By Deborah Kyvrikosaios and Liliana Salgado ATHENS/PHOENIX Greece closed the ancient Acropolis during the hottest part of the

Severe thunderstorms bombarded the Phoenix area Thursday night, knocking out power for more than 30,000 homes and businesses in Arizona while threatening flash flooding and dust storm conditions.

President Joe Biden has condemned the “hysterical” threats against LGBT+ communities across the US, following a historic surge in state-level legislation targeting LGBT+ people, particularly trans youth, and a rise in homophobic and transphobic rhetoric and abuse. His remarks alongside UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 8 June followed the announcement of a White House strategy to protect LGBT+ rights and safety, including the launch of a LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and federal support for affirming mental healthcare and LGBT+ youth in foster care and LGBT+ youth experiencing homelessness. The Biden administration also is directing the US Department of Education to address the spike in book bans and challenges to library materials that are disproportionately by and about LGBT+ people. “Our fight is far from over, because we have some hysterical and I would argue prejudiced people who are engaged in all of what you see going on around the country,” the president said in remarks from the White House. “It’s an appeal to fear and it’s an appeal that is totally, thoroughly unjustified and ugly,” he said. The president also urged Congress to pass the Equality Act, which has languished in the US Senate after its passage, twice, in the US House of Representatives. “I’m not giving up on this,” Mr Biden added. That landmark legislation would extend discrimination protections to LGBT+ people in federal civil rights law by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity across federally protected public accommodations and facilities, including employment, education and housing. “It’s wrong that a person can be married in the morning in the United States and be fired in the afternoon by their employer because they’re gay,” Mr Biden said. “It’s wrong that the violence and hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people is rising. It’s wrong that extreme officials are pushing hateful bills, targeting transgender children, terrifying families, and criminalising doctors,” he added. “These are our kids. These are our neighbours. It’s cruel. It’s callous.” The president was set to announce the White House plan for federal LGBT+ protections at a Pride event on Thursday afternoon, but it was postponed due to air pollution from Canadian wildfires blanketing the East Coast. Over the last several years, Republican state lawmakers have introduced hundreds of state-level bills impacting LGBT+ people, including 220 bills specifically targeting trans and nonbinary Americans and their healthcare, according to the Human Rights Campaign’s analysis. More than 75 such bills have been signed into law. At least 19 states have enacted laws or policies banning affirming healthcare for young trans people against the guidance of health providers and major medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. LGBT+ communities also have reported increased threats of violence, discrimination and harassment, parallel to volatile rhetoric that has consumed right-wing media, social media platforms and debate among Republican elected officials, including in the halls of Congress, where House Republicans have advanced legislation mirroring the anti-LGBT+ bills dominating state capitols. “You’re loved, you’re heard, and this administration has your back,” Mr Biden said in his remarks, addressing LGBT+ communities. “We are not relenting one single second to make sure you’re protected.” Read More Rachel Levine on Congress bigots, Don’t Say Gay and life as Biden’s top trans official: ‘Despair doesn’t motivate change’ Biden’s troubled journey on LGBT+ rights is a ‘beautiful thing’, top US diplomat says America’s largest LGBT+ civil rights group issues ‘state of emergency’ across US

A high-level Chinese government delegation is headed to North Korea this week, believed to be the highest-level representatives from Beijing to visit Pyongyang since the isolated country closed its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic.

'It's really cool that she not only makes time but space for them in her home,' a fan said, praising Maddie

When Zhen Hua 15 — a heavy load cargo carrier sailing from the East China sea — unloads

Ongoing strength at its theme parks and an improving streaming business propelled The Walt Disney Co. to higher profits and revenue in its fiscal second quarter

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis admitted in an interview with NBC News that former president Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, as he seeks to recalibrate his campaign. Mr DeSantis initially told NBC News’s Dasha Burns in an interview that will air on NBC Nightly News on Monday evening that whoever is inaugurated on 20 January is considered the winner, in a dodge answer. “Whoever puts their hand on the Bible on Jan 20 every four years is the winner,” he said. When pressed, Mr DeSantis said that President Biden defeated Mr Trump. “No, of course he lost,” he said of Mr Trump. “Joe Biden’s the president.” Meanwhile, Mr Trump had a meltdown on Sunday night where he attacked President Joe Biden, striker Megan Rapinoe and “wokeness” for the US’s unexpected early defeat in the Women’s World Cup. The former president took to Truth Social to bizarrely claim the loss was a sign of the influence “Crooked Joe Biden” has had on the nation. He also somehow blamed the “WOKE”-ness and cruelly trolled Rapinoe for missing a penalty. Read More Judge tosses Trump's defamation suit against writer who won sexual abuse lawsuit against him Rudy Giuliani selling $6.5m NYC apartment as legal woes pile up Judge dismisses Trump defamation lawsuit against E Jean Carroll for CNN statements Trump asks supporters heavily leading question about participating in GOP debate Ron DeSantis admits ‘of course’ Donald Trump lost the election

By Ismail Shakil OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada recorded a smaller-than-expected trade deficit in July, as a West Coast dock workers' strike

Thieves steal two truckloads of expensive bubbly but the loot is recovered after a high-speed chase.

Drones laden with explosives hit a military college graduation ceremony in Syria's western city of Homs on Wednesday, leading to dozens of causalities, Syria's defense ministry said in a statement.

When Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivers a high-profile speech Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, many analysts think he could make one thing clear: That the Fed plans to keep its benchmark interest rate at a peak level for longer than had been expected