A new Trump policy could deny green cards to immigrants who use public benefits
The sweeping policy announced Monday would let the government deny permanent residency to immigrants who use or are likely to use public benefits, such as food stamps, housing vouchers, and Medicaid.
The plan will take effect in about two months, according to the policy published in the Federal Register. Last year, researchers said the proposed version of the rule would have a serious impact on immigrants, regardless of whether they were affected by it.
Advocates signaled that they are ready to sue over the new policy.
A gay couple had to flee Russia for the crime of caring for their adopted children
When Andrey Vaganov’s 12-year-old son complained of stomach pains in June, the ambulance rushed him to one of Russia’s top pediatric hospitals. The ache turned out to be nothing, but while there, the child told the hospital staff that he and his brother don’t have a mother who lives with them — they have two fathers.
The revelation that Vaganov and his partner, Evgeny Erofeyev, have been raising their adopted sons together for nearly a decade put them squarely in the crosshairs of the Russian authorities. Since then, the couple have had to flee the country with their two sons, accused of breaking Russia’s infamous “gay propaganda law” simply by letting their children know that they are married.
Snapshots
Verizon has agreed to sell Tumblr to Automattic, the company behind the blogging tool WordPress.com. Automattic’s CEO Matt Mullenweg said he intends to keep the ban against NSFW content on the microblogging platform. The price was reported to be less than $3 million, so here are seven condos you could buy in New York for that amount.
Sens. Bob Menendez and Richard Blumenthal want Jeff Bezos to explain how products become labeled as "Amazon's Choice." In a letter sent to Bezos, the senators wrote that the badge may mislead consumers. Their demand comes after a BuzzFeed News report found fraudulent reviews and defective, low-quality products.
Attorney General William Barr said there were "serious irregularities" at the prison where Jeffrey Epstein died in an apparent suicide. Barr said that the FBI and the Office of the Inspector General have begun an investigation.
Netflix revealed that the third season of its series The Crown will debut Nov. 17. The announcement was very dramatic, showing Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman (The Favourite) slowly walking into frame as the camera lazily zooms in.
Flights out of Hong Kong International Airport were canceled Monday due to pro-democracy protests. Many demonstrators did so while wearing bandages or patches over their right eyes in solidarity with a woman who was reportedly hit with a beanbag round by police on Sunday. Cantopop star and activist Denise Ho joined the protest, saying, “It’s so easy to spread fear, and that is how the Communist Party manipulates everyone.”
The uneasiness of Joe Biden's presidential campaign is about more than the gaffes
It can be easy to miss and hard to put your finger on, especially when Biden leads the Democratic presidential field in polling and puts on his aviator-clad frontrunner’s face. But Biden presents with a vibe of doubt.
He can come across as a candidate who’s worried that he’s running out of time — and that he’s wasting yours. And he’s not always sure how to make the most of it.
👉The Republican running against Trump took his message to the Iowa State Fair. Few listened.
👉Just 11 people trying to eat super casually at the Iowa State Fair
This guy who makes videos popping balloons with a bunch of knives explained his creative process
Art frequently finds power and beauty through destruction.
Ai Weiwei smashing a 2,000-year-old Han Dynasty urn.
Gustav Metzger painting with acid.
This guy going ham on a bunch of balloons with knives.
Jan Hakon Erichsen, 41, is an Oslo-based artist who specializes in balloon destruction. His art became a viral sensation after he tweeted a compilation of the balloon videos he makes and shares on Instagram. Reporter Julia Reinstein talked to the man behind the pop, whose videos can be oddly soothing.
“A lot of people started telling me my videos are ASMR, and I didn’t even know what that was, but now that I do I try to play up that sometimes,” he said.