Today's news round-up

Good News

• U.S. Supreme Court rejects bid to reinstate North Carolina voting limits
• Insurers Can Make Obamacare Work, But They Need Help From Congress
• Georgia grand jury charges white ex-policeman with murdering black man

Bad News

• Maine governor says will not resign, to seek spiritual advice Spiritual advice? He needs anger management advice. And why should his wife and children need advice?
• Study: Ohio's abortion pill law led to worse health outcomes
• NYPD might not say if officer in chokehold death is punished
• Son had 36 bruises. Mom quoted the Bible as defense.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• P&G hires transgender model for ad campaign Rehires.
• Phoenix 1st Arizona city to offer transgender-inclusive benefits to city workers
• Gender-neutral restrooms now available at Southeast Missouri State University
• Georgia Man Who Threw Boiled Water on Gay Men Gets 40 Years
• Mississippi Islamic State recruit gets 8 years in prison

Bad News

• Private lives are exposed as WikiLeaks spills its secrets
• Why Conservative States Handpicked This Texas Judge for Transgender Bathroom Challenge
• Lesbian couple upset after getting crude joke inside their pizza box Domino's pizza is the worst. This doesn't help.

Recent news round-up, Part 3

Good News

• Austin police probe officer's throwing black woman to ground
• Nevada ending discrimination of prison inmates with HIV
• US acts to block two mega-mergers in health insurance
• Papa John's Worker Fired After Writing N-Word on Delivery Receipt
• Celeb hacker who stole nude images gets six months in prison
• Ventilation to Be Required in All New York Nail Salons

Bad News

• Fashion brand Zara accused of copying LA artist's designs

Recent News round-up, Part 1

Good News

• NBA Moves 2017 All-Star Game Out Of North Carolina To Protest Anti-LGBT Law
• NCAA to survey potential host cities on discrimination laws
• Roger Ailes Out At Fox News, Rupert Murdoch Taking Over As Acting CEO
• Feds File Copyright Charges Against Owner Of World’s Most-Visited File-Sharing Site

Bad News

• Virginia's top court rules against move to restore felons' voting rights
• Court: Birth control mandate violates religious rights

Today's news round-up

Good News 

• Obamacare Rule Bans Discrimination Against Transgender Patients
• Arizona sheriff violated court orders in racial profiling case: judge
• Air Force general becomes first woman to lead combatant command

Bad News

• States dig in against directive on transgender bathroom use
• IS snipers prevent civilians leaving Fallujah: US official
• Attack on Cafe North of Baghdad Kills 13, Iraqi Officials Say

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• U.S. to issue decree on transgender access to school restrooms: NYT
• Troopers suspended over pursuit video that shows pummeling
• ACLU sues school district over transgender bathroom policy
• UPS now lets you track packages for real — on an actual map This doesn't affect me very much, since my building's doorman is always here to accept packages. But I'm this will help many other people.
• Houston renames schools named for Confederate leaders 

Bad News

• Kansas to toughen rules on transgender birth certificates
• Judge sides with House Republicans against health care law
• Doping program behind Russian medals at Sochi Olympics: report I'm not the least bit surprised.

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• For Transgender New Yorkers, a Center of Their Own in the Bronx
• XKCD’s Randall Munroe is providing illustrations for science textbooks I love XKCD (as seen below)--though I don't always understand it.

Bad News

• Employers fight rule that could broaden transgender rights
• NC lawmakers heading for special session Wednesday to discuss LGBT ordinance
• The End of Research in Wisconsin I'm sad for my alma mater, despite the victory of the men's basketball game on Sunday. I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone to attend or to work for. 
• Tennis tourney director: Women 'ride on coattails of men' However: WTA Tour CEO assails 'alarming' criticism of female players Moore did apologize. I am guessing it was after he sobered up. UPDATE: Tennis tourney director quits after criticizing women pros

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• Attorneys: Transgender inmate's surgery order will stand
• Feds want proof for ACA exchange special enrollment windows If people cheat then the ACA won't work.
• Oregon refuge protesters to be arraigned over armed occupation
• Polygamous sect leaders facing food stamp fraud charges
• Google's Project Shield helps any news site beat DDoS attacks
• 'Wow': Facebook launches 'Reactions' worldwide

Bad News

• IS briefly takes center of strategic Libyan city

Yesterday's news round-up

Good News

• U.S. justices reject Arkansas bid to revive abortion law
• U.S. top court rejects new challenge to Obamacare
• U.S. Toughens Rules for Latecomers Trying to Enroll in Health Care Act I think a big factor should be whether they had insurance before and now have a legitimate reason they need to switch. If not, they should have to wait until the next open enrollment period.
• Oregon standoff leader attends meeting, hears chants of 'go'
• Conservation groups demand end to refuge occupation
• Exodus Refugee Ship Flag Finds Safe Haven at Holocaust Museum
• IS halves its jihadists' monthly salaries: monitor Excellent news!
• Experts: Willingness claim unlikely to help "affluenza" teen
• IS confirms death of 'Jihadi John' in Syria drone strike

Bad News

• One in 10 college graduates believes Judge Judy sits on Supreme Court
• Bill would require South Carolina journalists to register In this day and age of the internet and blogs, I'd love to see how this law would try to define journalist. In any event, this is totally unconstitutional.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Oregon refuge occupier arrested for taking government vehicle to market They are a bunch of lawless thugs. They all should be arrested.
• Obama pardons Iranians charged with sanctions violations, Five American prisoners released in Iran
• Obama unveils wage insurance plan to spur job seekers
• U.S. charges two Virginia men with trying to join Islamic State

Bad News

• Activists: IS kills at least 75 in attacks in eastern Syria

Today's news round-up

Good News

• How Washington Let the Trans Community in on That Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness Thing
• Unintended result: Gacy probe clears 11 unrelated cold cases
• Kurds, Arabs seize key Syria dam from IS: group

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Transgender insurance exclusions lifted in Maryland
• Bermuda: Groundbreaking same-sex ruling
• French give nod to plain cigarette packaging
• U.S. targets Islamic State with 18 air strikes in Iraq: U.S. military

Bad News

• Gay marriage is legal but not on tribal lands
• Poland rules out Polanski extradition to US
• Nigeria: Suspected Boko Haram bombing hits Shiite procession

Today's news round-up

Good News

• U.S. charges three in huge cyberfraud targeting JPMorgan, others
• Egypt army releases journalist after 'false news' accusation
• New York governor raising minimum wage for state employees
• Universal health care to appear on Colorado ballot in 2016
• French air strikes target Islamic State oil infrastructure

Bad News

• T-Mobile is writing the manual on how to fuck up the internet
• Kenyan newspaper editor questioned, released over source
• Suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers kill three Nigerian refugees in Cameroon

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• Village Voice Sold to Peter Barbey, Owner of a Pennsylvania Newspaper It would be great if the Voice regained its, er, voice. Reading it every week was one of the things that made me want to live in New York City.
• New York Times offers daily digital access with newsstand copies
• Apple loses patent lawsuit to University of Wisconsin, faces hefty damages
• Prominent astronomer resigns over student sexual harassment
• U.S. report calls for end to 'conversion therapy' for LGBT youth
• Virginia governor tightens gun control rules, creates task force

Bad News

• Medicare Premiums May Soar as Social Security Payments Stay Flat

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• U.S. says 17.6 million Americans gained health insurance through law
• Met Opera breaks blackface tradition in 'Otello'
• US announces $19M in grants to expand use of body cameras
• Archaeologists recover cannon from sunken Confederate ship
• Perfect pre-Roman era tomb discovered at Pompeii
• Boko Haram fighters die in clashes with Cameroon army

Bad News

• Study shows employers shifting more medical costs to workers
• IS executes 10 people accused of being gay in Syria: monitor
• France rejects Google appeal over 'right to be forgotten'
• At least 80 people killed in bomb blasts in Nigeria's Borno state

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• Texas Watchdog Group’s Complaints Prompted Corruption Indictments
• Senate report urges government crackdown on airline fees Unfortunately, this report was made by the Democratic committee. The Republican congress will ignore it. 
• Stolen Stradivarius violin is recovered after 35 years
• Catholic groups lose another contraceptive court ruling

Bad News

• IS kidnaps civilians in Syria, mass executions in Iraq
• Jailed journalist in Azerbaijan goes on trial

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• Metropolitan Opera Says Its ‘Otello’ Tenor Will Not Wear Blackface
• Guinea ready to help regional fight against Boko Haram: president
• U.S. drone hits Syria in first lethal strike launched from Turkey
• Utah group to start Boy Scout troop welcoming gay leaders
• Chicago's health care plans to cover gender reassignment services
• Thousands of California convicts to regain voting rights
• San Francisco deputy convicted of assaulting patient in hospital

Bad News

• Seven killed, about 20 taken in suspected Boko Haram attack in Cameroon
• Boko Haram kills nine fishermen by Lake Chad: fisherman, survivor
• Islamic State group in Egypt threatens to kill Croat hostage
• Bismarck bishop tells parishes to break ties with Boy Scouts

Recent news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• EEOC: UPS discriminates with bans on beards, long hair
• U.S. says computer hacking forum Darkode dismantled, 12 charged
• Judge rules Utah should put 2 moms on birth certificate
• Experts: Ruling against college seeks to protect accused
• Court: New health law doesn't infringe on religious freedom
• Wal-Mart sued for denying health insurance to gay employee's spouse
• Iraq forces pounding IS around Ramadi
• Islamic State targeted in 33 air strikes by U.S.-led coalition: statement
• Turkish court annuls controversial Erdogan education law

Bad News

• At least 30 dead in triple Islamist attack in NE Nigeria

Today's news round-up, Part 1

Good News

• Spotify search warrant helps nab alleged child abductors
• Turkey arrests 21 suspected IS members in major operation
• Iraq's Shi'ite militias target Falluja in Anbar campaign
• Kentucky Gov. Beshear: Issue marriage licenses or resign
• Perfumania, Maker Of Donald Trump Fragrances, Cuts Ties With Mogul
• Canadian teenager sentenced to 16 months in jail for online harassment, bomb threats
• Jury to 50 Cent: Pay $5M to woman who sued over sex tape

Bad News

• Health Law’s Contraceptive Rule Eased for Businesses With Religious Objections

Today's news round-up

Good News

• 'Transparent' Is “Built With Trans People Participating”, Says Associate Producer Zackary Drucker
• NBC Distances Itself From Donald Trump In Wake Of Univision Pageant Pullout
• U.S. allies target Islamic State with 28 air strikes in Syria, Iraq
• Feds Order Federal Employee Health Plans To Cover Transgender Health Services
• California Judge Throws Out Ballot Initiative Calling For Execution Of Gay People

Bad News

• Tunisia, France, Kuwait Attacks Follow ISIS Call for Ramadan 'Month of Disaster'
• Thailand junta cancels human rights report launch on Vietnam