Queens assemblyman Zohran Mamdani — who is looking for a win in the upcoming Democratic primary in New York City’s mayoral election — would sink millions into “gender-affirming” trans procedures for both adults and children if elected. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, says via his campaign website that he plans to prioritize “expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide.” “The Mamdani administration will protect gender-affirming care immediately by investing $65 million in public providers to provide gender-affirming care to New Yorkers who seek it and will hold private entities abetting Trump’s attacks to account,” the website states, noting that such care would be made available both to adults and children in direct opposition to President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict transgender procedures — whether chemical or surgical — for minors. Mamdani also promised that if elected, his administration would invest millions into “gender-affirming” Telehealth services and other programs, and would “investigate and hold public hearings on hospitals that deny trans youth their rightful healthcare and hold them accountable to the law.” In addition, Mamdani said that he planned to make New York City a “sanctuary city” for the LGBTQ community, although the key points that followed only addressed the T and the Q: “The Mamdani administration will be committed to protecting the rights of queer and trans New Yorkers, from those who have been lifelong residents to those who have just arrived here in search of a place where they can receive medical care and live and thrive without the threat of persecution and bigotry.” Mamdani is facing off against key opponent disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo — and according to the latest odds posted by Polymarket, Mamdani has a 61% chance of besting Cuomo. BREAKING: Mamdani surges as clear favorite in the NYC Mayoral primary. 61% chance he wins. pic.twitter.com/8KJeTHMyan — Polymarket (@Polymarket) June 23, 2025 Despite a few polls showing Mamdani making gains, a majority of polls still show Cuomo as holding a commanding lead over Mamdani. The most recent polls, as reported by The New York Times, show Cuomo with a 19-point lead (Harris-X), a three-point lead (Nectar, PIX 11, The Hill), and a 13-point lead (The Manhattan Institute). Current Mayor Eric Adams, who was initially elected as a Democrat, is also running for reelection as an independent.

(Reuters) — Tesla shares jumped 10% on Monday after the electric-vehicle maker started testing its long-awaited robotaxi service, a key step toward proving the technology that CEO Elon Musk has for years touted as a crucial driver of its lofty valuation. The automaker deployed a small fleet of self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, marking the first time its cars have carried paying passengers without human drivers. The rides were being offered for a flat fee of $4.20 in a limited zone. The trial’s success is crucial for Tesla as Musk has pivoted the company to self-driving cars and robots, shelving plans for mass-market dominance in the EV space as Chinese competition heats up and demand slows for its aging line-up of models. “It was a comfortable, safe, and personalized experience,” said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, who took multiple robotaxi rides on Sunday and has long been a Tesla bull. “There was a moment where we drove up a narrow road going up a hill with cars parked on both sides with oncoming traffic and people opening their car doors into the road and the robotaxi masterfully maneuvered with patience and safety.” Many social-media influencers also posted videos of their first rides on X, showing the cars navigating busy city streets by slowing down and making room for incoming traffic. https://t.co/3GbQ9sZA2O — Tesla (@Tesla) June 23, 2025 Still, the tightly controlled trial — with about 10 vehicles and front-seat riders acting as “safety monitors” – is just the first step in what could be a years-long process of scaling up the service, according to some industry experts. Musk said that he aims to get “hundreds of thousands, if not over a million Teslas doing self-driving in the U.S.” by the end of next year. ELON MUSK:“By the end of next year, we'll have hundreds of thousands, if not over a million Teslas doing self-driving in the US.” pic.twitter.com/q4EkaxSggI — Dima Zeniuk (@DimaZeniuk) June 22, 2025 Tesla, as well as rivals including Google-backed Waymo, have faced federal investigations and recalls following collisions. Industry experts have questioned the efficacy of Tesla’s self-driving technology that depends mostly on cameras and AI, without redundant sensors such as lidar and radar, claiming fog, heavy rain and glaring sunlight can hamper safety. The company will also have to navigate a new Texas law taking effect September 1 that requires a state permit for self-driving vehicles and reflects bipartisan calls for a cautious roll-out. If Monday’s gains hold, Tesla — the world’s most valuable automaker — will add nearly $100 billion to its market value of about $1 trillion. The stock has declined about 12% so far this year, after the company faced criticism and threats over Musk’s role in the Trump administration and his backing of right-wing political movements in Europe. Still, Tesla trades at nearly 149 times forward earnings estimates, far above auto rivals such as Ford Motor at 9.3 and tech giants including Microsoft at 31.6. (Reporting by Aditya Soni in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)

In many ways, Fred Smith  — entrepreneur extraordinaire, innovator, and super patriot, at a time when we so needed patriots — was the Ben Franklin of our time. He was rightfully proud of his time served as a United States Marine serving in combat in Vietnam. Fred Smith came up with the idea of FedEx (Federal Express) […]

'Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests'

'There are people ... who did me dirty'

'Largely a giant SCAM'

'You want to bang your head against the wall'

GNN loves seeing celebrities channel their influence for good, and there are few better at it than America’s undisputed sweetheart of sweethearts. Taylor Swift, having recently concluded the record-breaking Eras tour, visited Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Florida. Passing between rooms in a lithe sage-green dress, she touched the hearts of the children undergoing treatment […] The post After Taylor Swift Visits Children’s Hospital, Her Fans Donate Tens of Thousands to Patients appeared first on Good News Network.

News The Lord of the Rings Ralph Bakshi’s Remastered The Lord of the Rings on Blu-ray Includes Exciting Bonus Interview Get the behind-the-scenes scoop from Bakshi himself. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on June 23, 2025 Screenshot: United Artists Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: United Artists Before Peter Jackson brought a live-action adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy to the big screen, there was Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s first two books: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, which was summed up under the title, The Lord of the Rings. If you’re of a certain age, Bakshi’s animated feature holds a certain place in your heart, along with his 1977 animated rendition of The Hobbit co-directed by Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass (and perhaps less so, the 1980 direct-to-television feature, The Return of the King from Rankin and Bass). These animated features came out over four decades ago, and Bakshi’s The Lord of the Rings (which, I might add, comes from a screenplay written by Peter S. Beagle and Chris Conkling) is getting a glow-up. Starting on June 24, 2025 (per Collider), a remastered rendering of the movie will come out on Blu-ray. This version will be in 1080 HD resolution, and includes a bonus interview with Bakshi titled, Forging Through the Darkness: The Ralph Bakshi Vision for The Lord of the Rings. In it, according to the jacket copy, Bakshi will explore “his concept for creating an illustrated film, his pioneering rotoscoping process, and inspirations for his visual storytelling.” The price tag for this one seems reasonable ($22.49), especially since it doesn’t look like the feature is available for streaming anywhere at the moment. You can preorder here, if you’re so inclined. [end-mark] The post Ralph Bakshi’s Remastered <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> on Blu-ray Includes Exciting Bonus Interview appeared first on Reactor.