A few blocks from the Democratic National Convention, Planned Parenthood is offering free medication abortions and vasectomies at its mobile health clinic to demonstrate “what is possible when policies truly support accessible reproductive health care,” according to the agency. Physicians were providing abortions and vasectomies by appointment on Monday in the West Loop and said they planned to continue doing so Tuesday. As of Monday evening, no appointments on Tuesday were available. The...

'My family died in front of my eyes’: Harrowing tales from a Myanmar massacre Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing. Fayaz and his wife believed they were moments from safety when the bombs began to fall: “We were getting on the boat one after another - that’s when they started bombing us.” Wails and shouts filled the air around 17:00 local time on 5 August, Fayaz* says, as thousands of scared Rohingyas made their way to the banks of the Naf river in the town...

A man who dodged incarceration the first time he got caught spray-painting graffiti in Portland was sentenced to 2½ years in prison Monday for continuing to wield the can. Jerry Mijangos — better known by his tag, KASR — is the first graffiti vandal to be sent to prison during Portland’s crackdown on the waves of paint defacing city buildings and interstate overpasses. The now 28-year-old was previously busted on criminal mischief charges in Multnomah County Circuit Court in 2022 and was...

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, avoiding a criminal trial that was set to begin next month.   Though Santos originally faced 23 felony counts, his lesser plea is still set to carry jail time. Aggravated identity theft carries a two-year mandatory minimum, and the judge estimated his current likely sentence is between 6.25 years and 7.25 years, based on federal guidelines. 

Former Representative George Santos pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and identity theft on Monday afternoon. The con artist and serial liar will avoid being tried on more than 23 charges, which include employment fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds, but still faces anywhere from two to 20 years in prison.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps in ceasefire negotiations and the next step is for Hamas to accept ahead of further negotiations expected to take place later this week. “The next important statement is for Hamas to say yes, and then, in the coming days, for all of the expert negotiators to get together to work on clear understandings on implementing the agreement,” Blinken said at a press conference...

The Democratic National Convention is here. President Joe Biden will take center stage on Monday, before Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz formally accept their nomination later this week. The president is expected to reflect on his 50-year career in politics, his decision to end his reelection bid and the Democratic Party's future as he passes the torch. Other speakers on Monday evening will include first lady Jill Biden,...

A tearful George Santos told reporters that he was remorseful for actions that led to a guilty plea related to fraud charges on Monday. The former U.S. representative from New York admitted to lying about how he was going to use campaign donations and also charging credit cards without authorization. 'It is my recognition of the lies I told myself over these past years.' The charges carry a minimum sentence of two years in prison but he could face up to seven years. “Today, for what may seem...

The state of Massachusetts passed a 4% tax hike on residents making over a million a year in 2022, which took effect in 2023. The tax has raised more revenue than lawmakers originally expected and provides free school lunches for the state’s children. Before the tax hike, Massachusetts residents paid a 5% annual income tax. After the Fair Share Amendment went into effect, those making over $1 million a year now pay an additional 4% on the portion of their income above $1 million. The extra income generated by the tax means the state can now afford to provide free school lunches, free community college for those 25 and over and expanded financial assistance for state schools. The tax also funds transportation projects, including road and bridge repairs and new bicycle lanes. The free school lunches should significantly impact food insecurity in the state. A 2022 study from the Greater Boston Food Bank found that 33% of Massachusetts households were food insecure in 2022. Massachusetts is now the 8th state in the country to offer free school lunches for all students.In ONE YEAR!Who believes that this is a bad idea?Massachusetts declares early victory in taxing the rich, saying $1.8 billion take from millionaires tax was double expectations https://t.co/dZX7u0vmER— Christine Walker (@cwalkersocal54) August 18, 2024 "[F]ree universal school meals will literally change lives, full stop," Democratic Representative Jim McGovern said in a statement. "No child in Massachusetts will ever have to wonder how to get through the school day on an empty stomach." Since the tax hike took effect, it’s generated $1.8 billion for the state, $800 million more than the state legislature and Governor Maura Healey planned to spend in 2024. “This is exciting because it's the first concrete numbers we have seen showing that 'Fair Share' revenue is coming in far above the initial projections,” Andrew Farnitano, a spokesperson for the Raise Up Massachusetts campaign that pushed for the surtax, said according to WGBH. “These numbers show that the commonwealth collected nearly $2 billion in that year already, with a few months to go. What that means is there will be even more money available to spend on the critical transportation and public education needs that Massachusetts has.”Massachusetts passed a 4% millionaire's tax last year. About $1 billion gathered will be used to provide ALL public school students in the state with free school breakfast and lunch.https://t.co/6rc5D4j1mq pic.twitter.com/M23YoocsWW— g-van ⨀ (@gvan_dev) August 14, 2023 The short-term success of the wealth tax is welcomed in many corners of Massachusetts, but some believe the honeymoon could be short-lived. Massachusetts isn’t the only state in the nation and its high-income earners can choose to move to states such as New Hampshire, Florida, or Texas, where they won’t have to pay a state income tax. Wealth taxes are also associated with a drop in overall economic activity, which can depress wages for lower-income earners. “Whatever short-term financial benefit the state will receive from the income surtax will be outweighed by the long-term negative effect this tax is having on the state,” Paul Craney, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said according to WGBH. “It's chasing out high-income earners and making the decision very easy for taxpayers who are regularly impacted by this tax to domicile in more tax-friendly states.” It’s said that states are the laboratories of democracy, and so far, the experiment in Massachusetts appears to be working as planned. What remains to be seen is whether the tax hike eventually leads to a loss in revenue because high-income people who pay a significant percentage of the state’s revenue choose to move somewhere cheaper.

Seemingly overnight, everyone went “demure.” This is thanks to a video posted on Aug 2nd by a woman named Jools Lebron, where she showed folks how she preps to arrive at work in a “very demure, very mindful” way by essentially taking care of her appearance—makeup done, wig laid, smell-good stuff spritzed. You get the idea. No sloppy sweats for this gal. Pretty soon, due to her initial clip’s popularity, Lebron began spinning up ways to go do all kinds of things demurely. Turns out, everything from ordering food to saying “no” to drama can be done in a “demure” way. This would start a full blown “demure” movement. People began showing their own “demure interpretations of everyday events. One person, for example, shared her “demure” book reading strategy. “I don’t use random items like receipts as bookmarks. No, no, no. I use a real bookmark, very cutesie, very demure,” she said. “I don’t crane my neck left and right just to see the words in the corners. No, I crack the spine and now I can read comfortably. Very demure, very mindful.”Meanwhile, someone else apparently eats Chipotle “demurely” by eating half her burrito bow so that the other half remains perfectly intact. Even celebrities like Penn Badgely from “You,” Olivia Rodrigo and Jennifer Lopez joined in. @jlo Very demure … very mindful ? ♬ original sound - JLO And the best part is that beyond getting fifteen minutes of viral fame, Lebron is now able to make her gender transition dreams come true. On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Lebron, who identifies as transgender, shared that becoming a viral sensation has taken her from being a cashier to getting flown across the country to host events, and finally being able to finance the rest of her transition. Encouraging others to express themselves online, Lebron said “maybe you should make the videos…TikTok changed my life,” while quipping “I finally said it without crying!” @joolieannie #fyp #demure ♬ original sound - Jools Lebron “You see how she never gave up? Very demure,” one person wrote, while another echoed, “See how she encourages clothes towards success? Very mindful, very demure, very community minded.”“Hope your transition goes smoothly and very demure,” wrote another person.And in a subsequent video, Lebron didn’t succeed at holding back tears as she shared how “overwhelmed” with gratitude for the positive response she’s received. According to Merriam Webster, the word “demure” first began as a descriptive term for someone modest or reserved, and/or naturally shy. But over time, the definition has shifted slightly to be more synonymous with coy. A demure kind of modesty is more of an affectation than a sincere expression. And now, thanks to Lebron, “demure” has evolved to mean something else—not least of which being the special connection it has to her trans identity. @joolieannie #fyp #demure @OAKCHA @Paul | Fragrance Influencer ♬ original sound - Jools Lebron "When I did start making TikToks, I found more girls like me. I found girls who are plus size who are trans, who are having the same experiences that come uniquely with that set of combinations," she told "CBS Mornings."For Lebron, “demure” is about so much more than a classy appearance. What’s more, she hopes it continues to be used as a mantra anyone can use to bring a little more positivity to themselves, and to the collective. "Your demure is what it means to you. It's being mindful and considerate of the people around you, but also of yourself and how you present to the world." To all folks just trying to be their most demure self—keep at it. You never know who you’ll inspire with your authenticity.