Romanias growing bear population has turned conservation into confrontation for people living in the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains.

The federally appointed government in the contested region has declared 25 books off limits, part of what many see as a pattern of repression.

The presidents policies are fueling the dreaded combination of slowing growth and rising inflation.

The Chinese leaders crackdown on military corruption reveals how deep his concerns run, not only about battlefield readiness, but about political survival, as well.

Officials have picked up people across the country, most of them Muslim, citing a national security risk. Rights groups say the raids are targeting detainees religion and language.

Americas withdrawal from the global order is forcing former allies to rethink their identities.

Washingtons push to negotiate an end to the war has raised concerns the Trump administration will make concessions to Moscow that Kyiv cannot accept.

A gunman who believed the Covid-19 vaccine had made him ill fired at the agencys Atlanta offices, killing a police officer and rattling the public health community.

The school, called BBS, enrolled 14 children in kindergarten through fourth grade and employed three full-time teachers and other staff members.

The billionaire has bought at least 11 properties in Palo Alto, Calif., creating a compound for his family, a private school for his children and headaches for his neighbors.

The Times editorial board argues that Congress must change the Federal Aviation Administrations funding structure.

People who serve on disturbing cases can suffer mental health effects for years after a trial ends.

The program gave birth to the idea of retirement and covers nearly all Americans but now it faces major financial and customer service challenges.

As companies like Amazon and Microsoft lay off workers and embrace A.I. coding tools, computer science graduates say theyre struggling to land tech jobs.

As products like weed gummies proliferate, more children and teens are suffering symptoms including seizures and life-threatening breathing problems.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is doing all he can to sign for Manchester United, and has sacked his agent. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

A Michigan teen was goaded into sharing an intimate photo that scammers threatened to expose unless he paid up.

Since President Trump retook office, many Ukrainians have worried a peace accord would be struck without them.

Bezalel Smotrich, the hard-line finance minister, said that Israel needed to move more decisively and quickly to defeat Hamas.

Some jurors experience mental health effects years after a trial ends.

Ms. Bruce, who has been the State Department spokeswoman since January, was a longtime political commentator and contributor at Fox News.

The daytime TV fixture seems to have taken a rightward turn. But dont call it politics.

Trump wants to bring sex testing back to the Olympics. Hes in for a surprise.A history lesson: Sex testing was banned over 20 years ago at the Olympics because the tests were difficult, expensive, and potentially inaccurate, not even accurately distinguishing between cis men and cis women. Why it matters: Trump wants to take a more hands-on approach to the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, and this move will probably be just one of the many right-wing political views he will try to impose on the games. Trump wants to bring sex testing back to the Olympics. Hes in for a surprise. Massachusetts lesbian Gov. Maura Healey signs new shield law for abortion & trans health care 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 How it protects people: Massachusetts already has a medical shield law to protect people getting gender-affirming or reproductive health care from prosecution in other states. This law limits the release of personal data, allows prescription labels to include only the name of the prescribing practice and not the specific prescribing doctor, and codifies into law access to emergency, medically necessary abortions.Why it matters: Blue states are stepping up for peoples rights as the federal government and red states continue to attack them and show interest in prosecuting people for things that used to be considered out of their jurisdiction. Massachusetts lesbian Gov. Maura Healey signs new shield law for abortion & trans health care Pete Buttigieg says trans sports ban debate is especially hurtful for trans peopleDid he double down or clarify his position? Buttigieg faced criticism for comments about trans sports bans during an NPR interview last month. Whether he doubled down or clarified his position in this new interview is apparently a matter of ones point of view.Why it matters: Sports participation is the trans rights issue that polls the worst and is, along with gender-affirming care for minors, the issue that attracts the most heat from the right. How Democrats handle it may determine their electoral success in 2026 and beyond. Pete Buttigieg says trans sports ban debate is especially hurtful for trans people George Santos discovers that prison sucks: You dont have the same rights in here!What he complained about: Having to wear state-issued polyester, having to walk on linoleum floors, eating food thats joyless and served with indifference, and using soap that he describes as government-issued sandpaper.Why it matters: Santos has a way to communicate with the outside world and a lot of time to write letters. How he uses his platform, though, could change as he spends more time in prison. George Santos discovers that prison sucks: You dont have the same rights in here! Merciless: New Hampshire bans all gender-affirming care for trans minorsWhat LGBTQ+ advocates are saying: The bill is merciless, cruel, and painful fortransgenderyoung people, their families, and their doctors.Why it matters: While half of the states have bans on gender-affirming care for trans minors, New Hampshire is the first state in New England to pass such a bill. Merciless: New Hampshire bans all gender-affirming care for trans minors Heres a pictureIts August, and that means its time for beach parties. Last weekend, the Big Gay Weekend Beach Party took place at North Lido Beach in Sarasota, Florida. | Thomas Bender/Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK And here are some interesting queer and trans reads.This trans journalist wrote from prison on a contraband cellphone. Now shes a Pride grand marshal.LGBTQ Nation Deputy Editor Molly Sprayregen talked to Christy Perez, a trans woman who built a new life for herself from prison with a cellphone. This trans journalist wrote from prison on a contraband cellphone. Now shes a Pride grand marshal. How gay couples are marrying tradition & modernity at their weddingsLGBTQ Nation contributor Elsie Carson-Holt looked into how LGBTQ+ couples bring traditions from their cultural backgrounds which are often anti-LGBTQ+ to their weddings. How gay couples are marrying tradition & modernity at their weddings American Ninja & runner explain how being trans helps them undercut their competitors machismoLGBTQ Nation contributor Greg Owen talked to trans masculine athletes about how they approach sports and masculinity. American Ninja & runner explain how being trans helps them undercut their competitors machismo Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Zohran Mamdanis win in the Democratic primary has challenged traditional assumptions about New York Citys Black electorate and its influence in city politics.

Young adults without jobs that provide insurance find that their options are limited and expensive. The problem is about to get worse.

Its a difficult rite of passage for young adults without job-based insurance. Here are some tips for getting started.

Just one easy shift helped me enjoy my kitchen again.READ MORE...

Jimbo Fisher, who received a record $76 million buyout after he was fired as Texas A&M football coach in 2023, says he wants to return to the sideline.

The mayor of Los Angeles has emerged as a leading voice of the citys resistance to the Trump administration after facing criticism for her handling of the wildfires.

Renowned asexual activist David Jay always wanted children. While he was open to adopting and foster care due to his asexual identity, he also wanted a co-parent who was willing to raise children with him without engaging in a romantic relationship. He began exploring creative ways to build a family, and today, he is the father of a daughter, Octavia, along with her biological parents, married couple Avary Kent and Zeke Hausfather. They all live together in California, where three-parent adoption is legal. As such, all are legally Octavias parents. Related Family-building while queer isnt easy. You dont have to do it alone. This modern family highlighted in a new report by The Atlantic is not as unique as it may seem. Three-parent families have long been a feature of the queer community, and even in non-queer circles, it is becoming increasingly common for kids to grow up in families that do not fit the traditional mold. A 2014 study from the Pew Research Center found that only 46% of kids in the United States were living in a two-parent heterosexual home with parents in a first marriage, down from 73% in 1960. Eleven years later, kids family makeup has no doubt become even more diverse. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today But the increasing ability for three parents to have legal custody over a child is definitely newer. Jay, in fact, is part of a community of families engaged in non-traditional parenting. The idea of having to match romantically and sexually [while] co-parenting and cohabiting, its so much, you know? Kaitie, a part of this community, told the Atlantic. I dont feel like I need to checkallthose boxes to find the perfect co-parent.Jay believes there are endless ways for adults to play large roles in childrens lives. If youre someone like me, who really wants kids in my life and doesnt want a primary romantic and sexual partner, then there are ways to do that, he said. If you are someone who wants a kid in your life but you really want a kid in your life once a week, not every day, for many hours a day, you can find a way to do that.Choose your own family and choose your own path, he emphasized. For him, there are many benefits to his chosen family structure three incomes, three sets of hands, and three adults for Octavia to form strong bonds with. Hes also very aware that his racial and financial privilege is what has allowed his family to thrive, considering the third-parent adoption process cost $5,000.He also thinks the fact that he is not in a polyamorous relationship with Kent and Hausfather has made his family more easily accepted by others, as it allows people to hold onto their concepts of a two-person romantic relationship. We sidestep all of the shaming and social scripts that would be [involved] in a poly three-parent family, he said. Theres this whole universe of navigating implications about our sexual relationships that we just avoid entirely, and so that allows people to focus on the parenting and the benefit of the parenting. He also said the fight for marriage equality, while worthy, has reinforced stigma for three-parent families by reinforcing coupling as the norm. It has taken away some of the power of being able to live radically queer lives without needing to fit into a capitalist, patriarchal structure of a nuclear family, he said. In the end, its about stability for a child and not how many parents they have.All of our research points to the fact that its the quality of the relationships that matters, and the handling of communication and conflict, and the number of people in the household is not really the key,said sociologist Pamela Braboy Jackson.Just because family structure is different doesnt mean that family operates any differently.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Rules are meant to be broken.READ MORE...

Liberty star Breanna Stewart hopes to return by the end of August as she continues to recover from a bone bruise in her right knee.

Warm relations between Alaskans and Russians began to shift with the rise of Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. In Alaska, feelings on the two leaders meeting seemed mixed.

The decision triggers fears that the U.S. might return to a pattern of military interference in the region that dates to the Monroe Doctrine.

Gene Karpinski, who retired from leading the League of Conservation Voters after two decades, said the group that once backed G.O.P. candidates now finds it difficult to do so.

The price has been AriZonas calling card for nearly three decades. A 50 percent tariff on imported aluminum may change that.

Its a travel essential.READ MORE...

Doja Cat isnt just kicking off a new musical era shes also squashing old beefs.During her highly anticipated return to the Outside Lands Music Festival on Friday night, the Scarlet star premiered her synth-soaked new single Jealous Type and embraced a bold 80s aesthetic. But the moment that truly broke the internet? A surprise reconciliation with the TikTok fan she once famously dubbed musty.Yes, that musty boy.Back in June, Doja and the fan (whose real name remains a mystery but who has gone viral for his enthusiastic support) had a prickly exchange after he handed her a t-shirt during a fan meet-up. She later called him musty in a TikTok a diss that lit up stan Twitter and left fans divided over who crossed the line.But at Outside Lands, it was all love.In a new TikTok posted during the festival, Doja and the formerly musty fan reunited and this time, things were decidedly more friendly. The two were seen smiling and posing together in a short clip that quickly made the rounds online, signaling that whatever awkwardness existed between them is officially in the past.Its just one part of a weekend thats seen Doja Cat blend pop spectacle, drama, and deep queer energy. Her Friday night set at Golden Gate Park featured high-concept visuals, platinum-blonde hair piled high, and a zebra-striped catsuit that looked like it was pulled straight from a Depeche Mode cover shoot. She only previewed a portion of Jealous Type a glittery, new wave-infused track during her main set, saving the full rap verse for an intimate afterparty at Oasis, a historic queer nightclub in San Francisco thats set to close by years end.That afterparty also saw Doja debut another unreleased song, Take Me Dancing, in a cozy, low-production set that felt like a love letter to the local LGBTQ+ scene.As for Vie, her upcoming album, fans are already drawing comparisons between its rose-themed artwork and Depeche Modes Violator. If Jealous Type is any indication, the new era is ditching the dark rap of Scarlet 2 CLAUDE for something shinier, sassier, and more sonically nostalgic.And if making up with a so-called musty fan in the middle of all that is part of the rollout? Honestly, its peak Doja.Source

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Hunter Greene will return to the Reds' rotation Wednesday to face the Phillies.

Tennessee's Ruby Whitehorn has been charged with aggravated burglary and domestic assault after she was arrested Friday following a domestic dispute call, court records show.

Titans running back Tyjae Spears is expected to be out for a few weeks due to a high ankle sprain.

Crystal Palace topped Liverpool for the Community Shield, and once again VAR was up for discussion.

Dmitri N. Kozak, who has said privately that the invasion was a mistake, has lost power to another senior Putin ally, Sergei V. Kiriyenko, who has embraced the military action.

Record-setting rainfall caused intense flooding in and around the Milwaukee area starting on Saturday night.

He missed his chance to be Led Zeppelins lead vocalist, but his solo work and his otherworldly voice drew raves from Aretha Franklin and others.

For three years, Sergei V. Kiriyenko has handled the political aspects of the war in Ukraine, rising among a cadre of skilled managers who oversee the sprawling Russian state.

Showing an uncanny ability to adapt to circumstances, Sergei V. Kiriyenko has turned himself into a key engineer of President Vladimir V. Putins autocratic machine.

Big Freedia is taking the Outside Lands stage this weekend with more than just bounce music and bops shes bringing a message of hope, healing, and pure joy.Just ahead of her double-header at the festival including a special main stage appearance with the San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus the Queen of Bounce dropped her most personal and powerful project yet: a gospel album titled Pressing On.The new record is a soulful departure from the high-energy club anthems fans may know her for. Instead, Pressing On taps into Freedias church roots, delivering tracks filled with spirituality, celebration, and love without judgment.I come from the gospel world, Freedia told Gayety in a pre-festival interview. Im a church baby, and God put it on my heart to put out this gospel album. Were representing and making people realize theres so much to celebrate in life right now.Freedia, who has always embraced her identity loudly and unapologetically, says this album is for everyone Black, white, gay, straight, devout, questioning, or anything in between. This album is inclusive, she said. Its for all of the people. I wanted to make something pure and from the heart, with no judgment just love and God all over it.The album features collaborations with longtime friends and artists she personally reached out to, including queer gospel icon Billy Porter. Everyone I called was like, Oh my God, youre doing gospel? And I was like, Yes. And they were like, Im down.Freedias message is simple: connect with whatever higher power feels right for you. A lot of people feel like they dont have a relationship with a church or congregation, but this album gives them the opportunity to get their connection back with God, she said. You dont need a building. You need a personal relationship.The albums title track, Pressing On, stands as a mantra for Freedia and for the moment. With the state of the world we live in, everybody just has to keep on pressing on, she said. Everything else will be all right.And while Pressing On may center God, it also centers joy something Freedia continues to spread onstage, whether in intimate clubs or at major festivals around the world. Im going to festivals all around the world and bringing joy to people, she said. And its such a great feeling to bring a little bit of New Orleans with me everywhere I go.That energy will undoubtedly fill San Franciscos Golden Gate Park this weekend, where Freedia performs both at the more intimate Dolores Stage and, in a full-circle moment, with the San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus on the main stage.Whether youre religious, spiritual, or simply vibing, Big Freedia wants Pressing On to be a source of comfort and connection.So what does she hope listeners walk away with?A little more love in their heart, she said. And the strength to keep going.As Big Freedia celebrates the release of her deeply personal gospel album Pressing On, her journey is marked not only by spiritual growth, but also by profound grief.Just months before taking the stage at Outside Lands, Freedia lost her partner of 20 years, Devon Hurst, who passed away in May at age 38 due to complications from diabetes. In a heartfelt social media post, Freedia described the loss as devastating, writing, He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family He will be deeply missed by everyone in this community who knew him and loved him.Hurst was more than a partner he was Freedias anchor. Their two-decade relationship was built on love, trust, and mutual respect, a constant throughout the highs and lows of Freedias rise to fame. His death, she shared, has left an irreplaceable void.Freedia says this new album a return to her gospel roots is not only a celebration of faith, but a reminder to cherish life and love while we have it. Pressing On is about resilience, she said. Its about moving forward, even when the pain feels impossible.In both her music and her mourning, Freedia continues to show the strength of her spirit and the power of love to endure.Source

The Phillies have recalled 40-year-old reliever David Robertson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, three weeks after his free agent deal with the NL East leaders.