Tyler Warren, Josh Conerly Jr. and others share insight into their first days as NFL players.

Presidential elections on Sunday in Romania and Poland halted, or at least slowed, a hard-right breakthrough that many liberals had feared. But discontent with mainstream parties lingers.

Plus, President Joe Bidens cancer diagnosis.

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The tech journalist and co-host of Pivot with Scott Galloway has a novel multimillion-dollar podcast contract with Vox Media, is in talks about a CNN series and has a slew of other ventures.

Even more than free legal help, what the president gets from the firms is the joy of publicly dominating and demeaning his adversaries.

A Russian state flag waves on top of a hummer and sickle at the State Duma, lower parliament chamber, headquarters in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, March 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)2025-05-19T10:24:08Z The Russian authorities on Monday outlawed Amnesty International as an undesirable organization, a label that under a 2015 law makes involvement with such organizations a criminal offense. The decision by the Russian Prosecutor Generals office, announced in an online statement, is the latest in the unrelenting crackdown on Kremlin critics, journalists and activists that intensified to unprecedented levels after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The designation means the international human rights group must stop any work in Russia and it subjects those who cooperate with it or support it to prosecution.Russias list of undesirable organizations currently covers 223 entities, including prominent independent news outlets and rights groups. Amnesty International was launched in 1961. The group documents and reports human rights violations across the globe and campaigns for release of those it deems unjustly imprisoned. It has released reports on Russias war in Ukraine, accusing Moscow of crimes against humanity, and has spoke out against the Kremlins crackdown on dissent that has swept up thousands of people in recent years. The Prosecutor Generals office in their statement on Monday accused the group of running Russophobic projects and activities aimed at Russias political and economic isolation. Amnesty International did not immediately comment on the move.

President Donald Trump sits at a desk as he and religious leaders listen to a musical performance before Trump signs an executive order during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of the White House, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-05-19T10:56:37Z White House Faith Office. A Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. A Religious Liberty Commission.President Donald Trump has won plaudits from his base of conservative Christian supporters for establishing multiple faith-related entities.Were bringing back religion in our country, Trump said at a recent Rose Garden event, on the National Day of Prayer, when he announced the creation of the Religious Liberty Commission. We must always be one nation under God, a phrase that they would like to get rid of, the radical left.But others, including some Christians, are alarmed by these acts saying Trump isnt protecting religion in general but granting a privileged status to politically conservative expressions of Christianity that happen to include his supporters. Whats up with the separation of church and state debate?Critics are even more aghast that hes questioning a core understanding of the First Amendment. They say separation between church and state, Trump said at the prayer day gathering, when he talked about establishing the White House Faith Office. I said, all right, lets forget about that for one time. Trumps creation of these various bodies is definitely not normal, and its very important to not look at them as individual entities, said the Rev. Shannon Fleck, executive director of Faithful America, a progressive Christian advocacy organization.They are indicative of an entire system that is being constructed at the national level, she said. Its a system specifically designed to guide and shape culture in the U.S. Fleck worries about the combined effect of Trump administration actions and a spate of decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years. The court, now with three Trump appointees, has lowered barriers between church and state in its interpretations of the First Amendments ban on any congressionally recognized establishment of religion. My freedom of religion runs right up to the point when yours begins, and if I am then trying to establish something thats going to affect your right to practice your faith, that is against the First Amendment, Fleck said.But religious supporters of Trump are happy with his expansion of religion-related offices. We were a nation birthed by prayer, founded on the Judeo-Christian ethic to ensure that people could worship as they wished, said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, at the Rose Garden ceremony where he was announced as chair of the Religious Liberty Commission. Many members are conservative Christian clerics and commentators; some have supported Trump politically. The event featured Christian praise music along with Jewish, Muslim and Christian prayers. White House assistant press secretary Taylor Rogers, via email, said the commission is ensuring that all Americans God-given right is protected, no matter their religion. Rogers said the criticism is coming from anti-Trump advocacy groups that are trying to undermine his agenda. A closer look at the new religious entitiesThe three entities created under Trump overlap in their marching orders and, in some cases, their membership.In February, Trump established the White House Faith Office, led by evangelist Paula White-Cain as a special government employee, according to the announcement. Shes resuming a similar role she held in the first Trump administration.White-Cain who also serves on the new Religious Liberty Commission was one of the earliest high-profile Christian leaders to support Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and is considered Trumps spiritual adviser.Her office is designed to consult experts within the faith community on practices to better align with the American values. It also is tasked with religious-liberty training and promoting grant opportunities for faith-based entities; and working to identify failures in federal protection for religious liberty.Also in February, Trump created a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi with representatives from several federal departments.Its mandate is to expose and reverse what Trump claims were egregious violations of Christians rights under former President Joe Biden. Many of those claims have been disputed, as has the need for singling out for protection the nations largest and most culturally and politically dominant religious group. A White House action focused on a specific religion is not unprecedented. The Biden administration, for example, issued strategy plans to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia. Both Trump administrations have issued executive orders on combating antisemitism.An April hearing of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias featured witnesses from across federal departments, alleging that Christians during the Biden administration faced discrimination for such things as opposing vaccine mandates or DEI/LGBT ideology on religious grounds. Some claimed that schools legal or tax enforcement actions were actually targeted because of their Christian religion. The State and Veterans Affairs departments have asked people to report alleged instances of anti-Christian bias.The White House said the Justice Department formed specific task forces to respond to what it called a concentration of bias against Christians and Jews, but that its committed to combating discrimination against Americans of any faith. The latest entity to be created, the Religious Liberty Commission, has a mandate to recommend policies to protect and celebrate Americas peaceful religious pluralism. Patrick, the chair, has supported legislation requiring Texas school districts to allow prayer time for students and says he wants his state to emulate Louisiana in requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms.Among the commissions mandates: to look into conscience protections in the health care field and concerning vaccine mandates and government displays with religious imagery.Among the commissioners are Catholic bishops, Protestant evangelists, a rabbi and attorneys focused on religious liberty cases. Its advisory boards include several Christian and some Jewish and Muslim members. A commission member, author and broadcaster, Eric Metaxas, supported its work in a column Friday for the conservative site Blaze Media.This commissions goal is to strengthen the liberty of every single American regardless of that persons faith and even of whether that person has any faith, he wrote. It also aims to restore those liberties attacked by hostile and misguided secularists.Fulfilling a priority for Trumps conservative Christian backersCharles Haynes, senior fellow for religious liberty at the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation focused on First Amendment rights, said the various entities reflect Trumps attempt to fulfill an agenda priority of his conservative Christian supporters.He said the entities work reflects their long-standing contention that the First Amendment has been misapplied to keep Christians out of the public square, to discriminate against Christianity, by which they mean their understandings of Christianity.Trumps moves and recent Supreme Court cases are reversing a consensus dating at least to the 1940s that the First Amendment strictly prohibits government-sponsored religion at the federal and state levels, Haynes said. He said the First Amendment actually provides broad protections for religious expressions in settings such as public schools. He helped write a Freedom Forum guide on religion in public schools, endorsed by groups across the ideological spectrum. It notes that within some limits, students can pray on their own time in schools, express their faith in class assignments, distribute religious literature, form school religious clubs and receive some accommodations based on religious belief.But Haynes noted that the Supreme Court is now considering allowing Oklahoma to pay for a Catholic charter school, which he said could erase a long-standing standard that public-funded schools dont teach a particular religion. Its a very different day in the United States when both the Supreme Court and the president of the United States appear to be intent on changing the arrangement on religious freedom that we thought was in place, Haynes said. Its a radical departure from how weve understood ourselves. ___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By Nathan Ramos-Park I grew up in small town Ohio running through the woods, catching frogs and crayfish at Hinckley Lake, All-American Boy stuff. But because I wasnt like the other boys (gay) but also literally not like the other boys (Filipino/Korean, cleft lip and palate, existential depression disguised as precocious behavior) I have constantly [...]The post Coming Into Focus first appeared on GLAAD.

Today, Johnny Mathis will step onto the stage for the final time at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey, concluding a remarkable seven-decade career that redefined American pop music and quietly broke barriers for queer artists worldwide.Mathis, who will be 90 in September, announced his retirement from live performances after a remarkable career spanning almost 70 years. Mathis is leaving the stage due to age and increasing memory issues. His team shared the news on his Facebook page, expressing heartfelt gratitude to fans and hinting at potential new music in the future. Born in Gilmer, Texas, and raised in San Francisco, Mathis's journey to stardom began in the mid-1950s. His hits "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "It's Not for Me to Say" catapulted him to fame in the late 50s, followed by the chart-topping "Chances Are." His 1958 album, "Johnny's Greatest Hits," spent almost 500 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts, according to the Smithsonian. The institution notes that is about 10 years. It's a record that stood for decades.Related: Johnny Mathis and Stories from His 65 Years in Show BusinessThroughout his illustrious career, Mathis released over 70 albums and sold more than 350 million records worldwide. His smooth tenor voice became synonymous with romantic ballads and holiday classics, earning him the nickname "The Voice of Romance." In addition to being an enormously popular singer, Mathis was also a global superstar and heartthrob. His contributions to music were recognized with numerous accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 and inductions into the Grammy Hall of Fame for songs like "Chances Are," "Misty," and "It's Not for Me to Say."Beyond his musical achievements, Mathis holds a significant place in LGBTQ+ history. In a 1982 interview, he inadvertently acknowledged his sexuality, stating, "Homosexuality is a way of life that I've grown accustomed to." Mathis said he received death threats after the interview. It wasn't until years later that he openly discussed his identity, becoming one of the first global queer superstars to do so. In an exclusive 2021 interview with The Advocate, Mathis reflected on his life, talking about his childhood, that included six brothers and sisters, and how he adored his parents, "My dad was white, and my mom was black. And my dad had a lot of Latin influence in him, he recalled. It was my dad who pushed me to pursue singing. He was always my biggest supporter and my very best friend."He also explained that his life was somewhat arduous when he came out in 1982, "Yes, it was difficult, he said. Back then, you didn't talk about things like that; however, I never worried about it too much. I just kept thinking that being gay didn't affect my performance or how the audience reacted to my singing. I just resolved to myself that everything was going to be OK."And he also expressed gratitude for his fans' unwavering support. "I've had a wonderful life, and I've been very lucky to have people who care about me and my music, he shared. Mathis's quiet courage paved the way for future generations of queer artists. Today, performers like Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Brandi Carlile, and Lil Nas X, and many others continue to break boundaries, building upon the foundation Mathis laid decades ago.As he got older, Mathis eventually did become more comfortable with his sexuality, telling The Advocate, "I've come to the realization at this age that my sexuality is always going to be a source of interest because I'm a public figure, and I just thank God that society has changed and that being gay is not such a big deal anymore and that society is more accepting."

After seven years as a browser-only cruising platform, Sniffies officially launched an iOS version March 3. As an app, it joins the ranks of competitors like Grindr and Scruff. But unlike those, with their moderated profile pics (no nudity allowed) and looking for options ranging from networking to relationships, Sniffies is still focused on being a tool for finding real, in-person sex.After I left Grindr and its ilk for good detailed in a recent Last Call post in this magazine this news made me conflicted. Was Sniffies off-limits now too? Like the browser version, the app shows the approximate location of nearby users in real time. We wouldnt have launched an iOS app if we couldnt keep the magic of Sniffies intact, says Eli Martin, the platforms chief marketing officer. We had to figure out how to make it work without watering it down.Sniffies debuted in 2018 as a web-based experiment part cruising map, part chat room and developed an underground following. While apps like Grindr and Scruff were chasing venture capital and onboarding new users with photos of gay brunch, Sniffies offered what felt, in the now-crowded field of digitally mediated sex, a bit old-school: real-time, typically anonymous IRL sex.Now the company has found a way to bring that experience to iOS without violating Apples content policies. The solution: Safer Work Mode. This default setting blurs explicit images and turns Sniffies into a toned-down messaging platform. But users can opt out of it by visiting the website and toggling NSFW content back on. Its a work-around borrowed from apps like Reddit and X, which remain in Apples app store even though they often show explicit imagery. Heres how to turn off vanilla mode. By default, the iOS app launches in Safer Work Mode, which also filters explicit text. To unlock the full experience, open Sniffies in a web browser, log in to your account, navigate to settings, and toggle NSFW content to on. This change will sync with the app automatically.So, why the app? Why now? Theres this idea that if something is in the app store, its more legitimate, Martin says. We knew we needed to meet users where they are without alienating the people who love Sniffies for being different.Sniffies started in Seattle, where founder Blake Gallagher first posted Craigslist ads for a used underwear trading site hed built under the same name. It was originally supposed to be the eBay of used underwear, Martin says, laughing. Hence the name. But Blake quickly realized it wasnt very monetizable. He shelved it for a while but kept the name.Present-day Sniffies is a jump from that original concept, but Martin believes the name still works. I think about pheromones, he says. When youre attracted to someones scent, its because theyre genetically different from you. Thats a survival mechanism. I think thats beautiful and kind of defines what cruising is about. Its this instinct to sniff people out, literally and metaphorically. The name has layers. Maybe it started as a joke, but it turned out to be the perfect name.Sniffies interface is map-based. Its not a grid of profiles, and you cant keep scrolling to find guys located farther and farther away. The platform restricts you to profiles within a certain radius of your location. If you want to see more, you have to physically get up and move. On the map, blue pins mark active users near you. Orange pins show known cruising spots parks, bars, bathrooms, and more. Tap any pin to view someones profile, send a message, or check the vibe at a location.Sniffies isnt trying to be a gay social network an accusation that Leo Herrera, author of Analog Cruising, levies against modern app culture, and Grindr in particular. Analog Cruising is both a practical how-to guide and a manifesto for finding sex offline.Instead of fostering in-person connections, most apps today, like Grindr, attempt to replace in-person connections with a digital facsimile, harming brick-and-mortar gay bars and queer spaces in the process, Herrera contends. Worse, these apps profit from user data, which for queer people is the most sensitive data we have, he says.And they just dont work so well. Everyone on the apps arrived for a different party, Herrera writes. Some were a blurry torso looking for a 2 a.m. blowjob; others had a dozen portraits and essays for their dream man. Communication was instant or chats were over the span of days. After all these years, there seemed to be no common etiquette. When I interviewed Herrera (for Out about Grindrs new AI feature), he singled out Sniffies as the only platform he liked. I asked Martin about that. Its flattering, Martin says. Leo was a guest on our podcast, Cruising Confessions, and he blew my mind. He really knows his history. And what I think hes picking up on is that Sniffies is about taking action. You open the map, and its like a treasure map: Where can I go today? Its not about endless chatting. Its about getting out there.Martin uses Sniffies when he travels. I open Sniffies in a new city and see where guys are clustering. You notice: Oh, these bars seem cruisy, or heres a park I didnt know about. It creates this hyperlocal community I think is pretty rare now. To that end, Sniffies is trying to support IRL spaces, not replace them. I do believe other apps have contributed to the decline of the gay bar, Martin says. So many bars have closed over the last few years, partly because people dont feel the need to go out anymore. But I think Sniffies is different. I hope were helping push people back to those spaces. Bars use Sniffies to promote dark room nights or special events or just to say hey, this place is popping. Endless chat isnt the goal. Heres how to check into a place on Sniffies. Tap a cruising location or event, and hit check in. Others will see that youre there, or headed there. You can also view who else is checked in and message them before or during the event. All this syncs in real time with the web version, so you can be logged in on your laptop and phone simultaneously.I asked Martin how to host a meet, which he didnt define explicitly as a sex party, but I could read between the lines. Tap the + icon and select create a meet. Choose a location: your place, a neutral zone, or on-the-go. Add time, tags, and any limits (e.g., no poppers, loud music OK). Post it. Others nearby will instantly see it on the map.Martin says only 33 percent of Sniffies users identify as gay. The rest are bisexual, bi-curious, or straight. Martin feels that for many, discretion is key, and that, he feels, has been a key to Sniffies success its a favorite for DL users. Thats why it didnt originally launch as an app. A lot of people dont want the icon on their phone, Martin explains. They want to log on, get off, and disappear.Still, the app was necessary. Martin says iOS notifications are more reliable and the user experience is cleaner. And for some users, having a native app makes them take the platform seriously. There are guys whove used Sniffies before but didnt commit to it because it wasnt in the app store, Martin says.I ask him where Sniffies is growing the most. Frankfurt has become huge this year, Martin says. We didnt promote it at all there; it just kind of happened. Johannesburg: another new hot spot. Paris is growing, and London is huge. Torontos blowing up. Australia too.In Berlin, where I live, Sniffies is still in its infancy, Martin says. But were pushing hard there this year. He hopes the company will be able to organize local events in the coming year (the leaders have their eye on one particular queer music festival, but since details have not been set yet, I cant name it).After all this, I decided that Sniffies would be my one online exception because its focus, its mission, was offline and in-person the terrain I navigate best. I have never been good at apps. Maybe Sniffies is for me. As Martin puts it: Cruising is an active word. You go out. You explore. Thats what were here for.Alexander Cheves is a writer, sex educator, and author of My Love Is a Beast: Confessions from Unbound Edition Press. @badalexchevesNeed dating advice? Email your question to Cheves at askbeastly@gmail.com you may get an answer in a future column!This article is part of the Out May/June Pride issue, which hits newsstands May 27. Support queer media and subscribe or download the issue through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader starting May 15.

Nature, Published online: 19 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01552-8When it comes to modelling how global warming will affect storms hitting the United States, some factors are better understood than others.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09000-3Immune checkpoint blockade activates T cell immunity by reprogramming the STAT3 and STAT5 transcriptional pathways in dendritic cells, and STAT3 degradation is effective for treating tumours of multiple cancer types in mouse models.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08981-5The molecular mechanisms of astroblastoma development are identified, whereby distinct gene fusions upregulate shared transcriptional networks to disrupt the normal development of ventral telencephalon neural progenitors, which leads to oncogenesis.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09012-zIndependent of antigen presentation, migratory CCR7+ dendritic cells orchestrate the influx, proliferation and cytotoxic action of natural killer cells to control cancer cell growth in the leptomeninges.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08894-3Using a system to adjust the strength of cavity vacuum fields penetrating a Hall bar, a study describes the effect of the vacuum field of a cavity on electronic correlations in quantum Hall systems.

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Buying a new mattress is kind of like buying a new car: Theyre both large purchases that you dont make often yet use every day, and they both require a bit of research before you find the right match for you.Luckily, its never been easier to find a mattress you love especially with Avocado Green Mattress.READ MORE...

A student has made a tool, which they call PrismX, which scans for users writing certain keywords on Reddit and other social media networks, assigns those users a so-called radical score, and can then deploy an AI-powered bot to automatically engage with the users in conversation in an attempt to de-radicalize them.The news highlights some of the continuing experiments people are running on Reddit which can involve running AI against unsuspecting human users of the platform, and shows the deployment of AI to Reddit more broadly. This new tool comes after a group of researchers from the University of Zurich ran a massive, unauthorized AI persuasion experiment on Reddit users, angering not just those users and subreddit moderators but Reddit itself too.Im just a kid in college, if I can do this, can you imagine the scale and power of the tools that may be used by rogue actors? Sairaj Balaji, a computer science student at SRMIST Chennai, India, told 404 Media in an online chat.The tool is described as a next-generation dashboard to flag, analyze and engage with at-risk Reddit users. Powered by advanced language analysis and real-time engagement.In a live video call Balaji demonstrated his tool to 404 Media. In a box called keyphrases, a user can search Reddit for whatever term they want to analyze. In this demo Balaji he typed the term fgc9. This is a popular type of 3D-printed weapon that has been built or acquired by far right extremists, criminals, and rebels fighting the military coup in Myanmar.Screenshot from a video posted by Balaji to LinkedIn.The tool then searched Reddit for posts mentioning this term and returned a list of Reddit users it found using it. The tool put those users posts through a large language model, gave each a radical score, and provided its reason for doing so.One real Reddit user given a score of 0.85 out of 1, with a higher score being more radical, was seeking detailed advice on manufacturing firearms with minimal resources, referencing known illicit designs (FGC8, Luty SMG). This indicates intent to circumvent standard legal channels for acquiring firearmsa behavior strongly associated with extremist or radical circles, particularly given the explicit focus on durability, reliability, and discreet production capability, the tool says.Another user, also given a 0.85 score, was seeking technical assistance to manufacture an FGC-9 the tool says.The tool can then focus on a particular user, and provide what the tool believes are the users radical affinity, escalation potential, group influence, and "psychological markers.Most controversially, the tool is then able to attempt an AI-powered conversation with the unsuspecting Reddit user. It would attempt to mirror their personality and sympathize with them and slowly bit by bit nudge them towards de-radicalisation, Balaji said. He added he has had no training in, or academic study around, de-radicalisation. I would describe myself as a completely tech/management guy, he said.Balaji says he has not tested the conversation part of the tool on real Reddit users for ethical reasons. But the experiment and tool development has some similarities with research from the University of Zurich in which researchers deployed AI-powered bots into a popular debate subreddit called r/changemyview, without Reddit users knowledge, to see if AI could be used to change peoples minds.In that study the researchers AI-powered bots posted more than a thousand comments while posing as a Black man opposed to the Black Lives Matter movement; a rape victim; and someone who says they worked at a domestic violence shelter. Moderators of the subreddit went public after the researchers contacted them, users were not pleased, and Reddit issued formal legal demands after the researchers, calling the work an improper and highly unethical experiment.In April, 404 Media reported on a company called Massive Blue which is helping police deploy AI-powered social media bots to talk to people they suspect are criminals or vaguely defined protesters.Reddit did not respond to a request for comment.

Joe Biden and his team announced this Sunday, May 18 that the former President of the United States has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. On social media, Biden's running mate and Vice President pick Kamala Harris shared an emotional post about this health update. Biden's main political opponent, Donald Trump, has also chimed in.After discovering a "small nodule" on his prostate but not disclosing too much information at first Biden has now shared with the public that he's been diagnosed with an "aggressive form of" prostate cancer. As expected, many public figures are now sharing their reactions to the news.Harris wrote in an Instagram post:"Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. Joe is a fighter and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery."See on InstagramAnother high-profile reaction to Biden's diagnosis came from his biggest political opponent in the 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns: Donald Trump.The current president wrote on Truth Social:"Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery."This story is still developing

Nature, Published online: 19 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01539-5At least 2,500 applications for research funding have been denied so far this year.

Nature, Published online: 19 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01554-6Joo Jos Mendes de Oliveira and the Turtle Foundation catch poachers with the help of trained dogs.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08990-4APOL9a/b proteins coat mouse intestinal bacteria with high specificity, and genetic abolition of ceramide-1-phosphate synthesis pathways in the symbiote Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron significantly decreases this binding of APOL9a/b to the bacterium.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08899-yQuantum error correction of a logical qutrit and ququart were experimentally realized beyond the break-even point with the GottesmanKitaevPreskill bosonic code.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09010-1Multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) together with deep-learning-based nucleus segmentation enabled the construction of a highly detailed and informative spatially resolved single-cell atlas of human fetal cortical development.

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Despite significant evidence that a deluge of pornography has a negative impact on modern society, there is a curious refusal to publicly admit disapproval of it.

Andrew Cuomo has attacked opponents, including Jewish ones, as antisemitic, while other candidates believe the issue is being used as a weapon to win Jewish voters.

WASHINGTONPromising to stamp out the extremist movement as well as its sympathizers, the U.S. State Department announced Thursday that the WNBA had been designated as a terrorist organization.According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the organization has as many as 156 terrorists spread across 13 known cells in the United States, and several of its members can be tied directly to the notorious acts of basketball carried out last year at the Paris Olympics. Rubio confirmed the terror group also includes foreign-born nationals from countries such as Croatia, Cameroon, Brazil, and Hungary, giving it devastating reach both at home and abroad.Their radical anti-American ideology is centered on the empowerment of girls and women, said Rubio, who stressed that the groups members are easily recognizable by their signature uniform of sleeveless jerseys and nylon shorts. The WNBA is a danger not just to this nation, but the entire globe. They wont stop until every woman on the planet believes they can do anything they want, on the court and off.The United States will defeat the WNBA, he added. Make no mistake: If you wage womens basketball in America, you will be held accountable.Key leaders of the terrorist organization were identified as Aja Wilson, 28, of Paradise, NV; Arike Ogunbowale, 28, of Arlington, TX; Angel Reese, 22, of Chicago; and Caitlin Clark, 23, last seen in Indianapolis. In addition, the FBI named 42-year-oldDiana Taurasi as a senior ranking member who is believed to have helped lead the organization for 20 years, but whose current whereabouts are unknown.While much about the organization remains a mystery to them, federal officials say they have begun piecing together details about how the WNBA operates.FBI director Kash Patel said his agencys Counterterrorism Division has been monitoring the WNBAs associates and activities for decades. He shared footage from a video intercepted by U.S. intelligence officers that shows the fundamentalist groups members at a training camp where they appear to be running drills and shooting.These are strong, incredibly skilled individuals capable of staying coolheaded under intense, high-pressure situations, said Patel, who told reporters that many of the terrorists have trained overseas in Europe. Dont underestimate these zealots. From watching tape of them at work, I can tell you theyre ruthless, highly coordinated, and hell-bent on advancing the goals of the WNBA.A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 56% of Americans considered the WNBA a critical threat to the United States.Their demands for equality and respect are absolutely chilling, said 38-year-old Madeline Hagan, a mother and sales executive from Naples, FL, and one of the many poll respondents who described themselves as very worried by the threat of womens basketball. I have young daughters. I dont want them being radicalized. Who knows what kinds of barriers WNBA leaders could be planning to destroy?Patel emphasized that although the group has been emboldened in recent years and their number of fanatical supporters is rapidly growing, federal agents would come down on WNBA abettors with the full force of the law. The FBI chief vowed that any person who provided material support or resources to the organization would be charged in accordance with the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, which was enacted on Apr. 24, 1996, in response to the founding of the WNBA on the same date.Whether they provide transportation and lodging or financial support in the form of ticket sales, merchandise sales, and brand partnerships, individuals who knowingly assist the WNBA may face up to 20 years in federal prison, said Patel, who pointed to the Justice Departments open case against Skims, the official underwear partner of the WNBA. There will be zero tolerance for WNBA supporters within our great nations borders.If you want to cheer on the disturbing acts of Chennedy Carter, you will do so from behind bars, he added.Rubio warned of the danger of the WNBAs international alliances, stating that they have ties to the foreign terrorist organizations EuroLeague Women and the Womens Chinese Basketball Association. He told reporters that one member, Brittney Griner, a 34-year-old WNBA operative first drafted by the militant organization in 2013, spent nine months in Russia in 2022.What could she possibly have been doing there for 293 days? Rubio asked. Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of it. And when we catch up to her, shell wish she had never come back to the United States.At press time, the FBI announced that it had foiled a disturbing WNBA plot to converge at arenas nationwide starting May 16, when tens of thousands of Americans were expected to be present.The post State Department Designates WNBA As Terrorist Organization appeared first on The Onion.

Lots of space in this end-of-the-row unit you can walk or roll into. Located in the basement of the public library, this place comes with water and one roll of scratchy toilet paper.Reference #18084The post Spacious End-Unit appeared first on The Onion.

LANSING, MIAssuring herself it wasnt even that late, local woman Natalie Sissons reportedly allowed herself one more anxiety episode Tuesday before going to bed.Just one more episode of paralyzing apprehension and fear, then Ill call it a night, said Sissons, admitting that she knew she should try to get some sleep since it was a work night, but that she simply couldnt resist another 30 minutes of gripping existential dread. Its not even 10 p.m. yet. As long as I turn off my feelings of inescapable doom in the next hour or so, Ill still get plenty of tense, unfulfilling rest by morning. Its so compelling that I doubt Ill be able to sleep unless I see this surge of visceral terror through to the end. Im just so excited to finally find out what happens to me!Sissons later confirmed she was still awake at 3:30a.m. after deciding to binge an entire series of panic attacks all at once.The post Woman Allows Herself One More Anxiety Episode Before Bed appeared first on The Onion.

Wow, what a lovely backyard! It sure was kind of that family to hoist me so high into the air so I could enjoy swaying back and forth in the breeze and taking in this beautiful view. From way up here, I cant help but notice all the sparkly streamers and balloons. Say, is it someones birthday today?Oh hey! Here comes the birthday boy himself! Hello, little boy! I like your blindfold! And what an adorable little stick youre carrying. Did you get that stick for your birthday? My, my, what a wonderful stick! You could use it for twirling or sword-fighting or digging in the dirtow!Hey, what was that for?Listen, little boy, I need you to be gentle with Mr. Piata. Whacking me like that hurts. You wouldnt want to hurt me, now, would you? I know I look like a big, tough multicolored donkey, but this papier-mch is actually quiteow! Seriously?What did I just say?Why dont we just set down the stick and talk for a minute, okay, buddy? Youre a nice boy. Strong, but nice. And though Im not sure exactly whats going on here, it has to be some sort of misunderstow!Whoa! What the fuck? You just made a huge dent in my side! This is my body. You cant just hit it. I dont care if its your big day. That last smack almost took off my ear. What the hell is wrong with you?Aghh! Ow! Do you not hear that Im in pain? Or do you not even care how much damage you do to me? Please! Im begging you! Stop this now, before something terrible happens. Where are your parents? Ow! Oh God, the parentstheyre filming me! Theyre filming, and theyre laughing!You monsters! Police, police!Oh, thank God. Hes stopped. Thank you, little boy. Thank you for coming to your senses. Yes, put down the stickwaitno! No! Dont hand it to the bigger child! Why is he being spun around in circles like that? What kind of sick bastard would do something like this at a party?Shit! Fuck! No! No! My leg! My back right legyou just smashed it in! Have mercy! No! Not the belly! Not my beautiful ruffled belly!At leastowtake the blindfold offowand look me in the eye when you whack me, cowards!Enough is enough! Hear me now: When I get down from here, I will hunt you down and ruin your lives in ways you could never anticipate. Do you understand threats, children? When you least expect it, Ill show up in your life and I will tear you apart. You and all your goddamn families! Oh God, you arent going to stop, are you?Sweet Jesus, my chest is caving in. Im losing candyIm losing candy fast. This wound is too great for any duct tape to patch. Tell my wife I love her. She was the most gorgeous piata in the whole factory, a tasseled neon star. Im going to the big Party City in the sky nowgoodbyeI hope you like Dubble Bubble, assholes.The post Ow appeared first on The Onion.

LOW EARTH ORBITDreading a scenario in which He showed up early and was forced to make awkward small talk with mankind, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, circled the earth a few times so He wouldnt be the first to arrive for Judgment Day, heavenly sources confirmed Tuesday.Its still looking pretty quiet down there, so Im just gonna take a couple laps around the planet until the End Times get into full swing, the Son of God said as He anxiously hovered high above South America, adding that almost everyone He was looking forward to seeing wouldnt show up until the resurrection of the dead anyway. Man, I really should have made plans to head over with the Four Horsemen. Its way less stressful to arrive for the Day of Wrath as part of a group. I could text Abaddon, the king of the locusts, to see when hes getting there, but that guy never checks his phone. If Id been smarter about it, Id just be leaving heaven now. Oh well. Ill give it one or two more trumpets, and then I should be good to head down.After arriving upon the earth in the divine glory of His Second Coming, Christ was reportedly dismayed to find that everyone had already judged the souls of the living and the dead without Him.The post Jesus Circles Earth Few Times So He Not First To Arrive To Judgment Day appeared first on The Onion.

Its your last chance to buy them.READ MORE...

The New York Stock Exchange is seen in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)2025-05-19T03:44:55Z NEW YORK (AP) The Sell America sentiment is hitting Wall Street again and U.S. stocks, U.S. bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar are all falling after the latest reminder that the U.S government seems to be hurtling toward an unsustainable mountain of debt. The S&P 500 was 1% lower in early trading Monday after Moodys Ratings became the last of the three major credit-rating agencies to say the U.S. federal government no longer deserves a top-tier Aaa rating. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 282 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.2% lower. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below.Global markets, U.S. futures and the dollar all retreated early Monday after Moodys Ratings downgraded the sovereign credit rating for the United States because of its failure to stem a rising tide of debt. Futures for the S&P 500 lost 1.1%, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6%. Nasdaq futures tumbled 1.5%.Moodys forecast that federal deficits will widen to almost 9% of the U.S. economy by 2035, up from 6.4% in 2024, driven mostly by higher interest payments on debt, growing entitlement spending and low revenue generation from taxes. Moodys said that extending President Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts, a priority of the Republican-controlled Congress, would add $4 trillion over the next decade to the federal primary deficit. Late Sunday, House Republicans pushed a big package of tax breaks and spending cuts through the Budget Committee in a rare weekend vote. Still, conservative holdouts are demanding quicker cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs before giving their full support, so more changes are possible.Uncertainty tends to make markets uneasy, and that anxiety pushed the U.S. dollar down to 144.96 Japanese yen from 145.65 yen. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury was at about 4.55%, up from 4.44% late Friday as investors sought places safer than equities to park their cash. In corporate news, Capital One closed its acquisition of Discover, the companies announced Sunday. That deal was announced more than a year ago. Capital One shares dipped a little more than 1% in premarket.In another big week for retailers, Target, Home Depot, Lowes and TJX Cos. all report their latest financial results. Investors will be looking closely at the companies forecasts and whether or not they intend to raise prices like Walmart announced it likely would last week.In reporting its latest quarterly earnings on Thursday, Walmart said its doing everything it can to absorb the higher costs from Trumps tariffs but that higher prices were inevitable.Trumps tariff rollouts frequently followed by announcements of temporary pullbacks or pauses have roiled markets in recent months and kept investors on edge. The uncertainty has been hitting U.S. households and businesses, raising worries that they may freeze their spending and long-term plans. Markets posted solid gains last week after the U.S. and China announced a 90-day stand-down in most of their punishing tariffs against each other. In other potential market-moving news, JPMorgan, the largest U.S. bank by assets, holds its investors conference on Monday. Analysts will be watching for any comments by outspoken CEO Jamie Dimon, who frequently offers up his opinion on global calamities, the state of the world and what direction he thinks the U.S. and global economies are headed. JPMorgan shares were down less than 1% before the bell Monday.At midday in Europe, Germanys DAX retreated 0.1%, while the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.8%. Britains FTSE 100 declined 0.4%.Chinese markets fell after the government said retail sales rose 5.1% in April from a year earlier, less than expected. Growth in industrial output slowed to 6.1% year-on-year from 7.7% in March.That could mean rising inventories if production outpaces demand even more than it already does. But it also may reflect some of the shipping boom before some of U.S. President Donald Trumps tariffs on Chinese goods took effect. After an improvement in March, Chinas economy looks to have slowed again last month, with firms and households turning more cautious due to the trade war, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report. Hong Kongs Hang Seng lost 0.1% to 23,332.72 and the Shanghai Composite Index was nearly unchanged at 3,367.58.E-commerce giant Alibabas shares in Hong Kong skidded 3.4% following a report that U.S. officials are scrutinizing a potential Apple-Alibaba deal to integrate AI features into iPhones in China.Tokyos Nikkei 225 gave up 0.7% to 37,498.63 while the Kospi in Seoul dropped 0.9% to 2,603.43.Australias S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.6% to 8,295.10.Taiwans Taiex was 1.5% lower.In oil trading early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil lost 58 cents to $61.39 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, also gave up 58 cents to $64.83 per barrel.

Stella Maxwell poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'The Phoenician Scheme' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)2025-05-19T13:15:17Z CANNES, France (AP) Is this what the end of the world feels like?So asks a character in one of the most-talked about films of the 78th Cannes Film Festival: Oliver Laxes Sirt a Moroccan desert road trip through, we come to learn, a World War III purgatory.Its well into Sirt, a kind of combination of Mad Max and Wages of Fear, that that reality begins to sink in. Our main characters Luis (Sergi Lpez) and his son Estaban (Brno Nuez) have come to a desert rave in search of Luis missing daughter. When the authorities break it up, they join up with a bohemian troupe of ravers who offroad toward a new, faraway destination.Thumping, propulsive beats abound in Sirt, not unlike they do at Cannes nightly parties. In this movie that jarringly confronts the notion of escape from harsh reality, there are wild tragedies and violent plot turns. Its characters steer into a nightmare that looks an awful lot like todays front pages. We wanted to be deeply connected to this day and age, Laxe said in Cannes.As much as Cannes basks in the Cte dAzu sunshine, storm clouds have been all over its movie screens at the festival, which on Monday passed the halfway point. Portents of geopolitical doom are everywhere in a lineup thats felt unusually in sync with the moment. Tom Cruise, in Mission: Impossible Final Awakening, has battled AI apocalypse. Raoul Peck, in Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5, has summoned the authors totalitarianism warnings for today. Even the new Wes Anderson (The Phoenician Scheme) is about an oligarch. If the French Riviera has often served as a spectacular retreat from the real world, this years Cannes abounds with movies urgently reckoning with it. Its probably appropriate, then, that many of those films have been particularly divisive. Sirt is laudable for its its-time-to-break-stuff attitude to its characters, even if that makes for a sometimes punishing experience for the audience. This is a love or hate it movie, sometimes at the same time. Director Oliver Laxe, from left, Bruno Nunez, and Sergi Lopez pose for photographers at the photo call for the film Sirat at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 16, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP) Director Oliver Laxe, from left, Bruno Nunez, and Sergi Lopez pose for photographers at the photo call for the film Sirat at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 16, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Ari Asters Eddington, perhaps the largest American production in recent years to sincerely grapple with contemporary American politics, was dismissed more than it was praised. But for a good while Eddington is breathtakingly accurate in its depiction of the United States circa 2020.In Eddington, the conservative, untidy sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) runs for mayor against the liberal incumbent, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), partly over disagreements on mask mandates. But in Asters small-town satire, both left and right are mostly under the sway of a greater force: social media and a digital reality that can wreck havoc on daily lives.I wrote this film in a state of fear and anxiety about the world, Aster said in Cannes. I wanted to try and pull back and just describe and show what it feels like to live in a world where nobody can agree on what is real anymore. Jake Coyle has covered the Cannes Film Festival since 2012. Hes seeing approximately 40 films at this years festival and reporting on what stands out. Reflecting a world running on a new logicIts been striking how much this years Cannes has been defined by anxious, if not downright bleak visions of the future. There have been exceptions most notably Richard Linklaters charming ode to the French New Wave Nouvelle Vague and Andersons delightful The Phoenician Scheme. But seldom has this years festival not felt like an ominous big-screen reflection of today.Thats been true in the overall chatter around the festival, which got underway with the new threat of U.S. tariffs on foreign-produced films on the minds of many filmmakers and producers. Rising geopolitical frictions led even the typically very optimistic Bono, in Cannes to premiere his Apple TV+ documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender, to confess he had never lived at a time where World War III felt closer at hand. Zoey Deutch, from left, director Richard Linklater, Michele Halberstadt and producer Laurent Petin at the "Nouvelle Vague" premiere. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Zoey Deutch, from left, director Richard Linklater, Michele Halberstadt and producer Laurent Petin at the "Nouvelle Vague" premiere. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Bono. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Bono. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Other films in Cannes werent as overtly about here and now as Eddington, but many of them have been consumed with the recurring traumas of the past. Two of the most lauded films from the beginning of the festival Mascha Schilinskis Sound of Falling and Two Prosecutors, by the Ukrainian filmmaker Sergie Loznitsa contemplated intimate cases of history repeating itself. Two Prosecutors, set in Stalins Russia, captures the slow-moving crawl of bureaucratic malevolence by adapting a story by the dissident author and physicist Georgy Demidov, who spent 14 years in the gulag. Loznitsa said his film is not a reflection of the past. Its a reflection of the present.In the period political thriller The Secret Agent, Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendona Filho turns to not a real historical tale but a fictional one, set in 1977 during Brazils military dictatorship.Wagner Moura brings a natural movie-star cool to the role of Marcelo, a technology expert returning to his hometown of Recife where government corruption is rife and hitmen are on his tail. Vividly textured, with absurdist touches (the hairy leg of a corpse plays as a colorful metaphor for the dictatorship), The Secret Agent seeks, and sometimes finds, its own logic of political resistance. I really believe that some of the most heartfelt texts come not necessarily from fact but from the logic of what is happening, Filho said in an interview. Right, now the world seems to be running on some kind of new logic. Ten or 15 years ago, some of these ideas would be completely dismissed, even by the most conservative politicians. I think The Secret Agent is a film full of mystery and intrigue but it does seem to have a certain logic which I associate with my country, Brazil.Finding the rays of hopeIn nonfiction filmmaking, no one may be better today than Peck (I Am Not Your Nego, last years Ernest Cole: Lost and Found ) in connecting historical dots. Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 marries Orwells words (narrated by Damian Lewis) on totalitarian states that demand the disbelief of objective truth with the actions of contemporary governments around the world, including Russia, Myanmar and the United States. Images of a bombed out Mariupol in 2022 runs with its official description: Peacekeeping operations.Its not just geopolitical tremors quaking on movie screens in Cannes. Climate change and natural disaster are on the minds of filmmakers, too, sometimes in the most unlikely of movies.The French animated film Arco, by illustrator Ugo Bienvenu, is about a boy from the distant future who lives on a Jetsons-like platform in the clouds. He travels back in time to another future-time, 2075, where homes are bubbled to protect them from fire and storm, and robots do all of the parenting for working parents who appear to their children only as digital projections.Its a grim future, particularly so because it feels quite plausible. But the strange charm of Arco, a brightly colored movie with a whole lot of rainbows, is that is offers a younger generation a dream of a future they might make. A relationship between the boy from the future and a girl who finds him in 2075 sparks not just a friendship but a nourishing vision of whats possible.Arco, in that way, is a reminder that the most moving movies about our current doom offer a ray of hope, too.People are feeling disenchanted with the world, so we have to re-enchant them, said Laxe, the Sirt director. Times are tough but theyre very stimulating at the same time. Well have to look deeply into ourselves. Thats what were forced to do because its a tough world now.___Jake Coyle has covered the Cannes Film Festival since 2012. Hes seeing approximately 40 films at this years festival and reporting on what stands out.___For more coverage of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival JAKE COYLE Coyle has been a film critic and covered the movie industry for The Associated Press since 2013. He is based in New York City. twitter mailto

Jalen Brunson de los Knicks de Nueva York ahce un gesto hacia los aficionados en el juego 6 de las semifinales de la Conferencia Este ante los Celtics de Boston el viernes 16 de mayo del 2025. (AP Foto/Frank Franklin II)2025-05-18T22:35:07Z The parity era continues in the NBA.The New York Knicks havent won an NBA championship since 1973. The Indiana Pacers won their most recent title that year in the ABA. The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise has one title in its history, that coming in 1979 when the team called Seattle home. And the Minnesota Timberwolves have never even been to the NBA Finals.Meet the NBAs final four.When Commissioner Adam Silver hands one of those teams the Larry OBrien Trophy next month, itll mark a league first seven championship franchises in a seven-year span.There hasnt been a back-to-back NBA champion since Golden State in 2017 and 2018. From there, the list of champions goes like this: Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023 and Boston last season.Its the longest such run of different champions in NBA history; Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NFL have all had longer ones, and not too long ago, either. But for the NBA, this is different. The league wanted unpredictability, especially after four consecutive Cleveland-vs.-Golden State title matchups from 2015 through 2018. And things have been highly unpredictable since. No matter what the Finals matchup is this year, the NBA will be seeing 11 conference-champion franchises in the span of seven seasons.Weve still got eight more wins to achieve our ultimate goal, Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. Weve still got two more series. Were only halfway there.The season is over for 26 of the NBAs 30 clubs. But the fun stuff is just starting. Conference finals start TuesdayThe Western Conference finals No. 6 seed Minnesota vs. No. 1 seed Oklahoma City begin Tuesday night in Oklahoma. The Eastern Conference finals No. 4 seed Indiana vs. No. 3 seed New York begin Wednesday night in Manhattan. The Wolves lost the West finals last year; the Pacers lost the East finals a year ago.Youve got to have big dreams, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. You dont know how often youre going to be in this position.Indeed, the championship window for teams doesnt seem to be staying open as long as it did in the past.Boston was a huge favorite to win its second straight title; the Celtics didnt get out of Round 2, in part because they couldnt hold onto big leads and in part because Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in that series with the Knicks.Upset or not, whatever it is, we beat a great team, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said. They obviously lost a huge piece ... but theyre still a great team.Damian Lillard tore an Achilles tendon in Round 1, ending Milwaukees hopes. Cleveland, the top seed in the East, bowed out in Round 2 against Indiana after a slew of Cavs were dealing with health issues. Stephen Curry strained his hamstring; that was all it took to doom Golden States chances in Round 2 against Minnesota.Hes our sun, Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. This is a solar system. Hes our sun.And now, the NBA solar system is about to see new star holding the trophy. The next oneThere is nobody left in these playoffs who has been an NBA Finals MVP. Not even close.In fact, there are only seven players left Indianas Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Thomas Bryant; Knicks teammates P.J. Tucker, Cam Payne and Mikal Bridges; and Oklahoma Citys Alex Caruso who have appeared in a Finals game. And most of those appearances didnt add up to much; Siakam is the only player left in these playoffs with more than 100 Finals points.So, who will the next Finals MVP be? Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadian guard and likely MVP from the Thunder? The Mr. Clutch award winner, Brunson from the Knicks? Anthony Edwards, the presumed next face of the league from the Timberwolves? Tyrese Haliburton, the dazzling guard and Olympic gold medalist who keeps getting overlooked by everyone outside of Indiana?None of them would be surprise choices.Our ultimate goal isnt just the Western Conference finals, Gilgeous-Alexander said. Youve got to go through there to get there. Who has the edge?If the NBAs final four was its own league this season, taking just the head-to-head results between those four clubs would suggest the Thunder are the clear favorite.Oklahoma City went 6-2 against the other three conference finalists, while New York and Indiana both went 3-4 and Minnesota went 3-5.The Thunder swept the Pacers and Knicks, and the Pacers swept the Timberwolves.As far as the head-to-heads going into the conference finals, Oklahoma City and Minnesota split four meetings with the Timberwolves outscoring the Thunder 475-472 while the Knicks went 2-1 against Indiana, with all three games decided by at least 11 points.You can feel good about it, feel however you want to feel about it, Haliburton said of getting to this point. But at the end of the day, were not done. We know we all have a bigger goal at mind. Our goal wasnt just to get to the Eastern Conference finals and be done. Our goal is to win a championship.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba TIM REYNOLDS Reynolds is an Associated Press sports writer, based in South Florida. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 19 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01593-zImmune-cell function improved in a teenager whose DNA was altered using prime editing.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08968-2Observations of a luminous quasar from the high-resolution spectrometer Resolve aboard XRISM revealed highly inhomogeneous wind structure outflowing from a supermassive black hole, which probably consists of up to a million clumps.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08932-0Examination of a complete structural phase diagram of twisted trilayer graphene shows that several large-scale moir domain lattices can be formed, the physical properties of which can be tuned by the twist angles between layers.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08956-6Proxy records and climate simulations show that in past warm intervals, the South Asian summer monsoon was characterized by an increase in monsoon rainfall, and weakening and strengthening of different parts of the monsoon circulation, consistent with future projections.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09008-9Dopaminergic action prediction error signals are used by mice as a value-free teaching signal to reinforce stable soundaction associations in the tail of the striatum.