In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: War; bombing] Fucking hell: "Airstrikes carried out late last night by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen destroyed a hospital supported by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), MSF announced today. The small hospital, in the Haydan District in Saada Province, was hit by several airstrikes beginning at 10:30 p.m. last night. Hospital staff and two patients managed to escape before subsequent airstrikes occurred over a two-hour period. One staff member was slightly injured while escaping. With the hospital destroyed, at least 200,000 people now have no access to lifesaving medical care. 'This attack is another illustration of a complete disregard for civilians in Yemen, where bombings have become a daily routine,' said Hassan Boucenine, MSF head of mission in Yemen." If you can afford to and would like to donate to Doctors Without Borders, you can do so here.

[CN: Police brutality; misogynoir; video may autoplay at second link] Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says that Senior Deputy Ben Fields, who was captured on video violently assaulting a black teenage girl at she sat at her desk, "bears some responsibility" for what happened. Some, he says. And you know with whom he rests the lion's share of the blame: "If she had not disrupted the school and disrupted that class, we would not be standing here today. So it started with her and it ended with my officer." The rankest fucking victim-blaming. Meanwhile, he also defended Fields on the basis that he's dating a black woman. I mean. I love (ahem) how we're not only supposed to understand that means he's not racist, but also ignore that lots of men hurt female partners.

[CN: Misogyny; classism] Ian Millhiser: "Justice Ginsburg's Warning to a Dysfunctional Nation." Just go read the whole thing.

Serena Williams is the guest editor and cover star of the latest issue of Wired, and writes about why she feels her participation is so important: "We need to see more women and people of different colors and nationalities in tech. That's the reason I wanted to do this issue with WIRED—I'm a black woman, and I am in a sport that wasn't really meant for black people. And while tennis isn't really about the future, Silicon Valley sure is. I want young people to look at the trailblazers we've assembled below and be inspired. I hope they eventually become trailblazers themselves. Together we can change the future." She also gives an amazing shout-out to my friend Adria Richards: "And when we're not talking, we can get coding. Adria Richards (see "Take Back the Net") has suggested solutions to online harassment, including my favorite, Send-a-Puppy, where you'd send a digital doggy to support someone who's being harassed." WOOT!

Nepal has elected its first female president: "Communist leader Vidya Devi Bhandari was today elected as Nepal's first woman President by the parliament, weeks after it adopted a new landmark Constitution that declared the country a secular state. ...'I announce that Vidya Devi Bhandari has been elected to the post of Nepal's president,' Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar said, to loud cheers from lawmakers." I honestly don't know enough about Nepalese politics to know if her platform is a good thing for the country politically, but what I do know is that visibility of female leaders matters, even when those female leaders are the worst (*cough* Thatcher *cough*) because their very existence communicates what is possible to girls with very few global female role models in politics.

[CN: Misogyny; video may autoplay at link] Meanwhile, in the US, Bernie Sanders' "brain trust," apparently comprised of three dudes, tell some haha jokes about how Hillary Clinton would make a swell vice-president. "Look, she'd make a great vice president. We're willing to give her more credit than Obama did. We're willing to consider her for vice president. We'll give her serious consideration. We'll even interview her." Fuck. Off.

In other presidential election news, Rand Paul is a lying liar who won't stop lying about fake quotes from the Founders. Sounds about right.

[CN: Rape; video may autoplay at link] And Mike Tyson has endorsed Donald Trump, because of course he has. They have lots in common.

[CN: Gendered slurs] Do you want to read an amazing interview with Adele? Here is an amazing interview with Adele.

And finally! "Jealous Pup Epically Photobombs Owner's Engagement Pics." LOLOLOL FOREVERRRRRR.