Freedom Europe Kremlin’s anti-trans law leaves many Russians asking, ‘Who’s next?’ | View caption Hide caption The Kremlin’s ban on gender-affirming care signals an acceleration of Russia’s authoritarian drift, with treatment of trans people as a signal to distinguish Russia from the West. “We are left with nothing,” says Nef Cellarius, coordinator of Peer-to-Peer, a…
Barbie — and the doll’s creator, Ruth Handler — are both having a moment. The company Handler co-created, Mattel, and the toys it manufactured are all household names, but Ruth’s story isn’t as well known. Born in Denver in 1916, Ruth was the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. She met her husband, Elliot Handler, in…
Welcome to The Check-In, our weekend feature focusing on all things travel. The Bahamas is a paradise for all types of divers For divers, no place compares to the Bahamas. There’s shark diving, scuba diving, reef diving, wall diving, cave diving, and shipwreck diving. The water is clear, with visibility of up to 200 feet,…
First Look Amid brutal heat, Europeans offer air conditioning a cool embrace Europeans have long shunned air conditioning, tolerating even the most intense heat. But amid a brutal heatwave, where breezes are far and few between, some are beginning to give AC a second look. | View caption Hide caption | During Europe’s heat wave…
Lizzo’s current backup dancers have expressed support for the singer, thanking her for “shattering limitations and kicking in the door way” for them as the artist faces a lawsuit from former dancers accusing her of sexual harassment and fat-shaming. In an Instagram post, Lizzo’s dance troupe, known as the “Big Grrrls,” said they have “had…
“Politicians in Texas love to talk about how business-friendly the state is,” Michael Marks wrote at Texas Standard. “And for years, the data has backed that up.” Ever since CNBC started ranking America’s top states for business, Texas has been in the top five, placing first or second every year from 2008 to 2019. Skip…
Welcome to The Check-In, our weekend feature focusing on all things travel. Hotels are making it easier to bring the vacation experience home Sometimes, the souvenir you want most from a trip is the fluffy hotel robe you couldn’t take off or the intoxicating fragrance that wafted down the hallways. More and more properties are…
Welcome to The Check-In, our weekend feature focusing on all things travel. Flight attendants share their tips on making summer travel easier If anyone knows how to make air travel better, it’s flight attendants, who can tell you what works (getting on a plane early in the day) and what doesn’t (having a tight connection). Three…
If you’ve been on social media recently, chances are you’ve run across the phrase “mmm, ice cream so good” after TikTok creator PinkyDoll’s bizarre NPC live streams reached viral fever pitch. Her strangely robotic movements and repetitive sounds have boosted her to meme status, and PinkyDoll is cashing in on the attention. Her content nets her…
‘Double discrimination’: In French soccer, being female and LGBTQ | View caption Hide caption Soccer matches that end in a brawl are relatively rare. But such offensive comments from coaches, players, and the public remain commonplace in soccer, for both women and men, in France and across Europe. Despite a new rule implemented over the…