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Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) – The United States decision to end the constitutional right to abortion domestically will have no impact on how the country funds family planning services overseas, according to its global health lead. The U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized the right of women nationally to terminate pregnancies. Calling the decision “sobering” domestically, Loyce Pace, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the U.S Department of Health, said it would not affect the country’s position as the largest bilateral donor to family planning services globally. “Those investments and those commitments remain the same in the wake of this decision,” she told a media briefing in Geneva. The U.S. has long-standing legislation which prevents the funding of abortion overseas directly, but it does fund post-abortion care and abortion counselling. Pace also said the U.S was ready to learn from other countries that have “managed their own challenges with regards to access to essential health care and services”. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Nick Macfie) View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Alex Henderson During the Bill Clinton years, the term “originalism” was primarily used in connection with two far-right U.S. Supreme Court justices: Clarence Thomas and the late Antonin Scalia. Others on the High Court, from the late liberal Clinton appointee Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to Justice Anthony Kennedy — a right-wing libertarian and Ronald Reagan appointee who was fiscally conservative yet protective of gay rights and abortion rights — rejected originalism, which is often synonymous with far-right social conservatism. The Clinton years are long gon… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The top U.S. Senate Democrat wants to bring a bill protecting same-sex marriage to a vote on the Senate floor and is working to get Republican support necessary to pass it, Senator Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Washington) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department unveiled a $1.2 billion healthcare fraud crackdown on Wednesday, revealing criminal charges against 36 defendants for alleged fraudulent billing schemes tied to telemedicine, genetic and cardiovascular testing, and equipment. The criminal charges, which were unsealed across 13 federal districts between July 11 through July 20, target clinical laboratory owners, marketers, medical professionals and telemedicine executives. Prosecutors said the schemes intended to bilk Medicare out of $1.2 billion, though the actual losses are closer to $440 million. “The cases announced today include charges against people who brazenly used Medicare funds to purchase luxury items, medical professionals who corruptly approved testing and equipment, and business owners who submitted false and fraudulent claims for services patients did not need,” Kenneth Polite, the head of the department’s criminal division, told Reuters in a statement. Separately, the Center for Medicare Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, took parallel administrative action against 52 companies involved in similar schemes. The alleged fraud schemes relate to both older and well-known billing and kick-back practices that target the Medicare program, as well as a burgeoning new fraudulent practice which involves “preying on patients’ fear of cardiovascular disease” by duping them into submitting to medically unnecessary cardiovascular disease screening tests, a Justice Department official told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. Billing for such cardiovascular genetic tests has spiked in the past year, Justice Department officials added, noting that some of these tests get billed for as high as $10,000 each, with claims sometimes paying out as much as $8,000. The official said the total amount billed in the cases involving cardiovascular genetic testing fraud was $748 million, of which $223 million was paid. However, those figures also include billings for genetic cancer screenings that were tacked on as well. Prior to the pandemic, investigators were focused on schemes related to the billing of unnecessary purchases of durable medical equipment such as crutches and walkers, as well as genetic testing screenings to determine risks for developing inherited cancers. In a 2019 special report https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fraud-genetics-specialreport/special-report-new-frontier-in-health-fraud-genetic-tests-of-the-elderly-idUSKBN1WA2H1, Reuters reported that the U.S. was probing more than 300 matters involving genetic test schemes, in which seniors were tricked into providing a cheek swab to determine their risk for developing cancer. The tests were ordered by doctors who in many cases had no medical relationship to the patients and sent to labs. The tests were then billed to Medicare. One of the labs featured in the report was later raided https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fraud-genetics/u-s-agents-raid-genetic-testing-labs-charge-35-in-medicare-fraud-probe-idUSKBN1WC1PH by federal agents, as part of the government’s crackdown on genetic testing fraud in a takedown dubbed Operation Double Helix. Although telemedicine played a role in prior fraud schemes, its use has greatly expanded since the pandemic, as U.S. regulators relaxed certain rules to make telemedicine more accessible to patients. Since 2019, the department charged more than 200 defendants with telemedicine fraud and kickback schemes, representing a combined alleged total of $10 billion in intended losses. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone, Richard Pullin and Diane Craft) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nia Williams (Reuters) – Pope Francis arrives in Canada on Sunday to apologize for the wrongs done to indigenous people by Roman Catholic priests and nuns who ran abusive residential schools. Here are key things to know about the Pope’s week-long visit. WHAT HAPPENED IN CANADA’S RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS? Between 1831 and 1996, more than 150,000 indigenous children were taken from their homes and put into residential schools run primarily by Christian churches, predominantly the Catholic church, on behalf of the government. The stated aim of the schools was to assimilate indigenous children. Many children were subjected to rape, abuse and malnutrition in what Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 called “cultural genocide”. HOW DID THE POPE’S TRIP COME ABOUT? In May 2021, the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, near Kamloops, British Columbia, said they had found the suspected remains of 215 people, some as young as three years old, on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, which closed in 1978. The discoveries caused outrage, reopening old wounds over Canada’s residential school legacy and leading to fresh demands for accountability from the Catholic Church. The suspected remains of more than 1,000 people have since been found buried on or near the sites of former residential schools around the country. Francis issued an apology after meetings with delegates from various indigenous nations at the Vatican in April. However, calls grew for an apology on Canadian soil, including from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. WHERE WILL THE POPE GO? The July 24-30 trip will include at least five meetings with indigenous people. He is also scheduled to deliver nine homilies and addresses and say two Masses. Francis will start his visit in Edmonton, Alberta, then travel to Quebec and finish in Iqaluit, capital of the territory of Nunavut in Canada’s far north, where he is due to have a private meeting with residential school survivors. WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION TO THE POPE’S VISIT RoseAnne Archibald, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said in May she was “deeply disappointed” by the Pope’s itinerary, which does not include the First Nation territory in Kamloops where the first remains were found. After the Kamloops discovery and before his trip was proposed, the Pope said he was “pained” by news of the remains, a response that was dismissed by some survivors and indigenous leaders. The discoveries also added pressure on Canadian governments to pursue reconciliation in other ways – for example in a pair of C$20 billion ($15.5 billion) settlements to compensate indigenous children taken from their families and put in foster care, and to reform the system that took them. ($1 = 1.2870 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Nia Williams; Additional reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Editing by Richard Pullin) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English A new patent appears to suggest new iPhone and Apple Watches could come with lasers. As reported by Pocket-lint, Horizontal Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (or HCSEL) under the display The outlet suggests lasers could be used to improve Face ID and Touch ID or analyse air quality. However, the patent points to using lasers for AR features, noting they can “gather performance metrics for the user’s interaction with an augmented or virtual world.” The patent also mentions them being “used to provide insights into a user’s general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals.” Elsewhere, HCSELs could be used to take the camera to new levels. As always, just because it’s in the patent, does not necessarily mean it will come to fruition. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Priscilla Presley has rejected the idea Elvis was “racist”. The 77-year-old businesswoman – who was married to the King of Rock and Roll for six years until their divorce in 1973 – has defended her late husband against the idea he was “prejudiced in any way”. Appearing on TalkTV’s ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’ on Tuesday night (19.07.22), she said: “He was not a racist. He’s never been a racist. “Elvis had friends, Black friends, friends from all over. He loved their music. He loved their style. “He loved being around, you know, black musicians. I mean, Fats Domino, when he was in Vegas, he was in the lounge playing and he would always, we would always, go and hang out with him. “Sammy Davis Jr, the same thing, he would always come into the dressing room. He loved, loved being around blacks and being around anyone actually.” Priscilla – who has daughter Lisa Marie with the ‘Jailhouse Rock’ legend – described the current climate as “frightening”, claiming people are “looking” for ways to “somehow dispose” anyone they can. She added: “He was just not prejudiced in any way. And not racist in any way. “You know, this is a very frightening time… it’s almost like, you know, we’re looking for something from everyone that we can somehow dispose them in some way. And that’s why it’s so frightening, right now.” Despite some accusations of racism due to the influence he took from African-American musicians, Elvis had always voiced his admiration for Black performers, as well as pushing back against segregation and racial prejudice which was seen in the southern states at the time. Meanwhile, Priscilla – who met Elvis when she was 14 in Germany, 10 years his junior – previously revealed she “knew” what she was getting into with the attention he had from the media. She said: “The beginning [of the marriage] was very difficult, but I knew what I was in for because I saw it at a very young age.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tim Reid LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Susie Lee, one of the U.S. Congress’s most endangered Democrats, has spent this year fighting a tough re-election campaign in the face of soaring inflation and weighed down by President Joe Biden’s dismal approval numbers. Then on June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court threw a potential lifeline to the Nevada congresswoman as she seeks a third term in this November’s midterm elections: the justices ended federal abortion rights by overturning the landmark 1973 Roe-v-Wade decision. Within 24 hours, armed with an issue she hopes will galvanize voters and reverse a disastrous-looking election year for Democrats, Lee launched the first ad of her campaign – a $500,000 TV and digital attack on her pro-life Republican opponent on the issue of abortion rights. “We have a stark choice in the race for Congress,” the ad declares. Lee, like dozens of fellow endangered Democratic incumbents across the United States, is refocusing much of her campaign on abortion rights, hoping the Supreme Court’s decision can help win back suburban voters who have soured on her party because of high food and gas prices and an unpopular president. Frustrated with what they see as weak messaging by national party leaders on Biden’s policy achievements, some Democratic foot soldiers say the overturning of Roe-v-Wade has thrown them a political lifeline, a foot in the door of voters otherwise disinclined to listen to them because of high inflation. Party strategists and analysts warn, however, that the issue of abortion rights will likely not be enough to save Democrats from losing control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and possibly the Senate too. Brian Stryker, a Democratic pollster, said that while there has been a shift of about three percentage points in national opinion surveys toward Democrats since the court’s ruling, “inflation is still far and away voters’ top concern.” Kyle Kondik, a non-partisan political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said he understood why Democrats had moved quickly to focus on abortion rights, “but it’s not clear to me it’s moving the needle a ton.” Lee’s district encompasses parts of suburban Las Vegas, in a state with one of the highest inflation rates in the country at 14.9 percent. Lee has spent months confronting the issue in her swing district, frequently urging her party’s leaders in Congress to do more to ease supply chain problems and lower food and gas prices. But, now she is focusing on abortion as much as the economy because “as a woman I believe this an issue that will galvanize women,” she told Reuters. April Becker, Lee’s Republican opponent, said in an interview that Democrats like Lee were using abortion as a way to “distract” voters from their most pressing concerns: the cost of food and gas. “I don’t blame her for trying to change the subject,” said Becker, who opposes abortion except in the cases of rape, incest and if the mother’s life is in danger. She said she has no plans to try to overturn abortion rights enshrined in Nevada under a 1990 referendum, and said she does not support a federal abortion ban, which many Republicans in Congress support. PHONE BANKS, TEXT CAMPAIGNS Democratic volunteers, activists and women’s rights groups in Lee’s district say the Supreme Court’s decision has energized them as they try to stop a Republican blowout this November. Local Democratic clubs in the Las Vegas area have seen a surge in membership, club leaders told Reuters. Deidre Radford, co-president of the Red Rock Democratic Club, said friends normally uninterested in politics have contacted her asking to work on phone banks and text campaigns for Lee and other Democrats. Radford is holding a “Roe, Roe, Roe Your Vote” event on July 27, and membership of her club has increased from about 150 to nearly 190 because of the abortion issue, she said. A rally to protest the ruling on the day it was announced was organized in just three hours, rather than the weeks it usually takes such protests, said Sue Burtch, co-executive director of the Nevada National Organization for Women. “The Supreme Court did us a favor and gave us a talking point,” Burtch said. Often voters are so allergic to partisan politics they don’t want to engage, but the ending of federal abortion rights cuts through that. It gave volunteers on the ground an opening to approach voters with a real-world event that could impact their families, Burtch said. Some activists interviewed expressed frustration with Democratic leaders over the Supreme Court ruling, saying they have been too timid on the issue in the face of Republican assaults on abortion rights. “Democratic messaging has been all over the place. It’s been soft. Republicans are really good at messaging,” Burtch said. Lee bristled when asked about the frustration expressed by Burtch and other activists. “They should be pissed off at Republicans,” she said. Some of the eight on-the-ground Democrat workers and abortion activists who talked to Reuters conceded that surging inflation is still a big problem for Democrats, and that the abortion issue may not be enough keep Congress in Democrats’ hands. “Everyone feels the pinch at the gas pump, the bite every time you go to the grocery store,” said Lani Paz, head of the Southwest Democratic Club. (Reporting by Tim Reid, Editing by Ross Colvin and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives panel on Wednesday was set to advance a bill banning assault-style rifles such as those used in recent mass shootings, and another bill that would allow lawsuits against firearms manufacturers. The bill faces slim odds in the Senate, where it would need at least 10 Republicans allowing the measure to be brought up for debate. Republicans in the past have rejected similar bills, citing the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution dealing with the right to bear arms. The House Judiciary Committee, emboldened by growing public outrage over the criminal use of the rapid-fire weapons and approval last month of a limited gun control bill, has scheduled a 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) work session to approve the twin measures. On May 14, 10 people were killed and three wounded when an avowed white supremacist allegedly opened fire at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, using an AR-15 assault-style weapon. Ten days later, 19 children and two teachers killed at a Uvalde, Texas elementary school with the same kind of weapon, according to police. Seven people celebrating the July 4 holiday in Highland Park, Illinois, were killed, with dozens wounded at a parade. These were only the latest in a long string of mass shootings that have killed hundreds of Americans. The second House Judiciary Committee bill would remove current federal prohibitions against gun and ammunition makers being sued for damages resulting from the unlawful misuse of firearms. Vigorous gun industry lobbying has blocked such a move in the past. If the panel approves the bills, the full House is likely to pass them. But that could be as far as the legislative effort goes in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 midterm elections, when Republicans are favored to win back a majority in at least one chamber of Congress. “I’m sorry to say that unless they (Senate Republicans) are keeping their feelings confidential, it does not appear encouraging,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin told reporters on Tuesday when asked about prospects in that chamber. A 10-year ban on assault weapons expired in 2004 and several attempts to bring it back have so far failed. A 2021 study conducted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found that the 1994 assault weapons ban resulted in a significant decrease in mass shootings. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday will also zero in on civilians’ access to military-style assault weapons. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering will be among those testifying at its hearing. Last month, Republicans objected even to raising the minimum age for buying semi-automatic assault weapons to 21 from 18. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and David Gregorio) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Linda Evangelista has returned to fashion by shooting her first campaign in six years. The supermodel took a long break from the industry after undergoing a cosmetic procedure which she claimed left her looking ‘deformed’ – but she has now made a comeback in a new photoshoot for Fendi. She shared a picture of herself starring in the fashion brands new adverts on Instagram, and wrote: “On September 9 2022 @Fendi will host a special fashion show in New York City to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the #FendiBaguette, designed by @silviaventurinifendi, and two years since @mrkimjones joined the Maison as Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear.” The picture shows her holding two of the brand’s bags with pink sunglasses perched on her nose and three silk baseball caps stacked on her head. She disappeared from the spotlight after undergoing a CoolSculpting procedure – which uses cold temperatures to reduce fat deposits and is also known as body contouring – and she took legal action over the op. The 56-year-old star returned to social media this week to confirm the case has been settled and she’s keen to move on with her life. She wrote: “I’m pleased to have settled the CoolSculpting case. “I look forward to the next chapter of my life with friends and family, and am happy to put this matter behind me. I am truly grateful for the support I have received from those who have reached out.” Linda previously opened up about the procedure and her disappearance from the modelling industry, telling PEOPLE.com: “I loved being up on the catwalk. Now I dread running into someone I know. I can’t live like this anymore, in hiding and shame. I just couldn’t live in this pain any longer. I’m willing to finally speak. “Why do we feel the need to do these things [to our bodies]? I always knew I would age. And I know that there are things a body goes through. But I just didn’t think I would look like this. “I don’t recognise myself physically, but I don’t recognise me as a person any longer either. She (the supermodel) is sort of gone. I hope I can shed myself of some of the shame and help other people who are in the same situation as me. That’s my goal.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Peter Eisler and Nathan Layne (Reuters) – A coalition of rightwing “constitutional sheriffs,” who claim legal power in their jurisdictions that exceeds U.S. federal and state authorities, has a new calling: investigating conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was rigged against former President Donald Trump. The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association has teamed with True the Vote, a Texas nonprofit and purveyor of debunked voter-fraud claims, to recruit like-minded sheriffs nationwide to investigate 2020 stolen-election allegations and to more aggressively police future voting. The partnership, detailed last week at the association’s annual gathering in Las Vegas, aims to intensify a movement already underway. At least four ideologically aligned county sheriffs in Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas and Arizona have launched election-fraud probes since the 2020 vote. None has established evidence of systemic fraud. “This is our top priority. It’s our duty,” Richard Mack, founder of the constitutional sheriffs organization, told Reuters in an interview at the Las Vegas meeting. Mack also touted the True the Vote partnership later in the week at FreedomFest, a national gathering of libertarian-leaning thinkers and political figures, where he urged that sheriffs “join us in this holy cause.” Election officials are raising concerns that partisan investigations by sheriffs into baseless voter-fraud claims could undermine public confidence in elections. In an interview, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, called such probes part of a “nationally coordinated effort to dismantle democracy through lies and misinformation, and through people misusing or abusing their authority.” False fraud claims have also sparked a wave of threats against election administrators, including more than 900 hostile messages documented by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/investigates/section/campaign-of-fear, along with at least 17 attempts to illegally access voting equipment https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-election-breaches in search of evidence to prove election-rigging. Officials with True the Vote said at the constitutional sheriffs’ meeting that they plan to raise money to provide grants and equipment to help sheriffs investigate 2020 voter-fraud claims and expand surveillance of ballot drop boxes in future elections. Trump supporters have alleged, without evidence, that drop boxes enabled the mass collection of fraudulent votes in the presidential election. While election fraud is exceedingly rare, some states with Republican-controlled legislatures have passed new laws in response to the false rigged-election claims. Nine states have banned drop boxes or restricted their distribution since the 2020 vote, according to a recent report by the Voting Rights Lab, which monitors state election policies. Other states have enacted more stringent voter-registration requirements. In Florida and Georgia, lawmakers expanded the powers of law enforcement to police election-law violations. The constitutional sheriffs’ new focus on probing elections illustrates how Trump’s voter-fraud falsehoods have found a receptive audience in some corners of law enforcement. Leaders of the movement touted the recent documentary “2000 Mules” as they gathered in Las Vegas. The movie, based on cell-phone tracking data and surveillance video obtained by True the Vote, alleges that Democratic operatives stuffed drop boxes with fraudulent ballots in key counties to deliver the presidency to Democrat Joe Biden. “2000 Mules has presented overwhelming evidence,” said Mack, urging sheriffs to investigate its fraud claims. “It cannot not be dismissed.” Many Democratic and Republican officials, along with independent fact-checkers, have in fact dismissed the movie as misleading and its evidence as flimsy. POWER PLAY The constitutional sheriffs’ association promotes an extreme view of sheriffs’ legal authority, asserting on its website that their power in their jurisdictions exceeds that of any other official and “even supersedes the powers of the President.” It’s rare for sheriffs to investigate voting irregularities, especially without a request from election officials. They generally handle criminal law enforcement in jurisdictions that lack a police force and manage local jails, among other duties. True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht said at the Las Vegas meeting that sheriffs are the best hope for pursuing rigged-election claims because other agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have dismissed its allegations. “It’s like the lights went on,” she said. “It’s the sheriffs: that’s who can do these investigations; that’s who we can trust; that’s who we can turn over information to.” The FBI did not respond to a request for comment. Mack, who founded the constitutional sheriffs association in 2011, is a former county sheriff in Arizona. He served until 2016 as a board member of the Oath Keepers, an anti-government militia that includes several members charged with helping to organize the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack. Mack told Reuters that he left the Oath Keepers when the organization became too militant, but extremism researchers have documented ongoing ties https://www.irehr.org/2022/07/15/shoulder-to-shoulder-cspoa-and-the-oath-keepers between his association and the militia group. True the Vote’s coalition also includes another right-leaning sheriffs’ group, Protect America Now, led by Sheriff Mark Lamb of Pinal County, Arizona. That group describes its mission as “standing for our constitution” by guarding against government overreach, protecting gun-owner rights and stopping illegal immigration. True the Vote officials described the coalition as a multi-faceted effort to encourage sheriffs to pursue election-fraud claims. In addition to grants meant to help sheriffs conduct surveillance of drop boxes, the group said it aims to provide sheriffs with “artificial intelligence” software to assist in analyzing the video they collect. True the Vote also plans to set up hotlines to alert sheriffs to suspicious activity at polling stations and ballot drop boxes. It’s unclear how many of the nation’s sheriffs will join the effort. The constitutional sheriffs association does not disclose membership numbers; Protect America Now says it includes about 70 sheriffs from more than 30 states. Political Research Associates, a left-leaning think tank that studies political extremism, has identified 136 sheriffs who align with the so-called patriot movement, which includes constitutional sheriffs and others embracing anti-government or far-right conspiracy theories. The National Sheriffs Association, the nation’s leading professional organization for sheriffs, did not respond to requests for comment on the effort to pursue election-fraud allegations. Calvin Hayden, sheriff of Johnson County, Kansas, told the Las Vegas gathering that he plans to employ technology to expand his investigation. “We’re going to start doing our geodata,” Hayden said. “I have no question that we’re going to get to the bottom of this.” Hayden launched the probe last year despite repeated assurances from county and state election officials that the vote had been conducted fairly. Asked what evidence justified the probe, a spokesperson for Hayden’s office, Shelby Colburn, said the investigation was based on more than 200 tips from voters and that the sheriff would soon provide more details. Hayden’s efforts were praised by Mack, who told meeting attendees that election fraud had become the constitutional sheriff’s association’s “biggest concern.” He said his members are uniquely positioned to pursue the matter because sheriffs “don’t have to ask permission from anybody to start an investigation.” (Reporting by Peter Eisler and Nathan Layne. Editing by Jason Szep and Brian Thevenot.) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Real-life Quidditch leagues have changed the name of the ‘Harry Potter’ sport to distance the competition from J.K. Rowling in response to her views on trans people. The fictional sports game was invented by the best-selling author as part of her ‘Harry Potter’ book series – which began in 1997 with the release of first novel ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ in June 1997 – and sees the pupils of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry compete in two teams flying on broomsticks and scoring points with four types of balls. The game – which is ultimately won if the player known as the Seeker captures the Golden Snitch – has thousands of real-life players who simulate the matches without the ability to fly on magical broomsticks. Following a survey at the end of 2021, the US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch have decided to rename the sport as quadball. They explained that the change had come about because the name “quidditch” had been trademarked by American film company Warner Bros. – who own the movie rights to ‘Harry Potter’ – and because Rowling “has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years”. In a statement, Major League Quidditch said on Tuesday (19.07.22): “[The new name] opens unprecedented opportunities for growth, exposure and partnerships. It is a game changer and we are looking to make the most of it.” Meanwhile, Mary Kimball, executive director of US Quadball, explained that the game was first played by students at Middlebury College in Vermont back in 2005 but has grown exponentially since and the organisations will continue to “push” with the new name. She said: “In less than 20 years, our sport has grown from a few dozen college students in rural Vermont to a global phenomenon with thousands of players, semi-pro leagues and international championships. Our organisations are committed to continuing to push quadball forward.” The governing body for US Quidditch changed its name with immediate effect, while Major League Quidditch said that the new name would come into effect after the 2022 MLQ Championship in August Rowling – whose real name is Joanne Rowling – has sold more than 500 million copies of the seven-book series since it was first published in 1997 and is thought to be the world’s richest living author with a reported net worth of $1 billion. She first came under fire for her trans views back in June 2020 for rebuking the idea that the act of menstruation should be regarded as gender neutral. She tweeted: “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” Rowling has since continued to back women’s rights over the call for inclusion of self-identifying women, attracting much criticism from the trans community, whilst simultaneously being backed by many feminist campaigners. View the full article

Published by California Healthline Robert Suttle has seen firsthand the legal risks of having HIV. In 2008, Suttle said, a former partner accused him of not disclosing he was HIV-positive. He was charged under Louisiana law with “intentional exposure to AIDS virus.” Rather than fight the charge and risk a longer sentence, Suttle pleaded guilty, received a sentence of six months in state prison, and was required to register as a sex offender. “You can be criminalized, certainly, for existing as a person living with HIV,” he said. Suttle, who now lives in New York, said his experience has him worried about a new tool being promot… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Bob Brigham The GOP governor of Florida was criticized for a long list of his choices in a brutal new editorial examining his potential 2024 presidential campaign. “Ron DeSantis was Ron who? — a back-bencher in Congress with little hope of political stardom — when Donald Trump enthusiastically endorsed him more than four years ago. One Trump tweet changed Florida history,” the Sun Sentinel editorial board wrote. “Now, as the ex-president sees DeSantis emerge as his biggest rival, Trump must have buyer’s remorse. You can practically hear the dishware breaking at Mar-a-Lago.” The newspaper sa… Read More View the full article

Happy to Live In New World Where Sportscasters Care We Know They Are Not Homophobic; That Said, Barkley Recently Joked (we think) He’d ‘Kill a Relative’ for $150 Million. Published by The Spun By Andrew Gould Charles Barkley may pursue a business arrangement with LIV Golf, even at the cost of his TNT position. According to Dan Patrick, Barkley knows he “might have to leave TNT” if he joins the controversial new golf league. It’s unclear how seriously the Pro Basketball Hall of Famer is considering vacating his long-running role on Inside The NBA. In an appearance on The Next Roundlast week, Barkley confirmed that he has a meeting lined up with the new golf league about an unspecified media role. “Nothing is imminent, I actually don’t know everything they want from me, or what they t… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was one of 17 lawmakers detained by US Capitol Police Officers at a protest for abortion rights in front of the US Supreme Court Building on July 19, 2022 in Washington, DC Washington (AFP) – At least 17 Democratic lawmakers, including prominent progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, were arrested at an abortion rights protest outside the Supreme Court in Washington on Tuesday, police said. The US Capitol police said on Twitter that the demonstrators had blocked traffic on a nearby road and were been given three warnings before officers made the arrests. “We made a total of 35 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding,” the police said. “That arrest number includes 17 Members of Congress.” The small demonstration came three weeks after a controversial ruling by the Supreme Court that overturned the 1973 landmark decision of Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed women’s access to abortion. “Today I was arrested while participating in a civil disobedience action with my fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court,” Omar, representative from Minnesota, said on Twitter. “I will continue to do everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive rights!” she tweeted. Representative Carolyn Maloney of New York was also arrested, and issued a statement saying, “There is no democracy if women do not have control over their own bodies and decisions about their own health, including reproductive care.” “The Republican Party and the right-wing extremists behind this decision are not pro-life, but pro-controlling the bodies of women, girls, and any person who can become pregnant.” Footage from the protest showed Ocasio-Cortez, Omar and others being led away, not in handcuffs, and waving to supporters. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Humeyra Pamuk and Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at deterring and punishing wrongful detention of U.S. citizens abroad by authorizing government agencies to impose sanctions and other measures. The move came amid growing pressure on Biden from families of hostages and detainees, most recently on the case of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been held in Russia since February and is on trial on drug charges. But some families said the order achieved little in concrete terms. They lambasted the administration for not allowing them to ask questions during a Monday video call previewing the action while saying Washington still lacked a solid strategy on how to bring their loved ones home. The plight of American detainees has gained visibility after Griner’s arrest and the recent release of former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed in a prisoner swap with Russia at a time when U.S. relations with Moscow are at their worst in decades over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United States does not provide an official figure for how many U.S. citizens are detained abroad, but the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, named after an American journalist abducted and killed in Syria, says that more than 60 U.S. citizens are wrongfully detained in about 18 countries. Some are held by top U.S. adversaries such as Iran, Russia, Venezuela and China. Biden was “committed to getting all these cases resolved and … at the same time, start to bring up a deterrence strategy that can raise the cost of hostage-taking and wrongful detention,” a senior administration official said in a call with reporters on Monday. The executive order authorizes agencies to impose costs and consequences, including financial sanctions, on those involved in hostage-taking. “The sanctions authority included in this E.O. enables the United States to impose financial and travel sanctions on those who are responsible for unjustly holding U.S. nationals, whether their captor is a terrorist network or a state actor,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. The order directs government agencies to work more closely with detainees’ families and share information and possibly intelligence, U.S. officials said. State Department travel advisories will add warnings where there is elevated risk of wrongful detention. On Tuesday, six countries — Myanmar, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela — will receive the warning. ‘NOTHING CONSTRUCTIVE’ After the administration’s video call on Monday with family members, several participants voiced their disappointment over the content of the action and the way it was delivered. “We’ve gone on record and asked that the White House engages with families more directly, and, once again, we were given a group call … and we ended the call with nothing constructive on our hostages,” Neda Shargi, sister of Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American businessman detained in Tehran in 2018. Shargi and others said there was no function in the Zoom call that allowed them to ask questions or speak to the U.S. officials. Several participants also said the action focused on deterring further hostage-taking instead of laying out a strategy on how to bring home the existing detainees. “It was more of a lecture than it was a dialogue,” Everett Rutherford, the uncle of Matthew Heath, a U.S. Marine veteran imprisoned in Venezuela for nearly two years, said, adding that the content of the order was underwhelming. “This directive was basically telling the various parts of our government to do what they’re supposed to be doing,” he said. The Foley foundation says countries wrongfully holding Americans include Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Mali, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Yemen. The prisoner swap with Russia in April that brought Reed home in the middle of Ukraine war has intensified calls by relatives of others held overseas for Biden to act. Reed was freed after three years of detention as part of a prisoner swap with Russia. Biden commuted the U.S. prison sentence of Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko. Several weeks before Reed’s release, his parents met with Biden after demonstrating outside the White House. Family members say they believe the path to securing release begins with meeting face-to-face with Biden, a view the administration has sought to discourage. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Mary Milliken, Cynthia Osterman and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Raw Story By Brad Reed House Democrats are trying to pass a bill that would codify marriage equality for LGBTQ Americans, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is not happy about it. Speaking on the House floor Tuesday, Jordan lambasted Democrats for trying to pass marriage equality via the legislative process, which he suggested was an attempt to somehow “intimidate” the United States Supreme Court from overturning its own past ruling that established marriage equality as the law of the land. “This bill is simply the latest installment of the Democrats’ campaign to delegitimize and attempt to intimidate the Unite… Read More View the full article

Published by The Spun By Andrew McCarty Nearly one year ago to the day, Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib announced on social media that he is gay. He became one of the first active NFL players to come out publicly. A year later, he’s opening up on why he decided to make the information public, rather than keeping it close. In an interview with Good Morning America, Nassib made it clear he wanted to create a positive narrative for young people in the conversation around sexual orientation. He spoke with former NFL star Michael Strahan about the decision. From GMA: “I stared at the phone for, like, an … Read More View the full article

Published by Sports Illustrated By Zach Koons The 29-year-old free agent remains unsigned with training camp right around the corner. View the original article to see embedded media. Free agent defensive end Carl Nassib made perfectly clear that he’s still on the lookout for a new opportunity in the NFL with training camp right around the corner. “The best scenario for me is, like, the best opportunity to show what I got,” Nassib said during an appearance on Good Morning America Tuesday. “Got a lot in the tank.” Nassb, 29, was released by the Raiders in March after playing in 27 games and making five starts for the team over… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP The US House of Representatives passed a bill that would provide federal protection for married same-sex couples Washington (AFP) – The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday that would provide federal protection for same-sex marriage amid fears that the Supreme Court could roll back recognition of such unions. The Respect for Marriage Act was approved in the Democratic-controlled chamber by a vote of 267 to 157, but its prospects are uncertain in the Senate. Forty-seven Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in voting for the bill, which was met with scattered applause on the House floor when it passed. Democrats have 50 seats in the 100-member Senate and 10 Republican votes would be needed to bring the measure to the floor. The Respect for Marriage Act would force US states to recognize a valid marriage performed in another state, providing protection for not only same-sex unions but also interracial marriages. The bill repeals the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that defined a marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, which denied federal benefits to married same-sex couples, in 2013 but the law had remained on the books. “The bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act will enshrine and protect marriage equality and make sure legal, same-sex and interracial marriages are recognized,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling enshrining nationwide abortion rights, on June 24, sparking forecasts that conservative justices could revisit other landmark decisions. Same-sex marriage remains a high-value target for some Republicans and the religious right in the United States, although 71 percent of Americans in a Gallup poll in May said they support such relationships. By bringing the Respect for Marriage Act to a vote in the House, Democrats forced Republicans to go on the record on the issue ahead of the November midterm elections. Clarence Thomas, one of the most conservative justices on the court, in his concurring opinion overturning abortion rights, ignited fears that other progressive gains could also be in danger. Thomas argued that the court should also examine its rulings on contraception and same-sex marriage. Thomas — whose wife Ginni Thomas has pushed false claims that Donald Trump won the last election — was the only judge making such arguments out of the nine who sit on America’s highest court. But the court’s shift to the right under Trump, who appointed three new conservative justices, has Democrats, activists and progressive groups fearing its future rulings. The House plans to vote later this week on the Right to Contraception Act, which would protect access to contraceptives. View the full article

Published by DPA "The virus is not done with us yet," one infectious disease expert is warning. The new variants of coronavirus are better than ever at evading our immune protection. That means even those who were previously infected can be at risk. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa Chicago (tca/dpa) — For people who contracted Covid-19 during earlier Omicron surges, doctors have some unwelcome news: You are again susceptible to catching the virus. Two new variants of the virus appear to more easily evade immune protection from prior infections, meaning even some who have recovered from a case of Covid-19 in recent months may become a clean slate for the virus. The vaccines still remain effective in largely preventing hospitalizations and death, doctors say. The variants in the Omicron family, BA.5 and BA.4, together are now the dominant strains in Illinois and across the country, according to medical experts and data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “For right now, everybody is basically susceptible to this,” said Dr. Emily Landon, an epidemiologist at the University of Chicago School of Medicine. With the new variants circulating, doctors still recommend people wear masks indoors and ensure they are up to date on booster shots. The Covid-19 booster remains an underutilized resource, with only about 34% of people 5 and over having received the third shot, according to the CDC. People should also consider masking during crowded outdoor events as well, doctors said, such as the upcoming Lollapalooza music festival from July 28 to 31. “People have gotten it in their head that being outside is magic,” Landon said. She noted that cases will likely rise after Lollapalooza, but added that fact alone doesn’t make it unsafe to hold it, as the festival is a voluntary event. She implored attendees, though, to take care of their impact on others after the events by testing themselves, staying home if they feel sick and avoiding immunocompromised people. The new variants have “a few more mutations in the spike protein” that make them more resistant to antibodies, according to Dr. Egon Ozer, an infectious disease specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Ozer said early data show that the BA.5 had reinfected people who contracted earlier variants of Covid-19 in the winter or early spring, who for a time had carried some immunity guarding against a new infection. “Every infection is an opportunity (for the virus) to adapt further and to overcome new defenses,” Ozer said. “It’s probably a bit of an arms race over time in terms of the virus changing and us changing the vaccine.” Pfizer and Moderna have been working on a booster shot designed specifically with Omicron in mind. Even though the vaccines, along with new therapies that treat Covid-19, increasingly make the virus less deadly upon infection, its ability to continue to reinfect people at rapid rates raises the specter of continued disruptions as many countries continue to face supply chain issues. “There’s always economic costs and issues with health care when people are having to stay home from work,” said Dr. Jonathan Martin, an infectious disease physician with Cook County Health. “I know there are people out there who think the pandemic is over. I assure you, the virus is not done with us yet.” And much is still unknown about Covid-19′s long-term health impact, doctors say, with evidence mounting that prior infections can put people at higher risk for other medical conditions. “I don’t think people are taking it quite as seriously as they should,” Landon said. Doctors stress that the more the population reduces infections, the fewer chances the virus has to continue to mutate. “There’s still really good reasons to avoid getting Covid,” Landon said. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English A man who allegedly shot Lady Gaga’s dog walker is wanted by the United States Marshals Service after he was mistakenly released from jail. James Howard Jackson was one of three people charged with attempted murder and robbery after allegedly shooting Ryan Discher and attempting to kidnap the ‘Edge of Glory’ singer’s three French bulldogs in February 2021, but he was let go from prison “due to a clerical error” in April. After the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Major Crime Team asked for the US Marshals help to apprehend Jackson, they have offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest, but warned he “should be considered armed and dangerous”. Shortly after the 19 year old was released from jail, Ryan appealed for him to turn himself back to authorities. He said in a statement: “While I’m deeply concerned at the events that led to his release, I’m confident law enforcement will rectify the error. “I ask for Mr. Jackson to turn himself over to the authorities, so resolution to the crime committed against me runs its course, whatever the courts determine that outcome to be. Thank you to everyone who is supporting me during this time.” Jackson – whose full list of charges includes attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree robbery, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and a felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle – is accused of shooting the dog walker with a .40-calibre handgun with him and two suspects allegedly fleeing the scene in a car with two dogs. The animals were returned to police two days later. Ryan suffered a collapsed lung in the attack and admitted medics were initially unsure he’d survive. He previously said: “The people in the ER, who I had seen that night, told me they didn’t think I was gonna survive that night.” He also praised his famous boss for her support throughout his recovery. He said: “She’s helped me so much. She’s been a friend for me and after I was attacked, my family was flown out and I had trauma therapists flown to me and I stayed at her house for months while friends comforted me and security was around me.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English ‘RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race’ is returning for a second season with the stars being kept a secret. The VH1 reality show – which first aired in April 2020 and featured the likes of Madison Beer, Dustin Milligan and Phoebe Robinson – will be back for another run with the celebrities’ identities being kept under wraps. The broadcaster teased: “Filmed in front of a live studio audience, nine celebrities from all walks of life have agreed to leave their famous identities behind as they fully embrace the miracle of drag. “It will be kept secret who each contestant is until they are asked to sashay away, allowing viewers to focus on their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.” Every week, the stars will have to undergo complete drag transformations and compete in “the ultimate lip sync showdown based on a new category” until America’s Next Celeb Drag Superstar is crowned. As well as the impressive title, the winning star will also leave with $100,000 for their chosen charity. ‘Drag Race’ legends such as Monét X Change, Brooke Lynn Heights and Jujubee will be there to mentor the celebs, while there will also be appearances from Eureka, Gottmik, Katya, Morgan McMichaels, Silky Nutmeg Ganache and Violet Chachki. RuPaul will be back as the host alongside judges Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley. In a trailer teasing the household names getting involved in the upcoming season, one mystery celebrity suggested there will be some very well known faces. The unknown star said: “People have always known who I am. I can’t hide. This is a new discovery for me.” Meanwhile, the trailer also suggests other changes, including the classic runway being replaced by a roomier stage in front of a big studio audience, while the production values for ‘Lip Sync For Your Life; look to have been given a boost, with plenty of backup dancers joining the queens for their performance. ‘RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race’ is returning to VH1 on August 12. View the full article

Published by DPA Dali’s Lobster Telephone is among the exhibits exploring the story of the Surrealist movement and its impact on the world in an “eye-opening” exhibition at London’s Design Museum. Fundaciû Gala-Salvador Dalì/PA Media/dpa The story of the Surrealist movement and its impact on the world is set to be displayed later this year in an “eye-opening” exhibition at London’s famous Design Museum. The exhibition titled “Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design 1924 – Today” will run from October 14 until February 19 and will explore how the Surrealist movement revolutionised art and design. Nearly 350 objects will go on display, including work from Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, Leonora Carrington and Man Ray alongside pieces by Dior, Björk, Tim Walker and Sarah Lucas. It is the first time world-reknowned museum has explored the relationship between fine art and design in a major exhibition. The Design Museum is located in London’s upscale area of Kensington, also home to major tourist draws such as the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. The museum’s exhibition will cover almost 100 years and will be split into four sections focusing on Surrealism’s influence on everyday objects, interior design, fashion and the body and mind. Dali’s Lobster Telephone and Ray’s The Gift will show how everyday objects were embraced by the movement, while Lucas’s Cigarette Tits pinpoints how the body can be used to expose stereotypes of female sexuality. The exhibition will also highlight Surrealism’s influence on fashion as many Surrealist artists worked as photographers, including Dali who created cover art for fashion magazine Vogue. Vintage magazines will be exhibited alongside Surrealist-inspired photography for modern day magazines, such as Walker’s 2013 photoshoot with actress Tilda Swinton for W magazine. Tim Marlow, the Design Museum’s director, said: “From its very beginnings, Surrealism looked to design and everyday objects for inspiration, but few are aware of the movement’s decisive impact on design. “This eye-opening exhibition will take visitors on a fascinating journey through 100 years of this radical relationship, and it will bring the story right up to the present day for the very first time. “The exhibition is both a landmark in the history of Surrealism and design and part of a rich and ongoing story of London’s engagement with one of the great cultural movements of the last century.” Curator Kathryn Johnson said: “If you think Surrealism fizzled out in the 1960s, think again. This exhibition will show that it is still alive and well and that it never really went away. “The early Surrealists were survivors of the First World War and the 1918 influenza pandemic, and their art was in part a reaction to those horrors. “Today, in the context of dizzying technological change, war and another global pandemic, Surrealism’s spirit feels more alive than ever in contemporary design.” Leonora Carrington’s “The Old Maids” (1947) is among the works helping to explore the story of the Surrealist movement and its impact on the world in an “eye-opening” exhibition at London’s Design Museum. Estate Of Leonora Carrington/PA Media/dpa Salvador Dali’s “Metamorphosis of Narcissus” (1937) is among the works helping to explore the story of the Surrealist movement and its impact on the world in an “eye-opening” exhibition at London’s Design Museum. Salvador Dalì, Fundaciû Gala-S/PA Media/dpa View the full article