News
German Ballet Director Fired over Feces Attack on Critic
The Hannover State Opera said Thursday that it is ending its contract with ballet director Marco Goecke after he smeared dog feces on the face of a newspaper critic whose reviews he had taken exception to.
Judge Tosses Challenge to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' Law
A federal judge has again dismissed a lawsuit challenging a Florida law critics have dubbed "Don't Say Gay" that restricts teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools.
Kentucky Senate Lets Teachers Decide on Transgender Pronouns
The Kentucky Senate passed a bill allowing teachers to refuse to refer to transgender students by their preferred pronouns — a proposal that was touted as protecting free-speech rights in classrooms.
ND Advances Bills to Remove 'Sexual' Content from Libraries
Two separate bills that would prohibit public libraries from displaying "explicit sexual material" passed the Senate and House floors in North Dakota on Thursday after undergoing debate among lawmakers in each chamber.
Japan PM Apologizes to LGBTQ+ Activists over Ex-Aide's Remark
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with representatives of LGBTQ groups Friday and offered an apology over discriminatory remarks made by his former aide that sparked nationwide outrage and calls for the government to ensure equal rights.
Bruce Willis has Frontotemporal Dementia, Condition Worsens
Nearly a year after Bruce Willis' family announced that he would step away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, his family says his "condition has progressed."
CNN's Don Lemon Regrets Saying Nikki Haley Past her 'Prime'
Don Lemon startled some colleagues on CNN's morning show Thursday with his implication that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, at age 51, was past her prime.
Court Hears Josh Duggar's Appeal of Child Porn Conviction
An attorney for Josh Duggar asked a federal appeals court panel to reverse the former reality TV star's conviction for downloading child pornography, saying investigators violated his rights by seizing the phone he was using to try to call his lawyer.
Group: Tesla Workers Fired after Union Push at NY Plant
Several employees at a Tesla factory in New York have been fired a day after launching union organizing efforts, according to Tesla Workers United, but the company says they're not related.
U.S. Launches Artificial Intelligence Military Use Initiative
The United States launched an initiative Thursday promoting international cooperation on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons by militaries.
Lonely Tunes: Humpback Whales Wail Less as Population Grows
Those melancholy tunes sung by humpback whales may really be a sign of loneliness. Scientists who tracked humpback whales noticed that fewer whales wailed to find mates as their population grew.
Giddy-up! Catch the Arizona Gay Rodeo This Weekend
The new tradition of the gay rodeo continues this weekend with the 37th annual Arizona Gay Rodeo this weekend. The event takes place from February 17 through 19 at Corona Ranch in Laveen, AZ.
Church Bars Lesbian Mom from Refereeing Her Son's Basketball Games
A married couple in Burlington, Kentucky described how they were "blindsided" when church leaders told them that their son's lesbian mom could no longer volunteer as a referee at his basketball games.
Mississippi Families Protest Bill to Limit Transgender Care
Transgender teens, their parents and supporters protested outside the Mississippi Capitol on Wednesday, calling on legislators to kill a measure that would ban gender-affirming health care for people younger than 18.
Africa CDC Expects Mpox Vaccines to Arrive within 2 Weeks
Africa's public health body says it hopes Mpox vaccines will finally arrive on the continent "in another two weeks, tops" after months of seeking doses.
Prominent Orthodox Israeli Journalist Yair Cherki Comes Out as Gay
Veteran Orthodox journalist Yair Cherki, who appears on the country's most-watched news network, came out as gay on Tuesday.
Two 15-year-olds Charged with Murdering Transgender Teen in UK
Transgender teen Brianna They was reportedly stabbed in Warrington, northwest England, on Saturday and was found on a park path in the afternoon.
Hollywood Sex Symbol Raquel Welch Dies at 82
Raquel Welch, whose emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film "One Million Years B.C." would propel her to international sex symbol status throughout the 1960s and '70s, has died. She was 82.
Meet Bayard Rustin, the Often Forgotten, Gay Civil Rights Leader Central to the Fight for Equality
Meet Bayard Rustin, often-forgotten civil rights activist, gay rights advocate, union organizer, pacifist and man of compassion for all in trouble
US Envoy Confident Japan Will Ban LGBTQ Discrimination
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday said he has "full confidence" that the Japanese government will take the necessary steps to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people.