Ariana Grande is officially returning to the stage.The Grammy-winning pop star announced Thursday that she will headline the Eternal Sunshine Tour in 2026, marking her first concert run since the Sweetener World Tour wrapped in 2019. The trek will celebrate her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, which arrived in March 2024 and was later followed by a deluxe edition, Brighter Days Ahead.Grande will open the tour June 6 in Oakland, California, with back-to-back shows at Oakland Arena. Shell continue across North America with stops in Los Angeles, Austin, Miami, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Boston, Montreal and Chicago before closing the run with five nights at Londons O2 Arena in August.Presale and Ticket DetailsFans hoping to score seats will need to act quickly. Presales for U.S. and Canadian dates begin Sept. 9, with sign-ups required on Grandes website by Sept. 7. The general onsale follows Sept. 10. In the U.K., presales start Sept. 16, with registration also due by Sept. 7. General tickets go live Sept. 18.From Sweetener to Eternal SunshineGrande has not toured in nearly seven years, spending much of her recent career shift focusing on film. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Glinda in Wicked and will reprise the role in this Novembers sequel, Wicked: For Good. She also signed on to star opposite Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents 4, due out in 2026.Still, music has remained at the core of her artistry. Last year, Grande told Variety she wasnt rushing back to touring but saw performing as a forever part of her career. The decision to return suggests shes ready to balance her dual paths as a pop star and actress.Tour DatesJune 6, 9 Oakland, CA Oakland ArenaJune 13, 14 Los Angeles, CA Crypto.com ArenaJune 17, 19 Los Angeles, CA Kia ForumJune 24, 26 Austin, TX Moody CenterJune 30, July 2 Sunrise, FL Amerant Bank ArenaJuly 6, 8 Atlanta, GA State Farm ArenaJuly 1218 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center (four shows)July 22, 24 Boston, MA TD GardenJuly 28, 30 Montreal, QC Bell CentreAug. 3, 5 Chicago, IL United CenterAug. 1523 London, UK The O2 (five shows)The Eternal Sunshine Tour is set to be one of the summers biggest pop events, offering fans a chance to see Grande perform new hits alongside her catalog of chart-toppers.Source

Mitch Brown has made history in Australian sports. The former West Coast Eagles defender revealed he is bisexual, becoming the first openly queer man in the Australian Football Leagues 129-year history.Brown, who played 94 games for West Coast between 2007 and 2016, shared his story in an interview with The Daily Aus. He said the decision came after years of silence in a sport where he felt conversations around sexuality werent safe.I have this feeling of peace, but more importantly, comfort and confidence, Brown said. Its something I never had while I was playing.Breaking Barriers in Aussie RulesThe AFL had been the only major mens professional sport in the world without a current or former player publicly coming out as gay or bisexual. For Brown, the silence stemmed from the leagues hyper-masculine culture, where slurs and casual homophobia were common.He recalled teammates once debating whether theyd feel comfortable showering next to a gay player. One told him he would rather be in a cage full of lions.Growing up in Australia, the word gay was constantly thrown around, Brown said. For a man, it was probably seen as the weakest thing you could be.The atmosphere, he explained, left him and others without a safe place to explore or express their identities.Why He Spoke Out NowBrown first reached out via Instagram to journalist Sam Koslowski of The Daily Aus, writing simply: I played in the AFL for 10 years for the West Coast Eagles, and Im a bisexual man.His decision came after recent coverage of homophobia in the AFL, including Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankines suspension for using a homophobic slur during a match.Brown said he hopes his story will encourage the league to embrace positive male role models who may not be superstars on the field but can inspire change off it.My advice to the AFL would be, lets celebrate the players who might not be the most successful but are the most important to our community, he said.A Role Model for OthersWhile Brown stressed that he is just ordinary old Mitch, he acknowledged the importance of visibility. He wants young queer athletes to feel safer than he once did.The reactions I hope for are the ones I wont hear, Brown said. Its those young men across Australia thinking, I feel seen, I feel a little bit safer, and I have someone I can look to.Now 36, Brown shares two sons with his ex-wife, professional netball player Shae Bolton Brown. His twin brother Nathan also played in the AFL, winning a premiership with Collingwood in 2010.Brown said he believes there are still closeted players in the league. To them, he had a simple message: I see you, and you are not alone.Source

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U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.made a series of bizarre comments about American kids health while attending a bill signing in Texas for new health legislation. Kennedy who has been spearheading the elimination of HIV and AIDS related programs; believes vaccines cause autism and that the disorder destroys children and families; and did nothing to stop the end of a federal crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth has positioned himself as a staunch defender of childrens health. Related Judge rules in favor of LGBTQ+ health researchers after HHS revoked funding for radical programs His nonsensical comments at the bill signing, however, have reaffirmed for many that he seems to manufacture his beliefs out of thin air. I know what a healthy child is supposed to look like. Im looking at kids as I walk through the airports today, as I walk down the street, and I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges, with inflammation, he rambled. You can tell from their faces, from their body movements, and from their lack of social connection, and I know that thats not how our children are supposed to look. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Kennedy a conspiracy theorist who has no background in medical science has been a prominent voice in the anti-vaccine movement, which is based on pseudoscience and uses misinformation to spread the belief that vaccines dont prevent disease. He formerly chaired the Childrens Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization that claims that vaccines cause autism, ADHD, food allergies, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.The Secretary has been ruthlessly mocked for claiming to know if a child is healthy by looking at them as they walk by and for using the nonsensical term, mitochondrial challenges. Many also expressed fear for the nations future with someone like him leading our health strategy.The man looks like a 90 year old baseball glove, what does he know about visual indicators https://t.co/quudiPuP6c Sam Cornale (@samcornale) August 27, 2025I can't imagine why kids are repelled by the leathery guy who looks them up and down in airports for "mitochondrial challenges." https://t.co/nOTGIGMgQ4 Mike Rothschild (@rothschildmd on blu sky) (@rothschildmd) August 27, 2025Horrors abound but a guy who will say overburdened with mitochondrial challenges and somehow be in charge of the nations public health infrastructure is TOUGH TO BEAT Dave Levitan (@davelevitan.bsky.social) 2025-08-28T01:02:59.676ZIf ever there was somebody who was clearly overburdened by mitochondrial challenges its RFK Jr Jon Cryer (@mrjoncryer.bsky.social) 2025-08-28T13:54:36.741ZSo he went from "Nobody should be taking health advice from me" to "I can see pediatric mitochondrial challenges with my eyes" Chucky Dub (@chucky-dub.bsky.social) 2025-08-28T01:40:08.396ZSpeaking as a pediatrician, this is complete quackery. If you ever have a medical provider tell you they can spot inflammation or so-called mitochondrial challenges from across the room, please find a different provider before your child is potentially harmed by unnecessary Zev Waldman MD (@ZevWaldman) August 28, 2025Remind me again how much medical training he's had. Russ Hjelm (@russ_hjelm) August 27, 2025Medicine and public health have added three decades to the human lifespan. Vaccination alone produced 40% of the reduction in child deaths. And now a disturbed and unqualified man driven by crackpot theories is destroying the foundations of this work, including CDC. https://t.co/hZJUnPdSjx Atul Gawande (@Atul_Gawande) August 28, 2025Youre not a doctor. You didnt even take a science course in college. Otherwise youd probably understand that we dont base our national public health policies on anecdotal observations made by lunatics about children at the airport. https://t.co/hMkfhOO1ul Andrew#IAmTheResistanceWortman (@AmoneyResists) August 27, 2025Scientist here. Mitochondria do not present challenges to faces, movements, or social connections. Maybe those kids just dont like you because youre staring at them like a creep who wants to give them measles. https://t.co/S8MGKV834V Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) August 28, 2025The non-doctor is diagnosing children from 30 meters distance with fake diseases and invented psychological conditions that have no basis in reality. He does get credit for cramming a remarkable amount of stupidity into the fewest amount of words possible. https://t.co/Bta9ipksaQ John Jackson (@hissgoescobra) August 27, 2025RFK Jr seems to spend a lot of time staring at the children of strangers, who NO SURPRISE dont want his social connection https://t.co/hEHmhDBqlp Heather Bucha Whaley (@HeatherWhaley) August 27, 2025Love to have a Washington DC politician judge my kids based on how they look in an airport. Great way to set policy. https://t.co/CfEViY7YVn Evan (@evan7257) August 28, 2025insane that a person who looks and sounds like he's been microwaved on high is judging people's health from glancing them at the airport. https://t.co/K3VtV984tJ ds00za (@ds00za) August 28, 2025Your unhinged uncle who tells you over dinner all about how he diagnosed various children he doesnt know just by observing them in an airport except in this case hes somehow in charge of national health. https://t.co/SXeg09Vc7x Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) August 28, 2025 Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says that the Department of Health (HHS) will research whether antidepressants and medications used in gender affirming medical care contributed to yesterdays deadly school shooting in Minneapolis. The pledge follows a longtime habit of Republicans blaming mental illness for school shootings instead of guns.During a recent interview on Fox and Friends, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade asked,[In regards to the shooter,] you are dealing with a person who is trans, that was transitioning. Are you going to be examining at all some of the drugs that are used in order to make that transition happening, to see if it plays a role [in shootings]? Related Right-wing media uses school shooters alleged gender identity to demonize all trans people Kilmeade then pointed out that a 2023 school shooter in Nashville, Tennessee, was also trans, but didnt mention that the vast majority of mass shooters have been white cisgender men. Claims linking gender-affirming care to violence are often driven by anti-trans rhetoric, which exploits isolated tragedies to villainize the broader transgender community.Kennedy answered, We are doing those kind of studies now. At [the National Institutes of Health], were launching studies on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor] drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence. You know, many of them have black box warnings that warn of suicidal ideation and homicidal ideation. So we need, we cant exclude those as a culprit. 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 RFK Jr. probing SSRIs and psychiatric drugs drugs as contributions to violence "We're launching studies on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence."THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHATS IN pic.twitter.com/01AEh2czHq Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 28, 2025 Responding to Kennedys claims, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith (D) wrote via social media, I dare you to go to Annunciation School [the site of the recent shooting] and tell our grieving community, in effect, guns dont kill kids, antidepressants do. Just shut up. Stop peddling bulls**t. You should be fired.There are 400 million guns in this country. More guns than people, she added. In America, we are ten times more likely to be shot in a school or playground than any other developed nation.In a 2023 livestream on X with transphobic billionaire Elon Musk, Kennedy claimed there is tremendous circumstantial evidence that people using antidepressants are more likely to commit school shootings.Dr. Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, told ABC News that no scientific evidence supports Kennedys claim and that such claims wrongly stigmatize people with mental illness, discouraging such people from seeking diagnosis and treatment.An Al Jazeera fact check on Kennedys claim found that, because about 13% of the adult population uses antidepressants, if SSRIs caused violence, there would be higher rates of violence nationwide. However, studies on US school shootings show most attackers were not using psychiatric medicines, which have anti-violence effects, the fact check added.On Wednesday, numerous high-level officials under Kennedy resigned from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of them, gay Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, wrote in his resignation that Kennedys views do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the publics health.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

House Republicans have introduced a federal anti-trans sports bill that purports to clarify protections related to sex and sex-segregated spaces and to activities under Title IX.The so-called Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act strictly defines male and female and says schools that allow trans students to play on sports teams or use facilities that dont align with their sex assigned at birth will lose federal funding. Related Riley Gaines admits shes using sports as the card to make trans rights crumble A female, the bill says, is an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly, historical accident, or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization.It defines male as an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly, historical accident, or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization. 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 The current presidential administration maintains that trans-inclusive schools are in violation of Title IX after reversing President Joe Bidens interpretation of the statute, which found its discrimination on the basis of sex as including anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.An executive order from the president threatened to block federal funding for schools that allow transgender girls and women to compete on girls and womens sports teams and also directed the Department of Justice to prosecute schools that allow trans women athletes in female sports programs. Many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in womens sports,the order states, misgendering trans female athletes.This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.The administration is currently suing California over the states refusal to comply. The state of California has had a law allowing trans kids to participate in school sports as their gender since 2013 and has refused to violate it.Similarly, five Virginia school districts are refusing to revoke their trans-inclusive policies, despite the administrations decision to freeze the districts congressionally approved federal education funding over the matter. Nevertheless, 29 states have laws or policies banning trans students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identities.Additionally, many organizations and universities are giving in to threats from the federal government and revoking their trans-inclusive policies.The Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act was introduced by anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), who has said American families are under relentless attack from a radical leftist agenda that seeks to erase truth, redefine marriage, and confuse our children.This June, Miller called Pride Month evil and ungodly. The left hijacked it to promote gender confusion, to promote indecency, hyper-sexualizing our children, and actually grooming our children. So, I decided Im going to reclaim it for the family, she said, referring to a resolution she introduced to declare June as Family Month.She also recently said climate change is a liberal scam because its actually God who controls the weather.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

TikTok is full of gym bros giving fitness tips and recommendations on how to increase your protein intake, but teaching lesbians how to get better at scissoring is usually left to sapphic creators, until now.Enter Ryan Humiston, a TikTok fitness influencer who took it upon himself to offer up some advice about what exercises to do so that your gym gains improve your scissoring skills, too.Humiston starts his now viral video by asking, Are you a lesbian thats seeking to keep that ham wallet locked in while youre scissoring your significant other?The TikToker with more than 200,000 followers then shows the lesbians in his audience exactly how to use the adductor machine (also colloquially called the good girl/bad girl machine because it forces you to open and close your legs) to build the muscles you need to be a scissoring dynamo. The muscles that power your clam chops and allow you to keep those doughnuts bumping are your adductors, he explains, not only offering good advice, but also using hilarious vaginal euphemisms. And a mistake that a lot of us lesbians make is trying to target those muscles on an adductor machine thats set up just like this one.@ryanhumistonI Can Guarantee Youve Been Doing This Wrong for Years #fitness #bodybuildingYes, you read that right, Humiston said us lesbians. He never explains this, but he does offer a lesson in biomechanics and then shows the correct way to use the machine to get you in fighting shape for a night of scissoring in his video that now has more than 600,000 views at the time of publication.So if you want to get better at snail jousting, then all we gotta do to make this exercise even more effective is decrease the angle of your hips. Hope you assholes were paying attention, that was actually a legitimate tip, he said.From now one were only calling scissoring bumping doughnuts, and snail jousting.You might assume that sapphics would be offended by a man inserting himself in lesbians business, but the comments are actually full of people grateful for the advice that could make doing the tricky sex act even better.Like, I wanted to be offended but ended up just giggling all the way through, one person commented on the TikTok video.this is 1000% the feminism I fought for, another person wrote.Youre so straightforward I cant even be mad, someone else lamented.This seems to be Humistons first foray into providing lesbian sex tips, but the information is so spot on that viewers are hoping for more. Maybe next time he can show sapphics how to strengthen the muscles needed for strapping!

The Drag Race universe just got bigger. On Aug. 26, Australian streaming platform Stan confirmed that Drag Race Down Under is getting its very own Vs the World spin-off. That means queens from Australia and New Zealand will soon face international competitors for the crown.Michelle Visage Takes the LeadMichelle Visage will continue as host following her season 4 debut in that role. Shell be joined by returning judge Rhys Nicholson and new panelist Lazy Susan, the reigning champion from season four.Visage celebrated the news with her trademark enthusiasm, writing: MAMAS HERE and promising fans shes beyond thrilled to guide the series into this next chapter. I cant wait to see the very best in drag that the globe has to offer, she added.What This Means for FansA Vs the World season offers a chance for regional queens to gain international recognition. Past versions, like UK vs the World and Canada vs the World, have delivered fan-favorite rivalries, unexpected eliminations, and unforgettable lip syncs. With Down Under now entering the ring, fans can expect a mix of humor, heart, and cultural flavor unique to Australasian drag.The franchises global reach continues to grow, and this spin-off could cement Down Under as a key stop in the Drag Race legacy. If alumni reactions are any clue, the competition will be fierce and international fans are already watching closely.Source

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The Naval Station Great Lakes is pictured, Jan. 24, 2020, in Ill. (Joe Lewnard/Daily Herald via AP, File)2025-08-28T13:59:44Z Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his administration CHICAGO (AP) The Trump administration asked a military base outside of Chicago for support on immigration operations this week, offering a clue of what an expanded law enforcement crackdown might look like in the nations third-largest city. The Department of Homeland Security asked Naval Station Great Lakes for limited support in the form of facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical needs to support DHS operations, Matt Mogle, spokesperson for the base 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Chicago, said Wednesday.The request came weeks after the Republican administration deployed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to target crime, immigration and homelessness, and two months after it sent troops to Los Angeles. Although details of the administrations plans for Chicago are scarce, city leaders said Thursday that they are preparing for multiple possible scenarios, from troops assisting in immigration arrests to patrolling in the streets. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More We dont want to raise any fears, Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters. We dont want to create any speculation around whats going on. Chicago leaders want more communicationCity leaders said Thursday that the White House hadnt contacted them about its plans, and a spokesman for the Illinois National Guard said the base hadnt received requests regarding a Chicago mobilization. Mogle, the base spokesman, said no decisions had been made on the request, and that the base hadnt received an official request to support a National Guard deployment. The Chicago Sun-Times first reported on the request to the Navy base.DHS did not confirm whether it had asked to use the base. But it said in a statement Thursday that it was working to make our streets and cities safe again.Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker have pushed back against a possible mobilization, saying crime has fallen in Chicago and that the city doesnt want or need the militarys help. They are planning to sue. City leaders said workers were circulating know-your-rights cards in neighborhoods with heavy immigrant populations, which offer tips on what to do in case of an encounter with an immigration agent. Other workers were checking in on Chicagos homeless encampments and providing information about shelters since Trump has pushed to move homeless people far from Washington.Snelling asked for more communication on plans involving law enforcement.To make sure that were not stoking fears through neighborhoods and we dont have people running scared and it doesnt create chaos on our streets, were willing to have those conversations, Snelling said.Many Chicagoans are on edge about the rumored deployment. Former President Barack Obama, who is from Chicago, weighed in Thursday, posting on X: The erosion of basic principles like due process and the expanding use of our military on domestic soil puts the liberties of all Americans at risk, and should concern Democrats and Republicans alike. The politics of a deploymentPritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, has spent days showcasing parts of the city where crime has fallen and said there is no emergency in Chicago requiring military intervention. He told The Associated Press that the presence of troops could worsen the situation.What hes trying to do is try to inflame something that will cause a problem that he can then point at, the two-term governor said, referring to President Donald Trump. Trump has often singled out Chicago, likening it to a war zone and hellhole. Chicagos long-held status as a so-called sanctuary city has irked the Trump administration, which used Chicago to kick off a nationwide crackdown on immigration weeks after Trumps second inauguration. Pritzker and Trump, who has zeroed-in on Democrat-led cities, have traded barbs over the issue for days.The people are desperate for me to STOP THE CRIME, something the Democrats arent capable of doing, Trump posted Thursday on his Truth Social network. In recent days, the administration has been pointing out recent shootings in the city, including at Thursdays White House press briefing when press secretary Karoline Leavitt listed crime statistics. This is JB Pritzkers legacy, by the way, she said. Crime in ChicagoViolent crime has dropped significantly in Chicago in recent years, but it remains a persistent problem in parts of the city.Chicago had a homicide rate of 21.7 per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to analysis of federal data by the Rochester Institute of Technology. Seven other major U.S. cities -- St. Louis, New Orleans, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Indianapolis and Richmond, Virginia -- had higher rates than Chicago.Still, Chicago reported 573 homicides in 2024, the most of any U.S. city that year. At the same time, violent crime dropped significantly in the first half of this year, representing the steepest decline in over a decade, according to city data. In the first six months of 2025, total violent crime dropped by more than 22% compared with the first half of 2024. In Illinois there are roughly 10,000 members of the Illinois Army National Guard and 3,000 Air National Guard. They routinely mobilize at armories around the state, including nearly a dozen in Chicago and its suburbs. But they are state-owed property and if the federal government mobilizes the Guard without the governors blessing, the armories arent available for use.___This story was updated to correct that the Navy base issued its statement Wednesday, not Thursday. ___Associated Press writers Christine Fernando in Chicago and Chris Megerian and Rebecca Santana, both in Washington, contributed to this story. OConnor reported from Springfield, Illinois.

Susan Monarez, President Donald Trump's nominee to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arrives to testify before the Senate HELP Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)2025-08-28T16:11:35Z NEW YORK (AP) When the White House fired Susan Monarez as director of the premier U.S. public health agency, it was clear to two of the scientific leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the political meddling would not end and it was time to quit.We knew ... if she leaves, we dont have scientific leadership anymore, one of the officials, Dr. Debra Houry, told The Associated Press on Thursday.We were going to see if she was able to weather the storm. And when she was not, we were done, said Houry, one of at least four CDC leaders who resigned this week. She was the agencys deputy director and chief medical officer. The White House confirmed late Wednesday that Monarez was fired because she was not aligned with President Donald Trumps agenda and had refused to resign. She had been sworn in less than a month ago. President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. listens during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. listens during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Trumps health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., declined during an appearance on Fox & Friends to directly comment on the CDC shake-up. But he said he continues to have concerns about CDC officials hewing to the administrations health policies. So we need to look at the priorities of the agency, if theres really a deeply, deeply embedded, I would say, malaise at the agency, Kennedy said. And we need strong leadership that will go in there and that will be able to execute on President Trumps broad ambitions. A lawyer for Monarez said the termination was not legal and that she would not step down because she was informed of her dismissal by staff in the presidential personnel office and that only Trump himself could fire her. Monarez has not commented.Dr. Richard Besser, a former CDC acting director, said that when he spoke with Monarez on Wednesday, she vowed not to do anything that was illegal or that flew in the face of science. She had refused directives from the Department of Health and Human Services to fire her management team. She also would not automatically sign off on any recommendations from a vaccines advisory committee handpicked by Kennedy, according to Besser, now president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which helps support The Associated Press Health and Science Department. CDC participants listen to the speakers during a meeting of the Advisory Committee in Immunization Practices, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) CDC participants listen to the speakers during a meeting of the Advisory Committee in Immunization Practices, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Houry and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned as head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said Monarez had tried to make sure scientific safeguards were in place. Some concerned the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group of outside experts who make recommendations to the CDC director on how to use vaccines. The recommendations are then adopted by doctors, school systems, health insurers and others. Kennedy is a longtime leader in the anti-vaccine movement, and in June, he abruptly dismissed the entire panel, accusing members of being too closely aligned with manufacturers. He replaced them with a group that included several vaccine skeptics and then he shut the door to several doctors organizations that had long helped form vaccine recommendations. Susan Monarez, President Donald Trumps nominee to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arrives to testify before the Senate HELP Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Susan Monarez, President Donald Trumps nominee to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arrives to testify before the Senate HELP Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Recently, Monarez tried to replace the official who coordinated the panels meetings with someone who had more policy experience. Monarez also pushed to have slides and evidence reviews posted weeks before the committees meetings and have the sessions open to public comment, Houry said.HHS officials nixed that and called her to a meeting in Washington on Monday, Houry said.When it became clear that Monarez was out, other top CDC officials decided they had to leave, too, Houry and Daskalakis said.I came to the point personally where I think our science will be compromised, and thats my line in the sand, Daskalakis said.Monarezs lawyers, Mark Zaid and Abbe David Lowell, said in a statement that when she refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda. For that, she has been targeted. The campus of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seen in Atlanta, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) The campus of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seen in Atlanta, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. MIKE STOBBE Stobbe mainly covers public health for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

This combination of images released by Heritage Auctions shows various angles of a leather duster trench coat worn by actor Ron Perlman in "Hellboy," an item up for auction from the collection of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. (Heritage Auctions via AP)2025-08-28T13:12:32Z SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) Guillermo del Toro is an acclaimed master of horror and has built a huge memorabilia collection throughout his decades-long career. A close brush with Californias devastating wildfires has led him to do what was once unthinkable auction some of the 5,000 items in his prized collection.The Mexican-born filmmaker is auctioning hundreds of items ranging from works by comic luminaries like Jack Kirby and Richard Corben to exclusive items from his own classics like Cronos and Hellboy.Online bidding opened Thursday for the Sept. 26 auction, which is the first of a three-part series with Heritage Auctions.Whoever buys or gets it is going to love it as much, del Toro said while showing off some of the items up for sale to The Associated Press during a tour of his so-called Bleak House. Thats all you can do with your kids sort of plan for them to have a good life after you.Heres a look at the pieces del Toro says he struggled the most to let go of. Bernie Wrightsons FrankensteinWhen del Toros Bleak Houses were endangered by wildfires, he focused on securing just a few items: his diaries, some of his awards and Bernie Wrightsons Frankenstein illustrations.The collector is auctioning two original art pieces from the 50 pen-and-ink drawings that Wrightson created for the 1983 illustrated version of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein.The possibility of those items perishing in a fire weigh so heavily on me, because thats his masterpiece, del Toro said. Frankenstein marked the start of del Toros lifelong passion for monsters. The filmmaker adapted the classic horror story for Netflix and it will arrive on the streaming platform in November.One of Wrightsons pieces, with a starting bid of $200,000, depicts the creature hiding near a stream. The other, starting at $100,000, portrays Victor Frankensteins pursuit of the creature.My eyes are going to start twitching, he said. Those two were pretty brutal. Mike Mignolas HellraiserThere was only one item that Mike Mignola a celebrated comic book writer and del Toros longtime friend didnt know was a part of the Bleak House collection. It happened to be one of his own.Del Toro is parting with an original pinup artwork that Mignola drew in the late 1980s for Hellraiser #2, Clive Barkers comic series, before they were adapted into movies in the 1990s.The director said he was a fan of the Hellraiser comics, and this particular piece was the precursor that led to Hellboy, a superhero that Mignola created in the 1990s. Del Toro later wrote and directed the Hellboy movies.The item, with a starting bid of $40,000, is described in the auction catalog as one of the greatest artworks in del Toros collection. It was also one that took the longest to secure, he said.Theres a few items that are very hard to find. The Hellraiser cover was exceedingly hard. The art behind Pans LabyrinthBefore the reality of budget constraints set in, the film sets for the 2006 dark fantasy Pans Labyrinth spread much wider in the minds of del Toro and the illustrators he works with.He has long kept a tight hold on this art. Now, more than a dozen preproduction art pieces, which have never been up for sale, will be available to the wider public.The mill compound, which was the heart of the dark fairy tale, for instance, existed on a much larger scale on paper than what made it on screen. That concept sketch drawn by Ral Monge one of del Toros favorites has a starting bid of $6,000.Paint master behind the ghost in The Devils BackboneDel Toro had a clear image in mind when developing Santi, the haunting ghost of a murdered orphan that anchors his 2001 horror The Devils Backbone. He envisioned the ghosts skull to be cracked like broken porcelain, with haunting eyes and ashen skin, according to the auction catalog.The production makeup paint master that helped bring his vision to life is being auctioned with a starting bid of $6,000.Santi is a signature creature, that I think actually set precedence for a lot of creatures, del Toro told the AP. Hellboy memorabiliaOver 40 pieces of memorabilia from del Toros Hellboy movies are being sold. Amid the dozens of illustrations and concept sketches are two one-of-a-kind pieces.The iconic hero jacket, worn by Ron Perlman, who played Hellboy in the films, went straight from the actors back into del Toros arms, he said, and is now heading elsewhere with a starting bid of $40,000.Also up for sale is Big Baby, Hellboys signature six-round shotgun, which starts at $50,000.We couldnt have many duplicates so the Big Baby is a hero hero hero piece, del Toro said. That one hurt.Original H.R. Giger artwork for The Tourist One of the highest priced pieces in the auction is H.R. Gigers concept design for an unproduced science fiction and horror script, The Tourist. Giger was a Swiss surrealist artist known for blending human and machine in his work.The Giger piece is a star in del Toros collection and has a starting price of $150,000. It was always a really good point in touring the collection to say very casually, and this is a Giger, del Toro said. It was a big flex, you, know. Letting go of that big flex is not easy. Replica of Cronos device Cronos was del Toros critically acclaimed filmmaking debut in 1992. He began creating sketches for the movie in the 1980s and one is included in the auction, which he said is likely the only preproduction drawing for the movie he will part with.The early concept sketch for a skeletal, muscular vampire holding a small pocket watch has a starting bid of $4,000. The pocket watch was later developed into the Cronos device, which gives an elderly man immortality in the film.Its very beautiful to be able to say look this is a Cronos design I made when nobody knew what Cronos was, del Toro said. ITZEL LUNA Luna is an intern for The APs entertainment team. She is based in Los Angeles. twitter mailto

A video of a child who started crying when he found out that Donald Trump is real has gone viral. The video, uploaded by Annabelle Perez, shows a kid sitting on his dads lap who looks upset. Perez asks him whats wrong. Related This Pride Parade in an IKEA surprised shoppers & went viral Donald Trump is a real person? the kid asks.Yes, Donald Trump is a real person, Perez answered, and the kid started wailing. I feel you, buddy, his father said. The video has over 14 million views so far. Perezs videos usually get several thousand views. @andydouglas.trumpboy Eek thanks..yes he Is real my sweet boy. Is Donald Trump a real person andydouglas.trumpboy

Conservatives are piling on the trans community in the wake of a mass shooting yesterday that may have been committed by a trans person, even though the vast majority of shootings in the U.S. are perpetrated by cis men, and these Republicans have not blamed cis identity in the past for mass shootings.Todays evil church school shooter was a trans who was likely groomed and transitioned as a teenager, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wrote on X just hours after the shooting. There is no evidence that the alleged shooter was groomed, which is a term for trust-gaining techniques used by child sex abusers. Related Marjorie Taylor Greene celebrates child sex traffickers testimony: Trump has been vindicated! Greene said that this means her federal ban on gender-affirming care for minors MUST PASS, even though the alleged shooter was 23 years old and its not known if they even sought gender-affirming medical care.Gender dysphoria is a mental illness and children are being targeted by the multi billion dollar medical and pharmaceutical industry, Greene wrote. If they are willing to destroy themselves and how God made them then they are willing to destroy others and we saw that happen today. 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 Todays evil church school shooter was a trans who was likely groomed and transitioned as a teenager.Congress MUST PASS my bill Protecting Childrens Innocence Act to make it a FELONY to perform sex change surgeries and all forms of medications on minors!!!According to court pic.twitter.com/RkcQEwxEAn Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) August 27, 2025Greene was discussing Robin Westman, 23, the sole suspect in a shooting that occurred yesterday at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which left two children dead and injured 17 other people. Westman then killed themself.Westman may have been transgender; there is a name change document from 2020 for a person who changed their name to Robin Westman. The document says the minor child identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.There are some indications from Westmans social media activity that they were radicalized into fascist ideology, including racial slurs written on their weapons. Kick a sp*c and fa***t and fart ni**a were shown written on weapons in one video, along with antisemitic messages like 6 million wasnt enough. They also made a video supporting a Republican House candidate. But their politics arent clear; they also wrote that they wanted to kill the current president. That didnt stop Republicans from immediately blaming Westmans possible trans identity for the shooting. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) said that Westman was demonic and a mentally disturbed man who identified as a woman.Its time to stop coddling insane people in our country, she wrote in a post where she said she feared that the shooting would be used to support gun control legislation. Democrats will rush to try to use todays tragedy in Minneapolis as a pretext to disarm law-abiding Americans.Ive yet to see a single Democrat acknowledge the pattern of transgender violence in our country.Todays demonic killer was a mentally disturbed man who identified Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) August 27, 2025Proud transphobe Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) wrote that the shooting is a result of when you affirm mental illness rather than treat it. Trans identity isnt a mental illness, but transphobes like Mace often refer to it as such. Affirm, in this context, refers to addressing trans people as they want to be addressed. Mace is saying that using the correct names and pronouns for trans people leads to mass shootings. The FBI is investigating the Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis as domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. This is what happens when you "affirm" mental illness rather than treat it. Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) August 27, 2025Rightwing podcaster Benny Johnson brought up how Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) stood up for trans rights in a recent speech and said that Ellison enable[d] and encourage[d] the shooter by supporting trans people. Two days ago, Minnesotas Attorney General stood on stage at the DNC meeting, bragging about suing President Trump over gender-affirming care.Today, a violent transgender terrorist targeted children and opened fire inside a Catholic church in his state.This epidemic of pic.twitter.com/YyDWpBuu99 Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 27, 2025 Self-described conspiracy theorist Liz Churchill shared a list that has been making the rounds on social media of mass shootings that they claim were committed by trans and nonbinary people. The list is misinformation, since many of the shooters included on it are not trans or nonbinary. Right-wing activist Andy Ngo claimed that trans leftist accounts all over social media are celebrating the shooting and killing of children at the Minneapolis church by a trans gunman. He then shared screenshots of a Reddit thread of unknown origin as proof.On Fox News, a chyron about the story identified the Minnesota shooter as a trans gunman, and host Jesse Watters said, Statistically, the trans population has been prone to violence. Thats not villainizing, thats reality. Statistics do not support this claim, and trans people are much more likely than cis people to be the victims of violence. Watters: I don't hate anyone who thinks they are trans. I feel sorry for them pic.twitter.com/iihFdLg5GE Acyn (@Acyn) August 28, 2025Anti-trans activist Matt Walsh wrote that every trans person is dangerously delusional and that trans people are all mentally sick in the wake of the shooting. Now innocent children are dying because so many people were too cowardly to speak up, he wrote, implying that people were too cowardly to speak up about banning gender-affirming care for trans people, not that they were too cowardly to speak up about gun control.Anti-LGBTQ+ pastor Greg Locke told the Christian Charisma Magazine website that the fact that the shooter may have been transgender proves that there is a demonic force at play. Its the same spirit thats been around since, you know, Pharaoh trying to eradicate the Jews, Haman trying to eradicate the Jews, Nebuchadnezzar trying to eradicate the Jews, Hitler. Its the same spirit. Yesterday, InfoWars host Owen Shroyer called media coverage of Westmans trans identity an unbelievable victory for the rightwing media outlet, which has been calling people secretly transgender for years. Former Human Rights Campaign press secretary for rapid response Charlotte Clymer, who is trans and Christian, wrote on her Substack that cis people are far more likely to commit mass shootings than trans people.And so now, it falls to people like me, a trans woman, to properly contextualize gun violence in the hope that the narcissistic bigotry of these clowns can be quickly rejected and the focus solely placed back on the pain of these families, where it should always have been in the first place, she wrote. Since 2015, GVA [the Gun Violence Archive] has recorded 5,203 mass shootings, including 286 this year. According to dataprovidedby GVA toReutersin 2023whose analysis was as broad as possible despite questions over the true gender identity of perpetratorsthere were no more thanat mostfour shooters identified as trans at that time in their records. Todays horrific tragedy would make that five.That would mean trans perpetrators, at most, are responsible for 0.096 percent of mass shootings in the United States since 2015, she wrote. According to GVA, 97.7 percent of mass shootings through 2021 were perpetrated by non-trans men, which means, over that period, you were nearly 43x more likely to be killed by a man who is not transgender than a perpetrator of any other gender identity.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The U.S. Debut of the renowned HIV Unwrapped, presented by PlusLife with support from GLAAD will make its U.S. debut during New York Fashion Week with an electrifying runway event at the Nexus Club New York on Saturday, September 13! Presented by +Life, a multi-media brand dedicated to eliminating HIV stigma, with support from Gilead [...]The post +Lifes HIV Unwrapped to Debut at New York Fashion Week 2025: Turning Science into Style, Smashing Stigma with Couture first appeared on GLAAD.

While Ryan Murphys controversial Monster: Ed Gein has yet to air, Netflix is already hard at work on its fourth season, which after featuring stories about Jeffrey Dahmer and The Mendendez brothers will for the first time tackle the story of a female subject: Lizzie Borden.Borden was a 32-year-old woman from Fall River, Massachusetts, who lived with her parents. She is infamous for allegedly murdering both her father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Borden, with a hatchet in 1892. Her subsequent trial quickly went the 1892 version of viral, and Borden had her share of supporters who saw her as a proper Victorian lady.Its a story that has been retold several times, with actresses Chlo Sevigny and Christina Ricci each taking on the role in separate projects. Many of these portrayals lean into a sapphic angle, often due to the presence of the familys maid, Bridget Sullivan, who was in the house at the time of the murders.While we dont yet know what Murphys take will be, chances are we can count on some sapphic subtext at the very least. Heres what we know so far:Ella Beatty as Lizzie BordenAccording to Netflix, Ella Beatty was cast as the (allegedly) axe-wielding Borden after an extensive search. This isnt the first time Beatty has worked with Murphyshe made her acting debut in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans as Kate Harrington. She also comes from Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.Rebecca Hall as Abby Borden (rumored)Rebecca Halls casting in the series is official, but her role is still unconfirmed. According to Deadline, however, she is set to play Abby Borden, Lizzies ill-fated stepmother. Hall has also previously worked with Murphy, starring in the upcoming FX series The Beauty.Historically, Abby was a lifelong resident of Fall River who married Andrew when she was 37. Her relationship with Lizzie and Lizzies sister, Emma, was reportedly chilly.Vicky Krieps as Bridget Sullivan (rumored)Like Hall, Vicky Kriepss role is still under wraps, but she is rumored to be playing Bridget Sullivan, the familys maid who was present during the killings. Krieps is already part of the Murphy-verse, as she is also set to star in Monster: Ed Gein as the infamous Nazi sadist Ilsa Koch.Sullivan was an Irish immigrant who entered the Borden households employ in 1889. As live-in help, she had a small room in the attic. She would go on to become a key witness in the murder trial, since not only was she present during the murders, but she also had a unique perspective on the family and its dynamics.When does Monster: Lizzie Borden air?Netflix has not yet announced a release date for Monster: Lizzie Borden, but stay tunedPRIDE will update as more information about the series rolls out.In the meantime, Monster: Ed Gein premieres on Netflix on October 3.

Betty Who recently came under fire for comments that she made on a podcast that were deemed "lesbophobic," and on Wednesday, the Australian singer issued an apology. The 33-year-old pop star, who identifies as "queer bisexual," found herself in the middle of controversy after discussing the sexuality of JoJo Siwa and Fletchertwo queer artists who came out as lesbians and then revealed they were dating menand Rene Rapp, who said she would never date a man, but Who said she "held space" for Rapp if she ended up with a man 10 years down the line. (@) In a post uploaded to her Instagram stories, Who started the statement by acknowledging that her words were not chosen carefully. "I recognize that the language I used poorly articulated my experience and unintentionally reinforced ideas that were harmful or dismissive, particularly toward the lesbian community," she wrote. "That was never my intention, and Im truly sorry. Everyones journey is deeply personal, and I shouldnt have spoken in ways that generalized or spoke for others.Who continued the statement by saying that she went on the show with intentions of talking about her own journey with her sexuality and gender identity, specifically with how they realized they identified as bisexual and non-binary. "I understand there is so much nuance in this conversation, and in other peoples lived experiences, that my comments did not reflect," the singer wrote. "I also recognise that Im coming from a place of privilege, and I never meant to contribute to prejudice against the community."She ended her statement saying, The LGBTQ+ community is my home; its where I came alive, found my people, and learned more about love, acceptance, and tolerance on a deeper human level. I will do better.

The NWSL player playfully challenged the tennis star with a question about his 2nd-round US Open performance.

The president has raised the stakes.

The classic film was enhanced using A.I. tools so that it could be an immersive experience at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The post CDC Director Arrives At Office To Find Dead Deer With Fired Carved Into It appeared first on The Onion.

LEAWOOD, KSPeriodically grunting and nodding his head, a dead-eyed Travis Kelce was reportedly viewing an array of bow tie options for cat ring bearers Thursday. Looks great, said the 35-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end, whose mouth was slightly agape as fiance Taylor Swift scrolled through page after page of sequined collars and tulle bandana designs the pop stars three feline companions could walk down the aisle in. Love it. Love it. Sure. Yes. Love it. Its going to look great on you. I mean them. Good. Good. Cat. Yes. At press time, sources confirmed Swift was accusing Kelce of not paying attention after he answered Travis hungry to her question about which cat should serve as flower girl.The post Dead-Eyed Travis Kelce Nods At Bow Tie Options For Cat Ring Bearers appeared first on The Onion.

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A Palestinian children wait at a community kitchen before donated food is prepared and distributed in Gaza City, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-08-28T17:19:33Z TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) The head of the U.N. food agency said Thursday that it was very evident during her visit to Gaza this week that there isnt enough food in the Palestinian territory and that she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the urgent need for more aid. The worlds leading authority on food crises said last week the Gaza Strips largest city is gripped by famine, and that it was likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.Cindy McCain, the World Food Programs executive director, told The Associated Press that starvation was underway in Gaza.I personally met mothers and children who were starving in Gaza, she said. It is real and it is happening now, Netanyahu, she said, was obviously very concerned that people arent getting enough food. In the past, he has denied that there is famine in Gaza and said the claims about starvation are a propaganda campaign launched by Hamas.We agreed that we must immediately redouble our efforts to get more humanitarian aid in. Access and security for our convoys is critical, McCain said. Pressure on IsraelThe famine declaration has increased international pressure on Israel, which has been fighting Hamas since the militant groups deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Israel now says it plans to seize Gaza City and other Hamas strongholds, and there have been no public signs of progress on recent efforts for a ceasefire.Israel rejects the declaration issued by the authority on food crises known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC and on Wednesday asked for a formal retraction. The Israeli military agency in charge of transferring aid to the territory, known as COGAT, said Thursday that more than 300 humanitarian aid trucks enter Gaza every day, most of them carrying food. But aid groups say its not nearly enough after 22 months of fighting, the blockade of aid earlier this year and the collapse of food production in Gaza. McCain spent most of Tuesday on a tour of Gaza speaking to displaced families living in tents and facing hunger. I got to meet a family who had come from the North, there were 11 of them, and theyd come from the North and they literally had not had enough food at all and they still dont have enough food, she said.McCain said her program is getting more food in to Gaza, but said a surge in food supplies was needed.A present-day catastropheU.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said famine in Gaza is a present-day catastrophe and the start of expanded Israeli military operations present a new and dangerous phase. He said it will have devastating consequences and force hundreds of thousands of traumatized and exhausted civilians to flee again.Gaza is piled with rubble, piled with bodies, and piled with examples of what may be serious violations of international law, he said.Mediators Egypt and Qatar were still waiting for Israels response to a 60-day ceasefire proposal in Gaza, which has been accepted by Hamas, Qatari foreign minister said Thursday. The proposal, which Egyptian and Qatari mediators delivered to Israel earlier this month, calls for a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages and the handover of bodies of 18 dead ones, according to Arab mediators. It also calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces to a buffer zone on Gaza.Exchanges with Yemens Houthi rebelsAlso Thursday, Israeli airstrikes hit the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, in response to attacks by the Arab countrys Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea for over 22 months. The Houthis say the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians.Nearly 63,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. The agency reported that 71 people were killed by Israeli strikes over the past day, while scores more were injured. While the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, it says more than half of the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Of the 50 remaining in Gaza, Israel believes around 20 are alive.The U.N. chief said Israel, as the occupying power, has obligations to protect civilians, facilitate far greater humanitarian access and meet their essential needs.The systematic dismantling of systems that provide food water and healthcare, Guterres said, are the result of deliberate decisions that defy basic humanity.___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia contributed to this report. SAM MEDNICK Mednick is an AP correspondent for Israel and the Palestinian Territories. She focuses on conflict, humanitarian crises and human rights abuses. Mednick formerly covered West & Central Africa and South Sudan. twitter SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Over the last few decades, the number of lesbian bars dropped significantly, from roughly 200 in the 1980s, to a low of 21 in 2021. Since then, weve seen a resurgence of lesbian and sapphic-focused spaces: according to The Lesbian Bar Project, were now up to 38. You may know the classics like Cubbyhole, Gossip Grill and Henrietta Hudson, but there are also spots, new and established, working hard to keep the lights on.Boyfriend (Brooklyn, New York)Dont be fooled by the name of this Brooklyn-based bar: Boyfriend is for the girls and the people that love them. Started in 2022 by two friends, Boyfriend has expanded into a coffee house and co-working space during the day, and a cocktail bar at night. Its also a cooperative, meaning Boyfriend is worker-run and owned. Boyfriend also leans into the late-90s, early-aughts aesthetic for those looking for a little taste of nostalgia.The Last Ditch (Greenfield, Massachusetts)If live music and performance art are your proverbial cup of tea, then The Last Ditch in Greenfield, Massachusetts should be on your list. This small town bar has a lot to offer, from game nights and karaoke to dance parties and burlesque. In many ways, The Last Ditch is reminiscent of the heyday of spaces for queer women, full of variety and opportunity, while not being anchored in a major city.Mother Bar (San Francisco, California)Call. Me. Mother Bar. This Bay Area bar refers to itself as Dyke of Center and offers a wide variety of sapphic-centric events that reach out to more marginalized members of the community. For example, the Seasoned dance party welcomes queers in their prime years while Melanin & Estrogen is focused on trans femmes of color.Scarlet Fox Wine Bar (San Francisco, California)Located just two miles from Mother Bar, Scarlett Fox Wine Bar offers a totally different vibe for those wanting a more relaxed, wine focused experience. Opened in 2023 by married couple Kate Maeder and Kaela Miller, this NoPa neighborhood establishment offers a rotating selection of wines from around the world, plus charcuterie and the occasional local chef pop-up.Water Bear Bar (Boise, Idaho)This bartender owned, woman owned, and queer owned cocktail & oyster lounge is located right at the edge of downtown Boise. Named after the resilient eight-legged micro creature, Waterbear has been featured as a top queer cocktail bar in publications across the country, and was a recipient of HRC and Showtimes 2023 Queer to Stay grant.Yellow Brick Road Bar (Tulsa, Oklahoma)Were not in Kansas anymore, but were right next door in Oklahoma! Opened in 2000, YBR is the oldest bar on our list. In 2022, the bar suffered a devastating fire, but the community came together and a year later YBR reopened and has remained a fixture of the Tulsa LGBTQ+ community. Now customers can pop in any night of the week and attend events like dance parties, Hangover Hoe Downs, comedy shows and concerts.Lesbian bars may be fewer than in decades past, but the ones that remain continue to adapt, expand and center community. From longtime fixtures to new spaces with fresh ideas, these bars remind us that queer gathering places are still here and still matter.The post Lesbian bars in the U.S. you may not know about but should appeared first on News Is Out.

A lawsuit challenging Missouris policy of placing people with HIV in prolonged solitary confinement has reached a settlement.Lambda Legal, the MacArthur Justice Center, and the law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon filed the suit on behalf of Honesty Bishop, a transgender woman living with HIV who was incarcerated in a Missouri Department of Corrections (MODOC) facility. The lawsuit argued that the MODOC discriminated against people with HIV by subjecting them to extended isolation. Bishop died while the case was pending. Related Jail allegedly denied father-of-two his HIV meds. Now hes dead. This settlement honors her memory and ensures that others wont have to suffer what Honesty went through, Latasha Monroe, Bishops sister, said in a statement. Her courage in speaking out has created lasting changes.Bishop was placed in solitary confinement after being assaulted by her cellmate. Prison officials classified the incident as a PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) event, despite the fact that her HIV was virally suppressed and posed no risk of transmission. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She ultimately spent more than six yearsbetween 2015 and 2021in isolation at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. During this time, she was denied gender-affirming medical care, repeatedly exposed to chemical agents used against others, and told by a corrections caseworker that she would rot in there because of her HIV status. Her grievances about the length of her confinement were denied. The prolonged isolation caused her severe depression and anxiety, leading to suicide attempts in 2015 and 2016.Honesty spent years in torturous isolation based solely on a discriminatory policy. She was denied her basic human rights, and the prolonged solitary confinement infringed upon her dignity, Shubra Ohri, a senior counsel at the MacArthur Justice Center, said in a statement. The lawsuit argued that MODOCs solitary confinement policy for people with HIV violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Missouri was one of only three states that explicitly targeted people to prolonged solitary confinement based on their HIV status.Under the settlement, MODOC agreed to eliminate discriminatory language from its policies, require individualized medical assessments before considering segregation based on communicable diseases, provide mandatory staff training, and pay compensation to Bishops estate.Bishop was released from solitary confinement in July 2021 and granted parole the following year. She died by suicide in 2024. Her sisters believe the years she spent in isolation played a huge role in her death.While we deeply mourn the loss of Ms. Bishop, this settlement ensures that her fight for justice was not in vain, Lambda Legal counsel Richard Saenz said in a statement. The substantive policy changes and training achieved through this agreement will protect incarcerated people living with HIV from the kind of discriminatory treatment and prolonged isolation that no human being should ever endure.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

TikToker Grant Gibbs has apologized for posting a viral video that inadvertently outed Crumbl Cookies co-founder and Chief Branding Officer Sawyer Hemsley. The 33-year-old Mormon entrepreneur publicly came out on Tuesday following Gibbs video.In Gibbs original video, posted on August 22, he said of Hemsely, That man is so gay. That man is gay to the gods. There is a genetic component to sexuality, mama, and lets just say, he has the gene, and theres no denying evolution, babe Thats a gay man, and Ill say it to his face. Theres no denying it. Related Modern Family star Aubrey Anderson-Emmons comes out as bisexual using iconic moment from the show I dont care if Im outing a CEO with millions of dollars. I dont give a f**k Theres no denying it My jaw dropped that this man is trying to say that hes straight Its hilarious. @grantegibbs Yall Im dying can someone fill me in on the tea with him bc I quite literally have never seen a gayer man #gay #crumbl #ceo #wtf #omg original sound Grant Gibbs Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Two days later, Hemsley publicly came out in an Instagram post, writing, There have been people online trying to define me, twist things, and share conversations in ways that feel harmful. Instead of letting others write my story, I want to share it in my own words. The truth is, over the past few years Ive come to understand and accept that Im gay.For most of my life, I didnt have the clarity to answer the questions or respond to the rumors, he added. Coming to terms with it has been overwhelming and, at times, scary but it has also brought me peace, joy, and authenticity that I wouldnt trade for anything. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sawyer Hemsley (@sawyerhemsley) In a follow-up video, Gibbs said, I didnt think [my original video] was gonna blow up like that. And I almost feel a little weird. So I guess this is kind of my formal apology video.I dont think hes necessarily hiding [his homosexuality] either upon further research, Gibbs said. What I feel a little problematic about is that I think hes closeted in a way, to, like, protect his money As a gay man myself, I want to see a successful gay CEO, like, slay the boots house down. But, like, to act like youre not, or to make it like a whole hidden thing it sucks.Gibbs then added that the main reason he felt okay publicly discussing Hemsleys sexuality was that hes so successful, he has so much money, I dont think this is really gonna harm him. He also said he hopes Hemsleys success as a gay man makes him a beacon to the community. @grantegibbs wanted to address the crumbl situation at hand #apology #crumbl #omg #sorry #gay original sound Grant Gibbs In a second follow-up video after Hemsleys coming out, Gibbs said, Girl, Im so happy for you, and so proud of you. You are hot and you are going to live your best, open, out life, mama. Like, you are chiseled, you are cut, like its gonna be such a gag Girl, you got money, you got beautiful homes, beautiful clothes, and you probably have a gorgeous hole.Gibbs then said, I wish I could retract what I just said, and added, Im sorry. It was nasty. I didnt mean for it to end up like this, but Im proud of you, and Im happy for you It was nasty of me I admit that Im sorry. I admit what I did was wrong. Like, at the end of the day, it was wrong.In Gibbs original video, he also accused Hemsley of being a Republican. Its unclear if that claim is true. Gibbs also mentioned that Hemsley is Mormon, something thatHemsley has confirmed.Crumbl Cookies has 1,071 locations including 25 in Utah according to its website.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Citing radical non-transparency, unskilled manipulation of data, and people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific rigor, the out top official for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, resigned Wednesday afternoon.After much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people, Daskalakis said in a searing condemnation of the current administrations stewardship of the nations public health agencies. Related RFK Jr.: Were researching if gender-affirming meds cause school shootings Enough is enough, he wrote.Daskalakis came to public prominence as head of the Biden administrations Mpox outbreak response in 2022, which employed a successful strategy of Education and outreach, as well as vaccination based on hard data. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Infections dont heed orders, he told LGBTQ Nation at the time.Summing up months of frustration with Kennedy and other administration officials, Daskalakis said, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people.Under Kennedys guidance, the CDC is now a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the publics health, he said.The longtime public health expert shared that since Kennedy took over HHS, Daskalakis and his team have never been consulted. We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary,he said. I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us.Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS uses over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources.Like the president, Kennedy has circumvented traditional, fact-based analysis and policy formulation with politically motivated prescriptions for public health by tweet, Daskalakis asserted.Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page-long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function, he wrote. Daskalakis described Kennedy as a director hamstrung and sidelined by an authoritarian leader and warned that the intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines, favoring natural infection and unproven remedies, will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many, if not all, will suffer.Alluding to the presidents obsession with good genes, Daskalakis asserted that eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.Daskalakis resignation, effective today, comes amid a flurry of departures from HHS. On Wednesday, CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired after less than a month on the job for refusing to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives from Kennedy, according to her lawyers. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry, to whom Daskalakis addressed his own resignation letter, and National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Daniel Jernigan announced their resignations soon after Monarez was fired.Daskalakis, 51, has been a longtime champion for LGBTQ+ health. He served as deputy health commissioner in New York City at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, employing aggressive outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, and then as director of the CDCs Division of HIV and AIDS Prevention under President Joe Biden.Hes also been a target of the far-right for his public and enthusiastic identification with the community: his tattoos and leather kit have earned scorn and praise from both in equal measure. Daskalakis rang out his resignation letter, acknowledging the threat the administration poses to the LGBTQ+ community and diversity more broadly.For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics, Daskalakis shared.I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision.Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, Daskalakis concluded, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nations health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Were all familiar with thirst traps from straight male celebs like David Beckhams sons, Dylan Efron, and Austin Butler, but TikTok is full of shirtless trans masc creators showing off their trans joy, gender euphoria, and glorious muscles.There are sweaty half-naked gym videos, trans masc cowboys showing off, a wink that will have you melting, and creators who are slamming transphobic comments about passing by posting smoking hot thirst traps.Republicans may be trying to destroy the trans community in any way they can, but these trans masc influencers are still finding ways to celebrate trans joy and give us plenty to drool over, too.So keep scrolling to see the hottest trans mascs to grace in the internet!@aj.kazwhen the movie is nothing like the preview #fyp #foryoupage #transgender #trans #lgbt #pridemonth #lgbt #ftm #man #dating #trending #fyp #fruitWe're big fans of this new "dwerking" trend.@noah.hmikkelsenWho looks stupid now??#pridemonth #ftm #transmasc #selfimprovement Confidence is so sexy.@trindadehgwPov: qnd vc do pais #fyp #transgender #blacktransSuddenly we really want to do to the beach!@samporto_Catwalk transmasc #transman #ftm #lgbtqia #pride #transvisibility #lgbtqi #transman #homemtrans #id #transmasc #fy #fashion #fyp #model #runwaymen #runway #mensfashiontips #trans #transgenderWe need more trans masc models on the runways immediately.@justburxkDamn I hit the spot #fy #ftm #lgbt #transmascUsing a thirst trap to roast rude commenters is *chef's kiss*.@aj.kazgirls are scary #fyp #foryoupage #trending #trans #transgender #ftm #guy #lgbt #girls #fyp #lgbtq #datingWe approve of the hip thrusts!@jackedandevilBlessed #ftm #transWe didn't know we needed trans masc cowboys in our lives until now.@emdonkseuphoria feels #transmasc #transftm #trans #ftm #euphoria #handsomeWe love to see gender euphoria!@itsquindellbabyLike hold on nieee #transmasc #transman #ftm #fyp #queertok #humor #transtok #blacktransmacs #trans #blackqueertiktok #queer #pride #pridemonthHot and is good at tribbing? @brightenfromtexasfeeling more boy than ever and i love itttt #mascfashion #enbytiktok #transmasc #nonbinary #lesbianIt's the tattoos and the smile for us.@tyee_97Its been an euphoric journey #transmasc #transgender #ftm #lgtbq #fyp #explorepage #transition #glowupIt definitely worked!@rioobayaniRponse @nignog yall are funny #pourtoipage #pourtoi #fyp #foryoupage #queer #transmasc #ftm #transition #hethey #nonbinary #nonbinaire #lgbtRio is roasting transphobes and looking hot while doing it.@liamlaz23Average at best #ftm #trans #transguy #gymmotivation #fitnessThis is making us want to join a gym asap!@chasekbrgHope this reaches the right audience #transmasc #transgender #ftm #fypp #fyp #gym #gymrat #transman #bodybuilding #testosterone #aestheticWe're crashing out over how hot Chase is!@_pauluz_#ftm #transguyWe're loving this "average trans boy" trend.@kjkeyworthReplying to @Matildasmer neither do my scars #fyp #fyp #ftm # #lgbtq #transman #transgender #transftm #trendingShake those hips!@luvcarter33Replying to @Luis M Rodriguez #fyp #foryou #trending #trans #man #lgbt #danceThank you to whoever asked for this shirtless dance!@billyelijahseymour #fyp #foryou #transman #transrights #freshthings #happyvibesThat wink is lethal!@gray_vaccHappy pride #trans #ftmWho needs a horse when you have three hot cowboys?