sets different parameters.Older athlete are getting closer and closer to younger athletes, Tanaka said, speaking of both men and women. And the older the Masters athlete is, the greater the improvement. The case of LeBron JamesJames is reported to spend about $1.5 million annually on his body to stay fit, a number he neither confirms nor denies. He can afford it with an estimated worth of more than $1 billion.James talks about staying on top in the Netflix series Starting 5. Maybe hes not getting better with age, but there is little drop-off.In some ways hes a freak of nature, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said. Ive been around a lot of great players and hes one of the hardest-working players Ive been around. I mean, he doesnt take a day off. He seems to not take an afternoon off.Hes always working on some part of his body, Silver added. You meet with him and hes always soaking something or eating something or has some contraption attached to him.Lindsey Vonns comeback and her titanium kneeVonn is making a comeback on the World Cup circuit after getting a new titanium right knee. James, of course, has never been away after breaking into the NBA and 18.Like James, Vonn talks about the benefits of ice baths and new recovery methods that were not around earlier in her career.She said she gets inspiration from athletes like Brady, Hamilton and Serena Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title at 35 at the Australian Open in 2017. She was several weeks pregnant at the time, which she didnt announce until months later. Tom, Lewis, Serena. Theyve all done it, Vonn said. The resources that athletes have now allow for a better recovery. So even though youre older, youre still recovering faster than I was when I was in my 20s.Vonn told The AP recently in an interview in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy, that she might be doing less to stay fit, or at least less to keep her knee functioning.My knee doesnt bother me, she said. I dont wake up and have to do kneecap (exercises) for 15 minutes and do a 30-minute warmup just to walk out the door. I am doing a normal warmup like normal athletes do, she added. I dont have to do anything different which takes a lot less energy, a lot less mental strain.Now she simply focuses on maintaining the other parts of her body.___Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed to this report. STEPHEN WADE Wade has written about sports and the politics of sports around the globe for The Associated Press. He has covered nine Olympics and five soccer World Cups and has been based for AP in Madrid, London, Beijing, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, before moving to Tokyo. twitter mailto

A worker organizes boxes of flowers intended for export to the U.S. at a flower farm in Chia, on the outskirts of Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)2025-01-27T21:14:33Z WASHINGTON (AP) Tariffs are in the news at the moment. Heres what they are and what you need to know about them:Tariffs are a tax on importsTariffs are typically charged as a percentage of the price a buyer pays a foreign seller. In the United States, tariffs are collected by Customs and Border Protection agents at 328 ports of entry across the country.U.S. tariff rates vary: They are generally 2.5% on passenger cars, for instance, and 6% on golf shoes. Tariffs can be lower for countries with which the United States has trade agreements. For example, most goods can move among the United States, Mexico and Canada tariff-free because of Trumps US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.Mainstream economists are generally skeptical of tariffs, considering them a mostly inefficient way for governments to raise money and promote prosperity. Theres much misinformation about who actually pays tariffsPresident Donald Trump, a proponent of tariffs, insists that they are paid for by foreign countries. In fact, its is importers American companies that pay tariffs, and the money goes to the U.S. Treasury. Those companies, in turn, typically pass their higher costs on to their customers in the form of higher prices. Thats why economists say consumers usually end up footing the bill for tariffs.Still, tariffs can hurt foreign countries by making their products pricier and harder to sell abroad. Foreign companies might have to cut prices and sacrifice profits to offset the tariffs and try to maintain their market share in the United States. Yang Zhou, an economist at Shanghais Fudan University, concluded in a study that Trumps tariffs on Chinese goods inflicted more than three times as much damage to the Chinese economy as they did to the U.S. economy. What has Trump said about tariffs?Trump has said tariffs will create more factory jobs, shrink the federal deficit, lower food prices and allow the government to subsidize childcare.Tariffs are the greatest thing ever invented, Trump said at a rally in Flint, Michigan, during his presidential campaign.As president, Trump imposed tariffs with a flourish targeting imported solar panels, steel, aluminum and pretty much everything from China.Tariff Man, he called himself.Trump has promised even more and higher tariffs in his second term.The United States in recent years has gradually retreated from its post-World War II role of promoting global free trade and lower tariffs. That shift has been a response to the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs, widely attributed to unfettered tree trade and an increasingly powerful China. Tariffs are intended mainly to protect domestic industriesBy raising the price of imports, tariffs can protect home-grown manufacturers. They may also serve to punish foreign countries for committing unfair trade practices, like subsidizing their exporters or dumping products at unfairly low prices.Before the federal income tax was established in 1913, tariffs were a major revenue driver for the government. From 1790 to 1860, tariffs accounted for 90% of federal revenue, according to Douglas Irwin, a Dartmouth College economist who has studied the history of trade policy.Tariffs fell out of favor as global trade grew after World War II. The government needed vastly bigger revenue streams to finance its operations.In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government collected around $80 billion in tariffs and fees. Thats a trifle next to the $2.5 trillion that comes from individual income taxes and the $1.7 trillion from Social Security and Medicare taxes.Still, Trump wants to enact a budget policy that resembles what was in place in the 19th century.Tariffs can also be used to pressure other countries on issues that may or may not be related to trade. In 2019, for example, Trump used the threat of tariffs as leverage to persuade Mexico to crack down on waves of Central American migrants crossing Mexican territory on their way to the United States.Trump even sees tariffs as a way to prevent wars.I can do it with a phone call, he said at an August rally in North Carolina.If another country tries to start a war, he said hed issue a threat:Were going to charge you 100% tariffs. And all of a sudden, the president or prime minister or dictator or whoever the hell is running the country says to me, Sir, we wont go to war. Economists generally consider tariffs self-defeatingTariffs raise costs for companies and consumers that rely on imports. Theyre also likely to provoke retaliation.The European Union, for example, punched back against Trumps tariffs on steel and aluminum by taxing U.S. products, from bourbon to Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Likewise, China responded to Trumps trade war by slapping tariffs on American goods, including soybeans and pork in a calculated drive to hurt his supporters in farm country.A study by economists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Zurich, Harvard and the World Bank concluded that Trumps tariffs failed to restore jobs to the American heartland. The tariffs neither raised nor lowered U.S. employment where they were supposed to protect jobs, the study found. Despite Trumps 2018 taxes on imported steel, for example, the number of jobs at U.S. steel plants barely budged: They remained right around 140,000. By comparison, Walmart alone employs 1.6 million people in the United States.Worse, the retaliatory taxes imposed by China and other nations on U.S. goods had negative employment impacts, especially for farmers, the study found. These retaliatory tariffs were only partly offset by billions in government aid that Trump doled out to farmers. The Trump tariffs also damaged companies that relied on targeted imports.If Trumps trade war fizzled as policy, though, it succeeded as politics. The study found that support for Trump and Republican congressional candidates rose in areas most exposed to the import tariffs the industrial Midwest and manufacturing-heavy Southern states like North Carolina and Tennessee. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Pico Iyer, the bestselling author of "The Art of Stillness," presents his new book "Aflame: Learning from Silence" at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire that recently swept through parts of Pasadena and Altadena, forcing over 30,000 people to evacuate and burning thousands of structures. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)2025-02-01T13:12:37Z PASADENA, Calif. (AP) On a quiet summer evening in June 1990, Pico Iyer sat in his family home in Santa Barbara, California, when suddenly, he was surrounded by walls of flames five stories high.Thirty-four years after that conflagration turned his life upside down, Iyer returned to Southern California to share how it transformed his life, nudging him toward what he now values simplicity, silence, solitude and love. The novelist and essayist addressed about 80 people Tuesday at Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena, the very community devastated by the deadly Eaton Fire earlier this month.Now intimately familiar with a wildfires destructive powers, many who came to hear Iyer speak clutched his book with a fiery orange cover titled Aflame: Learning from Silence. During his hour-long conversation with violinist and social justice advocate Vijay Gupta, Iyer admitted that soon after the fire, all he could see was loss. But now, he says, he sees all those doors that have gradually opened. As they conversed, a poster for Octavia Butlers novel Parable of the Sower, considered prophetic by some in its depiction of a dystopian future where Los Angeles is ravaged by climate change among other ills, graced the background. Iyer said the fire liberated him in many ways. To write a different way, to live more simply, to remember what is really important in life. Today, I wouldnt say it was a calamity, but a dramatic wake-up call for me. Iyers story resonated with Jeremy Hunter, an Altadena resident whose historic home burned in the Eaton Fire. His feelings after the blaze are mixed: purified and liberated by losing his possessions, but also grieved. Hunter said listening to Iyer has inspired him to figure out his familys next act.I guess the key is to let that pain pass through you, he said. That way, youre less afraid of the pain. In 1990, Iyer, then 33, an author and columnist for Time magazine, grabbed his mothers aging cat and his latest manuscript, jumped in his car and tried to flee the fire. But, he was trapped in the area for three hours, watching, as it turned everything in his childhood home to ash furniture, stuffed toys, notes for his next three books. Iyer escaped thanks to a Good Samaritan with a water truck. Safe but shaken, he wrote an essay that night. It appeared in Time magazine with the title California: In the Blazing Eye of the Inferno. He ended it with a poem by the 17th century Japanese poet, Mizuta Masahide, describing how destruction can sometimes bring clarity:My house burned down.Now I can better seeThe rising moon.Eight months after the fire, Iyer took his friends suggestion to stay for a few days at the New Camaldoli Hermitage, a Benedictine monastery nestled in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Big Sur, California. The Catholic order, founded by St. Romuald in the late 10th century, is known globally for its austere way of life and keenness to engage in interfaith and ecumenical dialogue. At the hermitage, Iyer paid $30 a day for a room, shower, food and so much more. The tranquility of the grounds with its tolling bells, lavender-covered hills, panoramic ocean views, and the compassion of the monks, eventually, proved life changing. The silence and solitude gave him clarity to make sense of his life and work.A repeated visitor to this spiritual oasis, Iyer says the hermitage helps him remember what he loves and what matters the most. One of his 100 or so visits motivated him to get married and move into a small, two-room apartment with his wife in Nara, Japan, where he still resides, splitting his time between that country and California. And somehow, he lives without a cell phone.The monks helped him understand how luxury is defined not by what you have but what you dont need.Moving into that tiny apartment didnt seem like a hardship and being without a car and cell phone actually seems like a luxury, Iyer said.The hermitage has become a kind of soul-sustaining medicine, even though he says he is not religious. He was born into a Hindu family, and his parents were Indian immigrants, both professors and followers of the Theosophical movement, which combines Eastern and Western beliefs. In the book, Iyer also speaks about his close relationship with the Dalai Lama and singer Leonard Cohen who lived for several years as a Zen Buddhist monk. While he has grown spiritually thanks to them, Iyer says his Benedictine brothers and fire itself have helped him understand how to cope with death and impermanence. Just like his family home, his happy place in Big Sur is also vulnerable to wildfires. There is no safe place in this world that is immune to impermanence or reality, Iyer said. The fact that these monks live unflinchingly in the midst of that acute vulnerability and go about their regular business even as they are encircled by flames, is powerful to witness. His books title comes from a quote by Abba Joseph, an early Christian hermit who told a young monk as they traversed the Egyptian desert: If you will, you can become all aflame. The hermit meant that fully committing to a spiritual life would mean being completely consumed by Gods love and transformed to a state of radiant holiness.Its about kindling the internal fires as a response to the external fires, Iyer said. My monk friends see fire as an act of God, which is not something they quarrel with, but simply act with.Iyer still turns away when he sees footage of wildfires on television. Being stuck in that fire for three hours, I had a visceral sense of how powerful those flames were. But then, coming that close to losing my life made losing my possessions much easier.He said several who stood in line at Vromans to get his book signed talked about their recent loss. The Eaton Fire killed at least 17 people, destroyed thousands of structures and scorched over 14,000 acres. Iyer said he started to write a bright message for one woman who appeared positive and smiling when she told him: Oh, I just lost everything I had.I was taken aback and as we continued the conversation, she seemed so strong, clear and unrattled, he said. I was touched and inspired by her presence.This weeks book event was already scheduled when the Eaton Fire started burning. The timing was uncanny for some, including Suzanne McDonnell, a Glendale resident whose friends lost their homes in the recent fires.I thought it was providential, she said about Iyers talk. There can be so much hope, even in suffering. ___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. DEEPA BHARATH Bharath is a reporter with APs Global Religion team. She is based in Los Angeles. twitter mailto

Welcome back to the Abstract!This week, were serving up some much-needed good news about global biodiversity! Well, its more like a silver lining, but in the Anthropocene you have to take what you can get. As you may have noticed, humans are highly annoying and deadly to many other lifeforms on Earth, a condition that is driving a global decline of biodiversity. But there are bright spots in this dark trend, as conservation efforts continue to yield results around the world.Then, just how radioactive was that Saharan dust cloud that engulfed Europe in 2022? Scientists found answers, and they were weird! Next, the effects of Daylight Savings Timeon dogs. Finally, its time to warm up in the balmy gassy vistas of ancient Mars.Biodiversity Loss Is Staggering, but Conservation Pays OffShaw, Robyn and Farquharson, Katherine et al. Global meta-analysis shows action is needed to halt genetic diversity loss. Nature.It is understandable to feel overwhelmed by the escalating consequences of human activity on our planet and its inhabitants. In fact, it is a sign that your brain is good at recognizing reality, even at its own peril. But there were welcome rays of hope from conservation science this week: It turns out trying to stop biodiversity loss actually works sometimes!On Wednesday, scientists published a massive meta-analysis of genetic diversity that encompasses decades of data collected from 628 species of animals, plants, and fungi across every land environment and most maritime regions on the planet. It is the most comprehensive investigation of within-population genetic diversity change to date, according to the study.Here we report an overall global decline in intraspecific genetic diversity, said researchers co-led by Robyn Shaw of the University of Canberra and Katherine Farquharson of the University of Sydney. In birds and mammals in particular, the evidence for genetic diversity decline is clear.Genetic diversity accumulates over evolutionary timescales through mutation and once lost, is difficult to restore, the team continued. However, we also show that we have the theoretical and technical means, as well as the on-ground conservation management approaches, to prevent further loss if we act now.The study points to many success stories about targeted conservation that have reversed genetic diversity in species as diverse as the Hines emerald dragonfly to the Golden bandicoot. As it happens, two unrelated case studies were also published this week about the recovery of wolverines across their historic Scandinavian range, and the recovery of tigers in India, both of which offer inspiration from gains made with these iconic carnivores.We provide pervasive evidence for successful expansion of the wolverine population from the refuge-like alpine range into boreal forest, which was previously considered suboptimal habitat for wolverines in Scandinavia, said researchers led by Ehsan Moqanaki of the University of Montana. The ongoing recovery of the Scandinavian wolverine demonstrates that coexistence of apex predators with humans on multiuse landscapes is possible.Meanwhile, the study on tigers found that Indias recovery efforts offers cautious optimism for megafauna recovery, particularly in the Global South.Tiger occupancy increased by 30% (at 2929 square kilometers per year) over the past two decades, leading to the largest global population occupying ~138,200 square kilometers, said researchers led by Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India. The success of tiger recovery in India offers important lessons for tiger-range countries as well as other regions for conserving large carnivores while benefiting biodiversity and communities simultaneously. It rekindles hope for a biodiverse Anthropocene.Of course, these studies are not presenting an altogether rosy picture; the global trends of biodiversity loss are still incredibly concerning and theres no doubt humans are fueling a major spike in extinction rates. But its much better to know that conservation efforts, if we make them, do pay off, and that were not just pissing in the wind. So let's take the win and stick it up our noses or ears or wherever youre supposed to put hopium these days.Oops! Its a Radioactive Saharan Dust CloudXu-Yang, Yangjunjie et al. Radioactive contamination transported to Western Europe with Saharan dust. Science AdvancesIn the beginning, Cilllian Murphy invented nuclear weapons. For decades afterward, governments around the world came up with the flimsiest excuses to make them go boom. Hmm, should we nuke a battleship? Yeah. Nuke the sky? Hell yeah. Nuke the Sahara? Oui (because France did that one).In a twist, the spectre of those Saharan nukes literally visited itself upon Europe in March 2022, when a desert storm blew dust clouds from the Algerian test site across the continent. The event raised concerns that radioactive particles from the four atmospheric detonations, which were performed over Reggane in 1960 and 1961, may have contaminated those nations, potentially posing a public health threat.To investigate the risk, researchers enlisted citizen sciences to collect more than 100 dust samples from six countries in Western Europe, which they tested for plutonium isotope signatures. In yet another twist, the team found that there was detectable radioactive contamination in the particles from the 2022 storm, but it mostly didnt come from the French atmospheric tests. It was dominated by the global fallout signature of the atmospheric tests conducted by the United States and the Soviet Union before sky nukes were banned in 1963.Radionuclide signatures detected in Saharan dust collected in 2022 remained in the range of the global fallout found as a background signal in soils worldwide, and they significantly differed from the characteristics of the French atmospheric nuclear tests conducted in Southern Algeria, said researchers led by Yangjunjie Xu-Yang of Universit Paris-Saclay.The team concluded that the contamination didnt pose a public health threat, but its still a little disconcerting to be reminded that the planet is covered in a film of radioactive dust. As the sage Nelson Muntz once proclaimed: Gotta nuke something.Spring Forward, Fall Back, Shake a PawNagendran, Lavania et al. The impact of Daylight Saving Time on dog activity. PLOS One.Dogs are thrown off by Daylight Savings Time (DST) too, at least if they are gainfully employed. Thats the conclusion of the first study to examine how DST affects all the good boys and good girls out there. To accomplish this feat, the team put accelerometers into the collars of 25 sled dogs and 29 companion dogs living around Ontario during the fall time change in 2020 and 2021 respectively. By measuring the activity of the dogs, they were able to determine that sled dogs were more sensitive to time changes because of their rigid working schedules.Recognizing that DST is an extreme form of anthropogenic intervention on the effects of natural light on circadian rhythm regulation, we aim to investigate how this abrupt shift in the timing of human activity affects companion animals, said researchers led by Lavania Nagendran of the University of Toronto.Sled dogs took one day to adjust to the time shift, the researchers concluded. In companion dogs, we did not find evidence for any changes in morning onset activity following DST.In other words, the coalition ban time changes may have just earned a powerful new bloc: Huskies and malamutes. These dogs will make great political allies, assuming they can take some time away from other important business (digging holes, chasing squirrels, and yowling discordantly).The Lost Water World of MarsAdams, Danica et al. Episodic warm climates on early Mars primed by crustal hydration. Nature Geoscience.Mars was once a warm world of gushing rivers and huge lakes that may have supported microbial life. But just how Mars remained toasty enough to produce these balmy conditions is a matter of some debate; the Sun was dimmer four billion years ago, when Mars was habitable, plus the red planet receives less sunlight than Earth due to its orbital distance, so solar radiation alone cannot account for its liquid water.Scientists now propose that Mars was partly warmed by its own fartsor, in more scientific terms, its crustal outgassing. Hydrogen gas released by water sinking into the crust could have helped to transiently foster warm, humid climates according to researchers led by Danica Adams of Harvard University.These events of outgassing due crustal hydration would have been short-lived, lasting tens of millions of years. This scenario adds more evidence to the idea that Martian climate, and thus its habitability, fluctuated until about three billion years ago, when the planet permanently transformed into the cold dry husk we like to put our best robots on today.Adams and her colleagues note that these models will be put to the test once samples from Mars are returned to Earth (though the Mars Sample Return mission is currently experiencing setbacks). For now, well have to be satisfied with this glimpse of a gassy ancient Mars and the possible organisms that may have flourished during its warm spells.Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Subscribe nowIn the U.S., the rights of LGBTQ youth are under attack. Since President Donald Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, he has passed executive orders that effectively erase the concept thatin the eyes of the federal governmentpeople can be transgender or nonbinary.LGBTQ youth experience mental illness at alarmingly high rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41% of LGBTQ kids seriously considered suicide in the last year. And in 2024, the ACLU identified 533 anti-LGBTQ bills, many of which targeted queer kids.Since LGBTQ kids cant vote, Uncloseted Media wanted to give them the opportunity to sound off about the current state of affairs for queer youth in the U.S. With parental consent, Luke, Gigi, Liam, Genna, Crow and Diamond agreed to speak with us to tell us about what its like to be queer in America in 2025. Moments before we hopped on Zoom, President Trump signed another executive order aimed at curtailing gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19.Watch the full interview above or read the transcript here:Spencer Macaughton, he/him, New York: Hi everyone. I am Spencer Macnaughton, the founder of Uncloseted Media, and I feel so privileged and grateful to be here with an amazing panel of LGBTQ kids from across the United States. We have Gigi, Genna, Diamond, Luke, Lee and Crow with us. And it's going to be a really interesting and fascinating conversation. I think there are so many stories told out there in the media that focus on queer kids but that never include the voices of queer kids. So we're flipping the script and passing the microphone to the kids themselves. So guys, thank you so much for being here and coming on tonight. We appreciate it.Liam Lee, (he/him), 17, New York: Thanks for having us.BEING OUT AS A QUEER KID IN AMERICAVideo timecode: 00:42Spencer: I guess to start, I just want to know a little bit about if you guys have any stories about what its like to be an LGBTQ kid in school, in your town, today?Photo courtesy of Turner. Crow Turner, (they/them),16, Virginia: I personally go to an art school in a very liberal area. So, it's good because I've never really explicitly come out to anybody that I know, but it's just sort of a general acceptance that like, I see you, I get what you are. Nobody really says what they are, but girls date girls, boys date boys. Whatever, it's fine. I mean, it isn't easy. It's never easy. But I'm fortunate enough to be in a space like this.Gigi Rodriguez, (she/they), 13, Illinois: So, when I came out to my dad, I was in fifth grade. Yeah, I told him, and then he was really mad. Like, You're too young. You should wait until you're an adult. It was difficult. So I just haven't told him about my sexuality since.Spencer: You don't bring it up?Gigi: No, never.Liam: I have gotten called slurs in school before. Unfortunately, when I came out, which is sort of expected. People just straight up talking about me behind my back. I didn't really care because that's their business. And then my business is mine.Spencer: Paint a picture of one of those experiences that you had at school when you were called slurs.Liam: It was during my Agriculture class and I had come out to my whole class because that's like the main group of people I'm going to be with constantly throughout four years of high school. So, I'm not going to go misgendered and dead-named for all four years of high school.Spencer: Does having those people call you those slurs create a sense of fear when you're at school because you're worried about what could happen next?Liam: Not exactly, because most of it was talk. It's when they actually start trying to come directly to me and harm me verbally or physically, that's when there's a problem there, if it's constant. Because it does make me feel dysphoric. And I struggle with dysphoria a lot since I don't exactly have the resources to transition. So, that's definitely a struggle when it comes to stuff like that.Spencer: So, Luke and I met because I was working at 60 Minutes and flew to Arkansas to do a story on his older brother, who is trans and was suing the state's attorney general because they tried to block access to gender-affirming health care, which I thought was the coolest thing I've ever seen a kid do in my life. Quick update: how is Dylan doing and what's he up to now?Photo courtesy of Brandt.Luke Brandt, (he/him), 16, Greenwood, Arkansas: He's doing good. He has a fiance right now, actually. They moved in together and he is just working. He's taking a break from school and going to go back next year doing something.LGBTQ KIDS AND MENTAL HEALTHVideo timecode: 03:43Spencer: I love it. That's awesome. Tell him I say hi. And I want to turn a little bit to LGBTQ mental health, which is a tougher topic. And I want to just read you guys a few statistics on LGBTQ mental health right now, and then have you guys respond. So, in 2022, a Trevor Project poll of 34,000 LGBTQ kids found that 73% reported feeling anxiety, 58% reported depression and 45% said they had seriously considered suicide. And for trans youth, the numbers are even higher than that. 1 in 5 had actually attempted suicide. Those numbers are way higher for LGBTQ people than they are for non-LGBTQ people. As a group of LGBTQ kids, I want to know from you guys, why do you think that is?Photo courtesy of Sherman.Diamond Sherman, (she/he/they), 11, California: In my life I've come across a fair share of homophobia and transphobia, and I do sometimes have anxiety from it. But it's not that big of a deal for me. But I see how it could be overwhelming for other people, because it can be really scary at times. I have had some problems. I have trauma from homophobia. So, I think that's saying something. And I feel like if I was someone else, I would be more susceptible to that kind of stuff. I feel like I would be depressed, or maybe have suicidal thoughts. It could be very dangerous.Crow: The social stigma is a big factor. But to a certain extent, the political instability surrounding LGBTQ+ rights like the right to same-sex marriage, is still so recent, and I feel like a lot of people may take for granted the fact that it's a recent thing. And that certain protections are recent and not really super accepted by politicians, for whom it's a new thing. But to us, it's commonplace, you know? And so that sort of dissonance between politicians who feel as though this is a new fangled concept: being queer and being open about that as youth. Whereas, with younger people, it's just a thing that has been around longer to some. At least to me, it's sort of been normalized since I was young, and I've only grown more accepting of it as I got older.Spencer: Genna, what do you think?Genna Brown, (he/she), 15, North Carolina: I went to a school that was closer to me, but was more in the country. And the difference between the school I'm actually districted to and that school is like New York and Texas, I swear to God. Just, literally, a lot of ignorance. A lot of rednecks who, some of them, I don't know if they've ever seen or interacted with a queer person in their life based on how they treated me. I was getting called slurs pretty much every day. Nearly got into a few fights because after a while, there's only so much someone can take.Spencer: Where did this happen and how did they come at you?Genna: They're pretty much in the hallways, in class changes, in the courtyard. Pretty much everywhere that a teacher wasn't immediately present, or where certain teachers weren't present. Because some teachers truly did not care.Spencer: But how did that make you feel? Because it is hard to have that, it sounds constant. And in every corner of a school where you're supposed to technically feel safe.Genna: Throughout the school year, I never really found myself wanting to hide more. But the annoyance did slowly start to turn into anger, which turned intoI don't want to say ragebut somewhere between anger and rage.Spencer: Diamond, you wanted to say something? I saw your hand up.Diamond: I used to experience a lot of violence due to me identifying as a boy and wearing dresses and colorful things, and ooh sparkles.Spencer: Gosh, I'm sorry. And I want to say, I know we're talking about a lot of tough things here, guys. So if anyone needs to take a break or anything like that, that's okay. Gigi, how are you doing?Photo courtesy of RodriguezGigi: Being an LGBTQ kid and living in a super suburban area, it's difficult because a lot of the people in my grade and in my school overall are homophobic, like really, really homophobic. I've been called slurs. I'm a lot more closeted now.THE IMPACT OF AFFIRMING PARENTSVideo timecode: 08:47Spencer: That's awful. I'm sorry. Gigi. I do want to ask about affirming parents. All your parents gave consent for you to be in this interview and take part in it. What does it mean to you to have parents who accept you?Liam: Its definitely a big relief when you know that your parents will support you. Because at least you know that if you have nowhere else to go, then you have a bed to go to. You have food on the table, and they won't push you away. My dad, he's pretty supportive, so I am glad about that.Genna: My parents were raised Southern Baptist, and it took a while to unlearn all of that. Converting away from Christianity and into Judaism has really helped our family a lot. My dad was always more set in his ways, but I did finally get him to a point of acceptance and tolerance, just not full-hearted support. Until, almost a year ago, he had a massive heart attack and stroke. And that brain damage kind of reversed all the work we had done to get him to that accepting, tolerant, supportive place. So, now I have a mom who loves me unconditionally, and a dad who calls me slurs whenever I mention that I'm gay, because he forgets that I'm gay. And then I tell him that I'm gay. And then he just goes through this whole revelation of, We're Christians. We don't do gay stuff. And we even have to remind him that we are not Christians. We have to remind him that he was at the point of being willing to go to a Pride parade just a year ago.Uncloseted Media is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.HOW PRESIDENT TRUMPS LGBTQ ATTACKS MAKE THEM FEELVideo timecode: 10:27Spencer: Well, I do want to address the elephant in the room, which is President Trump has been in the office for just over a week now, officially. Trump did spend, with the GOP, upwards of $215 million on anti-transgender attack ads. He said he's going to get rid of so-called transgender insanity. And he's already passed many executive orders, some of them removing LGBTQ stuff and HIV stuff from the White House government pages. And obviously, you guys probably know, there were hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the state legislatures last year, many of them targeting queer kids. How does it make you feel when you have a president who is attacking LGBTQ rights in such an aggressive, and I would argue dehumanizing way, especially when you can't vote at your ages?Crow: For me, it's definitely, very frightening. Especially because right now I'm 16, and so, I'm going to become an adult over the course of his presidency. And quite honestly, I don't know if I'll be able to get the gender-affirming care that I need when I turn 18, as I had planned. And it's really difficult, especially to plan for the future and have that lack of surety that I thought that I would.Diamond: It just angers me that I feel like I just got some rights as a queer person, and now I'm seeing them being stripped away.Liam: It also scares me because now, what if they try to take away the safe spaces we have in schools? One of the only places we could actually learn about LGBTQ history, or have a chance to meet other queer kids. And queer kids in schools are already scared enough to even join gay groups. I remember that when I first joined GSA in my freshman year, it was full of people. We were having fun. We did karaoke nights; we were vibing. And comparing it to now, we're lucky if we get at least five people showing up.Spencer: Why do you think it's become less attended?Photo courtesy of LeeLiam: Likely because students are becoming a lot more conservative towards themselves, and keep things to themselves for their own safety. Because I have had friends who have done that. I have friends who are like, I trust you with this information, but please don't tell anybody else. And joining a group like GSA, to a lot of people, means coming out in some sort of way. So, definitely that could be a factor.Genna: In terms of the whole Trump presidency, you asked how we felt. In a word, just powerless. I mean, honestly, I don't know what I can do, especially considering that sometime Ill be evaporating, because there are only two sexes, according to our orange leader. And that is an executive decree. So, as a non-binary person, I no longer legally exist.Spencer: Well, who in this call, by a show of hands, uses any pronouns other than the ones that match the sex they were assigned at birth? (Genna, Diamond, Crow, and Liam raise their hands)So for you guys, how does it make you feel that in the eyes of the federal government now, they don't believe that. They don't think that's real. They don't accept that. Because that is part of the executive order that Genna mentioned that just passed last week.Crow: I don't know. It's just sort of it's frustrating. It feels irrational and unwarranted to do that. To remove X gender markings and to legally say that male and female are the only genders, and that it begins at conception, which already is incorrect wording and inaccurate wording. I don't see a reason behind it. And I personally feel like it comes more from a place of hate and a place of appeasement to more extremist views rather than any safeguard against society or any sort of moral values.Photo courtesy of BrownGenna: Definitely what you said. There is no point in that decree other than hatred. Alongside the new law that transgender people already are not, or will not, be able to serve in the military. That does not serve this country. If anything, it does the opposite. Why would you actively reduce the number of troops just because you don't like their gender? I mean, that is self-destruction at its finest.Liam: I also want to add that as LGBTQ kids, you already don't feel heard enough. You don't feel like your parents are supporting you, or like other people dont support you, teachers, students. Society in general is looking down upon you. You don't feel heard because you can tell people your pronouns, you can tell people your preferred name, and they just completely dismiss that. So youre already feeling unheard. Now the government is completely just going, Screw you, you don't exist anymore and you get to have this. That makes everything a hundred times worse.TRUMPS NEW GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE EXECUTIVE ORDERVideo timecode: 16:08Spencer: So, I don't know if you know this, but just before we got on this call, President Trump signed another executive order aimed at essentially blocking gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19. Here's the quote from the president in a statement: It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist or support the so-called transition of a child from one sex to another. And it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures. And the order says that applies for pre-pubertal blockers, for hormones and for any surgeries. We're in a really unique position to be able to talk to six LGBTQ kids right nowwhat are your immediate reactions to that?Liam: That's dangerous. There are young adults who are 18 or even 18 and lower. There are people who are already on hormones and were already going through these changes. Taking that away definitely has health risks to them, because now they have something that their body is used to, and now that is being ripped away from them just because of a law that's coming out of the blue.Spencer: It could be medically dangerous, is what you're saying.Liam: Yeah.Crow: I feel like it really just loops back to what I just said, where it doesn't feel like this is coming from a place of any sort of logical standpoint.Luke: It's just making me a lot more concerned for other kids out here, because it's not just now kids getting discriminated against and feeling like they don't belong. It's that they actually are getting these things that make them feel like themselves getting stripped away. And I look at my brother and how much these medications and surgeries have helped him and how much he can feel more safe and accepting of himself. If other kids can't get this, then they're not going be able to feel what thats like happiness and acceptance of themselves.Luke and his brother Dylan. Photo Courtesy of Brandt.Spencer: And what did you learn about being trans and the necessity for gender-affirming healthcare by watching your brother go through that journey himself?Luke: I just saw more of him. Obviously, I knew him because he came out when he was, I don't know, ten? I mean, 12 or 13. It's just these past seven years, he's just grown up more and more and more and been able to really see what he's like, what he wants to be, being himself and growing into his own skin. He's more himself and I see more of him.Spencer: And now he's engaged and happy and living his best life, it sounds like. Luke: Yeah.Spencer: When people, you know, adults, pooh-pooh the idea of gender-affirming health care for kids, what do you think that's about?Crow: For a lot of politicians, not liking gender-affirming care comes from a place of disinformation or misinformation. Because a lot of the rhetoric involving gender-affirming care for minors is under the impression that minors are undergoing surgery, or minors are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, when in reality prepubescent children only go on hormone blockers, typically. And pubescent children will typically go on hormone replacement therapy. But no surgeries are really ever performed on minors. And if they are, it's typically older minors in America, like 16, 17. But nobody is doing top surgery or bottom surgery, or any sort of gender-affirming surgeries on ten-year-olds, on children. I understand why people might be scared. But the phrasing of mutilation and of ruining bodies is rooted in that misinformation. And so I feel like only through informing people on what gender-affirming care is and what it can be is how people will learn to understand that it's essential to people.Liam: I also feel that dysphoria plays a large part in it. But like Crow said, it's not like they're taking middle schoolers and putting them in the hospital, just like, Here you go. Here, here's your transition. That's not how it works. It's an entire process, and not everything is immediate. And there are a lot of trans people and a lot of nonbinary people who don't transition at all. Because, I personally believe, as a transgender person, you can be transgender without getting surgeries.Genna: It is terrifying that I could be forced to not find something that works for me because Trump thinks that everyone who receives gender-affirming care wants to mutilate their bodies.Subscribe nowWHEN THEY KNEW THEY WERE LGBTQVideo timecode: 21:02Spencer: What age did you realize you were LGBTQ? Can you take me back to the first moment? How old were you and what was it that was like, Oh My Gosh, I think I'm gay, or I think I'm trans.Luke: It was probably around middle school. It was kind of everyone was waiting for me to realize, my family kind already knew. And they were just waiting for me to realize. And I dont know if it was a certain thing. We have so much access to information on the Internet and social media. I think it's just seeing more topics and being more open. I just kind of saw it and realized that maybe it just would be more me.Spencer: Yeah, I think a lot of people are like, Social contagion through YouTube. And I completely disagree with that argument. It's so good that folks, especially in rural or more remote places in the United States, have access to more representations. They can see themselves and then they're not closeted until their sixties, you know?Crow: I expressed myself in a certain way and I presented myself in a certain way, but I didnt quite understand if my feelings were coming from Do I just like presenting myself like this, and these are things that made me feel that little bit more confident in my identity? or Do I present myself like this because I feel like a different gender? And then ultimately that led to a lot of self-reflection as how I classify myself and how I saw myself. And I must have been about 11 at that point. I already knew that I was bi, but I think it was 11. I very confidently was like, I'm not quite in either gender box.RAISE YOUR HAND IFVideo timecode: 22:43Spencer: Well, look, I want to do a little hand-raise moment, okay? I'm going to read a statement to you guys and raise your hand if it applies to you. So first, none of you are voting age. If you were 18, raise your hand if you would have voted for Donald Trump. (No hands are raised) Raise your hand if you would have voted for any candidate other than Donald Trump. (Everyone raises a hand) Got it. Raise your hand if the current political climate in the United States has affected your mental health. (Everyone raises a hand) Wow. Everyone. Raise your hand if the current political climate in your state has ever forced you and your family to consider leaving your state or even the country. (Everyone but Crow raises a hand) Wow. Five of you. That is intense. Raise your hand if you're at the end of the day, happy you're LGBTQ identifying. (Everyone raises a hand) Raise your hand if you feel like you have a supportive group of friends and family in your corner. (Everyone raises a hand)SAFE SPACES AND WHAT MAKES THEM PROUDVideo timecode: 23:53Spencer: Love it. I want to shift into a more positive question, and it's going to sound like a cheesy question, but stay with me. So I think we talk a lot in the queer community about, safe spaces, right? And right now in America, schools aren't always safe spaces because there are certain laws and bills being passed. I want to know, as an LGBTQ kid or even just as a human being, what's your safe space?Diamond: In my room I have a canopy bed with colorful curtains that I just close so that I can just be comfortable with only blankets and cushions. And at my school, one of the teachers made Rainbow Club, which is a gay safe space, like a gay club where you can come to chat with other LGBTQ people and just have fun and connect and share things.Gigi: The high school I'm going to, I just went to go take a tour of it last Thursday. Basically, they have a GSA like the Gay Alliance, and there are two LGBTQ teachers in my high school that I'm going to, which are the choir teacher and the band teacher. They're married. So I feel like I can talk to them.Genna: Why I'm proud to be queer? We make incredible music, dude. I mean, have you ever Chappell Roan?Gigi: I was just about to mention that!Genna: OK, yes. Literally!Crow: For me, something I love about being in the LGBTQ community is just knowing myself and knowing who I am and being confident in that, and receiving love and support from other people who also see that in me, knowing myself for who I am. And only through being in the queer community did I truly experience that.Luke: One of my favorite things would probably be just the immediate family and community that you have and just being able to be yourself without having any judgment from anybody. They're not going to judge you for who you are.Spencer: I totally agree with that. There's a solidarity among queer people, I think, at its best. Last but not least, Ms. Gigi.Gigi: So being on here it meant a lot because I get to meet people who have similar experiences, are also queer and are super cool overall.Spencer: Well, as I said before, thank you all so much for coming on. Especially as LGBTQ rights are in pretty major turmoil in the United States. I think it is an extremely brave and courageous thing for you guys to do as openly LGBTQ kids coming on to talk to a national news publication. So kudos, hat tip to all of you. You should be super proud of yourselves. And thank you all for being here tonight.Kids: Thank you!If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Palestinian prisoners are greeted as they exit a Red Cross bus after being released from Israeli prison following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)2025-02-01T12:06:24Z RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) Israel on Saturday released a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza as the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas continued to gain traction after nearly two weeks. In a sign of progress, Saturdays release included for the first time some of the 1,000 detainees from Gaza that Israel has agreed to free during Phase 1 of the deal on condition that they did not participate in Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war. Detained in Gaza on suspicion of militancy, the 111 Palestinians released Saturday have been held without trial since the day after the Oct. 7 attack. The remaining 72 Palestinians, all arrested from either the West Bank or Gaza before the war, served long sentences or life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis. They are all men, ranging in age from 30 to 66. The release of Palestinians from Gaza draws attention to Israels mass roundups of men in the enclave during the past 15 months of its military campaign against Hamas. Many were taken to Israel. Images of Israeli forces rounding up Palestinians in Gaza showing men stripped to their underwear, sitting or kneeling on the ground, with some bound and blindfolded have raised concern from the U.N. human rights body. The Israeli military says it arrests those suspected of involvement in Hamas and other militant groups. In the occupied West Bank, frenzied crowds thronged the Red Cross bus carrying the Palestinians from Israels Ofer prison near Ramallah. Supporters lifted the 25 released prisoners into the air, crying, God is greater! and Victory to God! Women wept as they pulled their long absent husbands into hugs. Its an indescribable feeling, and undoubtedly a mixed feeling, said Mohammad Kaskus, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attacks against Israelis. Weve left our brothers behind in captivity, subject to torture, starvation, intimidation and abuse. The Israeli Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Another seven prisoners were being transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.The rest arrived in a convoy to the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, where scores of relatives, friends and reporters awaited. The ex-prisoners stuck their heads out the dusty bus windows, waving excitedly to familiar faces in the crowds. Some grasped the outstretched hands of their loved ones who were hoisted onto shoulders of onlookers.Heres a look at some prominent Palestinian prisoners released since the ceasefire deal went into effect on Jan. 19: Mohammed el-HalabiThe Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a major Christian aid organization, was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas in a high-profile case that drew criticism from rights groups. He was freed on Saturday. Both el-Halabi, 47, and World Vision vigorously denied the allegations and independent investigations found no proof of wrongdoing. One independent audit found that el-Halabi had enforced internal controls and ordered employees to avoid anyone suspected of Hamas ties.World Vision has also said that the accusations that el-Halabi transferred 60% of the charitys annual budget for Gaza to Hamas could not be reconciled with its financial records. Rights groups say el-Halabi was denied a fair and transparent trial, as he and World Vision had no chance to review the evidence against them, with all procedures shielded from the public and shrouded in unusual secrecy. U.N. experts say el-Halabi was questioned for 50 days without access to a lawyer. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.Israel has attributed the closed hearings to sensitive security information being relayed. Israeli courts typically hold closed hearings to protect the sources of their information.His prolonged detention sent a chill through nongovernmental groups providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza. After el-Halabis arrest, World Vision suspended its activities in Gaza, where it it says its aid had benefited nearly 40,000 children affected by the crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the enclave. Shadi AmouriAmouri, 44, from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, was arrested for his alleged role in manufacturing the powerful car bomb that detonated beside an Israeli bus packed with passengers on June 5, 2002, killing 17 Israelis in what became known as the Megiddo Junction suicide bombing. The attack during the second intifada, or Palestinian uprising, between 2000 and 2005, took place in northern Israel. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.Amouri was sentenced to life in prison, plus 20 years. He was among those transferred to Egypt Saturday and released into exile. We wish to have felt the joy of his release here, on the land of Jenin refugee camp, said Bassam Amouri, his brother. But, thank God, what matters is that he is free of the suffering of prison. Ashraf Abu SrourAbu Srour, 50, sentenced to life in prison over a 2000 attack that killed Israeli soldier Shahar Veckart, was also among those released Saturday into exile. Hailing from Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Abu Srour was detained in 2001 and convicted the next year over the shooting at Rachels Tomb, the traditional burial place of the wife of the biblical patriarch Jacob. During the second intifada, the shrine became a target of Palestinian militants protesting Israels claim to the holy site revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Abu Srour belonged to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade an armed group affiliated with Fatah, the secular political party that controls the Palestinian Authority.Zakaria ZubeidiZakaria Zubeidi is a prominent former militant leader and theater director whose dramatic jailbreak in 2021 thrilled Palestinians across the Middle East and stunned the Israeli security establishment.Zubeidi once led the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. After the second intifada in 2006, he co-founded a theater in his hometown of Jenin refugee camp, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy, to promote what he described as cultural resistance to Israel. Even today, the Freedom Theater puts on everything from Shakespeare to stand-up comedy to plays written by residents.In 2019, after Zubeidi had already served years in prison for attacks in the early 2000s, Israel arrested him again over his alleged involvement in shooting attacks that targeted buses of Israeli settlers but caused no injuries.Zubeidi, who was released Thursday into the West Bank, had been awaiting trial in prison. He denies the charges, saying that he gave up militancy to focus on his political activism after the intifada.In 2021, he and five other prisoners tunneled out of a maximum-security prison in northern Israel, an escape that helped solidify Zubeidis image among Palestinians as a folk hero. All six were recaptured days later.Mohammed Abu WardaA Hamas militant during the second intifada, Abu Warda helped organize a series of suicide bombings that killed over 40 people and wounded more than a hundred others. Israel arrested him in 2002, and sentenced him to 48 terms of lifetime imprisonment, among the longest sentences it ever issued. As a young student, Abu Warda joined Hamas at the start of the intifada following Israels killing of Yahya Ayyash, the militant groups leading bomb maker, in 1996. Palestinian authorities said at the time that Warda had helped to recruit suicide bombers including his cousin, his cousins neighbor and a classmate at the Ramallah Teachers College whose attacks targeting crowded civilian areas in Israeli cities killed scores of people in the early 2000s. Warda was released and deported on Thursday. Mohammed Aradeh, 42An activist in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Aradeh was sentenced to life in prison for a range of offenses going back to the second intifada. Some of the charges, according to the Israeli Prison Service, included planting an explosive device and attempting murder.He was credited with plotting the extraordinary prison escape in 2021, when he and five other detainees, including Zubeidi, used spoons to tunnel out one of Israels most secure prisons. They remained at large for days before being caught.From an impoverished and politically active family in Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank, Aradeh has three brothers and a sister who have all spent years in Israeli prisons.He was welcomed as a sort of cult hero in Ramallah on Jan. 25 as family, friends and fans swarmed him, some chanting The freedom tunnel! in reference to his jailbreak. Mohammed Odeh, 52, Wael Qassim, 54, and Wissam Abbasi, 48All three men hail from the neighborhood of Silwan, in east Jerusalem, and rose within the ranks of Hamas. Held responsible for a string of deadly attacks during the second intifada, the men were sentenced to multiple life sentences in 2002. They were accused of plotting a suicide bombing at a crowded pool hall near Tel Aviv in 2002 that killed 15 people. Later that year, they were found to have orchestrated a bombing at Hebrew University that killed nine people, including five American students. Israel had described Odeh, who was working as a painter at the university at the time, as the kingpin in the attack.All three were transferred to Egypt on Jan. 25. Their families live in Jerusalem and said they will join them in exile.The Abu Hamid brothers Three brothers from the prominent Abu Hamid family of the Al-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah Nasser, 51, Mohammad, 44, and Sharif, 48 were also deported to Egypt on Jan. 25. They had been sentenced to life in prison over deadly militant attacks against Israelis in 2002. Their brother, a different Nasser Abu Hamid, was one of the founders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. He was also sentenced to life in prison for several deadly attacks. His 2022 death from lung cancer behind bars unleashed a wave of angry protests across the West Bank as Palestinian officials accused Israel of medical neglect.The family has a long arc of Palestinian militancy. The mother, Latifa Abu Hamid, 72, now has three sons exiled, one still imprisoned, one who died in prison and one who was killed by Israeli forces. Their family house has been demolished at least three times by Israel, which defends such punitive home demolitions as a deterrent against future attacks.Mohammad al-Tous, 67Al-Tous had held the title of longest continuous Israeli imprisonment until his release last Saturday, Palestinian authorities said. First arrested in 1985 while fighting Israeli forces along the Jordanian border, the activist in the Fatah party spent a total of 39 years behind bars. Originally from the West Bank city of Bethlehem, he was among the prisoners exiled on Jan. 25. ISABEL DEBRE DeBre writes about Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay for The Associated Press, based in Buenos Aires. Before moving to South America in 2024, she covered the Middle East reporting from Jerusalem, Cairo and Dubai. twitter mailto

This is a locator map for Sudan with its capital, Khartoum. (AP Photo)2025-02-01T14:26:45Z CAIRO (AP) Sudans health authorities say a notorious paramilitary group fighting against the countrys military has attacked an open market in the city of Omdurman, killing 54 people.Saturdays attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the Sabrein Market also wounded at least 158 others, the Health Ministry said in a statement.There was no immediate comment from the RSF.Khalid al-Aleisir, minister of culture and government spokesperson, condemned the attack, saying that the casualties included many women and children. He also said the attack caused widespread destruction to private and public properties.This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia, he said in a statement. It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.The conflict in Sudan started in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the leaders of the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and other cities across the sprawling northeastern African country. The conflict has killed more than 28,000 people, has forced millions to flee their homes and has left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine sweeps parts of the country.It has been marked by gross atrocities including ethnically motivated killing and rape, according the United Nations and rights groups. The International Criminal Court said it was investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

This February, Palm Springs Art Museum proudly presentsBlackHistoryMonth at the Museum, a month-long celebration honoring the 2025 National Theme:AfricanAmericans and Labor. Join in inspiring events that showcaseBlackculture,history, and contributions to our society. Heres a look:The post CelebrateBlackHistoryMonth at the Palm Springs Art Museum appeared first on GEDmagazine.

The recent wildfires that swept through Los Angeles County have upended lives, leaving many without homes, belongings, or a sense of stability. This disaster has touched all Californians to come to the aid their neighbors. In times like these, access to information and support is critical. Thanks to our friends at the LA LGBT Center, []The post LA WILDFIRES Emergency Resources appeared first on GEDmagazine.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, speaks from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, April 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)2025-02-01T15:02:01Z PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) President Donald Trump has fired the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Rohit Chopra, in the latest purge of a Biden administration holdover.Chopra was one of the more important regulators from the previous Democratic administration who was still on the job since Trump took office on Jan. 20.During Trumps first term, the Republican had picked Chopra as a Democrat member of the Federal Trade Commission. Chopra was notified of his firing in an email from the White House, according to a person familiar with the notice who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Chopra is an ally of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of Trumps favorite targets, and the Massachusetts Democrat said in a statement that the agency under Chopra held Wall Street accountable for cheating hard-working families and prevented the de-banking of Americans across the country, including consumers locked out of the financial system due to overdraft fees, religious organizations, and conservatives.Under the law, Chopra was to serve a five-year term, which meant he could have stayed on as the CFPB director. But he had publicly stated that he would leave his post if the new president asked. JOSH BOAK Boak covers the White House and economic policy for The Associated Press. He joined the AP in 2013. twitter mailto

Qatar's prime minister and foreign minster Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani attend sa meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Khaled Elfiqi)2025-02-01T12:53:51Z CAIRO (AP) Powerful Arab nations on Saturday rejected U.S. President Donald Trumps suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League released a joint statement rejecting any plans to move Palestinians out of their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.Trump floated the idea last month, saying he would urge the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to take in Gazas now largely homeless population, so that we just clean out that whole thing. He added that resettling most of Gazas population of 2.3 million could be temporary or long term. Some Israel officials had raised the transfer idea early in the war.Its literally a demolition site right now, Trump said, referring to the vast destruction caused by Israels 15-month war with Hamas, now paused by a fragile ceasefire. The Arab statement warned that such plans threaten the regions stability, risk expanding the conflict, and undermine prospects for peace and coexistence among its peoples.The statement followed a meeting in Cairo of top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official who serves as the main liaison with Israel, and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit. They said they were looking forward to working with the Trump administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution, according to the statement. They called for the international community to help plan and implement a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza to ensure that Palestinians stay on their land.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi rejected Trumps suggestion in a news conference last week, saying that he transfer of Palestinians cant ever be tolerated or allowed. The solution to this issue is the two-state solution. It is the establishment of a Palestinian state, he said. The solution is not to remove the Palestinian people from their place. No.Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also said that his countrys opposition to Trumps idea was firm and unwavering.Egypt and Jordan, along with the Palestinians, worry that Israel would never allow them to return to Gaza once they have left. Egypt and Jordan also fear the impact any such influx of refugees would have on their struggling economies as well as the stability of their governments. Jordan already is home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Egypt has warned of security implications of transferring large numbers of Palestinians to Egypts Sinai Peninsula, bordering Gaza.Both countries were the first to make peace with Israel but they support the creation of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Elon Musks DOGE, the newly formed government agency aiming for drastic cuts across the U.S. government, has brought in an HR employment attorney and consultant who has spent the last few years teaching companies her refreshing approach to diversity and inclusion which include attempting to redefine DEI in a manner that she says is more consistent with Christianity and offers a non-woke version of HR practices, 404 Media has learned.Stephanie Holmes is in charge of HR at DOGE, two people familiar told 404 Media. Holmes is one of many new faces at the agency, which has been rebranded from the United States Digital Service to United States DOGE Service. DOGE, which stands for the Department of Government Efficiency, has also brought in a series of employees from Musks other companies and asked government tech workers to show Musks aides their code. DOGE higher ups re-interviewed every existing employee of the US Digital Service immediately following Musks takeover.A 404 Media review of Holmes previous speaking engagements, which touch on her perception of diversity and maintaining company culture, provide insight into what might be in store for DOGE and the federal government at large. Holmes association with DOGE has not been previously reported.Holmes is the founder of an HR consulting firm called BrightSideHR and the author of a document called the True Diversity Toolkit, published through the conservative Philanthropy Roundtable think tank that recommends employers define DEI as diversity of thought or diversity of viewpoint rather than through a lens of critical race theory. Holmes has spoken about her approach to diversity at the Federalist Society, Catholic University, and the conservative Catholic organization Napa Institutes Principled Entrepreneurship conference, which has become a hotspot of conservative political organizing power.Do you know anything else about this story? We would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message Jason securely on Signal at +1 202 505 1702. You can reach Joseph securely on Signal at +44 20 8133 5190.Holmes told an audience at a Federalist Society event that she started BrightSideHR to counter progressive ideology in corporate America.Working in the HR space and seeing the DEI efforts and progressive ideology that HR was pushing into corporate America was particularly concerning to me, and I didnt see any other alternatives for employers in the HR space. I care a lot about these issues and saw a problem I wanted to help fix, she said. I left my job and started BrighterSideHR, an HR consulting company to offer an alternative kind of more values aligned space for employers.I do workplace training, discrimination, harassment training, how to do workplace investigations, she added. Its simply just a non-woke version, offering employers an alternative approach to diversity and inclusion.The BrightSideHR website shut down in recent weeks, and now says it is no longer active. An archived version of the site says We focus on employee conduct at the workplace as opposed to imposing a particular ideological viewpoint.At the Napa Institutes conference panel on Practical Steps for Dealing with DEI, Holmes sat on a panel with former Trump administration official and current Heritage Foundation fellow Roger Severino. A moderator introduced the panel by saying were here to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, or as I like to put it, DIE. Many of us are quite aware of diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it has its roots really going back to Marxism.Holmes said on the panel that the mainstream kind of leftist approach to DEI presents us with a lot to push back against.It is really inconsistent with our faith and I also think that this presents us with an opportunity to not only say why were against this, why were opposed to mainstream DEI initiatives, but its important for us to be part of the conservation and to use it to say what we are for and why we have a positive vision and positive solution of DEI in a way that is consistent with our values, she said.Image: Screenshot from Philanthropy Roundtable YouTube channel.She said she advises employers to move away from defining diversity exclusively focused on employees race, sex, or other protected category, and to instead focus on bringing together employees with diverse backgrounds, viewpoints, perspectives, and beliefs to achieve common workplace goals. She said employers need to also be reframing the term inclusion to incorporate that in a way thats more aligned with our faith.When asked whether any of the panelists knew of a DEI program that incorporates Catholic values, the Heritage Foundations Severino said dont use that word DEI ever again in a positive light. That phrase should be deemed toxic now. Holmes said, however, that she has taught companies that they probably need to continue using the term because employees have asked for there to be a consideration of diversity at work.Larger companies must balance how to kind of umm, play the game essentially. So I oftentimes use the term diversity and inclusion. I do use the term equality instead of equity because I think thats particularly problematic, but I also understand that sometimes its just not politically feasible within a company to fully implement different terms, she said. I sometimes use those terms generally speaking because its just too politically, too much of a political hot potato to do otherwise.The United States Digital Service did not respond to a request for comment.