Israel will host the Middle East’s largest-ever LGBTQ+ festival at the Dead Sea in June 2026, The Jerusalem Post reports. “The new festival, Pride Land, intends to transform the middle of the Judean Desert into a colorful pride city from June 1 to June 4,” the outlet stated. Israel is preparing to host the largest LGBT festival ever held in the Middle East, set to take place at the Dead Sea in June 2026. Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/xQsdt50Qnt — AF Post (@AFpost) April 19, 2026 More from The Jerusalem Post: The event intends to create an experience broader than parties or performances, instead aiming for a space that is alive 24 hours a day, with 15 hotels, beach complexes, parties, and a central performance arena all operating around the clock. Alongside the nightlife, Pride Land will have cultural and art complexes, relaxation and scenic areas, and family-friendly areas with children’s activities, family-friendly workshops, and customized events. The organizers hope to create a multigenerational “Pride City,” not just a party celebrating pride. “This is not just another festival, it’s the biggest thing we’ve done here,” explained Aaron Cohen, main producer and initiator of the festival. “Pride rises at the lowest place on earth,” stated Israel’s official X account, ran by Israel’s Foreign Ministry. “This June the Dead Sea becomes Pride Land, the biggest LGBTQ+ festival ever in the Middle East. Four days of nonstop celebration community and connection. Israel celebrates its LGBTQ+ community bigger than ever,” it continued. Pride rises at the lowest place on earth This June the Dead Sea becomes Pride Land, the biggest LGBTQ+ festival ever in the Middle East. Four days of nonstop celebration community and connection. Israel celebrates its LGBTQ+ community bigger than ever pic.twitter.com/JxqjQGNB7z — Israel ישראל (@Israel) April 20, 2026 “We chose to grow,” Cohen said, according to The Jerusalem Post. “To take an investment of millions, purchase entire hotels for 4 days, and build a city from scratch in the middle of the desert. It’s an experience that lives 24/7, from quiet visits to nights of pride, with a living envelope of music and people,” Cohen added. Israel Hosts the Middle East’s Biggest Pride Celebration at the Dead Sea A four-day Pride festival will be held at the Dead Sea, the largest in Middle East history.“Pride Land is not just another festival,” said the festival’s main producer and initiator, Aaron Cohen. “It’s the… pic.twitter.com/FuNdjV1cDJ — ME24 – Middle East 24 (@MiddleEast_24) April 19, 2026 Although the festival will attempt to make the Dead Sea region a permanent fixture for LGBTQ+ tourists, Tel Aviv is Israel’s hub for Pride events. Tourist Israel noted: Tel Aviv Pride has become one of the biggest events of the year in Tel Aviv. Visitors from all over Israel and the world come out in full force to celebrate. The city lights up in color and energy, proving its reputation as the gay capital of the Middle East, and perhaps even one of the gay capitals of the World. Tel Aviv Gay Pride Week takes place every June, with a surge of gay-friendly events held across the city, culminating on Friday, June 12th, with the famed pride parade. Join Israel’s vibrant 2-day Gay Pride event along Tel Aviv’s stunning beachfront promenade, the Herbert Samuel Boardwalk, featuring creative floats and live performances. The festivities will continue with an exciting party bash that lasts until sunset, just before the Sabbath. Nearly 300,000 locals, tourists, and visitors will march and dance in a joyous celebration of Gay Pride.

A powerful earthquake just rocked northern Japan and triggered tsunami warnings across multiple prefectures. The quake struck off the Sanriku coast in northeastern Japan at 4:53 p.m. local time on Monday. The United States Geological Survey measured it at magnitude 7.4. Japan’s Meteorological Agency put it even higher at 7.7. Either way, this is a serious event. And for the people of Iwate, Aomori, and Hokkaido, the memories of 2011 are still fresh. That year, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami that killed over 22,000 people. So when the warning sirens went off today, people moved fast. Nearly 172,000 residents across five prefectures were ordered to evacuate immediately. Here’s what we know so far: Earthquakes have struck Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate in Japan, with a tsunami warning currently in effect. Fishing vessels are evacuating offshore. A 7.4 magnitude quake occurred offshore at a depth of 10 km, with a tsunami warning of 3m for Iwate and Hokkaido. pic.twitter.com/NWdExi4sz1— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 20, 2026 Tsunami waves were detected almost immediately after the quake. MAGNITUDE 7.4 EARTHQUAKE STRIKES OFF NORTHEASTERN JAPAN A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the Sanriku coast in northeastern Japan at 4:53 p.m. local time on Monday, April 20, 2026. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a tsunami warning for the…— Markets Today (@marketsday) April 20, 2026 Japan’s Prime Minister urged residents in affected areas to get to higher ground immediately. A tsunami warning, with the threat of waves of up to 3 meters, was issued Monday evening for Iwate Prefecture, Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido in northern Japan after a quake struck off the coast of Iwate.An NHK anchor urged local residents to move to higher ground, away from… pic.twitter.com/qJik9HBl6w— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) April 20, 2026 Fox News reported on the severity of the event: The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings and expected waves of up to 3 meters, or roughly 10 feet, in northern coastal areas. Tsunami waves of approximately 2.6 feet were recorded at Kuji port in Iwate prefecture. Officials have noted a 1% possibility of a larger earthquake occurring within the following week after this event near the Chishima and Japan trenches. That compares to a 0.1% chance during normal times. The Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that nuclear power plants in the affected area remained intact with no abnormalities detected. That last detail about the nuclear plants will be a huge relief. Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Daini, Onagawa, and Higashidori all reported normal operations with radioactive levels within range. After what happened in 2011, that’s the first thing everyone wanted to know. CNN added more on the scope of the disaster response: Evacuation orders were issued for 171,957 people across five prefectures. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that residents in areas where tsunami warnings were issued should immediately evacuate to higher ground. Observed wave heights reached 0.8 meters at Kuji Port and 0.4 meters at Miyako Port, both in Iwate Prefecture. Around 200 power outages were reported across the affected areas, and train services were suspended on multiple lines. No injuries or structural damage to homes had been recorded at the time of reporting. The good news so far: no injuries, no casualties, and no major structural damage reported. The tsunami warning has since been downgraded to an advisory. Japan’s disaster preparedness clearly kicked in fast here. The country has invested billions into early warning systems and seawalls since 2011, and it appears to be paying off today. We will continue to monitor this situation as it develops.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Monday announced that his 36-year-0ld daughter, Madison, had passed away after a “decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes” and other health issues. “She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” Warner and Lisa Collis, his wife, said in a joint statement. “We are grateful for the loving support of friends and family during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we navigate this profound loss,” it continued. pic.twitter.com/sdRJngGXdY — Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) April 20, 2026 Daily Caller shared further: Madison suffered from Type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects more than 1.7 million Americans, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Complications such as heart or kidney disease, neuropathy and stroke can arise as a result of the condition. The disease requires lifelong insulin therapy and blood sugar monitoring because it causes a lack of insulin production in the body. Warner and his wife, Lisa, share two other daughters, Eliza and Gillian. The lawmaker has served in the upper chamber since Jan. 6, 2009, and is seeking reelection to a fourth term in November. Congress members shared their condolences after the Democratic senator’s announcement: “Please join me in praying for Senator Warner, his wife Lisa, and all their family and friends mourning today,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) commented. Please join me in praying for Senator Warner, his wife Lisa, and all their family and friends mourning today. https://t.co/YpAqZGCyMb — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 20, 2026 “Sending my most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Warner family during this difficult time,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) said. Sending my most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Warner family during this difficult time. https://t.co/RCJjCDFd4s — Senator Cynthia Lummis (@SenLummis) April 20, 2026 “Our deepest condolences. We’re keeping your family in our prayers,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said. Our deepest condolences. We're keeping your family in our prayers. — Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 20, 2026

The Trump administration just put Michigan on notice in a big way. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon fired off a letter to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett demanding every single ballot from the November 2024 election. All 865,000 of them. Absentee ballots, provisional ballots, ballot receipts, envelopes. Everything. And if Wayne County doesn’t comply within 14 days? The DOJ said it will seek a court order to force the handover. This comes after Dhillon’s team reviewed roughly 60 million voter records across cooperating states and found at least 350,000 dead people still registered to vote. They also referred approximately 25,000 individuals with no citizenship records to the Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Senator Mike Lee summed up the situation perfectly. Why are 29 states & D.C. stonewalling federal officials trying to ensure that your vote isn’t nullified by noncitizens & dead people?@AAGDhillon has already found tens of thousands of noncitizens & hundreds of thousands of dead people—just on voter rolls of cooperating states. https://t.co/sdpy0ZN30h pic.twitter.com/609fcKOG43— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 20, 2026 Dhillon herself responded, making it clear the DOJ is not backing down from states that refuse to cooperate. Yes, why? Imagine what sloppy or worse situations the non-compliant states are trying to prevent the federal government from learing! https://t.co/0dEzy7N7LD— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) April 20, 2026 Fox News reported on the details of the demand: Dhillon cited Wayne County’s “history of fraud convictions and allegations” and warned that failure to comply “may result in the United States seeking a court order for production of such records.” The DOJ is currently suing 29 states and Washington, D.C. for refusing to hand over their voter rolls. In states that cooperated, the results were staggering: at least 350,000 deceased individuals still on voter rolls and roughly 25,000 people with no citizenship documentation referred to Homeland Security for further investigation. Not surprisingly, Michigan’s top Democrats immediately went into panic mode. CNN reported on the response from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel: Nessel characterized the request as baseless and politically motivated. She and Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a joint statement saying the demand was about “a weaponized DOJ trying to please a president who doesn’t want to be held accountable.” Nessel argued that the DOJ’s letter was directed to the wrong office, pointing out that the 865,000 ballots are actually held by 43 municipal clerks across Wayne County, not the county clerk. She called the request a “fishing expedition” that would burden election officials ahead of the August 2 primary. Think about that for a second. The DOJ says it found 350,000 dead people on voter rolls, referred 25,000 suspected non-citizens to DHS, and wants to review the ballots from a county with a documented history of fraud allegations. And Michigan’s response is to call it a “fishing expedition.” If your voter rolls are clean and your elections are secure, what exactly are you afraid of? Dhillon said the quiet part out loud during her appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo: states that refuse to cooperate with voter roll cleanup are the ones with the most to hide. The DOJ has already proven its case in the jurisdictions that handed over their data. The 14-day compliance deadline for Wayne County expires April 28. If Nessel and Whitmer continue to stonewall, the DOJ has made it clear it will take the fight to court. The American people have a right to know that only eligible citizens are voting in their elections. That shouldn’t be controversial.

According to The Washington Post, D.C. police attempted to arrest Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) last year after a woman accused him of assault. However, a lieutenant ordered police not to arrest the Florida Republican after the woman “changed her account after appearing to talk to the congressman,” the outlet stated. Police reportedly tried to obtain an arrest warrant for Mills the next day from then-interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin. The outlet said the request was denied. D.C. police were about to arrest Rep. Cory Mills (R-Florida) after a woman accused him of assault last year, but a lieutenant ordered them not to when she changed her account after appearing to talk to the congressman. https://t.co/17h0iv5btb — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 18, 2026 More from The Washington Post: The body-camera footage and documents show that Richard Mazloom, the police officer who first responded to the accuser’s 911 call, disagreed with his superior’s decision to classify the incident as a “family disturbance” after the woman recanted and said Mills had not assaulted her. “Unfortunately, I have bosses that are making this into a family disturbance — a domestic disturbance — instead of an actual domestic assault,” Mazloom told the alleged victim, according to the body-camera footage that a judge ordered released to The Post last month. Before changing her account, the woman had shown Mazloom bruises on her arms and marks on her face, the body-camera footage shows. Tearful, she told the officer that Mills had harmed her during an argument and forcibly removed her from his Southwest Washington penthouse apartment, according to the footage. “I just wanted to make record of this because I don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” the woman told Mazloom when he interviewed her at a hotel bar near the congressman’s apartment more than six hours after the 4:30 a.m. altercation. Mazloom’s body-camera footage shows her sipping what she later said was an alcoholic beverage. Soon after, with Mazloom’s body camera still recording, the woman could be heard talking on her phone. She told Mazloom that “he wants me to say” that the marks on her body “were from our vacation and that I bruise easily.” Mazloom later told fellow officers that he understood that the person she had been speaking to on phone was the congressman, according to the footage. Mills and the woman, whom The Post is not identifying because she had alleged to be the victim of domestic abuse, had just returned from a trip to Dubai where, in separate conversations with police, they both said she had suffered bruises while riding a camel. The prospect of an arrest seemed imminent enough at one point that the investigators agreed to summon a transport vehicle to take the congressman to a station house to face charges, the body-camera video shows. “This was from more than a year ago and the case was closed, and I was found to have had no wrongdoing. Even the MPD police supervisor who showed up determined no assault or probable cause had taken place,” Mills told TMZ. The February 2025 incident is part of a House Ethics Committee investigation into Mills. Mills told The Washington Post earlier this month via text that the woman’s initial claim that he assaulted her is “patently false.” “I’m not commenting on any more of this as there was no crime committed or anything left to say,” Mills wrote, according to The Washington Post. The report comes amid former Congressman Eric Swalwell facing allegations of sexual assault and harassment from multiple women. Alleged Victim Of Eric Swalwell Accuses Him Of Drugging, R*ping Her Meanwhile, Roger Stone said a "bombshell" report on Mills to be released on Monday makes Swalwell "look like Mother Teresa" in comparison. "Time to flush this little turd, Muslim, arms, dealer, stolen valor, and abuser of women," Stone said. Time to flush this little turd, Muslim, arms, dealer, stolen valor, and abuser of women https://t.co/Kc3FIRcwNq — Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) April 20, 2026 Newsweek explained further: Mills is facing renewed scrutiny over sexual misconduct accusations as similar scandals led Swalwell and Representative Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, to resign last week. While Mills has described comparisons with the other lawmakers as unfair, some on Capitol Hill are calling for him to resign, which could further erode the GOP's slim majority in the House. If Mills, who has served Florida's 7th Congressional District since 2023, is removed from Congress or resigns, it may affect the Republican Party ahead of November's midterm elections, in which they hope to protect their narrow majority. Mills, however, has resisted calls to step down and has argued he's being unfairly grouped with lawmakers accused of sexual relationships with staffers, something he denies. House Republican leaders have said they are awaiting the outcome of an active Ethics Committee investigation into the congressman before considering disciplinary action.