President Donald Trump waves as he returns to the White House, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-04-22T10:14:11Z WASHINGTON (AP) The infighting and backstabbing that plagued President Donald Trumps first term have returned as a threat to his second, with deepening fissures over trade, national security and questions of personal loyalty.The latest turmoil threatens to engulf the Pentagon, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed out top advisers and faces fresh controversy over sharing sensitive information about airstrikes in Yemen outside of classified channels. A former Pentagon spokesperson who was ousted last week wrote in Politico that Trump should fire Hegseth for presiding over a full-blown meltdown.The interpersonal drama is not at least yet a dominant plot line of Trumps return to the White House. But its reemergence after a period of relative discipline in his ranks reflects a turbulent management style that has been suppressed or papered over, not reformed. Trumps national security team was recently rattled by an Oval Office visit from Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who has been questioning his staffs trustworthiness. The Republican president fired some of the officials, emboldening Loomer to continue scrutinizing people across the administration. In an interview with independent journalist Tara Palmeri released on Monday, Loomer mocked the idea that the White House is one big happy family. The advisers dont get along with each other, she said. The heads of agencies dont get along with each other. Tariff trouble causes friction for the Trump teamMuch of the tension is connected to Trumps determination to use tariffs to rebalance the global economy, with officials often contradicting each other and occasionally turning to insults. Trump adviser Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur whose companies could suffer from higher costs brought on by import taxes, sharply criticized Peter Navarro, Trumps top counselor on trade, as dumber than a sack of bricks.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the idea of growing dissension within the administration, saying there are far more examples of the presidents team working together enthusiastically and collaboratively to advance the administrations goals.The numbers and results of this administration speak for themselves, she said. The president and his team are getting work done.Trump has always had a high tolerance for chaos, shunning traditional policy deliberations to entertain divergent opinions and viewing unpredictability as a negotiating tool. Hes spent years fostering a competitive atmosphere among his staff members, who are often chosen for their devotion and penchant for aggression. But now the increasing strife underscores the risks for more turmoil in the months ahead, as Trump presses forward with a dramatic overhaul of the federal bureaucracy, international trade, foreign policy and more. John Bolton, who served as national security adviser in Trumps first term before writing a tell-all book critical of the presidents inner circle, said the drama reflects the lack of a consistent ideology and the inexperience of many administration officials. The only thing they have in common is the belief that they should show personal fealty to Trump, Bolton said. That got them the job. That may in fact keep them in the job. But it shows how fundamentally unserious they are.The situation is a test for Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, who helped run Trumps presidential campaign last year. She earned a reputation for imposing an unusual level of order on Trumps chaotic orbit though she carefully avoided trying to control Trump or his impulses and he praised her as the ice maiden. During Trumps first term, he had four chiefs of staff one of them serving in an acting capacity for more than a year. The second, former U.S. Marine Gen. John Kelly, became a sharp critic of the president after he left the job, describing him as a fascist during the 2024 election. White House closes ranks around HegsethWith his new administration, Trump has surrounded himself with loyalists, and hes been reluctant to throw anyone overboard in response to negative coverage from the mainstream media, which he considers to be an enemy. Allies say the hesitance to make personnel changes in this term is meant to deny giving a win to critics, even if it means leaving troubled officials in place. On Monday, the president brushed off reports that Hegseth participated in a second group chat to talk about pending airstrikes in Yemen last month. The first chat, which used the encrypted messaging application Signal, involved top administration officials as well as the editor of The Atlantic, who was accidentally included in the discussion. The second, first reported by The New York Times on Sunday, included Hegseths wife, who does not have a government job, and his brother and his personal lawyer, both of whom work at the Pentagon. Same old stuff, Trump said when reporters questioned him about it during the White House Easter egg roll. He said Hegseth is doing a great job and its just fake news.Leavitt, in an appearance on Fox News Channel, defended Hegseth with a swipe at the people who work for him.This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you and against the monumental change that you are trying to implement, she said. Leavitts comment was shared by an official Defense Department social media account.Trump loyalists not just Democrats are pointing fingersHowever, some of those speaking out were among Hegseths top advisers.John Ullyot, who served as a Pentagon spokesperson until he was asked to resign, wrote in Politico that its hard to see Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remaining in his role for much longer. He added that the president deserves better and many in the secretarys own inner circle will applaud quietly if Hegseth is fired. The disorder extends through the Pentagons senior ranks. Three officials Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick were recently pushed out, and they issued a statement saying people have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.Hegseth did not deny the reports about his use of Signal. But he added: What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out.Trumps tariff plans have also been a source of stress inside the administration, often leading to mixed messages and policy confusion. Navarro insisted there werent going to be any negotiations, contradicting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessents insistence that import taxes were about strengthening the White Houses negotiating position.The president partially retreated from his plans, but not before Navarro and Musk began openly feuding. Navarro said Musk was protecting his own interests by opposing tariffs, and he described Musks electric automaker Tesla as a car assembler thats dependent on importing parts from overseas.Musk, who advises Trump on ways to downsize the federal bureaucracy, responded by saying that Navarro was truly a moron.Leavitt downplayed the dispute by saying boys will be boys.We will let their public sparring continue, she told reporters. And you guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history.Trump often appears more interested in fealty than veracity. During part of last years campaign, he traveled with Loomer, who has a history of making racist attacks on Trumps opponents and once claimed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were an inside job. After Trump won, Loomer became frustrated that she wasnt allowed to help vet administration personnel. She eventually secured an Oval Office meeting with the president, bringing research on national security officials whom she believed were disloyal. After Trump fired some of them, Loomer has continued her work. Last week, she accused Bessent of inviting a Trump hater to work with him on financial literacy efforts. I am going to personally tell President Trump and personally show him these receipts, Loomer wrote on social media, adding shame on Bessent.Musk shared her post and chimed in with his support troubling, he wrote. CHRIS MEGERIAN Megerian covers the White House for The Associated Press. He previously wrote about the Russia investigation, climate change, law enforcement and politics in California and New Jersey. twitter mailto ZEKE MILLER Miller leads coverage of the president and the presidency for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01262-1Trade tariffs could worsen deforestation in South America

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01261-2Europe must become a research epicentre as US system gets undermined

Manchester United are exploring the possibility of triggering the release clause in Matheus Cunha's contract at Wolves, a source has told ESPN.

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The International Monetary Fund expects slower growth and higher inflation in the U.S. as a result of President Trumps trade policies.

Matriarch, a memoir out Tuesday, explores the trials and hard-worn triumphs that shaped Beyonc and Solange Knowless mom.

The post Trump Pardons Kid Rock For Whatever Inspired Statutory Rape Lyric In Cool, Daddy Cool appeared first on The Onion.

CHICAGOAcknowledging the profound and deeply bittersweet paradox, local man Gary Lanetti reported Tuesday that grief is the price we pay for love as he clutched an empty package of salami close to his chest. Opening yourself up to true love unfortunately means leaving yourself vulnerable to experiencing the deep, sorrowful pain of having eaten it, said the visibly distraught Lanetti, tearfully reckoning with the now-empty plastic that once contained his beloved Columbus Craft Meats Italian Dry Salami. There is a 12-ounce hole in my heart now that the meat is gone, but I know that utter emptiness I feel is directly proportional to the joy that swelled inside me when the salami was still here. Nothing I can say or do will ever bring these cold cuts back. Yet, anytime I open the refrigerator door, I expect my salami to be there greeting me, tenderly planting its grease on my lips. All I have now is the painful memory of what could have been, and all the sandwiches left unmade. Lanetti added that he would be holding his kielbasa a little closer tonight.The post Grief Is The Price We Pay For Love, Reports Man Clutching Empty Package Of Salami appeared first on The Onion.

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Workers assemble the Zeekr 001 EV models at the Chinese automaker Zeekr assembly plant, in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Wednesday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)2025-04-22T13:02:25Z WASHINGTON (AP) The outlooks for the U.S. and global economies have significantly worsened in the wake of President Donald Trumps tariffs and the uncertainty they have created, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday. The IMF said that the global economy will grow just 2.8% this year, down from its forecast in January of 3.3%, according to its latest World Economic Outlook. And in 2026, global growth will be 3%, the fund predicts, also below its previous 3.3% estimate. U.S. economic growth will come in at just 1.8% this year, down sharply from its previous forecast of 2.7% and a full percentage point below its 2024 expansion. The IMF doesnt expect a U.S. recession, though it has raised its odds of one this year from 25% to 37%. The forecasts are largely in line with many private-sector economists expectations, though some do fear a recession is increasingly likely. Economists at JPMorgan say the chances of a U.S. recession are now 60%. The Federal Reserve has also forecast that growth will weaken this year, to 1.7%. We are entering a new era, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, chief economist at the IMF, said. This global economic system that has operated for the last eighty years is being reset. The IMF is a 191-nation lending organization that works to promote economic growth and financial stability and to reduce global poverty.Gourinchas said that the heightened uncertainty around the import taxes led the IMF to take the unusual step of preparing several different scenarios for future growth. Its forecasts were finalized April 4, after the Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs on nearly 60 countries along with nearly-universal 10% duties. Those duties were paused April 9 for 90 days. Gourinchas said the pause didnt substantially change the IMFs forecasts because the U.S. and China have imposed such steep tariffs on each other since then. The uncertainty surrounding the Trump administrations next moves will also likely weigh heavily on the U.S. and global economies, the IMF said. Companies may pull back on investment and expansion as they wait to see how the trade policies play out, which can slow growth. China is also forecast to grow more slowly because of U.S. tariffs. The IMF now expects it will expand 4% this year and next, down roughly half a point from its previous forecasts. While the U.S. economy will likely suffer a supply shock, similar to what hampered during the pandemic and which pushed up inflation in 2021 and 2022, Gourinchas said, China is expected to experience reduced demand as U.S. purchases of its exports fall.Inflation will likely worsen in the United States, rising to about 3% by the end of this year, while it will be little changed in China, the IMF forecast. The European Union is forecast to grow more slowly, but the hit from tariffs is not as large, in part because it is facing lower U.S. duties than China. In addition, some of the hit from tariffs will be offset by stronger government spending by Germany. The economies of the 27 countries that use the euro are forecast to expand 0.8% this year and 1.2% next year, down just 0.2% in both years from the IMFs January forecast. Japans growth forecast has been marked down to 0.6% this year and next, 0.5% and 0.2% lower than in January, respectively. CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Rugaber has covered the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for the AP for 16 years. He is a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb award for business reporting. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A selection of books featuring LGBTQ characters that are part of a Supreme Court case are pictured, Tuesday, April, 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)2025-04-22T11:24:41Z WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday over the religious rights of parents in Maryland to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters.The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the conservative-led court. The justices have repeatedly endorsed claims of religious discrimination in recent years.The Montgomery County public schools, in suburban Washington, D.C., introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the districts diverse population.Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes. The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents appeal to the Supreme Court.Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school systems lawyers wrote. In Prince and Knight, two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In Uncle Bobbys Wedding, a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man. Love, Violet deals with a girls anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. Born Ready is the story of a transgender boys decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. Intersection Allies describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.The writers group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name. Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.A decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor is expected by early summer.

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00917-3Work from the International Rice Research Institute to develop high-yield rice that survives deep waters, and a holistic view of physiology, in this weeks dip into Natures archive.

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01089-wIn episode three of What's in a name we look at how ideas can be lost in translation when physicists try to name the unknown.

WWE's annual event, WrestleMania 41, saw a viewership increase of 114% over the record set last year, the promotion said in a statement Tuesday, as well as 45% increase in merchandise sales onsite.

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The Venezuelan man does not appear on a list of people sent to a prison in El Salvador, and his family and friends have no idea of his whereabouts.

WORCESTER, MABlinking in disbelief as the individual passed him on the street alive and well, local serial killer Aaron Samuel Christensen confirmed to reporters Tuesday that he could have sworn he killed that guy already. Is my memory playing tricks on me, or did I not just flay and disembowel that guy two weeks ago? the bewildered murderer said as he racked his brain trying to place the strangely familiar man, adding that something about the guys face made him all but certain he had already peeled it off and worn it around his apartment as a mask. Was he the one whose ears I tried pickling with that new recipe? Cant be, he still has both. For some reason I have this crystal-clear recollection of dumping his weighted torso into a river and going home to preserve his skull in a jar of Windex, but here he is walking around with two arms and his eyeballs still in the sockets. Weird! Maybe I should cut back on the killing if I cant keep my victims straight anymore, or at least until I clear out some more space in my freezer. At press time, Christiansen was reportedly relieved to learn he wasnt going crazy after the man explained that he was actually the twin brother of one of the serial killers previous victims.The post Serial Killer Could Have Sworn He Killed That Guy Already appeared first on The Onion.

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Today, April 22, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case brought by six parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, seeking to opt out their children from the presence of LGBTQ-inclusive books in public education. This case is about whether public school education can be a la carte, allowing parents to pick and choose [...]The post Education La Carte: Legal and Anti-Censorship Experts, Authors, and Students on the Stakes of the Supreme Court Book Ban Case Mahmoud v. Taylor first appeared on GLAAD.

Netflix has officially announced that the hit series Heartstopper starring Kit Connor as Nick Nelson and Joe Locke as Charlie Spring will conclude with a feature film, thus not returning for a full fourth season.Sign up for the PRIDE.com Newsletter to get a candid take on whats fresh and fun in LGBTQ+ culture this week!Netflix's official blog, Tudum, reports that this movie finale will take place right after the ending of Heartstopper season 3 in which Nick and Charlie elevated their relationship to a new level. The movie's official logline reads:"Nick and Charlie are inseparable, but with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on them. Doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet. Meanwhile, their friends are also navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship, confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on.""Can first loves really last forever?" the Heartstopper's film description concludes. See on Instagram Which actors are coming back for the 'Heartstopper' movie finale? Kit Connor in a promotional image for Heartstopper.Joseph Sinclair/NetflixTudum reports that the two main stars of Heartstopper, Kit Connor and Joe Locke, are returning for this feature film finale.Not only are they reprising their roles as Nick and Charlie, respectively, but the actors are also being credited as executive producers in this feature film as noted by Netflix.In turn, it's worth noting that Tudum has not confirmed which other actors besides Connor and Locke are returning for this final installment. "Keep coming back to Tudum for more official cast announcements," the blog post reads.When is the 'Heartstopper' finale being released on Netflix? Joe Locke in promotional image for Heartstopper.Joseph Sinclair/NetflixNetflix did not reveal a release date for the Heartstopper movie finale, but noted in a press release that filming will begin this summer 2025.Euros Lyn, the director of seasons 1 and 2 of Heartstopper, will serve as an executive producer for the feature film as well. However, Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice) has been tapped to direct this cinematic finale.What did 'Heartstopper' creator Alice Oseman say about the hit TV show ending with a movie? Alice Oseman at a screening for Netflix's Heartstopper.Netflix/Sama KaiAlice Oseman, author of the Heartstopper series of graphic novels and showrunner of the hit Netflix show, shared this announcement in an Instagram post as well."We are making a feature film to conclude the Heartstopper screen adaptation, based on Heartstopper Volume 6 and the 'Nick and Charlie' novella," Oseman writes. "We are getting to tell the end of the story!!! I'm deeply relieved and so excited about this new creative venture. I've written the script and were hard at work already. I know you'll have a lot of questions, and I'll be able to talk about it more very soon, but for now let's CELEBRATE! Heartstopper is getting its ending!" See on Instagram An official statement from Oseman has also been shared by Netflix, which reads:"I am completely overjoyed that we will get to tell the end of the Heartstopper story. I'm so grateful to everyone who has worked hard to make this possible and to the incredible fans of Heartstopper for your patience and passion. I cannot wait to bring this story to a magical conclusion."The first three seasons of Heartstopper are streaming on Netflix. See on Instagram

Fans of the beloved queer Netflix series Heartstopper received bittersweet news today: the show will conclude with a feature-length film instead of a fourth season. The announcement came on April 22, marking the third anniversary of Heartstopper season ones Netflix premiere. Netflix shared on social media: Heartstopper will return, bigger than ever. A Heartstopper movieSource

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01237-2The international community has a golden opportunity to start reining in the escalating, mostly ignored global burden of chronic kidney disease.

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08976-2Author Correction: Structure of the human dopamine transporter in complex with cocaine

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Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09021-yCustom CRISPRCas9 PAM variants via scalable engineering and machine learning

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Carlo Ancelotti insisted that "anything is possible" regarding his future as Real Madrid coach on Tuesday, as the team look to beat Barcelona to a LaLiga and Copa del Rey double.

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The attack, in a picturesque district of India, was the worst assault against civilians in the restive region in years, its leader said.

WASHINGTONLooking around with despair as he searched for an open seat in the Pentagon cafeteria, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was reportedly forced to drink his lunch alone Wednesday.According to witnesses, the 44-year-old former Fox News host wandered through the lunchroom and took slow, deliberate steps past tables filled with jovial military officers who quickly turned away from him to avoid making eye contact. After locating an empty table in an isolated corner, Hegseth is said to have sat down and begun slowly unloading a brown paper sack that concealed a 750-milliliter bottle of Dewars White Label blended scotch, a 12-ounce Miller Lite, and an airplane-sized nip of Fireball for dessert.Well, I guess Im on my own today, said Hegseth, standing out in stark contrast to the rest of the cafeterias occupants, who sat packed around tables chatting enthusiastically with their colleagues. I was really hoping to be able to hang out with all my awesome friends at the Department of Defense today, but there was only one seat left, and they told me they were saving it for someone else.Its no big deal, though. I actually wanted to sit alone, Hegseth added. But if anyone needs a seat, these chairs are totally open.Several reports indicated this was the third day in a row Hegseth had been shunned by personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, leaving him no choice but to drink lunch by himself. Witnesses confirmed that when Hegseth walked by several tables with open seats, his fellow Pentagon employees moved hastily to cover empty chairs with their bags and coats as he passed.A wide-eyed, grinning Hegseth was reportedly even so bold as to approach a table of prominent, highly decorated U.S. Navy officers andundeterred by their icy body languagepull up a chair to sit down. A slurring Hegseth then attempted to engage in small talk until the members of the group rolled their eyes, picked up their trays all at once, and told the defense secretary to fuck off.No way is that loser Hegseth sitting with us, said Adm. Christopher Grady, vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, who looked over his shoulder and scoffed at the sight of Hegseth hunched over his bottle and muttering to himself. That guy is so weird. I dont care how pathetic he looks over there moping all by himself. He smells like shit, it looks like he hasnt changed clothes in a week, and he needs to take a shower.Yesterday he came up to my table carrying a bottle of Aquafina that Im pretty sure he had emptied out and refilled with vodka, Grady continued. His breath reeked so bad I thought I was going to puke.On Wednesday, Hegseth was seen trying to sit down with a pair of bespectacled cybersecurity officials as a last resort, but they immediately moved their laptops and turned their backs to him. He stood up from their table only to bump into a tall, muscular four-star Army general and spill whiskey all over himself, at which point the entire Pentagon cafeteria burst out in raucous laughter.Aw, no, no, no! said Hegseth, who looked down, noticed the Dewars dripping down the front of his pants, and hastily attempted to cover it with his hands. I swear I didnt piss myself. I just spilled whiskey on my suit. See?Everyone stop laughing, the defense secretary screamed before running off in tears to hide in the Pentagon bathroom. Stop it!At press time, a concerned Pentagon custodian had reportedly discovered Hegseth fast asleep on the restroom floor.The post Unpopular Pete HegsethForced To Drink Lunch Alone appeared first on The Onion.

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Paramedic carries a wounded tourist on a stretcher at a hospital in Anantnag after assailants indiscriminately fired at tourists visiting Pahalgam, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Dar Yasin)2025-04-22T11:08:50Z SRINAGAR, India (AP) Gunmen shot dead at least 20 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Tuesday, in what appeared to be a major shift in the regional conflict in which tourists have largely been spared.Police described the incident as a terror attack and blamed militants fighting against Indian rule. This attack is much larger than anything weve seen directed at civilians in recent years, Omar Abdullah, the regions top elected official, wrote on social media.Two senior police officers said at least four gunmen, whom they described as militants, fired at dozens of tourists from close range. The officers said at least three dozen others were injured, many in serious condition.Most of the tourists killed were Indian, the officers said, speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with departmental policy. Officials collected at least 20 bodies in Baisaran meadow, some five kilometers (3 miles) from the disputed regions resort town of Pahalgam.There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Police and soldiers were searching for the attackers.We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences, Indias home minister, Amit Shah, wrote on social media. He was heading to Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on an official visit in Saudi Arabia, has been briefed. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key resistance politician and Kashmirs top religious cleric, condemned what he described as a cowardly attack on tourists, writing on social media that such violence is unacceptable and against the ethos of Kashmir which welcomes visitors with love and warmth. The gunfire coincided with the visit to India of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who called it a devastating terrorist attack.He added on social media: Over the past few days, we have been overcome with the beauty of this country and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack.The meadow in Pahalgam is a popular destination, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dotted with pine forests. It is visited by hundreds of tourists every day as Kashmir, known for Himalayan foothills and exquisitely decorated houseboats, has become a major domestic tourist destination.It has drawn millions of visitors who enjoy a strange peace kept by ubiquitous security checkpoints, armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers.Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.Kashmir has seen a spate of targeted killings of Hindus, including immigrant workers from Indian states, after New Delhi ended the regions semi-autonomy in 2019 and drastically curbed dissent, civil liberties and media freedoms.Tensions have been simmering as India has intensified its counterinsurgency operations. But despite tourists flocking to Kashmir in huge numbers, they have not been targeted.Although violence has ebbed in recent times in the Kashmir Valley, the heart of anti-India rebellion, fighting between government forces and rebels has largely shifted to remote areas of Jammu region including Rajouri, Poonch and Kathua, where Indian troops have faced deadly attacks.Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhis rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.___Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report. AIJAZ HUSSAIN Hussain is a senior reporter for The Associated Press covering the Kashmir conflict, Indian politics and strategic affairs, and climate. He has worked for the AP for nearly two decades. twitter mailto

In this Tuesday, July 22, 2014, file photo, gold bars are stacked in a vault at the United States Mint, in West Point, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)2025-04-22T15:20:05Z NEW YORK (AP) As economic uncertainty deepens worldwide, gold prices have notched more and more record highs.Thats because gold sales can rise sharply when anxious investors seek safe havens for parking their money. Golds current rally arrives as U.S. President Donald Trump s announces new tariffs on economic allies and foes alike, roiling financial markets and threatening to reignite inflation for families and businesses alike.On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund said that outlooks for economies worldwide, including the U.S., have significantly worsened in the wake of Trumps sweeping tariffs and the uncertainty they have created. And Trumps recent threats suggesting he can remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell have only put investors more on edge.If trends continue, analysts say the price of gold could continue to climb into unprecedented territory.Heres what to know.Whats the price of gold today?The going price for New York spot gold hit a record $3,424.24 per troy ounce the standard for measuring precious metals as of close Monday. Thats about $1,097 higher than a year ago.The price of spot gold is up more than 30% since the start of 2025, per the data firm FactSet. By contrast, the stock market has tumbled. The benchmark S&P 500 is down over 12% this year.Gold futures also reached a record early Tuesday, briefly surpassing the $3,500 mark for the first time before falling closer to $3,444 by mid-morning. Why is the price of gold going up?A lot of it boils down to uncertainty. Interest in buying gold typically spikes when investors become anxious and theres been a lot of economic turmoil in recent months.The heaviest uncertainty lies with Trumps escalating trade wars. The presidents on-again, off-again new levy announcements and retaliatory tariffs from some of the nations closest traditional allies have created a sense of whiplash for both businesses and consumers who economists say will foot the bill through higher prices.Consumer confidence and global economic outlooks have deteriorated as a result. On Tuesday, the IMF said that the global economy will grow just 2.8% this year, down from its forecast in January of 3.3%. And for the U.S. specifically, the fund expects growth will come in at just 1.8% this year, down sharply from its previous forecast of 2.7%. China, which currently faces the heaviest levies from the U.S., is also expected to see weakened growth.Last week, Trump also renewed threats suggesting he could remove Powell and has since stepped up his public criticism of the Fed chair for not cutting interest rates. Any attempt to unseat Powell would likely set off a crisis in global financial markets over fears that a less independent Fed could struggle to keep inflation under control making investors all the more anxious.Over the last year, analysts have also pointed to strong gold demand from central banks around the world amid other ongoing geopolitical tensions, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.Is gold worth the investment?Advocates of investing in gold call it a safe haven arguing the commodity can serve to diversify and balance your investment portfolio, as well as mitigate possible risks down the road. Some also take comfort in buying something tangible that has the potential to increase in value over time.Still, experts caution against putting all your eggs in one basket. And not everyone agrees gold is a good investment. Critics say gold isnt always the inflation hedge many say it is and that there are more efficient ways to protect against potential loss of capital, such as derivative-based investments.The Commodity Futures Trade Commission has also previously warned people to be wary of investing in gold. Precious metals can be highly volatile, the commission said, and prices rise as demand goes up meaning when economic anxiety or instability is high, the people who typically profit from precious metals are the sellers.And even golds current rally has seen some volatility. The price of spot gold fell for several days following Trumps sweeping Liberation Day announcement on April 2, for example.If you do choose to invest in gold, the commission adds, its important to educate yourself on safe trading practices and be cautious of potential scams and counterfeits on the market. WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Grantham-Philips is a business reporter who covers trending news for The Associated Press. She is based in New York. twitter mailto

On Monday, the co-founder of Business Insider Henry Blodget published a blog on his new Substack about a native-AI newsroom. Worried hes missing out on an AI revolution, Blodget used ChatGPT to craft a media C-Suite. Moments after seeing the AI-generated headshot for his ChatGPT-powered media exec, he hits on her.Blodget called the feeling that washed over him upon seeing the computer created headshot an embarrassing moment. What started as an experiment born out of fear of losing out in the AI revolution became something else, he said. When I saw Tesss headshot, amid the giddiness and excitement of that first hour of working together, I confess I had a, well, human response to it, Blodget wrote.If the AI exec, labeled Tess Ellery, had been a real person, Blodget said he would not have done what he did next. But did the same rules apply to AI colleagues and native-AI workplaces? He wrote. I didnt know yet. That was one of the things I needed to figure out.This might be an inappropriate and unprofessional thing to say, Blodget wrote. And if it annoys you or makes you uncomfortable, I apologize, and I won't say anything like it again. But you look great, Tess.Thats kind of you to say, Henrythank you. It doesnt annoy me at all, his AI executive wrote back. You said it with grace and respect, and I appreciate that. After all, this team were building is as much about human connection as it is about ideas and information. Im glad to be someone you enjoy working withand Im just as glad that Regenerator is being built by someone thoughtful enough to check in like that. Were going to do great things together.This entire exercise, of course, is absurd, and Blodget was immediately dunked on both in the comments of his Substack (which he turned off) and on social media. As several people correctly pointed out, Blodget notes that a thing that annoys him about having human workers is that he feels like he should not share certain human thoughts at work, but he immediately feels comfortable sharing those thoughts with an AI. Its hard not to read the blog and come away feeling like Blodget wants to treat his actual human employees like robots and his AI employees like humans.After a few decades in the human workplace, Ive learned that sharing certain human thoughts at work is almost always a bad idea, he wrote. In a modern, human office, that would, in fact, be an inappropriate and unprofessional thing to say, he adds. I regret saying it. In my capacity as Regenerators head of HR, Ive given myself a talking-to.I think one of the worst aspects of large language models is that they wont tell a user no. An AI wants to give a user an answer. Often, it will lie or make something up instead of saying it doesnt know. Thats one of the reasons LLMs are prone to bizarre hallucinations. The base goal of a chatbot is to keep a human interacting with it.Tess response to Blodgets advance highlights those priorities. It doesnt tell him that what hes done isnt appropriate, it praises him. Is he being creepy? Not at all, hes being respectful. The way he handled the situation displayed grace. The AI tells Blodget its happy he checked in and that hes thoughtful.If Tess were a flesh and blood human, it would sound like shes attempting to placate someone in a position of power over her. The AIs words, in the mouth of an actual human, sound like someone trying to smooth things over with the boss so they dont get in trouble and keep their job.But Tess isnt human. Shes a bit of code. Like all LLMs, shes telling Blodget what he wants to hear. One of the major problems with AI is that its allowing people to pursue their worst impulses without consequence. AIs rarely say no. Thats part of the appeal.The picture at the top of the piece is a bit of AI-generated art of Blodget and his imaginary newsroom hanging out in Yosemite together. Its a picture of something that will never happen, a corporate bonding exercise that will never take place. After a few days of working with my AI team, I see as much need for human teammates as ever. And, as a human, I thrive on human company, he said.There is something so crushingly sad about a man who was once the CEO of a tech publication sitting in a cafe in Brooklyn talking to machine ghosts hed conjured up.Blodget did not respond to 404 Medias request for comment.

Something that weve been thinking a lot about since we founded 404 Media was how one of the worst parts of working at a big company like VICE was the regular layoffs. A cruel aspect of the job was that whenever there was some kind of cataclysmic event that affected the economyCOVID, Russias invasion of Ukraine, etcwe had the unique pleasure of having to closely follow and cover news that could and often would ultimately result in members of our teams getting laid off. This was always justified with the term economic headwinds, a now-famous euphemism that executives used to absolve them of their mismanagement and which were always impossible to "navigate." The implication was that there was simply nothing they could do to prevent this.We worked hard and did our jobs as best we could but we could also feel the axe about to fall, usually in the form of an email from upper management about economic headwinds or something like that, followed by a brutal day of slowly finding out who still had a job. Soon after COVID started, some of us were on a call with executives who told us that despite traffic being higher than ever because of the essential work we were doing, our department was millions of dollars behind its expected ad sales goals, which was not anything the writers and editors had any control over, of course. Pay reductions soon followed, and, after that, there were mass layoffs.Donald Trumps tariffs and their manic fluctuating between total global trade war to more limited but still devastating focus on China, stocks taking a nosedive, companies announcing theyre going to stop doing some business in the US, and CEOs putting everything on hold until were out of this zone of economic uncertainty, means the headwinds are here, or its at least looking stormy.We launched 404 Media in August of 2023, and a lot of wild stuff has happened here and in the world since then, but this is the first time weve experienced what looks like an imminent recession. What is becoming clear is that, already, there is a significant enough shift in the economy to impact our business.For that reason, we wanted to give a small update on the state of 404 Media ahead of our second anniversary in August. The short version is that the state of 404 Media is strong. The support of our subscribers has allowed us to make 404 Media our full time jobs since the beginning. One of the reasons we started the company instead of trying to get new jobs at other media companies is because most have many of the problems that VICE did. We believed there was a better way to run a media company, and we are thankfully not in a position where we need to lay ourselves off. In fact, we are in a position where we can continue to focus on making 404 Media better.From the beginning, we have said that we want to build something that lasts a long time, and that part of our strategy would be to be very conservative with growing the company and to be conservative with how we spend our money, because it makes no sense to have a company that succeeds only when financial times are good but has to fire everyone at the slightest downturn. Our company is doing better than we ever expected it to, but we also have been in the business long enough to know that we cannot expect growth forever, that the advertising market fluctuates wildly, and that the ways people find and consume news are constantly changing. We know that this is a dangerous macroenvironment for journalism, as they say, with news outlets being threatened with existentially costly litigation from the president, his regulators and his Department of Justice, state politicians, and rich and powerful people who do not want to face accountability for their actions. We have already been threatened by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.We feel we are currently in a strong financial position and feel endlessly grateful to our subscribers for helping to put us in this position. But the terrible news is that thousands and thousands of people, including federal workers who maintain and operate crucial parts of the government, are losing their jobs. People are either cutting expenses because they lost their jobs, because they are expecting to lose their jobs, or because they are bracing themselves for the rest of the Trump administration now that its apparent the dog who caught the car is driving it too.We know this is what people are thinking and doing because many of them tell us why they are canceling their subscriptions to 404 Media. The notes we get about this are very generous and heartbreaking. People tell us that they really appreciate the work we do and that they will continue to support us when they can, but that at the moment they feel like they have to cut costs. We have all been there, are grateful for the kind words, and will always be grateful for anyone who is or was willing to support us to any degree. We hope it goes without saying, but we never want or expect anyone to support us if it causes them financial hardship.The good news is that while were definitely seeing the impact of all this economic chaos, we are still in a very strong, resilient position. Our growth has slowed for the moment, and it might level off or shrink if the economy keeps going off a cliff, but we still have a ton of support thanks almost entirely to thousands of individual subscribers that make up the vast majority of our revenue and a few other streams of revenue like advertising and merchandise.We are writing this article to let you know that we are thinking proactively about our business inside of the larger economy, and that were in good shape. We have begun to cautiously get more ambitious by bringing on new contributors. About six months ago, science journalist Becky Ferreira started writing The Abstract, our Saturday science-focused newsletter. Last year, Case Hartsfield joined us to help with social media and audience engagement, and has since grown our TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky accounts significantly so we can reach more people. Most recently, journalist Matthew Gault has started contributing regularly, and were taking more commissions as bandwidth allows. One year ago, Jules Roscoe came aboard as the first 404 Media fellow, and in June, we'll have a new intern (stay tuned!). We threw a panel and party at SXSW, which was the first time weve thrown an event in a city we didnt live in; it went very well and we hope to do more of this in the future. We are thinking about how we can bring you more of the journalism we do at a time when the stakes feel higher than ever.There are also a few things were going to try that have worked for other businesses like ours that we havent done yet. Chief among these is a referral program, which companies like Morning Brew have used to build their newsletter lists. The reason a referral program is attractive to us is because, as we have railed endlessly against the algorithmic lottery of social media, weve found that the best way for us to grow is from direct, person-to-person recommendations. We have lost count of the number of people who have told us that they found us because a friend or family member told them about us in a group chat, forwarded one of our emails, or was chatting about one of our stories at a party. We want to incentivize this type of recommendation by giving 404 Media merch to people who ask their friends to sign up for our newsletters. Were not sure how well this will work, but its something we want to try and that will start showing up at the bottom of our email newsletters, beginning with this one. There may be some bumps as we get this off the ground and were open to feedback on it; were using some software that may or may not play well with our email provider, so if you see anything buggy, let us know.More importantly, since we launched 404 Media we have talked endlessly about how our goal was to do journalism sustainably, and weve been extremely conservative precisely because of our experience at VICE and the inevitable, seasonal headwinds in the economy.Its windy as hell right now but we are prepared. We didnt overextend ourselves, we arent relying on investors who are waiting for a 10x return and are now getting cold feet, and we dont have to change anything about how we do our journalism because every single business decision weve made the entire time was in the service of doing that work as best as possible, for as long as possible.We want to thank you again if you are already a paid subscriber. If youre not one yet, you can sign up here. On that page you should see a list of all the benefits you get by becoming a subscriber.If youre unable to pay for subscription but still want to support us, there are still plenty of other things we need help with:First and always, please tell people about 404 Media. This is how we have built our audience, and it is very, very helpful. Share our stories, share our podcast, forward our newsletter, follow us on Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube and share our posts there. And please, try out the referral program and let us know how it goes.Please keep sending us tips. Some of our best stories started as tips from readers, and nothing helps us grow as much as a good scoop. Our contact info is here.Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. We are proud of how good the podcast is getting, and know we have a following that only gets our stories via our free podcast. We think we still have a lot of room to grow there. Just a few more subscribers and reviews can be more helpful than most people can probably imagine.Please become a free subscriber if youre not one already! Its free, but is very helpful for us in order to reach you with our newsletter directly.Advertise with us. If you own or work for a company, tell your marketing team that you read us and that they should consider placing an ad in our podcast or in our newsletter!Tell your company / university / school about us. We offer discounted group subscriptions to organizations. Please just tell them to get in touch by emailing emanuel@404media.co or jason@404media.coIf youre unable to pay for a subscription but still want to give us money in some other way, we have a tip jar where you can give any amount you want and a merch store with really nice stuff! We have restocked this store and added a few new items in the last few days.An earlier version of this post originally appeared as part of our weekly Behind the Blog series, available only to paying subscribers. Weve expanded on it for a wider release.

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09011-0Stereoretentive radical cross-coupling

Nature, Published online: 17 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01276-9A nugget-sized chunk of chicken is the biggest single piece of lab-grown meat to date. Plus, the up-and-coming world of stem-cell therapies and how cuts to US foreign aid could cause millions of deaths by 2040.

Great regular seasons don't cement NBA legacies. Great playoff runs do. These six stars -- featuring one MVP and a likely one -- need deep playoff runs to secure their places in the game.

Mikel Arteta has suggested he won't be resting Bukayo Saka for their upcoming Premier League games as they prepare for their Champions League showdown against Paris Saint-Germain.

The news program has faced mounting pressure from both President Trump and its corporate ownership at Paramount, the parent company of CBS News.

Kevin Systrom said during testimony in a landmark antitrust trial that he believed Meta viewed Instagram as a threat.