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CINCINNATISaying the mans reputation was unlikely ever to recover from the embarrassment, sources confirmed Tuesday that local accountant Josh Hunter had completely humiliated himself at his companys holiday party by telling his coworkers he appreciated them. Its normal to have a couple of drinks during the festivities, but Josh made a total ass of himself by telling everyone in the room what he really thought of their admirable work ethic and superior communication skills, said Hunters colleague Lisa Gallegos, adding that the shameful anecdotes about him insisting they were the most talented people he had ever had the opportunity to work with would be repeated behind his back for years to come. It was kind of funny at first, but things quickly spiraled out of control when he said he appreciated our moral support as he went through a difficult time earlier in the year. We had to put him in an Uber after he repeatedly made disturbing remarks about how he considered us to be some of his best friends. At press time, the companys HR department was reportedly fielding multiple complaints from employees who claimed Hunter had deliberately affirmed them as coworkers and as people.The post Man Humiliates Himself At Holiday Party By Telling Coworkers He Appreciates Them appeared first on The Onion.

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Boxes of petition signatures are stacked up to be delivered Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, to the secretary of state's office in Jefferson City, Mo., calling for a referendum election on new U.S. House districts approved by the Missouri legislature. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)2025-12-09T16:04:56Z JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Opponents of Missouris new congressional map submitted thousands of petition signatures Tuesday calling for a statewide referendum on a redistricting plan backed by President Donald Trump as part of his quest to hold on to a slim Republican majority in next years elections. Organizers of the petition drive said they turned in more than 300,000 signatures to the secretary of states office well more than the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the new U.S. House districts from taking effect until a public vote can be held next year. The signatures must still be formally verified by local election authorities and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who has argued the referendum is unconstitutional. But if the signatures hold up, the referendum could create a significant obstacle for Republicans who hope the new districts could help them win a currently Democratic-held seat in the Kansas City area in the November election. State law automatically sets referendum votes for the November election, unless the General Assembly approves an earlier date during its regular session that begins in January. Redistricting typically happens once a decade, after each census. But the national political parties are engaged in an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle after Trump urged Republican-led states to reshape House voting districts to their advantage. The Republican president is trying to avert a historical tendency for the incumbents party to lose seats in midterm elections.Each House seat could be crucial, because Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win control of the chamber and impede Trumps agenda. Redistricting is spreading through statesTexas was the first to respond to Trumps call by passing a new congressional map that could help Republicans win five additional seats. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way last week for the new districts to be used in the 2026 elections. Republicans could gain one seat each under new maps passed in Missouri and North Carolina and have an improved chance at taking two additional seats under a new Ohio congressional map. In Indiana, senators are considering a proposal this week that also could help Republicans win two additional seats.Democrats scored a victory in California, where voters in November approved a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could help the party win five additional seats. Democrats could gain a seat in Utah under new congressional districts imposed by a judge. But Republicans are challenging both states measures in court. And Utah lawmakers are meeting in a special session Tuesday to consider delaying the candidate filing deadline to allow more time for the legal challenge. Virginia Democrats have also taken a first step toward mid-decade redistricting, with additional votes expected in the new year. Missouri referendum sparks intense battleThe group sponsoring Missouris referendum campaign, People Not Politicians, has raised about $5 million, coming mostly from out-of-state organizations opposed to the new map. National Republican-aligned groups have countered with more than $2 million for a committee supporting the new map. Republicans have tried to thwart the referendum in numerous ways. Organizations supporting the Republican redistricting have attempted to pay people up to $30,000 to quit gathering petition signatures, according to a lawsuit filed by Advanced Micro Targeting Inc., a company hired by People Not Politicians. Hoskins, the secretary of state, contends he cannot legally count about 100,000 petition signatures gathered in the one-month span between legislative passage of the redistricting bill and his approval of the referendum petitions format, but can only count those gathered after that.Hoskins also wrote a ballot summary stating the new map repeals Missouris existing gerrymandered congressional plan ... and better reflects statewide voting patterns. Thats the opposite of what referendum backers contends it does, and People Not Politicians is challenging that wording in court. Meanwhile, Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Hoskins and the General Assembly asserting that congressional redistricting legislation cannot be subject to a referendum. Although a federal judge dismissed that suit Monday, the judge noted that Hoskins has the power to declare the petition unconstitutional himself, which would likely trigger a new court case. Missouris restricting effort already has sparked an intense court battle. Lawsuits by opponents challenge the legality of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoes special session proclamation, assert that mid-decade redistricting isnt allowed under Missouris constitution, and claim the new districts run afoul of requirements to be compact, contiguous and equally populated. Its been more than a century since Missouri last held a referendum on a congressional redistricting plan. In 1922, the U.S. House districts approved by the Republican-led legislature were defeated by nearly 62% of the statewide vote. DAVID A. LIEB Lieb covers issues and trends in state governments across the U.S. Hes reported about government and politics for The Associated Press for 30 years. twitter mailto

A month after the lower chamber of Kazakhstans parliament voted for a ban on LGBTQ+ propaganda, the former Soviet nations Senate announced that the legislation would be delayed for an indefinite period of time.The bill, modeled on Russias ban on LGBTQ+ speech, included fines and jail time for people found to have spread pro-LGBTQ+ messages in the media or on social media. Related Kazakhstan politician: Gays can be identified by colored pants, DNA test Children and teenagers are exposed to information online every day that can negatively impact their ideas about family, morality, and the future, Kazakh Education Minister Gani Beisembayev told lawmakers before the vote.Deputy Irina Smirnovacitedlibrary books and cartoonsfeaturing same-sex relationships as examples of the propaganda addressed by the bill. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today I saw books in the library that promote LGBT, where a prince falls in love with a prince, two boys, she told lawmakers. There are cartoons that allow this to be shown, there are magazines and comics where all this is promoted.But the Kazakh Senate announced last week that the bill was tabled. The consideration of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Issues of Archival Affairs and Limiting the Dissemination of Illegal Content has been postponed to later dates, the Senate press service said in a statement, according to the Kazakh Telegraph Agency (KazTAG). It is important to note that the law introduces amendments and additions to the Labor Code of Kazakhstan, as well as to 12 other laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This is a significant amount of work and requires additional time. Moreover, given that the law also regulates issues related to the protection of childrens rights, this is always a matter requiring special consideration and increased attention.President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev lobbied hard for the bill, saying that it was necessary to uphold traditional values. Parties loyal to Tokayev dominate the lower chamber and voted unanimously in favor of the ban.While the Muslim-majority nation is officially secular, it remains deeply conservative when it comes to social issues. Male homosexuality was decriminalized in the 1990s, but the country does not ban discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. In 2022, the Ministry of Defense said that no one is banned from military service due to sexual orientation.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

David Corenswet knows how to break the internet.After going viral for his insane bulge pics earlier this year, the handsome actor is now spreading his legs in a new photo for Varietys Actors on Actors.Loyal fans know that this isn't the first time that Corenswet has manspread in a few steamy pics in the past, so check out all of the highlights and feral reactions below. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

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A World Without Exploitation projection is seen on the wall of the National Gallery of Art calling on Congress to vote yes on the Epstein Files Transparency Act in Washington, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2025-12-09T17:46:33Z NEW YORK (AP) The clock is ticking for the U.S. government to open up its files on Jeffrey Epstein.After months of rancor and recriminations, Congress has passed and President Donald Trump has signed legislation compelling the Justice Department to give the public everything it has on Epstein and it has to be done before Christmas.On Tuesday, a federal judge said the department could release grand jury transcripts and other documents from the sex trafficking case brought against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend. Judge Paul A. Engelmayer had previously rejected the Justice Departments unsealing requests before the transparency law was passed. In Tuesdays ruling, he cautioned that people shouldnt expect to learn much new information from the records, saying they do not reveal any heretofore unknown means or methods of Epsteins or Maxwells crimes. Last week, a different federal judge gave the department permission to release transcripts of a grand jury investigation into Epsteins abuse of underage girls in Florida. While theres sure to be never-before-seen material in the thousands of pages likely to be released in the Florida transcripts and other Epstein-related records, a lot has already been made public, including by Congress and through litigation. And dont expect a client list of famous men who cavorted with Epstein. Though such a list has long been rumored, the Justice Department said in July that it doesnt exist.Heres a look at whats expected to be made public, what isnt, and a refresher on how we got to this point: Who is Jeffrey Epstein?Epstein was a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite who was accused of sexually abusing underage girls.His relationships with powerful men, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton and the former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have been the subject of endless fascination and speculation. Neither Trump nor Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing. Andrew has denied abusing anyone.Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after he was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex. The FBI then joined the investigation, but Epstein made a secret deal with the U.S. attorney in Florida to avoid federal charges, enabling him to plead guilty in 2008 to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge. He served 13 months in a jail work-release program.In 2019, during Trumps first term, Manhattan federal prosecutors revived the case and charged Epstein with sex trafficking, alleging he sexually abused dozens of girls. He killed himself in jail a month after his arrest.In 2021, a federal jury in Manhattan convicted Epsteins longtime confidante and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of his underage victims. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Whats in the Justice Departments Epstein files?Records related to the aborted Florida investigation, the Manhattan investigations, and anything else the Justice Department did to examine Epsteins dealings in the time in between.They could include notes and reports written by FBI agents; transcripts of witness interviews, photographs, videos and other evidence; Epsteins autopsy report; and some material that may already be public, such as flight logs and travel records.The law, dubbed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, mandates the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents and investigative materials, including files relating to immunity deals and internal communications about whom to charge or investigate.The transcripts that will be released after Fridays ruling by a Florida federal judge could shed more light on federal prosecutors decision not to go forward with their case from two decades ago. Its not known when the transcripts will be made public. What isnt authorized for release under the law?Anything containing a victims personally identifiable information.The law allows the Justice Department to withhold or redact records that, if made public, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. It also bars the release of any materials depicting the sexual abuse of children, or images of death, physical abuse, or injury.That means that if videos or photos exist of Epstein or anyone else sexually abusing underage girls, they cant be made public.However, the law also makes clear that no records shall be withheld or redacted meaning certain parts are blacked out solely because their release would cause embarrassment or reputational harm to any public figure, government official or foreign dignitary.When will the files be available to the public?The legislation requires the Justice Department to make the documents public in a searchable and downloadable format within 30 days of Trump signing it into law. That means no later than Dec. 19.However, the law also allows the Justice Department to withhold files that it says could jeopardize an active federal investigation. Thats also longstanding Justice Department policy. Files can also be withheld if theyre found to be classified or if they pertain to national defense or foreign policy. While investigations into Epstein and Maxwell are long over, Attorney General Pam Bondi last week ordered a top federal prosecutor to lead an investigation into people who knew Epstein and some of Trumps political foes, including Clinton.That investigation, taken up at Trumps urging despite the Justice Department previously finding no evidence to support such a probe, could give the government grounds to temporarily withhold at least some of the material.What about the so-called client list? Epsteins so-called client list a purported collection of his famous associates has been the white whale of Epstein sleuths, skeptics and conspiracy theorists alike.Even Bondi got in on the act, telling Fox News in February that the client list was sitting on my desk right now to review.The only problem: the Justice Department concluded it doesnt exist, issuing a letter in July saying that its review of Epstein-related records had revealed no incriminating client list. Nor was there credible evidence that Epstein had blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions, the unsigned memo said.Why are these records being released now?Congress is forcing the government to act after Trump reneged on a campaign promise last year to throw open the files. The Justice Department did release some records earlier this year almost all of them already public but suddenly hit the brakes in July after promising a truckload more.That prompted a small, bipartisan group of House lawmakers to launch what was initially seen as a longshot effort to compel their release through legislation. In the meantime, lawmakers started disclosing documents theyd received from Epsteins estate, culminating in a 23,000-page release last week.As public and political pressure mounted, including from some Trump allies, Congress swiftly passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Nov. 18 and Trump signed it into law the following day.Havent some Epstein files already been made public?Yes. Before Congress got involved, tens of thousands of pages of records were released over the years through civil lawsuits, Epstein and Maxwells public criminal case dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.Many documents including police reports written in Florida, state grand jury records, depositions of Epsteins employees, his flight records, his address book are available already. In July, the Justice Department released surveillance video from the jail on the night Epstein died.Even the FBI has previously released some Epstein-related files, posting more than 1,400 pages to its website, though much of the material was redacted and some hidden because it was under seal. MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement, courts and prisons. He is based in New York. twitter mailto

New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts at the end of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)2025-12-09T17:28:05Z ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Closer Edwin Daz has agreed to a $69 million, three-year contract with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.The person spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Dazs agreement includes deferred payments by the Dodgers, who already owed $1.051 billion in deferred pay to eight players from 2028-46.A three-time All-Star who turns 32 on March 22, Daz joins a Dodgers bullpen that struggled last season, causing the team to shift rookie starter Roki Sasaki to closer in the postseason. Los Angeles relievers had a 4.27 ERA, 21st among the 30 teams, Relying on a 97-98 mph fastball and slider, Daz became a fan favorite at Citi Field, where horns blared and fans danced when he entered games to Narco by Blasterjaxx & Timmy Trumpet. New York prepared for his possible departure by agreeing to a $51 million, three-year contract with Devin Williams, who left the crosstown Yankees after one season.Daz joins a Dodgers bullpen that includes left-hander Tanner Scott, who was bothered by elbow inflammation in his first season after signing a $72 million, four-year contract. Jack Dreyer, Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia also are in the bullpen. Daz had 28 saves in 31 chances last season with a 6-3 record and 1.63 ERA for a disappointing Mets team that failed to reach the playoffs despite spending the second-most behind the Dodgers. He struck out 98 in 66 1/3 innings. He has 253 saves in 294 chances over nine seasons with the Seattle (2016-18) and the Mets, who acquired him along with second baseman Robinson Can for five players that included Jarred Kelenic and Anthony Swarzak. Daz missed the 2023 season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee during a postgame celebration with Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic. Daz agreed to a $102 million, five-year contract with the Mets after the 2022 season, a deal that included deferred money payable through 2042. He had the right to opt out after three years and $64 million to become a free agent again. Of that $64 million, $15.5 million is deferred and payable through July 1, 2039.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Milo Yiannopoulos says John McCain was gay, invoking the term like a punk high schooler trying to impress an upperclassman or in this case, right-wing influencer Tucker Carlson.Yiannopoulos, the 41-year-old self-identified ex-gay and far-right provocateur, made the comment during an hours-long session on The Tucker Carlson Show last week, catching the attention of the late Republican senator McCains daughter, Meghan McCain. Related Ex-gay Milo Yiannopoulos regrets mainstreaming homosexuality in the GOP: Nobodys gay Apparently, everyones gay, according to this commentator, the longtime conservative influencer said of Yiannopoulos Monday on her own podcast, Citizen McCain, referencing how her father came up in a discussion of closeted gays in Republican Washington, DC.They had a guest on who, among other things, talked about how my dad was gay because of his foreign policy or there was [nothing] gayer than my dads foreign policy, she said, recounting Yiannopoulos spouting. 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 In one clip, the former twunk asserts, Im not saying he was a practicing homosexual physically, but is there anything gayer than John McCains bloodlust? The former View host took the observation about her dad literally and tried to explain away the gay.He was married to two women, McCain said of the one-time Republican nominee, who had seven kids, and not to make this weird for everybody, but he was, like, a notorious ladies man before he got married. He actually dated a stripper when he was in college at the Naval Academy.Its a story thats in his book, Im not speaking out of turn, People reported of her defense. It was, like, a little mild controversy when he ran for office.I dont care. My dad really loved women, McCain maintained.The younger McCain also took on Yiannopouloss mean-spirited digressions on her weight, which he invoked as further proof that her dad was gay.I mean, hes even got the fat friend. Its his daughter, Yiannopoulos said of Meghan.Is there a more ostentatious fat hag in America than Meghan McCain? You know, she hates herself. Shes fat. Shes crazy. Shes every gay mans dream, he added, to laughs from Carlson.I have been fat shamed in my career since I started in media, McCain, who is pregnant, said in response. People really have a real hard-on about the fact that Im not skinny. I dont know why its so threatening in the age of Ozempic and hyper diets and whatever These are disgusting trolls and its disgusting commentary. I am aware on the most recent episode of Tucker Carlson's show a subject of conversation with his guest was my weight particularly how fat I am. Yes, I am very fat, I'm almost 9 months pregnant with my third child. I am also very happy.I don't care how many times Tucker Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 5, 2025She also called the insults un-Christian. Both Yiannopoulos and Carlson claim to be Christian: Catholic and Episcopalian, respectively.I dont care how many times Tucker talks about being a Christian, that is not Christian behavior to engage in such a conversation on one of the largest podcasts in the world, Meghan McCain said.She added that its the kind of meanness to women and hypocrisy that explains why conservatives have such a problem with women voters of my generation.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Donald Trump hurled insults at yet another reporter this week, calling ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott obnoxious and terrible. Scott asked Trump about his previous statement that hed have no problem releasing footage of the September 2nd boat strike in which the U.S. military killed two survivors clinging for life by (allegedly illegally) striking a second time. Related Trump snaps Quiet, piggy! at female reporter who asked him about the Epstein files He denied ever saying it, muttering that the claim was ABC fake news, despite there being footage of the moment he said it. When she continued to press him after he said hed support whatever Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth chooses, he began insulting her.You are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place, he said, adding that she is a terrible reporter.Its always the same thing with you, he griped.Trump lashes out at another reporter: Let me just tell you, you are an obnoxiousactually, a terrible reporter. pic.twitter.com/0vwwbkN5OP Acyn (@Acyn) December 8, 2025Scott didnt take the moment lying down. She has since posted videos proving the presidents flip-flop and also showing the string of insults. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rachel Scott (@itsrachelscott)Experts in the laws of war have said Hegseths alleged order to kill any survivors of the boat strike off the coast of Venezuela amounts to murder.The administration has since been scrambling to contain the fallout and insulate Trump from the blunder.

Dwayne The Rock Johnsons oldest daughter, Simone Johnson, just hard launched her new girlfriend on social media. Johnson, who goes by Ava Raine in the ring, made her relationship with fellow WWE wrestler Tatyanna Dumas Instagram official on December 7 when she posted a Reel from the couples joint account.The video, captioned Fall in love, again and again, shows the happy couple kissing and hugging while traveling and dining together."Crying screaming throwing up," Johnson wrote when she reposted the Reel on her own account. I am so lucky."See on InstagramEven though theyve been spotted together in public many times in the past, and have been hinting at their relationship for weeks, this is the first time they've made their love public, despite the video making it clear they've been dating for a while. This latest revelation about her relationship comes after Johnson and Dumas posed with her dad at a screening of his film The Smashing Machine. Johnson also posted a post-Thanksgiving photo dump on November 30, which included a shot of her kissing Dumas on the cheek while court-side at a basketball game.Johnson is currently working as the on-screen general manager for WWEs NXT brand, where Dumas is a wrestler.

Police have arrested a 20-year-old male suspect in the shooting of New York Jets player Kris Boyd, law enforcement agencies said Tuesday.

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The former Seminoles quarterback was excited about the Florida State's women's soccer team's fifth title ... and less than impressed by his old squad.

What Happened: A congressional investigation out today has found that, contrary to the Trump administrations claims, immigration agents have frequently detained and mistreated U.S. citizens.The report by Senate Democrats, which was prompted by ProPublicas reporting, included interviews with nearly two dozen Americans.Citizens told congressional investigators that immigration officers had dragged them from cars, detained them for days, fabricated claims of assault, routinely used excessive force and denied medical care.The investigation also found that agents treated children with reckless disregard for their safety and wellbeing.One citizen recalled that federal agents pointed guns at her youngest children, ages 6 and 8, and dragged her 14-year-old daughter out of a pickup and zip-tied her.The citizen, Anabel Romero, told investigators that an agent threatened to fucking blow your head off during the chaotic raid at a rural Idaho racetrack. Romero also said agents wouldnt let people get diapers or food for their kids.Romero and her children were born in Idaho.Five other citizens are giving their accounts publicly Tuesday on Capitol Hill.What They Said: The citizens accounts paint a dire picture, the senator behind the report told ProPublica in an interview.What most struck me is the brutality and physical violence involved in every story, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. This is stuff that should be unrecognizable as America. It should make everyday Americans outraged that their fellow citizens could be treated this way.Background: ProPublica reported in October that agents have detained more than 170 Americans this year. More than 20 citizens said they were held for at least a day without being able to contact a lawyer or their loved ones. We also found that nearly 20 American children were detained. Four were held for weeks with their undocumented mother and without access to a lawyer.Why it Matters: The government does not track the number of Americans wrongly detained by immigration agents. The Trump administration in turn has denied that it happens. No American citizens have been arrested or detained, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said last month.The citizens firsthand accounts in the congressional report show that is not true.The issue is all the more critical since the Supreme Court issued a temporary order this fall allowing immigration agents in the Los Angeles area to stop civilians without clear cause.Justice Brett Kavanaugh argued that citizens had no reason to worry. If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen, Kavanaugh wrote, they promptly let the individual go.The congressional investigation found that one citizen was actually held for four days.Response: In response to ProPublicas request for comment about the report, DHS again denied targeting Americans. We dont arrest US citizens for immigration enforcement, wrote an agency spokesperson.Read the InvestigationWe Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. Theyve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.The post Immigration Agents Have Often Grabbed and Mistreated Citizens, Congressional Investigators Find appeared first on ProPublica.

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This photo provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows debris on Interstate 90 from a rainstorm Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Washington State Department of Transportation via AP)2025-12-09T14:47:08Z The first of a series of powerful storms hit the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, dumping heavy rain, swelling rivers and prompting high water rescues, authorities said.The National Weather Services Weather Prediction Center forecast several days of heavy rainfall in western Washington and northwestern Oregon with the trans-Pacific jet stream bringing heavy rain along the coast and more than a foot of new snow in the northern Rockies in northwestern Wyoming. Flood watches are in effect with scattered flash flooding possible along the coast and into the Cascades through midweek.Fire crews rescued two people who were trapped by floodwaters at a campsite in the Gold Bar area of Snohomish County north of Seattle on Monday night, KOMO-TV reported. Crews used drones and water rescue crafts to reach them and get them to safety, officials said. The Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management warned Tuesday morning that rivers in the county remained under flood warning with the Skykomish River hitting major flood status at Gold Bar overnight. Gold Bar police said in a social media post Monday evening that deputies were going door-to-door in the Moonlight Drive neighborhood to warn residents of imminent flooding. The Washington State Department of Transportation closed eastbound Interstate 90 at North Bend, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of Seattle, due to debris covering the road after heavy rain and wind, Summer Derrey, an assistant communications manager, said Tuesday. The roadway reopened Tuesday morning. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on The weather services Seattle office said in a social media post on Tuesday morning that the atmospheric river an unusually strong storm system has shifted southward, but precipitation was expected to shift back toward the north later in the day, bringing another round of heavy rainfall and causing significant river flooding. Portland transportation officials warned residents that the heaviest rain was expected to hit during the Tuesday morning commute, with an increased risk of car crashes due to hydroplaning or driving through flooded roads. Meanwhile, a fast-moving storm moving eastward across the Upper Midwest on Tuesday was forecast to bring a range of wintry weather, including freezing rain, high winds and heavy snow.This is definitely one of those messy winter weather events that were going to be having come through, depending on where you are in the northern plains here, said Ryan Dunleavy, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities.North Dakota was experiencing rain and freezing rain, said Connor Smith, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Bismarck. Much of the state was under a no-travel advisory due to freezing rain and slippery roads. Some schools closed or moved to virtual lessons due to the weather conditions.Most of Montana and the Dakotas were under a high wind warning. Winds could blow up to 65 mph (105 kph) Tuesday afternoon, Smith said. High winds could make travel difficult and blow around unsecured objects, Christmas decorations and already fallen snow, he said. Wintry weather is expected to impact the evening commute in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, starting Tuesday afternoon and lasting into the night, Dunleavy said. Parts of central and northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin have potential for heavy snow, with a wintry mix forecast across the Twin Cities metro and southwest Minnesota, with potentially strong winds to follow, Dunleavy said.Commuters should allow for extra time traveling, he said. The storm is expected to head into the Great Lakes region by Wednesday.

Instagram is generating headlines for users Instagram posts without their knowledge, seemingly in an attempt to get those posts to rank higher in Google Search results.I first noticed Instagram-generated headlines thanks to a Bluesky post from the author Jeff VanderMeer. Last week, VanderMeer posted a video to Instagram of a bunny eating a banana. VanderMeer didnt include a caption or comment with the post, but noticed that it appeared in Google Search results with the following headline: Meet the Bunny Who Loves Eating Bananas, A Nutritious Snack For Your Pet.Jeff VanderMeer (@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social)This post requires authentication to view.Bluesky SocialAnother Instagram post from the Groton Public Library in Massachusettsan image of VanderMeers Annihilation book cover promoting a group readingalso didnt include a caption or comment, but appears on Google Search results with the following headline Join Jeff VanderMeer on a Thrilling Beachside Adventure with Mesta Jeff VanderMeer (@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social)This post requires authentication to view.Bluesky SocialIve confirmed that Instagram is generating headlines in a similar style for other users without their knowledge. One cosplayer who wished to remain anonymous posted a video of herself showing off costumes in various locations. The same post appeared on Google with a headline about discovering real-life locations to do cosplaying in Seattle. This Instagram mentioned the city in a hashtag but did not write anything resembling that headline.Google told me that it is not generating the headlines, and that its pulling the text directly from Instagram. Meta acknowledged my request for comment but did not respond in time for publication. Ill update this story if I hear back.I hate it, VanderMeer told me in an email. If I post content, I want to be the one contextualizing it, not some third party. It's especially bad because they're using the most click-bait style of headline generation, which is antithetical to how I try to be on socialwhich is absolutely NOT calculated, but organic, humorous, and sincere. Then you add in that this is likely an automated AI process, which means unintentionally contributing to theft and a junk industry, and that the headlines are often inaccurate and the summary descriptions below the headline even worse... basically, your post through search results becomes shitty spam.I would not write mediocre text like that and it sounds as if it was auto-generated at-scale with an LLM. This becomes problematic when the headline or description advertises someone in a way that is not how they would personally describe themselves, Brian Dang, another cosplayer who goes by @mrdangphotos and noticed Instagram generated headlines for his posts, told me. We dont know how exactly Instagram is generating these headlines.By using Google's Rich Result Test tool, which shows what Google sees for any site, I saw that these headlines appeared under the <title></title> tags for those posts Instagram pages.It appears that Instagram is only serving that title to Google (and perhaps other search bots), Jon Henshaw, a search engine optimization (SEO) expert and editor of Coywolf, told me in an email. I couldn't find any reference to it in the pre-rendered or rendered HTML in Chrome Dev Tools as a regular visitor on my home network. It does appear like Instagram is generating titles and doing it explicitly for search engines.When I looked at the code for these pages, I saw that Instagram was also generating long descriptions for posts without the users knowledge, like: Seattles cosplay photography is a treasure trove of inspiration for fans of the genre. Check out these real-life cosplay locations and photos taken by @mrdangphotos. From costumes to locations, get the scoop on how to recreate these looks and capture your own cosplay moments in Seattle.Neither the generated headlines or the descriptions are the alternative text (alt text) that Instagram automatically generates for accessibility reasons. To create alt text, Instagram uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to automatically create a description of the image that people who are blind or have low-vision can access with a screen reader. Sometimes the alt text Instagram generates appears under the headline in Google Search results. At other times, generated description copy that is not the alt text appears in the same place. We dont know how exactly Instagram is creating these headlines, but it could use similar technology.The larger implications are terriblesearch results could show inaccurate results that are reputationally damaging or promulgating a falsehood that actively harms someone who doesn't drill down, VanderMeer said. And we all know we live in a world where often people are just reading the headline and first couple of paragraphs of an article, so it's possible something could go viral based on a factual misunderstanding.

The anti-LGBTQ+ former chair of the Crawford County, Arkansas, Library System board was arrested last week, along with three other people, for allegedly plotting the kidnapping of her own developmentally disabled adult daughter.According to local CBS affiliate 5News, an arrest warrant for 59-year-old Tammi Hamby alleges that she cooked up the November 17 kidnapping as a scare tactic to prevent her 22-year-old adopted daughter, Jami, from interacting with strangers online. Hambys husband, Jeffrey,told the outletlast week that the couple had grown concerned over the past six months that Jami had developed a relationship with someone online who claimed to be country singer Luke Bryan. Related Parents sue library system to fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ book censorship We tried everything, and she has not stopped communicating with him, and he was going to get her. He was going to take her. And so, my wife, without my knowledge, with her aide and a couple of their friends, tried to do an intervention, Jeffrey said.Court documents allege that Tammi Hamby approached her daughters in-home nursing assistant, Shannon Yazmin Yvonne Childers, about the plan, and Childers recruited David Quach and Nico Austria to help carry it out, according to both 5News and the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Austria and Quach reportedly lured Jami from her home on November 17, claiming they would take her to meet Bryan. They then drove her to a field where they demanded money from her before zip-tying her wrists to a tree and leaving her, all while Tammi Hamby watched from a distance. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today While Tammi allegedly planned to rescue her daughter, Jami was able to free herself and ran to a nearby house where the residents called 911.The Crawford County Sheriffs Office deputy who responded to the call said that Jami was in fear for her life and clung tightly to a teddy bear the entire time he interviewed her.Tammi Hamby, Childers, Quach, and Austria all turned themselves in at the Crawford County Detention Center on December 3. On Friday, all four were charged with conspiring to kidnapping, first-degree false imprisonment, abuse of an endangered or impaired person, third-degree battery, and second-degree terroristic threatening, according to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Jeffrey Hamby defended his wife following her arrest last Wednesday, suggesting in an interview with 5News that local law enforcement had driven her to such extreme measures with their inaction after the couple reported that their daughter was interacting with an alleged online predator.If your own special-needs daughter, who has the mentality of an 11 year-old, has an auditory processing disorder, and is a tactile learner, becomes influenced by an online predator, she believes is the well-known public figure Luke Bryan, and that predator tells her hes coming to pick her up, and she wants to go with him, how do you teach her, someone with no concept or understanding of evil, that danger exists? he wrote on Facebook last week.Just because theres suspicious activity doesnt just allow us to just go out and start rounding up people, Crawford County Prosecutor Kevin Holmes told the outlet in response. You know, parents have some responsibility. I mean, this is a special needs girl who if theres issues with the internet, then you just cut her off from the internet. Jeffrey Hamby told 5News last Wednesday that Jami was now in DHS custody. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that following a closed protective custody hearing on December 2, the day before Tammi Hamby turned herself in, Jami left with caseworkers while Jeffrey and Tammi left in a separate vehicle. The Hambys previously made headlines for their crusade against LGBTQ+-inclusive childrens books in local libraries. As Hemant Mehta notes in his Friendly Atheist newsletter, beginning in 2022, Tammi Hamby leveraged her position on the Crawford County Quorum Court, which has the power to withhold funding from the library system, to pressure the Crawford County library board to remove LGBTQ+-inclusive books from libraries childrens sections. In a letter to local pastors, the Hambys claimed that the only reason to include LGBTQ+ books in the libraries childrens sections is grooming a generation of children to feel this is normal and an accepted way of life. Mehta also notes that the Hambys were supported by the River Valley City Elders, which he describes as a Christian Nationalist community organization.After several members of the library board resigned in protest, Tammi Hambys friend, county judge Chris Keith, appointed her to the board, where she became chairperson. In 2023, a group of Arkansas parents successfully sued Crawford County, the Crawford County Quorum Court, the library board (including Hamby), and Keith over their censorship of LGBTQ+ books. After a federal judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, Hamby reportedly argued that the library system should pay all legal costs rather than county officials. As Mehta notes, one report estimates that the legal battle has cost the county more than $575,000.According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Hamby resigned from the library board a week after allegedly staging her daughters kidnapping, citing her move away from the district.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg slammed the new Trump administration for spending time re-implementing gendered language at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instead of air safety in the aftermath of the first major commercial air crash in 16 years.Buttigieg shared a screenshot of a post by CNN reporter Pete Muntean that showed a memo from the FAA saying that the term NOTAM would now refer to Notice to Airmen instead of Notice to Air Missions. Muntean noted that the meaning of the term NOTAM was changed to Missions in 2021 under President Joe Biden. Related Conservatives are now blaming the DC crash on a trans woman who had nothing to do with it So after promising to focus on safety, theyve gotten right down to work on gender terminology? Buttigieg wrote in a post on Bluesky. 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 So after promising to focus on safety, theyve gotten right down to work on gender terminology?[image or embed] Pete Buttigieg (@petebuttigieg.bsky.social) February 11, 2025 at 1:14 AMThe U.S. had not had any commercial plane crash fatalities in 16 years until last night, when a military helicopter collided with American Eagle Flight 5342 near Reagan National Airport on January 29. Over 67 people on the helicopter and the plane died that day. Buttigiegs replacement Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, a former Fox News host and reality TV personality blamed the FAAs focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion when discussing air safety in the aftermath of the American Airlines crash and a medical plane crashing in Pennsylvania, killing seven people.You cant focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion when you try to hire air traffic controllers, you focus on the best and brightest, he said. I mean, again, some people like me like to have this conversation around equity. But if its your pilots or if its your air traffic controllers, you want the best. You want the brightest protecting yourself and your family. Thats what were going to do with the department.At least three more planes have crashed since Duffy made that statement, including a small plane veering off the runway in Arizona and crashing into another plane, killing at least one person; a commuter flight in Alaska that crashed and killed 10 people; and a plane that sliced through another while taxiing at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Donald Trump also blamed diversity in the immediate aftermath of the crash without even knowing anything about the people who were involved.I have common sense, and unfortunately, a lot of people dont, he said when pressed about how he could know that diversity was to blame here when the investigation has barely started.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Heated Rivalry has taken over everyones timeline yet again!While viewers eagerly await the release of episode four on Friday, HBO quietly posted a new screenshot from the upcoming episode and an episode description that has fans in a tailspin. The new photo shows Ilya Rozanov spooning his hockey rival-turned-lover, Shane Hollander, with his chin resting on his shoulder. "As hockey seasons come and go, Ilya is up to his old antics on and off the ice, while Shane continues to thrive in his game and career, the episode description reads. After a night together, Ilya lets his guard down, sending Shane into a panic. Meanwhile, Shanes budding relationship with a movie star only adds fuel and intensifies the turmoil between them. (@) The image quickly went viral, with fans dying to know if this means that the young men finally get to spend the night together after years of hiding their attraction and never spending more than a few hours together. Fans of the Rachel Reid gay hockey romance novel think they know whats to come in the next episode and are keeping their fingers crossed that the infamous tuna melt scene also includes Shane and Ilya sleeping cuddled up together. After seeing the image, fans immediately started crashing out and talking about how their hearts wont be able to handle everything that is about to happen in the next episode. Heated Rivalry may have gained popularity because of the intense chemistry between Shane and Ilya actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie and the fairly explicit gay sex scenes, but this sweet photo going viral proves that fans are just as excited for the yearning, tenderness, and intimacy between the two main characters. Heated Rivalry episode four premieres on Friday, December 12 at 12 a.m. ET on HBO Max in the U.S. and the Crave streaming platform in Canada. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Get ready for another gag-worthy season of RuPaul's Drag Race!As the uber-popular reality show gets ready for its 18th season, a new trailer is out, and so is the list of guest judges.This season, joining main judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, and Ts Madison is a lineup of pop culture icons including Cardi B, Teyana Taylor, Brook Shields, Law Roach, and Iman.Scroll through to see all the guest judges for the new season, as well as the new trailer!Season 18 of RuPaul's Drag Race premieres on MTV on Friday, January 2.Cardi BSee on InstagramAm I The Drama? rapper Cardi B will be the guest judge for the season premiere.Teyana TaylorSee on InstagramOne Battle After Another standout Teyana Taylor takes her iconic style to the Drag Race judges table.Zara LarssonSee on InstagramSwedish "Midnight Sun" singer Zara Larsson brings her pop girl expertise.Benny BlancoSee on InstagramMusic producer and Mr. Selena Gomez Benny Blanco appears as a judge in the new season.Dove CameronSee on InstagramThis actor, singer, and former Disney star is coming to the judge's table.Brooke ShieldsSee on InstagramLegendary actress and model Brooke Shields brings her years of knowlege to the show.ImanSee on InstagramOne of the all-time icons of fasion and modeling, Iman is a judge to watch out for!Atsuko OkatsukaSee on InstagramComedian Atsuko Okatsuka will bring the laughs and her unique style to the show!Law RoachSee on InstagramIf anyone knows fashion and a good look, its stylist Law Roach!Jamal SimsSee on InstagramChoreographer Jamal Sims brings his talents to Drag Race!Amy TaylorSee on InstagramAmy Taylor, known as Amyl from the popular Australian band Amyl and the Sniffers will be a judge!Annaleigh AshfordSee on InstagramTony winner Annaleigh Ashford is taking the stage as a judge this year!Danielle PinnockSee on InstagramGhosts star Danielle Pinnock will be haunting the judges table!Julianne NicholsonSee on InstagramJulianne Nicholson, who most recently played Dance Mom on Hacks will be on the show.Sarah ShermanSee on InstagramSNL's resident weirdo will be live and in the flesh on the new season of Drag Race!LelandSee on InstagramSinger/songerwriter Leland is coming to Drag Race!

Unless youve been living under a rock, youve probably heard all about Heated Rivalry. But what you probably dont know is how a real-life hockey rivalry and a certain Marvel movie played a role in the origins of the popular gay hockey romance show. Adapted from Rachel Reids popular novel of the same name, Heated Rivalry follows the fierce rivalry between star hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rosanov (Connor Storrie) and their secret, years-long, enemies-to-lovers romance off the ice.The Canadian series, which is streamed via Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the U.S., spans years as Shane and Ilya go from curious rookies who start a secret fling to Stanley Cup-winning rivals who spend years yearning for each other and meeting up for trysts before their romance can become something more. While the show may be based on Reids Game Changer series of interconnected standalone gay romance novels, the rivalry at the heart of Heated Rivalry (and some of her characters) was inspired by real-life hockey players and one of the episodes has a surprising fan-fiction origin story.Is 'Heated Rivalry' based on a real hockey rivalry?The gay romance between two National Hockey League stars might not be based on a true story, but the rivalry between Shane and Ilya was originally inspired by a famous hockey feud. NHL stars Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby were drafted in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and then spent years in a legendary rivalry that was egged on by fans and the media circus that surrounded them. The rivalry pushed both players to new heights in their careers, and games between their teams (the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals) became must-watch events for fans, much like the plot of Heated Rivarly minus the gay romance storyline. And while Reid says all of her characters are original creations, she admits she drew inspiration from the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry for the book."I never directly base my characters on any real people," Reid wrote on her website. "One of my inspirations for Heated Rivalry was, obviously, the extremely entertaining rivalry between Crosby and Ovechkin. But I was also inspired by other sports rivalries, by other fictional stories, and by my love of the enemies-to-lovers and forbidden romance tropes."Who are Shane and Ilya based on?The rivalry was based on the legendary feud between Crosby and Ovechkin. But beyond Ovechkin being a record-breaking star player and captain of his team, the only real similarity is that they are both Russian. In an interview with Canadas CP24, Reid said that she based Ilya on not only Ovechkin but "all these flashy European players like Jaromr Jgr, Teemu Selnne, and Ilya Kovalchuk.While Ilya was based on louder, more boisterous players, Reid drew inspiration for Shane from "more stoic, good boy captains, like Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, and Paul Kariya, who she described as being more role-modely types.Is Heated Rivalrys gay Marvel fanfic origin story true? (@) As soon as episode 3 aired, fans started talking about their theory that Game Changer the first book in Reids story that served as the basis for the episode has a surprising Marvel origin story.The fan theory is that Game Changer was originally a Stucky story posted to the fan-fiction website AO3 (Archive of Our Own). Stucky refers to the romantic pairing of Steve Rogers (Captain America) and Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier).Reid says that she didnt write the first book in her gay hockey romance series as a Stucky fanfic originally, but fans arent totally off base either. The story didn't start out as fanfic, but Game Changer was her first foray into fiction writing, and she was so nervous she decided to post her story on AO3 to build her confidence. So she reworked it into an alternate-universe story where Steve Rogers, the superstar captain of the New York Rangers, falls in love with smoothie barista Bucky Barnes because she thought you were only allowed to post fan fiction on the website. Honestly, I felt bad about it, Reid told Salon. I knew this wasnt what Game Changer was.In 2016, Reid was feeling better about her writing, so she pulled the story off the website and submitted her manuscript to publishers. And the rest is history. Heated Rivalry drops a new episode each Friday on HBO Max (and Crave in Canada).

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he doesn't anticipate wide receiver DK Metcalf's availability for Monday's game against the Miami Dolphins (6-7) to be "jeopardized" by his hospital visit and overnight stay in Baltimore after Sunday's win.

Weeks after the shooting, Frederick Green, 20, was taken into custody near Buffalo and brought back to Manhattan, the police said.