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Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., said claims that he performed as a drag queen are “categorically false.” His denial comes shortly after a Brazilian drag performer shared on social media an image of herself and another person in drag, whom she identified as the newly elected congressman. “The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or ‘performed’ as a drag Queen is categorically false,” Santos, who has been the subject of international headlines for weeks for fabricating parts of his résumé, tweeted Thursday morning. Rochard, who is identified as Eula Rorard in the photo, claims the other person in drag went by the stage name Kitara Ravache and is, in fact, Santos. As of Thursday afternoon, the images had been widely circulated on social media and news websites. A lawyer for Santos did not return NBC News’ request for comment regarding the congressman’s stance on the proposed policies related to drag performances.

☆ Federal government investigating possible human trafficking of children who cleaned slaughterhouses
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Laura Strickler | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

There is no indication DHS is investigating the company that hired the children, Packers Sanitation Services Inc., or PSSI, for human trafficking. The Labor Department’s Child Labor Regulations designate many roles in slaughterhouse and meatpacking facilities as hazardous for minors. The Labor Department says its investigation, which began in August, is ongoing as it scours company records from 50 locations. I don’t anticipate unless there are severe ramifications for this that it will actually change policies.”The Labor Department has issued no penalties or fines to date. Labor DepartmentQuestions about child labor at PSSI in Grand Island and Worthington are not new.

Instagram gives you more control over what you see. Instagram on Thursday launched a new set of features that helps you manage what you see in your feed and silence notifications. The new settings include Quiet mode, which allows users to set a customized schedule to silence Instagram notifications and auto-respond to direct messages (DMs). Instagram announced parental controls in 2021, but the platform is now taking steps to allow further control over user feeds — and to give parents more insight into their children's Instagram habits. Among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, according to the report, 13% of British users and 6% of American users connected the issue back to Instagram.

☆ North Dakota weighs ban of 'sexually explicit' library books
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Books containing “sexually explicit” content — including depictions of sexual or gender identity — would be banned from North Dakota public libraries under legislation that state lawmakers began considering Tuesday. Though supporters of North Dakota’s bill repeatedly called the sexual content “obscene,” opponents said the material in question is not actually considered legally obscene. Library Director Christine Kujawa at Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library said the library has a book with two little hamsters on the cover. Bills to restrict mature content in school libraries became laws last year in Tennessee, Utah, Missouri, Florida and Oklahoma. The investigation followed a complaint by the ACLU and appeared to be the first based on a nationwide movement to ban school library books dealing with sexuality and gender.

☆ Tech executives could be jailed for deliberately failing to protect kids under UK proposal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tech executives could face the possibility of jail time for breaching online safety standards under a proposal in the U.K. after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government reached an agreement with Conservative lawmakers who sought to amend the Online Safety Bill. The latest agreement could mean severe punishment for company leaders who deliberately fail to protect kids from online harm. Conservative lawmakers had proposed an amendment to impose criminal liability, including the possibility of a jail term of up to two years, on senior managers for failing to meet the child safety requirements. Bills seeking to protect kids in similar ways have also been introduced in the U.S. with bipartisan support. California passed its own Age-Appropriate Design Code, modeled off of U.K. guidelines, that similarly puts more of the onus on platforms to protect kids from online harms.

☆ Ovidio Guzmán's arrest may be the start of a campaign against El Chapo's sons and the Sinaloa cartel
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Chris Dalby | Insight Crime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Mexican authorities arrested Ovidio Guzmán, son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, earlier this month. The US has demanded action on fentanyl, and Ovidio's arrest may prompt Mexico to continue a targeted campaign. Ovidio Guzmán López is one of the four sons of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias "El Chapo," who is seeking to continue their father's legacy. Vehicles torched during a January 5 operation to arrest Ovidio Guzman in Culiacan on January 7. In the last couple of years alone, they have mounted targeted operations at rivals within the Sinaloa Cartel and beyond.

Medication abortion has drawn increasing attention since the U.S. Supreme Court last June overturned its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide. Nearly all abortions, including medication abortions, are now banned in 12 states, and 16 states that permit some abortions also had laws restricting medication abortion as of November, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. "The FDA, by approving chemical abortion drugs for home use, puts a woman or girl's life at risk." In its court filing, the FDA said there was no basis for second-guessing the FDA's judgment. The FDA said that pulling the drug would force patients seeking abortions in many cases to undergo unnecessary and more invasive surgical abortion.

☆ Fact Check-Canada’s assisted suicide law does not currently apply to minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Health Canada told Reuters it has no immediate plans to extend medically assisted death to minors, contrary to claims circulating online in January 2023. There are various requirements to be eligible, one of which is that the person needs to be at least 18 years old and be able to make health care decisions for themselves (here). The post likely refers to Canada’s mature minor doctrine when it says “mature minors act”, which allows minors who are mature enough to make health care decisions independent from their parents (here). Each province and territory have different laws on what age it presumes a minor can make health care decisions. Health Canada told Reuters that it does not allow medically assisted deaths for minors and has no immediate plans to change this.

☆ With over 100 anti-LGBTQ bills before state legislatures in 2023 so far, activists say they're 'fired up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

So far, Texas has taken the lead with 36 such bills, according to Equality Texas, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group. Four states — Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Arizona — have enacted restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors, though federal judges have blocked them from taking effect in Arkansas and Alabama. State Sen. David Bullard, the Republican sponsoring the bill, told The Oklahoman that gender-affirming medical care is a “permanent change in your body that cannot be reversed. Accredited medical associations — including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association — have supported gender-affirming care for minors. Advocates and doctors who treat trans youth have said many of the health care restrictions proposed by state legislators mischaracterize what gender-affirming care is.

☆ Wisconsin Republicans block 'conversion therapy' ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Wisconsin Republicans voted Thursday to again allow therapists, social workers and counselors to try to change LGBTQ clients’ gender identities and sexual orientations — a discredited practice known as conversion therapy. A ban on conversion therapy was passed in 2020 by a state board within the Democratic governor’s administration overseeing licensing for mental health professionals. At least 20 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed conversion therapy for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank. He said that’s all that’s at issue, not whether conversion therapy is morally or ethically right or wrong. “(The ban on conversion therapy) is necessary to protect the mental health of children in our state,” Herstand said.

☆ Biden set to deliver annual State of Union address on Feb. 7
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Biden turned 80 in November and, if re-elected, would be 82 at the start of a second term. House Republicans also are poised to pursue various investigations involving the president, his family and administration. Other matters that Congress could address in 2023 include legislation expected to be needed midyear to raise the federal government's borrowing authority, or debt limit. Conservative House Republicans are showcasing legislation to undo beefed-up funding for the Internal Revenue Service so that it can hire more agents to clamp down on wealthy tax cheats. Biden is fresh off a trip to the U.S.-Mexican border, where the influx of immigrants has Republicans eager to legislate tougher security measures.

☆ Salvadoran girls found on Rio Grande at U.S.-Mexico border
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Mexico National Immigration Institute (INM)/Handout via REUTERSMEXICO CITY, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Mexican immigration agents found three unaccompanied Salvadoran children stranded on an islet on the Rio Grande, which straddles the U.S.-Mexico border, Mexico's immigration institute said. Members of Mexico's National Guard first issued an alert for the children, according to the institute. Salvadoran consulate officials in Mexico were aware of the incident and in talks with local authorities, El Salvador's foreign ministry said. Rio Grande crossing dividing the United States and Mexico is one of the last hurdles migrants face before reaching the United States, often after arduous journeys. The three children were placed in the care of Mexico's System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF), the immigration institute said.

☆ Who are the two people who helped bail out Sam Bankman-Fried? Insider and other media organizations are asking a judge to unveil the secret
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

News organizations, including Insider, are asking a court to unveil Sam Bankman-Fried's bail backers. Bankman-Fried's lawyers told the court earlier this month that the backers of his release should stay secret for their "privacy and safety." At Bankman-Fried's January 3 arraignment hearing, Kaplan had granted a request from Bankman-Fried's lawyers to keep the names and addresses of those two people under seal. Christian Everdell, one of Bankman-Fried's lawyers, also represented Maxwell in her criminal case. But lawyers representing the media organizations said the cases were significantly different.

☆ Who are the 2 people who helped bail out Sam Bankman-Fried? Insider and other news organizations asked a judge to unseal their names.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

News organizations, including Insider, are asking a court to unveil Sam Bankman-Fried's bail backers. Bankman-Fried's lawyers told the court earlier this month that the backers of his release should stay secret for their "privacy and safety." The two other backers sponsored "separate bonds in lesser amounts," according to a court filing earlier this month by Bankman-Fried's lawyers. At Bankman-Fried's January 3 arraignment hearing, Kaplan had granted a request from Bankman-Fried's lawyers to keep the names and addresses of those two people under seal. Christian Everdell, one of Bankman-Fried's lawyers, also represented Maxwell in her criminal case.

Patrick Foto/Getty ImagesAdding a child to your credit card as an authorized user can help them establish a credit history. Minimum age for credit card authorized usersThe major credit card issuers allow you to add minors as authorized users, but several have minimum age limits. Benefits of adding a child as an authorized userAlong with potentially giving your child a head start on building credit, adding them as a credit card authorized user has other benefits. Credit cards can teach financial responsibilityHaving an authorized user credit card can help show young adults how to use credit responsibly. Having a credit card in their own name can be handy, especially in cases where a merchant won't take a parent's credit card number over the phone.

☆ Sheng Thao, once homeless and fleeing abuse, becomes the mayor of Oakland, California
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Claire Wang | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Thao spoke with NBC Asian American about her vision for Oakland and how her upbringing shaped her advocacy for working families. Mayor-elect Sheng Thao is greeted by supporters following a news conference at City Hall in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Nov. 23, 2022. Jane Tyska / East Bay Times via Getty ImagesNBC Asian America: You’re the first Hmong American to become mayor of a major city. The Hmong community itself is already politically engaged. That’s made a huge impact especially on our Hmong girls because the Hmong community is still quite patriarchal.

☆ With drag drawing fire in the U.S., RuPaul's DragCon U.K. is a family affair
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ellie Rudy | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

After a three-year pandemic hiatus, RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. — one of the world’s largest drag conferences — returned to London this past weekend. RuPaul, center, is joined by drag queens during the ribbon cutting ceremony for RuPaul's DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023. Lady Camden struts the pink carpet at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023. Maxine, 5, strikes a pose with her mom, Trish, at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023 in London. Drag performer Kitty Scott Claus at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023.

☆ Biden inspects busy port of entry along US-Mexico border
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about U.S.-Mexico border security and enforcement, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 5, 2023. President Joe Biden inspected a busy port of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday, his first trip to the region after two years in office as Republicans hammer him for being soft on border security while the number of migrants crossing spirals. Biden watched as border officers in El Paso demonstrated how they search vehicles for drugs, money and other contraband. The numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has risen dramatically during Biden's first two years in office. For all of his international travel over his 50 years in public service, Biden has not spent much time at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Morphe Cosmetics, a makeup brand once synonymous with YouTube beauty culture, confirmed Thursday it was shutting down all its U.S. stores — a move that shocked its employees, outraged customers and left some experts questioning the brand’s future. Morphe employees sounded alarm for weeksSome of Morphe's retail employees said it was shocking that the company had laid them off so abruptly — with several employees telling NBC News that they received a day’s notice before losing their jobs. TikToks under the hashtag #justiceformorpheretailemployees have received more than 7.5 million views, although some viral videos about the store closures have been deleted. As of Friday, Morphe employees who spoke with NBC News said they hadn’t received their severance packets yet. The store closures indicate that sales were continuing to flail, Ben-Shabat said.

Eight people, including five minors, were found dead at a home in southwestern Utah with what authorities described Wednesday as apparent gunshot wounds. Their bodies were discovered when officers in Enoch City, 178 miles northeast of Las Vegas, conducted a welfare check, a city spokesman said in a news release. The victims have not been identified. Authorities said there were no suspects at large or threats to the public, according to the release, which added that the investigation is ongoing and more information would be released later.

☆ Eight people found shot dead in Utah home
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 4 (Reuters) - Eight people including five minors were found dead of gunshot wounds on Wednesday at a home in Enoch, Utah, city officials said in a press release. Police summoned to the home for a welfare check found the bodies of three adults and five minors, the statement said. "Each appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds. Enoch, with a population of about 8,000, is in southwestern Utah, about 250 miles (400 km) south of Salt Lake City. Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

A former New York weatherman who alleged in September that he was fired after someone sent nude webcam photos of him to his employer is speaking out against online “predators” following months of silence. After he learned the photos were taken, Adame asked Unit 4 Media for more information about the user who shared them. It is also unclear if the “pictures and videos” Adame refers to in his latest Instagram post are the same images referred to in the petition or additional images. Toward the end of his latest video, Adame shared a message with his followers. Adame told NBC News that he still hasn’t found work since his departure from NY1.

☆ U.S. Embassy in Cuba reopening visa and consular services
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

HAVANA — The United States Embassy in Cuba is reopening visa and consular services Wednesday, the first time it has done so since a spate of unexplained health incidents among diplomatic staff in 2017 slashed the American presence in Havana. Cubans are now the second-largest nationality after Mexicans appearing on the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows. Visa and consular services were closed on the island in 2017 after embassy staff were affflicted in a series of health incidents, alleged sonic attacks that remain largely unexplained. While relations have always been tense between Cuba and the U.S., they were heightened following the embassy closure and the Trump administration’s tightening of sanctions on Cuba. Cuban officials have repeatedly expressed optimism about talks with the U.S. and steps to reopen visa services.

☆ 'Romeo & Juliet' stars sue over teen nude scene in 1968 film
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting were just teenagers when they electrified audiences in the 1968 version of “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by Franco Zeffirelli. The film was a hit and was nominated for four Academy Awards, but it also stirred controversy over a bedroom scene which included images of Whiting’s buttocks and Hussey’s bare breasts. Now in their 70s, Hussey and Whiting filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, accusing Paramount of sexually exploiting them and distributing nude images of adolescent children. The suit alleges that he was being dishonest and that Whiting and Hussey were in fact filmed nude without their knowledge. In a 2018 interview with Variety, Hussey defended the nude scene.

☆ Pornhub is requiring viewers in Louisiana to verify their age with a government ID as part of a new state law
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Pornhub is making users in Louisiana verify their age with a form of government ID, Vice reported. The move is part of the state's new law requiring porn sites to vet minors with age-verifying tech. But some experts say the law can increase surveillance and potentially hurt certain communities. The law considers minors as anyone under the age of 18. So far, Louisiana users can reportedly still access porn sites XVideos and XHamster without age verification, according to Vice, though OnlyFans is stuck on a loading page.

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