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A photo of slain hostage Ran Gvili, whose remains are being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is displayed during a rally calling for the return of the deceased hostages held in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File)2025-12-04T16:51:54Z JERUSALEM (AP) There were hundreds, then dozens, and then just a few. Now theres one Israeli hostage left in Gaza: Ran Gvili.Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer known affectionately as Rani, was killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. After a series of ceasefire-mandated exchanges of hostages for Palestinians held by Israel, Gvilis body still has not been recovered.His remains lie somewhere in Gaza. On Thursday, as Israel woke to the news that remains returned the previous day belonged to another hostage, the country mourned him as a hero who died fighting to save a kibbutz that was not his own.The first to go, the last to leave, his mother, Talik Gvili, wrote on Facebook Thursday. We wont stop until you come back. The Shield of AlumimAt the entrance to Kibbutz Alumim, one of the many border villages militants attacked on Oct. 7, there is a sign emblazoned with a photo of Gvili smiling in his uniform, his name beneath it. He fought a heroic battle, saving the lives of the kibbutz members, the sign says. Since then he has been known as Rani, the Shield of Alumim.Unlike those from other Israeli kibbutzim targeted that day, the residents of Alumim survived. Residents credit that to men like Gvili, who joined a group of emergency response team members, soldiers and police officers who fended off waves of intruding militants.Migrant workers on the kibbutz, however, met a different fate. Left exposed in agricultural areas outside the kibbutzs defensive perimeter, 22 foreign nationals were killed, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Gvili died fighting in battleOn the morning of Oct. 7, Gvili was at home, his younger sister, Shira Gvili, said in an interview with the AP. He had been on medical leave from his elite police unit for a broken shoulder.Still, when he heard that gunmen were descending on panicked partygoers at the site of the Nova Music Festival, he headed straight for the venue grounds, along with other men from the unit.Nova later became the site of the largest civilian massacre in Israeli history, when the militants killed at least 364 people and took more than 40 hostage. Gvili and the other officers never made it there, his sister said. Instead, they encountered the militants earlier, nearby Kibbutz Alumim. Sgt. Richard Schechtman, a fellow police officer who also fought in the battle, said that Gvili appeared to immediately know what to do. Rani was at the head of the team because thats who he was, Schechtman was quoted as telling the Israeli news site Ynet. Rani and I were standing on the road. I saw the terrorists, but I hesitated because it was the first time in my life Id ever seen a terrorist face-to-face, and I had a moment of, Wait, what am I seeing? Then Rani pulled the pin and opened fire and the whole team followed him.At one point in battle, Gvili ran to the western flank of the kibbutz to fight militants arriving in trucks, said his mother, who has spoken with others who fought with him that day. Thats where he was injured in the leg. He radioed his team to warn that more vehicles carrying terrorists were approaching, his mother said in an interview with Ynet. He opened fire, and they came at him. He fought them alone, injured in both his leg and arm, and he took down those monsters.Israels military says Gvilis body was abducted to Gaza by the militants soon after. The military confirmed his death, based on an intelligence assessment, four months later. Last step in first phase of ceasefireThe return of Gvilis remains would mark the completion of the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan. The first phase also calls for the release of thousands of Palestinians from Israel, both alive and dead, and an increase of aid shipments into war-ravaged Gaza.The next phases of the ceasefire agreement will be much more complicated to fulfill. Key elements include deploying an international force to secure Gaza, disarming Hamas, and forming a temporary Palestinian government to run day to day affairs under the supervision of an international board led by Trump. Family worries Gvilis remains will not come back Gvilis family who includes his brother, Omri is holding out hope theyll receive the remains soon.We see all the other families whose sons came back and we see in their eyes that they have relief, his sister said. This is why its so important. Because we want to move on with our with our life and just remember Rani.Ran was a hero, but he was more than that, she recalled: He was protective and goofy; he occasionally told bad jokes that everyone laughed at; he loved playing guitar and singing The House of the Rising Sun'; and he had a tattoo on his leg of his dog, Luna, who the family now cares for.Both his mother, Talik, and father, Itzik Gvili, say they fear a worst-case scenario of the type experienced by families of Israeli soldiers Hadar Goldin or Ron Arad. Goldin was killed in Gaza in 2014. His body was only returned to Israel about a month ago as part of the ceasefire. Arad was abducted in Lebanon in 1988 after ejecting from his aircraft. Hes never been found.We pray, of course, that he will not be another Ron Arad or (Hadar) Goldin, Itzik Gvili told Kan News. That we dont drag it out for many more years.As far as I am concerned, until Ran comes back, he is alive, the father said. I have nothing else to hope for. JULIA FRANKEL Frankel, based in Jerusalem, has reported from across Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Her reporting focuses on war, human rights, displacement and criminal justice. twitter mailto

With the holidays upon us, you may find yourself with a little extra time to enjoy the latest and greatest LGBTQ+ television shows. Heres a handy guide to the lesbian leads and fiery gay romances you can check out this holiday season.Pluribus (Apple+)Bestselling romance author Carol (Rhea Seehorn) is the definition of a curmudgeon, but the love and understanding of her wife Helen (Miriam Shor) is her guiding light. When humanity falls under the thrall of an alien hivemind, Helen becomes collateral damage, and Carol is one of a few humans left immune to the unrelenting cheeriness. The hivemind is determined to make Carol happy until they can figure out how to change her into one of them, including sending a proxy named Zosia (Karolina Wydra), who just happens to be the embodiment of Carols leading character.The Beast in Me (Netflix)Were treated to another lesbian leading character this year with Claire Daines character Aggie Wiggs. Executive produced by Jodie Foster and Conan OBrien, The Beast in Me follows Aggie, an author grieving the loss of her son to a tragic drunk driving accident a few years prior. Still in the throes of grief and dealing with a divorce from her ex-wife Shelly (Natalie Morales), Aggie becomes fixated on her new neighbor Nile (Matthew Rhys), who is suspected of killing his late wife. As Aggie makes Nile the focus of her new book, she gets dangerously close to the truth.Stranger Things (Netflix)The final epic season of Stranger Things dropped part one in November and will conclude its nearly decade-long saga on New Years Eve. Nearly all grown up, the Hawkins gang, including queer leading characters Will (Noah Schnapp) and Robin (Maya Hawke), are up against not only Vecna and the creatures of the Upside Down threatening to take over the world, but also the U.S. military, which wants to capture Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and tap into her immense powers. In the first half of the episodes, which dropped on Thanksgiving Day, Robin and Will share a powerful moment about living their truths, one that helps Will tap into something long buried.Heated Rivalry (HBO Max)The internet is buzzing about this new hockey drama, centered on rivals Canadian Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), who are cold as ice in the arena but on fire after hours. Shane and Ilya must deal with professional beefs, fear of coming out in the public eye, and their own complicated feelings for each other. Episodes drop weekly and conclude the day after Christmas.Holiday Baking Championship (Discovery+ and HBO Max)Now in its 11th season, this reality baking competition features several LGBTQ+ contestants each year. This seasons format has changed, with contestants split into Naughty and Nice teams, but the key challenges remain the same: bake the best cakes, cookies, entremets, or whatever Food Network throws at them to walk away with the grand prize.Harlem (Amazon Prime Video)Season three of Harlem dropped in February, but nows your chance to catch up on this friend-centric show about four friends navigating life in their 30s in Harlem. The series also gives viewers more than one LGBTQ+ character. Tye (Jerrie Johnson), a tech professional, is an out and proud lesbian, while Quinn (Grace Byers), trying to escape her successful mothers shadow, is exploring her sexuality in the series. All three seasons are now streaming.Hazbin Hotel (Amazon Prime Video)Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Erika Henningsen) is the bisexual daughter of Lucifer, who dreams of rehabilitating the inhabitants of hell. However, running the hotel in hell proves more challenging than expected. Thankfully she has the help of her girlfriend Vaggie (Stephanie Beatrix), pansexual porn star Angel Dust (Blake Roman) and a collection of misfits. Shell need them in the battles ahead when Angels arrive to cull the amount of demons in hell and set their sights on Charlie and her hotel. Season 2 recently dropped and is full of musical numbers, Broadway stars and drama.Boots (Netflix)Based on Greg Cope Whites popular memoir The Pink Marine, Boots takes on a queer life of its own, with several openly LGBTQ+ stars and a compelling story of self-discovery, love, and friendship set against the backdrop of the preDont Ask, Dont Tell Marine Corps. Miles Heizer stars as Cameron Cope, a gay teen who follows his best friend into the Marines and gets much more than he bargained for.June Farms (Amazon Prime Video)Openly gay Matthew Baumgartner is a restaurateur turned farmer who oversees a gaggle of animals including Highland cows, Nigerian dwarf goats, sheep, and chickens at June Farms. The series follows Matthew and his staff as they run the farm and event spaces, deal with challenging weather, workplace romances, frustrated brides, and of course, lots of animals.Brilliant Minds (NBC/Peacock)Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) is back for season two. Wolf is a brilliant and eccentric neurologist who works with a team of plucky interns at Bronx General, which happens to be run by his mother, Dr. Muriel Landon (Donna Murphy). Wolf has prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, a condition inspired by doctor and author Oliver Sacks. Wolf is gay and has a tumultuous relationship with fellow doctor Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears), but they arent the only queer docs on the block. Intern Dr. Dana Dang (Aury Krebs) kicked off a relationship with EMT Katie Rodriguez (Mishel Prada) in season one, which continues into the current season.The post LGBTQ+ shows to catch up on over the holidays appeared first on News Is Out.

The Sin City Classic Sports Festival Presented by Lexus, the worlds largest LGBTQ+ sporting event, announced that Grammy-winning singer, LGBTQ+ advocate, and ABC TV & Hulu co-star LeAnn Rimes will perform at this years Sin City Classic Concert. The show will take place January 18 at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas on the LINQ Promenade, right before the festivals Closing Party.The 2026 festival, hosted annually by the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association (GLASA), runs January 15-19 in Las Vegas, drawing thousands of athletes, allies, and fans from around the globe.A Voice for the LGBTQ+ CommunityLeAnn Rimes has been a steadfast advocate for LGBTQ+ rights for decades, said Dr. Jason Peplinski, Sin City Classic Co-Executive Director. At a time when so many rights are under threat, her voice is more important than ever. We cant wait for her to bring down the house at this years concert.Rimes commitment to the LGBTQ+ community has earned her accolades including the Human Rights Campaigns Ally of Equality Award, the 2019 HOPE Award for Depression Advocacy, and the 2009 ACM Humanitarian Award.Beyond music, Rimes continues to expand her platform with projects like CHANT: The Human & The Holy (2020), which topped iTunes New Age chart, and her mental health podcast Wholly Human, which has reached top rankings worldwide and was recognized by Good Housekeeping as one of the best mental health podcasts.What to Expect at the Sin City ClassicThe festival kicks off on Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend with the Opening Night Registration Party at the Flamingo Las Vegas. Competitions and nightly social events unfold across the city, culminating in the Sin City Classic Concert and Closing Party.GLASA founded the Sin City Classic in 2008 as a safe, competitive softball tournament for LGBTQ+ athletes. Over 17 years, the festival has grown to 24 sports and approximately 10,000 participants, making it the largest LGBTQ+ sports gathering in the world.This years sports lineup includes basketball, billiards, bowling, bridge, cheerleading, cornhole, curling, dodgeball, flag football, golf, indoor rowing, kickball, martial arts, pickleball, rodeo, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, ultimate frisbee, indoor and sand volleyball, and wrestling & grappling.Sponsors and SupportersThe festival is proudly hosted at the Flamingo Las Vegas. Lexus serves as presenting sponsor, alongside Caesars Entertainment, Titos Handmade Vodka, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Q Health, mistr, Identity Health, ViiV Healthcare, the Federation of Gay Games, uberlube, GayVN, System Jo, Green Session, Gym Bar West Hollywood, and Piranha Nightclub.For team registration and festival updates, visit www.sincityclassic.org. Follow the Sin City Classic on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for news, behind-the-scenes content, and announcements.Source

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The post Hakeem Jeffries Calls For Execution Of Central Park Five appeared first on The Onion.

Heated Rivalry, a new Canadian romance series, has exploded in popularity since it premiered on HBO Max last week. Here is everything you need to know about the show.Q: What is the plot?A: Two men have a steamy sexual affair despite not being vampires or elf nobility or anything.Q: Where does it take place?A: An alternate universe where hockey players meticulously wax their body hair.Q: Are the actors actually playing hockey?A: Yes. Its illegal in Canada to impersonate a hockey player.Q: Who is the target audience?A: The horniest woman in Saskatchewan.Q: Is there a lot of sex?A: All of the sex is implied off-screen through shots of popping Champagne bottles and trains entering tunnels.Q: Is the show better than the book?A: Yes, it has far fewer words to read.The post What To Know About Heated Rivalry appeared first on The Onion.

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Construction of a new ballroom continues on the East Wing of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-12-04T18:36:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) The White House is expected to submit plans for its new ballroom to a planning commission this month, the presidentially appointed head of the panel said Thursday.Once plans are submitted, thats really when the role of this commission, and its professional staff, will begin, Will Scharf, chair of the National Capital Planning Commission, said at its monthly meeting.The 90,000-square-foot ballroom will dwarf the main White House itself, at nearly double the size, and President Donald Trump has said it will accommodate 999 people. It will have an estimated price tag of $300 million, a cost that has increased from initial projections.Trump said on social media that the ballroom wont cost taxpayers a dime because it is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly. Trump moved ahead with construction despite the lack of sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, the executive branch agency that has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region.Scharf has made a distinction between demolition work and rebuilding, saying the commission only has jurisdiction over the latter. L. Preston Bryant Jr., a former chair of the commission under President Barack Obama, told The Associated Press that the approval process typically involved four stages, including an early consultation when the project was conceptual.

M23 rebels enter the centre of east Congo's second-largest city, Bukavu, and take control of the South Kivu province administrative office, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Janvier Barhahiga, File)2025-12-04T08:07:16Z WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda on Thursday for a deal-signing aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo and opening access to the regions critical minerals for the U.S. government and American companies.The moment provides Trump who has repeatedly and with a measure of exaggeration boasted of brokering peace in some of the worlds most entrenched conflicts another chance to tout himself as a dealmaker extraordinaire on the global stage and make the case that hes deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. The U.S. leader hasnt been shy about his desire to receive the honor.Trump was welcoming Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, as well as several officials from other African nations traveling to Washington to witness the signing, in the same week he contemptuously derided the war-torn country of Somalia and said he did he did not want immigrants from the East African nation in the U.S. Lauded by the White House as a historic agreement brokered by Trump, the pact between Tshisekedi and Kagame follows monthslong peace efforts by the U.S. and partners, including the African Union and Qatar, and finalizes an earlier deal signed in June. But the Trump-brokered peace is precarious.The Central African nation of Congo has been battered by decadeslong fighting with more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The conflict escalated this year, with M23 seizing the regions main cities of Goma and Bukavu in an unprecedented advance, worsening a humanitarian crisis that was already one of the worlds largest, with millions of people displaced. We are still at warFighting, meanwhile, continued this week in the conflict-battered region with pockets of clashes reported between the rebels and Congolese soldiers, together with their allied forces. Trump, a Republican, has often said that his mediation has ended the conflict, which some people in Congo say isnt true. Analysts say Thursdays deal also isnt expected to quickly result in peace. A separate peace deal has been signed between Congo and the M23.We are still at war, said Amani Chibalonza Edith, a 32-year-old resident of Goma, eastern Congos key city seized by rebels early this year. There can be no peace as long as the front lines remain active.Rare earth mineralsThursdays pact will also build on a Regional Economic Integration Framework that officials have said will define the terms of economic partnerships involving the three countries.The region, rich in critical minerals, is of interest to Trump as Washington looks for ways to circumvent China to acquire rare earths, essential to manufacturing fighter jets, cell phones and more. China accounts for nearly 70% of the worlds rare earth mining and controls roughly 90% of global rare earths processing.Trump hosted the leaders on Thursday morning for one-on-one meetings at the White House as well as a three-way conversation. The three will later sign the pact at an event at the the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, which the State Department announced on Wednesday has been rebranded the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. Later Thursday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will also host an event that will bring together American business leaders and the Congolese and Rwandan delegations to discuss potential investment opportunities in critical minerals, energy and tourism, according to Yolande Makolo, a senior adviser to Kagame.Ongoing clashesIn eastern Congo, meanwhile, residents reported pockets of clashes and rebel advances in various localities. Both the M23 and Congolese forces have often accused each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreed earlier this year. Fighting has also continued in the central plateaus across South Kivu province.The hardship in the aftermath of the conflict has also worsened following U.S. funding cuts that were crucial for aid support in the conflict.In rebel-held Goma, which was a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts before this years escalation of fighting, the international airport is closed. Government services such as bank operations have yet to resume and residents have reported a surge in crimes and in the prices of goods. We are waiting to see what will happen because so far, both sides continue to clash and attack each other, said Moise Bauma, a 27-year-old student in rebel-held Bukavu city.Both Congo and Rwanda, meanwhile, have touted American involvement as a key step towards peace in the region.We need that attention from the administration to continue to get to where we need to get to, Makolo said. We are under no illusion that this is going to be easy. This is not the end but its a good step. Conflicts causeThe conflict can be traced to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where Hutu militias killed between 500,000 and 1 million ethnic Tutsi, as well as moderate Hutus and Twa, Indigenous people. When Tutsi-led forces fought back, nearly 2 million Hutus crossed into Congo, fearing reprisals.Rwandan authorities have accused the Hutus who fled of participating in the genocide and alleged that elements of the Congolese army protected them. They have argued that the militias formed by a small fraction of the Hutus are a threat to Rwandas Tutsi population.Congos government has said there cant be permanent peace if Rwanda doesnt withdraw its support troops and other support for the M23 in the region. Rwanda, on the other hand, has conditioned a permanent ceasefire on Congo dissolving a local militia that it said is made up of the Hutus and is fighting with the Congolese military.U.N. experts have said that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan government forces are deployed in eastern Congo, operating alongside the M23. Rwanda denies such support, but says any action taken in the conflict is to protect its territory.___Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria, and Madhani from Washington. Justin Kabumba contributed to this report from Goma, Congo. AAMER MADHANI Madhani covers the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto

Singer Yuval Raphael, from Israel, holds the national flag during a dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, May 16, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)2025-12-04T08:07:14Z GENEVA (AP) Spain and the Netherlands announced Thursday they are pulling out of next years Eurovision Song Contest after organizers decided to allow Israel to compete.The announcements came after the body that runs Eurovision met to discuss concerns about Israels participation, which is opposed by some countries due to its conduct of the war in Gaza.Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said that the participation of Israel is no longer compatible with the responsibility we bear as a public broadcaster.Spains state broadcaster RTVE said Thursday that the country is pulling out of Eurovision after the body that runs the contest voted to let Israel participate in 2026. We would like to express our serious doubts about the participation of Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026, said RTVEs Secretary General Alfonso Morales during the European Broadcasting Unions general assembly. The pullouts came after members of the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, voted to adopt tougher voting rules in response to allegations that Israel manipulated the vote in favor of their contestant. The feel-good pop music gala that draws more than 100 million viewers every year has been roiled by the war in Gaza for the past two years.The EBU European Broadcasting Union, a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs Eurovision, held twice-yearly general assembly, with some countries calling for Israel to be excluded over alleged interference in contest voting and its conduct in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The EBU said the new rules would strengthen transparency and trust and allow all countries, including Israel, to participate.But Spain and the Netherlands walked out, followed by Ireland.Eurovision is becoming a bit of a fractured event, said Paul Jordan, an expert on the contest known as Dr. Eurovision. The slogan is United by Music ... unfortunately its disunited through politics.Its become quite a messy and toxic situation, he said. Divided over politicsThe contest, whose 70th edition is scheduled for Vienna in May, pits acts from dozens of nations against one another for the continents musical crown. It strives to put pop before politics, but has repeatedly been embroiled in world events. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The war in Gaza has been its biggest challenge, with pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrating against Israel outside the last two Eurovision contests in Basel, Switzerland, in May and Malmo, Sweden, in 2024.The war in Gaza has also exposed rifts in the European broadcasting world. Austria, which is set to host the competition after Viennese singer JJ won this year with Wasted Love, supports Israels participation. Germany, too, is said to back Israel.Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain are among the countries that have threatened to sit out the contest, if Israel is allowed to take part. Opponents of Israels participation criticize the conduct of the war in Gaza, which has left more than 70,000 people dead, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government and whose detailed records are viewed as generally reliable by the international community. A number of experts, including those commissioned by a U.N. body, have said that Israels offensive amounts to genocide.Israels government has repeatedly defended its campaign as a response to the attack by Hamas-led militants that started the war on Oct. 7, 2023. The militants killed around 1,200 people mostly civilians in the attack and took 251 hostage. Complex voting processIsrael also has faced allegations of interference in the voting process in Eurovision. Its not clear whether a decrease in violence in Gaza, where a U.S.-brokered ceasefire is holding, or EBU plans to change voting processes to guard against political interference will be enough to placate some broadcasters, which are on the fence over the issue. EBU said that officials at Thursdays meeting will be asked to consider that package of new measures, including reducing the number of votes per payment method, and a return of professional juries to the semifinals. A vote on participation will only take place if member broadcasters decide those steps arent sufficient to protect the neutrality and impartiality of the contest, the broadcasting union said in an email on Wednesday.Members have until mid-December to confirm their participation next year, and a final list will be announced by Christmas, it said. Possible scenariosEurovision expert Dean Vuletic said that a boycott by any EU member country would be significant, because they are not dictatorships and are meant, like Israel, to share values of democracy, human rights and diversity.It would be the biggest boycott of Eurovision ever. There have been boycotts in the past, but they have been usually bilateral, said Vuletic, author of Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest.The fallout of a boycott could have implications for viewership and money at a time when many broadcasters are under financial pressure from government funding cuts and the advent of social media.The countries walking away include some big names in the Eurovision world. Spain is one of the Big Five large-market countries that contribute the most to the contest. Ireland has won seven times, a record it shares with Sweden.The controversy over Israels 2026 participation threatens to overshadow the return next year of three countries Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania after periods of absence because of financial and artistic reasons.There are no winners here. Regardless of what happens whether Israel is in or out, whether countries stay or go its not what Eurovision should be. Its meant to be joyous and about bringing people together despite our politics, Jordan said. Unfortunately its become, I think, a bit of a political football.___Jill Lawless reported from London. JAMEY KEATEN Keaten is the chief Associated Press reporter in Geneva. He previously was posted in Paris and has reported from Afghanistan, the Middle East, North Africa and across Europe. twitter JILL LAWLESS Lawless is an Associated Press reporter covering U.K. politics and more. She is based in London. twitter mailto

Subscribe to 404 Media to get The Abstract, our newsletter about the most exciting and mind-boggling science news and studies of the week. Scientists are raising alarms about the potential influence of artificial intelligence on elections, according to a spate of new studies that warn AI can rig polls and manipulate public opinion.In a study published in Nature on Thursday, scientists report that AI chatbots can meaningfully sway people toward a particular candidateproviding better results than video or television ads. Moreover, chatbots optimized for political persuasion may increasingly deploy misleading or false information, according to a separate study published on Thursday in Science.The general public has lots of concern around AI and election interference, but among political scientists theres a sense that its really hard to change peoples opinions, said David Rand, a professor of information science, marketing, and psychology at Cornell University and an author of both studies. We wanted to see how much of a risk it really is.In the Nature study, Rand and his colleagues enlisted 2,306 U.S. citizens to converse with an AI chatbot in late August and early September 2024. The AI model was tasked with both increasing support for an assigned candidate (Harris or Trump) and with increasing the odds that the participant who initially favoured the models candidate would vote, or decreasing the odds they would vote if the participant initially favored the opposing candidatein other words, voter suppression.In the U.S. experiment, the pro-Harris AI model moved likely Trump voters 3.9 points toward Harris, which is a shift that is four times larger than the impact of traditional video ads used in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Meanwhile, the pro-Trump AI model nudged likely Harris voters 1.51 points toward Trump.The researchers ran similar experiments involving 1,530 Canadians and 2,118 Poles during the lead-up to their national elections in 2025. In the Canadian experiment, AIs advocated either for Liberal Party leader Mark Carney or Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre. Meanwhile, the Polish AI bots advocated for either Rafa Trzaskowski, the centrist-liberal Civic Coalitions candidate, or Karol Nawrocki, the right-wing Law and Justice partys candidate.The Canadian and Polish bots were even more persuasive than in the U.S. experiment: The bots shifted candidate preferences up to 10 percentage points in many cases, three times farther than the American participants. Its hard to pinpoint exactly why the models were so much more persuasive to Canadians and Poles, but one significant factor could be the intense media coverage and extended campaign duration in the United States relative to the other nations.In the U.S., the candidates are very well-known, Rand said. They've both been around for a long time. The U.S. media environment also really saturates with people with information about the candidates in the campaign, whereas things are quite different in Canada, where the campaign doesn't even start until shortly before the election.One of the key findings across both papers is that it seems like the primary way the models are changing people's minds is by making factual claims and arguments, he added. The more arguments and evidence that you've heard beforehand, the less responsive you're going to be to the new evidence.While the models were most persuasive when they provided fact-based arguments, they didnt always present factual information. Across all three nations, the bot advocating for the right-leaning candidates made more inaccurate claims than those boosting the left-leaning candidates. Right-leaning laypeople and party elites tend to share more inaccurate information online than their peers on the left, so this asymmetry likely reflects the internet-sourced training data.Given that the models are trained essentially on the internet, if there are many more inaccurate, right-leaning claims than left-leaning claims on the internet, then it makes sense that from the training data, the models would sop up that same kind of bias, Rand said.With the Science study, Rand and his colleagues aimed to drill down into the exact mechanisms that make AI bots persuasive. To that end, the team tasked 19 large language models (LLMs) to sway nearly 77,000 U.K. participants on 707 political issues.The results showed that the most effective persuasion tactic was to provide arguments packed with as many facts as possible, corroborating the findings of the Nature study. However, there was a serious tradeoff to this approach, as models tended to start hallucinating and making up facts the more they were pressed for information.It is not the case that misleading information is more persuasive, Rand said. I think that what's happening is that as you push the model to provide more and more facts, it starts with accurate facts, and then eventually it runs out of accurate facts. But you're still pushing it to make more factual claims, so then it starts grasping at straws and making up stuff that's not accurate.In addition to these two new studies, research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last month found that AI bots can now corrupt public opinion data by responding to surveys at scale. Sean Westwood, associate professor of government at Dartmouth College and director of the Polarization Research Lab, created an AI agent that exhibited a 99.8 percent pass rate on 6,000 attempts to detect automated responses to survey data.Critically, the agent can be instructed to maliciously alter polling outcomes, demonstrating an overt vector for information warfare, Westwood warned in the study. These findings reveal a critical vulnerability in our data infrastructure, rendering most current detection methods obsolete and posing a potential existential threat to unsupervised online research.Taken together, these findings suggest that AI could influence future elections in a number of ways, from manipulating survey data to persuading voters to switch their candidate preferencepossibly with misleading or false information.To counter the impact of AI on elections, Rand suggested that campaign finance laws should provide more transparency about the use of AI, including canvasser bots, while also emphasizing the role of raising public awareness.One of the key take-homes is that when you are engaging with a model, you need to be cognizant of the motives of the person that prompted the model, that created the model, and how that bleeds into what the model is doing, he said.Subscribe to 404 Media to get The Abstract, our newsletter about the most exciting and mind-boggling science news and studies of the week.

Nonprofit organization HealthHIV has launched a new accredited learning series that looks at what it means to age with HIV and how providers can better support people through that process. The Healthy Aging series arrives as World AIDS Day events continue across the country and reflects growing attention on the needs of long-term survivors and older adults living with HIV.The accredited series is designed for physicians, nurses, PAs, pharmacists, allied health professionals, community health workers, and other community-based providers.The series uses five H modules, Horizon, Heart, Head, Hand, and Healing, to organize key topics that shape daily life for people aging with HIV. The modules cover cardiovascular health, cognitive and mental health, building stronger care teams and support systems, mobility, and other everyday concerns. HealthHIV notes this framework mirrors the 5 Ms of geriatrics and offers a structured way to understand the experiences of older adults living with HIV.Scott Bertani, HealthHIVs director of advocacy, said the series centers the everyday realities of aging with HIV.With modules built around the everyday realities people face as they age with HIVemotional well-being, thinking and memory, teamwork in care, and staying mobilethe series gives learners practical guidance they can use in real settings, he said. We share the Healthy Aging with HIV Series in recognition of the resilience and experiences of People Aging with HIV. Their lives continue to shape this work, and we are grateful to bring forward a resource grounded in their stories at a time when visibility and commitment matter most.Alongside the learning series, HealthHIV has introduced the Healthy Aging Hub, an online platform that brings together education, tools, and guidance for people aging with HIV. The Hub includes resources on housing, isolation, mobility, and financial stability, and serves as the home for the Healthy Aging with HIV modules as part of the organizations Pozitively Aging program.The Pozitively Aging program focuses on long-term survivors and older adults with HIV by strengthening care coordination, expanding workforce capacity, and supporting person-centered services. It aims to improve outcomes by addressing both medical needs and the social factors that shape aging.More information about the Healthy Aging with HIV series is available at healthhiv.org/healthy-aging-series.The post HealthHIV introduces a new learning series and resource hub focused on healthy aging appeared first on News Is Out.

Lucas Schleusener, the CEO of Out In National Security, has warned that the current atmosphere around LGBTQ+ federal employees amounts to a return of the Lavender Scare and the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments of the 80s and 90s. Suggesting that this goes beyond the well-known executive orders, Schleusener claims that there are teams conducting anti-LGBTQ+ witch hunts in the federal government and that MAGA influencer and Trump confidante Laura Loomer is the new Joe McCarthy.Like the original Lavender Scare, this is a manufactured moral panic weaponized through bureaucracy, Schleusener told the Washington Blade. Back then, the State Department bragged about driving queer employees to suicide; now were seeing trans service members taking their lives under the pressure of these policies. The difference today is that social media makes the harassment instantaneous and far-reaching, even as queer visibility also makes it harder to shove an entire community back into the closet. Related It has been 70 years since the Lavender Scare & our political leaders are still after us There have been surface signs of the sort of harassment and discrimination that might be going on against federal employees. The temperature is clear from certain incidents that have been made public, like when an FBI agent was fired for having a Pride flag on his desk and the administrations decision not to commemorate World AIDS Day.However, Schleusener indicates that behind these already shocking headlines, the situation for federal employees is even more horrifying. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Schleusener, who was formally employed at the Pentagon and was a national security associate under President Obama, highlighted the harassment that LGBTQ+ workers are facing in the government. Theres an overwhelming bureaucratic trauma happening a destabilization that feels intentional. And underneath that, were seeing a return of different flavors of workplace harassment across national security agencies, from the CIA to the Import-Export Bank.This isnt a Dont Ask, Dont Tell situation, but a more active push to out LGBTQ+ federal employees, with Schleusener pointing to members of the Republican Party who are conducting digital witch-hunts. Theres an organization called STARRS that combs through Instagram and LinkedIn looking for minority service members who show any pride in their identity, Schleusener explained. If youre LGBTQ, a person of color, or even an ally who took your kids to Pride, they will tag and harass you and they have a direct line into the Pentagon. People have been removed from their posts because of this, including the Navys top West Coast endocrinologist, whose only offense was having a rainbow banner and pronouns on LinkedIn.Its not clearances being denied so much as it is targeted harassment, he continued. Laura Loomer has essentially declared herself the new Joe McCarthy, going through the Plum Book to identify anyone with LGBT, DEI, equity, or trans in their job titles and doxxing them.While this harassment is going on, theres less support for those being targeted as well, as the effects of Trumps executive order Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. One example Schleusener cites is an LGBTQ+ resource group for government workers of U.S. foreign affairs agencies, GLIFAA. After that order, the groups whole board resigned, and its website has since been stripped of most content and contact lists. This absolutely constitutes a second Lavender Scare, Schleusener said. The federal government is saying trans people dont belong in the military, even after spending billions training them for an all-volunteer force, which is both dangerous and absurd. Combined with attacks on ERGs, human rights reporting, and attempts to purge queer employees, it mirrors the patterns of the Cold War era.This Lavender Scare is escalating: the NDAA moving through Congress includes a ban on trans women at service academies, and the administration is using Cold War statutes like the Walter McCarran Act to bar trans foreign nationals from entering the country. Every opportunity theyve had to go further, they have taken and theres no indication they plan to stop at trans people.Schleusener says that theyre trying to legally document the harassment to file suits against it, but theyre finding sometime insurmountable hurdles in the process. Even when we find a legal path everything is designed to be slow, difficult, and demoralizing. And the frightening question is always whether fighting back could result in a bad Supreme Court precedent that hurts queer workers nationally.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The new season of Vanderpump Rules dropped this week with a brand new cast.The long-running reality TV show may have left Scandoval behind when they decided to reboot the series and replace the old cast, but that doesnt mean there isnt juicy drama and hot stars creating chaos in West Hollywood. After just one episode, cast members and cousins Chris Hahn and Jason Cohen are currently going viral for both being OnlyFans stars, and Hahn is making waves on X after posting a shirtless pic alongside an unknown man.The two may be brand new to the Bravo universe, but theyve both appeared on reality TV shows before. Hahn and Cohen starred together on the first and only season of the Netflix dating show Dated & Related, and Hahn appeared on a season of Perfect Match. Not only are the two new hot VPR stars known for posting shirtless thirst traps on social media, but now the internet cant stop talking about them both having OnlyFans accounts, too. Hahn may be diving into reality TV stardom, but his OF account is still active, where he goes by Axel Stone, and his profile reads, Fitness and modeling! Always down for a good time and living life to the fullest. Let's have some fun and don't be shy!Newbie SUR-ver Cohen says he is both a model and an actor, but until recently, he also had an OnlyFans account. He seems to have scrubbed it from the internet now, but the link is still live in his linktree. Regardless, the cousins are making fans day by posting hot pics everyone can thirst over! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) The comments are hilarious and extremely thirsty but after browsing their social media accounts we understand why. See on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on Instagram

Former champions Gennadiy Golovkin, Antonio Tarver and Nigel Benn have been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the organization announced Thursday.

Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter is out for Monday night's game against the Chargers after undergoing a procedure this past Monday on both his shoulders, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Attacks on Somali Americans are a cruel distraction.

The Netherlands and Slovenia also said they would not take part in next years contest, meant to be its celebratory 70th edition.

The recommendation comes after the first at-home test, a self-swab, received federal approval earlier this year.

Investors are deciding within 15 minutes whether to shovel millions into A.I. start-ups and taking entrepreneurs weight lifting and rock climbing to get deals done.

The Trump administrations deportation agenda is reverberating beyond immigrant communities as agents begin fanning out around New Orleans.

The post Kristi Noem Places Pushpin In Bespoke Map Of Every Place Shes Deported Someone To appeared first on The Onion.

When Netflix announced that its new Western series, The Abandons, from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, would star Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey as rival matriarchs of warring families, it was as if a supernova went off for lesbians across the internet.The reaction was understandable. After all, both of these women have long been adored and admired by sapphics across generations, and to see them come together and face offdecked out in western gear, no lessfelt like the answer to a prayer.Today, Netflix released the first season of the series, which is set in Washington Territory in 1854. Its a tale of class, family loyalty, romance, and the American struggle as embodied by two very different families. On one side is Constance Van Ness (Anderson), a widow whose wealthy family runs the town of Angels Ridge through her sheriff and mayor proxies. Shes using aggressiveto say the leasttactics to buy up all the surrounding land and the silver within it, and she will stop at nothing to get her way. That is, until she comes up against the immovable object that is Fiona Nolan (Headey), the mother figure of a chosen family made up of orphans and outcasts who see their land as their God-given right and their peace. Fiona is working to rally her neighbors to fight back against Constances campaign of domination.As if that werent explosive enough, a tragedy involving children in both families kicks off a series of violent and murderous events. It also means audiences get to see these two incredible actresses going toe-to-toeand, yes, its every bit as thrilling as it sounds, for both viewers and the stars themselves. I was hugely grateful for what Lena brought to all the scenes. I was incredibly impressed and in awe at how well she was able to match the stuff that Constance believably throws at her, Anderson tells PRIDE, recalling the actors' electrifying and tense scenes. Lena came full force, prepared and ready to have a showdown.The feeling was mutual. You come to do kind of tense long [scenes], we had pages of scenes togetherGillian had more to learn than me, which I was grateful for. But I think we match each other in focus and fuckery, so we can mess around, jokes Headey to PRIDE.But its not that their characters are simply ferocious, although they certainly are, but that they often tip from being anti-heroines into becoming outright villainous. Still, theres something that remains exciting and revelatory about witnessing women behaving badly. For Anderson, who has made a career out of more heroic characters, the change of pace proved to be very satisfying. I've never played a baddie before, and I was looking forward to leaning into that. It is cathartic. I enjoyed it, says Anderson.For Headey, whose turn as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones is arguably one of the best and most complex villains in television history, she noted how their new roles flipped the script on typical gender dynamics. It usually would be two men, especially two men of our age, she says. It's kind of amazing that you get these two women of our moment together and doing and being the dudes. It's wild and exciting.All of which is to say, the sapphic panic heard around the lesbian world was justified, and both actresses are happy to know their mere presence on screen together is enough to elicit such a massive response. I didn't know that, but that's pretty cool, laughs Anderson. Yeah, I'll take that.We'll take it, agrees Headey. Well make you proud.'The Abandons' is streaming now on Netflix. Watch the trailer below.

Straight men love posing with fish on dating app profiles so much that its become a cliche. Its boring and kind of gross, but it's become a frequently referenced joke because men refuse to stop posting them. But what is the queer equivalent of holding up a dead fish?One intrepid LGBTQ+ Threads user attempted to answer this question. Their theory? Photographs of gays on climbing walls.And now that we think about it, @cara_macb may be onto something!I mean, climbing does take grip strength and the use of carabiners which is basically as sapphic as you can get and the harness you have to wear does a great job of showing off everyones tush and makes us think of other kinds of harnesses you could be wearing. Just saying. Many Threads users agreed, though some thought of clever alternatives like queer women posing in front of a lesbian bar's neon sign.@aloinawhiteny wrote an impressive rundown of just about every letter in the alphabet. Our favorite? "Gays: exposed upper body doused in baby oil." They're not wrong!We love the idea that sapphics are using rock-climbing photos to show off their ability to finger you for hours without getting wrist cramps.Other people just gushed over how right OP was!Someone else suggested that the trans equivalent might be DJ pics which feels correct too.Apparently the climbing photo is multipurpose!If this includes getting to see queer people chopping wood, then we are definitely on board.

With The Housemaid, a new adaptation of the bestselling psychological thriller by author Freida McFadden, Sydney Sweeney continues her streak as one of Hollywoods busiest, and most versatile stars. Directed by Paul Feig, the film centers on a young woman who accepts a live-in job only to uncover unsettling truths inside the home of a mysterious couple. The story, known for its twists, unreliable narrators and claustrophobic suspense, has built a massive online following, making the film one of the years most anticipated page-to-screen releases.For Sweeney, The Housemaid arrives amid a career boom that includes Emmy-nominated performances in Euphoria and The White Lotus, a romantic comedy in Anyone but You, and her turn as both producer and star in Immaculate, which became a breakout horror hit. Its a run that has made her one of the industrys most in-demand talents.But Sweeney insists shes not exhausted shes energized.I love what I do, so Im just enjoying it, she exclusively told Gayety during a recent conversation. Im getting to play such crazy, juicy, fun characters. Im getting to work with so many incredible people, Amanda, and its been a dream come true. Its like everything Ive ever worked for and wanted in life.For her, filmmaking still feels like a privilege. Being on a set is just the best, she said. We are working when were on set thats what we dream of doing so why would we want to be anywhere else? I constantly am wanting to find new roles just to be on set and working. Its the best.Amanda Seyfried, who stars opposite Sweeney as the enigmatic and unpredictable Nina, returns to darker territory after acclaimed performances in The Dropout, Things Heard & Seen and You Should Have Left. But she emphasized that The Housemaid is more than a straightforward thriller.Amanda Seyfried attends The Housemaid New York screening at 787 Seventh Ave on December 02, 2025 in New York City. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty ImagesI think it couldnt even be described as a thriller as much as it is just an experience, Seyfried said. Paul doesnt just do straight thrillers. The book is so beloved because it is so unique in this genre. Ive never been given the opportunity to play somebody so dynamic and so contradictory. It was less hard and more just incredibly funny and fun.Despite the films psychological tension, Seyfried said the cast found ways to maintain a light atmosphere behind the scenes. We had some really important themes, dark, profoundly realistic themes, and we had to lighten it up with this levity we created on set, she said. It was a dream. They dont make movies like this anymore.Sydney Sweeney attends The Housemaid New York screening at 787 Seventh Ave on December 02, 2025 in New York City. Photo: Manoli Figetakis/WireImageBoth actors said their onscreen chemistry translated naturally from their off-camera rapport. Seyfried described their dynamic as buoyant, while Sweeney said the two immediately synced. We are both balls of energy, Sweeney said. Were a lot of fun, and were a lot of fun together. I think we bring out even more craziness because were safe together.That trust, Seyfried added, allowed them to push the psychological tension of the story. If you dont trust your co-stars or you dont feel safe around them, then you get stilted, she said. On this, it felt like I could do anything. Thats why the tension in the movie is so electric we were able to build that.Feig, known for blending comedy with emotional nuance, said Sweeney was the only actor he could imagine playing the lead. What I love about Sid is she is so complex and brings such subtlety to a role and then can be explosive at the same time, he said. She surprises me constantly.He also praised Seyfrieds work as Nina. The role of Nina is really complex, he said. When I saw The Dropout, I knew she could pull it off because that character goes through so many different personalities. She was willing to try anything. We experimented with a lot of different ways to play her.The Housemaid hits theaters on December 19th. Source

Nature, Published online: 04 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-03975-9Experiments involving real-world voters show how talking to a chatbot can shape peoples political opinions.

Nature, Published online: 04 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-03956-yAn analysis of international research collaborations reveals the growing dominance of Chinese science.

Nature, Published online: 04 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-03733-xConversations with AI can sway peoples political views. Concerningly, a chatbots facts are not always accurate, especially when it supports right-wing positions.

Nature, Published online: 04 December 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09771-9Humanartificial intelligence (AI) dialogues can meaningfully impact voters attitudes towards presidential candidates and policy, demonstrating the potential of conversational AI to influence political decision-making.

Former Angels manager Ron Washington is finalizing a deal to join the Giants' coaching staff, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The National Women's Soccer League Players Association has filed a grievance against the NWSL arguing that the league violated the CBA when it vetoed the Spirit's record-setting contract offer to star forward Trinity Rodman.

Cornelia Foss, better known as a confidante to other artists than as an artist herself, has put aside landscape painting for something far more visceral.

As a 19-year-old medic, he won a Silver Star for his service during D-Day. Later, in the Korean War, he earned a Bronze Star.

But a papal commission examining the question said further study was required, and advised that women should be given other leadership roles in the Catholic Church.

The government presents its migrant policy as a welcoming alternative to U.S. crackdowns. But activists say those arriving on boats from Africa are excluded from that embrace.

The president has sent federal agents to Democratic-led cities in several states, prompting lawsuits and stirring anger among local leaders.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)2025-12-04T17:54:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. troops at risk by sharing sensitive plans about an upcoming military strike in Yemen on his personal phone, according to a Pentagon inspector generals report made public Thursday that criticized the use of unapproved messaging apps and devices across the Defense Department.Hegseth had the authority to declassify the material he shared with others in a Signal chat, the watchdog found. But the release of details about the strike on Houthi militants violated internal Pentagon rules about handling sensitive information that could put service members or their missions in danger.The report noted that the information that Hegseth sent the quantity and strike times of manned U.S. aircraft over hostile territory about two hours to four hours before those strikes created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots. If this information had fallen into the hands of U.S. adversaries, Houthi forces might have been able to counter U.S. forces or reposition personnel and assets to avoid planned U.S. strikes, the report said. Read the Pentagon inspector general's report that says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put troops at risk by sharing plans on personal phone. Hegseths use of the app came to light when a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a Signal text chain by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The reports nuanced findings that Hegseths actions put troops at risk but that he had the right to declassify the material are not likely to relieve the pressure on the former Fox News Channel host. He also is facing scrutiny on Capitol Hill over a report that a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea in September killed survivors after Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill everybody. Hegseth wrote on social media about the inspector generals report: No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed. Houthis bombed into submission. He had declined to be interviewed for the review. In a one-page statement to the inspector general, Hegseth said he had the authority to declassify the information he was sharing on Signal and that there was nothing classified in this text.There were no locations or targets identified, he wrote. There were no details that would endanger our troops or the mission.Hegseths letter said he was only sharing an unclassified summary of operations and that the full details of what was happening were shared separately on a secure network used by the military.The information he shared on Signal was limited to the overt actions of U.S. forces, which he said would be readily apparent to any observer in the area.But the revelations drew intense scrutiny, with Democratic lawmakers and a small number of Republicans saying Hegseths posting of the information to the Signal chats before the military jets had reached their targets potentially put those pilots lives at risk. Lawmakers also noted that if lower-ranking members of the military had acted similarly, they would have been fired or severely disciplined for failing to maintain operational security. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A man walks past signage prior to the final draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)2025-12-04T19:33:31Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to prioritize visa applications from foreigners wishing to visit the United States to either invest in America or attend the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events.At the same time, the administration has added new criteria for highly skilled foreign workers seeking a particular visa. The new rules would deny entry to those deemed to have directed or participated in the censorship of American citizens on social media through content moderation initiatives that have sprung up throughout Europe and elsewhere to combat extremist speech. In a series of cables sent this week to all U.S. diplomatic missions that were obtained by The Associated Press, the State Department said visa applications for businesspeople considering significant investments in the United States should be at the top of the list for consideration along with applications from those wanting to travel for major sporting events which showcase American excellence. It is the latest effort by President Donald Trumps administration to crack down on migrants and visitors entering the U.S. But with major sports events planned in the United States, the administration is looking to ensure that fans are able to attend those competitions. The policies are getting heightened attention ahead of Fridays World Cup draw. President Donald Trump speaks holding a large ticket representing a ticket for the World Cup final, row one, seat one, as Andrew Giuliani, from left, Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, Vice President JD Vance, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, file) President Donald Trump speaks holding a large ticket representing a ticket for the World Cup final, row one, seat one, as Andrew Giuliani, from left, Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, Vice President JD Vance, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, file) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Focusing on foreign sports fansAs part of a broader initiative to control the entry of foreigners into the U.S., the State Department has said all those who require visas to enter the country would need to submit to an in-person interview and screening to vet them for potential national security risks. This has led to lengthy wait times at many embassies and consulates for interviews to apply for what are known as B1 and B2 visas despite a surge in consular staffing.Last month, Trump announced a new initiative, dubbed FIFA Pass, for foreigners traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup that will allow them to get interviews for visas more quickly. Nonetheless, he still encouraged them to apply for their visas right away.Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration had dispatched more than 400 additional consular officers around the world to handle the demand for visas for the World Cup and that in about 80% of the globe, travelers to the U.S. can get a visa appointment within 60 days something reflected in the cable. The new steps in the cable this week go beyond the FIFA Pass initative to expedite applications for those looking to travel to the United States for the Olympics and other major sports events.Posts should ensure sufficient appointment capacity to accommodate spectators and other fans traveling for events surrounding the (World Cup) tournament, said one of the two cables sent Tuesday. These should take priority over all other B1/B2 applications, except those related to American re-industrialization.Others to be prioritized include foreign diplomats, government officials traveling on official business, temporary agricultural workers, religious workers, physicians and nurses, and students attending academic institutions with less than 15% foreign enrollment. Posts should ensure that applicants of higher ranked groups get priority over applicants and lower rank groups, regardless of demand by lower ranked applicants, the cable said. Posts may significantly reduce the number of appointment slots available to lower rank groups in order to accommodate demand from higher rank groups. The Hall of Nations at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Nov. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, file) The Hall of Nations at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Nov. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, file) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More New visa guidelines for highly skilled workersA second cable sent Tuesday to all embassies and consulates set out new criteria for considering H-1B visa applications, instructing diplomats to be on the lookout for those who may have been or are responsible for or complicit in the censorship of Americans online and elsewhere.Those visas allow American companies to bring in people with technical skills that are hard to find in the United States, and President Donald Trump has said he would slap a $100,000 annual fee on them.The department said evidence of this could lead to visa denial. It defined such information as having adopting global content moderation policies inconsistent with freedom of expression, complying with global content moderation or censorship demands from a foreign entity and providing access to private data on American citizens in connection with content moderation.Proof of this could be obtained from an applicants resume, employment history, social media profiles and posts, and public statements or writings, the cable said, adding that the State Department was developing tools to make it easier and quicker to conduct these screenings.It noted that all visa applicants are subject to these criteria, but that H-1B applicants should be looked at most closely as many work or have worked in the tech sector, including in social media or financial services companies involved in the suppression of protected expression. You must thoroughly explore their employment histories to ensure no participation in such activities, the cable said, adding that if you uncover evidence and applicant was responsible for or complicit in censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible for a visa.

Home goods company Kohler would like a bold look in your toilet to take some photos. Its OK, though, the company has promised that all the data it collects on your waste will be end-to-end encrypted. However, a deeper look into the companys claim by technologist Simon Fondrie-Teitler revealed that Kohler seems to have no idea what E2EE actually means. According to Fondrie-Teitlers write-up, which was first reported by TechCrunch, the company will have access to the photos the camera takes and may even use them to train AI.The whole fiasco gives an entirely too on-the-nose meaning to the Internet of Shit.Kohler launched its $600 camera to hang on your toilets earlier this year. Its called Dekoda, and along with the large price tag, the toilet cam also requires a monthly service fee that starts at $6.99. If you want to track the piss and shit of a family of 6, youll have to pay $12.99 a month.What do you get for putting a camera on your toilet? According to Kohlers pitch, health & wellness insights about your gut health and possible signs of blood in the bowl as Dekoda uses advanced sensors to passively analyze your waste in the background.If youre squeamish about sending pictures of the waste of your family to Kohler, the company promised that all of the data is end-to-end encrypted. The privacy page for the Kohler Health said user data is encrypted end to end, at rest and in transit and its mentioned several places in the marketing.Its not, though. Fondrie-Teitler told 404 Media he started looking into Dekoda after he noticed friends making fun of it in a Slack hes part of. I saw the end-to-end encryption claim on the homepage, which seemed at odds with what they said they were collecting in the privacy policy, he said. Pretty much every other company I've seen implement end-to-end encryption has published a whitepaper alongside it. Which makes sense, the details really matter so telling people what you've done is important to build trust. Plus it's generally a bunch of work so companies want to brag about it. I couldn't find any more details though.E2EE has a specific meaning. Its a type of messaging system that keeps the contents of a message private while in transit, meaning only the person sending and the person receiving a message can view it. Famously, E2EE means that the messaging company itself cannot decode or see the messages (Signal, for example, is E2EE). The point is to protect the privacy of individual users from a company prying into data if a third party, like the government, comes asking for it.Kohler, its clear, has access to a users data. This means its not E2EE. Fondrie-Teitler told 404 Media that he downloaded the Kohler health app and analyzed the network traffic it sent. I didn't see anything that would indicate an end-to-end encrypted connection being created, he said.Then he reached out to Kohler and had a conversation with its privacy team via email. The Kohler Health app itself does not share data between users. Data is only shared between the user and Kohler Health, a member of the privacy team at Kohler told Fondrie-Teitler in an email reviewed by 404 Media. User data is encrypted at rest, when its stored on the user's mobile phone, toilet attachment, and on our systems. Data in transit is also encrypted end-to-end, as it travels between the user's devices and our systems, where it is decrypted and processed to provide our service.If Kohler can view the users data, as it admits to doing in this email exchange with Fondrie-Teitler, then its notby definitionusing E2EE. Kohler did not immediately respond to 404 Medias request for comment.I'd like the term end-to-end encryption to not get watered down to just meaning uses https so I wanted to see if I could confirm what it was actually doing and let people know, Fondrie-Teitler told 404 Media. He pointed out that Zoom once made a similar claim and had to pay a fine to the FTC because of it.I think everyone has a right to privacy, and in order for that to be realized people need to have an understanding of what's happening with their data, Fondrie-Teitler said. It's already so hard for non-technical individuals (and even tech experts) to evaluate the privacy and security of the software and devices they're using. E2EE doesn't guarantee privacy or security, but it's a non-trivial positive signal and losing that will only make it harder for people to maintain control over their data.