Her Choice
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Click to expand Image Former women political prisoners in Myanmar and their families reported the dangerous and sometimes deadly denial of prenatal and obstetric medical care to pregnant women. © 2026 Human Rights Watch (Bangkok) – The Myanmar military junta subjects women political prisoners t
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Nearly 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level week in New York. From Sept. 22 to 28, world leaders will gather for the General Debate of the 81st session under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations th
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Click to expand Image Haitians deported from the United States disembark from a charter flight at Cap-Haïtien International Airport, Haiti, August 27, 2026. © 2026 Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC) – Since ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti in late July 2026, US authorities hav
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Click to expand Image United Nations headquarters in New York City, December 2020. © 2020 zz/STRF/STAR MAX/IPx via AP Photo World leaders at the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City from September 22-28, 2026, should commit to defending human rights, Human Rights Wa
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Your wedding is an important opportunity to showcase your values. TV personality Bozoma Saint John-Watson wore hers with pride for her Ghanaian wedding ceremony, which took place on August 21 in Accra, Ghana .
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The multifaceted athlete Midge Purce sees the fight for equal pay as a basic question: How much is women’s work truly valued? It is a subject the Gotham FC forward takes seriously, and it’s something that she’s dedicated countless hours to.
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My swimming lessons were pretty ad hoc as a kid. I grew up with a pool in an apartment complex and spent an entire summer pushing the limits of the lifeguard on duty. She was young and cool, and often took pity on the latchkey kids who made her a default babysitter.
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Almost exactly five years ago, the Taliban swept back into power in Afghanistan and created the most violent and hostile environment for women and girls on earth. Through more than 160 official decrees, the Taliban have erased women from every aspect of public life.
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Despite the fact that AI seems to be everywhere these days, a surprising recent poll from NBC News found that AI is even less popular among the US public than ICE. So it is no wonder the same industry that is developing AI for corporate gain and warfare is moving into the seemingly benevolent fields
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Gloria Steinem was a person with integrity who used her celebrity to promote feminism and women’s issues—keeping them front in the public’s mind through appearances on talk shows, speaking engagements, her memoir My Life on the Road and the biographical film derived from it, The Glorias .
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Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson with their wedding party in the Bahamas Laura Gordon Photography via Instagram On May 24, Donald Trump Jr. was celebrating in the Bahamas, as scantily clad dancers in stilettos and sailor caps performed for him and his guests.
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Nasrin Sotoudeh is an Iranian human rights lawyer and activist who, along with her husband Reza Khandan, has been repeatedly arrested for her women's rights activism and spent six years in prison. In the wake of Gloria Steinem's passing on Sept. 2, Soutoudeh shared these words with Ms.
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The Day America Changed September 11, 2001 , began as a beautiful Tuesday in New York City . I had just dropped off my mother, Dorothy, when the news of attacks on the World Trade Center came in. As a New York Police Department (NYPD) Chaplain, I had not yet received orders from Police Headquarters,
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine testify during a Senate committee hearing. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Three years ago, the Defense Department led an ambitious international effort to better protect civilians during combat, a movement
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Click to expand Image A person's mouth covered with tape bearing a message “no to executions” in Iran, in Paris in France, January 31, 2026. © 2026 Daniel Perron/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Within a span of only five months, between March 18 and the end of August 2026, Iran’s authorities announc
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Click to expand Image King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan. © 2014 Razaawais141/Wikimedia Without warning, Pakistan has directed all medical and dental institutions to expel Afghan students and arrange to send them back to Afghanistan.
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Click to expand Image Naoero, formerly Nauru, island, March 2023. © 2023 mtcurado/Getty Images (Sydney) – The Australian government has caused thousands of people seeking asylum to suffer grave abuses under its offshore detention system, which began in September 2001, Human Rights Watch said today.
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For more than two decades, Lonnie G. Bunch III has been one of the most consequential figures shaping how America encounters its own history. Now, the historian who helped turn a generations-long dream of a national museum dedicated to Black life into one of Washington, D.C.
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Our global panel of writers reflect on the great legacy of the American feminist and civil rights activist, who died last week aged 92 Continue reading...
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Click to expand Image Israelis look at the border with Lebanon from a position in the northern village of Metula on March 5, 2026, after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel during the ongoing conflict.
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In our Fall 2026 issue, we remember Gloria not only for the words she wrote, the organizations she helped build or the barriers she broke, but for the connections she made. Perhaps her greatest gift was her ability to listen, to make people feel capable of changing the world, and to build relationsh
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In our Fall 2026 issue, we remember Gloria not only for the words she wrote, the organizations she helped build or the barriers she broke, but for the connections she made. Perhaps her greatest gift was her ability to listen, to make people feel capable of changing the world, and to build relationsh
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Lately I’ve been in a groove that has me up before the sun most days. Though I try resist the impulse to pick up my phone, this morning I opened Instagram at 4 a.m. and saw Gloria Steinem’s account—a somber post that she died peacefully overnight at age 92.
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Ex-secretary of state joins Nancy Pelosi, Jill Biden, Roxane Gay and others in heralding groundbreaking feminist Gloria Steinem, groundbreaking feminist campaigner, dies aged 92 ‘We badly need to raise our boys more like our girls’: Gloria Steinem – a life in quotes Leading figures from politics, en
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Kym Whitley knows how to get a laugh. After decades of doing it on stage and screen, she’s also learned when to let somebody else have one. “I used to be a scene stealer, sometimes very disrespectful,” Whitley told ESSENCE with the candor you’d expect from her.
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Our summer reads, from one-star books to underrated gems. Summer is winding down, and the Rewire staff has had a full season of beach reads, plane reads, staycation reads—you name it. But not all books are written equal.
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California is set to end child marriage – years after more than a third of the nation had done so, and long after most other states had established a minimum age to wed. If signed by the governor, the law would make it illegal for anyone younger than 18 to get married as of January 1, 2027.
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Hello, feminist reader friends! Each month, I provide Ms. readers with a list of new books being published by writers from historically excluded groups. The aims of these lists are threefold: I want to do my part in the disruption of what has been the acceptable “norm” in the book world for far too
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Across the country, many boys and young men are navigating loneliness and uncertainty about who they are expected to become. Rigid ideals of masculinity can shape that search: Be self-reliant. Do not show too much emotion. Face problems alone.
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The country music legend built an extraordinary career on her own terms—while using her platform and songs to champion working women, children, and LGBTQ+ people. She died July 25 in Nashville. This story was originally reported by Sara Luterman of The 19th , and republished through Rewire News Grou
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“Business can be a complicated thing,” Desiree Talley said. For her, understanding the business behind entertainment can be the difference between protecting an idea and watching someone else profit from it.
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Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S.
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A legal realignment has been underway for some years now, in that legal views once associated with the right are now being espoused by the left, and vice versa. This post explores that point as to the Supreme Court’s October Term 2025, adapting the categories I used in my Harvard Law Review foreword
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(As the world mourns Dolly Parton, Ms. is revisiting Gloria Steinem’s tribute to the country music legend, originally published in the January 1987 issue, when Parton was named one of Ms. magazine’s Women of the Year.
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In relationships, you sometimes gain gifts, love, and lessons. For Jessabelle Thunder , 41, it was a newfound career. “A boyfriend I had at the time, we came to Las Vegas and went to 40 Deuce at Mandalay Bay when I turned 21. I was just enthralled by it,” she recalls. “There was a live band.
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Every month, millions of people globally type a query into OpenAI’s ChatGPT . A notable fragment of the population using these chatbots are teenagers, raising concerns about safety and regulation. OpenAI is addressing these matters and more through ChatGPT for Teens.
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It takes a village to raise a child. Most of us have heard, said and believed this timeless proverb our entire lives. Dolly Parton lived it. Born on January 19, 1946, in a one-bedroom cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee, Parton eventually became known as the Queen of Country.
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My introduction to Dolly Parton came at 7. My mom, as the lead alto in the church choir, had some sway with our music director and she used it to snag me the occasional solo in front of the congregation. I sang hymns, some contemporary Christian songs.
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Keke Palmer is a star we’ve seen evolve since childhood. From starring in Akeela and the Bee at just 11 years old to her most recent film, I Love Boosters , Palmer is an entertainer we’ve watched develop as a woman. Her moniker, Keke “Keep-A-Job” Palmer, is cheekily accurate.
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Perhaps the secret to a successful life doesn’t have to complicated after all. Centenarian Vilma Pinto offers simple recommendations: “Have faith. Have courage. Do the things that make you happy. Follow the Commandments . Love your neighbor. Don’t think about tomorrow, it will think for itself.
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Dolly Parton, who used her stardom to not only embrace all listeners but also nurture marginalized communities through literacy and financial development, died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday, according to her family. She was 80.
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Director of Global Advocacy Organization Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the Institute works
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Today marks 30 years since The Steve Harvey Show premiered on August 25, 1996. The WB sitcom introduced viewers to Steve Hightower, a former funk musician who finds a new career teaching music at Booker T. Washington High School on Chicago’s West Side.
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There’s something about the US Open that makes getting dressed feel like part of the sport. As summer winds down and New York’s social calendar kicks into high gear, tennis’ biggest stars aren’t the only ones serving looks.
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Over the past two decades, Ava DuVernay has emerged one of Hollywood’s most prominent directors, earning recognition for work spanning independent cinema and major studio productions. Her projects have also placed Black life and American history before audiences on some of the industry’s largest pla
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Gary, Indiana is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Chicago . As of 2025, the city was close to 80% Black according to census.gov . Gary, Indiana remains one of the most predominantly Black and historically significant majority-Black cities in the state of Indiana and perhaps the entire cou
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Black celebrities kept busy this week, with appearances spanning music festivals, television premieres and major career milestones. London welcomed several familiar faces as Jorja Smith, Tems, DESTIN CONRAD , Ayra Starr and others took the stage at All Points East .
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From “Milkshake” to “ Bossy, ” Kelis has long known who she was. Her music defined pop culture since the early 2000s. And, with it, comes her equally recognizable beauty and style to match. In the early aughts, it was her bouffant, multi-colored afro, often paired with fur-trimmed coats and slinky t
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Click to expand Image Two of the migrants and asylum seekers who swam to Ceuta in July 2026, walk on Trampolín beach, August 2026. © 2026 José Antonio Sempere Gálvez for Human Rights Watch (Milan) – The Spanish government and local authorities in its North African enclave Ceuta should act urgently t
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Click to expand Image Aytaj Ahmadova during a rally on International Women's Day, March 8, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. © 2024 Aziz Karimov/Getty Images Azerbaijani authorities are refusing to allow a jailed journalist with a serious breathing disorder to see a specialist or to undergo diagnostic scans
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Ava DuVernay is returning to the subject of American justice with 14th , a new documentary examining a constitutional amendment whose meaning remains contested more than 150 years after its ratification.
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Click to expand Image A Palestinian uses a flashlight on a nearby hill while taking part in a night watch with other volunteers to deter settler attacks on the West Bank village of Sinjil, July 16, 2026.
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Over the years, I’ve immersed myself in the stories of other Black women, not only as literary models, but as encouragement that the world might actually want to hear my story, my lessons and my truth. These books reminded me I am part of a long lineage of brave Black women who decided to leave home
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On August 18, Angélique Kidjo received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , becoming the first African musician and first Black African honored with the distinction. The ceremony celebrated a career spanning four decades and brought several notable figures to Los Angeles, including Willem Dafoe an
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We blinked and somehow it is the middle of August ! Sadly, many of the rooftop brunches, cookouts and picnics we were supposed to enjoy never happened. Back-to-school season is in full swing; Halloween decorations are already on display in stores and pumpkin spice everything will be available any mi
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I wasn’t even born when Janet Jackson released “The Pleasure Principle” on her 1986 album Control . Forty years later, those same two words have become the closest thing I have to a philosophy of life. Indulge me, please. Black women have mastered survival. Our history has all but demanded it.
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Roberto “Bear” Guerra/ProPublica. Source image: Getty Images What Happened: Citing reporting by ProPublica, eight Democratic U.S. senators have criticized the Trump administration’s demands to access the health data of millions of people as a condition of giving lifesaving aid to other countries.
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The U.S. ranks as the 31st most dangerous country for women, 55th in maternal mortality, 43rd in closing the gender pay gap, 85th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to healthcare. But Ms.
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Black stars were out all around the country this week, with several major events bringing familiar faces together. The 2026 National Association of Black Journalists Convention drew a strong crowd in Atlanta, where Gina Prince-Bythewood and Thuso Mbedu appeared for a conversation about Children of B
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Three generations of Black Disney princesses shared the stage Thursday as Brandy , Anika Noni Rose and Halle Bailey took part in Disney Princess: The Ultimate Concert Celebration at Disney California Adventure Park.
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Illustration by Shoshana Gordon/ProPublica. Source image: U.S. Treasury via Wikimedia Commons. When the Justice Department indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center in April on controversial fraud charges , the storied civil rights organization faced a major threat to its lifeblood — the flow of dono
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Click to expand Image Participants hold signs during a gender-based violence protest at the forecourt of the botanical gardens in Johannesburg, SouthAfrica, November 21, 2025. © 2025 Misper Apawu/AP Photo At South Africa’s National Women’s Day commemoration on August 9, President Cyril Ramaphosa spo
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(New York, August 12, 2026) – Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have forcibly disappeared six staff members of the nongovernmental group Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF) for nearly a month, Human Rights Watch said today.
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On Wednesday, Aug. 19, Ms. will bring together two of the country’s leading legal scholars and feminist thinkers—Michele Goodwin and Dorothy Roberts—for a special Ms. Talks conversation on Martha’s Vineyard: "America at 250: The Right to Love & Family," moderated by Nourbese Flint (president of All*
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Just five days after President Donald Trump signed a new executive order that seeks to narrow the availability of birthright citizenship – the current guarantee of automatic citizenship to almost all babies born in the United States – lawyers for the plaintiffs who successfully challenged Trump’s ea
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A Q&A with Dr. Anita Nyanjong The Ipas Collaborative Fund is a central part of Ipas’s approach to advancing reproductive justice and supporting locally led change. As we work to grow the Fund and its impact, our own Dr. Anita Nyanjong, PhD has been appointed as the first-ever director. Dr.
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“There’s a feeling like you’re no longer valuable when you get older,” Viola Davis told ESSENCE in an interview about her L’Oréal partnership back in 2021 . But, aging “is about liberating yourself from all of that.
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I don’t remember how old I was when I first heard the term “jiggle TV,” but I know it was many years (decades, probably) after I was a devoted, starry-eyed fangirl of the genre. And I do mean girl—Wonder Woman (1975-79) came into the world just a year after I did, Charlie’s Angels (1976-81) two year
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“We know that we are inside of a dictatorship,” says Paula. “We need help to change the government. It has been 70 years without us being able to actually do something about it, like 70 years of brainwashing, of indoctrination, of exile, emigration.
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President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order seeking to narrow the availability of birthright citizenship, the current guarantee of citizenship to almost everyone born in the United States.
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Lovers of word games in general and crosswords in particular know there’s nothing like the joy to be found in filling in those final squares and completing that puzzle. A proud Howard University alum, Jan Buckner Walker has been crafting Black-focused lifestyle puzzles for more than 25 years, includ
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Dr. Lezli Levene Harvell is the epitome of a modern renaissance woman. The Spelman grad owns a thriving pediatric dental practice in Northern New Jersey and has been practicing dentistry for nearly 20 years.
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“The person who I was when I took this chicken out the freezer is not the same person I am now that I have to cook it.”
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Survivors and advocates in Ireland are fighting to stop the construction of luxury apartments on the grounds of the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Institute, where hundreds of infants who died in state- and church-run custody are believed to remain buried in unmarked graves.
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The city of Izumisano in Japan’s Osaka Prefecture announced on July 27 that it would create a new nyujiin—an infant care institution for children under age 3—for the estimated 40 babies it expects to receive annually.
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Summer is prime time for seeing the world, and by the looks of things, it’s also the perfect time for the stars to put on colorful, bejeweled, and feathered costumes to dance and find joy at the center of Caribbean Carnival celebrations . Nobody does it bigger than Rihanna .
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The conversations over a Black actor like Lupita Nyong’o portraying the iconic Helen of Troy, “the most beautiful woman in the world”, reveal a broader discomfort with depictions of dark-skinned Black beauty in Hollywood.
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If you’ve spent any time on social media over the last few years, you’ve probably heard people jokingly refer to her as Keke “Keep a Job” Palmer. Truth be told, it’s one of the most accurate celebrity nicknames on the internet.
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Tomi Adeyemi ’s ascension in the literary world has been incredible. When her 2018 novel, Children of Blood and Bone debuted, the Nigerian writer (then only 24 years young) received a laundry list of impressive awards and recognitions.
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For Anima Iris founder and creative director Wilglory Tanjong , the future of fashion is anything but neutral. With the launch of the brand’s Hot Sexy Jungle Summer collection, the designer is entering a new chapter for the accessories label—one defined by bolder designs, unexpected materials and, m
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Click to expand Image Palestinians wait to cross at the Israeli Awarta military checkpoint on March 23, 2025, south of Nablus in the West Bank. © 2025 Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (Beirut) – Israeli road closures in the West Bank on July 27, 2026, badly delayed an ambulan
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Click to expand Image Palestinians wait to cross at the Israeli Awarta military checkpoint on March 23, 2025, south of Nablus in the West Bank. © 2025 Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (Beirut) – Israeli road closures in the West Bank on July 27, 2026, badly delayed an ambulan
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Like most people, my family loves an international vacation . The opportunity to get our passports stamped together is quite a thrill—especially for my 7-year-old son. Even when we stay stateside , we enjoy going to destinations that require a plane ride and warrant being away for a least 4 or 5 day
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Deidra “DJ Spinderella” Roper is one of the best in the world (and the best ever, honestly) at what she does. While she’s been known to rock crowds at festivals and arenas, her recent collaboration with Planet Fitness and Apple Music brought those skills into a different setting, with a campaign cel
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When Marvel Studios announced that Mahershala Ali would take up the mantle of Blade at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019 , the reaction was immediate. Ali, who was already a two-time Academy Award winner, walked onto the stage wearing a black baseball cap emblazoned with the vampire hunter’s logo.
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Storm Reid has been acting since she was 9 years old, but a true creative rarely stops at one outlet. After spending much of her life on film and tv sets, the Atlanta native has reached a point where she wants audiences to hear from her without a character standing between them.
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Zendaya has spent the better part of the last decade building one of the most impressive résumés in Hollywood. Now, another milestone is adding to that growing list of accomplishments. According to Forbes , Zendaya and her husband, Tom Holland, are officially 2026’s highest-grossing couple , thanks
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This is my first article for SCOTUSblog, and I want to explain why I have chosen the header Born Free and Equal for my column. The phrase is derived from the Declaration of Independence , whose 250th anniversary we are celebrating this year.
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Click to expand Image An Afghan hospital medic inside a home in Afghanistan, February 17, 2026. Before the Taliban banned women from universities, she studied journalism and public relations. © 2026 AFP via Getty Images (New York) – Afghanistan’s Taliban have entrenched one of the world’s worst
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Brittney Griner has filed for divorce from her wife, Cherelle , after eight years of marriage, and I, for one, am shook. Per TMZ , the WNBA star filed on July 30, stating their marriage is “irretrievably broken” and that they’d been separated since the 24th.
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The Insider Edit is a curated list of pieces worth buying once and wearing forever. Auctioneer and tastemaker Kimberly Pirtle breaks down her wardrobe investments and philosophies, which she describes as building her personal authority and career credibility.
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During this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it may be worth recalling the document’s only identified audience. Rather than single out the American public, the Declaration instead stated that “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they [the United States] sho
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Nike is redefining what a sweatsuit campaign can look like with the launch of their new Studio Fleece Collection. Making this a reality is none other than sprint sensation Sha’Carri Richardson , and what appears to be nearly a dozen of her stylish doppelgängers.
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It’s the dead of summer and the beaming sun is trying its best to melt your makeup off. Except, to no avail. That’s because, instead of a full-coverage foundation, your lightweight skin tint feels more like a serum than makeup to protect you from summer like wearable shade.
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“My main goal when I’m out in public is to not run into anyone I know.”
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President Barack Obama has shared his annual summer reading list for 17 years, starting in 2009 shortly after taking office. The fun tradition, which has become a highly anticipated release for the season, has occurred almost every year into his post-presidency.
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Isaiah Falls is seeing years of work pay off in real time. His audience has grown considerably since “Florida Baby” helped bring more listeners into his world, and the success has given him room to revisit music he made long before many fans knew his name.
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There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when Black love meets Black joy against a backdrop most of us only dream about. That’s exactly what unfolded when friends and family gathered in Dubai to celebrate the wedding of Terrence J and Mikalah Sultan — a near weeklong, multi-sensory love lette
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Global partnership will strengthen integrated approaches to health, nutrition, and poverty reduction. Media Contact: Laurel Lundstrom, llundstrom@pathfinder.org July 30, 2026—Pathfinder International has officially joined the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty , committing technical expertis
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The Trump administration’s ceaseless attacks on immigrant communities continue to bring tragedy and death to people who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time: After ICE agents shot into the cars of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, kil
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Sexual confidence begins with you. It’s not even about your partner. What do you want? How do you want to feel? How do you see yourself? Focus on you. Women have been conditioned to focus on pleasing our partners.
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Transgender actress and social media star Dylan Mulvaney found herself back in the spotlight over the weekend, after President Donald Trump mentioned her several times during Friday night’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
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The stars were outside this week, with some of our favorites popping up at major events from Atlanta to Los Angeles. With summer in full swing, there was plenty happening in entertainment, sports and music, giving us another packed edition of Star Gazing.
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Click to expand Image The shuttered former office compound of Action Contre la Faim (ACF) in Muttur, Sri Lanka, October 22, 2015. © 2015 James Ross/Human Rights Watch I was in Sri Lanka on August 4, 2006, when 17 humanitarian aid workers were brutally murdered in the embattled town of Mut
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Click to expand Image Seventeenth session of the International Criminal Court's Assembly of States Parties in The Hague, Netherlands, December 2018. © 2018 Syd Boyd/Coalition for the International Criminal Court (New York) – The Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC), d
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Remember those summer reading challenges from our youth? Schools and local libraries tried to incentivize reading over the summer with prizes like ice cream, pizza, and toys. They should really bring that back.
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I still remember standing in line outside the original Ben & Jerry’s, trading neighborhood gossip while debating which new flavor to try. Back then, the company stood for more than ice cream—it was proof that a business could put people, workers and communities alongside profits.
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"This collection, that I got to create with an incredible group of women, brings to life pieces that fit perfectly into the world of Daisy Chain Fields."
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Cetaphil Nourishing Oil to Foam Cleanser From a silky oil to soft foam, melt away your makeup while cleansing and hydrating all in one go. Available at amazon.com $14 buy now BeautyStat C Lip Serum SPF 30 Your lips are skin, too.
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Click to expand Image Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger attends the Alliance of Sahel States second summit on security and development, in Bamako, Mali, December 23, 2025. © 2025 Mali Government Information Center via AP (Nairobi) – Niger’s military junta has entrenched authoritarian rule, dism
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Click to expand Image Cyclists during stage 14 of the 2026 Tour de France, July 18, 2026. © 2026 Gregory Van Gansen/Belga/Sipa USA via AP Photo (Beirut) – The United Arab Emirates’ cycling team Emirates-XRG risks “sportswashing” the country’s egregious human rights record, Human Rights Watch sa
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Journalists do more than write and edit—many of us also watch TV. A lot of it. Partly, we need to stay on top of pop culture news: Who’s talking about abortion on TV? How many series feature queer protagonists these days? But we’re also just people who deal with a lot of bad news and need to shut of
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Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey validates the culture through this quarter-billion-dollar Hollywood production—best seen and appreciated in movie theaters. So, why did some react to this latest retelling of The Odyssey as if the mere presence of a Black woman would delegitimize its place in history?
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Click to expand Image Displaced Sudanese people who fled El-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), walk in the Um Yanqur camp, located on the southwestern edge of Tawila, in western Darfur, on November 3, 2025.
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The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to healthcare. But Ms.
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This year, 66 men and 40 women attended the three-day competition in Hayward, Wisconsin, representing 16 states and nine countries.
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It started in 3rd grade, when I would grab every history textbook and flip to the map to see if Cabo Verde , my parents’ birthplace, would be shown. Most often, it wasn’t, to my disappointment. I would wonder if our archipelago had disappeared into the binding of the book.
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We’re in the thick of summer heat and it’s a real scorcher most days. With us half way through the season, there are only a few more weeks left to soak up the sun. If you are preparing to hop on a yacht, jet-set across the country for a European summer, or maybe just chill on the sandy beaches of th
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Collage by Alex Bandoni/ProPublica. Source image: Roberto Schmidt/Stringer/Getty Images. For decades, the U.S. Department of State gave money to groups protecting free speech, human rights and persecuted minorities in poor and authoritarian countries.
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Click to expand Image People congregate outside a World Food Programme food distribution center in Yakawlang, Bamyan province, Afghanistan, January 1, 2026. © 2026 Sayed Hassib/Reuters A man in western Afghanistan recently told me that his neighbors knock on his door to ask for food.
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Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S.
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2026 marks 50 years since pioneering glam rock trio Labelle released their sixth studio album Chameleon , bringing to a close one of the most radical reinventions in music history. Six years earlier, the group affectionately known as the “Sweethearts of the Apollo” shed the demure and polished perso
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Raising a tween, teen, or young adult in today’s world? You’ve got questions. And during the summer when they have more free time? How much independence is too much? When do you hold firm and when do you let go? July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month and ESSENCE tapped me, Rochelle R.
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When you hear the name Diahann Carroll you think of a mellifluous voice contrasted with a bunch of no-nonsense badass characters that you wanted to be like. She was someone who embodied the word diva in the best possible way.
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Click to expand Image Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri appeared before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, December 3, 2025. © 2025 International Criminal Court (The Hague) – The International Criminal Court (ICC)’s confirmation of war crimes and crime
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Imagine yourself at 90 years old. You can do the splits, dance, and maintain a high quality of life. Seems impossible, right? It’s not. Founder of Ageless Mobility Aliya M Brooks’ grandmother, Millie Cruzat, lived to be 94 years old and could do it all.
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Click to expand Image Residents walk through the rubble from Pakistani airstrikes that killed civilians in the village of Mandokhail, Chamkani district, Afghanistan, June 29, 2026. © 2026 Saifullah Zahir/AP Photo On June 29, Pakistani airstrikes in three provinces in eastern Afghanistan killed
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The summer months are a perfect time to lose yourself in the pages of a juicy page turner . Even if your bank account or PTO balances are coming up short, the right book allows you to easily escape without ever leaving your zip code.
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the 2025 Kennedy Center honors gala. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images The rich and famous who filed into the Kennedy Center’s opera house in December were there to enjoy one of the nation’s most exclusive celebrations of the performin
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“Precocious” is probably the word I would use to describe Samara Cyn . At just 27 years old, the rapper is a sponge of everything Hip-Hop. With co-signs from Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Denzel Washington (“I didn’t believe it when I first heard it,” she said of the praise she received from the Osc
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I love Brandy. I love that raspy, textured voice. The tone of it, the warmth of it, the way it wraps around a lyric and gives it life. I love that we’ve grown up with her, “Sittin’ Up in My Room” blasting from our old CD players.
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Click to expand Image Rescuers work at the site of a landslide at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, July 8, 2026. © 2026 Shamimul Islam Faisal/AP Photo (Bangkok) – The deadly risks facing Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh were evident from landslides in July 2026, that kill
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The 19th is thrilled to announce that Isabela Espadas Barros Leal and Jennifer Koons are joining us as our newest editors. The editors will work closely with editorial directors to assign, shape, edit and publish stories to fulfill The 19th’s mission of serving women and LGBTQ+ people with timely, h
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Nolan Xavier Wells deserved to see his 19 th birthday next month. The 18-year-old deserved to continue his studies and athletic career at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he was a star wide receiver for the school’s football team with a major in general business.
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Peter S. Canellos is a prize-winning journalist and the author of Revenge for the Sixties: Sam Alito and the Triumph of the Conservative Legal Movement , which Publishers Weekly called “a razor-sharp” dissection of one of the most controversial justices on the Supreme Court, whose decisions are resh
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Is it time to cancel the term “bodice ripper,” for its connotations of aggressive, potentially non-consensual sex? Some readers think so . But, thankfully, not all bodice rippers fall under that brand anymore.
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Rewire News Group has granted the author anonymity because he signed a confidentiality agreement, and also because his law school classmates still think he still works there. My name is Brad. I’m not going to give my last name.
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As a documentary photographer and photojournalist , my life has kept me on a perpetual global track. For years, when summer rolled around, I was simply out of the country. One year, I was attending intensive workshops in Cape Town .
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The grass grows tall on the MacDowell residency’s 450 acres, making arrival on its grounds feel like trespass and invitation at once. In Peterborough, New Hampshire, the road gives way to a quiet grammar of field, wood, and studio all existing in harmony.
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Click to expand Image A demonstration against the deportations of young adults held at Sergels torg in Stockholm on May 10, 2026. © Susanne Bergsten (Stockholm) – Sweden is deporting young women to countries where they could face severe gender-based rights violations, Human Rights Watch said today.
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Click to expand Image An activist at EU Commission headquarters protests against a meeting with a Taliban delegation in Brussels, Belgium, June 23, 2026. © 2026 Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images The European Union hosted a delegation of Taliban officials in Brussels on June 22 for the first time si
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Click to expand Image Asylum seekers sit in a UNHCR registration center in Cairo, Egypt on July 25, 2023. © 2023 Jaime Giménez/UNHCR Many refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt, most from Sudan and South Sudan, have faced a months-long campaign of arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, and deportation.
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Eni Popoola knows how to command the room. The Nigerian-American blogger is from one of the loudest cities in the world, New York. She graduated Harvard University with a government and sociology degree, commanded the classroom as a 7th grade teacher in Harlem, and is now a student at Columbia Law S
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Apparently, President Donald Trump will support a recipient of birthright citizenship when it’s a member of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team. Trump stated in a press conference Monday that he asked FIFA to review U.S.
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Click to expand Image Burkina Faso soldiers patrol aboard a pickup truck on the road from Dori to the Goudebo refugee camp, on February 3, 2020. © 2020 OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images Burkina Faso’s military junta has approved a law requiring every Burkinabè student wishing to pursue higher
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gives a statement ahead of a NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels in June. Omar Havana/Getty Images ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
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Click to expand Image Security personnel stand guard as protesters gather outside the headquarters of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), demanding the organization leave the country and calling for an end to migrant settlement and the deportation of migrants and refugees, in
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Click to expand Image A rally in support of the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants before it expires on February 3 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US, January 28, 2026. © 2026 Lynne Sladky/AP Photo (Miami) – The Trump administration’s move to terminate Temporary Protec
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In the wake of a Supreme Court decision this week upholding the constitutional right to birthright citizenship , the Trump administration and fellow Republican immigration hardliners are exploring alternative routes to limit citizenship rights for children born within the United States to foreign to
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ESSENCE Black Women in Music returns for the first time since 2018 with a class of honorees whose careers have left a lasting imprint on music and culture. Now, among them is Monica , a singer whose voice has remained a fixture in R&B for more than 30 years.
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The Supreme Court’s decision in CISCO Systems, Inc. v. Doe , announced on June 23, was not only, as expected, good news for corporations that facilitate government violations of international human rights. It was also an unexpected boon for government officials who do so as well.
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Acting legend Danny Glover shared in an exclusive interview with TODAY that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease a few years ago. His speech is beginning to slow, as well as his movements and memories, but he’s doing ok. “I can live with it in a sense,” Glover shared when asked how he’s coping.
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Just over one month after giving birth to her first child with her partner, 21 Savage, Latto is headed to New Orleans to perform at this year’s Essence Festival. But first, the busy rapper arrived at the BET Awards to perfect a classic style: the bun.
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“It’s fun being able to see Black girls get to be rock stars and pop stars and not being put into one little box of what’s acceptable."
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Click to expand Image An older couple shelters from the sun under an umbrella near the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, Ile-de-France, France, on June 26, 2026. © 2026 Gauthier Bedrignans/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images As Europe swelters through the second intense heat wave of 2026, governments are&nbs
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Click to expand Image Bangui, Central African Republic. © 2016 Reuters On June 12, the Central African Republic accepted 18 men and women of other nationalities deported from the United States, despite its own fragility as a country recovering from decades of conflict and suffering a protr
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Click to expand Image A column of black smoke rises above buildings in Bamako on April 26, 2026. © 2026 AFP via Getty Images (Nairobi) – Islamist armed groups and Malian armed forces and their allies have committed serious abuses against civilians since fighting escalated in Mali in April 2026,
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Cardi B will take center stage at this year’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans for her debut performance at The Party With a Purpose—marking a major cultural moment for one of music’s most influential voices.
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Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a weekly compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S.
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Just days after World Refugee Day, the Supreme Court issued two immigration decisions that dramatically narrow protections for asylum seekers and Temporary Protected Status holders: Mullin v. Al Otro Lado and Mullin v. Doe .
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This week, Pharrell presented his spring/summer 2027 menswear collection on Paris’ hottest day on record. Held the same time as the famous Fête de la Musique festival, the streets outside the show were just as hot, so Pharrell transported the front row to an indoor beach.
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Click to expand Image A same-sex couple hold hands during an event to raise awareness of gay rights in Hong Kong on May 25, 2019. © 2026 Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images (New York) – The censorship of prominent social media accounts, foreign films, and events with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transge
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Q&A with Jamie Vernaelde, Ipas senior researcher The lead author of Ipas’s Future Proofing: The Professionalization of an Anti-Rights Youth Generation explains why this trend matters now—and what sexual and reproductive health and rights movements must do to counter it.
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As negotiations over conflicts across the Middle East continue, one pattern remains stubbornly familiar: women are largely absent from the room. From Gaza to Iran, women are bearing the costs of conflict, repression, displacement and economic collapse even as negotiations over security, governance,
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Texas students are inching closer to attending social studies and reading classes that minimize racial, geographic and cultural diversity while emphasizing the Bible. The majority-Republican State Board of Education on Thursday morning granted preliminary approval to a rewrite of Texas’ social studi
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Thinking back to her first memory of ice cream . Lokelani Alabanza recalls the Neapolitan flavor as a staple in her grandmother’s freezer. “I did not want [the flavors] touching, so I ate them separately. I didn’t want to eat them together,” she shares with a laugh.
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The entertainment industry may seem vast, but it’s a smaller world than most realize. Behind the red carpet moments are family ties established over multiple generations. Some of the closest connections are well known: Solange and Beyoncé , the Wayans brothers , Eddie and Charlie Murphy, Jaden and W
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Click to expand Image Security members stand guard outside the State Security Court in Amman, Jordan, July 12, 2021. © 2021 Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua via Getty Images (Amman) – Jordanian authorities executed six men by hanging on June 21, 2026, its first mass execution since 2017, Human Rights Watch
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"Society is not kind to women who age," the author writes. "But aging has given me something that I didn’t even know I needed."
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For years, balancing career and motherhood as a judge meant working through inflexible schedules and large caseloads while remaining present as the primary caregiver. These days, the landscape has shifted.
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Photo illustration by Mark Harris/ProPublica. Photos by Getty Images. After the Trump administration upended the world’s largest foreign aid provider last year, terminating thousands of programs and firing nearly all of its staff, its plan for the agency was clear: Eliminate it entirely.
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Click to expand Image Children wait near the site of Okhmatdyt children’s hospital hit by Russian missiles, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 8, 2024. © 2024 Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo In the process leading toward a new international treaty to prevent and punish crimes against humanity, there is alrea
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This story was produced in collaboration with GBH News Rooted in Boston. On a sunny morning in June, about two dozen people walk the land of Soul Fire Farm in Rensselaer County in Upstate New York, during a tour.
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Every year, parents — usually mothers — toil months in advance of the summer break to sign kids up for camps, book nannies, fly grandparents out to help or sort out a medley of arrangements and schedules. Planning can start as far as a year in advance.
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The reunion fans have wanted for years is finally here. A decade after their last title run together at the All England Club, Serena and Venus Williams are heading back to Wimbledon. The sisters, who have a combined 21 titles between them at the annual tournament, are coming back as a doubles pair t
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The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to healthcare. But Ms.
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As we wait for the details of the Trump administration’s proposed deal with Iran, one thing is already clear: The people benefiting most from U.S. foreign policy are often the people making it. From Jared Kushner’s role in Middle East negotiations, to the Trump family’s rapidly expanding business em
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For Laura Harrier, beauty is simple. “The goal isn’t perfection,” she tells ESSENCE. “It’s feeling like the best version of yourself.” And, this summer, her “best version” is wearing a foundation that feels like her skin, but cushier: YSL Beauty’s new Skin Affair Soft Glow Cushion Foundation .
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We have reached the halfway point of June, meaning the justices have just over two weeks left to wrap up the current term if they want to begin their summer recess in early July. We are awaiting 20 more opinions in argued cases.
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Click to expand Image Gaza’s education system lies in ruins. © Plan International / Ahmed Salama (New York) – At least 8,500 attacks on education took place globally in 2024-2025, a more than 40 percent increase from the previous two-year period, according to Education Under Attack 2026, releas
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Click to expand Image Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov speaks during the first session of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of Kyrgyzstan of the 8th convocation in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, December 17, 2025. © 2025 Igor Yegorov / Sputnik via AP Photo (Bishkek, June 15, 2026) – A harmful draft law before the
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Under a canopy of stars, amid swaying palms, gleaming yachts, and the golden glow of the Riviera sun, flashbulbs erupt, diamonds shimmer, and cinematic magic unfolds as day dissolves effortlessly into night.
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Click to expand Image OSA students perform a flash mob in front of the Ministry of Education and Merit to request sexual and affective education in schools in Rome, Italy, on October 31, 2024. © 2024 Andrea Ronchini/NurPhoto via Getty Images Last week, Italy’s senate passed the “Valditara bill,” a r
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The season many of us wait all year for is finally here. And with it comes major moments for celebration like 4th of July, The World Cup, Juneteenth, and more. You’re probably perusing Pinterest for everything from hosting tips and tricks, to the beauty looks you want to wear to the function.
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Child marriage, teen pregnancy and school dropout remain persistent challenges in South Africa, with girls and young women disproportionately affected. UNICEF estimates that about 250,000 learners drop out of school each year.
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Play Video Read a text description of this video Soundbite: I cannot live without fear because discrimination is very widespread here in Malawi against us, people with albinism. Soundbite: We walk around in fear, especially when we are in public places because, according to the beliefs people
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There’s an air of undeniable joy and hope happening in NYC right now. From the Knicks leading the charge in the current NBA Finals, to the city gearing up to host the World Cup this weekend, it seems everyone is coming together in a beautiful way.
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The announcement in May of 2026 that polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) will be renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) was a genuine milestone. After 14 years of global collaboration, 22,000 survey responses and workshops spanning every inhabited continent, researchers and patients
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Click to expand Image Afghan women walk across a street in Herat on June 8, 2026. © 2026 Mohsen Karimi/AFP via Getty Images (New York) – Taliban security forces in Afghanistan used excessive force against protesters in the city of Herat on June 9, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today.
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In my opinion, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is shooting perfect from the field when it comes to music documentaries. From Summer of Soul and Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music , to the brilliant Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) , the legendary DJ and melophile definitely found his se
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Click to expand Image Health workers wearing protective equipment walk outside the General Referral Hospital during the Ebola outbreak response in Mongbwalu, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 21, 2026. © 2026 Michel Lunanga/Getty Images The Congolese government and international partners should prio
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If there’s one thing to note about Mugler’s latest fragrance , Alien Pulp, it’s that, as the press release stated, “she is not what you expect.” In the ad campaign, the sky is dim with purple clouds that mirror onto seductive waters—out of which a sexy, seductive siren appears: Supermodel Anok Yai ,
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Let’s face it: remembering to put on sunscreen ( and reapply it) is hard. It’s even more difficult after you put on a full face of makeup, careful not to undo all your hard work. But, two essential products can exist at once.
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Click to expand Image A fighter loyal to the army patrols a market area in Khartoum on March 24, 2025. © 2025 Photo by AFP via Getty Images (Nairobi) – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) should ensure that Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders who have defected to the Sudanese army, including two si…
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‘Gender norms explain some of it, but not all of it’ says Tiya Banerjee, an economist at the e61 Institute
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Marjane Satrapi, best known for her memoir and film Persepolis , has died, aged 56. The death of this much loved Iranian French artist, graphic novelist, filmmaker and activist has been met with widespread celebration of her life—and its dedication to resistance, freedom and humanity.
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The current Ebola outbreak in East Africa represents a critical test of the America First approach to global health security—and it is already failing. The post We Are Not Ready for the Next Pandemic appeared first on Ms. Magazine .
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Ted Lasso returns for its fourth season on Aug. 5. When the trailer for the new season dropped earlier this year, one moment landed harder than the rest. On his way to practice, Ted runs into his old nemesis, Mr.
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Click to expand Image A client waits to be seen by a doctor during an HIV clinic day at TASO Mulago service center in Kampala, Uganda, February 17, 2025. © 2025 Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images (Washington, DC) – The United States government is conditioning lifesaving health assistance on broad…
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It’s hard to put into words what Earth, Wind & Fire means to me. I was first introduced to their music on a rainy Saturday morning in New Orleans—I was helping my mother rearrange some of the old vinyl records that sat in our living room.
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It was a balmy August morning in Lancashire, a county in North West England known for its sweeping landscapes and greenery. But back in 2014, their idyllic community was facing an outside threat: Cuadrilla, an oil and gas giant and the only company in the United Kingdom with a license to frack, was
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Photo Credit: John Nacion By Okla Jones · Updated June 5, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… While there have been several stars that have entered the WNBA during its 30-year lifespan, Cynthia Cooper was hands-down its first.
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When I first watched Curry Barker’s Obsession , I assumed the horror was obvious. Not the supernatural curse at the center of the film but the decision that sets it in motion: a man deciding he is entitled to a woman’s love, to a woman’s body, regardless of her consent.
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By Okla Jones · Updated June 2, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Joy Sunday knows what it means to stay the course. Early in her journey, the Nigerian-American actress was figuring out where she fit within an industry that often placed limits on how young Black women could be see
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When Divya Mathur’s team puts a brand no one has heard of on REVOLVE, it sells through at roughly 90 percent full price. In a crowded marketplace where the conventional response is to spend louder—bigger campaigns, more influencers, more reach—Mathur’s results suggest the opposite: In an attention e
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By Riana Elyse Anderson, PhD, LCP · Updated May 30, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… I am typically not one for the social media drama, but babyyy, if you have a screen and working eyes, you absolutely couldn’t miss what was happening at the intersection of Black folks and mental
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By India Espy-Jones · Updated May 29, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… At 30 years old, taking the food newborns drink right after birth as a supplement sounds unusual. However, for Summer House ’s Ciara Miller, colostrum is the core of her wellness routine.
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America is in a dating crisis. Online dating is a multi-billion dollar industry , but young people are growing pessimistic about it . A 2024 study commissioned by the dating app Tinder found that 91 percent of male respondents and 94 percent of female respondents believed the current dating environm
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Click to expand Image A Pride flag near the Russian coat of arms during a protest outside the Russian embassy in London, March 16, 2023. © 2023 Krisztian Elek/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (Berlin, May 28, 2026) – Russian authorities have banned nine groups that provide support to lesb…
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There is no shortage of cases of torture in the headlines. Across today’s crises—from Ukraine to Sudan, Myanmar to Gaza—the allegations are graphic and devastating. But once a legal case closes or the news cycle moves on, another story begins: What happens to those who survive torture? As U.N.
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Click to expand Image Hissene Habre during his trial in 2015. © Courtesy of Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS) (Nairobi) – The 2016 conviction in Senegal of former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré was a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for atrocity crimes, Human Rights Watch and th...
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In one of the film’s most surreal scenes, the twins at the center of *Is God Is*—Racine, “the Rough One,” and Anaia, “the Quiet One”—pretend to be strippers for a room full of men. But while Racine is welcomed, Anaia is rejected because her scarred face disrupts the men’s fantasies.
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Even as communities across the country grapple with the fallout from last year’s devastating SNAP cuts, the White House’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget threatens to deepen an already escalating hunger emergency.
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The Essence Festival of Culture 2026 is happening July 3 – July 5. Don’t miss out—tickets here: Get Tickets If you’re a vintage lover like me, you know that visiting a […] The post An ESSENCE Editor’s Guide To Vintage Shopping In New Orleans appeared first on Essence .
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Around the world, escalating armed conflict, political repression and humanitarian collapse are reshaping daily life for women and girls—often with devastating consequences. From drone warfare in Sudan, to internet blackouts in Iran, to attacks on healthcare infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza, women
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Earlier this month, an Indian slate ran for Frisco City Council and school board: Sreekanth Reddy, Vijay Karthik and others. Every one of them lost. As it turns out, in America, you can be the most educated demographic in America and still watch a sitting member of Congress call your religious tradi
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Despite the extensive misogyny in both shooters’ manifestos, much of the reporting on the San Diego mosque shooting overlooked how male supremacism intersected with xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and white supremacist ideology.
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The 19th’s mission is to give women and LGBTQ+ people — specifically those excluded from the promise of the 19th Amendment by their gender, race, ethnicity, class or disability – the information they need to fully participate in our democracy.
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Click to expand Image An anti-immigration protest in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 29, 2026. © 2026 Themba Hadebe/AP Photo (Johannesburg) – Vigilantes in South Africa have carried out violent xenophobic attacks targeting African and Asian foreign nationals in recent weeks, with little or i...
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Click to expand Image Aid trucks enter the Kerem Abu Salem crossing in Khan Younis, Gaza, October 12, 2025. © 2025 Omar al-Qatta / AFP via Getty Images (Beirut) – The humanitarian infrastructure sustaining life in Gaza remains in peril over six months after the ceasefire agreement in October 2025...
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For the summer bride, getting dressed is about more than the dress—it’s about capturing a feeling. There’s something about warm air, long golden hours, and soft light that calls for […] The post 15 Top Fashion Picks For Summer Brides appeared first on Essence .
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Today, the nominations for the BET Awards 2026 have officially arrived, highlighting some of the biggest names Black entertainment. This year, Cardi B leads the field with six nominations, while […] The post Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, And Mariah The Scientist Lead The 2026 BET Awards Nominations appea
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Click to expand Image Omar Ahmod risked his safety to return to Hoyyar Siri a few months after the massacre, located the sites where he had seen civilians gunned down, and took videos and photographs of human remains.
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K. Michelle is uncomfortable on Real Housewives of Atlanta, and it shows. It’s also something she’s verbalized, telling the ladies she doesn’t “feel safe,” shedding tears about someone allegedly plotting […] The post Op-Ed: Has K. Michelle Outgrown Reality TV? appeared first on Essence .
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The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is a love letter to Black women, and more of us are replying to that love letter solo. Every July, thousands travel to the ‘Big […] The post No Crew, No Problem: 5 Tips For Rocking ESSENCE Festival Solo appeared first on Essence .
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With the unofficial start of summer just weeks away, consider this your sign to refresh your swimwear lineup with chic bikinis that’ll carry you from Memorial to Labor Day. Whether […] The post Shop These Chic Bikinis Ahead Of Your Summer Vacation appeared first on Essence .
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Click to expand Image Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri appeared before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, December 3, 2025. © 2025 International Criminal Court (The Hague) – The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) upcoming landmark hearing in the case ...
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There’s a palpable buzz in the air when you walk into a gender and women’s studies conference: a mixture of excitement, apprehension, and the relief of finally feeling able to breathe again after trying to exist in a world that seems insistent on suffocating the voices of women everywhere.
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For the first time since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 that forced Afghan women athletes into exile, Afghanistan’s women’s refugee football team has officially been granted recognition to compete in international tournaments under FIFA.
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I have always had a mundane relationship with my skin. Our relationship was pretty standard: it asked for things, and I delivered. During the brutal winter, it was parched with […] The post Everything A Trip To St. Lucia Taught Me About My Skin appeared first on Essence .
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(Johannesburg) – Angolan authorities should carry out an independent and credible investigation into the Cavaco River dike collapse and ensure that internally displaced communities receive immediate, adequate, and transparent assistance, Human Rights Watch said today.
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Click to expand Image Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, during a press conference in Geneva, August 22, 2025. © 2025 Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP Photo The senior United Nations humanitarian official said he would refuse US g...
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“It would be consistent with my public image if I told you that I spent the summer catching flies so we could pull the wings off the flies,” Justice Samuel Alito told an audience at the 5th Circuit Judicial Conference, a gathering of judges and lawyers, last Tuesday morning in Houston.
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Click to expand Image A police van with one of the Australian women allegedly linked to the Islamic State at the Mascot Police Station in Sydney on May 7, 2026. © 2026 Izhar Khan/Getty Images (Sydney) – Australian authorities should ensure that criminal proceedings against three Australian women ...
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More than 700 women die each day, on average, from causes linked to pregnancy or childbirth. Almost all of these deaths are preventable. To honor the world’s mothers, we asked midwives about their memories of helping women survive the journey to motherhood.
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Formula 1 stopped being just a sport a long time ago. And if you’ve ever been to F1 in Miami, you know this better than most. Mainly because the city […] The post Audi Made Its Formula 1 Debut In Miami And Brought The Culture With It appeared first on Essence .
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Far from mimosa brunches and hallmark greetings, the first Mother’s Day in the United States occurred against the scourge of war. In 1870, abolitionist and suffragist Julie Ward Howe who still had the horrors of the Civil War on her mind and was disturbed by the plight of war abroad called for an in
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Click to expand Image People rally on International Women's Day in Jakarta demanding the Indonesian government pass an anti-discrimination law and ratify the International Labor Organization (ILO) convention concerning the elimination of sexual violence and harassment at work, March 8, 2024.
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Is God Is can be viewed as a story about revenge, and the women surrounding the film’s main characters leave just as strong an impression as they do. Through Ruby […] The post Vivica A. Fox And Erika Alexander Talk ‘Is God Is’ And Aleshea Harris’ Vision appeared first on Essence .
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“I am Regina. I am my own person.” It shouldn’t need to be said. And yet here we are, in conversation with a woman who holds two master’s degrees, an […] The post Meet The Woman Negotiating What Could Be The Biggest QB Contract In NFL History. She’s Also His Mom appeared first on Essence .
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Reports emerged in April that the US government was considering resetting diplomatic ties with Eritrea. Doing so could include lifting sanctions the United States imposed on the country’s ruling party and military in 2021 for committing serious abuses during the armed conflict in n...
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The Melbourne declaration aims to direct funding and power to those most overlooked and affected by injustice. But for many its promise is a distant one I first spoke to Shazia Khanum for a report I was writing on adolescent girls in informal jobs.
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John Wall spent nine seasons making Washington, D.C. fall in love with him, and apparently the feeling was mutual. The five-time NBA All-Star has been named President of Basketball Operations […] The post From NBA All-Star To The Mecca: John Wall Returns To D.C.
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At press time, Michael is still dominating theaters across the country. Audiences (especially our people) showed up in full, drawn by the music, the performances, and the chance to see […] The post Now That A Sequel Has Been Confirmed, Here’s What We Want To See In The Next Installment Of ‘Michael’
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Mother’s Day is the perfect moment to show appreciation for the women who do it all. And, contrary to popular belief, thoughtful gifting does not have to come with a […] The post The Best Gifts Under $100 For The Stylish Moms appeared first on Essence .
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Golf has always been clear about who it was built for. The country clubs, the dress codes, the long-running sense that certain people were always welcome while others were merely […] The post At Courses Where Black Players Once Fought To Tee Off, This Black-Led Golf Collective Is Proving The Sport .
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Click to expand Image A demonstration with the slogan "Without consent, it's rape" takes place in Rome, Italy, on February 28, 2026. © 2026 Andrea Ronchini/NurPhoto via AP Photo The European Parliament adopted on Tuesday a resolution calling on the European Commission to make consent the determin...
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Nepali authorities have stopped processing applications for transgender people to change their legal gender on identity documents.The authorities’ actions are regressing on years of progress and undermining the fundamental right of recognition before the law.
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ESSENCE Senior Beauty & Style Editor Akili King believes ‘glow’ is more than skin deep. In The Ritual Report, she shares personal healing practices—from acupuncture for skin and grounding benefits […] The post This Wellness Retreat With Jhené Aiko Helped Me With Burnout appeared first on Essence .
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Wednesday is expected to be the final argument day of the 2025-26 term, as well as an opinion day.
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Click to expand Image Players of Afghan Women's United football team receive support from Tunisian players after the FIFA Unites: Women's Series 2025 on October 29 in Casablanca, Morocco. © 2025 Francois Nel - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images (Vancouver) – The FIFA Council’s decision to approve amendme...
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We’ve all learned a thing or two about beauty from our mothers. How to sit still getting your hair done? Check. How to be quiet while sneaking lipstick from her […] The post 12 Black-Owned Beauty Gifts For Mother’s Day appeared first on Essence .
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These days, the algorithm is king. Fashion shows are watched through vertical screens or at livestreamed watch parties for more inclusive, enthused fashion communities. People are resorting to creating mood […] The post How House Of Aama And Nuuly Collaborated To Keep Up With Fashion’s Shifting Land
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Kennedy Ryan has less Fs to give, and she is unapologetically proud of it. The bestselling and award-winning author is convinced that as women age, their body naturally produces less […] The post Author Kennedy Ryan Opens Up To Stacy Ike On Human2Human Podcast appeared first on Essence .
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In the course of their lifetime, 840 million women will be subjected to physical or sexual violence – nearly one in every three women in the world, according to a new United Nations report. And if that sounds like a number you’ve heard before, it might be because despite decades of advocacy, awarene
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As an expectant mother bringing a little person into the world, you want to feel it is mostly filled with good people. In that moment I felt reassured Read more in
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Click to expand Image TV anchor Khatereh Ahmadi wearing a face covering as she reads the news in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 22, 2022. © 2022 Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo While corresponding with a local journalist in Afghanistan around a recent report I had authored, I received a shocking request: ...
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Last night, TIME hosted its annual TIME100 Gala, honoring some of the most influential people in the world. Among this year’s honorees were actress and TV personality Keke Palmer, actor […] The post Our Favorite Red Carpet Looks From The Time 100 Gala appeared first on Essence .
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If there’s any holiday to splurge, it’s Mother’s Day. After all, it’s all about celebrating the maternal figures in our lives. When it comes to gift giving, you can’t go […] The post Chic Mother’s Day Gifts for Your Luxury-Loving Mom appeared first on Essence .
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The food industry has a long history of borrowing from Black culture, often without crediting the Black women behind it. Nina Oduro and Maame Boakye have spent the better part […] The post Black Women Built Food Culture.
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The $500 billion dollar beauty industry—despite “greenwashing” claims—is responsible for 120 billion pieces of packaging waste each year. It’s an industry where beauty is often valued over the health of […] The post 5 Green Skincare Brands You Should Know About For Earth Day appeared first on Essenc
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If you don’t know Dystany Spurlock yet, you will. On Saturday at Kansas Speedway, Spurlock became the first Black woman to compete in a national ARCA Menards Series event. Spurlock, […] The post Dystany Spurlock Becomes The First Black Woman To Compete In NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series appeared first
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Click to expand Image Jozef Síkela (left), EU commissioner for international partnerships, meets with Ethiopia’s minister of foreign affairs, Gedion Timothewos, in Addis Ababa, April 20, 2026. © 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia European Union Partnership Commissioner Jozef Sikela ...
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Click to expand Image Internally displaced people carry food parcels during a distribution at Seba Care displaced persons camp in Mekelle, Tigray region, Ethiopia, July 19, 2024. © 2024 MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images Authorities and security forces in Ethiopia’s contested Western Tigray Zone a
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The post The Counterterrorism Czar Without a Counterterrorism Plan appeared first on ProPublica .
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Click to expand Image Burkina Faso soldiers patrol aboard a pickup truck on the road from Dori to the Goudebo refugee camp, on February 3, 2020. © 2020 OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images (Nairobi) – Burkina Faso’s military government is intensifying its sweeping crackdown on civil soci...
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Activists say clamp down on period products to target insurgents is gender-based violence and violates rights Myanmar’s military regime is expanding its ban on the distribution of period products, claiming they are being used to treat wounded resistance fighters, according to local activist...
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There’s a moment in every struggle when retreat seems like the only rational option. When dictators grow bolder and democracies grow weaker; when the funding dries up and the threats are mounting. For even the staunchest of human rights defenders, this is often the moment when the temptation to step
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In 126 years, Dow has never had a Black woman as its chief executive. That changes on July 1. Karen S. Carter, currently the company’s chief operating officer, was appointed […] The post Karen S. Carter To Become The First Black Woman CEO In Dow Inc.’s 126-Year History appeared first on Essence .
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Even as a child, Aparna Rajawat could see how boys in India were more respected, safer and freer than girls. Wanting a way to defend herself, Rajawat cut her hair short and disguised herself as a boy, attending karate lessons behind her father's back with the help of her mother and sister.
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Women continue to provide the majority—61 percent—of unpaid caregiving in this country. They are the appointment schedulers, medication managers, financial coordinators and emotional anchors. They are the ones who leave work early, rearrange schedules, and absorb the invisible labor that keeps older
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Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor who once declared that the bikini was more important to fashion than the atom bomb, used to call Carolina Herrera (the woman, not the brand, […] The post ESScent Of The Week: La Bomba By Carolina Herrera Is What Happens When A “Good Girl” Grows Up appeared first
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Click to expand Image A picture taken on April 9, 2026 shows the aftermath of the previous day's Israeli airstrike that struck Qasmieh bridge, located on a main highway linking villages in the Tyre district of Lebanon with others farther north.
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Lisa Hanna has long embodied the ethos of “for us, by us.” Now, the Jamaican beauty queen is stepping into yet another evolution of her multifaceted career. After winning Miss […] The post Former Miss World Lisa Hanna Enters The Beauty Space appeared first on Essence .
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If you grew up in a Caribbean household, you knew Mauby before you knew its name. Someone was either making it, drinking it or trying to get their hands on […] The post International Soccer Star Duckens Nazon Invests In Mabï, A Caribbean Drink Built On Generational Tradition appeared first on Essenc
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When Coco Gauff appeared in Miu Miu’s latest campaign sitting on a tennis court with natural hair, sporting a red polo, and touting a brown leather bag, the internet split in two. […] The post The Cost Of “Polish”: How Workplace Standards Penalize Black Women appeared first on Essence .
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Guttmacher Statement at the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development Statement sramashwar <time datetime="2026-04-15T07:29:47-...
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If you didn’t know Grace Ladoja before, you do now. The Nigerian creative and Homecoming Festival founder just made history as the first African woman to design a signature Nike […] The post Grace Ladoja Makes History As The First African Woman To Design A Nike Signature Shoe appeared first on Esse.
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I have never once called myself a runner. I do Orange Theory religiously, and that community feels like home. But run clubs, pace groups, and all of that has always […] The post If You’ve Ever Said “I’m Not A Runner,” ‘Movement For All’ Was Built With You In Mind appeared first on Essence .
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In the weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran, the conflict in the Middle East has created massive humanitarian need while further shattering the aid system. Although a fragile ceasefire has led to tentative efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz, the reopening of the waterway rema
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Click to expand Image Special police forces in a Kazakh court on the day of the sentencing of 19 people accused of "inciting ethnic hatred." Taldykorgan, April 13, 2026. © 2026 Melirim Bakytzhanqyzy/RFE/RL A Kazakh court convicted today 19 Kazakhstan citizens for participating in a peaceful prote...
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As the world fixates on global conflict, economic instability, and nonstop headlines, one thing remains consistent: the health and well-being of Black women continues to fall to the margins. April […] The post For Black Women, “Locking In” Is Costing Us Our Health appeared first on Essence .
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Click to expand Image Families gather under a tree at an informal site where displaced people, many from neighboring Jongeli state, have assembled without assistance or shelter at Yolakot informal camp near Mingkaman, Lakes state on February 14, 2026.
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A popular explanation for today’s attacks on academic freedom is that the Trump administration is following an authoritarian playbook, with Hungary under Viktor Orbán cast as the model. As someone who lived in Hungary for five years, earned two degrees in gender studies at Central European Universit
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Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S.
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Men lie, women lie, but ticket sales don’t. And just days after the Atlanta Dream announced they’d acquired the 23-year-old forward from the Chicago Sky (and we saw her debut […] The post Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream Era Is Off To A Record-Breaking Start As Ticket Demand Surges appeared first on Ess.
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Click to expand Image A picture taken on April 9, 2026 shows the aftermath of the previous day's Israeli airstrike that struck Qasmieh bridge, located on a main highway linking villages in the Tyre district of Lebanon with others farther north.
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Ask Alex Toussaint what he’s like off the bike and he’ll tell you this: exactly the same. Just quieter. Most people who follow him have only ever seen him at […] The post Peloton’s Alex Toussaint On Confidence, Consistency, And Why Feeling Good Comes First appeared first on Essence .
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Click to expand Image Two people working on a sunken boat in the Langue de Barbarie, Saint-Louis, Senegal, March 7, 2023. © 2023 Raquel Maria Carbonell Pagola/LightRocket via Getty Images (Dakar) – Senegalese families remain in limbo in a site called Khar Yalla, a decade after coastal floods dest...
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The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to healthcare. But Ms.
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Click to expand Image Soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces walk on the Shambat Bridge in Khartoum, April 27, 2025. © 2025 Photo by Giles Clarke/Avaaz via Getty Images Forces affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces have arbitrarily detained, tortured, and otherwise ill-treated civilians in areas u
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Time and time again, it is women who speak out in the face of state repression—whether they are doing so as journalists speaking truth to power, lawyers fighting for the rights of the oppressed, or everyday women taking to the streets in defiance of regimes that seek to strip them of their autonomy