Why RedNote’s influx of US ‘TikTok refugees’ could be a double-edged sword for Beijing

Why RedNote’s influx of US ‘TikTok refugees’ could be a double-edged sword for Beijing

The influx of American “TikTok refugees” onto the Chinese social media app RedNote may feed into some of Beijing’s main talking points, but could also pose a challenge for China’s censors. As of Thursday afternoon, the topic “TikTok refugee” attracted more than 800 million views and 14.7 million discussions as new users, mostly with IP … Read more

Meta’s Updated ‘Hateful Conduct Policy’ Will Allow Users To Say LGBT Members Have ‘Mental Illness’

Meta’s Updated ‘Hateful Conduct Policy’ Will Allow Users To Say LGBT Members Have ‘Mental Illness’

In a bid to prioritise ‘free expression’ on Facebook, Meta has revised its policies, now permitting users to post content asserting that gay and trans people have mental illnesses. Meta unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its content moderation policies on 7th January. The company eliminated its fact-checking partnerships and dismantled speech restrictions concerning immigration, gender … Read more

Rabbi Yosef claims Knesset cannot pass law because Amir Ohana is gay – Israel Politics

Rabbi Yosef claims Knesset cannot pass law because Amir Ohana is gay – Israel Politics

Former Chief Rabbi and spiritual leader of Shas, Yitzhak Yosef, has claimed that the reason the government is failing to pass the ultra-Orthodox draft exemption law is that Knesset speaker MK Amir Ohana is an openly gay man, Army Radio reported on Monday. According to Army Radio, Rabbi Yosef stated because a gay man … Read more

Denver tech millionaire and activist Tim Gill receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Denver tech millionaire and activist Tim Gill receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Denver philanthropist Tim Gill’s advocacy on behalf of gay and lesbian Americans was recognized by Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday at the White House. Gill grew up in the western suburbs of Denver and founded his software start-up, Quark, in 1981 after graduating from the University of Colorado. In 1999 … Read more

Saudi Arabia assures safe environment for LGBTQ fans at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia assures safe environment for LGBTQ fans at 2034 World Cup

England’s Football Association (FA) has clarified its decision to support Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup and says that it has received “assurances” from the Gulf country that LGBTQ fans will be “safe and welcome.” This statement came after FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday, December  11, confirmed Saudi Arabia as the … Read more

A California church sparks a debate over faith, freedom and hate – The Mercury News

A California church sparks a debate over faith, freedom and hate – The Mercury News

One afternoon in late January, a crowd gathered with a purpose outside the Hotel del Coronado. The conservative evangelical Awaken Church was holding its first service in the city as part of a long effort to establish a church there, and some residents were protesting. “No place for hate,” they chanted, waving Pride flags and … Read more

Colorado winter festivals 2024-2025: Steamboat carnival, Cripple Creek

Colorado winter festivals 2024-2025: Steamboat carnival, Cripple Creek

The days are short, the nights are long, and snow is starting to pile up in the Rockies, which is a sure sign that winter is officially here. Time to break out your puffy coat and your ice scraper. You probably already have rad winter plans, like shredding the slopes with your Ikon or Epic … Read more

Is Thailand the next big LGBTQ wedding destination? Insiders think so

Is Thailand the next big LGBTQ wedding destination? Insiders think so

On September 24, Thailand celebrated the landmark passage of a marriage equality bill. The legislation, which goes into effect in January 2025, will solidify Thailand’s reputation as a progressive and inclusive destination. Wedding organisers and planners around the globe are already taking note, including Next Chapter LGBT, which has been helping Hong Kong LGBTQ couples … Read more

Protests in Georgia as poll commission confirms pro-Russia ruling party’s win – POLITICO

Protests in Georgia as poll commission confirms pro-Russia ruling party’s win – POLITICO

Many Georgians viewed the vote as a pivotal referendum on the country’s effort to join the EU. Granted candidate status last year, Georgia saw its EU accession process halted over the summer after ruling party Georgian Dream passed a slew of Russian-style legislation targeting Western-backed NGOs and cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights. EU foreign ministers will … Read more

Georgia’s ruling party on course for victory amid charges of vote-rigging – POLITICO

Georgia’s ruling party on course for victory amid charges of vote-rigging – POLITICO

According to Ketevan Chachava, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, “the polling station results we are seeing now are based on the electronic voting machines — around two-thirds of the overall, but that could still change. However, the expectation is that Georgian Dream’s votes would be lower than previous elections and this figure … Read more