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Falling in love with her inspired the director Rob Reiner to give When Harry Met Sally a new ending. The Reiners went on to work together on movies and political causes.

A program for deafblind children helped 3-year-old Annie Garner, born with poor vision and no ears, learn to communicate. The Trump administration cut the programs funding over diversity goals.

Nature, Published online: 15 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-04054-9Somphouthone Phimmachak studies amphibians and reptiles as one of the countrys few conservation researchers.

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Have you recently moved into a new house or signed a lease with a new roommate? Were looking for three special readers who are navigating major life moments: new chapters, new challenges, and the home styling choices that come with them. These life milestones can be recently completed, currently underway, or in the works for the near future.READ MORE...

Honoree Rob Reiner, second left, poses with his wife Michele, left, and children Nick, center, Romy, and Jake at the 41st Annual Chaplin Award Gala at Avery Fisher Hall, April 28, 2014, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)2025-12-15T13:23:15Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Investigators were questioning a family member of director-actor Rob Reiner Rob Reiner and his wife Michele after they were found dead at their home in Los Angeles, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.Investigators believe they suffered stab wounds, said the official, who could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.Los Angeles Police had not identified a suspect, Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton, the chief of detectives, said at a briefing on Sunday night.We are going to try to speak to every family member that we can to get to the facts of this investigation, Hamilton said. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a medical aid request shortly after 3:30 p.m. and found a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman dead inside. Reiner turned 78 in March. Detectives with the Robbery Homicide Division were investigating an apparent homicide at Reiners home, said Capt. Mike Bland with the Los Angeles Police Department.Los Angeles authorities have not confirmed the identities of the people found dead at the residence in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood on the citys west side thats home to many celebrities. Reiner was long one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his work included some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and 90s, including This is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride. His role as Meathead in Norman Lears 1970s TV classic All in the Family, as a liberal foil to OConnors Archie Bunker, catapulted him to fame and won him two Emmy Awards.Relatives of Lear, the legendary producer who died in 2023, said the deaths left them bereft. Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world, said a Lear family statement. Norman would have wanted to remind us that Rob and Michele spent every breath trying to make this country a better place, and they pursued that through their art, their activism, their philanthropy, and their love for family and friends. Messages to Reiners representatives were not immediately returned Sunday night.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called it a devastating loss for the city. Rob Reiners contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice, Bass said in a statement. An acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist, he always used his gifts in service of others.The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner was married to photographer Michele Singer Reiner since 1989. The two met while he was directing When Harry Met Sally and have three children together.Reiner was previously married to actor-director Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981. He adopted her daughter, Tracy Reiner. Carl Reiner died in 2020 at age 98 and Marshall died in 2018.Killings are rare in the Brentwood neighborhood. The scene is about a mile from the home where O.J. Simpsons wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were killed in 1994.__Balsamo reported from Washington. Associated Press Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles contributed. MIKE BALSAMO Balsamo is the national law enforcement editor for The Associated Press. He oversees coverage of the Justice Department, federal courts and criminal justice. twitter mailto

The U.S. State Department has issued a memo stating that the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program to prevent HIV in low- and middle-income foreign countries, can only offer HIV-preventing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications to pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBFW) rather than to LGBTQ+ people, sex workers and other groups at high-risk for contracting HIV.The memo circulated by the State Departments Global Health Security and Diplomacy program states, People other than PBFW who may be at high risk of HIV infection or were previously initiated on a PrEP option cannot be offered PEPFAR-funded PrEP during this pause of U.S. Foreign Assistance or until further notice. Related Donald Trumps freeze on foreign aid puts 500,000 childrens lives at risk The pause mentioned in the memo refers to a 90-day hold on all foreign aid issued by President Donald Trumps executive order on reevaluating and realigning U.S. foreign aid. The State Department added that Trumps order is rooting out waste and blocking woke programs to ensure that funding only benefits efforts fully aligned with Trumps foreign policy. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today We are outraged by the Trump Administrations puritanical distribution of life-saving medication that brazenly discriminates against anyone not having sex exclusively for procreation, said Wayne Besen, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Truth Wins Out. This could cruelly lead to the infection, and eventual death, of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.There is no other explanation for these guidelines other than cruel, vindictive behavior meant to cause pain and suffering to vulnerable communities disfavored by President Trumps right-wing base, Besen continued, adding, Arent conservatives supposed to be pro-life, or do they only care about life for those who are just like them?Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver for lifesaving medicines and medical services affected by the pause, but his memo explained that PEPFAR funds will be restricted in various ways. In addition to denying PrEP medications to all but PBFW, Rubios restrictions also prohibit surveys and systems tracking the spread of HIV and child abuse in regional populations, as well as any projects scheduled beyond December 31 of this year. As a result, the programs HIV-prevention drugs are reportedly still not reaching their intended recipients, many clinics have ceased offering services, and healthcare workers havent been paid, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reported. These all increase the likelihood of rising HIV rates, outbreaks, and HIV-related deaths abroad, KFF and Besen said.The freeze and restrictions on PEPFAR funding have coincided with the dismantling of USAID the independent U.S. international development agency that implements most U.S. global health programs by Trumps unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE, which is not an official federal department created through required congressional approval, isheaded by the worlds richest man, Elon Musk.Musk has made the elimination of the agency a top DOGE priority, stating, USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die, without citing any evidence. Although USAID is the primary source of funding for HIV/AIDS relief for over 25 million people in 54 countries, the agencys website has since been disabled. A large portion of USAIDs personnel have been furloughed or fired; PEPFAR recipients have been left with no way to reach longtime contacts or access guidance. The Trump administration announced its intention to remove almostall USAID workers from their jobsand out of the field worldwide. Rubio said recipient organizations would have to apply for waivers to restart the funding.Opponents have called Trump and Musks actions against PEPFAR and USAID illegal and unconstitutional. Lawsuits against the dismantling of the agency have been filed by USAID contractors who say that the Trump administration owes them millions in unpaid bills that had been pledged in the last congressional budget and also by a pair of nonprofit organizations, including the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), an HIV-prevention nonprofit.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Gender affirming care has been endlessly vilified by the right, but for one trans woman, it was exactly this kind of care that saved her life twice. Not only does access to this kind of care preserve the mental health of trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse patients, but having access to preventive care that validates your identity can also catch life-threatening diseases. This is exactly what happened to Jennifer Trefzger, whose cancer diagnosis was initially missed because of the stigma around gay sex, and then later caught because she sought out gender affirming care. It's kind of scary, Trefzger tells PRIDE. Had I not transitioned, who knows when I would have been diagnosed. It was already stage 4. The symptoms started before my transition. So I can't imagine what would have happened if I didn't transition. Well, I can, I'd likely be dead.Before transitioning, when she was just a teenager, Trefzger sought out medical care because she was struggling with rectal bleeding. The 16-year-old autistic, queer teen had never had sex, but her symptoms were ignored because the doctor assumed anal sex was responsible for the bleeding. Being asked intrusive questions about anal sex at such a young age was traumatizing for Trefzger who then spent years ignoring her increasingly worrying symptoms.That experience made me dismiss my symptoms and never talk about it again, she says. I don't even know how often I was bleeding. I just stopped checking.Trefzger already had colon cancer at this time she just didnt know it yet. It wouldnt be until she was 23 that her cancer would finally be caught because of routine bloodwork done as part of her gender affirming care.She started Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) when she was 19, and in 2017, her endocrinologist discovered that she had abnormally low iron levels, and her red blood cell morphology was also low. This prompted her doctor to order a colonoscopy, which found a tumor blocking her descending colon. Unfortunately, because it was ignored for so many years, the cancer had advanced to stage 4 before she was diagnosed. She was told that she had a 15% chance of surviving, and had to undergo a colectomy, which removed part of her colon and 25 lymph nodes, before undergoing 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Despite the low odds of making it, the surgery and chemo worked, and she was told she was cancer free. But when Trefzger went under the knife for facial feminization surgery, she had a stroke that caused blindness in her left eye. This was a tragic outcome, but the scans done in the wake of her stroke found cancerous nodules in her lungs because her colon cancer had metastasized. After more surgeries, chemo, and hospitalizations, she successfully beat cancer. Trefzger is now 31 years old and has been cancer free for over four years, in large part because of the work of her gender affirming care doctors.I've talked to people who have had cancer found because of gender affirming care, she says. Were a marginalized community. Intentionally or not, doctors will dismiss us. Just like other marginalized communities. People will die. Whether it's cancer, autoimmune, or other serious conditions.Trefzger hopes her story will inspire others to seek out treatment and advocate for themselves. My gender-affirming care was instrumental in saving my life, she says. My story shows that it is possible to survive medical trauma and continue to become your true self. My advice for others is to advocate for yourself, get a second opinion from an NCI-designated center, join Colontown, see a dietitian, and do physical therapy."Can routine gender affirming care help detect illnesses?Access to routine and preventive healthcare is important for early detection of preventable diseases, including cancer. But the LGBTQ+ community, and especially trans people, often avoid seeking out medical care because of the stigma they face or lack access because the type of care they are looking for such as gender affirming care isnt always available, especially in Republican strongholds where politicians and conservative Christians are trying to ban it. We know that transgender and gender diverse patients often avoid routine primary and preventive care due to prior discrimination or dismissal, Dr. Anne Marie OMelia, a pediatrician, child and adolescent psychiatrist, and eating disorder specialist, tells PRIDE. When they finally have a clinician who respects their name, pronouns, and body, they are much more likely to disclose all symptoms of concern.A 2024 survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that queer people are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to report negative experiences while receiving health care, and are more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts to report adverse consequences due to negative experiences with health care providers.Routine gender affirming care does more than adjust hormone levels, Dr. OMelia says. It creates a consistent, trusting relationship with the health system, and that is often what allows other medical and psychiatric conditions to be recognized early.Bloodwork done during the normal course of gender affirming care can catch things like the low iron levels that indicated to Trefzgers doctor that there might be a bigger problem. It can also detect issues like blood disorders, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, thyroid disease, and vitamin D deficiency. If you have a doctor whom you trust and feel comfortable with, youre also more likely to report new symptoms.If you think you may have colon cancer, what tests or screenings should you ask your doctor for?If youre having symptoms, like rectal bleeding, persistent changes in bowel habits, ongoing abdominal discomfort, unexplained weight loss, or frequently feel fatigued, then its time to talk to a doctor about testing for colon cancer. According to Dr. Wanping Hu, an oncologist with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, if you are having symptoms, youre doctor should do a battery of bloodwork, including a CBC panel, a comprehensive metabolic panel, and an iron panel, along with a colonoscopy which she calls the gold-standard test for evaluating the colon as well as a CT scan and other stool-based tests.Colon cancer is increasingly diagnosed in younger adults, and routine screening guidelines may not catch early cases, Dr. Hu says. If you have symptoms like persistent constipation, unexplained fatigue, rectal bleeding, or iron deficiency anemia, be persistent. Ask questions, request evaluations, and follow up if symptoms continue.Is it important to advocate for yourself with your doctors?Talking to your doctor about health issues even ones that might be embarrassing to disclose is important if you want to catch diseases like colon cancer when they are still treatable.Self advocacy matters, especially for LGBTQ+ patients who have been minimized or mistreated, but it should never be the only protection a person has, Dr. OMelia says. Trauma informed, gender affirming care means that the responsibility for safety rests primarily with the clinician and the health system, not with the patient who has already experienced harm.This kind of routine healthcare from a gender and sexuality affirming provider can not only detect major health issues like cancer, but can also catch eating disorders, substance abuse, and other mental health conditions. But Dr. OMelia says that its important for doctors to take on the responsibility of asking questions and showing their patients that they are open-minded enough to listen to their concerns. From the clinician side, I would emphasize that it is our job to lower the threshold for disclosure, she says. That means routinely asking all patients about disordered eating, substance use, and trauma history, not only when they fit a stereotype, and explicitly naming that eating disorders are common and treatable in LGBTQ+ communities.If you have symptoms but feel embarrassed to talk about the possibility of colon cancer, what should you do?If youre feeling too embarrassed to talk to your doctor about anal bleeding, the consistency of your stool, or any sexual health issues, think about practicing the conversation with a trusted friend first and try to remember that doctors are used to having frank conversations about body parts and bodily functions. Dont let embarrassment delay care, early detection saves lives, Dr. Hu says. Talk with your primary care doctor and request a referral to a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. If you prefer a less invasive option, you can ask for a CT colonography, which uses CT imaging to create 2D and 3D views of the colon to detect polyps or cancer.What is the best way to find an LGBTQ+ friendly oncologist?Dr. OMelia recommends looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly oncologist through GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), or with your local LGBTQ+ health education center. If you have a trusted physician or gender-affirming care doctor, you can also ask for a referral.Once you find a doctor you think might be a good fit, be on the lookout for signs that the clinic or doctors office will be accepting. Practices that collect name and pronouns separately from legal sex, provide gender neutral restrooms, and explicitly mention LGBTQ+ people in their materials are more likely to be prepared to care for transgender and nonbinary patients, she says. When you meet with the doctor for the first time, dont be shy about asking questions, or consider asking for a screening call before scheduling a full appointment. You can ask if they have any transgender or nonbinary patients, how they handle names and pronouns, and if theyre comfortable talking about gender affirming care. If the answers are respectful, specific, and welcoming, that is a good sign, she says. "If the answers are defensive, vague, or dismissive, that is useful information too.Sources cited: Dr. Anne Marie OMelia, a pediatrician, child and adolescent psychiatrist, and eating disorder specialist.Dr. Wanping Hu, an oncologist with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group.

In astrology, Venus is the CEO of charm and chemistry that reveals how you like to make the first move and keep someone intrigued.While a full birth chart gives the complete picture when it comes to love and relationships, your Venus sign is the headline.Your Venus sign is the zodiac sign (Taurus, Sagittarius, Pisces, etc.) Venus was in when you were born. If you dont know your Venus sign, enter your birth information into this Venus calculator to instantly find out.Heres your guide on how each Venus sign plays the flirting game.VENUS IN ARIES: Patience isnt part of my love storyVenus in Aries flirts by charging straight at what (or who) it wants. It doesnt mind sliding into the DMs or walking across the room to say hi. Waiting around to be noticed is as enticing as a four-hour wait at the DMV with no Wifi.Flirting is done with intensity and urgency; its all about keeping things exciting and letting its object of attention know theres interest (and if it feels like a challenge, even better).Signature moves: direct compliments, fast replies, playful dares, Add me on SnapVENUS IN TAURUS: Slow burn, strong chemistry.Since Venus in Taurus is in no rush, it flirts by letting tension build slowly. Think lingering hugs, sitting a little too close, and remembering your coffee order the next time you meet.This is steady, warm, and subtle flirting that shows interest through thoughtful gestures and the kind of physical closeness that unfolds naturally.Signature moves: steady eye contact, casual touches, feeding you a rich dessert and watching your reactionVENUS IN GEMINI: Puns are my love language.Venus in Gemini flirts through words: jokes, memes, witty one-liners, clever comments, and rapid-fire texts are all fair game. If the conversation isnt interesting, it isnt interested.Its flirting style is quick, playful, and curious. The more questions it asks, the more interested it is in its subject.Signature moves: witty comebacks, late-night texting, sharing links and memes, flirty would you rather?VENUS IN CANCER: Flirting is caring.Venus in Cancer flirts in a nurturing way. It checks in when the mood seems off, offers comfort when its crush has had a stressful week, and makes sure its date got home safe after a fun night. On the surface, it can look like just being nice, but the giveaway is emotional attentiveness.When Venus in Cancer is interested, it makes the other person feel safe, seen, and taken care of.Signature moves: home-cooked meals, thoughtful check-ins, gentle touch, Text me when you get home, okay?VENUS IN LEO: Flirting is my stageWhen Venus in Leo flirts, it opts for big laughs and dramatic stories.Its love style is theatrical, gregarious, and bold. It loves to dazzle with compliments and engage in playful teasing, and if everyone else in the room can dazzle at the chemistry it has with its person of interest, even better. Signature moves: taking selfies together, playful showing off, duetting at a karaoke barVENUS IN VIRGO: Love is in the details.When Venus in Virgo is interested, it turns into an executive assistant that keeps track of its crushs to-do list and offers to run an errand to take something off their plate.Its flirting style is thoughtful, detail-oriented, and not-so-discreetly disguised as helpfulness. While never flashy or grandiose, its impossible to ignore once you connect the dots.Signature moves: logistical favors, fixing something thats broken, I was at the store and remember you saying you were almost out of garlic powder, so I got you some.VENUS IN LIBRA: I make flirting look effortless.Venus in Libra angles for picture-perfect moments: the right playlist, flattering lighting, an aesthetic vibe, and conversation that flows effortlessly.Its flirting is polished, graceful, and choreographed to charm: mirrored body language, kind compliments, and an admirable ability to look good while they do it.Signature moves: sincere compliments, small talk that isnt stiff and awkward, We should do something cute like that together.VENUS IN SCORPIO: Small talk? I dont know her.Venus in Scorpio rolls its eyes at the concept of flirting. It goes straight for depth: intense eye contact, probing questions, and revealing conversations that get personal quickly.Its flirting is magnetic and emotionally loaded. It draws its object of affection in with strategic silence, a stare that lasts a second too long, and questions meant to strip the soul bare.Signature moves: long talks in dark corners, sharing secrets, Whats your biggest fear?VENUS IN SAGITTARIUS: Flirting should be fun.Venus in Sagittarius flirts by inviting its crushes on adventures (literal and metaphorical). Its favorite M.O. is to laugh and explore.Its flirting style is spontaneous, upbeat, and the epitome of lets see where the night takes us energy. And if it can get into some trouble, even better. Signature moves: spontaneous plans, travel talk, wild stories, Lets see if we can sneak backstage!VENUS IN CAPRICORN: I flirt like I invest: long-term onlyVenus in Capricorn has a consistent and grounded way of flirting. It keeps its promises, shows up on time, remembers conversations, and slowly lets its dry humor come through.Its by far the most subtle and strategic of all the zodiac flirts, and also the one that shows interest through reliability, thoughtful follow-through, and small gestures that speak volumes.Signature moves: following up with a precise plan, reserving the quiet booth in the back at an upscale restaurant, Thats impressive. I dont say that often.VENUS IN AQUARIUS: Lets be weird together.Venus in Aquarius flirts by opening up its unique world. It sends niche memes, shares its hyper-specific nerdy interests, and tests the waters to see how its unfiltered opinions and unconventional ideas are received.Its trademark flirting is brainy and a little aloof, full of original takes and random references. Its less about steamy seduction and more about sparking curiosity.Signature moves: offbeat jokes, long message threads about niche topics, group hangs, If this turns into a thing, Im blaming you.VENUS IN PISCES: Why flirt when you can enchant?Venus in Pisces flirts with softness, fantasy, and emotional openness. It romanticizes easily and loves to create dreamlike moods: music, bouquets of flowers, and emotional confessions included.In Pisces, Venus doesnt test, challenge, or play hard to get. It cuddles, loves the feeling of puppy love, looks across the table lovingly, and is pure vibes with no agenda.Signature moves: Setting the mood with candles and relaxing music, unbroken eye contact that feels gentle and peaceful, turning a crowded venue into a private love bubble.So whether its a check-in text, an unsolicited meme, or an invitation to go on a side quest, youll never look at the flirting the same way again.

Nature, Published online: 15 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-03935-3The Suns fiery surface, a tattooed tardigrade, rare red lightning and more.

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Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and pop star Katy Perry confirmed their status as a couple after a number of public sightings sparked rumors of a romance. The Onion presents a timeline of the pairs relationship.A.D. 1100 The couples common ancestor establishes two distinct bloodlines.2008A trembling 37-year-old Trudeau lies awake all night with strange and frightening feelings after hearing I Kissed A Girl.2012Katy Perry and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford file for divorce.2019Perry sees the photos of Trudeau in brownface and cant help but notice his kind eyes.May 2025Matched on GlutenFreeSingles.com.July 2025Trudeau is spotted leaving Perrys apartment in a cupcake bra.August 2025Perry and Trudeau discover they have a mutual love of having their picture taken.September 2025Trudeau tearfully confides in Perry that he used to be the prime minister of Canada.The post Timeline Of Katy Perry And Justin Trudeaus Relationship appeared first on The Onion.

With the holiday season getting longer every year, Americans nationwide are searching for methods to ensure the focal point of their decor remains healthy and vibrant through Dec. 25 and beyond. Here are tips on how to keep your Christmas tree fresh.Choose A Genetically Pure Tree Of Noble Heritage: Often the reason a Christmas tree sheds its needles when brought home is because its been tainted by foreign pollen from contemptible stock.Replicate Its Natural Environment: Add a razor wire fence, 600 gallons of asphalt concrete, and a chain-smoking Russian man to your living room, and your Christmas tree will feel at home in no time.Forgo Buying Your Children Presents: Fewer presents under the tree will allow it more growing room.Play The Song Of The Forest On Your Pan Flute: The mystical melody of merriment and glee is sure to perk your Christmas tree right up as it sways to your folk instruments hypnotic tune.Cut Down Adjacent Trees In Your House: Overcrowding can deprive smaller Christmas trees of sunlight, so thin out all existing growth in your home within 8 feet of your trees base.Appoint A Shadow Christmas Tree: In its unofficial parliamentary role, it can scrutinize the work of the acting Christmas tree and keep it on its toes.Let It Roam Around In The Woods For At Least 30 Minutes A Day: Allowing your tree to get outdoors will keep its mind sharp and its trunk strong.Perform Sap Infusions From Younger Trees: Regular infusions of sap from a more youthful spruce can reverse your trees biological age to that of a seedling.Dont Cut It Down In The First Place: You took an ax to its trunk, and now youre confused as to why its not perfectly healthy?Make It Someone Elses Responsibility: Let the housekeeper know that if a single pine needle turns brown, she can find employment at a different chalet.The post How To Keep Your Christmas Tree Fresh appeared first on The Onion.

LOS ANGELESEmphasizing her ability to meet the film industrys evolving needs, actress Gal Gadot reportedly assured a casting agent Monday that she was more than capable of playing AI roles. Ive been told for years I bring a certain lifelessness to my characters, said Gadot, who emphasized that she had been honing her ability to deliver an uncanny performance complete with stilted speech, unnatural arm movements, and a total lack of chemistry with other co-stars for her entire career. Honestly, when I heard that studios were starting to cast AI actors, I immediately thought, Gal, its your time to shine. I genuinely believe no one in this town is better equipped to play a role designed for a non-sentient digital entity than I am, and if you want proof, check out Death On The Nile, Snow White, or Wonder Woman 1984. I was awful in not just one, but all of those movies. Gadot added that she was also open to AI voice work, noting that her natural cadence already resembled that of text-to-speech software.The post Gal Gadot Assures Casting Agent She Can Play AI Roles appeared first on The Onion.

SPRINGFIELD, MAFacing intense backlash and scrutiny from critics who say the reference book publisher had failed to take all words into consideration, Merriam-Webster was accused of bias Monday after officially selecting dictionary as its 2025 word of the year. Merriam-Webster clearly has a pro-dictionary bias thats preventing it from considering all words equally, lexicographer Alison Nielsen wrote in a widely shared social media post that lambasted the Merriam-Webster editorial team, claiming its members had allowed a personal affinity for looking up words to cloud their judgment. I was willing to overlook it last year when their word of the year was definition, but I cant allow myself to turn a blind eye to this. The Merriam-Webster editorial board is stuck in its own media bubble. They need to look around and read a thesaurus once in a while. At press time, reports confirmed Merriam-Webster appeared to have doubled down by changing the 2025 word of the year to dictionaries.The post Merriam-Webster Accused Of Bias After Dictionary Named Word Of The Year appeared first on The Onion.

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The City of St. Petersburg, Florida, has unveiled 11 Pride-themed bike racks to replace the rainbow crosswalks Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) forced officials to remove. Pride on the streets! declared a social media post from the city and its mayor, Ken Welch (D), who called the bike racks a vibrant way to honor the Pride street murals that were removed earlier this year due to state requirements. Related A new home named after a trans icon is bringing much-needed hope to queer people in need The post includes a video of construction workers installing the colorful racks, some of which are rainbow for the Pride flag and others that are the colors of the Trans Pride flag.Folks celebrated the move in the comments, calling the new displays amazing, clever, awesome, beautiful, and a smarter path forward. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Love our little inclusive, Sunshine City, one person wrote. Now thats what Im talking about! said another. View this post on Instagram A post shared by City of St. Petersburg (@stpetefl) The state of Florida has become the epicenter of Republicans rainbow crosswalk crackdown. The DeSantisadministration has heeded warnings from federal Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has falsely claimed Pride art is distracting to drivers.Duffywrote in a July 1 letterto the nations governors that all non-freeway intersections and crosswalks must be kept free from distractions. In a subsequentX post, he said, Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks.In response, DeSantis signed a law directing the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to ensure compliance with FDOTs uniform system for traffic control devices, according to a July statement from a department spokesperson. The law effectively bans all pavement art and murals like rainbow crosswalks, regardless of their political message. The DeSantis administration has beenaggressiveabout ensuring the crosswalksare erased, despiteprotestsand resistance from local leaders.St. Petersburg officials ultimately complied with the order to remove its crosswalks upon the threat of losing state funding, but Mayor Welch made it clear in August that he would not stand down from defending progressive values. In a press conference, Welch called the order to remove the crosswalks an attempt by the state to usurp local values and priorities and instead mandate what our values should be. Weve seen the attempts to stifle our ability to express and celebrate our community values, he added. Yet time and time again, our community has risen to the occasion. And this latest challenge will be no exception.A post from the citys official social media account said the murals that had to be removed which included one declaring, Black History Matters reflect the soul of our community.That message cant be erased. This is our city, our voice, and our story Together, well continue building a community that is resilient, inclusive, and united. While state and federal officials have said that street art distracts drivers, data from theBloomberg Philanthropies 2022 Asphalt Art Safety Studycontradicts that claim.The study found that crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists drop 50% at painted intersections. It also reported a 25% decrease in conflicts between drivers and pedestrians, a 27% increase in drivers immediately yielding to pedestrians, and a 38% decrease in pedestrians crossing when the walk signal was not lit at intersections involving public art. The data also revealed that injuries resulting from crashes drop 37% in painted intersections. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Police in Marathon, Florida, arrested two men and one woman for having a drunken bisexual threesome in the parking lot of a Winn-Dixie supermarket on November 30.Witnesses called 911, and a police officer arrived to find 43-year-old Marshall Lowery face down in the crotch of 45-year-old Sharon Czaplinsky, according to the arrest report. Lowery pulled off Czaplinskys pants even further as the officer approached them. The officer found that the two were drunk. Related Lesbian couple caught having intercourse on McDonalds lawn While the two engaged one another, a third man, 59-year-old Michael Howard, exposed his aroused genitals. As a result, police arrested the trio for misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure, disorderly intoxication, and engaging in an unnatural and lascivious act.All three pleaded not guilty and will appear in a December 22 arraignment hearing. While Lowery got out on a $3,500 bail, Czaplinsky and Howard remain in custody. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The arrest was Czaplinskys second for a similar act. She was arrested on August 22 at 8 p.m. for publicly receiving oral sex from a man named Vincent Crews near the car wash area of a grocery store gas station.Czaplinsky explained she had no other place to conduct such acts. Police found empty beer cans and a bottle of vodka near the couple and said that they exhibited signs of impairment and appeared heavily intoxicated with staggered walking, slurred speech, and swaying while standing still. This isnt the first time that police have arrested same-sex couples for public intercourse.In October 2024, a lesbian couple trying to reconcile their relationship was arrested in Lavonia, Georgia, for getting publicly intimate on a lawn between a RaceWay gas station and a McDonalds fast food restaurant.On October 21, around 7 p.m. local time, police received a call about the incident.When officers arrived, they located a white female on top of a black female, and each of them had their pants pulled down exposing their pelvic regions, according tothe police report. The women in question were 49-year-old Tisha Booth and 37-year-old Keisha Edem. Police arrested, handcuffed, and searched both women and their vehicles, charging both women with public indecency and disorderly conduct. Both charges are misdemeanors in Georgia, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.Ina public Facebook post, the Lavonia Police Department wrote, The stupidity of some people never ceases to amaze us. If you decide to [visit our town] with your life partner while on a road trip to reconcile your relationship, please Get a room. Go home. Dont reconcile in broad daylight in the grass beside the street. How about using some common sense?Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Mexico will never be the same.Adult entertainer and JustFor.Fans CEO Dominic Ford recruited some of the biggest content creators across the globe to attend Collab Week Puerto Vallarta.Over 200 models participated in all of the shenanigans throughout the week, including many Latin American entertainers who participated in their first ever content creator trip.Puerto Vallarta served as the perfect location for the naughty convention as models were able to film at local bathhouses including Spartacus Spa, along with beach and mountain collab opportunities thanks to Jet's Naked Boat Tours.Almar Resort and Mantamar Beach Club also hosted the models for stunning welcome parties and relaxing days at the pool, so adult models had the perfect mix of work and pleasure.Scroll through to see some of the sexy guys who attended Collab Week Puerto Vallarta and keep your eyes peeled for more exclusive content.Dominic FordSee on InstagramMatthew EllisSee on InstagramRoxas CaelumSee on InstagramCaged JockSee on InstagramGrant DucatiSee on InstagramTony GeniusSee on InstagramMichael BostonSee on InstagramJason LunaSee on InstagramAdam SnowSee on InstagramMilo MilesSee on InstagramJace StarrSee on InstagramBenjamin VegaSee on InstagramKyle SteeleSee on InstagramMajestic AsaadSee on InstagramSerg ShepardSee on InstagramKen RockSee on InstagramAdam BanksSee on InstagramPrinceSee on InstagramDaniel GainsbrookSee on InstagramRoop BlingSee on InstagramAce Banner & Tyler SaintSee on InstagramPersian WolfSee on InstagramDillon StoneSee on InstagramGuy SpencerSee on Instagram

Nature, Published online: 15 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-03809-8A discovery in mice reveals why fasting enhances a type of breast cancer treatment a hormone-signalling pathway and gene-expression changes have key roles.

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Florida sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway, who had 16 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions last season, announced that he is entering the transfer portal

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Jim Troupis reads a statement after his court appearance outside a Dane County courtroom Dec. 12, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)2025-12-15T04:39:03Z MADISON, Wis. (AP) Two attorneys and an aide who all worked on President Donald Trumps 2020 campaign appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing in Wisconsin on felony forgery charges related to a fake elector scheme.The Wisconsin case is moving forward even as others in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia have faltered. A special prosecutor last year dropped a federal case alleging Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election. Another case in Nevada is still alive.The Wisconsin case was filed a year ago but has been tied up as the Trump aides have fought, unsuccessfully so far, to have the charges dismissed.The hearing on Monday comes a week after Trump attorney Jim Troupis, one of the three who were charged, tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to step down in the case and have it moved to another county. Troupis, who the other two defendants joined in his motion, alleged that the judge did not write a previous order issued in August declining to dismiss the case. Instead, he accused the father of the judges law clerk, a retired judge, of actually writing the opinion. Troupis, who served one year as a judge in the same county where he was charged, also alleged that all of the judges in Dane County are biased against him and he cant get a fair trial. Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland said he and a staff attorney alone wrote the order. Hyland also said Troupis presented no evidence to back up his claims of bias and refused to step down or delay the hearing. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the allegations. The same judge will determine at Mondays hearing whether theres enough evidence to proceed with the charges against the three.The former Trump aides face 11 felony charges each related to their roles in the 2020 fake elector scheme. In addition to Troupis, the other defendants are Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who advised Trumps campaign, and Mike Roman, Trumps director of Election Day operations in 2020. The Wisconsin Department of Justice, headed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, brought the felony forgery charges in 2024, alleging that the three defrauded the 10 Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump in 2020.Prosecutors contend the three lied to the Republicans about how the certificate they signed would be used as part of a plan to submit paperwork to then-Vice President Mike Pence, falsely claiming that Trump had won the battleground state that year. The complaint said a majority of the 10 Republicans told investigators that they were needed to sign the elector certificate indicating Trump had won only to preserve his legal options if a court changed the outcome of the election in Wisconsin. A majority of the electors told investigators that they did not believe their signatures on the elector certificate would be submitted to Congress without a court ruling, the complaint said. Also, a majority said they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won without such a court ruling, the complaint said. Federal prosecutors who investigated Trumps conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot said the fake electors scheme originated in Wisconsin. The Trump associates have argued that no crime took place. But the judge in August rejected their arguments in allowing the case to proceed to Mondays preliminary hearing.Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 but fought to have the defeat overturned. He won the state in both 2016 and 2024.The state charges against the Trump attorneys and aide are the only ones in Wisconsin. None of the electors have been charged. The 10 Wisconsin electors, Chesebro and Troupis all settled a lawsuit that was brought against them seeking damages.___This story has been corrected to show that the attorneys who are charged formerly worked on Trumps campaign, but are still practicing attorneys. SCOTT BAUER Bauer is the APs Statehouse reporter covering politics and state government in Madison, Wisconsin. He also writes music reviews. twitter mailto

(AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin)2025-12-15T13:38:11Z TOKYO (AP) I speak decent Spanish, picked up working several decades ago as a news and sports reporter in Spain, Mexico and Argentina.Now I report from Tokyo. After seven years, I still cant grasp Japanese. My weekly language classes have taught me humility more than anything else.Ayaka Ono, my current Japanese teacher, estimates shes tutored about 600 students over 15 years. Theyve been mostly between 20 and 50. Im more than a decade beyond her eldest. I find older students take tiny, tiny steps and then they fall back, Ono-san san is an honorific in Japanese to show respect tells me. They cant focus as long. I teach something one minute and they forget the next.Its well established that children have an easier time learning second languages. In recent years, scientists have studied whether being bilingual may help ward off the memory lapses and reduced mental sharpness that come with an aging brain. Much of the research on the potential benefit involved people who spoke two or more languages for most of their lives, not older adult learners. The science shows that managing two languages in your brain over a lifetime makes your brain more efficient, more resilient and more protected against cognitive decline, said Ellen Bialystok, a distinguished research professor emeritus at York University in Toronto who is credited with advancing the idea of a possible bilingual advantage in the late 1980s. Theres good news for older adults like me: Attempting to acquire a new language is worthwhile, and not just because it makes reading a menu easier while traveling abroad. Bialystok, a cognitive neuroscientist, recommends studying a new language at any age, comparing the challenge to word puzzles and brain-training games that are promoted to slow the onset of dementia. This article is part of APs Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well. Trying to learn a language late in life is a great idea, but understand it wont make you bilingual and is probably too late to provide the protective effects of cognitive aging that come from early bilingualism, she told The Associated Press. However, learning a new language is a stimulating and engaging activity that uses all of your brain, so it is like a whole-body exercise. The latest researchA large study published by the science journal Nature Aging in November suggests that speaking multiple languages protects against more rapid brain aging, and that the effect increases with the number of languages. The findings, based on research involving 87,149 healthy people ages 51 to 90, underscore the key role of multilingualism in fostering healthier aging trajectories, the authors wrote.Researchers acknowledged the studys limitations, including a sample population drawn only from 27 European countries with diverse linguistic and sociopolitical contexts.Bialystok was not involved in the project but has researched second-language acquisition in children and adults, including whether being bilingual delays the progression of Alzheimers disease or aids in multi-tasking and problem-solving. She said the new study ties all the pieces together. Over the lifespan, people who have managed and used two languages end up with brains that are in better shape and more resilient, she said. Judith Kroll, a cognitive psychologist who heads the Bilingualism, Mind and Brain Lab at the University of California, Irvine, used the expressions mental athletics and mental somersaults to describe how the brain juggles more than one language. She said there have been several efforts to examine language learning in older adults and the ramifications.I would say there are probably not enough studies to date to be absolutely definitive about this, she told The AP. But the evidence we have is very promising, suggesting both that older adults are certainly able to learn new languages and benefit from that learning.More studies are needed on whether language lessons help people in midlife and beyond maintain some cognitive abilities. Kroll compared the state of the field to the late 20th century, when the dominant thinking was that exposing infants and young children to two or more languages put them at a educational disadvantage. What we know now is the opposite, she said. Learning a language later in life I visited Spains Mediterranean coast in the 1990s when I worked in Madrid. I was shocked by how many non-Spaniards there had lived in the country for years and could say only a few words in Spanish. Now I get it. When I attempt Japanese, the reaction is often an incredulous, And youve been here how long?I have workarounds to navigate my hostile linguistic environment. One is saying itsumono. It means the same as always, or the usual. Its enough to order morning coffee at a neighborhood cafe or lunch at several regular stops.As an aside, Japanese is one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to master, along with Arabic, Cantonese, Korean and Mandarin. Romance languages such as French, Italian or Spanish are easier. My once-a-week class is grueling, and one hour is my limit. I use this analogy: my brain is a closet without enough empty hangers, and Japanese doesnt go with anything in my wardrobe. The writing system is intimidating for an English speaker, the word order is flipped, and politeness is valued more than clarity.During the 4 1/2 years I spent reporting from Rio de Janeiro, I got by with Portuol an improvised blend of Spanish and Portuguese and the patience of Brazilians. There is no such halfway house for Japanese. You either speak it or you dont.Ill never progress beyond preschool level in Japanese, but overloading my brain with lessons might work in the same way that my regular weight-training sessions help maintain physical strength.Ono-san, my Japanese teacher, called language-learning apps better than nothing. Bialystok said technology can be a useful learning tool, but progress of course requires using the language in real situations with other people.If old folks try to learn a new language, you are not going to be very successful. You are not going to become bilingual, Bialystok said. But the experience of trying to learn the language is good for your brain. So what I say is this. Whats hard for your brain is good for your brain. And learning a language, especially in later life, is hard but good for your brain. STEPHEN WADE Wade has written about sports and the politics of sports around the globe for The Associated Press. He has covered nine Olympics and five soccer World Cups and has been based for AP in Madrid, London, Beijing, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, before moving to Tokyo. twitter mailto

This photo provided by Doug Sovern shows him during his last KCBS-AM broadcast in San Francisco, on April 30, 2025. (Sara Newmann via AP)2025-12-15T13:29:56Z Before Jimmy Kimmel, there was KCBS.Just six days into President Donald Trumps new administration, the San Francisco Bay-area radio station KCBS-AM reported that immigration agents were in the area driving unmarked vehicles including a black Dodge Durango, a gray Nissan Maxima and white Nissan truck.The brief story also reported by other outlets quickly drew the ire of conservative influencers who attacked KCBS report as endangering agents lives, sparking a deluge of complaints from listeners and callers.That was just the start of KCBS troubles. The Trump administrations top broadcast regulator, Brendan Carr, soon accused KCBS of failing to operate in the public interest and said he was opening an investigation.By targeting KCBS, Carr revealed his willingness to expand the Republican administrations offensive on perceived media foes beyond major broadcasters like ABC, CBS and NPR. In KCBS case, the radio station took steps to mitigate the potential of drawing further attention from conservative influencers or Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, according to eight current and former station employees who insisted on anonymity out of fear of reprisal. KCBS demoted a well-liked anchor and dialed back on political programming, people said. For months, reporters were dissuaded from pursuing political or controversial topics and instead encouraged to focus on human interest stories, according to the current and former staffers. When journalists were given permission to pursue politics or Trump administration policies, some of the staffers said, the tone of the stories was heavily scrutinized. Doug Sovern, a veteran political journalist at the station, said he was sidelined after Carr announced his investigation. Chilling effect does not begin to describe the neutering of our political coverage, said Sovern, who retired in April. He said his retirement was not related to the controversy. FCC scrutiny has eased in recent months, and the station has been increasingly willing to tackle more topics that might draw attention from the administration and conservative critics, the staffers said. The station, for example, assigned a reporter in October to cover the No Kings Day protests of the Trump administration, which the staffers described as a welcome change. In a statement, KCBS said it would not comment on internal personnel matters.There has been no change in policy or editorial direction at KCBS, the station added. We remain committed to providing our Bay Area listeners with trusted news, including our political coverage, that is balanced and objective.The FCC did not respond to a request for comment. Trumps enforcerIn Trumps second term, Carr has emerged as a top enforcer of Trumps agenda, using his perch to take on one of the presidents favorite targets: media outlets.His threat to ABC in September that we can do this the easy way or the hard way led to Kimmel, a late-night host and comedian, being briefly pulled off the air by parent company Disney over statements in one of his monologues about the political reaction to the slaying of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist. ABC and CBS settled what some experts said were long-shot libel lawsuits by Trump at the same time their parent companies had significant interests before the FCC. NPR and PBS affiliates came under scrutiny over whether they were crossing the line into commercial advertising. When the FCC later approved a merger involving CBS parent company, the networks new owners committed to making significant changes at the broadcast network a move the FCC chairman praised in his statement approving the deal. And in November, Carr reshared a Trump social media post that called for comedian Seth Meyers to be fired from NBC. Have a news tip?Contact APs global investigative team at [emailprotected]. For secure and confidential communications, use the free Signal app +1 (202) 281-8604. Al Sikes, a Republican former FCC chairman who served under President George H.W. Bush, said Carr was using mobster tactics.What were seeing right now is new boundaries that are being set on the exercise of authority: punishing those that you dont like and ensconcing those that you do, Sikes said in an interview. ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS and NPR did not respond to requests for comment. Since February, the White House has blocked The Associated Press access to events after the wire service said it would continue referring to the Gulf of Mexico in some of its copy. Trump had signed an executive order renaming the body of water the Gulf of America. The AP filed suit over the restrictions, and a federal judge ordered the White House in April to restore the APs full access to cover presidential events as part of the press pool. The judges order was put on hold while the White House appeals it. KCBS in the crosshairsKCBS has a storied history. It was one of the earliest radio stations ever licensed. Owned by CBS for nearly 70 years, it helped pioneer the 24-hour news radio format. CBS sold its radio properties in 2017 to Entercom, which later renamed itself Audacy. KCBS remains a broadcast affiliate of CBS News Radio. The proliferation of digital content has hit the radio industry hard. Audacy recently survived Chapter 11 bankruptcy and had only been saved by a major investment from a firm owned by George Soros, a liberal donor and frequent Republican target. That investment was approved by the FCC under President Joe Bidens Democratic administration. Some conservatives, including Carr, had criticized the previous FCC leadership for failing to scrutinize the deal more closely.In going after KCBS, Carr relied on a letter of inquiry, the first formal step in opening an FCC investigation. Broadcasters are regulated by the agency, and it has the authority to issue admonitions, or fines. In rare cases, it can revoke broadcast licenses.After Carrs threat, staffers involved in the story were summoned to meetings with lawyers hired by Audacy. The attorneys scoured employee social media posts and grilled some on whether they had any political bias, current and former staff said.The stations news director, Jennifer Seelig, sits on the board of the Radio Television Digital News Association, which gives out a prominent First Amendment award. She told people that business considerations required the station to avoid angering the FCC, current and former staffers said.Seelig did not respond to requests for an interview.Veteran reporter demotedBret Burkhart, who first read the report on the immigration action over the air, was demoted from his anchor position to a less prestigious reporting gig. After a few months, he left the station for a new job, according to current and former staffers. Burkhart was a well-regarded Bay Area radio personality, with more than a dozen top journalism awards over the course of his long career.Burkharts colleagues were perplexed that the station would discipline anyone for reporting on the raids, especially because the federal agents were not operating undercover and the information they based the report on came from several local politicians.The description of immigration agents in unmarked cars is newsworthy, particularly since Trumps administration has a history of sending in federal agents while disguising what agencies theyre with, said Mark Feldstein, a journalism professor at the University of Maryland and former on-air correspondent at CNN and ABC.Sovern, an award-winning political reporter who worked for The New York Times and the AP, said he struggled to get stories published.In the weeks after the immigration story, Seelig asked Sovern to cancel an interview he had set up with California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter out of fear she would say something negative about Trump, he said. Im disappointed that a news organization once renowned and acclaimed for its diligent pursuit of the truth, no matter where it led and no matter whose feathers it ruffled, backed away from its core mission out of fear and economic insecurity, Sovern said. Thats not the KCBS I knew, and gave 35 years of my professional life to, and its a shame the last months had to end in such ignoble fashion.___AP writers Brian Slodysko and Michael Biesecker contributed reporting. BYRON TAU Tau is an investigative reporter in the Washington, D.C. bureau of the Associated Press. He focuses on reporting stories about national security, law enforcement, technology and government accountability. He can be reached on Signal at byrontau.01 twitter mailto

People hold candles during a vigil, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Providence, R.I., for those injured or killed during the Saturday shooting on Brown University campus. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)2025-12-15T14:58:52Z PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Police renewed their search Monday for the gunman who killed two Brown University students and wounded nine others, a day after they released a person of interest after determining the evidence pointed in a different direction.Authorities announced the mans release at news conference late Sunday, marking a setback in the investigation into Saturdays attack on the Ivy League schools campus. It unraveled progress authorities thought they had made at the start of the day when they announced they had detained him at a Rhode Island hotel in connection with the attack and lifted a campus lockdown.Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said he understands that the community is anxious, but that there have been no credible threats of further violence since the shooting. No current suspect in deadly shootingThe release of the person of interest left law enforcement without any known suspect, with officials pledging to redouble their efforts by canvassing for video surveillance that could help pinpoint the killers identity.We have a murderer out there, said Attorney General Peter Neronha.On Sunday morning, officials took into custody a person of interest at a Hampton Inn in Coventry, Rhode Island, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Providence. Two people familiar with the matter identified that individual as a 24-year-old man from Wisconsin, though authorities never released his name. Ive been around long enough to know that sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go in another, and thats exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so, Neronha said. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on He said there was some evidence that pointed to the man authorities detained, but that evidence needed to be corroborated and confirmed. And over the last 24 hours leading into just very, very recently, that evidence now points in a different direction. Authorities believe they are looking for a person shown in a small, short clip of video footage walking away, the mayor said. The persons back is to the camera. Right now, we dont have any evidence to suggest that it was more than that individual, Smiley said Monday on ABCs Good Morning America. Despite an enhanced police presence at Brown, officials are not recommending another shelter-in-place order like the one that followed the Saturday afternoon shooting, when hundreds of officers searched for the attacker and urged students and staff to remain indoors.Shooting happened at a busy time on campusThe shooting occurred as final exams were underway. The gunman opened fire inside a classroom in the engineering building, getting off more than 40 rounds from a 9 mm handgun, a law enforcement official told AP. Two handguns were recovered when the person of interest was taken into custody and authorities also found two loaded 30-round magazines, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity.Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom in a seven-story complex that houses the School of Engineering and physics department. The attack set off hours of chaos on campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods, as hundreds of officers searched for the shooter. One video showed students in a library shaking and wincing as they heard loud bangs just before police entered the room to clear the building.During the lockdown, which wasnt lifted until Sunday, after the person of interest was taken into custody, many students remained barricaded in rooms while others hid behind furniture and bookshelves as police searched for the shooter. One of the nine wounded students has been released from the hospital, Paxson said Sunday. Seven others were in critical but stable condition, and one was in critical condition.On Sunday evening, city leaders, residents and others gathered at a park to honor the victims. The event originally was scheduled as a Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah lighting.Smiley said he visited some wounded students and was inspired by their courage, hope and gratitude. The resilience that these survivors showed and shared with me, is frankly pretty overwhelming, he said. Brown, the seventh-oldest higher education institution in the U.S., is one of the nations most prestigious colleges, with roughly 7,300 undergraduates and more than 3,000 graduate students. The school canceled all remaining classes and exams for the semester. ___Contributing were Associated Press journalists Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire; Jennifer McDermott in Providence; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; and Alanna Durkin Richer, Mike Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington AMANDA SWINHART Swinhart is a video journalist for The Associated Press based in Vermont. instagram mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

FILE -California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a session at the We Mean Business Pavilion during the COP30 U.N. Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in Belem, Brazil. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)2025-12-15T13:58:28Z LOS ANGELES (AP) The fight over Californias new congressional map designed to help Democrats flip congressional House seats will go to court Monday as a panel of federal judges considers whether the district boundaries approved by voters last month can be used in elections. The hearing in Los Angeles sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Trump administration and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, whos been eyeing a 2028 presidential run. The lawsuit asks a three-judge panel to grant a temporary restraining order by Dec. 19 the date candidates can take the first official steps to run in the 2026 election.Voters approved Californias new U.S. House map in November through Proposition 50. Its designed to help Democrats flip as many as five congressional House seats in the midterm elections next year. It was Newsoms response to a Republican-led effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump. The redistricting showdown between the nations two most populous states has spread nationally, with efforts aiming to determine which party controls Congress for the second half of Trumps term. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage. Some plans are facing legal challenges, but the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month to allow Texas to use its new map for the 2026 election. The Justice Department has only sued California. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on The U.S. Justice Department, joining a case brought by the California Republican Party, has accused California of gerrymandering its map in violation of the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters. Republicans want the court to prohibit California from using the new map. Voters approved the map for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. State Democrats said theyre confident the lawsuit will fail. In letting Texas use its gerrymandered maps, the Supreme Court noted that Californias maps, like Texass, were drawn for lawful reasons, Newsoms spokesperson Brandon Richards said in a statement. That should be the beginning and the end of this Republican effort to silence the voters of California. New U.S. House maps are drawn across the country after the Census every 10 years. Some states like California rely on an independent commission to draw maps, while others like Texas let politicians draw them. The effort to create new maps in the middle of the decade is highly unusual.Paul Mitchell, a redistricting consultant who drew the map for Democrats, is expected to offer testimony. The Justice Department alleges that Mitchell and state leaders admitted that they redrew some districts to have a Latino majority. The lawsuit cites a news release from state Democrats that says the new map retains and expands Voting Rights Act districts that empower Latino voters while making no changes to Black majority districts in the Oakland and Los Angeles areas. The federal Voting Rights Act, passed in the 1960s, sets rules for drawing districts to ensure minority groups have adequate political power. The lawsuit also cites a Cal Poly Pomona and Caltech study that concludes the new map would increase Latino voting power. Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50 the recent ballot initiative that junked Californias pre-existing electoral map in favor of a rush-job rejiggering of Californias congressional district lines, the lawsuit said.House Democrats need to gain just a handful of seats next year to take control of the chamber, which would imperil Trumps agenda for the remainder of his term and open the way for congressional investigations into his administration. Republicans hold 219 seats, to Democrats 214._____Nguyn reported from Sacramento. MICHAEL R. BLOOD Blood is a political writer for The AP. Over the years he has filed stories under datelines from Wasilla, Alaska, to Tel Aviv, but he has spent most of his career anchored in AP bureaus in Washington, D.C., New York City and - for the last two decades - Los Angeles. twitter mailto TRN NGUYN Nguyn is an Associated Press reporter covering California government and politics. mailto