Florida revs up voter suppression machine

The culture shifters who are shaping our future.

By Liza Hearon TOP STORIES   Friday, April 30 FLORIDA LAWMAKERS PASS DRACONIAN VOTING RESTRICTIONS Florida's GOP leadership looks set to follow Georgia's lead in clamping down on voting, even though former President Donald Trump won the state in November. Legislation restricting voting by mail and banning giving food and water to voters waiting in line now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis. [AP]   SHERIFF: WILDFIRE IGNITED TO COVER UP MURDER A Northern California blaze in 2020 was deliberately set to cover up the murder of a woman, Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara said. Now the man charged in that killing, Victor Serriteno, 29, of Vacaville, is facing additional charges in the deaths of two fire victims. [HuffPost]   DOZENS KILLED IN STAMPEDE IN ISRAEL A stampede at a religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed at least 44 people and injured about 150 early Friday. It was one of the country's deadliest civilian disasters. [AP]   CHICAGO POLICE WATCHDOG TALLIES MISCONDUCT Chicago's police oversight group found nearly 100 alleged instances of misconduct stemming from a violent, botched raid on social worker Anjanette Young's home in 2019. The investigation's report describes massive deficiencies in police policies and training. [HuffPost] COVID-19 stranded me on a cruise ship for four months. How to talk to someone who doesn't make eye contact. The most common ways the pandemic has affected mental health. Feel like rage-quitting? Here's how to productively channel that anger. Get the latest coronavirus updates on our dedicated page ANTI-TRANS YOUTH BILLS ADVANCE AS BIDEN SPEAKS As Biden called for the passage of the Equality Act during his speech to Congress, lawmakers in Florida and West Virginia advanced anti-transgender legislation. 2021 is shaping up to be the most dangerous year on the books for the LGBTQ community, writes HuffPost's Alanna Vagianos. [HuffPost]   AMAZON'S PANDEMIC BOOM KEEPS GOING Amazon said its first-quarter profit more than tripled from a year earlier, fueled by the growth of online shopping. Amazon's growth comes as it faces activism from within its workforce, but a measure to unionize a warehouse in Alabama was voted down. [AP]   WHAT'S BREWING   MEET THE CULTURE SHIFTERS Spend some time with these stunning portraits and profiles of Culture Shifters 2021, HuffPost's annual list of artists, activists, entertainers and entrepreneurs who are shaping today's culture — and changing the way we think about the world around us. These leaders are doing the work to make change, adding levity to our lives and inspiring others to do the same. [HuffPost]   RUDY GIULIANI GIVES FIRST INTERVIEW ABOUT FBI RAID Rudy Giuliani appeared on Fox News to share his side of the story after the FBI raided his home on Wednesday, and it pretty much went exactly how you'd expect. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump called in to Fox Business and described the raid as "like, so unfair." [HuffPost]   POTENTIAL CONFLICTS WITH BIDEN'S NO. 2 INTERIOR PICK Tommy Beaudreau, Biden's nominee for the second-highest position at the Department of the Interior, has a list of potential conflicts of interest that rivals that of Trump-era Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Beaudreau's client list as an attorney and partner includes former clients in the coal, oil, gas and renewable energy sectors. [HuffPost]   LABOR DISPUTE LOOMS OVER KENTUCKY DERBY A group of unionized workers at Churchill Downs, the Louisville racetrack that hosts the Kentucky Derby, says the company that owns the track has refused to meet their demands for modest raises and increases to pension benefits. With the Derby on Saturday, Louisville's labor movement is gearing up for the possibility of a work stoppage, protests, or any other job action. [HuffPost]   LADY GAGA'S ALLEGED DOGNAPPERS ARRESTED Five people have been arrested in the shooting of Ryan Fischer, Lady Gaga's dog walker, and the kidnapping two of the singer's beloved French bulldogs, according to the Los Angeles Times. The LAPD said that detectives "do not believe the suspects were targeting the victim because of the dogs' owner," but rather "knew the great value of the breed of dogs." [HuffPost] THE BEST OF THE REST  The coming conflict between introverts and extroverts. Still getting your head around digital currency? So are central bankers. Why America is running low on chicken. Meet Gojira, the metal band confronting the climate crisis. Horrifying photos show how dire the COVID-19 surge in India is. BEFORE YOU GO They were stuck atop Britain's tallest coaster, then had to walk 200+ feet down. Trevor Noah is over Republicans' tired complaints about Biden speech. Michael Cohen predicts Giuliani will flip on Trump. Sex toy company receives award from queen for fitting reason. As a woman in construction, I give people homes because I never truly had one. Gabrielle Union talks baby Kaavia's free sprit. Anne Heche says Ellen DeGeneres didn't want her to "dress sexy." Anne Douglas, widow of Kirk Douglas, dead at 102. How parents of trans kids are explaining anti-trans legislation. The joy of being a "one and done" family. Joni Ernst's "liberal fantasy island" stunt goes off the rails. Big duck makes Twitter splash for false fact, but no harm, no foul. In other words: DROP EVERYTHING AND LOOK AT THIS DUCK!  Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? — Subscribe here!   ©2021 HuffPost BuzzFeed, Inc 111 E 18th St, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost   Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe