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Published by Chicago Tribune With the upheaval caused by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade came aftershocks of worry about what could come next. Could, as Justice Clarence Thomas suggested in his concurring opinion, same-sex marriage get lined up in the court’s crosshairs as a future target? Contraception? Interracial marriage? The court’s conservative 6-3 majority has much of America hand-wringing about long accepted rights now vulnerable to being diminished or even entirely struck down. This legitimate concern could be alleviated if those rights were shielded from judicial constitutional interpretation. Con… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Alex Henderson In December 2021, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor used the word “stench” to describe the extreme politicization of the Court by far-right Republicans — and she isn’t alone in that view. Polls, in recent months, have shown the Court’s reputation suffering more and more. David Litt, a former speechwriter for President Barack Obama, discusses that soiled reputation in an article published by The Atlantic on July 24 — laying out some reasons why most Americans, according to polls, now hold the High Court in such low regard. One of them is the Court’s ruling in Dobbs v…. Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Billy Porter “always intended” to direct a representational movie. The 52-year-old actor – who is openly gay – is making his directorial debut with new rom-com ‘Anything’s Possible’ about a transsexual teen and explained that it has been “magical” to be able to helm a project about queer representation. He said: “It’s magical. It has always been my intention. I have been mentored by people who’ve made space for me, and it has always been my goal to be able to do that and pay it forward. The whole thing feels redemptive. All of it. I was told my queerness would be my liability, and it was for a really long time, and now it ain’t. Now, I get to do what I want to do because I chose myself, I chose my own authenticity, and I chose to be truthful and honest, no matter what and no matter where the chips would fall. I hope that, in setting myself free, others will be set free too..” The former ‘Pose’ star went on to explain that he has learned to “trust his instincts” and although there is “a lot of bull****” around move–making, he still “loves” the process of directing a movie. He told Collider: “What I learned is that I know a lot more than I thought I knew, and I need to trust my instincts, at all times, because my instincts are right. That doesn’t mean that I’m not open to collaboration. I love the directing process. I have to figure out how to navigate all the other bullshit that’s around it. There’s a lot of bullshit around the process of movie-making. There just is a lot. That’s just the nature of the beast. So, I feel like I’ve gained some skills and craft in navigating that.” ‘Anything’s Possible’ is available to stream on Prime Video. View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took a personal tone in his criticism of Republicans opposed to codifying federal protections for same-sex marriage Sunday, saying marriages like his deserve to be safeguarded. The secretary, who is openly gay, recounted meeting with House Republicans on unrelated matters last Tuesday, the day they voted on the bill. “I don’t understand how such a majority of House Republicans voted no on (my) marriage … hours after I was in a room with a lot of them talking about transportation policy,” Buttigieg told CNN’s “State of the Union.” He said he had been “hav… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Van Ness has fixed his “broken heart” with a new dog. The 35-year-old reality star – who has been married to journalist Mark Peacock since 2020 – was “devastated” when he had to rehome his pup Pablo but took to Instagram to reveal that he and his husband now have a new canine companion called Rose. Alongside a picture of himself cuddling the new dog, he wrote: “Pupdate for y’all. Meet Mark and my newest addition Rose! My heart has been heavy since as you maybe or maybe not have guessed we had to rehome our Pablo earlier this year. We love him so much but with his temperament and my traveling and being around so many people made Pablo miserable. Luckily we have great friends who have taken Pablo and he is so so happy and thriving. But then there was my broken heart. I was so determined to make Pablo safe and happy at our home but I had to do what was best for him. But, I was literally devastated.” (sic) The ‘Queer Eye’ star went on to add that he called the local rescue centre on the off-chance that they would have a suitable dog for him and was delighted to find out that they did, before urging his 5.7 million followers to help the Safe in Austin shelter in any way they could He added: “I called @safeinaustinrescue and asked Jamie if she had any pups who needed a home and she said yes [heart emoji] Remember Safe in Austin isn’t an adoption shelter, but rather a therapeutic shelter for animals and therapy place for people. Who also currently need donations and volunteers with an influx of abandoned pups.”(sic) View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Brandon Gage United States Representative Matt Gaetz unleashed a sexist rant against supporters of abortion rights during a speech at Turning Point Action’s Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida on Saturday. The event was sponsored by Turning Point USA, a right-wing nonprofit organization founded by conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk, where Gaetz’s stage entrance was dramatized with ominous music, pyrotechnics, and dry ice fog. “Have you watched these pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies? The people are just disgusting. Like, why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pr… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Natalie Grover, John Revill and Jennifer Rigby (Reuters) -The rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak represents a global health emergency, the World Health Organization’s highest level of alert, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Saturday. The WHO label – a “public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)” – is designed to trigger a coordinated international response and could unlock funding to collaborate on sharing vaccines and treatments. Members of an expert committee that met on Thursday to discuss the potential recommendation were split on the decision, with nine members against and six in favour of the declaration, prompting Tedros himself to break the deadlock, he told reporters. “Although I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern, for the moment this is an outbreak that is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners,” Tedros told a media briefing in Geneva. “Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus,” he added. He said the risk of monkeypox – which spreads via close contact and tends to cause flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions – was moderate globally, except in the Europe, where the WHO has deemed the risk as high. Previously, Tedros has typically endorsed expert committee recommendations, but the two sources told Reuters earlier on Saturday said he had likely decided to back the highest alert level due to concerns about escalating case rates and a short supply of vaccines and treatments. So far this year, there have been more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox in more than 75 countries, and five deaths in Africa. The viral disease has been spreading chiefly in men who have sex with men in the recent outbreak, outside Africa where it is endemic. Health experts welcomed the WHO’s decision to issue the PHEIC declaration, which until now had only been applied to the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing efforts to eradicate polio. “The right result is clear – not declaring an emergency at this point would be a historic missed opportunity,” said Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C., calling the decision politically brave. The decision should help contain the spread of the viral disease, said Josie Golding, head of epidemics and epidemiology at the Wellcome Trust. “We cannot afford to keep waiting for diseases to escalate before we intervene,” she said. JUNE MEETING The WHO and national governments have been facing intense pressure from scientists and public health experts to take more action on monkeypox. Cases of the viral disease have ballooned since the committee first met at the end of June, when there were only about 3,000 cases. At the time, the expert group agreed to reconsider their position on the emergency declaration if the outbreak escalated. One of the key issues driving a reassessment was whether cases would spread to other groups, particularly children or others who have been vulnerable to the virus in past outbreaks in endemic countries. On Friday, the United States identified its first two monkeypox cases in children. WHO officials said on Saturday they were exploring the possibility of the virus spreading via new modes of transmission. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover in London and John Revill in ZurichEditing by Helen Popper) View the full article

Published by DPA Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban (C), Zsolt Nemeth, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly and Laszlo Tokes, President of the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania (EMNT), attend the 31st Balvanyos Summer Free University and Student Camp in Tusnadfurdo. Prime Minister's Press Office/Benko Vivien Cher/dpa Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban used an annual forum in Romania to lash out at Western allies, whom he claimed are trying to impose foreign values on his country, and criticize EU and US strategy on Ukraine. “The strength, the performance, the prestige and the capacity to act of Western civilization are on the wane,” the right-wing and Moscow-friendly politician told thousands of supporters in the Romanian resort town of Baile Tusnad on Saturday. Orban described himself as a defender of Hungary’s cultural and political identity from bureaucrats in “Brussels.” In a familiar refrain, he peddled the conspiracy theory that the Hungarian-US billionaire philanthropist and investor George Soros was actually the one setting European policy. Soros, a Holocaust survivor and pro-democracy champion, is frequently cast as a far-left bogeyman by Orban. The vilification of Soros has been widely denounced as anti-Semitic. “They should live as they want, but they should also let us live as we want,” Orban demanded, alluding to an EU infringement case over a Hungarian law restricting restricting access to information on LGBTQ issues. Orban also touched on the war in Ukraine, criticizing the West for ignoring Russia’s security concerns before Moscow invaded. “With US president (Donald) Trump and German chancellor (Angela) Merkel, this war would never have happened,” he said, apparently guided by the assessment that these politicians – like him – would have stood for more Russia-friendly policies. View the full article

Published by Miami Herald Florida is facing several disease outbreaks — COVID, monkeypox, dengue fever. But meningococcal disease is now on the minds of health experts, too. So you may be wondering: What should you know and what can you do about it? In a discussion with reporters, Dr. Ulyee Choe, statewide medical director for the Florida Department of Health, compared the adverse effects of monkeypox with meningococcal disease that can lead to fatal meningitis. He didn’t like what he was seeing in the Sunshine State. “Meningococcal disease, to some degree, concerns me more given the severity of the disease,” Choe said… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA The rainbow flag is hoisted on the southwest tower of the German Reichstag building during Berlin’s Christopher Street Day. Christoph Soeder/dpa The lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag, has for the first time raised the rainbow flag, which with its six coloured stripes is considered a symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community and stands for tolerance. Since Saturday morning, one such flag has been flying on the south-west tower of the Reichstag building in Berlin, the seat of the German parliament. Two more have been raised in front of the east and west portals of the building. The occasion is the major demonstration planned for noon (1000 GMT) in Berlin for the city’s LGBTQ+ Pride festival, known locally as Christopher Street Day (CSD), for which the organizers expect hundreds of thousands of participants. It was only in April that the Ministry of the Interior officially granted permission for the rainbow flag to be hoisted in front of or on federal official buildings on certain occasions. Bundestag President Bärbel Bas announced the flag-raising at the Reichstag building in June and explained that this would once again significantly increase the visibility of the commitment to diversity. The event is named after Christopher Street in New York, the site of the 1969 riots that launched the gay rights movement. The rainbow flag is hoisted on the southwest tower of the German Reichstag building during Berlin’s Christopher Street Day. Christoph Soeder/dpa View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Bob Brigham Steve Bannon was ridiculed on Friday for not following through on his bluster after he was convicted of refusing to obey a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee Investigating the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol. In November, after Bannon was released after being charged, he boldly predicted he would turn the tables on everyone seeking to enforce the subpoena. “I’m telling you right now, this is going to be the misdemeanor from hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi, and Joe Biden,” Bannon predicted. “We’re going on the offense, we’re tired of playing defense, we’re goi… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Meaghan Ellis A Wisconsin Democratic recently confronted Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for his comments on a proposed piece of legislation that would protect same-sex rights. According to HuffPost, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) pushed back against Rubio’s assessment of the bill where he called it a “stupid waste of time.” Rubio’s remarks were reportedly made in close proximity to Baldwin, who is considered to be the U.S. Senate’s first openly gay elected lawmaker. Per the news outlet, the Senate “may take up a bill to codify same-sex marriage protections, which could be under threat by the conse… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega More than a year has passed since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claimed a senior member of the royal family made racist remarks about the color of son Archie‘s skin — and yet no one has been found guilty of the incident. However, Tom Bower‘s new biography seems to hint that Prince Charles‘ wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, could be the culprit. In Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, it’s claimed that when Harry, 37, first began dating Markle, 40, in 2016, his stepmother, 75, tried to make a joke, saying, “Wouldn’t it be funny if your child had ginger Afro hair?” However, once this excerpt made the rounds on the internet, a source spoke up and defended her, stating, “Camilla is not racist — I can tell you categorically she is not the royal who Harry and Meghan were talking about.” mega Nonetheless, the author’s page-turner also claimed Camilla’s remark was one of the things that pushed the parents-of-two to retreat to California, as Bower wrote, “The Sussexes’ suspicion that the Duchess of Cornwall had made racist comments about [their then-unborn son] Archie had fueled their fearsome denunciation of the entire royal family.” NETFLIX DUMPS MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY — DETAILS Camilla has never had a strong relationship with Harry — though the same can be said of her dynamic with Prince William, 40, as well, as they believe her and Charles’ romance led to the death of their mother, Princess Diana. “She got her claws into my dad and never let go for an instant,” William allegedly told a confidante in 1992. “That’s why my mom died — because she fled to Paris instead of being safe with her family.” mega Additionally, the source said the Duke of Sussex “didn’t take kindly to Camilla. This was the woman who had stepped into his late mother’s shoes and Harry was not about to welcome her as a future stepmother. He was often over-polite and generally cool towards Camilla. And the more he learned about his dad’s affair with her, the more distant he became.” Some believe Harry will take aim at Camilla in his memoir, which is expected to debut later this year. “After the reports she was involved in his parents’ marriage and then stepped into Diana’s shoes as Charles’ wife, I suspect Camilla will be in his sights,” Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell spilled. “So I’d say Harry’s set to reveal any Camilla secrets.” The source who issued the denial spoke to Page Six. For more on the royal family, tune into the new podcast, “The Firm: Blood, Lies and Royal Succession.” Listen below! View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Britney Spears and Sam Asghari were spotted out and about in West Hollywood at the ever-exclusive San Vicente Bungalows. The newlyweds were accompanied by Spears’ agent, Cade Hudson. San Vicente Bungalows is a Hollywood celebrity hotspot owned by Jeff Klein known for its exclusivity and privacy afforded to its A-Lister guests. mega “It was a total showstopper at a place that is accustomed to seeing megastars,” a source spilled of the surprise sighting. “It was weird. … Everyone stopped talking as Britney walked in and through the crowd to her table.” NEWLYWEDS BRITNEY SPEARS & SAM ASGHARI GET RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST HER EX JASON ALEXANDER AFTER HE CRASHES NUPTIALS Also dining at the members-only L.A. club — whose membership can cost roughly $4,200 a year — were political pundit Monica Lewinsky and American Horror Story actress Sarah Paulson, who were said to be seated at a table together. A few tables away from the “Oops, I Did It Again” singer and her husband was basketball legend Stephen Curry who “looked in awe” of the pop star. mega MENDING THE CRACKS? HOW HAS BRITNEY SPEARS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH TEENAGE SONS CHANGED SINCE MOVING TO EX KEVIN FEDERLINE’S NEIGHBORHOOD? Things are continuing to look up for the Princess of Pop. She tied the knot with her hunky hubby in June and quickly moved into a lavish home in the same neighborhood as her ex-husband Kevin Federline, and her teenage sons, Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden, 15. “Now that she lives in the same neighborhood as her sons in Calabasas, they are over her house quite often,” spilled a source on the surprising move. “They dig their mom’s pool and they like having her so accessible. It means a lot to her, and this was one of the main reasons that she chose this place.” “The boys know that her house is their house, and they each have their own bedroom’s there so that they have their own space and feel at home. Britney wanted them to look at her house the same way that they look at their dad’s place.” Page Six was first to break the news of the San Vicente Bungalows sighting. View the full article

Published by AFP Donald Trump and his ex-wingman Mike Pence held dueling rallies in Arizona for an upcoming primary election Washington (AFP) – Donald Trump and his ex-wingman Mike Pence, who went from White House partners to bitter rivals, held dueling rallies Friday in Arizona, where an upcoming Republican primary election offers an early test of their potential 2024 showdown. The convergence of campaign events came a day after a congressional hearing on the US Capitol assault, in which a White House security official said members of Pence’s Secret Service detail feared they would die as rioters stormed the building. Trump, who like Pence is considering running for president in 2024, has savaged his former vice president for what he describes as a failure to block the certification of the 2020 election results and send the process back to the US states. Such a plan had been cooked up by Trump aides who supported his discredited theory that the election was stolen, but Pence ultimately decided that the action would be illegal. During the January 6, 2021 insurrection, Trump tweeted an attack on Pence, saying he “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country.” Administration officials testified at Thursday’s hearing that the social media post poured fuel on the fire and turned rioters against the vice president. In extraordinary revelations at the hearing, a White House national security official who testified under anonymity said “members of the VP detail at this time were starting to fear for their own lives.” Trump’s gathering Friday in the central Arizona town of Prescott Valley was part of a series of “Save America” rallies he has held to boost his favored candidates ahead of Republican primary elections. Earlier in July, he held an event in Alaska to support Kelly Tshibaka, a challenger to the state’s incumbent senator, Lisa Murkowski, who was one of the few Republicans to vote to impeach Trump after the January 6, 2021 insurrection. ‘Yesterday’s grievances’ In Arizona, a state he narrowly lost in 2020, Trump campaigned for Kari Lake, a far-right gubernatorial candidate who supports his false claim that the election was stolen. Lake, a former TV news host, took the stage in the crowded stadium first, declaring that in Arizona, “We will no longer accept corruptness, and I know for a fact we will no longer accept rigged elections.” The former president, leaving the crowd to wait more than two hours, began his speech by focusing on immigration — a major campaign topic in the state which shares a large border with Mexico. But it did not take long before he turned his attention to the 2020 election. “The election was rigged and stolen and now our country is being systematically destroyed because of it!” he shouted, with the crowd roaring in response. Pence made stops in Phoenix and southern Arizona for governor-hopeful Karrin Taylor Robson, a more traditional Republican than Lake who also has the backing of the state’s term-limited governor. With his rivalry with Trump intensifying, Pence has positioned himself as a principled, religious conservative. But he has declined to attack Trump directly. In a 20-minute speech before a seated warehouse crowd on Friday, he lauded policy accomplishments during the “four years of the Trump-Pence administration,” and only took a brief swipe at Lake, criticizing her previous support of Democrats and initial opposition to Trump. “Arizona Republicans don’t need a governor that supported Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton!” he said. Later though, he issued an indirect condemnation of Trump and Lake’s fixation on the 2020 election. “Democrats would love nothing more than for Republicans to take our eye off the ball and focus on days gone by,” he tweeted. “If the Republican Party allows itself to become consumed by yesterday’s grievances, we will lose,” he added. Pence has brushed aside talk of a potential 2024 run, saying his focus is now on the November 2022 midterm elections. “Then in 2023 we’ll look around,” he told the National Review last year. “We’ll go where we’re called.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram Miranda Lambert may be used to being the star of the show, but OK! is putting the spotlight on her handsome hunk, Brendan McLoughlin. The country pop star and the former NYPD officer wed in 2019 after dating for less than three months — and they’ve already been through their fair share of ups and downs. Aside from the good times, including romantic date nights, loved-up red carpet events and lush vacations, the couple has also been through the wringer. MIRANDA LAMBERT ADMITS SHE WASN’T ‘PREPARED’ TO HAVE HER DIVORCE FROM BLAKE SHELTON GO VIRAL, SAYS SHE CAN ‘TELL MY WHOLE TRUTH’ IN HER MUSIC From having to dodge paparazzi while traveling to defending their relationship when rumors spread that their marriage was over, life in the spotlight has proved to be anything but easy. Nevertheless, their love seems to time and time again conquer all. “I just don’t give two sh**s about people’s opinion of me, my marriage, my music or anything else. I just care that I’m being me,” the blonde babe lamented last month. “I want to be open about how happy we are.” “It’s nice to have a partner in that, someone by your side that supports you, loves you and believes in you. He loves me for me,” she gushed. “It’s a really cool thing to have in my life, at this point in my life.” THE OTHER WOMEN! GISELE BÜNDCHEN, ANGELINA JOLIE, LEANN RIMES, MORE STARS WHO REPORTEDLY MET THEIR PARTNERS WHEN THEY WERE STILL WITH SOMEONE ELSE Despite his unconditional love and support, it’s safe to say Lambert is also a fan of her hubby’s dashing good looks. Scroll through the photos below to see Brendan McLoughlin’s sexiest snaps: @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram With a six-pack of beers, the musician’s husband put his six-pack on display. @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram McLoughlin certainly knows how to kick back and relax in style. @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram McLoughlin showed off his impressive arms while hanging by the pool. @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram Good looks and adventurous! Lambert seemed to snag herself the full package. @mirandalambert/instagram The good-looking couple heated up the beach day by stripping down. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Ron DeSantis’ ex-gubernatorial rival Andrew Gillum has turned his passport over to the court as he awaits trial on corruption charges, Radar has learned. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the former politician surrendered the passport after being hit with a 21-count indictment in federal court. mega In 2018, Gillum ran as the nominee for the Florida Democratic Party in 2019, where he narrowly lost the race to DeSantis. Prosecutors accuse Gillum and his mentor Sharon Lettman-Hicks of wire fraud and conspiracy. In court documents, the government said Gillum and Lettman-Hicks raised money for his campaign between 2016 and 2019. The two allegedly diverted fundraiser money to a company owned by Lettman-Hicks. Prosecutors said the duo paid the money out to Gillum disguised as payroll — despite the money being used for personal expenses. Gillum pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer said after the indictment was unsealed, “The government got it wrong today. The evidence, in this case, is clear and will show that Mr. Gillum is innocent of all charges.” mega Gillum and Lettman-Hicks have been instructed not to speak to each other or have any conversations with witnesses involved with the case. Recently, Lettman-Hicks asked the court for a delay claiming her defense was not properly prepared for trial. Her attorney said, “The case involves voluminous discovery which is ongoing. The government and the defense have been working diligently in the discovery process. A trial is believed to require two weeks.” The judge has yet to rule. The criminal case is the latest in a string of scandals for Gillum. Back in 2020, he had to deal with police after a male escort overdosed in his Miami Beach hotel room. Cops found three bags of drugs that they believed to be crystal meth. When questioned, Gillum admitted he had “too much to drink” but denied using hard drugs. The escort spoke out weeks after the incident claiming he had been friends with Gillum “for a while.” mega After the incident, Gillum entered rehab for alcohol. Months later, the politician later sat down for an interview with his wife R. Jai on The Tamron Hall Show. During the chat, Gillum dropped a bombshell and came out as bisexual. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Deena Beasley (Reuters) – Cases of the viral disease monkeypox in the United States have been identified for the first time in children – a toddler in California and an infant who is not a U.S. resident, health authorities said on Friday. The two cases are unrelated and are likely the result of household transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement. The agency said the children are in good health and are being treated. Monkeypox, which causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, has been spreading largely in men who have sex with men in the recent outbreak, outside the west and central Africa countries where it is endemic. The disease spreads chiefly through close contact. So far this year, there have been more than 14,000 cases of monkeypox in more than 60 countries, and five deaths in Africa. Speaking on a conference call, Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC’s division of high consequence pathogens and pathology, said it is not a surprise that pediatric cases of monkeypox have emerged, but “there is no evidence to date that we are seeing this virus spread outside of” the communities of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. She said 99% of the 2,891 monkeypox cases confirmed in the United States involve men who have sex with men, but there have been a handful of women and transgender men who have become infected. White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, speaking on the same call, said the government has delivered 300,000 doses of a monkeypox vaccine and is working to expedite the shipment from Denmark of 786,000 more doses. He said there is already enough vaccine on hand to provide a first vaccine dose to more than half of the eligible population in New York City and over 70% of the eligible population in Washington D.C. The fatality rate in previous outbreaks in Africa of the current strain has been around 1%, but so far this outbreak seems to be less lethal in the non-endemic countries. However, a number of patients have reported being hospitalized for severe pain. Jha said the U.S. is still evaluating whether the monkeypox outbreak should be declared a public health emergency. “We’re looking at that, looking at what are the ways in which the response could be enhanced, if any, by declaring a public health emergency.” (Reporting by Deena Beasley; Additional reporting by Eric Beech; editing by Grant McCool) View the full article