If there’s anything proven to be well worth the splurge, it’s high-quality bedding. Brooklinen‘s bestselling sheets, duvet covers, comforters, and more are easy to wash, made to last, and — most importantly — soft and comfortable enough to help you get that restful night’s sleep everyone’s always talking about. But, the good news is that you don’t actually have to cough up all that cash because the brand just unleashed an early Black Friday meetings Singles Day (aka the biggest shopping day of the year!) hybrid promo of 15% off sitewide from now through November 11. Although Brooklinen’s sheet sets already afford shoppers some convenient savings, this extra deal is just adding to the incentive of upping your bedding game (or a lucky holiday giftee’s). But you have to hop to — because the deal only lasts for the next 24 hours. Oh, and to sweeten the surprise sale even more, the brand’s bestselling items are now available in a litany of cheery, limited-edition colors and prints. Below we’ve lined up everything from the top bedding sets to plushest bath essentials worth scoring while it’s all on sale for 15% off.

15% Off Brooklinen Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle, $285 $242.25

Brooklinen’s signature duvet, sheet, and pillowcase set (now available in several limited edition colors, too!) is a bestseller for a reason. With a 480-thread count and tens of thousands of shining reviews, these sateen sheets have a smooth, shiny, and oh-so-soft finish that has buyers raving.

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 18,946 reviews

Reviewers say: “As a woman ‘of a certain age,’ my sleep has started to become interrupted by overheating. I have cooling mattress pads, a cooling blanket, and none of it worked. At the same time, I decided to get some nice sheets for myself, and BAM! The first night with these wonderfully soft sheets, I woke up realizing I slept through the night, no sweat (literally). Finally, an end to the night sweats! I look forward to going to bed, knowing I’ll sleep soundly and comfortably.” — Allison, Brooklinen reviewer

15% Off Brooklinen Down Comforter, $259 $220.15

The key to a good night’s sleep is usually a good duvet or comforter. Don’t believe me? Just ask all the reviewers who swear by Brooklinen’s sateen-covered down comforter. Best of all, it doesn’t matter if you run hot or cold: The shop offers several different weight options, from all-season to ultra-warm.

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 2,269 reviews

Reviewers say: “I think the lightweight comforter is just right for all four seasons. It’s not too hot in the humid New England summer months here, and I can always add an extra blanket in the winter if needed and it’s perfect. It feels like you’re wrapped in a cloud.” — Taylor, Brooklinen reviewer

15% Off Brooklinen Lightweight Quilt, $249 $211.65

If you can’t decide between a blanket or a comforter, try Brooklinen’s uber-soft, hand-stitched quilt. This blanket is weighted enough to keep you warm, but light enough not to suffocate you. And the beautiful, bright color options don’t hurt, either.

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 318 reviews

Reviewers say: “My boyfriend and I recently upgraded our whole sleeping situation and, both of us being hot sleepers, honestly looked around for weeks for a simple lightweight quilt. It seemed like an easy thing to look for in theory but after endless browsing, we came across Brooklinen and found exactly what we were looking for. It’s absolutely perfect. It’s beautiful, lightweight and durable.” — Heather, Brooklinen reviewer

15% Off Brooklinen Heathered Cashmere Hardcore Sheet Bundle, $475 $404.18

These sheets — made of both cotton and Himalayan cashmere — are soft, breathable, and lightweight. If you’re looking to graduate from the cotton bedding you’ve had for years, Brooklinen’s heathered cashmere sheet bundle should absolutely be your next move.

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 808 reviews

Reviewers say: “These heathered cashmere sheets are so soft and luxurious! They are the coziest sheets to snuggle into in the wintertime and yet light and breathable enough that I use them during every season!” — Tammy, Brooklinen reviewer

15% Off Brooklinen Linen Core Sheet Set, $269 $228.65

This colorful linen sheet set will liven up your room while keeping you warm throughout the winter and cool during the hotter nights. Brooklinen devotees are obsessed with the airy, soft fabric; several reviewers likened to their new bedding to their favorite worn T-shirts.

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 2,747 reviews

Reviewers say: “I’m so happy I purchased this set!! It’s so soft, a different kind of soft, and just so comforting. I love the look of linen. Already washed several times… delicate/cold and dried on delicate/low and it’s turned out perfect. I also like that the flat sheet is bigger than a normal flat sheet (I purchased king size). I’d rather have a little extra to wrap myself up in then be playing tug of war. 10/10 would recommend this product.” — Leigh, Brooklinen reviewer

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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It doesn’t matter if you’re low on comfy sweaters, in search of some work-friendly dresses, or ready to splurge on a versatile winter coat — whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it at Mango. And there’s no better time to shop than right now: The brand is offering 30% off everything, both online and in stores. You only have so many days to take advantage of this deal, though. The site-wide sale ends November 1. But because that’s not nearly enough time to sift through all of Mango’s timeless basics and trendy jackets, jeans, and more, we rounded up some of the cutest, coziest items you won’t want to miss. From the softest cardigans to dresses that will take you from day to night, here are our top picks to shop right now.

30% Off Coats & Jackets

Some of Mango’s best offerings are the site’s sharp, sophisticated, and sometimes playful jackets and coats. If you’re looking for a sign it’s time to elevate your favorite fall outfits with new outerwear, this is it.

30% Off Sweaters & Cardigans

Maybe it’s just me, but you can never have too many comfy layers. Celebrate sweater weather with Mango’s colorful collection of cardigans, pullovers, and knitwear.

30% Off Tops

When it comes to shirts, tops, and turtlenecks, Mango has tons of great basics and funky, floral patterns alike. Your new staples are waiting for you.

30% Off Dresses

From mini to midi to maxi styles, Mango’s dresses are perfect for holiday dinners, workplace happy hours, days spent out and about, and every activity in between.

30% Off Jeans & Pants

In the market for some new smart, casual trousers, a go-to pair of jeans, or even leather pants? Mango has all the pants you need (and maybe some you didn’t know you needed, too).

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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Prince Harry has been a mental health advocate for years, but in his first interview since he and Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey, he really wanted to let Armchair Expert host Dax Shepard know that therapy works. In a May 13 episode of the podcast, Harry revealed that Markle first noticed he was “angry” and “hurting” and encouraged him to see a therapist. “She saw it straight away,” he noted. And it’s clear he is definitely seeing things from a new perspective.

According to Harry, living as a royal was “a mix between The Truman Show and being in a zoo.” But once he got professional help, he said that he really noticed a difference. “Once I started doing therapy, it was like the bubble was burst,” Harry told Shepard. “I plucked my head out of the sand and gave it a good shake-off, and I was like, ‘You’re in this position of privilege. Stop complaining and stop thinking you want something different — make this different — because you can’t get out. How are you going to do these things differently? How are you going to make your mum proud and use this platform to really affect change?’”

The rest of the episode further clarifies that yes, Harry is definitely seeing a therapist — and a pretty good one, at that, it seems. In fact, listening to some of his insight throughout the interview actually feels a bit like getting a free session. At one point, for example, he describes the importance of taking breaks and channeling your energy into a specific moment or task at hand. “That’s what I’ve been working on for years, for the last five years, and it started in therapy,” he said. Learning to “find that balance of being able to switch it on and switch it off” helped him get to a place of “consciousness, awareness, strength of mind, [and] mental fitness.”

Harry, who served in the British Army for 10 years, also shared his thoughts on the number of veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. “Most of them — most of us — suffer from post-traumatic stress injury, right? It’s an injury, it’s something that you can heal from,” he explained. “Otherwise, you’re just saying to someone, ‘Okay, I’m diagnosing you with PTSD, you’ve got a disorder for the rest of your life, there’s nothing you can do about it.”

He added that many recruited veterans also grew up dealing with grief and childhood trauma. Seeing violence can be a “trigger,” but Harry emphasized there’s a misconception that vets are solely traumatized from the events of war, when really, that trauma is just “the lid” on top of years of pain and repression.

Since marrying into the family, Markle was subjected to relentless, often racist, attacks and scrutiny. Harry opened up about how difficult this was to watch, especially since his mother, Princess Diana, was “commoditized” in a similar way, and also forced to silently struggle with her mental health. In 2020, Harry and Markle announced that they would be stepping back from their royal duties, working to become financially independent, and splitting their time between the U.K. and the U.S.

“I was in my early twenties and I was thinking, ‘I don’t want this job, I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be doing this,’” Harry told Shepard. “Look what it did to my mum. How am I ever going to settle down and have a wife and family when I know it’s going to happen again?” 

Harry has spoken up about going to therapy before, but this is one of the first times he has so specifically and eloquently reflected on his struggles, thoughts, and healing process. Maybe it’s therapy, or maybe it’s his newfound freedom from the Crown — either way, it’s cathartic to hear such a public-facing person talk about entering a place of consciousness and strength of mind.

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After attempting to argue with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for weeks on Twitter, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene “aggressively confronted” AOC in the House Chamber and accused her of supporting so-called “terrorist” groups including Antifa and Black Lives Matter. According to two reporters from The Washington Post who witnessed the verbal attack, Greene called out “hey Alexandria” twice before “picking up her pace” and “shouting” at her about her “radical socialist” agenda. “You don’t care about the American people,” Greene reportedly called out. “Why do you support terrorists and Antifa?”

Ocasio-Cortez reportedly didn’t engage with Greene’s heckling. Greene then told a group of reporters and bystanders that her goal was to “debate” Ocasio-Cortez on her climate justice legislation. “She’s a chicken. She doesn’t want to debate the Green New Deal,” Greene said. “These members are cowards. They need to defend their legislation to the people. That’s pathetic.”

Lauren Hitt, spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez, shed more light on the confrontation in a statement. “Representative Greene tried to begin an argument with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez and when Rep. Ocasio-Cortez tried to walk away, Congresswoman Greene began screaming and called Rep. Ocasio-Cortez a terrorist sympathizer,” said Hitt, urging leadership to “take real steps to make Congress a safe, civil place for all Members and staff — especially as many offices are discussing reopening.”

Hitt then mentioned that another member of Congress has “already been forced to relocate her office due to Congresswoman Greene’s attacks.” In January, Rep. Cori Bush asked to move after she said a maskless Greene accosted and berated her in the hallway. There was also the time Greene hung a transphobic sign across the hallway in order to force Rep. Marie Newman, a congresswoman with a transgender daughter, to look at it “every time she opens her door.” Before she was elected, Greene also infamously followed, harassed, and shouted at Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg.

As for this week’s incident, Greene confirmed on Twitter that she had attempted to argue with Ocasio-Cortez, whom she labeled a “hate-American terrorist sympathizer.” Added Greene, “You chickened out bc you are too scared to debate me about your Socialist Green New Deal.”

.@AOC “Ms. Defund The Police” wants to call the police for security bc she’s afraid of debating with me about her socialist GND.

AOC is a fraud & a hypocrite.

That’s fine Sandy.

Since you lack the courage & intelligence to debate me, I’ll debate the person who really wrote it.

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) May 13, 2021

For weeks, Greene has relentlessly tried to schedule a debate with Ocasio-Cortez — something she has ample time to do, evidently, since she was removed from her assigned committees for propagating conspiracy theories like QAnon. On April 14, she tagged Ocasio-Cortez in a string of tweets proposing a debate on the Green New Deal. 

Then, on April 21, she shared a photo of herself talking to Ocasio-Cortez on the House floor. “I’m glad I ran into you today @AOC to plan our debate about the Green New Deal,” Greene wrote. “After I finish reading all 14 pages, like we agreed, I’ll schedule time for our debate.” What’s confusing here is the admission that she has never actually read the proposal she’s been criticizing since she first started campaigning for office — and yet she continues to call AOC “a fraud & a hypocrite.”

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After Joshua Bassett praised Harry Styles during a viral interview this week, he posted on Instagram that it’s okay to take time to figure out your sexuality. According to posts on Instagram and Twitter on Wednesday, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star says that he was “shamed” for his identity for a long time, but grateful for those who “stand for love and acceptance.”

“It’s 2021. we are the generation of love & growth, it’s time we start acting like it,” Bassett wrote. “Love who you love shamelessly. it’s ok to still be figuring out who you are.” He added a string of rainbow emojis and paired the statement with a video of himself singing an unreleased song. “The time for change is now,” he sings at one point. “It’s my life. It’s my life to live.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joshua Bassett (@joshuatbassett)

Bassett, an actor and musician, is best known for his starring role in Disney’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and rumored involvement in the “drivers license” saga that launched a thousand TikToks and an SNL sketch. He was the subject of a firestorm of speculation on Monday after Clevver News shared a five-minute video of him answering fan questions. In one, he was asked to detail what he admired about Styles, an artist he’s described more than once as his dream collaborator. 

“What I admire about Harry Styles is that he’s a very classy man, and he’s very well-rounded. He’s just cool. Who doesn’t think Harry Styles is cool?” Bassett said. “Also, he’s hot, you know? He’s very charming, too. Lots of things. I guess this is also my coming out video.” The video received 2 million views, after which Bassett shared his own posts about his sexuality.

Bassett has expressed his admiration for Styles many times. “I’m spending whatever it takes to see Harry Styles live,” he told Billboard in May 2020. “I probably know his lyrics better than his main demographic, and I’m proud of it.” In December 2019, he described himself as a “huge fan of Harry Styles,” and told the website BriefTake that it would be his “dream” to someday open for him. 

“life’s too short to let ignorance and hatred win,” Bassett wrote at the end of his statement. “i choose love.”

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Shockingly, Donald Trump, Jr.’s ex-wife, Vanessa Trump, came to the realization that she didn’t have to spend her life with someone whose own father reportedly said he is “not the sharpest knife in the drawer” and “has the worst judgment of anyone in the world.” But according to Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Carol D. Leonnig, Vanessa did manage to find love in the White House during Trump’s presidency with — wait for it — a Secret Service agent.

In her book Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service, out next week, Loennig reported that Vanessa “started dating one of the agents who had been assigned to her family” after she filed for divorce in 2018. Loennig added that the agent “did not face disciplinary action” because he and the Secret Service were not Vanessa’s official guardians at the time they started dating.

Vanessa wasn’t the only member of the Trump family who got “inappropriately — and perhaps dangerously — close” to an agent either. The Guardian, which obtained a copy of Loennig’s book, reported that Tiffany Trump also “began spending an unusual amount of time alone with a Secret Service agent on her detail” after breaking up with a boyfriend. Other members of the Secret Service reportedly “became concerned at how close Tiffany appeared to be getting to the tall, dark, and handsome agent.” Both Tiffany and the agent denied any involvement, but he was still reassigned. Loennig wrote that it was unclear whether Donald Trump was aware of either relationship. 

But wait, let’s back up to the 12-year marriage between Vanessa and Don Jr. Their romantic love story began when his father accidentally introduced him to Vanessa twice in one evening. “Donald comes back up to me again, ‘I don’t think you’ve met my son Donald Trump, Jr.,'” Vanessa told the New York Times in 2006. She said that she responded, “Yeah, we just met, five minutes ago.” They later met a third time at a different party, where they once again reintroduced themselves to each other and Vanessa mocked Don’s father.

Don Jr. shared his side of the story, too. “You know, I’m 25 at the time, I did perfectly well with girls. It wasn’t really my M.O. to have my father try to pick up girls for me,” he told the New York Times. (His current girlfriend also has professional ties to his dad, but that’s neither here nor there.) There were a lot of rumors about the couple’s split, with multiple sources reportedly telling Page Six that Vanessa had wanted a divorce for years and Don “treats her like a second-class citizen.” It’s also rumored that Don had an affair with Danity Kane’s Aubrey O’Day in 2006 — a rumor which many have come to know and love over a decade and a half now.

Since the divorce, Vanessa has stayed out of the spotlight and kept relatively quiet on social media. Don Jr., meanwhile, has been busy tweeting, advising his twice-impeached father on “political things,” and recording creepy videos of himself ranting about American teachers. He did recently buy a house with his girlfriend, right-wing pundit Kimberly Guilfoyle, but according to the Palm Beach Post, around 30 of his new neighbors contacted the manager of the property owners’ association to express their displeasure and “political concerns” about Don Jr. joining the neighborhood. In any case, he might not have won this breakup.

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Remember when Netflix’s Tiger King aired somehow both two months and nine years ago? Since becoming a household name in March 2020, Carole Baskin — the founder of Big Cat Rescue, Joe Exotic’s nemesis, and maybe an alleged murderer, depending on who you ask — has only increased her efforts to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act. The act would add restrictions on who can own, trade, and exhibit exotic cats Now, the Tiger Queen is appearing on CNN and imploring Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to sign onto the act in light of a recent case involving a tiger on the loose in Houston.

On Monday, May 10, Houston police captured 26-year-old Victor Hugo Cuevas, who is accused of running from authorities and housing a Bengal tiger. Although Cuevas is still in custody, the tiger’s whereabouts are still unknown, the police announced on Twitter. “This has become kind of commonplace in Texas, and so I really hope that Senators Cruz and Cornyn will sign onto the Big Cat Public Safety Act, because if they had last year when the house passed this bill… the Senate didn’t bring it up for a vote,” Baskin said. “If it had passed last year, this wouldn’t have happened this time.”

Baskin went on to warn people not just about the loose Texas tiger, but also about Cuevas himself. Cuevas was out on bond for an unrelated murder charge from 2017, but now, county prosecutors are reportedly looking to revoke that bond. According to CNN, Jose Ramos, who lives next door to Cuevas, had “no idea a man charged with murder was living next door to him in this family-friendly community,” especially a man housing a large endangered animal. Cuevas’ attorney, Mike Elliot, said that Cuevas was simply housing the tiger, who really belonged to an exotic pet dealer named Deandre.

“I am extremely worried about what happens with this tiger and the people around it, because the people who were involved in buying and selling and transporting this tiger have proven that they are absolutely reckless individuals with no concern for the people around them or for the animal involved,” Baskin told CNN. “The kind of people who own tigers are really dangerous, reckless people.”

Some might think it’s ironic that Carole Baskin is the one warning people about owning tigers — and warning people about an accused murderer.

Baskin has made it her mission to prevent “dangerous, reckless” individuals from owning big cats: On Tiger King, viewers watched her relentlessly attempt to shut down Joe Exotic’s zoo in Wynnewood, OK. There has been a lot of confusion as to whether Baskin’s sanctuary is actually more humane than Exotic’s, though, since both were “taking advantage of exotic animals to make money,” as producer Rick Kirkham noted. 

But Baskin has also been accused of murder. Some people, Exotic included, believe she played a role in the mysterious 1997 disappearance of her husband, Don Lewis. Lewis’ daughter, Donna Pettis, also seems to believe that Baskin was somehow involved. And although Baskin has repeatedly denied any claims that she killed Lewis, accusing the filmmakers behind Tiger King of spreading “salacious and sensational” lies, she has been consistent about using her platform to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act.

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Surprise, surprise: The man best known for inventing a hotspot for political misinformation, privacy violations, and countless data leaks had a terrible idea. On Monday, May 10, 44 attorneys general penned a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, urging Facebook to halt its plans for a new business venture: “Instagram for kids.” The letter brings up the many, many psychological and safety-related reasons it would be harmful to launch a version of the app for children under the age of 13. Zuckerberg, however, seems adamant about doing it anyway.

“Use of social media can be detrimental to the health and well-being of children, who are not equipped to navigate the challenges of having a social media account. Further, Facebook has historically failed to protect the welfare of children on its platforms,” wrote the National Association of Attorneys General. “The attorneys general have an interest in protecting our youngest citizens, and Facebook’s plans to create a platform where kids under the age of 13 are encouraged to share content online is contrary to that interest.”

Many of us were unaware of Instagram for kids (thankfully), which was actually announced around two months ago. Zuckerberg confirmed the plan during a March 25 congressional hearing, and the same month, a Facebook spokesperson told USA Today that the app was “in its very early stages” and would hopefully “help kids keep up with their friends, discover new hobbies and interests, and more.” The spokesperson likened it to Messenger Kids, a similar Facebook-esque app designed for children. It’s worth noting that Messenger Kids was also extremely controversial when it started, and only became more concerning after a bug allowed thousands of children to enter group chats with unknown adults of all ages. (Facebook has said that the glitch was resolved.)

During the congressional hearing, Zuckerberg said that an Instagram for children could help kids “stay connected” and “learn about different content online.” Instagram spokesperson Stephanie Otway cited the growing number of children attempting to use Instagram by lying about their ages; a new app designed for kids is a “practical solution,” the company argued.

But along with the obvious safety concerns, AGs, other political leaders, and mental health professionals all worry this venture could negatively impact children’s development and self-esteem. In April, a coalition led by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood slammed Instagram’s “relentless focus on appearance, self-presentation, and branding,” and wrote in a letter to Zuckerberg that children under 13 are less equipped than adults to handle the pressures, challenges, and anxiety related to the app. Those who would lie about their age, the signatories argued, would likely still choose to join “adult” Instagram over “a new site that seems babyish.” 

Sens. Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal and Reps. Lori Trahan and Kathy Castor also wrote a letter to Zuckerberg in April, requesting that he outline a detailed plan to protect user safety and prevent the proliferation of sponsored content, edited and filtered photos, and more. “Should Facebook fail to provide adequate responses to the questions above or otherwise fail to demonstrate that a future version of Instagram for children would meet the highest standards of user protection, we would advise you to abandon your plans to launch this new platform,” wrote the lawmakers.

Experts agree that social media — in particular, Instagram — can have adverse effects on children and teenagers’ mental health, body image, self-esteem, and sleep schedule. Instagram breeds an obsession with “likes,” popularity, and missing out on events that a user may or may not have been invited to. According to McLean Hospital, the app is designed to be addictive, because tools like “Likes” and push notifications can make the brain release dopamine. Researchers have found that young people who spend more time on apps are more likely to have depression and anxiety. A 2017 study from the U.K.’s Royal Society for Public Health showed that, compared to Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube, Instagram has the largest mental health impact. 

“There’s a good amount of research suggesting that Instagram is among the most toxic social media platforms because of its emphasis on image and followers,” said psychologist Jean Twenge, according to NBC News. “My view is that there’s really no way to make it completely safe for young kids.”

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New York mayoral candidate Andrew Yang is once again trending on Twitter — but this time, it isn’t because of his rehomed puppy or his thoughts on bodegas. On Monday, May 10, Yang shared a staunch pro-Israel stance amid the attacks and forced expulsions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. The attempted displacement of six Palestinian families led to increased violence and tension between Israeli forces and Palestinians, which culminated in deadly airstrikes in the Palestinian territory of Gaza on Monday. In response to his tweet, #YangSupportsGenocide began trending Monday night.

“I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists,” Yang tweeted. “The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.”

I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists. The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.

— Andrew Yang🧢🗽🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) May 10, 2021

Yang was widely criticized by users on Twitter, many of them American and some Israeli and Palestinian, for misrepresenting the violence in East Jerusalem, disregarding the full context of the Hamas rocket attacks, and failing to speak out in support of the Palestinians facing police violence. For decades, Israeli settler organizations have attempted to displace Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem, but tensions between Palestinians and the Israeli government escalated this week in light of an expulsion order currently being contested in court.

The order, which would forcibly expel six families from the homes they’ve had for generations, has prompted ongoing confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli police: On Monday, officers stormed a mosque, fired rubber bullets and tear gas, and wounded over 300 unarmed Palestinians.  

In response, Hamas fired several rockets at Israel. Israel responded with air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 21 Palestinians, including children, reported the Gaza health ministry. Yang’s tweets have come under fire in light of the attacks.

“This is a disgustingly cynical move,” tweeted Marc Lamont Hill. “You’ve said nothing about Sheikh Jarrah. Nothing about evictions. Nothing about the gross violations of human rights and international law. Nothing about the violence of an occupying force. You are awful.”

Professional wrestler Sami Zayn also criticized Yang’s statement. “Maybe not the most tasteful statement to make within hours of Israel bombing Gaza and killing 20 Palestinians, 9 of whom were children,” he commented. And many others drew attention to the fact that far-right conservatives like Sen. Ted Cruz and former Trump advisor Stephen Miller are showing their support for Yang.

Yang, is LITERALLY echoing Tom Cotton’s message on Israel….#YangSupportsGenocide

Fuck both of these imperialist monsters#FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/0Kf9Ekqmzo

— Mo 🪑🧤 (@MozFrame) May 11, 2021

As a proud Jewish New Yorker, please fuck ALL THE WAY OFF with this vile pandering to right wing zealots when most Jews are REPULSED about what the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinians. This is REPUGNANT #NotInMyName

— Stefanie Iris Weiss (@EcoSexuality) May 10, 2021

Polls indicate that Yang is currently holding a lead in the mayoral race’s Democratic primary. His stance on Israel has been a point of controversy since he entered the race in January: In an op-ed for The Forward, he loudly denounced the anti-Zionist Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, and then backtracked, while attempting to clarify his position. As Politico’s Sally Goldenberg noted, Yang’s flip-flopping has frustrated people on both sides of the issue.

Yang isn’t the only mayoral candidate who’s wading into this conversation, though. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, the other frontrunner in the race and a “gun-toting Republican,” according to Yang’s team, released a similar statement in support of Israel. “New York City’s bond with Israel remains unbreakable. I stand shoulder to shoulder with the people Israel at this time of crisis,” Adams wrote on Twitter.

Progressive candidate Dianne Morales acknowledged the violence against Palestinians in a broader statement about the conflict. “Our world needs leaders who recognize humanity and the dignity of all lives. Whether in NYC, Colombia, Brazil or Israel-Palestine, state violence is wrong,” she wrote early Tuesday morning. “Targeting civilians is wrong. Killing children is wrong. Full stop.”

Although it might seem unusual that candidates for a local office are commenting on international conflicts, the violence has reverberations felt worldwide, especially in New York, a city with the world’s largest Jewish population. The U.S. has also been involved in the dispute since World War II: Like former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, President Joe Biden has spoken in favor of a two-state solution, while Former President Donald Trump created another plan that would have shrunk Palestinian territory in the West Bank.

Now, New Yorkers are making it clear where they stand. “I’m Jewish. I’m a New Yorker,” one user wrote. “But I’m also a member of the many Jews who understand that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians is a genocide. We cannot let Andrew Yang get the Democratic nomination for NYC mayor.” Yang has yet to respond to the backlash.

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On Wednesday, former 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar was released on bail as he awaits trial for a felony child pornography case. Duggar was arrested on April 29 and charged with “receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children,” to which he pleaded that he was not guilty. Following allegations that he accessed over 200 pornographic images of children, Duggar has also been granted “unlimited contact” with his six children. While he is allowed visitation with his children in the presence of his pregnant wife, Anna, he isn’t allowed to come into contact with any other minors. Duggar faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge.

“I recommend that you govern your actions by thinking about where you might go and who you might encounter,” said Judge Christy Comstock during a virtual detention hearing on Wednesday, May 5.

Duggar has been the subject of controversy since 2019. In November of that year, investigators arrived at his home “unannounced” while executing a search warrant. According to findings from Homeland Investigations Special Agent Gerald Faulkner, Duggar had child pornography footage on his computer that traced back to May 2019.

As his case has now gained national attention, many have wondered how Duggar was able to escape detection for so long. According to Faulkner, who shared his findings from Duggar’s home during the hearing, the 33-year-old father was using three tools to conceal himself: a dark web network called Tor, an anonymity partition called Linux, and a software program called Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes is an accountability tool meant for individuals overcoming porn addiction; the software sends regular updates on the user’s browser history to a partner (in this case, Anna). But if that person used Tor and Linux, Faulkner said, any reports from Covenant Eyes would likely be inaccurate.

Faulkner, who was worked on over 1,000 cases of child abuse and pornography, said in the hearing that he would place the images he found “in the top five of the worst of the worst that I’ve ever had to examine.” The files allegedly depicted sexual abuse involving children as young as 18 months, and as old as twelve. Josh has six children: The youngest is 17 months, and the oldest is eleven.

Duggar is the oldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who infamously had 19 kids and a TLC show spanning seven seasons. As followers of the conservative Christian Quiverfull movement and the Institute in Basic Life Principles, the Duggars don’t believe in birth control. They live an extremely devout lifestyle: For example, their children are not allowed to wear shorts, lest they arouse “desires in someone else that cannot be righteously fulfilled.”

Although Duggar was only arrested last week, the allegations he faces — and his parents’ complacency — date back almost 20 years. In 2015, In Touch Weekly first published a police report that showed he had confessed to molesting minors three times before the family decided to seek help in 2003. Over a year after his first confession, Jim Bob “met with the elders of his church and told them what was going on.” No one reported his crimes to authorities; he went to a “Christian program” that Michelle later admitted was just a family friend’s house.

In 2006, Jim Bob took Josh to see another friend of the family: Arkansas State Trooper Jim Hutchens. Hutchens gave Josh “a very stern talk.” According to In Touch, Hutchens took no action, and he’s currently serving his own sentence for charges of child pornography. By the time police finally opened an investigation, the statute of limitations had passed.

After the allegations were made public, Josh released a statement. “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” he wrote in 2015. “I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation.”

But even in 2015, Jim Bob seemed to defend Josh’s actions. “He said he was just curious about girls and he had gone in and just basically touched them over their clothes while they were sleeping,” he told Fox News in 2015. “They didn’t even know he had done it.” They also claimed that his victims, including his sisters Jessa Seewald and Jill Duggar Dillard, had forgiven him.

At the time, they put on a united front. Jessa said that his behavior was “very wrong,” but she found it “so overboard and a lie, really” that people were dubbing him a pedophile or child molester. “I mean, people get mad at me for saying that, but I can say this because I was one of the victims,” she said.  

But now, some of his family members are starting to speak out. His sister, Jinger Vuolo, said that she was “disturbed” by the news of the charges. “We want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice,” she and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, wrote on Instagram. Derick Dillard, who is married to Jill, also wrote on Twitter that “the public was deceived” when it came to the Duggar family, and he liked several tweets calling for the cancellation of their TLC spin-off, Counting On. One of the tweets he liked also accused Jim Bob of emotional abuse.

Speaking to Duggar, Judge Comstock said she was “greatly concerned with images and approximate ages of children in these images are very close to the ages of your children and your nephews and nieces.” She added, “I keep coming back to this overriding concern that the court has about the children that you live and interact with on a daily basis and the crimes that you are charged with.”

Duggar’s trial will be held in July, and if convicted, he could face a total of 40 years in jail. But he isn’t the only member of his community who could be a danger to his kids: There were many religious figures, parents, and authorities that failed to protect his sisters, failed to protect his wife and children from a potential predator, and failed to adequately intervene while they could.

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Melissa Carter, an elementary school principal, is currently under investigation for “paddling” — or spanking — a six-year-old student in Clewiston, FL. According to cell phone footage of the incident shared by WINK-TV, the child cried and tried to move while Carter and a school clerk held her in place. She was being punished for reportedly damaging a computer. And even though Carter asked her mother to bring a $50 payment to school (which she did), the teacher still paddled her daughter in front of her upon arrival.

The girl was in “severe pain” afterward, reported the sheriff’s office. Robert J. Egley, the Hendry County District Schools’ deputy superintendent, told The New York Times that “the situation is still under investigation.” But the case has sparked a larger concern over using physical punishment on young kids in schools. Although Hendry County District Schools policy does not allow corporal punishment, spanking students is considered legal in Florida — and 18 other states.

In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporal punishment in schools is not considered “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment — which is why, today, corporal punishment laws vary state by state and sometimes county by county. In Texas, for instance, guardians can choose to sign a statement requesting that their child isn’t subjected to physical punishment. Oklahoma has specific guidelines in place meant to exempt students with “significant cognitive disabilities” from spanking. Some counties even specify the exact dimensions of the paddles that can be used.

Hendry County’s policy specifically states that punishments should not “demean students,” but Florida law says that corporal punishment is allowed if approved by a school’s principal. In the 2011-2012 school year, 4% of Florida schools reported the use of physical punishment. Other states, however, have much more staggering numbers: The same year, 53% and 51% of Arkansas and Alabama schools, respectively, reported the use of physical punishment. 

And according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Black boys are twice as likely to be physically punished compared to white boys, and Black girls are three times as likely to be physically punished compared to their white counterparts. NAACP President Derrick Johnson wrote that these statistics, and the practice overall, should disturb everyone — “not only because studies show that students of color do not misbehave any more than their white peers,” he wrote in the SPLC report, “but because the impact of corporal punishment can be devastating on a student’s ability to learn and succeed.”

As Elizabeth T. Gershoff and Sarah A. Font noted in a 2012 study, this practice would be considered assault with a weapon or child in abuse in almost any other situation. Military training centers and many juvenile detention facilities have banned it. It’s also proven to impede students’ ability to learn. So why is physical punishment still allowed in schools?

Marion County, FL, which is about 200 miles north of Clewiston, outlawed physical punishment in 2010. But the board voted to reinstate it in 2013. According to the county’s school board, corporal punishment is preferable to alternatives like expulsion or suspension, which members likened to “a vacation.” Advocates also believe it instills fear in children, which trains them not to misbehave.

But this belief goes against everything we know from psychologists, social workers, and medical professionals. “By definition, spanking is intended to cause bodily pain as a way of correcting or punishing a child’s conduct,” wrote Susan H. Bitensky in Corporal Punishment of Children: A Human Rights Violation. “Most child care experts agree that spanking does absolutely nothing to further the main disciplinary goals of developing the child’s conscience and inclination toward peaceful conflict resolution. It appears that the only conceivable good that can come out of smacking a child is the ephemeral one of stunning the child into a provisional halt of his or her transgression.”

According to Bitensky, corporal violence benefits the punisher more than the child. She described it as “a device that serves the short-term needs of care givers,” and simply makes educators feel in control and “let off steam.”

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry agreed. In a statement last updated in 2014, the Academy wrote that it “takes issue with laws in some states legalizing such corporal punishment and protecting adults who use it from prosecution for child abuse.” The collective also warned that this practice teaches kids to perceive violence and pain as a natural punishment, which could lead to them resorting to similar behavior. 

The Clewiston mother’s lawyer, Brent Probinsky, said that he and the girl’s family both hope Carter faces criminal and administrative action. “The hatred with which she hit my daughter,” her mother told WINK-TV in Spanish. “I mean, it was a hatred that, really, I’ve never hit my daughter like she hit her.”

Refinery29 reached out to the Clewiston Police Department and Hendry County School District for comment.

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After getting voted out of office, banned from social media, and impeached twice, a Florida Man is attempting what can only be described as a rebrand. Former Twitter user Donald Trump is spending his days FaceTiming YouTubers; he’s giving meandering speeches at weddings; he’s spring breaking in Florida, so to speak. Now, he’s blogging. Awkward question but…is Trump making a bid to join Gen Z?

First, let’s back up to the new Trump website. With a layout that somewhat resembles a low-quality Tumblr site circa 2014, “From the Desk of Donald Trump” unfortunately answers the question none of us dared to ask: What would this man have tweeted if he was provided more than 280 characters? Many of his posts are about election fraud, “RINOs” like Mitt Romney, and “warmongers” like Liz Cheney. Occasionally, he takes a break to celebrate certain holidays — as he wrote on April 4, “Happy Easter to ALL, including the Radical Left CRAZIES who rigged our Presidential Election, and want to destroy our Country!” (Thoughtful!)

But this isn’t the only way Trump is attempting to connect with the youths. On Tuesday, notorious YouTuber Jake Paul shared a series of photos seemingly confirming a call with Trump. “In the past two weeks I… FaceTimed Donald Trump,” Paul wrote on Instagram, backing this up with a screenshot that does seem to depict Paul and Trump talking over FaceTime. In the same post, Paul also claimed he was “DM’d by Drake,” bragged that wrestler Kamaru Usman “became my fan,” and listed ten other achievements.

Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that Paul and Trump have linked up: They both love boasting and spreading dubious information on social media. They’ve both backtracked after downplaying the COVID-19 crisis. They’re both notably terrible. But Trump is a 74-year-old former President. Why is he FaceTiming YouTubers? Why is he blogging, crashing random engagement photos at Mar-a-Lago, and all but joining Cameo? And most importantly: Why does he think this is working?

Paul might be one of the most famous faces of Gen Z, but he doesn’t speak for the generation that grew up facing the widespread violence, chaos, and hatred Trump wreaked. In 2020, Trump only received 36% of votes from Americans aged 24 and under, and according to a 2020 study, an even lower percentage said they approved of the job he’d done as President. According to the Pew Research Center, studies show that Gen Zers are overwhelmingly progressive, “less likely than older generations to see the United States as superior to other nations” and more likely to “see the country’s growing racial and ethnic diversity as a good thing.”

Trump, meanwhile, stoked xenophobia and white supremacy throughout his entire run in office. And as funny as his blog might be, it’s dangerous that he’s still promoting division by continuing to rant about baseless claims of voter fraud. It’s unacceptable that he’s continuing to call COVID-19 the “China Virus” in the wake of so many recent acts of anti-Asian violence.

As America continues to face the after-effects of Trump’s violent, harmful rhetoric, it’s obvious that he might be trying to reach new audiences, but thank you, no thank you. Gen Z is all good, bestie!

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