A look at the boxers who have the biggest chance to get the honors and how they can secure the award.

A budget shortfall has led the citys transit authority to cut its bus and rail services by 20 percent.

Gaza-based reporters said the four had worked for various international media outlets. The Israeli military confirmed its forces had struck the hospital area, without saying why.

After Hurricane Katrina, Congress passed a law to strengthen the nations disaster response. FEMA employees say the Trump administration has reversed that progress.

Executives are racing to boost revenues at the struggling doughnut maker as sales slump and shares tumble.

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Jennifer Vasquez Sura, front left, wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, attends a protest rally at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Baltimore, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, to support Kilmar Abrego Garciab. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)2025-08-25T11:50:19Z BALTIMORE (AP) Kilmar Abrego Garcia surrendered to U.S. immigration authorities in Baltimore Monday and faces possible efforts by the Trump administration to deport him immediately.The 30-year-old Maryland construction worker and Salvadoran national spoke at a rally before he turned himself in. This administration has hit us hard, but I want to tell you guys something: God is with us, and God will never leave us, Abrego Garcia said, speaking through a translator. God will bring justice to all the injustice we are suffering.Abrego Garcia entered the offices of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a downtown office building. His wife emerged without him a few minutes later, appearing to have tears in her eyes. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a tweet that Abrego Garcia was being processed for deportation. Abrego Garcias attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said a lawsuit had been filed in federal district court in Maryland shortly after his detention asking for an order that he not be deported. I expect theres going to be a status conference very promptly, and were going to ask for an interim order that he not be deported, pending his due process rights to contest deportation to any particular country, he said. Abrego Garcia became the face of President Donald Trumps hardline immigration policies when he was wrongfully deported in March to a notorious prison in his native El Salvador. He was returned to the U.S. in June, but only to face human smuggling charges that his lawyers call preposterous and vindictive. Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel. The Trump administration has said it is trying to deport Abrego Garcia months before his trial is scheduled in Tennessee, alleging that the married father is a danger to the community and an MS-13 gang member. He has denied the gang allegation, pleaded not guilty to smuggling charges and has asked a judge to dismiss the case on ground of vindictive prosecution. Abrego Garcia was released Friday afternoon from a jail in Tennessee. He returned to his family in Maryland. Video released by advocates of the reunion showed a room decorated with streamers, flowers and signs. He embraced loved ones and thanked them for everything. Immigration officials have said they plan to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda, which recently agreed to a deal to accept certain deportees from the U.S. He declined an offer to be removed to Costa Rica in exchange for pleading guilty to human smuggling charges. Filings in federal court show the Costa Rican government saying Abrego Garcia would be welcomed as a legal immigrant and wouldnt face detention.In a statement, Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin said the criminal charges underscore how Abrego Garcia presents a clear danger and that he can either plead guilty or stand trial. Either way, we will hold Abrego Garcia accountable and protect the American people, Gilmartin said.The U.S. mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador in March, despite a judges earlier determination that he faced a well-founded fear of violence there. Facing a court order, the Trump administration brought him back to the United States in June, only to detain him on human smuggling charges. He pleaded not guilty and asked the judge to dismiss the case, claiming that it is an attempt to punish him for challenging his deportation to El Salvador. His lawyers have argued that the threat to deport him to Uganda is more proof that the prosecution is vindictive.The smuggling charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee for speeding. There were nine passengers in the car, and officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling. Abrego Garcia was allowed to continue driving with only a warning. Abrego Garcia has an American wife and children and has lived in Maryland for years. Although he was deemed eligible for pretrial release last month, he remained in jail at the request of his attorneys, who feared the Republican administration could try to immediately deport him again if he were freed. A recent ruling in a separate case in Maryland required ICE to provide 72 hours notice before initiating deportation proceedings time to allow a prospective deportee to mount a defense. An email from ICE sent to attorneys at 4:01 p.m. on Friday refers to that decision. Please let this email serve as notice that DHS may remove your client, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, to Uganda no earlier than 72 hours from now (absent weekends), it states. Uganda recently agreed to take deportees from the U.S., provided they do not have criminal records and are not unaccompanied minors.Federal officials have argued that Abrego Garcia can be deported because he came to the U.S. illegally and because a U.S. immigration judge deemed him eligible for expulsion in 2019, just not to his native El Salvador._____Editors note: This is a new version of the story about Kilmar Abrego Garcia turning himself into ICE. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

2025-08-25T12:27:28Z CAIRO (AP) A humanitarian group says Libyas coast guard fired upon its vessel as it searched for a migrant boat in distress in the Mediterranean Sea.The nonprofit SOS Mediterranee released details of the confrontation Monday. It said the Libyan coast guard shot at the vessel in international waters for 20 minutes on Sunday afternoon, about 40 nautical miles north of the Libyan coast.No casualties were reported, although the group said the vessel had significant damage.The attack appeared to be one of the most violent involving a European rescue ship and the Libyan coast guard, which receives training, equipment and funding from the European Union.A coast guard spokesman didnt respond to a request for comment.SOS Mediterranee charters the Norwegian-flagged Ocean Viking in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Ocean Viking was on its way to Italy on Monday with 87 migrants it had rescued from other boats before the attack.We demand a full investigation into the events of yesterday afternoon and that those responsible for these lifethreatening attacks be brought to justice, said Soazic Dupuy, director of operations at SOS Mediterranee.

Crime-awareness app Citizen is using AI to write alerts that go live on the platform without any prior human review, leading to factual inaccuracies, the publication of gory details about crimes, and the exposure of sensitive data such as peoples license plates and names, 404 Media has learned.The news comes as Citizen recently laid off more than a dozen unionized employees, with some sources believing the firings are related to Citizens increased use of AI and the shifting of some tasks to overseas workers. It also comes as New York City enters a more formal partnership with the app.Speed was the name of the game, one source told 404 Media. The AI was capturing, packaging, and shipping out an initial notification without our initial input. It was then our job to go in and add context from subsequent clips or, in instances where privacy was compromised, go in and edit that information out, they added, meaning after the alert had already been pushed out to Citizens users.Citizen bills itself as the app where people protect each other and has around 10 million users. People across the U.S. upload videos and photos of what is happening around them in an attempt to alert other users. Maybe thats a fight in progress, or additional footage from a major event. Citizens paid staff also continually listen to police radio feeds and push alerts based on those. Alerts in the app often include a title, a video if available, and sometimes some additional text. The company also sometimes sends people to scenes presenting themselves as normal users but who are actually company workers.For years Citizen employees have listened to radio feeds and written these alerts themselves. More recently, Citizen has turned to AI instead, with humans becoming increasingly bare, one source said. The descriptions of Citizens use of AI come from three sources familiar with the company. 404 Media granted them anonymity to protect them from retaliation.Do you know anything else about how Citizen or others are using AI? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at joseph.404 or send me an email at joseph@404media.co.Initially, Citizen brought in AI to assist with drafting notifications, two sources said. The next iteration was AI starting to push incidents from radio clips on its own, one added. There was no analyst or human involvement in the information that was being pushed in those alerts until after they were sent.All three sources said the AI made mistakes or included information it shouldnt have. AI mistranslated motor vehicle accident to murder vehicle accident. It interpreted addresses incorrectly and published an incorrect location. It would add gory or sensitive details that violated Citizens guidelines, like saying person shot in face or including a persons license plate details in an unconfirmed report. It would generate a report based on a homeless person sleeping in a location. The AI sometimes blasted a notification about police officers spotting a stolen vehicle or homicide suspect, potentially putting that operation at risk. The AI would sometimes write an alert as if officers had already arrived onto the scene and were verifying the incident, when in actuality the dispatcher was just providing supplemental information while officers were en route, the sources said.And the AI would sometimes duplicate incidents, not understanding that two pieces of dispatch audio are actually related to the same singular event. This especially happened with police chases, where the dispatch is continually providing a new address where the subject is. The AI would just go nuts and enter something at every address it would get and we would sometimes have 5-10 incidents clustered on the app that all pertain to the same thing, one source said. And the AI would sometimes leave out important information, such as whether a person was armed with a weapon or not. Instead of reporting the incident as a robbery in that context, the AI would write up the incident as a theft.All this time, the errors would be visible to Citizen users until an analyst was able to go in and fix the issue, a source added. But some were left online: We wouldnt have time to clean up the mess and would often just pick one incident to continue updating, one source added.This could skew the perception of crime in a particular area, they said, due to the AI creating more and more incidents. However, it seems like upper management was more focused and loved the look of more dots on the map and worried less about whether they were legitimate.While AI might get the majority of incidents correct, it still makes a lot of errors, one of the sources said. AI sometimes just gets stuff horribly wrong and you scratch your head wondering how it got there.Recently Citizen laid off 13 unionized workers, two sources said. Two sources pointed to the use of AI and sending work overseas as potential reasons for the layoffs. One said it seems some of the more outspoken analysts were let go. Those that questioned and pushed back on the declining editorial standards that came with incorporating AI and the shifting focus away from quality to quantity. We previously reported that Citizen used a company called CloudFactory in Nepal and Kenya, where contractors would listen to police radio feeds for $1.50 to $2 an hour.We previously reported on how Andrew Frame, the founder of Citizen, used the app to put a $30,000 bounty on an alleged arsonist's head during the 2021 Palisades, Los Angeles fires. It was the wrong person and they were innocent. At one point during that event, Citizens head of community Prince Mapp said We have mobilized a city to bring one person to justice.Last month Mapp was seen hugging New York Citys mayor Eric Adams, as the city partnered with Citizen by creating its own city-run account called NYC Public Safety. A huge part of building a safer city is ensuring New Yorkers have the information they need to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, Mayor Eric Adams said in a press release. Whether its a heat emergency, a flood warning, a fire or crime, our new NYC Public Safey [sic] account on Citizen will keep New Yorkers informed on threats and how their city government is working to keep them safe.Citizen did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) issued an executive orderessentially banning conversion therapy in his state and criticizing state Republicans who opposed a legislative ban on the practice. But then Republican lawmakers undid his executive order by passing a law protecting counselors who engage in the practice.Andy Beshears battle against conversion therapy exemplifies the larger legal and cultural war over the widely debunked and harmful pseudoscientific form of psychological torture that seeks to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. The Supreme Court will soon hear a case over similar bans, and its implications for LGBTQ+ minors and Christian conservatives will have long-reaching and fatal consequences. Related Heres what scientific studies on conversion therapy say Andy Beshears conversion therapy executive order, explainedIn September 2024, Gov. Beshear signed an executive order forbidding the use of state or federal funds to provide conversion therapy on minors and giving state licensing boards the authority to take disciplinary action against licensees found to have practiced conversion therapy on minors. 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 Conversion therapy has no basis in medicine or science, and it can cause significant long-term harm to our kids, including increased rates of suicide and depression, Beshear said upon signing the order. This is about protecting our youth from an inhumane practice that hurts them.The Kentucky Mental Health Coalition, the Kentucky Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers Kentucky chapter (NASW-KY), and the Fairness Campaign (Kentuckys leading LGBTQ+ organization) all applauded Beshears order, with NASW-KY Executive Director Brenda Rosen calling conversion therapy nothing more than physical, mental, and emotional torture. Why did Andy Beshear sign a conversion therapy executive order?In a press release about his executive order, Beshear noted that at least 23 states and the District of Columbia have prohibited the use of conversion therapy with minors in some way, either through executive orders or bipartisan legislation. About 21% of LGBTQ+ youth in Kentucky say theyve been threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy, according to the Trevor Project.He also noted that the nations leading medical and mental health organizations oppose conversion therapy, including the American Psychological Association, the American Counseling Association,and many others. These organizations call the practice harmful, ineffective, and say it actually increases peoples mental distress and suicidal ideation. The order also followed several other pro-LGBTQ+ stances that Beshear has taken as governor. He was Kentuckys first sitting governor to participate in the Statewide Fairness Rally, a lobbying meetup and demonstration at the states capitol. In 2021, he proclaimed June as Pride Month for the first time in the states gubernatorial history.He also vetoed bills banning access to gender-affirming health care, restricting bathroom access for trans and nonbinary people, and forbidding classroom instruction on LGBTQ+ issues (though Republican supermajorities in both of Kentuckys legislative chambers voted to override his veto).Some political observers have suggested that Beshears actions also seek to enhance his reputation among supporters of LGBTQ+ equality ahead of a possible 2028 campaign for president. Why did Republicans overturn Andy Beshears conversion therapy executive order?Kentucky State Rep. David Hale (R) speaks during a subcommittee hearing about the statewide school mask mandate due to COVID-19. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal via Imagn Images Content Services, LLCIn March 2025, state Republican legislators passed a bill overturning Beshears executive order.The bills lead sponsor, state Rep. David Hale (R),said his bill would protect counselors, therapists, and pastors providing therapy to minors from discriminatory actions by the government. He said his bill would specifically protect mental health care professionals, institutions, and ordained ministries from state-sanctioned discrimination and empower parents to help seek whatever kind of therapy to help best relieve their children of discomfort or distress caused by romantic or sexual attraction.David Walls, executive director of the far-right Family Foundation, applauded Hales bill as a needed pushback against Beshears executive action, which Walls labeled an attack on both religious freedom and free speech.During a hearing on the bill, Hale said he had found no evidence in his research reflecting the personal experiences of his bills opponents, who opposed conversion therapy as harmful. While Beshear sought to veto the bill, Republican supermajorities in Kentuckys legislatures approved the bill with enough support to override any veto attempts.In response to the Republican bill, Beshear said, We should not be allowing [conversion therapy] to happen here in the Commonwealth. [LGBTQ+ youth who are victims of the practice] are children of God that deserve our protection.Is Andy Beshears conversion therapy ban headed to the Supreme Court?No. But while his executive order and the Republicans law overturning it arent headed to the nations highest court, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear Chiles v. Salazar, a case that could overturn the bans on conversion therapy for minors currently in place in 23 states.The case, filed by the anti-LGBTQ+ Christian nationalist legal group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), involves Kaley Chiles a Christian licensed professional counselor in Colorado Springs, Colorado who says that the states conversion therapy ban prohibits her from advising clients with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender identity confusion who prioritize their faith above their feelings.Chiles challenged the law in 2022 as a violation of her First Amendment right to free speech. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upheld Colorados ban, saying that it regulated professional conduct rather than speech. The ADF appealed the decision to the nations highest court. The law firm claims that conversion therapy bans allow counselors to steer young people towards gender identities that differ from the sex they were assigned at birth, while punishing counselors for conversations that aim to help [young patients] return to comfort with their sex when they desire that. However, the ADFs claim mischaracterizes the bans.The bans allow counselors to address individuals discomfort with their LGBTQ+ identities, and many counselors will encourage people to safely explore their sexuality or gender to see if certain identities feel right for them or not. Counselors are not required to steer patients into accepting an LGBTQ+ identity.In a statement about the Supreme Courts decision to hear the case, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said, The Supreme Courts decision to take up this case isnt just about so-called conversion therapy its about whether extremists can use our courts to push their dangerous agenda, in an effort to erase LGBTQ+ people and gut protections that keep our kids safe. Theres no debate: so-called conversion therapy is a dangerous practice, not therapy, and it has no place in our communities. These bans exist to protect LGBTQ+ children from harmperiod.Because of the Courts 6-3 conservative majority and its habit of favoring Christian religious liberties, its very possible that the Court will vote to overturn bans on conversion therapy. Why do Andy Beshears conversion therapy ban and the Supreme Court matter?Over 1,320 conversion therapistsremain active across the U.S., including in states with bans in place, according toa report from the LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention organization The Trevor Project.With the Supreme Court likely to overturn state bans on conversion therapy, its important to note that conservatives will likely continue to erode pro-LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections under the guise of free speech and religious liberty.Numerous studies show that conversion therapy is ineffective and severely threatens peoples mental well-being. As such, the overturning of bans will threaten the lives of young people who are subjected to the practice.Despite this, depending on how the court rules, some states may still be able to oppose the practice under state regulatory business statutes that forbid using false advertising to market their services (especially since all major medical and psychological associations say that conversion therapy worsens its patients mental health and do nothing to change their LGBTQ+ identities, which dont require curing to begin with).Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

On May 1, 1999, Nickelodeon introduced the world to SpongeBob SquarePants, a lovable sea sponge living in a pineapple under the sea. Over the past 26 years, the show has captured the hearts of millions with its madcap humor, off-kilter characters, and quirky storylines. Among the many discussions surrounding the show, one of the most enduring questions is about whether or not SpongeBob is gay.The conversation around SpongeBobs sexuality began early in the shows history. Although creator Stephen Hillenburg stated in 2005 that they never intended them [Patrick and SpongeBob] to be gay and considered them to be almost asexual, fans have continued to speculate. The shows campy nature and SpongeBobs close relationship with his best friend Patrick Star have fueled rumors and theories over the years. Related Right-wing haters freak out over Disneys new X-Men cartoon featuring a nonbinary hero Nickelodeons Pride tweet Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month (: by @ramzymasri) pic.twitter.com/pENmTaQB0h Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) June 13, 2020In 2020, during Pride month, Nickelodeon tweeted an image that included SpongeBob alongside other LGBTQ+ characters, such as Korra from The Legend of Korra (who is bisexual) and Michael D. Cohen from Henry Danger (who is transgender). The tweet celebrated Pride and sparked renewed speculation about SpongeBobs sexuality, causing the hashtag #SpongeBobIsGay to start trending on social media. I dont think a show that primarily caters to the 12 & under crowd needs to reveal to the world that their lead character is gay, straight or anything else.Enough of the craziness with Spongebob. Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) June 14, 2020The speculation may have been based on a comment from Dr. James C. Dobson, the founder of the anti-LGBTQ+ Christian group Focus on the Family. In 2005, he claimed that SpongeBob Squarepants appeared in a pro-homosexual video that would be mailed to thousands of elementary schools to promote a tolerance pledge for differences in sexual identity, The New York Times reported. In actuality, the character appeared in a televised music video to teach kids about multiculturalism the video contained neither a pledge nor any mentions of sexual identity.However, the speculation about SpongeBobs sexual was furthered when anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) responded to Nickelodeons 2020 Pride month tweet, writing, Enough of the craziness with Spongebob. I dont think a show that primarily caters to the 12 & under crowd needs to reveal to the world that their lead character is gay, straight or anything else. Her tweet overlooked that numerous kids cartoons throughout history has portrayed heterosexual married couples and romantic relationships.Despite this, Nickelodeon has not explicitly confirmed SpongeBobs orientation, leaving fans to interpret the character in their own ways. Queer moments in SpongeBob SquarePants In a2005 interview with People magazine, Hillenburg stated that he never intended them [Patrick and SpongeBob] to be gay. I consider them to be almost asexual.Indeed, fans have speculated that SpongeBob is asexual as the show neverreally approaches the topic of him having a romantic relationship. Regardless of official statements and speculation, there have been several moments in the series that fans view through a queer lens:Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy (Season 1, Episode 6A): Fans see parallels between these characters and the theories about Batman and Robin being a couple.Valentines Day (Season 1, Episode 16A): Patricks jealousy over SpongeBob giving attention to others on Valentines Day plays out like a romantic drama.Your Shoes Untied (Season 2, Episode 21A): SpongeBob shrieks in surprise and quickly changes the channel from a show of a flowery sea anemone dancing to channel showing a football game when his pet, Gary, walks in. The moment mirrors a common trope about hiding ones sexuality or interest in non-masculine things.Rock-a-Bye Bivalve (Season 3 Episode 49B): SpongeBob dresses in a floral sunhat, a red polka dot skirt, high heel boots, and a parasol and walks along Patrick who wears a 1920s style mens boater hat and bowtie while Patrick pushes a baby carriage containing the scallop that theyre babysitting. The scene resembled a same-sex couple raising a child.Love That Squid (Season 7 Episode 151B): SpongeBob dresses in a black long-haired wig, pink lipstick, a purple blouse, and magenta shoes while going on a practice date with his male neighbor Squidward, to help Squidward get over his nervousness about dating.Academic articles and cultural commentators have also weighed in on SpongeBobs representation. Jeffrey Dennis, in his article Queertoons, argues that the series frequently portrays same-sex desire as valid and important, though this desire is often homoplatonic. This perspective adds another layer to understanding SpongeBob as a character who challenges traditional norms. SpongeBobs love knows no boundsAfter 25 years, SpongeBob SquarePants remains a beloved and somewhat sexually ambiguous character. Whether seen as gay, asexual, or simply a joyful sponge who loves everyone, SpongeBob continues to entertain and inspire. His cartoon encourages viewers to embrace their own wackiness, playfully challenge social norms, and to celebrate different forms of friendship.As we celebrate 25 years of SpongeBob, lets continue the conversation and create a space where all identities are accepted and valued.Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter for the latest news, stories, and updates on LGBTQ+ rights and issues.

We're following releases, trades, signings and other intriguing moves for all 32 NFL teams before the 4 p.m. ET roster cut-down deadline on Tuesday.

Fans were ready to run Day and his family out of town last November. He stayed resolute.

The transfer window closes on Sept. 1. Liverpool, Man United, Tottenham and Man City are all going to be busy.

Tottenham's win at Man City exposed Pep Guardiola's goalkeeper headache, while Kylian Mbappe rescued Real Madrid as Xabi Alonso continues to tweak his team, as Marcotti recaps the weekend.

Looking at why Manchester United were awarded a penalty at Fulham, but their goal was allowed to stand.

As a fight over the future of elite higher education consumes university leaders and politicians, most college students live in a very different world with very different challenges.

Men in the U.S. live six fewer years than women. One clinic is trying to persuade men that getting checked out could save their life.

The Chinese consulate in Manhattan has mobilized community groups to defeat candidates who dont fall in line with the authoritarian state.

Zohran Mamdanis coalition in the New York mayors race includes residents who have questioned whether they can afford to raise children in the city.

While the university was able to strike a deal with the Trump administration, the national outlook for federal science funding remains bleak.

ROANOKE, VAAs he struggled to discreetly administer the life-saving anaphylaxis treatment following a bee sting, local poor third-grader Mason Prewitt was reportedly bullied this week for using a generic EpiPen. Oh my God, is that really your auto-injector, or did you just tape a sewing needle to a glue stick? said classmate Lucas Hammond, who joined with several other children in waving their genuine EpiPens in Prewitts face as the boy jabbed the off-brand epinephrine-delivery device into his thigh. Its probably just filled with water. I wonder if it even stops your throat from closing, or if that costs extra. My parents would never send me to school without name-brand medication, but I guess thats because they love me. At press time, school officials unveiled plans to install a bench to honor Prewitts short life.The post Poor 3rd Grader Bullied For Using Generic EpiPen appeared first on The Onion.

NEW YORKStumped by the latest development to come out of the world of entertainment, sources confirmed Monday that presumably real television show Irish Blood had come to Acorn TV. Huh, look at that, one source said of the Alicia Silverstoneled series, which was presumably written, shot, and edited before being made available on the streaming service known as Acorn TV, where, should a person choose to take such an action, it could be viewed. In theory, I could sit down right now and watch at least four episodes of Irish Blood on Acorn TV. I probably wont. But presumably, I could. Hey, whats this thing called Agatha Raisin? At press time, sources reported that the presumably real series had given their televisions a virus.The post Presumably Real Television Show Comes To Acorn TV appeared first on The Onion.

A man is accused of killing his daughter and then wrapping her body in a Pride flag in order to honor her identity.Delbert Cornish, 51, of Caldwell, Idaho, has been arrested and is facing charges in connection to the death of 18-year-old Hope Onyx Cornish, his daughter. He has allegedly confessed to killing her and also said that he planned to kill his two sons and himself as well. Related Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the U.S. remain high even as overall crime decreases According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by KIVITV, Delbert Cornish was living with his three kids at his brothers home. He said that he got tired of witnessing his children get belittled by his brother, and he said that his brother would call his kids things like pedophile and loser.He said that he started planning to kill his children and himself last year and even went so far as to buy a gun, but his oldest son, whos 24 or 25 years old, violated parole and went to prison, so he put his plans on hold. But then he lost his job in early August and decided he couldnt hide it any longer. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Today was the day, he allegedly told his brother on Monday, August 18. He later told police he spent the rest of the day planning how he would kill his daughter, Onyx Cornish. He said that he stood outside her door later that day, trying to decide what to do when she unexpectedly opened the door. He allegedly shot her in the head, then watched her die and gasp for breath for 20 minutes. After she was dead, he wrapped her body in a Pride flag as a way to honor her, because it was something that meant a lot to her. He then shot her cat to death and went into a fit of rage, punching holes in the walls throughout the house and breaking Onyx Cornishs door with a hatchet. He wrote a confession and suicide note, got drunk, and waited for his younger son, 14 or 15, to get home from school. He told his son that he had killed his sister and to check on her. Police believe that he grabbed the gun and shot the floor, then pointed it at his sons chest. The son and Delbert Cornish fought over the gun, and the teenager was able to take control of it, run away, and call 911. Delbert Cornish drove to his ex-girlfriends house in nearby Mountain Home, Idaho, where he was later arrested. Im a piece of s**t, man, he allegedly told police. Im not going to lie, I did it. While being questioned by police, he cried and said he had a problem with alcohol and depression.Police entered the familys home and found a large note written on the wall that appeared to be a suicide note. Im a man of my word[,] my kids died by my hand, the note allegedly said. Im tired of them being made fun of. Im going! My kids are going with me.Police found Onyx Cornish dead and a hatchet stuck in her door. They saw that Delbert Cornishs brothers car was gone and were able to use records from license plate reading cameras to locate the vehicle. They noted that he was arrested without incident.Delbert admitted to me that he is an alcoholic who struggles with depression, the affidavit states. Delbert said he is tired of living and is tired of being belittled by his brother, whom he [and] his children live with. Delbert advised he is tired of his children being bullied by [his brother] and referenced named he calls them[.] It also says that he said he wanted to kill his children because he thought no one would take care of them after his death and that they would not be able to carry on in life without him. Because of this, he believed they would all be better off dead.He told police that he shot the cat for the same reasons, because no one would take care of it after they were all dead.He also reportedly told police that he didnt want to kill his younger son because of his love for him and because that was the only child he believed was biologically his. Delbert Cornish faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. He is being held without bond and has a court hearing scheduled for next week. The kids aunt, Debra Duran, is raising money on GoFundMe for Onyx Cornishs funeral expenses. She has raised about $4,000 of her $5,500 goal so far. The page says that the family is struggling with child care and housing issues resulting from this tragic incident.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

On Sept. 2, "Forward Progress: The Definitive Guide to the Future of College Football" will be released.

Fewer than 100 dusky gopher frogs were known to remain. Thanks to some very dedicated humans, numbers are now on the rise.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) announced a landmark free hotline for LGBTQ+ people in the state. Offered in both English and Spanish, the first-of-its-kind service launches today and will provide legal advice regarding housing, safety, health care access (including gender-affirming care), discrimination, identity documents, and more.Pritzker announced the initiative, called Illinois Pride Connect, at an August 21 event with the Chicago Legal Council for Health Justice, which will run the hotline. For us to be able to go on offense, and not be on defense, is what I love about this state, he said. Related Delray Beach to defy Ron DeSantis & fight to keep its Pride crosswalk Building upon the states transgender and gender-diverse wellness and equity project that we launched at the beginning of 2024, we will be the only state in the entire United States that provides free legal advice to protect the LGBTQ community, he said. Together we are fighting ignorance with information, were fighting cruelty with compassion. 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 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Governor JB Pritzker (@govpritzker)The hotline cost the state $250,000 (in addition to $100,000 in donor funds) and will be funded publicly through next summer, after which the organizations that helped create it including the Legal Council for Health Justice, Equality Illinois, Brave Space Alliance, and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago will maintain it with private funding, according to the Chicago Sun Times. IL Pride Connect was shaped by the voices and leadership of LGBTQIA+ communities across Illinois,said Dulce M. Quintero, secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), in a statement.This work is about solidarity and responsiveness making sure our systems reflect the needs, strength, and lived realities of the people they serve.The press release from IDHS slammed the cruel and dehumanizing legal attacks that the LGBTQ+ community currently faces and declares, IL Pride Connect was created to meet this moment. The Pride Connect website also serves as an information and resource hub outlining basic rights regarding healthcare, immigration, education, and more. It also has a quick exit button for those who need to hide what theyre looking at. Illinoisans seeking legal advice can call 855-805-9200 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.The website also clarifies that the hotline is not a crisis line and cannot assist with emergencies. Pritzker has long been a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has been standing strong against the president since his first administration. At a March Human Rights Campaign dinner, he vowed to stand up to anti-LGBTQ+ bullies and spoke directly to transgender youth to tell them they are not alone. And in the midst of this existential fight, this battle that seems to consume everything, well, lets not take the soul-sucking path of sacrificing the most persecuted for that which we deem to be most popular.I know that there are transgender children right now looking out at this world and wondering if anyone is going to stand up for them and for their simple right to exist. Well, I am. We are. We will.In April, he criticized do-nothing Democratic politicians who want to blame our [election] losses on our defense of Black people, of trans kids, of immigrants instead of their own lack of guts and gumption. He encouraged Democrats to fight the current presidential administration everywhere and all at once, even endorsing mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. In 2023, he signed a landmark bill making Illinois the first state to bar libraries from banning books.Here in Illinois, we dont hide from the truth, we embrace it,said Pritzker in astatement.Young people shouldnt be kept from learning about the realities of our world; I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

An American man hasn't won the US Open since 2003. From Beyonc to Mars, here's what people were talking about when Andy Roddick hoisted the trophy.

Exposure to heat waves over just two years could add up to 12 extra days of age-related health damage.

Known more for their museums, monuments and government buildings than their culture, Washingtonians are showing a spirit of dissent as protesters dog federal agents in their streets.

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Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, reacts during a match against Benjamin Bonzi, of France, in the first-round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)2025-08-25T15:24:08Z NEW YORK (AP) There are some tennis players, such as Frances Tiafoe or Madison Keys or Ben Shelton, who cant wait for the U.S. Open to come around each year, with its boisterous crowds, its bold-faced names in the stands, its music at changeovers, its buzz. To them, the louder, the better. Start the show and bring the noise.I operate well in chaos, said Tiafoe, twice a semifinalist at Flushing Meadows.Sometimes, it all can get out of control, as happened during a match that ended early Monday. There was a delay of more than five minutes while spectators booed and shouted egged on by 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev, who was angered by chair umpire Greg Allensworths ruling after a photographer interrupted play by going on court, of all things.They didnt want to stop, Medvedev said about the fans. So, whatever. US Open chaos is always there, even if it doesnt reach Medvedev levelsNot everyone is able to shrug off that sort of mayhem at a Grand Slam tournament famous some would say infamous for the over-served fans, airplanes roaring overhead, the Manhattan-Queens commute and the odors of everything from marijuana to food being grilled.Its something you really cant train the brain to kind of deal with, 1991-92 champion Monica Seles said. You just adjust to it.There also are those, such as 2024 champion Aryna Sabalenka or 2014 champion Marin Cilic or Petra Kvitova, who didnt start out with an affinity for the anarchy Really confusing, was Sabalenkas initial impression but grew to be OK with it. Some tennis players go from loving the US Open madness to hating itAnd there are even some whose opinion shifted the other way, from embracing to despising.In my 20s, I loved coming here. There was so much to do. But the older I get, the less I enjoy being here. Its a little bit chaotic. Theres always a lot of noise. A lot of smells everywhere. Ive visited most of the places in New York; I dont need to go to Central Park for the 1,003rd time, said Adrian Mannarino, 37, a Frenchman who began his 15th U.S. Open on Sunday by upsetting 29th-seeded Tallon Griekspoor.It used to be fun, Mannarino said about the tournament, but sometimes Im like, Gosh, I wish I could concentrate a little bit more. The types of scenes at the US Open do not show up at WimbledonThe hushes that envelope Wimbledons Centre Court or the French Opens Court Philippe-Chatrier which hold nearly 10,000 fewer spectators than 23,859-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium are harder to come by in New York.Wimbledon, for example its proper, its elegant, its elevated. People are definitely more quiet and respectful, I guess you could say, said Emma Navarro, an American who reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows last year. U.S. Open, it feels a bit more casual. Casually rowdy, I guess I would call it.There is a constant hum at Ashe and other arenas.Thats just fine with Shelton, whose first of two major semifinals came at the 2023 U.S. Open.I guess I find peace in the chaos, he said, because I feel more uncomfortable at the quiet tournaments.For the retired Agnieszka Radwanksa, the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2012, nothing ever came as easily at the U.S. Open, where she went 0-5 in fourth-round matches.Everything takes so much energy from you and just sucks it up. Everything is loud. All the smells around, like the hamburgers. Everything is really noisy. The traffic, Radwanska said. I respect the players that dont see the difference and dont feel that and can play like nothing is happening. US Open runner-up Casper Ruud dislikes New Yorks smell of marijuanaSome find the Big Apple itself as problematic as the tournament site.Elisabetta Cocciaretto, the Italian who stunned 2024 U.S. Open finalist Jessica Pegula in Wimbledons first round last month, never felt at ease until she stopped staying at an official tournament hotel and switched to a more off-the-beaten-path spot.I like to separate myself a bit, Cocciaretto said. Because otherwise, youre amid the madness. And if theres too much of that, your head explodes.Casper Ruud, the 2022 U.S. Open runner-up, felt overwhelmed the first time he came to the event as a junior.While hes come to enjoy New York, particularly the restaurants, theres one thing that bothers him about the city: Im not a big fan of the smell of weed when you walk around. ... Every corner of every street, you smell it. ___Howard Fendrich has been the APs tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis HOWARD FENDRICH Fendrich is an Associated Press national writer based in Washington, D.C. He reports on tennis and other sports. twitter mailto

Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, left, shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)2025-08-25T11:38:14Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy Keith Kellogg said in Kyiv on Monday that officials are working very, very hard on efforts to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine, as a lack of progress fuels doubts about whether a peace settlement could be on the horizon.Officials are hoping to get to a position where, in the near term, we have, with a lack of a better term, security guarantees that address Ukraines fears of another invasion by Russia in the future, Kellogg said.Thats a work in progress, Kellogg said of the potential security guarantees after attending Ukraines annual National Prayer Breakfast along with politicians, business leaders and diplomats.A week ago, Trump said he had set in motion arrangements for direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy. But Russian officials have signaled that such a summit wont happen any time soon. Trump said Friday he expects to decide on next steps in two weeks if direct talks arent scheduled.A stream of high-ranking visitors to Kyiv in recent days reflects concerns around the U.S.-led peace drive. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Kyiv on Sunday for meetings with Zelenskyy, pledging 2 billion Canadian dollars in aid, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was in the Ukrainian capital on Friday. Germanys vice chancellor and finance minister, Lars Klingbeil, arrived in Kyiv on Monday to discuss how Germany can best support Ukraine in a possible peace process. Putin spoke on the phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, the Kremlin said. Russia and Iran have close relations, and Putin has also deepened ties with China, India and North Korea as Western countries have sided with Ukraine in the war.Putin and Pezeshkian are expected to meet next week when China hosts the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations annual summit, in Tianjin. Germany, Norway vow more help for UkraineKlingbeil, the German vice chancellor, told Zelenskyy that Ukraines allies have to talk about what happens if President Putin does not relent, if he wants to continue the war.Germany will continue to stand by Ukraine, he said, echoing sentiments by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store earlier in the day.Norways multibillion-dollar military and civilian support for Ukraines fight to defeat Russias invasion will stretch into next year, Store said in Kyiv. He said he will propose to the Norwegian Parliament spending $8.45 billion on Ukraine next year.Store, whose country borders Russia, told a news conference with Zelenskyy that Ukraine is defending a critical principle on the European level by refusing to accept Russias seizure of territory.Analysts say Putin thinks he can outlast Western governments commitment to Ukraine and use his bigger army to capture more Ukrainian land while peace efforts are under discussion.Norway on Sunday pledged about 7 billion kroner ($695 million) toward air defense systems for Ukraine. Norway and Germany are jointly funding two U.S.-made Patriot anti-missile systems, including missiles, with Norway also helping procure air defense radar, Store said. Drone strikes continueUkraines Air Force said Russia launched 104 strike and decoy drones overnight, targeting the countrys north and east. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.Ukraine has continued long-range drone attacks on Russia, hitting oil refineries, armories and transport hubs and causing commercial flight disruption during the summer vacation period.On Sunday, an Egyptian plane carrying Russian tourists from Sharm El Sheikh to St. Petersburg diverted to Tallinn because the Russian citys international airport had temporarily closed due to a drone attack, the Estonian daily Postimees reported.Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 23 Ukrainian drones overnight and Monday morning over seven Russian regions, both on or near the border with Ukraine and deeper inside Russia.___Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.___Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Options trader Tommy Nguyen works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)2025-08-25T05:22:41Z NEW YORK (AP) Stocks slipped in early trading on Wall Street Monday, after a big jump last week on hopes for more interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.The S&P 500 fell 0.2% and was just below its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 192 points, or 0.4% as of 10:25 a.m. Eastern time, pulling back from the record it set on Friday. The Nasdaq composite was mostly unchanged.Keurig Dr Pepper sank 7.5% after saying it will buy Peets Coffee owner JDE Peets in a deal worth about $18 billion.Treasury yields rose in the bond market following their big drop on Friday amid expectations that the Fed will cut its benchmark interest rate in September. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.29% from 4.25% late Friday. The two-year Treasury yield rose to 3.73% from 3.70% late Friday.European markets were mixed and Asian markets closed lower overnight. Wall Street is still overwhelmingly betting that the Fed will cut interest rates at its next meeting in September. Traders see an 86% chance that the central bank will trim its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point, according to data from CME Group. The Fed has been maintaining rates at their current level since the end of 2024 amid worries about inflation heating up as tariffs work their way through the economy to businesses and households.The central bank has grown increasingly concerned about the state of the job market in the U.S. Its two main focuses are keeping inflation low and supporting conditions for strong employment. Recent signals have show that the job market is seemingly stagnating and could possibly weaken, which could prompt the central bank to cut rates. Lower interest rates make borrowing easier, helping to spur more investment and spending, but that could also potentially fuel inflation.So far, consumer confidence remains mostly solid, though concerns about inflation linger. Wall Street and the Fed will get an update on consumer confidence in the U.S. when business group The Conference Board releases its monthly survey for August on Tuesday. Economists expect overall confidence to remain mostly unchanged from July. The bigger update will come on Friday, when the government releases an inflation report that is closely monitored by the Fed. An update on inflation earlier in August showed that consumer prices remained modestly higher in July, compared with a year ago. The governments report on Friday, the personal consumption expenditures price index, is expected to show a similar result.Economists expects the PCE to show that prices rose 2.6% in July, compared with a year ago. Thats unchanged from the rate in June and hovering just above the Feds preferred target of 2%.Wall Street has a few more corporate earnings updates this week, essentially wrapping up the latest round of profit reports and forecasts from U.S. companies.Nvidia will report its latest results on Wednesday. The companys role as a key supplier of chips for artificial intelligence and its heavy weighting give it outsized influence as a bellwether for the broader market. It has been a driving force for much of the markets gains, along with several other tech giants with pricey stock values.On Thursday, Wall Street will get earnings updates from electronics retailer Best Buy and discount retailer Dollar General. Retailers are being closely watched as Wall Street tries to gauge the current and potential future impact on costs and prices from tariffs. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the APs business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Ian Wilkinson departs walks from the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court in Morwell, Australia, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (James Ross/AAP Image via AP)2025-08-25T02:53:05Z MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) The sole survivor of a deadly lunch laced with toxic mushrooms said Monday he felt only half alive following the death of his wife and he continued to grieve the loss of his two closest friends.Ian Wilkinson read the first victim impact statement at a sentencing hearing for Erin Patterson at the Victoria state Supreme Court in Melbourne. The 50-year-old will be sentenced Sept. 8 on three counts of murder and one of attempted murder. A jury convicted her in July of murdering Don and Gail Patterson and Gails sister, Heather Wilkinson, with a lunch of beef Wellington pastries and foraged death cap mushrooms.Pattersons estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was invited but did not attend the July 2023 lunch served to her parents-in-law and her estranged husbands aunt and uncle at her home.She also was convicted of attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, who spent weeks in a hospital and survived after receiving a liver transplant. The prosecution argued for a life sentence without possibility of parole, while defense lawyers want her to become eligible for release after serving 30 years for the 2023 The offending here is horrendous, Justice Christopher Beale told the court. Poisoning survivor describes griefWilkinson, a Baptist pastor, described his wife as a woman who took her faith seriously and was full of love, kindness and self-control.I only feel half alive without her, Wilkinson said before weeping.Its one of the distressing shortcomings of our society that so much attention is showered on those who do evil and so little on those who do good, he added.He described Gail and Don Patterson, the parents of Erin Pattersons estranged husband Simon Patterson, as the closest people to him after his wife and family.My life is greatly impoverished without them, Wilkinson said.Im distressed that Erin has acted with callous and calculated disregard for my life and the lives of those I love. What foolishness possesses a person to think that murder could be the solution to their problems, especially the murder of people who have only good intentions towards her? he added. Wilkinson offered Patterson his forgiveness for the harms she had done to him.I say harms done to me advisedly. I have no power or responsibility to forgive harms done to others, Wilkinson said.My prayer for her is that she will use her time in jail wisely to become a better person, he added.Erin Patterson attended the Melbourne court in person on Monday, wearing a paisley top with a light brown jacket. She appeared emotionally moved as Ian Wilkinson spoke.Seven relatives of victims either read impact statements to the court on Monday or had them read on their behalf. Patterson could face decades in prisonErin Patterson faces a potential life sentence for each of the murders and 25 years for attempted murder.She will have a month after her sentencing to lodge an appeal against her sentence and conviction.The defense submitted that Erin Patterson claimed she had been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome and that her husband believed she suffered from anxiety, high-functioning autism and possible ADHD.The judge said the evidence of Aspergers doesnt have a lot of credibility.Prosecutor Jane Warren dismissed the claims of mental health conditions as hearsay evidence.She said Beale should show Erin Patterson no mercy. She likened the case to one in 2017 when Michael Cardamone was sentenced in Victoria to life in prison without possibility of parole for the murder of a neighbor whom he burnt alive. It is a crime that is so cruel and so horrific that, in our submission, the offender is not deserving of this courts mercy, Warren said. ROD MCGUIRK McGuirk covers Australian and South Pacific news for The Associated Press. He is based in Melbourne. mailto

The logo for Keurig Dr. Pepper appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, July 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)2025-08-25T08:55:07Z NEW YORK (AP) Keurig Dr Pepper will buy the owner of Peets Coffee in an $18 billion (15.7 billion euro) deal, then break itself in two, with one company selling coffee and the other selling cold beverages like Snapple, Dr Pepper, 7UP and energy drinks. The agreement anounced Monday will essentially unwind the 2018 merger of Keurig and Dr. Pepper and it arrives at a time when consumers are pulling back and the trade wars under President Donald Trump threaten to send coffee prices soaring. Trump imposed a 50% tariff this summer on most imports from Brazil the worlds leading coffee producer for its investigation of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally.Yet Keurig Dr Pepper sees both coffee and cold beverages as areas of growth that would be better navigated by independently operating companies. CEO Tim Cofer called it a transformational moment for the sector. By creating two sharply focused beverage companies with attractive and tailored growth propositions and capital allocation strategies, we are poised to generate significant shareholder value in both the near and long term, Cofer write in prepared remarks. But large chains like Starbucks are suffering. Same-store sales, a key barometer of a retailers health, has fallen for six straight quarters at the Seattle coffee giant and its shares have tumbled 23% since early March. Dr Pepper Keurig is offsetting some declines with higher prices. In its last quarter, the company reported a 0.2% decline in coffee sales. For Keurig Dr Pepper, the soon-to-be separated coffee business will have about $16 billion in combined sales and the beverage business about $11 billion, the companies said.The companies expect to save about $400 million over three years because of the merger.The company that Keurig Dr Peppper is buying, Peets parent JDE Peets based in Amsterdam, also owns the brands LOR, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao, OldTown, Super and Moccona. Once the two companies are separated, Cofer will become CEO of the cold beverage business, which will be based in Frisco, Texas. Keurig Dr Peppers chief financial officer, Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, will lead the coffee business, which will be located in Burlington, Mass. Its international headquarters is in Amsterdam.Shares of Keurig Dr Pepper slumped 9% before the opening bell Monday.

The following is an excerpt from When the Bed Bugs Bite: A Memoir of My Queer Life by Daniel Kelty.Her sickening submissiveness made me speak up. I turned my attention to her during one of my fathers pauses in his rant. In the most sarcastic tone I could muster,Well, I said to her Dont just sit there. Lets do this. Whats your verdict? By all means, dont hold back.I resented her pitiful stare. It was patronizing. Related Radical history & revolutionary predecessors: What queer youth should know about their ancestors I was inviting her to the fight because I knew she wouldnt. It was safe. I didnt give a sh*twhat her verdict was. I was just tired of listening to my dad. It was scaring me. Directing mymounting frustration towards her was a good distraction for me and Dad both. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today As she began to speak, she tilted her head in a passive condescending way and said in awhispery voice, We are so concerned for you. This is not a righteous path, and your dadand I are both worried about your soul.Yes, she actually said that! I rolled my eyes. Jesus f**king Christ, could she BE more self-righteous?! I said nothing back to her because she sickened me to the extent I couldnt find the words. I never had an ounce of respect for her, and this was why. Clearly, I was a kid in her home who was going through something, who was struggling. She could have tried to connect with me in many ways, but what did she do? She judged me. Its all she knew, ironically. One of the many reasons I detest Christianity or at least the version of it that I experienced.I recall that conversation word for word, but I have no memory of what my punishment was, aside from having one mandatory session with a Christian therapist. I stand by the fact that faith-driven therapy is such a crock. Faith, as I experienced it, was nothing but judgment.Therapy, as I understand it, is all about a space void of judgment. I still have no idea why people insist on combining the two. I remember that incident. It exists in a bubble in my mind.I do recall that my father had called my mother and told her about the letter. My mother and her husband had a different approach to dealing with my deviance. They had time to prepare their strategy. They calculated for maximum effect. My stepfather chose this time not to lose his sh*t and break things. He was creepily calm. He also chose not to scream and yell. What they said to me was much louder than screaming. It wentsomething like this:If this is who you are, you need to tell us now. Tell us now so we can go ahead and get you written out of the will, (which was funny because they didnt have sh*t) and kicked out of this house.My mother added, If we see you on the street, we wont turn our heads to spit in yourdirection. It was a threat.My mother actually said that. As long as I live and through all the good times we had in our relationship, she never once apologized for having said that. As the years passed, she justpretended she had never said it, but she said it pretty clearly that day.No one was yelling. They were informing me, giving me information. I sat in silence, terrified it was about to get violent. They werent done. And I hope you get some good life insurance because all queers get AIDS. Everyone knows that.Mom had never been the aggressor. She was often powerless to stop her husband fromabusing me, but Id never gotten this from her directly, and it chilled me to the bone.My memory stops there. That, too, exists in a bubble in my mind, even though I can repeat the dialogue verbatim. That day my parents told me that being a part of the family was very much conditional. Again, I have no memory of a punishment. I think the intervention alone was the punishment. I was humiliated, violated, and completely stripped of any self-respect. Is this how they had wanted me to feel?Being a parent now, I cannot, in any parallel universe, imagine saying things like that to my child nothing in the universe would ever allow me to speak words like that to my child; nothing.I do not recall my exact words, but I remember the message. They were giving me an out. They were giving me the opportunity to lie to them and say I wasnt really gay. They were giving me the opportunity to just stop doing it. Want to know the worst part? I wasnt as angry as I had been with my father. I believed them. I thought myself to be so selfish as to hurt them like that. What was I thinking?I had disappointed them, which was worse than any punch or punishment. I didnt want to get AIDS, and I didnt want to be homeless. I was in no position to lose my family. Abusive as they were, they were all I knew, and I loved them. Even after my mom had just said those horrific things to me moments before. I had always seen her as the victim of her husband. She had never protected us from him; and she didnt now, either. Still, I saw what I had done had hurt her and I regretted it.I wanted desperately for things to go back the way they were before they knew. I hated the way they looked at me now. I hated that they no longer trusted me. They looked at me as something dirty, something shameful. Nothing more was said about the topic and I would spend years compensating to win back their love and trust. My resolve was that if I just stopped sucking d*ck then that means I am not gay. I truly believed that.***In the many years since this story began, Ive been married to my husband Rowan for 16 years. He is not perfect, and our relationship is not perfect, but he would stop time for me if he could. I have seen him grow and evolve when I needed his support the most. He was there when I was falling apart. He was there when I raged and has been present for me in ways many people would not have been. He and I are proud dad and papa to three children. We adopted two little boys who were 3 and 4 years old, respectively. They are now 18 and 19 years old. Our daughter was only a day old when she came into our lives. She is now 7 years old. Every single day, I learn how to be a better dad. I understand that adult children do not owe their parents a relationship because there was food on the table, a roof over their heads, or they loved them. Thats the bare minimum. That adult relationship is earned. It is earned by mutual respect and autonomy. I will always love certain people in my family, but I owe them nothing.Loving them from a distance is only the first step. The most challenging part is holding the fact that love actually magnifies the burden of estrangement.I hold tightly to this lesson as I watch my kids grow. Even now, as my sons are young adults, they dont owe me anything. The respect I get from them doesnt come from my demanding it. It comes froma seed I plant every time I show them respect and listen to how they feel. If they get angry with me, I dont personalize it. I validate it and try to understand it. Their emotions and experiences do not need my approval. My children are my world and I love them with a force that I didnt even know was possible.They will never live in the shadows of my familys rejection. I have not spoken to my parents in over 10 years. Although the grief is an ongoing process, it has come with a peace deeper than anything I have ever experienced.DanielKeltyis a queer father, Navy veteran, and former clinical therapist. After surviving family estrangement and systemic rejection, he rebuilt his life through chosen family, healing, and advocacy. His memoir,When the Bed Bugs Bite, explores the raw truth of growing up queer in a world that demanded silence. Daniel is also the founder ofBoldly Queer, a trauma-informed coaching program that helps LGBTQ+ individuals reclaim their voice and thrive beyond conditional love.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is celebrating convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwells testimony that she never witnessed Donald Trump who recently had her moved to a cushier prison having sexual interactions with minors.I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting, Maxwell told Trump administration officials in July in transcripts that were released last week. I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects. Related Conservatives have been railing against groomers for years. So why do they support Donald Trump? Ghislaine Maxwell says President Trump was never inappropriate with anyone and was a perfect gentleman in all respects! Greene announced on X. President Trump has been vindicated once again!!!For years, Maxwell helped convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein Trumps close friend for years recruit and traffic underage girls. In 2020, she was arrested on sex crime charges and was convicted a year later. She is still facing two charges of lying under oath about Epsteins abuse of children. 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 Questions about Trumps association with Epstein and possible participation in child molestation have been raging online for the past several months as his administration refuses to release files associated with the investigation into Epstein. Epstein, who was convicted of child sex trafficking in 2008 and was arrested again in 2019, died in prison in 2019. The state ruled his death a suicide, something his lawyers dispute. His death has become the fodder of online speculation, including that he was killed to keep secret the names of various clients for whom he provided children to abuse. Earlier this month, Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence, was moved from a Florida prison to a minimum-security facility in Texas after meeting with Department of Justice officials twice in July. The family of Virginia Giuffre, one of Epsteins victims, said they felt horror and disgust when they learned about the preferential treatment Maxwell was getting.The Department of Justice released transcripts of their July interview with Maxwell, where she said that she never saw Trump participate in child sex abuse.Ghislaine Maxwell is a convicted sex trafficker and known liar, out Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) said in a statement. Her interview with Trumps DOJ lawyer shows shes desperate for a pardon. She claims no involvement in wrongdoing, which is insulting to the girls and young women she victimized and trafficked. She cannot be trusted.Trump has been asked if he will pardon Maxwell, and he has not said no publicly. Maxwell is currently seeking a pardon from Trump.Greene has spent the past several years accusing LGBTQ+ people and allies of sexually abusing children without any evidence. She has built her political career around being a strong supporter of Trump.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Chappell Roans Reading Festival set wasnt the only highlight of her weekend. After leaving the crowd buzzing with her performance, the rising pop star spent time backstage with Drag Syndrome, the worlds first drag collective featuring kings and queens with Down syndrome.A Heartfelt Meet-and-GreetFollowing her show, Roan welcomed members of Drag Syndrome for a private meet-and-greet. In a video shared by the collective, the group greeted the singer with compliments, laughter and high-fives. One member admired her hair color, sparking a playful exchange about style before Roan suggested a group photo.Who Are Drag Syndrome?Founded in 2018, Drag Syndrome has become an internationally celebrated troupe, performing at Pride festivals, theaters and LGBTQ+ events across the globe. The collective challenges stereotypes by showcasing drag artistry through performers with Down syndrome.The group has also faced criticism, but members have been outspoken about their right to take up space in drag culture. In 2023, performer Lady Mercury addressed online trolls who suggested people with Down syndrome are too vulnerable for drag.People with Down syndrome are very talented people. We do need to be respected, Lady Mercury said at the time. Drag Syndrome is about dancing with a syndrome. Youre dancing your heart out, and just trying to earn respect.Her message ended with a blunt response to critics: Haters: f**k off.Why It MattersThe backstage moment at Reading Festival highlights the growing visibility of performers with disabilities in queer spaces. By embracing Drag Syndrome, Roan not only shared her platform but also amplified a message of inclusion within the drag and pop music communities.Source

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by Robert T. Garrett for ProPublica and The Texas Tribune ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. This article is co-published with The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan local newsroom that informs and engages with Texans. Sign up for The Brief Weekly to get up to speed on their essential coverage of Texas issues. On July 7, the Justice Department sent a harshly written letter threatening to sue the staunchly Republican state of Texas, notwithstanding its efforts to help elect Donald Trump and the fact that the president had singled out its leaders as key allies in his immigration crackdown.The letter decried the congressional map previously passed by the states Republican-led Legislature as unconstitutional racial gerrymanders. It demanded that Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton respond the same day with a plan to comply. Otherwise, the Justice Department said, it reserved the right to seek legal action against the state.Despite its adversarial tone, the letter was hardly unwelcome. In fact, it was just the opposite.It set in motion a chain of events that gave Abbott and Paxton the political cover needed to provide Trump with exactly what he wanted: a mid-decade redrawing of district lines designed to ease that path for his party to maintain control of Congress after the 2026 midterm elections. Republican lawmakers prioritized passage of the new political map above nearly all other legislation during the states second special session, including disaster preparedness and relief for victims of the July 4 flooding that killed more than 130 Texans. The new congressional boundaries, crafted to net Republicans up to five more seats, drew an immediate legal challenge from a coalition of Black and Latino voters who, on Saturday morning, alleged that it discriminates against nonwhite voters. Abbott is expected to sign it into law this week.The One Big Beautiful Map has passed the Senate and is on its way to my desk, where it will be swiftly signed into law, Abbott said in a statement on Saturday. I promised we would get this done, and delivered on that promise.The series of events is part of a larger trend this summer of the Trump administration using legal action or the threat of the courts to seemingly coerce Republican governors and other politically aligned defendants to do precisely what he wants them to do. The strategy has allowed his administration to sidestep state legislatures and Congress, according to legal experts and critics. In some cases, it has allowed red states to achieve a politically valuable goal theyd wanted all along.In Texas, Trump has been met with state leaders who have been willing, if not eager, collaborators in carrying out his agenda.Over the past three months, the Trump administration has employed a series of legal tactics in the state to achieve a desired outcome.It filed a federal lawsuit and, in one day, killed a decades-old law allowing Texas students who were not U.S. citizens or permanent residents to receive in-state tuition at public colleges and universities if they met specific criteria. The move came just two days after bills to repeal the law failed to pass the state Legislature.The Trump administration also maneuvered within the court system, reaching an agreement to settle a lawsuit against the federal government that effectively gutted a ban on churches participating in political campaigns. Trump has long opposed the ban, which he vowed to end, but the president lacked congressional support for such a move.On redistricting, Trump used his heft within the party to force the state Legislature to redraw the typically once-a-decade political map it had approved just four years earlier, leading to a standoff with the governors of Democratic states. Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed measures that will ask voters in his state to approve five new districts that would favor Democrats in direct response to Texas redistricting.Trump is not the first president to use a sue and settle strategy.Republicans complained bitterly about the Obama administration encouraging liberal groups and Democratic state attorneys general to file suits against the Environmental Protection Agency, which then led to the rapid adoption of consent agreements for more stringent enforcement of environmental policies than Congress was likely to pass, said Marquette University law professor Paul Nolette.But Trumps strategy, Nollette said, is even more aggressive.Justice Department spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre and Andrew Mahaleris, an Abbott spokesperson, declined to respond to questions from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. The White House acknowledged an email seeking comment, but did not provide one.Taken together, Trumps legal strategies in Texas this summer show a win-at-all-costs mindset that is trampling on legal norms, said University of Texas law professor Sanford Levinson. He is among several legal scholars and lawyers representing civil rights and religious liberty groups who told ProPublica and the Tribune they fear the administrations strategy to bypass the checks provided by the legislative and judicial branches of government will cause lasting harm.One ought to be extremely disturbed by this thoroughly authoritarian administration, said Levinson, who has taught constitutional law for 45 years. He added that through such initiatives, Trump is trying to enforce the Fhrerprinzip of absolute loyalty to himself, rather than to abstract constitutional norms.What is truly incredible is the extent to which the GOP has fallen in line, Levinson said. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sued Texas in federal court over the Texas Dream Act, which allowed undocumented students to get in-state tuition at Texas universities. (Ken Cedeno/Reuters) New LevelThe first clear sign that the administration was working with the states Republican leadership to bypass lawmakers was its successful June 4 effort to nullify the Texas Dream Act.The 2001 law granted in-state tuition at public colleges and universities to students who lived in the state for three years and graduated from a Texas high school, even if they were not permanent residents or U.S. citizens.Efforts to repeal or sharply curtail the benefit for immigrant children have gone nowhere in the Republican-led Legislature, including this year. It would never have passed, or remained in place for so long, without the support of Texas Republicans, said former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, a lead sponsor of the 2001 law. The San Antonio Democrat recalled in an interview that the law, which former Gov. Rick Perry signed, had the support of most major groups representing Texas businesses because many believed that encouraging immigrant youth to pursue higher education expands their lifelong earnings, bolsters the workforce and benefits state coffers.On June 4, two days after the Legislature adjourned, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sued Texas in federal court in Wichita Falls. There, only one district judge sits Reed OConnor, a Trump appointee. Within hours, Paxton, who is charged with defending the states laws, joined the federal government in filing a joint motion that asked the court to declare the law unconstitutional. OConnor, who did not respond to a request for comment about the case, quickly agreed.Paxtons communications office did not respond to written questions from ProPublica and the Tribune. Its unclear if Abbott, who succeeded Perry, supported the move by Bondi and Paxton to bypass the legislative process and kill the law.Abbott has not said a lot about the issue since his initial run for governor in 2014, and Mahaleris, his spokesperson, did not respond to questions about it. Back then, pressed by Democratic opponent Wendy Davis, who predicted that GOP lawmakers would try to repeal in-state tuition for immigrant youth and said shed veto any such legislation, Abbott suggested he supported making some changes and left the door open to signing a repeal bill.Greg Abbott believes that the objective of the program is noble. But he believes the law as structured is flawed and it must be reformed, an Abbott spokesperson said at the time.Had the Republican-led Legislature truly been interested in repealing the law, it would have done so, said Van de Putte, who pointed to this years passage of a program that allows families to use taxpayer dollars to fund their childrens private school education. I mean, they got vouchers, Van de Putte said. This wasnt a policy imperative.Van de Putte, now a lobbyist, said that when she heard of Paxton and Bondis maneuver, her heart ripped.On June 5, a day after the Justice Department and Paxton worked together to overturn the law, Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli exulted over the collaboration, saying that because they were able to have that line of communication and talk in advance, a statute thats been a problem for the state for 24 years, we got rid of it in six hours. In audio obtained by NBC News, Kambli told GOP state attorneys general at a private gathering that the presidents legal team was learning how to be offensive-minded and brought in a lot of people from state-AG world conversant in the tactics.The Justice Department didnt respond to a request for comment about Kamblis remarks. According to NBC, a department spokesperson did not dispute that Kambli made the statements and said it was pretty standard for department lawyers to notify state attorneys general of federal lawsuits ahead of time.The same day Kambli spoke to the gathering with GOP state attorneys general, Bondi and Paxton issued a joint news release celebrating the victory. Bondi praised Paxton for swiftly working with us to halt a program that was treating Americans like second-class citizens in their own country. For his part, Paxton said he was proud to stand with Attorney General Bondi and the Trump Administration to stop an unconstitutional and un-American law that gave in-state tuition to illegal aliens. In ensuing weeks, the Justice Department sought to repeat its Texas victory by filing suits challenging immigrant-tuition benefits in Kentucky, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Oklahoma joined Texas in agreeing to end its benefits, while Democratic statewide officials in Minnesota and Kentucky are pushing back.The effort was coordinated and planned collusion to circumvent the people and Texas legislative process, said Kristin Etter of the Texas Immigration Law Council, an immigrant rights advocacy group.Marquettes Nolette, an expert on state attorneys general, said Paxton, a three-term Republican attorney general, and Trumps Justice Department have moved to a new level of using the courts to achieve favored policy outcomes. He said the collaboration between Paxton and the Justice Department is an expansion of the sue and settle approach that the Obama administration employed. In many of those cases, there was at least a provision of the federal Clean Air Act allowing suits against the EPA administrator for lax policing, Nolette said.With Paxton, however, he is working with U.S. DOJ to challenge Texass own laws. There are no statutes that allow, or even anticipate, this behavior, he said. Trump addressed a National Religious Broadcasters convention during his 2024 presidential campaign. The association joined other conservative groups in a lawsuit to overturn the Johnson Amendment. (Seth Herald/Reuters) Court TacticsFresh off its success in dismantling the Texas Dream Act, the Trump administration moved swiftly to overturn a 71-year-old federal law banning nonprofits, including religious institutions, from endorsing political candidates.The ban, known as the Johnson Amendment, did not specifically target religious groups, but, in the past three decades or so, evangelical churches that tend to align with the GOP have railed against it, saying it impermissibly muzzles their rights to free speech and exercise of religion.In August 2024, the National Religious Broadcasters, the conservative group Intercessors for America, and two Texas churches Sand Springs Church of Athens and First Baptist Church of Waskom, near the Louisiana line sued in Tyler to overturn the Johnson Amendments strictures against secular nonprofits as well as churches.On July 7, their case gained significant momentum when the Justice Department joined conservative lawyers for evangelical churches in filing a motion similar to the one used to end the Texas Dream Act. In both cases, the administrations intervention set the stage for a consent judgment, an agreement reached between the plaintiffs and the defendants as part of a settlement submitted to the judge hearing the case.In this instance, the Justice Department said the ban unconstitutionally prohibited nonprofit organizations from engaging in political speech and that religious leaders should be able to endorse political candidates from the pulpit. The proposed settlement of the suit, however, only applied to houses of worship.Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the consent judgment proposed to U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Cam Barker in Tyler amounts to improper collusion between the Trump administration and some religious extremists to achieve a policy objective. Her group supports keeping the Johnson Amendment.Barker, a Trump appointee, is allowing interested people and groups to file amicus briefs in the case. So far, he has not adopted or rejected the agreement between the administration and the evangelical groups.Trump, who has said he learned about the Johnson Amendment when he collected evangelical ministers blessings as he first ran for the White House in 2015, sought to end it through an executive order. His Capitol Hill allies also tried in 2017 to repeal the tax codes constraint on churches political activity but failed to attract the 60 Senate votes needed to overcome a filibuster.Holly Hollman, general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, which supports preservation of the Johnson Amendment, said that, if approved by Campbell, the consent order would amount to an end-run around Congress and one defying most Americans wishes.The majority of Americans in poll after poll support the rule and dont want nonprofits, including houses of worship, turned into just another partisan mechanism that divides communities, Hollman said.One of the leading Christian conservative lawyers trying to overturn the Johnson Amendment, Michael P. Farris, who represents the National Religious Broadcasters, pushed back on allegations of collusion.The answer to your question is pretty simple. This case was filed on August 28, 2024, or before Trump reclaimed the presidency, he said. We will not reply further, said Farris, who played a key role in drafting Paxtons bid to have the Supreme Court overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, according to The New York Times.We are answering no media questions until the judge rules, he wrote in an email to ProPublica and the Tribune. After the Justice Department complained about Texas congressional map, Gov. Greg Abbott pushed to include a redrawn map in the special legislative session. (Ronaldo Bolaos/The Texas Tribune) Trumps work with state officials to reach his desired outcomes is unprecedented and dangerous, said Jim Harrington, retired founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, a legal group that advocates for voting rights and racial and economic justice. Filing collusive lawsuits, such as the ones over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants and revocation of tax-exempt status for churches that dabble in politics, and carefully selecting courts where the judges are likely to be sympathetic, lets Trump evade constraints created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution, Harrington said.The administrations tactics are a quick way to get around recalcitrant lawmakers but risk undermining the judiciarys role as an independent branch of government, he said.Even conservative judges should raise their eyebrows about the undermining of the integrity of the judicial system thats going on, said Harrington, who has taught for 27 years as an adjunct law professor at the University of Texas at Austin. This is a really serious attack on our system.Race-Based DebatesLegal challenges to Texas new map have previously taken years to resolve, raising uncertainty over whether Saturdays lawsuit will be decided before next years midterm election.A decision will hinge, in part, on how the courts view an assertion by the Trump administration that the congressional map passed by the Legislature four years ago, and defended by GOP lawyers in court as race-neutral, suddenly must be changed because it paid too much attention to race.Michael Li, senior counsel for the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit public policy institute that works on election- and democracy-related issues, said that the administrations reasoning is flawed and that both the 2021 map and the new one discriminate against nonwhite voters.The 2021 map drew intense criticism for its dispersal of nonwhite groups into districts where theyd have less influence. Dramatic gains among Texas Hispanic, Black and Asian American communities accounted for 95% of the states population growth. But lawmakers drew a map where 23 of the 38 congressional districts had white majorities, even though in the 2020 census, white and Hispanic Texans constituted roughly equal shares of the total population. To reduce the threat to suburban GOP U.S. House members, diverse neighborhoods in Dallas and Collin counties were removed from districts that were becoming more favorable for Democrats and attached to sprawling rural districts dominated by white Republican voters.Ive stated it, and Ill state it again we drew these maps race blind, said the state Senates point person on redistricting at the time, Houston Republican Joan Huffman, who did not respond to a request for comment. We have not looked at any racial data as we drew these maps, and to this day I have not looked at any racial data.During a four-week federal court trial in El Paso that ended last month, Texas officials denied practicing racial discrimination. The three judges hearing the case have delayed issuing a decision, citing the special session in Austin.In their July 7 letter to Abbott, however, Justice Department lawyers Harmeet Dhillon and Michael Gates warned Texas to change its U.S. House map, which they said was overly biased in favor of creating districts that members of racial minorities could win.Texas 2021 map for U.S. House districts has four suspect coalition districts, they wrote, citing three districts near Houston and one in Dallas-Fort Worth where Black and Hispanic voters combine to form a majority. In recent years, all four have been represented by Black or Hispanic Democrats.Neither Abbott spokesperson Mahaleris, nor Baldassarre, the Justice Department spokesperson, responded to questions.The Brennan Centers Li disputed Dhillon and Gates characterization of recent rulings by federal judges. Courts havent forbidden states from drawing minority-coalition districts but merely stated that the Voting Rights Act doesnt require states to proactively create them, he said.Given that Texas has consistently said it didnt consider race at all in 2021, theres certainly not a case for dismantling any of these districts. Misty Harris of ProPublica and The Texas Tribune contributed research.

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