AFP journalists sound alarm about dire conditions faced by hungry colleagues in Gaza

AFP journalists sound alarm about dire conditions faced by hungry colleagues in Gaza

A group of journalists at the Agence France-Presse news agency is sounding the alarm about conditions faced by colleagues working in Gaza, saying that "without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die." In a war-torn territory where Israel generally forbids outside journalists to enter, international news organizations like AFP, The Associated Press and Reuters rely on local teams to get out the news. They've been hampered by safety concerns and hunger in Gaza, where an estimated 59,000 people have died in the21-month conflict, according to local health authorities. The Society of Journalists at AFP, an association of professionals at the news agency, detailed what their Gaza colleagues are facing. AFP's management said Tuesday that it shares concerns about the "appalling" situation and is working to evacuate its freelancers and their families. "For months, we have watched helplessly as their living conditions deteriorated dramatically," AFP said in a statement. "Their situation is now untenable, despite their exemplary courage, professional commitment, and resilience." One of AFP's photographers, identified as Bashar, sent a message on social media over the weekend that "I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can't work anymore." Bashar has been working for AFP since 2010. Since February, he's been living in the ruins of his home in Gaza City with his mother and other family members, and said one of his brothers had died of hunger, according to the journalists' group. The journalists receive a monthly salary from AFP, but exorbitant prices leave them unable topurchase much food. Another AFP worker, Ahlam, said that every time she leaves her shelter to cover an event or do an interview, "I don't know if I'll come back alive." Her biggest issue is the lack of food and water, she said. Since AFP was founded in 1944, the Society of Journalists said that "we have lost journalists in conflicts, some have been injured, others taken prisoner. But none of us can ever remember seeing colleagues die of hunger." "We refuse to watch them die," the society said. AFP has been working with one freelance writer, three photographers, and six freelance videographers in Gaza since its staff journalists left in 2024. Representatives for the AP and Reuters also expressed concern for their teams there, but would not say how many people are working for them. "We are deeply concerned about our staff in Gaza and are doing everything in our power to support them," said Lauren Easton, a spokeswoman for The Associated Press. "We are very proud of the work our team continues to do under dire circumstances to keep the world informed about what is happening on the ground." Reuters said that it is in daily contact with its freelance journalists, and that "the extreme difficulty sourcing food is leading to their and all Gaza residents experiencing greater levels of hunger and illness." The agency said it is providing extra money to help them. "Should they with to leave the territory, we will provide any assistance to help get them out," Reuters said. ___ David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him athttp://x.com/dbauderandhttps://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

AFP journalists sound alarm about dire conditions faced by hungry colleagues in Gaza

AFP journalists sound alarm about dire conditions faced by hungry colleagues in Gaza A group of journalists at the Agence France-Presse news...

Read More

San Francisco bans homeless people from living in RVs with new parking limit

San Francisco bans homeless people from living in RVs with new parking limit

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco banned homeless people from living in RVs by adopting strict new parking limits the mayor says are necessary to keep sidewalks clear and prevent trash buildup. The policy, which received final approval by San Francisco supervisors Tuesday, targets at least 400 recreational vehicles in the city of 800,000 people. The RVs serve as shelter for people who can't afford housing, including immigrant families with kids. Those who live in them say they're a necessary option in an expensive city where affordable apartments are impossible to find. But Mayor Daniel Lurie and other supporters of the policy say motor homes are not suitable for long-term living and the city has a duty to both provide shelter to those in need and clean up the streets. "We absolutely want to serve those families, those who are in crisis across San Francisco," said Kunal Modi, who advises the mayor on health, homelessness and family services. "We feel the responsibility to help them get to a stable solution. And at the same time, we want to make sure that that stability is somewhere indoors and not exposed in the public roadway." Critics of the plan, however, say that it's cruel to force people to give up their only home in exchange for a shot at traditional housing when there is not nearly enough units for all the people who need help; the mayor is only offering additional money to help 65 households. Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of theCoalition on Homelessness, says city officials are woefully behind on establishing details of an accompanying permit program, which will exempt RV residents from parking limits so long as they are working with homeless outreach staff to find housing. "I think that there's going to be people who lose their RVs. I think there's going to be people who are able to get into shelter, but at the expense" of people with higher needs, like those sleeping on a sidewalk, she said. San Francisco, like other U.S. cities, has seen an explosion in recent years of people living out of vehicles and RVs as the cost of living has risen. Banning oversized vehicles is part of Lurie'spledge to clean up San Franciscostreets, and part of a growing trend to requirehomeless people to accept offersof shelter or risk arrest or tows. Strict new rules On Tuesday, about three dozen people gathered outside City Hall and marched somberly through the building, hoping to influence supervisors to vote against the measure. But it cleared the Board of Supervisors with two of 11 supervisors voting "no." Supervisors made no remarks. The proposal sets a two-hour parking limit citywide for all RVs and oversized vehicles longer than 22 feet (7 meters) or higher than 7 feet (2 meters), regardless of whether they are being used as housing. Under the accompanying permit program, RV residents registered with the city as of May are exempt from the parking limits. In exchange, they must accept the city's offer of temporary or longer-term housing, and get rid of their RV when it's time to move. The city has budgeted more than half a million dollars to buy RVs from residents at $175 per foot. The permits will last for six months. People in RVs who arrive after May will not be eligible for the permit program and must abide by the two-hour rule, which makes it impossible for a family in an RV to live within city limits. RV dwellers can't afford rent Carlos Perez, 55, was among RV residents who told supervisors at a hearing this month that they could not afford the city's high rents. Perez works full-time as a produce deliveryman and supports his brother, who lives with him and is unable to work due to a disability. "We don't do nothing wrong. We try to keep this street clean," he said, as he showed his RV recently to an Associated Press journalist. "It's not easy to be in a place like this." Yet, Perez also loves where he lives. The green-colored RV is decorated with a homey houseplant and has a sink and a tiny stove on which Carlos simmered a bean soup on a recent afternoon. He's lived in San Francisco for more than 30 years, roughly a decade of which has been in the RV in theworking-class Bayview neighborhood. He can walk to work and it is close to the hospital where his brother receives dialysis multiple times a week. Zach Bollinger started living in the vehicle a dozen years ago after realizing that no matter how hard he worked, he still struggled to pay rent. Now he works as a ride-hail driver and pursues his love of photography. He parks near Lake Merced in the city near the Pacific Ocean and pays $35 every two to four weeks to properly dispose of waste and fill the vehicle with fresh water. He says Lurie's plan is shortsighted. There is not enough housing available and many prefer to live in an RV overstaying at a shelter, which may have restrictive rules. For Bollinger, who is able-bodied, maintains a clean space and has no dependents, moving to a shelter would be a step down, he says. Still, he expects to receive a permit. "If housing were affordable, there is a very good chance I wouldn't be out here," he said. City recently closed its only RV lot RV dwellers say San Francisco should open a safe parking lot where residents could empty trash and access electricity. But city officials shuttered an RV lot in April, saying it cost about $4 million a year to service three dozen large vehicles and it failed to transition people to more stable housing. The mayor's new proposal comes with more money for beefed-up RV parking enforcement — but also an additional $11 million, largely for a small number of households to move to subsidized housing for a few years. Officials acknowledge that may not be sufficient to house all RV dwellers, but notes that the city also has hotel vouchers and other housing subsidies. Erica Kisch, CEO of nonprofit Compass Family Services, whichassists homeless families, says they do not support the punitive nature of the proposal but are grateful for the extra resources. "It's recognition that households should not be living in vehicles, that we need to do better for families, and for seniors and for anyone else who's living in a vehicle," she said. "San Francisco can do better, certainly."

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

San Francisco bans homeless people from living in RVs with new parking limit

San Francisco bans homeless people from living in RVs with new parking limit SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco banned homeless people from ...

Read More

Erik Menendez in hospital, diagnosed with serious medical condition: Family

Erik Menendez in hospital, diagnosed with serious medical condition: Family

Erik Menendez, 54, is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, his family confirmed to ABC News. The condition has not been disclosed. Erik and Lyle Menendezwere resentenced in May to 50 years to life in prison, which makes them eligible for parole -- the latest step in a yearslong battle for the brothers trying to get released after 35 years behind bars. MORE: Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom The brothers have a parole hearing on Aug. 21. His attorney, Mark Geragos, appeared on TMZ calling for Erik Menendez's immediate release. "It's a serious condition," Geragos told TMZ. "I just think he should be parole furloughed, I think is the proper term, and he could be medically furloughed in advance of the hearing so that he can work with the parole attorney and get up to speed and be ready and do it and give it his best shot. I think that it's the only fair and equitable thing to do," he said. Erik and Lyle Menendez were initially sentenced to life without the possibility of parolefor the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has fought against their release, calling the brothers' claims of self-defense part of a litany of "lies." But the brothers have the support of over 20 family members in their efforts to be freed.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

Erik Menendez in hospital, diagnosed with serious medical condition: Family

Erik Menendez in hospital, diagnosed with serious medical condition: Family Erik Menendez, 54, is in the hospital and has been diagnosed wit...

Read More

Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show Ended

Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show Ended

Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show Endedoriginally appeared onParade. Jeremy Allen Whitereunited with a formerShamelessco-star in a heartfelt moment that has fans missing the hit Showtime series. White, 34, met up with actor and musicianEthan Cutkoskyat theHappy Gilmore 2World Premiere in New York City on July 21, perPaper Magazine. The publication shared anInstagram postof the onscreen brothers posing for a photo at the event, along with the caption, "The only reunion that matters BTW 💙." Fans were quick to react to the nostalgia-inducing link-up, with one writing, "The boyssss <3." "I miss watching you guys 🥺," another fan commented. "Beautiful support of each other," a third said. "The duo we love," another fan expressed. Even Subway took to the comments section with three Star-Struck emojis. Cutkosky, 25, is set to appear in the upcoming film, which premieres on July 25. He and White both starred inShamelessthroughout its 11-season run, which spanned the course of a decade. Acclaimed actor White played the role of Lip Gallagher, while Cutkosky portrayed one of his younger brothers, Carl Gallagher. The TV pair also shared brother Ian Gallagher, played byCameron Monaghan, and half-brother Liam Gallagher, played byChristian Isaiah. Emmy RossumandEmma Kenneystarred as their sisters, Fiona and Debbie Gallagher. The drama series follows the Gallagher siblings as they navigate life with their semi-absent single father, Frank Gallagher (played byWilliam H. Macy). Shameless, which is based on a British series of the same name, premiered in 2011 and concluded in 2021. It built a strong fan base throughout its run and is still a highly popular show, even four years after its final episode aired. All 11 seasons are available for streaming on Netflix. The drama's Netflix description states, "This dramedy based on a British series centers on siblings in a dysfunctional Chicago family who struggle while coping with their alcoholic father." Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show Endedfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 22, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show Ended

Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show Ended Beloved Showtime Co-Stars Share Sweet Reunion Years After the Show ...

Read More

Blake Lively Subpoenas Her Online Critics — Is It Fact-Finding or Intimidation?

Blake Lively Subpoenas Her Online Critics — Is It Fact-Finding or Intimidation?

McKenzie Folks, a stay-at-home mom, has been posting on TikTok for about a year. For the past several months she has focused on the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni legal case, giving her opinions into a sequin-covered spatula that she uses as a microphone. On July 10, she received a notice from Google that Lively's attorneys had submitted a subpoena for heraccount information. At first, she thought it was a phishing scam. But it was real — Lively was seeking to prove that she was part of Baldoni's digital army. More from Variety Blake Lively Suffers Blow in 'Smear Campaign' Claim as Judge Dismisses Case Against Justin Baldoni's Social Media Guru Jed Wallace Blake Lively Wins Ruling That Her Deposition in Justin Baldoni Case Will Be Held on Her Turf Justin Baldoni Can Seek Messages Between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively, Judge Rules "It's baffling," Folks says. "I never talked to anybody in the industry. I'm from Kansas." The Lively-Baldoni battle is a classic celebrity feud. But Lively is doing something new by trying to unmask her online detractors — whom she claims are doing Baldoni's bidding. Lively is suing in federal court, alleging that her "It Ends With Us" co-star unleashed an online smear campaign against her in retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment on set. Her lawsuit, which is scheduled to go to trial in March, alleges that the online campaign is ongoing. Lively's attorneys have also sent subpoenas to X and to individual critics of hers, including Andy Signore, Perez Hilton and Candace Owens. The case has echoes of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial of 2022, in which Heard faced a barrageof criticism online. Elaine Bredehoft, who represented Heard, argues that much of it was planted by Depp's team. (Depp's team has denied that.) "They basically annihilated her," Bredehoft says. "I think it's great that Blake Lively's legal team is trying to get in front of it. How else do you fight this?" But many of the targets of the Lively subpoenas argue that she has crossed the line and is trying to silence sincere criticism. "They're just offering their opinions like anyone else has the right to do," says attorney John Genga, who represents entertainment journalist Kjersti Flaa, who also got a Google notice. "We think it's invasive. It's designed to intimidate these people, many of whom don't have the means to fight it." A spokesperson for Lively says that subpoenas are an evidence-gathering tool, not an accusation of wrongdoing. "There is no silencing of content creators; they are obviously making their views known," the spokesperson said. "The subpoenas to social media companies are one piece of the puzzle to connect the evidentiary dots of a campaign that was designed to leave no fingerprints." The Google subpoenas seek account information for 16 YouTubers, including names, emails, IP addresses, physical addresses and bank account and credit card numbers. Some of the targeted accounts are anonymous, though many other creators post under their real names. Several of the creators toldVarietythat they are simply covering the legal filings, and have not been in touch with either side. "This case has escalated to being about so much more than it was originally," Flaa says. "Now it's about freedom of speech on the internet." Folks got interested in the case after reading the initial filings. She concluded that Lively's claims of harassment didn't stand up, and that Baldoni was being bullied by powerful celebrities — Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. "We root for the underdog," she says. Folks can't afford to hire a lawyer to fight the subpoena, so she wrote her own motion to quash. "I feel like I'm in 'The Twilight Zone,'" she says. "This is totally a scene out of a movie — some millionaire actress coming after someone. It's very daunting." Gregory Doll, a Los Angeles attorney who has been following the case, says it is "foolhardy" to go after creators. Many of them have already turned the subpoenas into content — using them to build up their followings and their authority on the case. "I think she is trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer," Doll says. "It's an absolute PR backfire in a profound sense." If Lively is being targeted by a more sophisticated bot attack, it will be almost impossible to peel back the layers to discover who's behind it, he says. "I'm going to fight them tooth and nail," says Signore, who is producing a documentary on thecase. "This is nonsense." Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

Blake Lively Subpoenas Her Online Critics — Is It Fact-Finding or Intimidation?

Blake Lively Subpoenas Her Online Critics — Is It Fact-Finding or Intimidation? McKenzie Folks, a stay-at-home mom, has been posting on TikT...

Read More