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Texas Republicans Just Proposed a Bounty on Drag Shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

Members of the drag show community listen in during a meeting at the Texas Capitol on March 23, 2023, in Austin, Texas.Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesGiven Republicans’ relentless legislative attempts to erase trans and gender nonconforming people, a new bill in Texas that LGBTQ+ advocates are describing as the “drag bounty hunter bill” may seem like a drop in the ocean. This fact alone is intolerable. There is, however, something particularly barbaric in the bill’s explicit encouragement of citizen harassment to drive gender variance out of public life.The proposed legislation defines “drag” as any “performance in which a performer exhibits a gender that is different than the performer’s gender recorded at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physical markers and sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs in a lascivious manner before an audience.”The inclusion of “lascivious” might suggest that the bill is only aimed at performances in venues that already exclude minors, l...

3 astronauts delayed on space station to return in September

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Three astronauts who were supposed to leave the International Space Station this month will be brought back to Earth in late September, doubling their time aboard the orbiting laboratory to more than a year, Russia’s space agency announced Friday.The return of Russians Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, and NASA’s Frank Rubio was delayed after the Soyuz capsule they planned to ride in developed a coolant leak while docked to the space station. An empty Soyuz was sent to the station in late February to serve as a rescue capsule. The three-person replacement crew that was originally scheduled to be aboard that capsule is now set to head for the space station on Sept. 15, the Roscosmos space agency said.Prokopyev, Petelin and Rubio are to return on Sept. 27; they launched into space on Sept. 21, 2022.Source

Women soccer leaders target breakthroughs in World Cup year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — In a World Cup year set to drive faster progress in women’s soccer, elections in Europe next month will have a global audience for a potential breakthrough in gender equity. Women soccer executives taking part in an annual joint FIFA-UEFA leadership course for them in Switzerland this month are keenly awaiting the result of votes on April 5 for seats on the ruling committees at both soccer bodies. The past decade has seen women receive a single protected quota place to sit at decision-making tables at each of FIFA and the six continental authorities such as UEFA. However, women have yet to win international soccer politics elections in direct contests against men. Quota seats have been treated as a closed limit rather than a door opening.That could change when the 55 member federations of UEFA meet soon in Lisbon with two options to make women the winners.Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness is one of 11 candidates — the other 10 are men — for s...

Disabled Wisconsin voters say absentee law not followed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Disabled voters say local election leaders across Wisconsin are not following federal law during early voting in the high-stakes race for state Supreme Court, incorrectly telling them they can’t have another person return their absentee ballot for them. Absentee ballots, and who can return them, has been a political flashpoint in battleground Wisconsin, known for razor-thin margins in statewide races. The April 4 election will determine majority control of the state Supreme Court, with abortion access and the fate of Republican-drawn legislative maps on the line.Challenges to laws and practices in at least eight states that make it difficult or impossible for people with certain disabilities to vote have also arisen in the past two years. At the same time, there has been a push in many states to restrict rules affecting who can return absentee ballots.Wisconsin Republicans successfully sued last year to ban absentee ballot drop boxes, and the conservative-...

Data Doctors: Tips for buying DIY security cameras

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

Q: What should I consider when choosing a DIY security camera?A: The options for security cameras that are easy to install, set up and monitor via your smartphone can get overwhelming for even the most tech-savvy consumer.Several variables will help you determine the best fit for your situation, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution for this growing category.Location and InfrastructureThe area of your home or business that you want to surveil may quickly narrow your search, as the available infrastructure may limit your options.If there aren’t any electrical outlets in the area, you’ll likely want to opt for one of the many battery-operated units that can be mounted just about anywhere.Similarly, if your Wi-Fi signal is weak or nonexistent in the area where you intend to mount the camera, you’ll want to shop for cameras that can connect to a cellular network or extend your current Wi-Fi network to allow for a reliable connection.More Tech NewsMore Consumer NewsReplacing wired do...

France bans TikTok, Twitter from government staff phones

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France announced Friday it is banning the “recreational” use of TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and other apps on government employees’ phones because of concern about insufficient data security measures.The move follows similar restrictions on TikTok in democratic countries amid fears about the popular video-sharing app’s Chinese connections. But the French decision also encompassed other platforms widely used by government officials, lawmakers and President Emmanuel Macron himself.The French Minister for Transformation and Public Administration, Stanislas Guerini, said in a statement that ‘’recreational” apps aren’t secure enough to be used in state administrative services and ’’could present a risk for the protection of data.”The ban will be monitored by France’s cybersecurity agency. The statement did not specify which apps are banned but noted that the decision came after other governments took measures targeting TikTok. Guerini’s office said in ...

Russia puts ex-Putin speechwriter on wanted list

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Police in Russia placed a former speechwriter for President Vladimir Putin on a wanted list for criminal suspects, the latest step in a sweeping crackdown on dissent. Abbas Gallyamov wrote speeches for Putin during the Russian leader’s 2008-12 stint as prime minister. Gallyamov later became an outspoken political consultant and analyst who was frequently quoted by Russian and foreign media. He has lived abroad in recent years. On Friday, Russian news outlets and an Associated Press reporter discovered Gallyamov listed in the Interior Ministry’s database. His entry said he was wanted “in relation to a Criminal Code article” but did not include the law he was accused of breaking. Russia’s Justice Ministry added Gallyamov last month to its register of foreign agents, a designation that brings additional government scrutiny and carries strong pejorative connotations aimed at undermining the recipient’s credibility.The ministry said Gallyamov “distri...

Denver Broncos ask for fan feedback on potential new stadium

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Since the new ownership bought the Denver Broncos last year, there have been many conversations around the possibility of building a new stadium - and now it seems there may be action in that direction.Many people awoke to an email Friday morning with a survey about building a new stadium for the team and what they would like. What is the future of Empower Field at Mile High? The email was seemingly sent randomly to people who have bought tickets, including season ticket holders, but not everyone received it."Your feedback matters and will help shape future decisions regarding Empower Field at Mile High," an email introducing the survey says.After a few questions about demographics, the survey begins in earnest with a slide saying, "The Denver Broncos are exploring the possibility of constructing a new state-of-the-art football stadium..."The current stadium was approved by Denver voters in November 1998, with construction beginning the next year and the first gam...

BSO arrest woman in intentional hit-and-run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

A woman is in custody after investigators said she intentionally ran over a woman, Friday morning.Broward Sheriff’s Office responded to a hit-and-run near the 2600 block of Northwest 13th Court. Upon arrival deputies located a female victim that showed injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle. A preliminary investigation showed that two females were involved in an ongoing disturbance since at least Thursday night that resulted in the hit-and-run, Friday.Tina Gore is the victim’s mother and said the two women involved are childhood friends. The victim was transported by paramedics to a local hospital with serious injuries. “First she ran her over then she dragged her all the way, like a block or two from my house. She came again to ran my daughter’s head over. Also, she has a big open gash on her head. I want her to go to jail, and I want her to do the maximum time,” said Gore.According to investigators, the driver of the vehicle fled the scene bu...

Scientists create mice from two dads after making eggs from skin cells

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:37 GMT

(CNN) — Scientists have created mice with two biologically male parents for the first time — a significant milestone in reproductive biology.The team, led by Katsuhiko Hayashi, a professor of genome biology at Osaka University in Japan, generated eggs from the skin cells of male mice that, when implanted in female mice, went on to produce healthy pups, according to research published March 15 in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.The proof-of-concept research, the culmination of years of pain-staking lab work, could expand the possibilities for future fertility treatments, including for same-sex couples, and perhaps help prevent the extinction of endangered animals.However, scientists warn there’s still much to learn before cultured cells can be used to make human eggs in a lab dish.“It is expected that application into humans takes a long time, maybe 10 years or more. Even if it is applied, we never know whether the eggs are safe enough to produce (a) baby,R...